GAINING MY INDEPENDENCE

By Lisa Bonner

So much has changed in the last year, not only my body, but I have also changed emotionally and spiritually.  One year ago today, July 4, 2012, there were so many things that I never dreamed of doing let alone trying.  My food addiction brought me so far down that I didn’t even realize that I had lost control over everything good in my life.  You might think to yourself that my problem is different than yours or someone that you know, but if you use food to make yourself feel better or manage your emotions, this is you.  I was looking on the computer and ran across the Skinny Gene website.  Somewhere down in my soul, I heard a voice urging me to reach out for help, but I didn’t really think anyone would contact me.  But Marlayna Bollinger took that first step and did reach out to me.  During our conversation I found encouragement, compassion, and I began to believe that maybe I could change.   Nancy Juarez, whom I will call my Life-i-tician, contacted me and the challenge began.

Even though Nancy assured me that she would help me learn how to be a healthier person I was very skeptical that I could change.  It was much more comfortable just keeping my life the way that it had been.   Nancy told me that it would not always be easy, and sometimes it hasn’t been, but I can honestly tell you that with the Skinny Gene program I have never been hungry.  That was one of my biggest fears, that and admitting that I had a problem with food.  There were weeks that I broke down and ate things that I shouldn’t have, but Nancy and my Skinny Gene Family were always supportive and got me back on track.

 1 YEAR LATER

So, here I am today, 1 year later, 87 pounds lighter and feeling so good about myself.

My journey towards freedom! Left- The old me. Middle- After losing 68 lbs, I’m beginning to “take control of me”. Right- At my missions trip in AL, I’ve shed 87 lbs and I’m finally feeling “free”!

The weight was just a way to hide myself away from the feelings that I did not want to deal with.  I have gained the energy to play with my kids, sometimes even beat them in a bike race, jogged/walked in a 5K benefit race, go to Zumba class, and just 2 weeks ago started riding a bike at least 2 miles a day.  But most importantly, I am in control of what I eat!  There are occassions that I choose to eat pizza, or sweets, but the difference now is that I am making a conscious choice to do so.  Nancy has given me the tools that I need to control my life.  One of the most blessed parts of my journey is that I have joined my life again.  Before I was so tired when I came home from work, I didn’t really participate in life to the fullest; it was just passing me by.

I am excited to say that I went on a mission’s trip for a week with our church to Wilmer, Alabama.  While we were there, guess where my job duties were. You are right, I was asked to work in the kitchen.   But despite the many temptations, and the fact that I wasn’t in control of the food choices,  I managed  to only gain 3 pounds back.

I would never have gone if I had not changed my life, because obesity is not only about fat you are carrying, but a bigger burden is the shame that weighs you down.

PAYING IT FORWARD

I will forever celebrate Independence Day as my own personal independence, because now I am free!  I can accomplish anything that I set out to do.  The only limits I have are the ones I set for myself.  I plan on continuing to ride, walk, swim, and serve others until God reveals other plans for me.  He led me to Skinny Gene, Marlayna, and Nancy.  Granted if you decide to take the path I have gone down, it will not be easy, you will have to work at it, but I promise you will never be alone.  You will have God( if you choose) and 3 guardian angels, Marlayna, Nancy , and myself( if you would like to talk to me).  I believe in paying it forward and would be so humbled to provide inspiration, friendship or whatever to someone that needs encouragement.

If you are someone that has their life under control, but has the monetary means to help someone else, I am pleading with you to do so.  You have the ability to literally save someone elses life.  If I had not found the Skinny Gene Project, I would never have been motivated to change my life.  I have not finished my journey. I still have some pounds to go, but I know that I will make it, because I believe in myself.  My Skinny Gene Family will continue to be part of my life even after I reach my goal. Hopefully I can have some part in helping someone else.  My family has also been a very important part of my journey.  If I had not had the support of my Mama, husband and wonderful children, it would have been much more difficult.  But they have also reaped the rewards of my efforts, because they exercise more, eat better, and enjoy a much happier home life.

I have many dreams for the future, and things I want to accomplish, and have no doubt that I can.   Find someone or something that inspires you and never give up.  I found inspiration in the words to a song by Miley Cyrus.  Somehow I just connected to the song and I would like to share some of the words with you, because it continues to keep me focused…..

The struggles I am facing 

The chances I am taking

Sometimes might knock me down but

No I ‘m not breaking

I may not know it but

These are the moments that

I’m gonna remember most

Just gotta keep going

And I gotta be strong

Just keep pushing on

There’s always gonna be another mountain

I am always gonna want to make it move

Always gonna be a uphill battle

Sometimes I am going to have to lose

Aint about how fast I get there

Aint about what’s waiting on the other side

It’s The Climb

Thanks again Marlayna, Nancy, and the Skinny Gene Family for all your love and support.  Thanks for making The Climb with me.

MY GOAL

My next goal is to participate in a timed 5K, and that is what I am working towards.  I am hoping to participate in the 5K  portion of the San Diego Half Marathon & 5k on March 9, 2014.  This race gives 100% of its net proceeds to chosen charities. The Skinny Gene Project is one of these charities, so I am hoping to be there myself, running beside them.  That is my most important goal for the next year, to know that I am capable of finishing something that big.

My cup runneth over!

…….

We, the Skinny Gene Family, are so incredibly proud of what Lisa has achieved.  Her hard work and determination are an inspiration to us all!  Please join us in congratulating Lisa  by leaving her an encouraging comment below.

Lisa’s Skinny Gene program is made possible by health-minded people like YOU!  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to continue supporting Lisa’s program, as well as other very deserving members of our community who need our help “gaining their independence” and living a healthier life.

Disclaimer: The weight loss testimonial presented is applicable to the individual depicted and are not a guarantee of your weight loss nor are they typical.

 [Example- Once you have completed January’s challenge, being able to jump rope for 15 minutes every day (for 30 days), then continue jumping roping daily but add February’s activity – doing sit-ups and jumping jacks during commercials. After you have mastered January and February’s activities, keep doing them and add March’s goal, and so on.]

Now, here comes the fun part – weight loss! For each monthly challenge you complete there is a corresponding possible weight loss. The net weight loss listed for each challenge is what you may lose EACH month you successfully complete that action.

You may lose up to 50 ¾ pounds after 6 months!

So, in summary… make small, doable changes and achieve big results!

Ready to get started? Just follow the plan below.

Month to Month Resolution Challenge

January:  Jump rope 15 minutes everyday – burns 5,115 calories, net weight loss 1 ½ pounds

February:  Sit-ups and Jumping jacks during commercials – burns 5,096 calories, net weight loss of 1 ½ pounds – Year to date -4 ½ pounds

March:  Take your lunch to work – saves 12,250 calories, net weight loss 3 ½ pounds – Year to date -11 pounds

April:  Eat 6 small meals daily – saves 12,000 calories, net weight loss of 3 ½ pounds – Year to date -21 pounds

May:  Eat 3 fruits everyday – saves 11,160 calories, net weight loss of 3 ¼ pounds – Year to date -34 pounds

June:  Drink more water (rule of thumb, your weight divided by 2 to get goal fluid ounces of water per day) – saves 12,250 calories, net weight loss 3 ½ pounds – Year to date -50 ¾ pounds

By Emily Barr, MS, RD, CNSC

Want More?? Check out these posts from Emily…

Meet Emily

Setting Attainable Resolutions

Fight the Urge to Splurge-How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Lumps of Coal vs Sugar Plum Fairies- The Reason For Making Healthy Changes this Season

How Did You Do It?

Sweets & Sabotages

Sugar Aliases

Halloween Temptations

High Five to Healthy Lunches

Vitamin D: Sunshine Vitamin, or not?

Summertime Drinks that Won’t Bust Your Diet or Your Waistline

Best Defense Against Cellulite

Water Filled Summer

Value Menu-Eat now, Pay later

Different ages, different requirements to be healthy

Kids Really Do Like Fruits and Vegetables

Spring into Green

Many Skinny Gene members who have been successful in weight loss for better health and diabetes prevention have been presented with the same question from their family and friends.  How did you lose it and keep it off?

We ask the questions, but what do we want to hear the answer? 

Are we asking if they went on a miracle diet, dropping pounds and pounds of weight just by taking a tiny pill a day or eliminating broccoli from their diet?  We search and search for that special combination that will give us a quick fix, well, unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that it’s just not that easy…or is it? 

What’s not easy is the commitment to better health.   About 45 million Americans diet each year, we spend $1 billion to 2 billion per year on weight-loss programs with little success.  Many of our programs out there are targeted for weight loss, but they are unable to maintain the weight loss once the program ends.  So my question is why does the program ever end…and why is it a program anyway?  We need to commit to a healthy lifestyle, not a diet that lasts 10 days or 3 months. 

The diet for diabetes gets a bad rap.  We assume diabetics must automatically eliminate all sugar and carbohydrates from their diet….such punishment.  When in actuality this is not true, we should all be eating like diabetics.  There are 5 key things to focus on:

1.  Fiber – found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, helps maintain the blood sugars
2. Antioxidants –  found in color rich foods such as berries and spinach , help reduce oxidative stress (toxins) in the body
3. Nutrient dense foods – great sources are fruits and vegetables, low calories with many vitamins and minerals and oh, yes, fiber
4. Fat free dairy – great sources are milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese, help meet your calcium requirements while reducing weight, blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease
5. Eat breakfast every morning – try to reach for some of those fiber rich cereals and antioxidant rich fruits

Hmmm…do you see a common thread with our 5 keys to a healthier lifestyle, diabetic or not?  Yes!  Focus on fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, and you won’t have time to eat much more, well, maybe a little lean protein and essential fat, but you know what we are talking about.  We need to give up the miracle weight loss scheme and commit to follow these principles for better health.  It’s not a magic pill or super duper weight loss overnight, but it will help our body shed those extra pounds and be healthier over time.

By Emily Barr, MS, RD, CNSC

Want More?? Check out these posts from Emily…

Meet Emily

Sweets & Sabotages

Sugar Aliases

Halloween Temptations

High Five to Healthy Lunches

Vitamin D: Sunshine Vitamin, or not?

Summertime Drinks that Won’t Bust Your Diet or Your Waistline

Best Defense Against Cellulite

Water Filled Summer

Value Menu-Eat now, Pay later

Different ages, different requirements to be healthy

Kids Really Do Like Fruits and Vegetables

Spring into Green

Quick!  What’s your first reaction to these 3 words…Just 10 pounds?

It’s interesting. These 3 words can evoke a different response from different people depending on their past experiences and how they view their future. 

Discouraged: A person who has 50 or more pounds to lose might not be able to see the significance in losing 10 pounds, and is instead discouraged by the idea that “it’s just 10 pounds” and there’s so much more to go. 

Hopeful: A mother, who recently had a baby and is anxious to get back into her favorite pair of jeans, might feel as though losing just 10 pounds is the difference between what “is” and what ”could be”.    

Disconnected: For a person who has tried countless times to lose weight, failed, and finally gave up. Just 10 pounds may feel out of reach. To them, there is an inherent contradiction in the words “just” and “10 pounds”, since “just” implies that something is easy, and for them losing 10 pounds (for good) is anything but that.

Regardless of whether the idea of losing weight is led by anxiety or optimism, we want you to know that “Just 10 Pounds” should ALWAYS be associated with 3 equally simple words – “A BIG DEAL”.

Whether losing 10 pounds is a part of the journey or the goal, ONE thing is undeniable…

Just 10 pounds is empowering; it can become life changing.

 
With just 10 pounds, comes confidence and optimism, and of course – prevention.

Yes, with 10 pounds you may see a difference in your clothes (maybe even drop a dress size), but the most important benefits are those that aren’t as visibly noticeable.

Did you know that losing Just 10 Pounds might drastically improve or prevent the further development of these 10 serious health problems?

1. type 2 diabetes
2. stroke
3. coronary heart disease
4. metabolic syndrome
5. certain types of cancer
6. sleep apnea
7. osteoarthritis
8. gallbladder disease
9. fatty liver disease
10. pregnancy complications

 Remember, it all begins with “Just 10”.

We’re all unique, and the things that make us different also influence the impact weight loss can have on our health. If you would like to learn how 10 pounds can make a difference in your life, we’d like the chance to talk to you.

Just click here and member of our nutrition team will contact you soon!

For some people the most difficult part of losing weight is staying motivated and to keep persevering when you just want to give up.  Here are some tips and tools to help you stay motivated. 

1)      Remind yourself that you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want OR you can be thinner. You can’t have both. Make this your mantra. Repeat it aloud at vulnerable times.

2)      Set a fitness goal.  A 5K run/walk, sprint triathlon, mud run, or a challenging bike ride.  Get creative and have fun with it.  Find something that gets you out of your comfort zone, but that is also doable.  www.active.com is full of athletic activities and events all over the country.  Find something that looks fun and sign up today!

3)      Email, text or call an accountability friend everyday to tell them about your day.  When you have to report to someone else, when you feel a level of pressure which tends to change how you think and act. 

4)      Take measurements of your body at the beginning of your weight loss journey.  It’s easy to get discouraged if the number on the scale doesn’t move as quickly as you’d like.  Check out http://www.ivillage.com/how-do-i-take-my-measurements/4-n-142316 to learn the best way to take your measurements.

5)      Reward yourself.  Make small measurable goals to earn non-food rewards.  Some reward ideas might include a pedicure, massage, date night, or a new book … the possibilities are endless.  Another idea is to throw a dollar in a jar for every 30 minutes you work out.  Add some cash each time you lose a couple of pounds.  At the end of the month go shopping for clothes to fit your new slimmer self. 

6)      Dr. Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, suggests making a long list of reasons you want to be thinner and healthier. Read that list each morning and have it handy when you’re not feeling especially motivated.

7)      Surround yourself with success stories and weight loss information.  Read Self magazine, find weight loss articles and success stories online, and seek out friends who have lost weight.  It’s inspiring to see others who have succeeded at reaching their weight loss goals.

8)      Don’t let one bad meal or snack ruin your entire day.   Don’t beat yourself up about it and get right back on track at your next meal.  Too often people make a bad food choice and use it as an excuse to eat poorly the rest of the day.   It can be a very detrimental pattern and will undoubtedly sideline any weight loss goal.

9)      Make a list of things to do when you get a craving for unhealthy foods.  Go for a walk, read a magazine, take a bath, or play with your pet.  Focus on something else and your craving should pass in 5-10 minutes.

10)  Keep a log of your food, exercise, and weight loss. Studies show that people who are successful at losing and maintaining their weight are good at self-monitoring. “And remember to put positive feelings in print, too, to review on days you need a boost,” says Rachna D. Jain, Psy.D., a lifestyle coach and licensed psychologist in Columbia, Maryland.  It feels good to look back at all your hard work and be proud of all that you’ve accomplished.

On each and every weight loss journey everyone struggles with bouts of doubt and weight loss plateaus.  It’s what you do when in the face of these struggles that defines your success.

Can’t wait to see you caring that Prada bag Dee!!

 So a few weeks ago I mentioned  that I wanted to set weight loss goals for each milestone I reach. So I’ve been thinking about what constitutes a milestone?  Webster defines a milestone as a significant point in development.  I’d argue that every pound would be a positive step in my journey towards health, but sadly while I do love a good treat, I really want to make sure I do something special for those significant moments, while really celebrate … Read More

via Odds Against Me

Odds Against Me is for real.  She’s honest, hilarious, and super serious about improving her health.  I think it is safe to say that we can all relate to the ups and downs that come with each and every attempt of weight loss.   Dee has started her journey to better health and is letting us follow her down this cross-country trip.   I think we will get to accompany her through the absolute highs of weight loss, I am thinking possibly equivalent to Disneyland and the inevitable lows, which I am sad to say is probably somewhere in the middle of Kansas.    I admire Dee for putting this experience out there for us to read.  And hopefully we can join her in this journey to better health.

It’s not what you think…I am not highlighting this blog because Dee has chosen yours truly to help guide her through the overwhelming world of weight loss, but because we are bombarded with nutrition misinformation and sabotage on a daily basis.  Maybe we can all come together to provide support for each other and walk side by side on this winding road….to Disneyland!

 Enjoy this blog! 

So, as I mentioned before, the plan was to start working with a dietitian.  Now, it is official…I have started a program that will teach me how my body uses food as well as gives me a solid understanding of how to make healthier choices.  As you know, my mission is to lose weight, but this time I’m looking for a real lifestyle change with long-term implications. I’ve failed many times before with gimmicks, pills, and offers like “read this book … Read More

via Odds Against Me