In February 201,2 poor eating habits had left me overweight and miserable. None of my clothing was fitting any more. I had slacked off my workouts.I began to look bloated. When I went to my doctor for my annual exam she told me my blood sugar was high. After further testing I learned that I was in a Pre-Diabetic State. I had not hit Type 2 Diabetes, but I was well on my way!
I had attributed my weight gain to menopause and aging. I am 57 years old and felt weight gain was inevitable and I was destined to have a muffin top and an apple belly.
On June 5th,2012, I committed myself to clean eating and videos such as “Afterburn” as well as other videos in the Low Impact series. The weight began to come off but more slowly than I anticipated. Nevertheless, I kept my goals in mind and stayed focused. I refused to crash diet and starve. I just stopped eating and drinking anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup or any sugar laden foods I realize than a condiment as benign as catsup was full of sugars so I began to eat salsa or using no condiment to avoid the sugar in catsup. I also began to drink water with lemon when I went to restaurants instead of ordering Cokes and Sweet tea. I always had at least 3 refills of soda or sweet tea in the past. In retrospect I can’t believe how many empty sugar laden calories I was pumping into my body.
At the lowest point in my life I was going to the Dairy Queen and ordering a large butterscotch cone then stopping by the grocery store and buying 6 Dove bars and eating them as well at one sitting. I also thrived on greasy pizzas. I am sure if I had not been working out with Cathe back then that I would have weighed at least 200 lb.
After deciding enough is enough I decided to take action. I ate complex carbs, protein from egg whites and lean meat, fresh fruits and vegetables. I did not eat any processed meat or dairy products except for an occasional cheat meal when I went out with my husband and friends.
When “Crossfire” and “To the Max” were released, I began to do them on a regular basis. I especially love “Crossfire Extreme”. However I did not do extreme workouts every day. I did “Crossfire” and “To the Max” in my weekly rotation putting one day of lighter steady state cardio or muscle building on non high intensity days.
Looking at the beautiful bodies and athleticism of Cathe and her cast motivated me to push harder and to challenge my body more. I desperately wanted to look and be as fit as her and her cast.
Suddenly after a slow weight loss beginning the inches began to melt off my body. I could walk out of jeans that were formerly too tight to close and my dresses began to zip easily. I went from a size 29 in jeans to a 26 to 27.
My endurance, strength and stamina increased too! At first I thought I would never be able to do the full body pushups with the Slide and Glide disks. Now I can do them with a lot of effort but I can complete every rep that Cathe and her cast do and with good form!
I have no idea of my weight now. I refuse to step on a scale. All I know is that my clothing fits better or is too large and people can tell I have lost weight.
I visit my doctor this month and am sure my blood sugar will be lower and I am excited to step on the scales to find out how much I weigh.
The photo I am sending shows the difference in my size. The photo on the left was made in Feb 2012 at my lowest point and the one on the right was taken on July 28th, 2012.
Thank you Cathe for your newsletter with recipes, nutrition facts and great videos. You have truly changed my life. I now realize that aging and menopause are not valid reasons for weight gain in a health woman. It is all about lifestyle choices and regular exercise!
