Tuesday, January 31, 2012

JOURNEY TO HEALTH

Today I want to take a minute to share with you an email that was sent to me over the past weekend by a dear friend who committed herself to health & new beginnings.  This message touched me deeply.  Indeed, I am always here to help and hopefully inspire but it is ultimately you who has to have the want/need to be the difference in your own life.  I am proud, so proud, of this friend's strength, determination, and focus.  Thank you all for continuing to inspire me  by your beauty.  ~Steph


"I used to think I ate pretty healthy.  Boy was I ever wrong.  My diet consisted of mainly carbohydrates.  But the "healthy" carbohydrates.  So I thought I had it all figured out.  I was eating whole grains and counting calories very closely.  But guess what, that was not working for me at all.
I was constantly tired and I was suffering from knee pain and chronic migraines.  I would also find myself completely unsatisfied and constantly hungry.  I was pretty much at the end of my rope.
I reached out to an old friend for help.  And through her I have found what I've been searching for.  She introduced me to Arbonne and a paleo lifestyle.  She was always there for me and still is.  Whether it be just a simple question or something bigger.  And no matter how stupid the question, she never made me feel silly for asking it.  And I had a lot of silly questions in the beginning.
She comes from the most loving and pure place.  No judgement whatsoever.  She just has a desire to help people become the best they can be.  Always making you feel comfortable.  And I could just sense how much she wanted me to succeed.  And now how proud she is of how far I've come.
She has taught me countless things about food.  I am no longer afraid of cooking with oils or eating avocados!!  Both things I avoided in the past.  Not knowing how very healthy these things were for me.  I could go on and on about food.  But basically I will NEVER go back to counting calories.  The paleo lifestyle is not a fad diet.  It is a lifestyle that is easy and fun to follow.  Stephanie has an abundance of information when it comes to health and wellness and the paleo way of living.  I'm so glad I have her in my corner helping me.
With Stephanie's help I have lost nearly 40 pounds since March 2011.  I also know I've lost a number of inches.  Stephanie told me to take my measurements in the beginning but I never did.  I didn't want to know those numbers.  Now I really wish I would of listened to her.  I finally feel comfortable in my own skin again.  And I feel healthier than ever.  Besides the weight loss I feel strong.  Both physically and mentally.  I can handle stress so much better.  I used to really struggle with anxiety.  Stephanie taught me how the foods we eat can affect our mental health also.
Stephanie once said to me "counting calories takes all the joy out of eating." That statement finally got me to stop counting calories.  If you think about it it really does take the joy out of it.  Thanks to her I now know that I am fueling my body with good, healthy food.  All you have to do is listen to your body.  And of course eat in moderation.
Thanks to Stephanie my dieting days are over.  And for that I will be forever grateful."






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