Finally...Some Results

I haven't been focused in a long time. Like I mentioned in the previous blog, I've kinda felt like I was just bobbing around in my health and fitness. Last year, I definitely felt very unmotivated when it came to working out. I didn't give it my all. I worked out half-heartedly. I didn't feel like I had a purpose and mission in that season. I knew why I was eating the way I was, and I had connected with that reason. But my fitness floundered.

February presented a challenge called the "60 in 60." It was 60 workouts in 60 days using our newest platform called, "Beachbody On Demand Interactive." It is where our cycling classes are housed among so many others. You can join in live and interact with the trainer. It's pretty neat. So I decided that I was going to do that alongside my Hashimoto's Protocol journey.

It's really what I needed. I planned out my daily classes (which were 30 minutes), and I got to integrate cycling classes, which I fell in love with. This challenge is what I needed to grab my focus. Once I was finished with that, I decided to do a program that was longer...in individual workout time as well as duration of the program.

I did this workout program alongside the 4-Week Gut Protocol (although the 4WGP comes with its own special workout program). However, after a tight glute that flared my lower back (again!), I ended up not really working out for most of the program. But I knew that weightloss is about 80% nutrition and 20% exercise, so I just focused in on my nutrition. I had tunnel vision for my goals (which my specific goal was to get to my pre-pregnancy/pregnancy weight), and I met that goal within 3 weeks of the program! I still had another week left to see what I could do!

To be completely honest, I didn't take measurements. But I lost 11.1 pounds in 28 days. To say that I am thrilled with these results would be the understatement of the year. But more than that, this program has given me a TON of nonscale victories.

1. I can now wear almost all of my clothes that I wore pre-pregnancy. I went down one pants size in order to fit into these clothes. Actually, maybe I should say that I can basically wear all my clothes in my closet. That honestly feels really good.
2. I wake up with the "feeling" of a flat tummy. So no more feeling extremely bloated! Yay!
3. I recognized that I needed to be eating way MORE than I was. I've been a follower and early adapter of the 2B Mindset. I have loved the freedom it's given me, but going into this program, I knew I wanted to do it as written, which is with the color-coded portion control containers. It made me realize that I need to be eating more, which is mind boggling.
4. My face is less puffy--hashimoto's can cause puffiness in the face, which I definitely had. I shared earlier this year on my Instagram stories that it made me a little self-conscious, but I can definitely tell that I am no longer puffy!
5. I've been going to the bathroom more--which is good (and maybe a little awkward to talk about)! My body is eliminating waste, which is also really good for my hormonal issues. I'm hoping to be getting rid of any excess estrogen!
6. We've been eating at home WAY more! I've been wanting to do this, but honestly, the fatigue is a battle. God has also been working in my heart about this topic as a mom and a wife. It's one of my jobs to provide meals for my family, and I'm the "gatekeeper" of the home. So I've really been convicted about buying more quality foods, cooking healthier meals, and eating at home more. We still eat out maybe once a week, but that's so much better than it was a year ago.
   
7. My resting heart rate has lowered. I wear an Apple watch and am pretty keen on what my "stats" are from day-to-day.  In general, my resting heart rate is in the upper 50s, but since eating this way, it has gone wayyyy down to the lower 50s (even 49 on some days). This is something I check daily, and I'm not sure I've ever seen it this low (except one time when on medication for C0V)d.
   
   
   
8. I think the biggest win of them all is the fact that I got my body to respond! I was following the nutrition program. I was working out. I was sleeping well. I was eating the right foods. And still my body didn't respond. I know that in the Beachbody world, this is frowned upon, but what I accomplished in these 4-weeks is learning how my body wants to be nourished...and that's with utilizing the knowledge that I have in both programs (2B Mindset and 4-Week Gut Protocol).

I know that food sensitivities and eating the wrong foods was keeping me from losing the weight. I now know that I wasn't fueling my body properly, and I wasn't eating enough of the right foods. So where am I headed now? Well, I still have healing to do and weight to lose.

When I first started sharing my Hashimoto's journey a couple weeks ago, I had a friend reach out to me and share that she, too, was just diagnosed. It was nice to be able to chat with her and pray for her, and I'm looking forward to building on our relationship. So I don't share all of this for the "look at me," but rather I want others to know that they're not alone.  Not everyone lives their life out loud like this. And that is totally okay. Not everyone is called to share their journey in a public space, and that's okay. But we can use our struggles and trials to help others.

When I shared my journey and my friend reached out to me, that encouraged me to call a new doctor. Remember, I had fired my other doctor? Well, I now have a new one. And I'm hopeful that he will be able to help me dig deeper into my healing journey. I will continue to use this way of eating, because I now know that it's working for me.

Oftentimes, I feel like I'm the exception to the rule. And this is just one example. I'm blending two nutrition programs to come up with the one that my body likes best. The absolute best part is that I'm eating all the things. I'm not depriving myself. I'm not restricting myself. I'm living in my food freedom--and that looks differently to someone with food allergies and sensitivities. Food freedom looks differently to me now than it did just a couple years ago. I'm so grateful that the Lord never leaves us. He walks with us. The only thing that I'm doing differently is walking at His pace instead of ahead of Him.

So friends, don't give up. My journey will look differently than yours. Your journey will look differently than someone else's. Each body is bioindividual. Your needs will differ than mine and vice versa. So there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to nutrition. If you want lasting change, you've got to dig real deep for it. You can find it, but it takes work and effort. Most importantly, allow the Lord to guide your steps. He shouldn't be compartmentalized. He should be Lord of this part of your life, too. Don't do this on your own. Walk with Him. And if He says that you need to walk with someone else as well, I'm here for you, too.

Missed a part?

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8