How far I've come...

HoverKitteh · March 2014

This is long, so forgive me. For me, it chronicles a journey that began here on MFP months ago. It seems only right that it should come back full circle to MFP. Perhaps this can help someone else find their path to health as well.

Several months ago, I posted looking for help because I'd been restricting my calories to BMR, working out like a fiend, and gaining and losing the same two pounds over and over again. I knew at that time that I was having some thyroid problems which were making weight loss more challenging, but I knew that others had successfully lost weight, even fighting a reluctant thyroid. I was hoping for the "magic fleece" solution.

I didn't find it. Several people were supportive and shared their difficulties in finding a method which would allow them to shed pounds. But many people told me that I was obviously eating more than I was logging (I was not) or that nearly two months of strict calorie counting and 6 day a week-45 minute workouts was not enough to see the scale budge. Obviously, it was my fault that I wasn't losing.

So, I stopped logging, stopped checking in, stopped looking for assistance, and just went about living--not gaining, not losing. Life went on. On February 10th, my brother went in for reconstructive surgery because radiation therapy for cancer had destroyed the bone in his jaw. The following weekend, he took a turn for the worse. My sisters and I, spread out across the U.S. rallied to Georgia to be with him. It was the first time that we'd all been together in one spot in nearly 20 years--a very said state for a family that used to be as close as we were. For me, it was the beginning of resolution with my brother--we'd been estranged for 10 years and he had refused to have any contact with me (I found out from his wife that what he believed had happened--never actually did--all that time wasted because of a misunderstanding--there's a lesson there people).

Anyway, we five girls stayed at a hotel a few blocks from the hospital. One of my sisters (a year younger than I am) has struggled with her weight nearly all of her life. She looked amazing. She had lost every bit of the weight she'd carried for so long, and then some. She'd also completely changed the way she related to food (she and I tend to be emotional eaters or non-eaters depending on the situation). I asked her what she'd done--how did she get her weight and food issues under control?

She grabbed my Kindle, fiddled a bit, and then handed it to me. "This," she said, "is what changed the way I look at food. This book made all the difference between frustration and understanding. Dave and I (her hubby) completed this and now, these are the principles by which we eat." 'This' was "Shred, Six Weeks, Four Inches, Two Sizes" by Dr. Ian Smith. "Download it," she said, "you won't be sorry." So, I did. And I began reading it during the long hours sitting by my brother's bedside. Two weeks later, I came home on Saturday, the 1st of March, feeling better about my brother's prognosis, and ready to begin changing my life. I decided to begin with a "Reboot"--that is, a five day juice, veggie and fruit "fast" (although it was anything but a fast) -- bought all the necessary produce, determined to begin on Monday. In the wee hours of Monday morning, my sister in law called me and told me that my brother had begun bleeding from the surgical site--they would be unable to stop the bleeding because the radiation destroyed so much tissue and blood vessels that there was just nothing there to work with. They packed the wound and basically sent my brother home to die. Of course, that day I spent in a daze, unable to do much of anything--two of my sisters made plans to fly back out. I didn't have the means to do so. Monday evening, I began to think about how much damage my brother had done to his body all of his life and that the best tribute I could give to him was to become a healthier, better me--to fight the health issues that were sure to creep in with the weight that I'd gained after quitting smoking.

On Tuesday I began the modified Reboot and to my surprise and delight, my honey decided to join me. For five days, we juiced and ate only fresh fruits and vegetables, with some added olive oil (for saute purposes or roasting purposes). After one day of rest, we began to Shred. We're now nearing the end of week two, so technically, that's nearly three weeks of completely changed eating and exercising habits. There have been a myriad of benefits already--more than I could have ever expected.

1. We both feel fantastic. Increased energy--honey is no longer hitting the bed at 7 PM and I am no longer dragging myself through the day just waiting for bedtime. We have been hiking all over the place every weekend--instead of sitting at home like bumps on a log.

2. I have lost nearly 14 pounds, along with 3" from my waist, and 1" from my hips and bust respectively. I have not been able to get below 180 since 2011. I started the Reboot at 184 pounds. Today I weigh 170.9.

3. The skin on my arms, which had been reduced to dry scales, a result of my thyroid issues, is clearing up. The skin on my face is brighter and clearer.

4. After 14 years of heartburn and nightly Tums use, Honey's heartburn is gone. He's had none in over two weeks. He's lost 14 pounds.

5. Most amazing to me is that about four days into Shred, Honey (who has Type 2 diabetes and has been on Metformin for four years) started going low. We couldn't figure it out as even with the Metformin, he often tested in the 200s. After two days of this, he decided to try a day without the Metformin. He continued to eat cleanly with Shred and tested frequently throughout the day. His blood sugar hovered between 120 and 140 without medication. So he continued the next day. He tested in the morning as always and he was 124. Since he's usually higher in the morning before the Metformin, this was a surprise. So he didn't take the Metformin again that day. Today has been a week without the Metformin. He tests himself 3 to 4 times a day, and his blood sugar has been consistently in the 120-140 range--normal.

For us, this has been the beginning of a remarkable journey to health. Shred is teaching us to view the fuel we put in our bodies differently. The foods that we once craved (burgers and fries) seem disgusting. We've come to prefer the clean foods that the Reboot and Shred are teaching us to eat and it's nearly impossible to be hungry with four meals a day plus three snacks. Most days, I can't even eat all the snacks.

For those of you who think that Shred is just a fad diet, you should really talk to the people who are living and losing with this method. It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle--a way of eating that will help you lose weight and, once you lose what you want to lose, to maintain your loss. It's not about what you can't eat, but about what you'll want to eat. I've found a ton of support through Facebook groups and from my sister, who has provided me with someone to talk to as well as some yummy recipes.

My brother passed away on March 7th surrounded by loved ones. Instead of stuffing my face full of comfort foods to dull the pain of his loss, I stayed true to the Reboot, and then Shred--focusing on becoming healthy--my tribute to my brother's life and to my own. My gift to my children and everyone else who cares about me and wants me to succeed, Honey's gift to me, and mine to him and I have no doubt that we will succeed.