Success is one pound at a time.

Everyone starts a weight loss program or “get healthy” program with all the gusto and motivation in the world. 

In the beginning they are focused, determined and positive that THIS TIME things will change.

They prep their food, take lunch to work, cook at home, weigh and measure their foods…..and lose a few pounds that week.

This pattern may continue for a few weeks or even a month or 2……until what is NEW becomes OLD.

Then……the old habits become more prevalent and slowly we regress falling back into our old habits and gain the weight that was lost and sometimes more than we lost.

Crissy’s Story: Getting in the ZONE

Crissy started with me at 198lbs. at 5’2” tall.  She has a thyroid issue and HAD high blood sugar and high blood pressure. 

Oh….and she is a nurse. 

I have to say – nurses have a HARD time losing weight.  With the schedules they work and the stress they are under as well as the foods that often surround nursing stations it is VERY DIFFICULT to nurses to stay on track.

Today Crissy is 187 lbs. and 1 size smaller than she was the LAST TIME she was 187 lbs. 

So not only is she a smaller size in general……but the LAST TIME she was 185 lbs. she was 1 size LARGER – so we know she must have gained a lot of muscle density this time to be a smaller size.

But something happened in between …… something that happens to MANY women embarking on a weight loss journey.

Crissy lost about 18 lbs. the first time with me……then gained 13 pounds back. 

She gained THIRTEEN POUNDS back!!!!

The culprit – a pretty severe sugar addiction.

I admit…..I was pretty frustrated.  In fact, I believe I sent her a text and told her to get her “SH*T together” and make a decision to do this for LIFE ….. not for the damn scale.

I believe this is when her mindset shifted.

We cleaned up her microbiome and got rid of any opportunistic bacteria and added probiotics to help with the sugar cravings.

We got her on a food plan to keep her focused and also made a focus to have NO MORE than 25 grams of sugar per day – INCLUDING FRUIT SUGARS.

She asked me….”How long do I have to stay under 25 grams of sugar?”

My answer….. “THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.”

IF YOU WANT THINGS TO CHANGE – YOU MUST CHANGE.

Today Crissy is in a different mindset than she was when she lost the first 13 lbs. 

Today Crissy understands that all these changes….all these “rules”…..all these “limitations” are not TEMPORARY. 

They are a change for LIFE. 

We are not supposed to be consuming 40+ grams of sugar a day!!!! Let alone the 100+ grams MOST OF US CONSUME but fail to acknowledge it or DEAL WITH IT.

We are not supposed to be working out and exercising to GET THE WEIGHT OFF.  

NO!!!!! We are supposed to do this as a way of LIFE in order to help our body HELP US BETTER. 

Working out and training is a way to help your body STAY INSULIN SENSITIVE and to DECREASE INFLAMMATION and to gain more MUSCLE DENSITY but DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT WILL TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF………because you will not last.

Today Crissy understands all that improved BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES SHE MADE.

Her blood sugar is in a normal range.

She has MORE ENERGY than she ever has before.

She can run and play with her kids and even thinking about doing the Disney Half Marathon.

And more importantly…….this is NO LONGER A DIET TO HER…….this is NO LONGER A MEANS TO AN END…….

This is now Crissy’s LIFE……..and she has come to accept it and actually LIKE IT.

Oh……by the way……Crissy can BENCH PRESS 105 lbs. for 5 sets of 5 reps.

And she can deadlift a 1 rep max of 185lbs.

And she can squat over 105lbs. for 10+ reps.

It’s one pound at a time……..and that’s ok. 

Life on the BIGGEST LOSER is not reality……even though it’s a reality show.

The fact is…..women lose weight slower than men.  It’s just our DNA and the way we are.

An average weight loss for a woman is 4-8 pounds per month.  So that means that in a month you may have 2 weeks that you DO NOT LOSE ANY WEIGHT…..but can have a WHOOSH the last 2 weeks and lose 2-4 pounds in a week. 

The best thing women can do is focus on HOW MUCH YOU CAN LIFT…….and watch those numbers go UP. 

Not only will it be less damaging to psyche but you will get stronger physically AND MENTALLY.  There is something that happens to a woman who can lift weights she never thought she could.

A woman who lifts develops a mental confidence and more self esteem than EVER.

And remember…….Crissy said she was a SMALLER SIZE this time at 185lbs. than she was the last time…..YET…..she can LIFT WAY MORE THAN SHE COULD BEFORE.

So she’s not going to turn into some brutish type of woman because she can lift heavy……she is actually getting SMALLER the more she can lift.

Crissy accepts now that it is going to be ONE POUND AT A TIME.

She accepts that there are no MAGIC BULLETS and no QUICK FIXES.

BUT….if she keeps at this pace…..with this focus…..she will be 50 pounds down by this time NEXT YEAR.

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR IF CRISSY STAYS ON TRACK SHE CAN BE 135-140lbs. 

Or she can do that stupid yo-yo-ing that everyone does when they want the force the weight off fast…..and a year from now THOSE PEOPLE who think that way will be EXACTLY WHERE THEY STARTED if not HEAVIER and SOFTER because they lost too much muscle in the process of FORCING THE WEIGHT OFF through LOW CALORIE DIETS and EXTREME CARDIO TYPE EXERCISES not to mention the likely knee issues and back issues the develop due to types of training that DOES NOT WORK for their body.

What is Crissy’s plan for the next 12 months?

• Stay on track with nutrition.
• Keep LIFTING.
• Keep adding in general activity with walking and jogging and the occasional 5K.
• And……to work on her mindset – doing daily meditation and visualization so she can stay in the zone.  THIS IS KEY TO DOING THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.
• And….of course to hang with her tribe at THINK Holistic Fitness who help keep her accountable and motivated and on track!!!!