Update Dec 2015 – Markita wrote in to tell us about how she’s maintained her weight loss of 25 pounds for more than a year despite weight gain due to medication.
“You featured my story last July, and I just wanted to send in an update of my maintenance since! After being featured, I was put on medication which caused me to gain 7 pounds, which I could not lose until recently coming off the medication. However, I was able to get back down to 165, the goal weight my doctor gave given me for my height. I was also able to release the weight by continuing to watch my carb and sugar intake. Thank you for what you do, your site has kept me motivated, even when I wanted to throw in the towel!”
July 2014 – Proud mom of 4 Markita lost 25 pounds and gives all the glory to God. Making healthy smoothies, drinking Apple Cider Vinegar and avoiding high fructose corn syrup were just parts of her lifestyle change. Here is what she shared with us:
Today’s Encouragement!!!! I am a busy wife and mother of 4 minor children. I was sick & tired of being sick & tired, and feeling unattractive! In October 2013, after being diagnosed as pre-diabetic, I made the necessary changes in my lifestyle & diet that I can & will follow for the rest of my life with God’s help, love, & guidance!!! You can do it too. It’s never too late!!! Seek Him. After all, God designed you, and knows what it will take! I lost all this weight in a matter of 6 months. Majority was lost in the first 3 months. I found the NutriBullet fruit and veggie smoothies in the morning helped a lot. I’ve cut back on sugar and sweets big time and I only eat red meat occasionally (Mostly chicken & Turkey). I only drink sugary drinks like pop, juice, lemonade occasionally. I avoid high fructose corn syrup & artificial sweeteners like the plague, lol! If I need sweetness, I will use a little raw organic honey or a little raw sugar. I drink decaf green tea every night before I go to bed. I drink lemon water throughout the day. I drink Braggs organic Apple cider vinegar with water in the morning and before dinner. I still eat pasta and bread, but only in moderation. I only cook with olive oil and use real butter, no spreads. I love almonds and almond butter. These are most of the things I have done and still do to maintain. Everyone is different, but this is what works for me and I can do these things for the rest of my life. I had to make it more of a lifestyle change instead of diet! Hope this helps someone, God bless you!!!! Starting Weight 188 poundss/Ending Weight 163 pounds= 25 pounds.
Hi, My weight loss started when I was doing a 4 month course. That was last year in May. We were doing physical training three times a week. My weight when I started was 105 kg (231 pounds). At the end of the course i was 95 kg (209 pounds). However, I relaxed and did not exercise anymore. On Dec 6, 2013 I decided to register with the gym and I haven’t stopped since then. I even join their classes; spinning class which starts 5:30 in the morning till 6:30 and a 30 minute abs classes. I workout 3 times a week at the gym, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 1 day for spinning 2 days I would do cardio and strength, including abs. Now, I jog when I get a chance on the weekends, do TaeBo, skip rope and use an ab wheel. Today, I just bought 10 kg (22 lb) sets of dumbbells. I’ve invested a lot in home equipment like a skipping rope, an exercise ball, ab wheel and women’s health dvds. I’m currently going to the fitness house (gym) 3 times a week and I’ve joined endurance class which is spinning. When I started working out again at the gym I was 98.5 kg (217 pounds) and my body fat was 43%. The last time I checked my body fat it was 32%. I’m not sure what my percentage is now because when I want to check it the machines are always offline. My current weight now is 79kg (174 pounds). My height is 5’5″. My motivation to want to lose weight was because of my health. I’m a diagnosed asthmatic, so I would struggle with breathing and easily get tired. As a person who works in the medical field, I knew that if I didn’t do anything about it I would not live long enough to see my 3 beautiful baby girls group. My Eating Habits: I’ve cut all junk food like fried chips and soda drinks. I avoid eating too many carbohydrates and sugary stuff. My meals For breakfast I always have high fiber cereals, with fat free milk or plain yogurt. Mid day – Fruits, nuts, raisins Lunch – I can chose to eat my Low go bread which is also high in fiber with no sugar or salt added with peanut butter and boiled eggs Dinner – Brown rice, 2 servings of veggies with grilled meat (chicken, turkey or fish). Sometimes sweet potatoes with any meat or High fiber spaghetti Don’t forget the greek salad as well. The discipline that is most important is food portion control. You can use food scale or just a palm of your own hand. It works. Also, eat before 6pm in the evening and try not to stress a lot as you know stressing too much decreases ones digestive system. For those who want to lose weight, I suggest you start a motivating routine and set a realistic goal. Find a weight loss partner or group, this will help you cut down a mental strain by sharing what you going through with someone. Start an exercise log because writing down your progress makes everything concrete. Find an old photo where you look good and post it on your fridge. That will remind you how you used to look and see that what you want to be is attainable is motivating. Lastly but not least, set up a reward, think positively, pace yourself, keep it fresh and have fun.
Healthy eating is all about eating foods that are full of the nutrients that we need for thriving health. That is even more important when you are trying to lose weight and foods full of empty calories. There are a couple nutrient sources that almost everybody is familiar with. Whether it’s Vitamin C from an orange, potassium from a banana, or calcium from milk, these sources are pretty common knowledge. What’s important to remember is that there are dozens of other health sources out there that supply the healthy vitamins we need and simple ways to maximize the efficiency of these foods supplying our system.
How do you know that you are self medicating?
In general, much of the conventionally grown food we eat is infused with pesticides, herbicides, food additives, artificial dyes, preservatives, ionizing radiation, sewage waste (“biosolid compost”) and chemical fertilizers. Some of these are quite poisonous to the body over time. For example, insecticides are usually designed to destroy the nervous or digestive systems of the insects they are targeting. These poisons can have the serious affects on the organs and nervous systems of humans; it just takes longer for the effects to show because of our exponentially larger size and more complex immune systems.
The body has a rhythm to its metabolism that is circadian, that means it follows the daylight cycle. Your metabolism doesn’t just turn on to a set speed when you eat or exercise. Depending on what time of day it is the metabolism will act slower or faster naturally (for most people, that is. Health issues can affect this cycle). This is why learning what to eat and when you should eat it to get the most from your diet is essential. As science discovers more about how our bodies work, you will be surprised to find out that some age old advice about when to eat has always been right, and there are some new findings that may turn the typical diet advice on its head. It is important to remember that your body is also going to adjust to your cycle, so you may have a different metabolic rhythm if you 
