A year ago I was 3 stones heavier. I was depressed, restless and wanting desperately for my life to better. In March of last year I had coffee with a friend who I'd known for a couple of years. She knew that I'd been trying to work for myself but she knew my story. I was talking to her and I started crying and I will never forget what she said to me in a very loving way. You can do all these things but sort yourself out first.
She told me that there is no shame in getting the Dr to give me anti depressants. I was horrified at the suggestion of drugs as I'm very much a holistic medicine type of person. But I was so low I went and booked a Doctor's appointment - I didn't end up going to the until a month later.
The Doctor discouraged me from taking anti depressants as they were not a short term fix. I can't remember what he suggested as an alternative. So I left the surgery thinking there's one last thing I'm going to try - diet and exercise. But I couldn't afford gym membership how could I do this?
In July 2012 Dax Moy offered a free Summer challenge. It involved eliminating all processed foods out of my diet and daily exercise. I had done one of his 30 day challenges twice before and I lost weight but I only did the diet for about 15 days. This time I was determined to do a clean diet and exercise together for the first time in my life.
I had exercised on and off after I left I left school but apart from walking and sporadic yoga I didn't have an exercise routine. It was hard at first. I followed the diet as much as I could. I was to do the prescribed exercise 3 times a day. But I just did one because I was walking 6 times a day to do school and nursery runs.
I stuck to the programme as I saw results almost immediately. You have to drink a lot of water 1litre for every 50lbs you weighed so your body dumps the toxins. I could see a difference in day 2. My ever growing stomach had reduced.
I did various challenges until July this year. Today I am the same weight as I was at 22. I feel 22. I've got the authentic Melanie back - the mad, cheeky, loving laughter creative. Gone was the sad, dry, self pitying empty shell of a woman. I also did a lot of personal development and a lot of prayer, counselling. You can't work on the outer without working on the inner. The final act was believing in myself and just allowing myself to be. And as Jim Rohn said I "Just do it." No overthinking, I just did it.
I'm still a work in progress. But there's a tangible change.
What do you want for you life. The power to change starts with you. It could start by doing one thing and doing it over and over again til you've mastered it. There are no quick fixes in life. Its one foot in front of the other and its about having values and honouring them.
Can you transform yourself with some help - YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT!!!!
Visit www.londonpersonaltraining.com for a free download of the elimination diet.
Being in the dumps absolutely SUCKS!! Kudos to you for pulling yourself out of it! It's good to see more women seek professional mental help. Too often, we allow the stigma of being "crazy" or going to see a "headshrink" keep us from improving our mental health. Sometimes it's a prescription. Sometimes, it's yoga!!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work. Cheers!
xoxo
Scheherazade wp thanks for reading. People close to me who are distrustful of counselling say "you don't need it, its not a magic wand, it can't do for you what you can do for yourself". Well counselling does give you head space. You talk in a non judgmental environment. Its a form of loving yourself because instead of carrying all the baggage, its a place where you can offload.
ReplyDeletePrescriptions - I see the Dr not giving me anti depressants as somewhat of a mixed blessing. He could have given me a gym prescription but because I'm not section-able and a woman of colour I was left to figure it out for myself. Luckily I am an educator and I love research and I am resourceful. How many women have left the surgery with no advice not even a referral to a website. This is why bloggers like you and I have a duty to tell our stories to help those who are not as resourceful.
I tried a similar diet and lost weight finding out I was lactose intolerant but as soon as I went off it I gained some of the weight back. good luck withy our weight loss and thanks for the article
ReplyDeleteLorrie, I think that when you on the challenge you do what is right for you. A few people who were very strict on the diet and had a history of binge eating didn't fare so well. I believe I have made some lifetime choices and the programme reawaken the inner gymnast in me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.