Consistency & Weight Loss Success: How Two NWW Clients Lost 50lbs Eating Real Food

Transcript:

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TERESA: Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. For those of you who have been listening to our radio show for over the last 18 years, whether you've been with us for almost two decades, or you are relatively new to the show, you know our message is a simple one: eat real food for better health. It's a simple message that gets amazing results. Sometimes I even question the simplicity of the message. Can it really be that easy? Is it too good to be true? We all know the saying, “If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.”

Well today I am so excited to share two real life success stories with two women who I've had the great pleasure to work with and get to know. Both of these ladies have been following this simple message and focusing on eating real food for more than a year and are achieving the amazing results we often talk about on this show.

Our approach to health and weight loss

Of course, everyone loves a good weight loss story, and they both have a great one to share and we'll get to that. But what I also want to share with you is all the other less commonly talked about successes that come along with eating a real food diet. And now when I say the word diet, I'm not talking about the awful four letter word “diet”. I'm simply talking about the food they ate. We all have a diet. It's what we eat. At Nutritional Weight and Wellness, we don't put you on a diet. That implies restriction, sacrifice and an end date when the diet will be over.

We look at food differently. We look at what food does for you and how it influences our natural bodily processes. Those could be digestive processes or hormones. It could be cravings. It could be sleep. It can be mood. It can be pain signals. Food can affect how fast and healthy your hair and nails grow, how well you think and remember.

The list of how food affects our body and brain goes on and on. At Nutritional Weight and Wellness, we start with the food and prioritize our health and how you feel. You become healthy at a cellular level and weight loss follows. Let me say that again. Health comes first and weight loss follows. This concept is so hard. It's not what we're taught about weight either in health class at school or at the doctor's office. And certainly not at diet centers.

The message we hear is lose weight, and then you will be healthy. Lose weight and then your cholesterol levels will lower. Lose weight and then your knee pain will go away. This message is backwards. Often clients though, can be so desperate to lose weight that sometimes our message of health first isn't what they want to hear.

They might say, “Sure, it would be great if my menstrual cramps would go away or if I wasn't so constipated, but let's just focus on weight loss.” So that's what the nutritionists and dietitians at Nutritional Weight and Wellness do, all the while making sure that the plan we're putting into action supports your health first. And when you feel good, your mental outlook changes, and you're staying with a food plan because it becomes a part of who you are.

You're not trying to be on a diet. It's just the way you eat. It's a part of who you've become. You're getting physically and mentally healthy and weight loss follows. My name is Teresa Wagner and I'm a registered and licensed dietitian and work as a nutrition counselor and educator at Nutritional Weight and Wellness. And it's my honor today to have two of my clients, Kelly Richardson, and Jamie Staska on the show today. Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition ladies.

KELLY: Thank you, Teresa, for having me. I'm really excited to be on the show today.

JAMIE: I'm glad to be here. Dishing Up Nutrition is actually how I learned about Nutritional Weight and Wellness. So I feel like I've come full circle.

TERESA: Which is so funny, Jamie, because that's exactly how I know Nutritional Weight and Wellness too. I was a listener first, too. So Kelly, we're going to start with you. I would imagine the first question that you hear after people who haven't seen you in a while see you, and after of course you exchange your niceties, I'm sure what they say to you is “Okay, Kelly, how'd you do it?”

Kelly’s health and weight loss story

KELLY: Sure. Well, weight loss and sustaining it has really been a lifelong challenge for me. It's been a long journey. I know I'm, I know a lot of people that struggle with it and of course we're all looking for that special silver bullet or that magical solution. And we all know it's not magic, but it can be simple and it can be realistic changes. And I just wanted to let them know I am just eating in a more health conscious way, and I've also cut out processed and refined sugar foods and I'm replacing them with more nutritionally dense options. And then I'm learning how to do this as a life change through your Nutritional Weight and Wellness program. And I'm also consulting with you, a registered dietitian.

TERESA: Yes. And I love that you have made those choices and changes in your diet. When I reviewed your diet from the beginning, you know, because we have that in that initial consultation, we just talk about what you're eating currently. I didn't think to myself, oh, Kelly, she eats terrible. The way you were eating is very much the typical way that many people eat: skipping breakfast, sandwich and chips for lunch, spaghetti for dinner, granola bars, cheese and crackers, cookies, whatever. I mean, those kinds of snacks.

This way of eating is common and actually commonly causes weight gain; not because you're overeating, but because it's higher in carbohydrates than what the body needs. And as our listeners know, or they, many of our listeners know that carbohydrates convert into sugar in digestion. When we eat this way, the body says, well, store that sugar for later. And then that sugar is turned into body fat. When you were eating this way, latte for breakfast, then a higher carb meals and snacks. How would you feel by the end of the day?

KELLY: Well, you know, I never really had a good plan for eating, let alone being healthy about it. So I, I never brought my lunch and I was always eating out at work, which becomes very expensive, especially now everything's getting so spendy.

TERESA: Isn't that the truth?

KELLY: Yes. there were also a lot of days I wouldn't even drink water until closer to noon because my workday would be busy and I literally have a drinking fountain 50 feet from my office. But if I don't go there and fill my bottle up first thing in the morning, I, I won't drink that water, which is what I've learned is a very important part of this whole process. I was always tired and moody and I was grabbing any easy thing. I'd call it lunch or I'd call it a snack. And I wasn't paying attention to what I was putting in my mouth and I was just eating to eat.

I'd always think, okay, today's the day to turn it all around. I was going to start the road to weight loss, then something would happen. I'd eat the wrong thing. And then of course, once you start eating the wrong thing, you eat another wrong thing and you're down that path. And the next thing you know, you're saying, I think it's just going to have to wait until tomorrow and I'll start again.

TERESA: And there's always another tomorrow, right?

KELLY: There's always another tomorrow.

JAMIE: There is, there is. I, I totally relate to that. When you kind of get into that cycle of eating not great for yourself, you almost feel like I don't have any control over this. You know, a lot of times it seems like everyone else is eating this way and getting away with it.

KELLY: Why can't I?

JAMIE: Yeah. Yeah. Why can't I?

TERESA: Mm-Hmm.

KELLY: Well, you know, and I, I think I do pretty well for myself at my job. I like my job. I have good friends. I have family connections. I guess I can call myself successful for the most part. And, and I, I guess life is great, but it's not where my weight and my relationship to food needs to be. And that has literally always been since I can remember such a large weight for me mentally and of course physically, and it's made all those other good things seem insignificant.

TERESA: You know, I would, I just want to interrupt you and I'm sorry, but I hear you. I hear what you're saying here, as far as being so successful, there's so much good things going on in your life. And it's this question that so many people have is why can't I get this one piece? Why can't I get this piece together? And, and, and so many people struggle with that and it's, it's hard, right? It's really hard to do that.

KELLY: It's really hard. I think about it every day, multiple times a day I see on TV, people are wearing these cool clothes. I can't fit into anything. I look awful in everything and it just is such a deterrent. And it's so depressing. And again, back to that question, why can't I do it? If everybody else can eat like that why can't I do it and still, you know, maintain my weight. But I, I can't. And when I act like that or think like that, I end up in a vicious and unhealthy cycle. I needed to do something about it.

JAMIE: Yeah. And it's that a lot of it is that putting yourself first thing. And I know a lot of people say parenthood is one of the times that they find themselves losing control. They're just, I'm not taking the time for myself. And I don't know that I ever took the time for myself in that way, but it sure gets even harder through that whole parenthood path.

TERESA: Absolutely. Absolutely. There becomes less and less time to be able to do those things. So many people can relate to what, what you're saying. And I'm sure many parents can relate to that. Especially parents of young kids can relate to what you're saying. We've got a little bit of background now, Kelly. Can you tell us, how did you get started from where you were you were? You were in that vicious cycle. How did you get, how did you get started?

KELLY: Sure. So I am a daily listener of the MyTalk radio and I listen that when I'm going to work and when I'm coming home. I also listen to it pretty regularly on the Saturday mornings. And that's where I discovered the Nutritional Weight and Wellness segments. I've, I was really intrigued by how your discussion about mental and physical conditions can be affected by the type of foods that we eat. And a lot of the topics you discussed on this show, it really hit home for me. And I felt like you were actually talking to me and about the issues that I had so many times.

TERESA: I was, Kelly. I was talking to you. So, so tell us just a little bit more about, about how you got started.

KELLY: Sure. So right from the beginning, my consultations with you, the dietitian, was to focus on the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates at the meal and snacking times. And then the frequency and the timing by eating on a schedule and then the quality of the food. We did a lot of meal planning in my initial sessions. It wasn't just about the type of food, but when to eat it. I hadn't really thought about that for my past weight loss, the short-term successes that I'd had.

It's always been about calories in and out and exercising. So it was really helpful to understand that balance and to understand about an eating schedule. And it also, it was nice to know that some of my favorite meals and snacks actually made it into my daily routine or my daily menus. Food prep and planning are also very important for the success. And I, and I learned to go through the kitchen and I removed any trigger foods and I made my home and work environment conducive for that success.

TERESA: That is fantastic. I want to talk a little bit more about that when we come back. You are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. On our show today, we are joined by Kelly Richardson and Jamie Staska, who will be sharing their Weight and Wellness weight loss success stories. Stay tuned to hear how they did it, and we'll be right back.

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TERESA: Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. Today on our show, we have two special guests giving us a peek into their lives, sharing how they lost weight without following a calorie restricted or extreme exercise focused plan, rather, finding success by going back to the basics of eating real food. Okay, Kelly, let's pick up where we left off. When we left off, you were telling us a little bit about how you got started. And I think we said we were eating in balance, like we've talked about on this radio show: protein, fats and carbs, eating on a like balance throughout the day. Right? Eating on a schedule. So trying to eat every three or four hours or so.

KELLY: Yes.

TERESA: Planning and prepping, and then removing trigger foods from your life.

KELLY: All the bad foods.

TERESA: Yep. Get it, get it out of your environment. I tell people that all the time: protect your environment. Protect your environment. Okay. Anything you wanted to add after that?

KELLY: I also, I have my niece lives with me and she loves all the sugary treats and the fast food. And so I, I feel like I'm pretty confident that I can turn it down now because it just doesn't even look good anymore. She brings it in the house all the time and I don't even feel tempted. So I, I feel really happy about that.

TERESA: Yeah. It changes. It really does change.

KELLY: It really does. It doesn’t even smell good anymore.

Accountability is key for success

TERESA: Right, right. Well, okay. So one thing that I'll say that, that I think that I think was key too was just after a year just maintaining contact. Right? I mean, I think that at the accountability is a big piece for a lot of people. Do you think that that was a part of your success? Or am I just giving myself too much credit?

KELLY: No, absolutely. I still maintain and schedule follow up appointments with you and checking in monthly. I still check in monthly. And it's, even if nothing's changed, even if I haven't lost weight or even if I had had, well, I, I haven't gained weight, so that's a, that's a positive, but it's more about just having somebody to talk to and hold me accountable and guide me. So in case I do have mistakes that I've made, or I need help getting back on track, I want to have that touchstone that I can go back to. And you've provided that for me. So thank you.

TERESA: Yes, absolutely. I mean, I, when I look at my schedule and I see, well, honestly, most of my clients, so it's not, but I just, I'm always happy when I see people's names and I'm like, oh, Kelly's back or Jamie's back. It's so it's so fun for me too. So, so thank you too. Okay. So when you just got started with this plan that we talked about, how did it go?

KELLY: So first of all, I took a couple of days to get prepped and ready. And then I started two days after we initially met. I had some things going on and I wanted to make sure that I had a clear mind and a clear schedule. I wanted to be hit it out the gate running. So I followed the food plan we created together and I was down nine pounds in 11 days from our first follow up appointment, which I still look, I look back on that, those notes that you shared with me, and I can't remember that weight coming off so quickly, but it was such an encouragement to see that. And I just couldn't wait to keep going.

TERESA: Yes. And if people missed that, it was nine pounds in 11 days. That is… And what I tell people a lot of times with that kind of weight loss too, and, and Jamie, you actually had a similar experience with quite a bit of weight in the beginning; is that sometimes it's not all just, I mean, we like to think about it being fat mass, but a lot of times it's just getting some of those inflammatory foods out of our diet and our body kind of releases a lot of water and it just lets us kind of just kind of flush some of that, some of that out of our system. So, okay. I kind of interrupted you there. Go ahead.

The importance of planning and prepping

KELLY: Well, most importantly, I, I realized how it, it, it is really important to follow the food schedule and you really do have to be vigilant about that food schedule and not make yourself vulnerable to the bad choices. Really think about your day. It's, it's different for everyone. So know that what works for me may not work for you, but that schedule, if you have that in place, that that is lifesaver. For me, I look at my calendar for each week and I look at the day. What's going on? What are my meetings looking like? Can I sustain you know, my snacks and my, and my meals, or do I need to have something special prepared so that it's more of a grab and go scenario? I have those, I have extra items at work too in my overhead bin.

So just in case I do run into a situation where I maybe can't be in a meeting and eat my salad, I can snack on something that's, that's nutritionally balanced for me. And it, it checks all those boxes for me. And it, it keeps my blood sugar level. The days can get away from me pretty easily. And I realize that I need those healthy options readily available, so I don't improvise and grab a sugary something or a bag of chips. And or just not eat anything at all. And that can create that unhealthy rabbit hole that we find ourselves in. And then you're just grabbing anything and everything in sight. And nothing, nothing satisfies you at that point.

TERESA: Yes. Yeah. Instead of the physical hunger, then you're dealing with the mental hunger, right? It's because you, you know, you might be full, but you still want to eat. Right? Because you were, didn't eat all day.

KELLY: Yeah.

TERESA: Yeah. I love it. So we made that plan A and then as you went through, you would just make adjustments based on what the week had in store. And I think that that is so important because of course we can make a food plan, but something's going to come up, you know, a meeting will run late. Or you have to run your kids to a soccer game, or you have to do something where if it's too concrete, if there isn't that flow, then it's really hard to be successful. So I'm glad that you were able to do that and make those adjustments. So any other kinds of adjustments that you were needing to make?

KELLY: Well, some of when we were talking about our schedule and the different types of foods, so some of the things that I used to prepare myself and make sure that I had were things like cheese sticks, fruits, nuts. So it checks that protein, carb and fat combination that we want to try and keep our blood sugar balanced by. In the summer I made a lot of salads and that's actually a lunch staple for me pretty much most of the year. I do find myself congregating a little bit towards soups and more comforting things in the cold winter, but summer salads. And, and any of those vegetable type things are always a good lunch option. And then also each morning I, I make a protein shake and I keep it in my Yeti. And I either have that as a mid-morning snack, or I drink it on the way home to keep myself from going through the drive through. And that was actually a really great suggestion that you gave me. And I, I actually virtually almost do that every single day. So that has been a really key thing for me.

TERESA: Yeah. Cause the car can kind of drive itself. Can’t it?

KELLY: Yep, sure can. It sure can. At that point, since we had met, I hadn't had fast food, let's see, this was I'm talking last June. At that point we, I had not stopped and had fast food from the time that I had started. And at that point then I was down 21 pounds in less than two months. 15 pounds of that was that dreaded COVID weight that a lot of people experienced. And then on top of that was another six pounds that was part of that long hanging frustrating weight that I'd been holding onto for about seven years.

TERESA: Yeah. That's so fantastic. Kelly. I am sure you were ecstatic with that weight loss.

KELLY: Well, you know, I was cautiously optimistic, but yes, I, I was also excited. I had a lot of weight to lose and I, I didn't want to get too ahead of myself though. I've lost and gained weight before and I wanted to do it differently this time. I wanted this time to be sustainable and a lifestyle change. And part of that is not being afraid of what the scale says. I have to take a breath and just step on it, loss or gain. So I weigh myself almost every day.

TERESA: Daily weights. Okay. Well tell me a little bit more about that. I mean, I know that you do that, but many of my clients get, think that's a little tricky if the scale doesn't what say what they hope for, then it can ruin the day and cause them to make different food choices than they wanted. So tell me a little bit about daily weights.

KELLY: Well, I need to keep myself present in the moment, so I don't go too far off track. And I know I have heard daily weighing is not healthy, but I, you know, I guess I'm going to argue that it really is different for each person. Yes, it's true. Weight gain on the scale can be devastating, but that is only a snapshot in a moment of time. And it's not really the full picture of what's going on with you. I know I'm not perfect. My eating won't be perfect. My weight loss won't be perfect. Right?

TERES: Right.

KELLY: So I had to stop beating myself up and have a healthier relationship with food, the scale, and honestly, myself. Daily weighing really helps me understand myself and how I lose or gain so that I can make corrections based on how the scale reflects. And you know what was funny at this point only two months in, I was already worried about the six month mark: the time that with other weight loss programs I would be doing really, really well. And then for whatever reason, almost like clockwork, I would start self-sabotaging myself. I'd start to snack and maybe eat things that I shouldn't eat and I'd start to lose momentum. The weight loss would come back and I would feel, I would leave feeling defeated and depressed. And it it's really a horrible cycle; just mentally devastating.

TERESA: And of course, momentum slowed as we would expect, 21 pounds in two months. That's pretty incredible. We're going to take a quick break here and we'll come back and hear a little bit more about that. You are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition. We created this show in hopes of helping people understand the connection between what they eat and how they feel. We want to take a moment to thank a listener who rated and reviewed our show for sharing how Dishing Up Nutrition has helped their health journey.

Tangerine 2017 wrote, “I started listening to Dishing Up Nutrition six to seven years ago. It completely changed my view of food. I was so concerned about calories and macros, but never really considered the quality of those calories: eating real food in balance. So simple and life changing. Like they say, eat real food to have real health. I agree 100%; feeling amazing and having such peace with food.” If you have found this show helpful, we'd love to hear about it. Leave us a rating or review on your favorite podcast app.

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So now before we went to break, we were talking about Kelly's weight loss and we left off at month two where Kelly had lost an incredible 21 pounds in two months, but we were talking about how, of course we know the momentum is going to momentum is going to slow because we can't maintain that pace for too long. It wouldn't even be healthy to maintain that pace for too long. So tell us what happened month three.

KELLY: So of course the third month, the plan on the plan my weight loss did slow down to about one to two pounds per week through January, which I, you know, it is still weight loss and it it's sustainable. I, I actually enjoyed the slower weight loss.

TERESA: Okay.

KELLY: It wasn't a linear loss. There would be weeks there wouldn't be any losses. But I don't know that I felt frustrated as much as more puzzled by the lack of loss. You're going on this track and you're, you're losing all this weight and all of a sudden you're doing the same thing and then you're not losing anything. So it, that was puzzling, but I did not want to be frustrated by that. Instead I was consistent with my eating habits and I felt comfortable and happy with the food plan.

I didn't feel deprived. So I didn't feel the need to rebel against the plan kind of hinting at that six month mark that I always would self-sabotage at. I also allowed nothing to be considered absolutely no, you can't have that. I'm trying to lose that mentality and, and now if I want something, it needs to be special, but I can have it if I can justify it for myself. And maybe it's just a portion of something. Maybe I share it with somebody and maybe it's just not the whole thing.

TERESA: Yeah.

KELLY: And maybe it is the whole thing. In any case by January on the eighth month, I was down 53 pounds.

TERESA: The eighth mark, the eighth month mark.

KELLY: Fast forward eighth to the eighth month. I didn't self-sabotage at the six month mark. I almost forgot about the six-month mark until I started talking about it again to somebody. But I was elated that I didn't gain the weight over the holidays. I went on a New Year's trip to New York City. And I think on that trip I maybe even lost a pound.

TERESA: I mean, that's just, just fantastic: not gaining weight over the holidays, losing weight over the holidays, that's an incredible feat. And as my, one of my favorite authors says, “True change is identity change. The changes you have made are a part of who you are now. Your habits follow you wherever you go.” So Minnesota or Wisconsin or New York City. This way of eating doesn't require perfection to work.

Just like you were talking about, just consistency, just being consistent with it. Kelly, I don't want to skip over the fact that you did have a pretty major plateau. Your weight basically stalled from November to almost April. So for about four months. When it comes to the holiday season, though, weight maintenance is a win.

KELLY: Yes, it is.

TERESA: And when we, but as we moved into spring, I know it got frustrating.

KELLY: It was, but I'm, I'm so glad I didn't let the frustrations get the best of me. And I stayed on course. I wasn't losing, but I also wasn't gaining either. And so what I did was I started to look at these moments to reflect how I was giving my body a chance to adjust to this new lifestyle. You know what they say about too much too soon, if you don't give your time, give yourself time to get used to something, it could really mess with your thinking. And I think that's where things have gone south for me in the past. I have really tried to focus on wellness more than weight loss this time around. But really I'm getting the benefits of both.

During our monthly meetings, we've focused on non-scale wins like buying new clothes that are a size smaller, more energy in my everyday activities and less aches and pains on my joints. And I know I've laughed with you about this, that I've lost the equivalent of over a bag of large dog food off my body. And we have also been strategizing areas of improvement to try and break the plateau by switching some of my foods up, finding alternates that are not only satisfying, but healthy. Hello, hummus. That's one of my favorites and then who would've thought that olive oil and just plain sea salt for dressing on a salad would be delicious. I love it. And you know who would've thought? Then in April I broke through and as of July, I broke through that plateau, another plateau. And as of July 12th, 14 months after I started, I am now down 62 pounds.

TERESA: That's so fantastic.

KELLY: A bag of dog food plus.

TERESA: A bag of dog food plus. And you get that reminder every time you go shopping, because you have to lift it.

KELLY: Cause I'm hauling it up the steps. Yes.

TERESA: It's been such a fun experience for me as your counselor to be a part of this journey for you. Every weight loss journey is a little different. And for Jamie, it started with weight, a weight loss goal, but there were some other health issues. So we wanted to focus on some of those while we were focusing on her weight loss.

Jamie’s health and weight loss story

JAMIE: Yes, we had plenty of issues. I mean the trigger for me was going to my doctor appointment and hitting the highest weight that I had ever been in. I think that was just as COVID was coming in. February, I think; something like that. So I was completely out of control with my eating; very addicted to sugar. I think hearing other people talk on podcasts and sharing their experiences helped me to realize it really was an addiction for me. You know, when you pull over to a gas station to buy a candy bar, that's now it seems so ridiculous. Why would I think that was food?

TERESA: I am sure people identify with that though. You are not alone.

JAMIE: Yes. Yeah. It just, it, you know, it was a, it was a rush for the, for the brain cells or something.

TERESA: Yeah.

JAMIE: So you know, I would say again, I was probably definitely when, when we hit COVID especially realizing I, I sat down with my doctor and I told her, well, I drink most days. I have wine most days. And she said, have you, have you thought about maybe replacing what's in the cup, you know? Maybe put tea in the cup. I said, I, I love tea. And I, I remember having like a, a little drawing I put in my journal that after I'd had a, a little bit of weight loss going back to my next appointment, you know, many pounds down saying I love tea.

TERESA: Yes, yes, yes.

JAMIE: Yeah. So yeah. Stress eating and drinking.

TERESA: Yeah. So many of us were doing that at that time. I mean, you definitely were not alone in the stress eating and drinking. That is for sure.

JAMIE: Yeah. Yeah. And I have that, we spend a lot of time talking about the all or nothing personality and, and that is absolutely me.

TERESA: Yep. Me too.

JAMIE: There are, you know, that whole trying to understand why can't I just eat in moderation; like people say. Well I read this wonderful article that you wrote that moderation is not for everybody. Like you said, Kelly, everybody's personality is different. So I had to realize that that was something that I was going to have to work around and, and find what was going to work for me. So I just, I wanted to be healthy. I have a daughter. I wanted to be able to keep up with her. I go camping with my, my girls every summer. And, you know, a couple of us would huff and puff a little bit more than the rest. And so I was, you know, wanting to get back. I mean, when I was in my twenties, I ran a marathon and it feels so good to be able to, to go and not just feel stuck in your body.

So you know, I was also going into early menopause, not surprising considering like what my diet was like. I had a bunch of digestion issues. I was on a proton pump inhibitor. So that cause I was having such bad acid reflux. I had hit that age with menopause where I was starting to struggle with anxiety and depression, back and forth with planter fasciitis, which having a high weight was, you know, not ideal. So that's when I, I realized, I mean I had been listening to the show for a long time and I thought, well, let me reach out to my insurance company and see if they would help pay for some of this nutrition counseling. And what a godsend that they have, because I don't have to make that financial decision. I was ready to do it anyway if they had not helped out with that. But it, it, it really pays to check in with your insurance company because…

KELLY: Yes it does.

JAMIE: Yeah.

KELLY: Mine, mine pays for it too. So worth looking into.

JAMIE: And I think that they're going to find that their investment was great.

TERESA: I think so.

JAMIE: Knowing that it's put their clients in such a, a healthier place.

TERESA: Yes. Yeah. I mean, I think it's, it's hard to know where to start, right, when you're in that position where it just seems like you're in that all or nothing situation and you're in that loop and it just is, every day is going to be the next day that you're going to start this thing. And the next day, it just, it's not the right day. And it just kind of keeps sliding. Well, I am so glad that you did reach out to your insurance company and that you were able to find me. And just like with Kelly, it's been an absolute pleasure working with you. I admire so much how you both took on this challenge, just head on with such positive energy and without excuses. I mean, sure challenges would arise, but instead of letting those challenges stop you, you both had the attitude that everything and every situation is “figureoutable”.

So before we get into more of Jamie's story we have to take our next break. You are listening to Dishing Up Nutrition brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. Right before break I shared information about the Dishing Up Nutrition Facebook group, but did you know that we're also on Instagram? Come find us there. Our handle is “nutritionalweightwellness”, all one word. We share recipes, videos, tidbits from the nutritionists, recent podcast episodes and articles. It's another great way to connect with us for extra support on your health journey.

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TERESA: Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. If you've been listening to this show and are inspired by Kelly and Jamie's story, and now want to know more about how you too can lose weight by eating real food, go to our website, weightandwellness.com/counseling, or call us at 651-699-3438. We have 13 registered dietitians or nutritionists who are happy to be your nutrition coach and cheerleader for your own personal weight loss success story. Go to weightandwellness.com/counseling, scroll to the bottom, read our bios and I'm sure you'll find a great match for you.

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Okay. Jamie, we left off talking about your story. And I think what I was saying is I love how you guys came in with such a, with such a positive attitude about everything being “figureoutable”, but that's not how it started. You were in this place where you were ready to make changes, but you needed some direction. So how did we begin?

JAMIE: Yes. Well, number one thing: I mean, we really sat down and talked about eating things very similar to Kelly, you know, making sure that we had our carbohydrates and our protein and our fats. I was really excited to eat real food cause I'm a, a big food lover and it doesn't matter if it's really healthy. I love really healthy food. So I was, I was ready for that, but I knew I needed to detox from the sugar. I was really aware that that was a problem. So right away that was part of our plan.

TERESA: Yeah. And I think in the beginning, like we hit it hard yes. We discussed an elimination diet still focusing on that real food. But avoiding sugar and experimenting with a plan that didn't include foods that contained gluten or dairy.

JAMIE: Mm-hmm.

TERESA: I had a feeling that based on some of your health concerns, this would be helpful for you.

JAMIE: Yeah. And I was not surprised. I, I already knew like I'm not processing, like many adults, I am not processing dairy like I used to. And so I, I had a suspicion that you were going to suggest that and I knew I had to be getting off of sugar. And then when you suggested gluten too, I just thought that seems so hard. That just seems so I was like gluten too? But you know, yeah. I was just kind of worried about what I was going to, what am I going to eat when everyone eats pizza or, you know?

TERESA: Yes, exactly. And you took that challenge head on.

JAMIE: Yes.

TERESA: And as I looked back to our original plan from February of 2021 it was much like Kelly's: balanced food plan, eating on a schedule. We talked about reducing alcohol, just like your doctor had suggested.

JAMIE: Mm-hmm.

Jamie’s “all or nothing” approach

TERESA: Drinking more water, and it sounded like a lot and it is. Don't get me wrong. It, it is, but Jamie is an all or nothing person. And I knew that this could work for her because we had talked about how that plan going all in would work.

JAMIE: Yeah. And just you know, you being able to name it and, and say, not it that doesn't work, you know, moderation doesn't work for everybody. It just was like an aha moment, you know, just, yeah. That's not me. And you know, that's what I, I love about coming in and working with you. I felt so lucky. I'm sure all of the other counselors are wonderful. The other dietitians are wonderful, but I mean just, I mean, you always met every challenge I had with positivity and grace and you know, never any shame. Of course not, just like, well, where do we go from here? You know? And, and how can I help? So I remember, and I think you prepared me for this. I had the worst, like two or three days getting through my sugar detox. I was, I warned my family.

Positive health changes started to appear

I was irritable and just cranky. And I can tell you that, you know, I mean, I was also off gluten too. So it was like not just simple sugars that you might find in candy, but like a lot of those you know, pizza crust and, and bread and all those kind of things that had been my staples. So because I'd been dealing with arthritis in my knees and my feet, it, it, I mean, after a few weeks, truly like less than a week, I would, I just felt taller. I felt better. I felt more clear. I felt younger. I mean, it, it's just really amazing. All those things that I've heard on the radio show over the years about, you know, how sugar can inflame the body. It's true.

TERESA: Yeah. And you know, you, so it was tough the first few hours. And then we kind of had moved into the next phase where we start to feel really good.

JAMIE: Mm-Hmm.

TERESA: We met again two weeks after our first meeting and then two weeks later. Let's talk about that first month.

JAMIE: Yeah. So again, I mean, just overall, I was feeling so much better and also good digestively. So I had found that some days I would forget to take my heartburn medication, which in the past, if I had forgotten for even just four hours, I'd be like, why does, why? Oh, I didn't take my heartburn medication, but now I found that I, I would skip a day and not notice. So it just, you know, we talked about it and well, let's go ahead and taper off. And you know, one of the things that you suggested getting good probiotics in and building up that good healthy bacteria in my gut was I think a huge part of it.

TERESA: Yes. I, it, it works. Yes, it does. And just to bring up everybody's favorite topic, I remember having conversations with you about what's healthy when it comes to bowel movement. And most people don't know that it's not healthy not to have a bowel movement every day. It can be kind of an embarrassing conversation, but I actually enjoy it. And I love that you did too.

JAMIE: I, I remember feeling trepidatious when I first brought it up. And you said, I love to talk about it. And I was so excited. And then you introduced me to the Bristol stool chart. And I started like tracking my bowel movements. And, and in some ways I realized, you know, some things that I thought were maybe not okay were closer to normal than I realized. And overall just getting off dairy was a huge relief to my digestive tract.

TERESA: Yes. Yes. And at that point, I believe you were down 16 pounds. So it was month one.

JAMIE: It was obviously like, yeah. I mean, it was a huge change and, and it'll always happen at the beginning that, you know, the weight loss is, is pretty extreme, but it sure does feel good. And you just feel fantastic and you're on that high.

TERESA: Yes. So we met every two weeks for a while, and then we started to meet monthly after that. And of course, weight loss slows. And it was pretty steady though, for you. And by the end of November nine months later, you were down 58 pounds.

JAMIE: Yay.

TERESA: And I just remember you saying this doesn't feel like hard work. It just feels like a lifestyle change, which is exactly what I want my clients to say and how I want them to feel.

JAMIE: Yeah. I, I mean, I knew that I wanted to go a real food way. I didn't want to be on a diet. I didn't want to be, you know, eating, you know, powdery things and, you know, I wanted to eat real food. And so this was just the thing that worked really well for me. And it, I was making good choices. I was eating all the foods that I liked to eat, but not all the foods that, that derailed me.

So and like you, Kelly, like every once in a while, like I would allow you know, some type of treat, but in a way that we talked a lot about I guess it would be, we talked about how, when you make changes or when you make a choice, when you make a choice to give yourself a treat, is it going to be a choice that derails you?

You know, are you going to be able to go into tomorrow? So one of the, one of the things that I know I can do that doesn't derail me is we have this lovely donut shop in town and my daughter loves to stop and get a donut. And I get a little teeny gluten-free macaron, which is, has sugar in it. But it's that little thing, you know, where my daughter feels like, oh, mom's doing this with me. And it's not something that derails me and I can just eat this, like basically one bite of food that is not going to harm my body. Which, you know, so yeah. It's all those little things.

TERESA: Yes. And learning, learning what works for you is, is so important with this and it is different for everyone. So it's finding that, that, that formula. Okay. So I know for you, journaling was very important.

Journaling to stay successful

JAMIE: Yes.

TERESA: Can you tell me a little bit about what you journaled?

JAMIE: Yes. Well, I feel like I journaled everything.

TERESA: You did journal everything.

JAMIE: I journaled how I was feeling. And then I'd start out every day. I thought of a little bit about that movie, Bridget Jones' Diary. She would write down how many cigarettes. I didn't smoke cigarettes, but and she'd write down her weight every day. And, and so yes. I did the same thing, daily weights, because it just helped me to not, oh, if I don't go a week and maybe I miss. Yeah. It just was, was really helpful. So I, I tracked my cycle and that was the really odd thing I felt like Teresa's a witch or something because I, I really had gone into early menopause. I hadn't had a period for almost a year. And then all of a sudden I started getting my period every month and I said, you're a witch. You've turned, you know, she's like, you're aging in reverse.

TERESA: Yes. Yes. I was like, you're aging backwards. So it's a wonderful sign. Yes. And you know, usually when that, when that starts to happen too, is that there's not all these crazy symptoms like you're having, like the anxiety stuff sometimes goes away, sometimes irritability and crabbiness and all kinds of things that that can, can happen. Yeah. And I feel like with you, a lot of those symptoms went away too.

JAMIE: Yeah. It's, it really felt more I balance. Yeah. Like when we went on our girl’s trip after, you know, I probably had a, a weight loss of, I don't know, like a couple maybe at 20, 30 pounds. But it was also just knowing that I was full of good, you know, non-inflamed, you know, it, wasn't just the fact that I weighed less that made it easier to go hiking. It was that I was eating better in a way that helped my body to function better.

TERESA: Yes. And speaking of girls' trips, I remember you telling us a fantastic story about how you were able to fit into a bridesmaid’s dress of one of the ladies. So that was really exciting.

JAMIE: That was a fun… Yeah. Yeah. So I think it's, oh gosh, like 16 years ago or something that she got married and I, I sent her a picture. I said, look, I'm in the bridesmaid dress from your wedding. So that was a pretty funny.

TERESA: It is so fun. And I, you know, for both of you Kelly and Jamie, I wish that we could talk just longer, because there are so many great things that I think that you have insight on that our listeners really can appreciate. So it is time to close the show. Our goal at Nutritional Weight and Wellness is to help each and every person experience better health by eating real food, just like Jamie and Kelly have done. It's a simple but powerful message. Eating real food is life changing. Thank you for joining us and have a wonderful day.