That was the promise I made to myself almost 15 years ago concerning my health. I was finally going to lose the weight. Up until that point, I hardly ever went to the doctor except for yearly checkups and rarely even caught a cold. What I didn’t know was that after I had lost the 50 extra pounds I was carrying around for so many years, an unexpected hysterectomy would become necessary. And the aftermath of that surgery would change my health for many years to come. When I sat down with my doctor, the fifth one I had seen since the surgery, and faced the news that not only had the hysterectomy thrown me into overnight menopause, my thyroid levels had been thrown off permanently. The surgery didn’t go as planned and the surgeon barely averted a second emergency surgery. The chain reaction of all of these events disrupted my hormonal balance to the point that my adrenals were now in overdrive and frankly have never recovered.

The 18 months that preceded this was a period of time where I finally made a complete lifestyle change. I didn’t eat the same, act the same or think the same as I had in my younger years. I started craving kale and fruit instead of king-sized Snicker bars, which I binged on daily. Sodas were completely cut out and water was my new drink of choice. Everything about my life was different. I worked out at the gym almost daily and began the 5 am bootcamp I mentioned in a previous blog post. It was amazing. It felt amazing to know that I had made these permanent changes to my life and health. I loved the way that I felt and looked. I had more energy at 39 than I did in my 20s.

And then came that surgery.

That doctor visit was about a year out from the surgery and I was desperate. No one seemed to be able to help me get back to where I was. My weight was up and down, I had lost energy and even the desire to work out. I wasn’t sleeping and my resolve to eat healthy was waning. Honestly, I felt like I was losing my mind at times. I was an emotional wreck most days, trying hard to smile through the pain. When the doctor finally explained that my hormones were completely out of sync and if I didn’t make some major changes, I would find it hard to even get out of bed. How could this be happening to me? I had been eating healthier than I ever had in my life. I ate organic food as much as I could. I had lost the weight and practically lived at the gym! This was crazy! “What good was it to have done all of this if I was going to be this sick anyway”, was my question to him. His quiet answer settled me and spoke a truth that has helped me stay the course. “Your changed lifestyle was like putting money in a savings account for later. If you had continued eating the way you had for so many years and had this happen to you, you would already be in the state I fear for you if you don’t get the rest, medication and supplements I’m going to recommend.” What state was it that he feared? A complete breakdown of my health; the inability to work and worse.

His answer shook me to the core and needless to say, I followed his recommendations to the letter and even though I’ll be on thyroid medication most likely for life and supplements are still a part of my daily routine, I’m so much better today than I was back then. I continue to face challenges and some days I resent the fact that this has happened to me but, as He always does, God has used my journey to help others that face similar health issues.

I tell you all of this for a reason. You never know what tomorrow may bring. What you eat and how you live your life in terms of health and fitness is banking away what you will need years down the road. It has nothing to do with getting skinny. It’s about being able to race my granddaughters in the park or run upstairs 100 times a day (mostly because I forgot what I went up there for and had to go back!) It’s about aging well and having energy to do the things I still want to do, like walk my way through the Italian countryside one day or snorkel in Australia.

One of my secret weapons when I was on the path to good health was a dietitian name Molly Kimball in New Orleans. She created an eating plan for me that kept me accountable and gave me room to enjoy my life. She kept saying that it wasn’t a diet; it was a lifestyle change. I’ve said those words to so many people since then and it is still true. I can diet and lose 5 pounds in a week but it will soon return when I go back to eating normally. But finding a way of eating healthy for the rest of my life..well that’s game-changer.

I’m including Molly’s website at the end of this blog as well as a link to a healthy eating grocery list that was an incredibly helpful resource and continues to be even today. It’s based on a New Orleans owned grocery store but you can find most, if not all, of them in your local store or online.

One of the things I got asked the most as a personal trainer was “what do I eat!?” Should I cut out all carbs, eat low fat, dairy free, grain free, gluten free? The fact is there are so many different eating plans available. I think each of us, being so unique, have to find what works for us and for our lifestyle. Yes, calories matter, refined sugar is bad for us in all its forms and eating whole and unprocessed food is a basic foundation. Beyond that, you have to experiment and find what works for you.

Change is hard and adopting a healthy lifestyle is a commitment but when I feel overwhelmed about how to manage it all, I remember that every health choice I make will afford me a wonderful life now and in the years to come! Here’s to your good health!

https://ochsner-craft.s3.amazonaws.com/www/landing-page/robert-eat-fit-shopping-guide.pdf

https://blog.ochsner.org/biographies/molly-kimball-rd/