How did you lose all that weight?

I have been getting a good handful of people asking me how I lost the weight and am keeping it off. I did a post in April about my transformation which essentially started after my miscarriage in 2019. I thought that on this post I would emphasize a little more on all that I have learned.

April of 2020 when Tracy and I started our podcast (Dirt Road Health and Hustle), I made a goal on my 33rd birthday that I would lose 33lbs by my 34th birthday in April 2021. I changed up my eating habits, got a blood test to test key vitamins in my system. I was deficient in some so I started taking some supplements and was feeling great through the fall of 2020. I lost 10lbs from April to December 2020. I started not feeling great and having GI issues, inflammation and a rash on my face in December. I decided to start seeing a chiropractor in January because I knew they would just help my physical well-being which in turn helps the internal well-being. I was feeling great physically after some consistent help from the chiropractor, but still not great in the stomach arena. Tracy convinced me to see a holistic doctor and get tested for food sensitivities. I did it and am so so happy I did! 

I found out I had high Candida, a yeast overgrowth in my stomach. There is more that all plays a role into the Candida -- you can listen to our podcast episode 29 from March 3, 2021 where Tracy talks a whole bunch about it! When I first started my Candida clean up food regimen, my goal was NOT to lose weight. My goal was to get my stomach and inflammation under control while killing the Candida. I learned through the blood test that I also had food sensitivities to wheat, dairy and eggs....which I was eating a lot of. Sugar is a huge contributor and feeder of the Candida. To kill it off, I went on a strict regimen of only meat/protein and veggies, three meals a day for five weeks. No dairy, no grain, no sugar, no fruit. This is an extreme that I don't expect everyone to do. I was taking many other supplements prescribed by my doctor to make sure we were killing off the Candida in a healthy way and I was getting all necessary nutrients. Because I had eliminated the food my body did not like (dairy, wheat and eggs) and I cut out sugar, I in turn lost 20lbs while killing off the Candida. 

Like I said, losing the weight wasn't the goal when going on the Candida health regimen....it was a result of doing what was best for my body.

I fully believe that sugar was the biggest culprit! You need to cut back on your sugar or completely eliminate it for a few weeks to see how you respond. You don't need it and it is in everything processed. It was crazy when I would read labels to see what all had sugar and the amounts. 

Another huge factor is getting enough protein. Protein is very critical in providing you nutrients and keeping you feeling full longer. Tracy eats as many grams of protein each day for her weight (say she weighs 100lbs, she east 100g of protein). I on the other hand am not able to do that. I just can't eat that much, I get full. I try to get at least 20g-40g of protein per meal which keeps me full until the next meal. I have stopped snacking (well occasionally I do, baby gets hungry!) every day and when I do, I turn to healthy options such as my almond and walnut trail mix or a Chomps beef stick. I eat almost no processed foods and try to make dinner every night from whole foods, organic when I can. I am not starving myself and I am full between meals. Some days I am not as good as others and I can tell -- it is amazing how the body works. When you find out what it needs and wants, do the right thing and feed it properly. 

Your food and nutrition impacts EVERY SINGLE SYSTEM IN YOUR BODY! I have been reading lots of books as well which give me many different perspectives on food. You need to do what is right for you. Not everyone is the same. If you have any questions, please reach out, I am more than happy to help and give my opinion!

Small steps can lead to big results. Don't jump all at once, rather take it slowly, one thing at a time and make your goals achievable so you don't give up or feel overwhelmed. Drink water too!!! You should drink at least half your weight in ounces of water each day.

It is never too late to start! Get moving :)

Until next time,

~Tring to Live the American Dream~