One Month Update

I have officially been on my program for one month! It isn’t a diet, it is a lifestyle change. When I hear people use the term diet to ask how I am doing, I correct them. This isn’t the sort of program where you hit your goal and revert back to your old habits. I didn’t work this hard just to go back to them anyway.

So what have I been doing?

I will gladly tell you! (Not sponsored)

I joined Profile by Sanford, officially 100% January 17th. [Unofficially 60% January 14th.] I heard about this program through my really great friend who has lost a substantial amount of weight through the program, in the matter of a year.

I have been struggling with my weight loss goals ever since Chris and I got married. I had tried several different tricks, diets, exercise, but none of those things ever stuck. Perhaps it was my self control that was lacking, but more so it was the excuses I kept feeding myself with. Time and money. Of course, like anything else in this world gaining weight takes time and money. Losing weight takes even more time and often times even more money. I never let myself feel worthy enough to spend that money on myself.

I would beat myself up every time I looked in the mirror. Every time I wanted to buy new clothes, I would leave empty handed because it was so frustrating not being able to buy what I wanted since it didn’t fit properly. I constantly kept telling myself that I wasn’t important enough.

As I was watching my friend’s transformation, I became envious. If she could do it, why couldn’t I do it? I think we talked several times and I would always find an excuse.

I finally had this epiphany, after Poppy’s first birthday. You know what, I am well worth the cost and time to take care of myself. My kids only have one mother and that is me. I am their example and if they see me making excuses, they will do the same. If they see me eat an entire cheesecake in one sitting, they will likely want to do the same.

At my first appointment my coach asked me, what is your “why”? Why are you doing this?

Answer = For my kids and ultimately for myself. I want to live as long as I can, as healthy as I can, to watch my kids grow up. Maybe one day I will be a grandma, I want to live to see that happen. If I don’t take care of myself now, chances are I never will. Even if I did, it becomes much more difficult the older you get.

How does the program work?

When you first join Profile, you meet with your coach. They measure you, weigh you, and talk to you about many things. They ask about your health history. It even becomes sort of like a therapy session because most of the time, people have some kind of psychological issue behind their eating habits and their self esteem. It is a necessary part of the journey.

Once you go over all the hot topics, you are given your meal plan. The first two weeks are the hardest adjustment. You have to change what you’re eating and when you are eating. Here is what the meal plan looks like.

The first two weeks are limited on variety for the meal replacements. Shakes and soups. The struggle wasn’t terrible for me, but I would rather have chunks in my soup than just broth. I had to find ways to make it easier for me to eat the soup. I found recipes on their website, Pinterest, and the Facebook support group. All of these things are life lines! You also meet with your coach on a weekly basis. It is important because you get to track your progress, be held accountable, and talk about any challenges and victories that you’re having.

When you begin your third week, then you can start adding in more of a variety for the meal replacements.

Here is what my food in a day looks like.

I don’t eat the same exact lunch and dinner everyday. Variety is important to help make this plan stick. Once you get passed the first 2 weeks, it becomes easier. You can have unlimited amounts of veggies. You can also have fat free cool whip, sugar free jello, pickles, and a few other things as often as you want. The biggest thing is watching carbs and sugar.

This program keeps your body is ketosis so that you’re using your already stored carbs (fat) for energy. You do want to be conscious on eating every 2 to 3 hours or else you will feel fatigued with low blood sugar levels. However, the schedule for me has been great and I haven’t felt hungry like I thought I would.

In total, so far, I have lost 22 pounds and 9 inches. The next part that I need to do more of, is exercising. I actually quite like working out. I like running, lifting and dancing. It’s no longer “I don’t have time” it is, “I will make the time” because I am important enough.

It doesn’t matter how many excuses there are. None of those excuses matter if you want it bad enough. I cannot measure the goal by the amount of time it is going to take to get there, because whether I do it or not the time is going to pass regardless. I would rather look back and see how far I have come than to look back and say, “I wish I would have done something back then”.

A year from now, even 6 months from now, I hope I can look back at the progress I have made. I don’t feel like giving up, or giving in. Temptations will always be there, but is it really worth that 30 seconds of “oh that tastes good” to fall back into old habits? Not for me. It’s simply not worth it anymore. My mind has changed because I wanted it to. This program works if you like having structure, or a check list of what to eat and when. The program is backed by actual doctors from the Sanford health system in North Dakota. The program works if you want it to. It’s all about how you choose to think, how you choose to live. I am going to keep choosing wisely instead of on a whim. I’m worth it. You’re worth it.

Jenn