My Little Sister’s Weight Loss Success Story

My Little Sister’s Weight Loss Success Story

My Little Sister’s Weight Loss Success Story

My little sister has always struggled with her weight. She, like me seemed to be born with a fat gene and started to get heavy in the 2nd grade. She was not happy being overweight but she she just did not know where to start to change. She graduated from college in 2007 weighing 265 lbs. Right after that she came out to visit me here in San Francisco. We took her on an 6 mile hike in Marin and she was in terrible pain with shin splints. She had even been prescribed a boot to sleep in to help the Achilles tendon pain she was having. She loves hiking and backpacking but being overweight was a limiting factor for those hobbies. Being held back by her physical limitations was a wake up call and after that visit she went home to and decided to take charge of her health.

Making a lifestyle change:

After her college graduation in May 2007, my sister made some major strides towards taking care of herself. She decided to go to Weight Watchers and start a low calorie regime. She started cutting her sugar and fat grams and she dropped weight pretty quickly.  In about a year she had gone from 265 to 230 and her foot problems alleviated. She kept losing steadily by using portion control and cardio exercise. Using a low fat diet gave her the jump start she needed to be more invested in her own self care.

Some lingering issues:

Even though Ellen was losing weight and “seemed” to be getting healthier some problems were still looming. She was eating a lot of processed, convenience food like frozen dinner, low calorie pack/bars and diet sodas which did not nourish her body.  She still had major cravings for sweets and breads, and chips. Ellen experienced blood sugar swings that made her very irritable and sometimes unable to focus on her work. Also my little sister had terrible seasonal allergies and migraines. She was always taking Claritin or Allegra to stop the sneezing, sniffling and congestion. Another problem was that Ellen always felt bloated after eating especially in the last year of college. Sometimes she even suffered from unbearable migraines that made her have to go home early.

Starting to eat real food:

In 2008 Ellen went to a cancer prevention lecture that really caught her interest because many women in her family had suffered with the disease. At the talk the benefits of grass fed meats were explained as well as getting the body alkaline by increasing vegetable intake and reducing sugar. My little sister became more interested in health not just weight loss after that event. She started to buy organic foods and cooking more wholesome meals from scratch.

Going Grain Free:

After losing a lot of weight on a low fat diet but still feeling like a slave to calories Ellen was looking for a better way. In 2010 my little sister tried a grain free paleo diet after I convinced her she would be able to balance her blood sugar and reduce her cravings for sweets and carbs. I told her what a big difference it made for me and she decided to give it a try in October 2010. She lost 20 more pounds without counting calories or hunger.

The amazing thing that happened shortly after going grain free was that she cleared up all her allergies and no longer takes any allergy pills. She also no longer has migraines that she suffered with several times a month. She is also able to go many hours between meals without energy crashes or hunger. She was no longer anxious and watching the clock for when she could eat the next meal. By going on a grain free diet she also improved her digestion by removing inflammatory foods like gluten and other grains. She no longer has gas and bloating after meals. If she does eat gluten or other grains now she will have a stomach ache that lasts for 48 hours. She feels that going grain free revealed her true grain sensitivity. She does not have to exercise excessively to maintain her weight. Actually some weeks she is too busy to exercise at all, but she does try to get in some weight training several days a week.

Two years on grain free Paleo diet:

Ellen is able to keep her weight at a muscular 175 pounds, which is very healthy for her height of 5’10. She has lost 90 lbs since 2007 but since going grain free she has eliminated her digestive and sinus inflammation. She is never hungry and is not ruled by food cravings anymore. She focuses her diet on organic veggies, grass fed meats and healthy saturated fat like butter and coconut oil. She no longer has seasonal allergies or migraines. She is able to hike many miles without fatigue and even has a new boyfriend to go camping with who is also grain free/paleo. I could not be more proud of my little sister and how she changed her life and improved her health.

Wondering how to get started?

Are you wanting to start a grain free lifestyle but do not know where to start? This grain free class is an awesome introduction to a grain free/paleo lifestyle.

Are you looking to:

• lose weight
• get rid of allergies
• reduce joint pain
• get rid of bloating, gas, or heartburn
• be free from constipation/diarrhea
• have more energy
• reduce cravings for sweets and starches
• regulate your blood sugar
• Will 2014 be the year you finally clean out your pantry and ditch processed food-like products?  My blogger bestie buddy Karen Sorenson of Living Low Carb…One Day at a Time has released her cookbook Squeaky Clean Paleo! This e-cookbook is perfect for those looking to make over their diet, with over 100 recipes it is sure to help you get the New Year started right.

  Highlights:

  – 100+ recipes, perfect for low carb, paleo, primal, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, casein free, and GAPS diets

  – Complete Index for easy to find recipes by ingredients and carb counts (she is after all Living Low Carb…One Day At A Time)

  – Whole 30 & 21-Day Sugar Detox friendly recipes

  – Beautiful pictures that draw you into the kitchen for some Paleo cooking

  – Nutritional information including carb counts

  Here is a picture of Karen’s Pulled Pork Frittata and Fish Tacos, quick, easy and delicious to top it off!

  

  Karen divides her cookbook into easy to follow sections: breakfast, soups & salads, poultry, red meat, pork, seafood, sides, dressings, sauces, spices and snacks.  It’s set up in a way that’s practical and super easy to follow.  Since preparation is the key to success…Karen starts off by telling you how to stock your pantry.  Once you have the right tools and ingredients just follow the yellow brick road of Paleo deliciousness that Karen has laid out for you.

  Who would love this book:

  – New year resolution seekers

  – Paleo followers that are bored

  – If you like simple yet detailed instructions for delicious yet easy to make foods

  – Those of you looking to clean up your diet

  – Sugar or Carb addicts looking to reform

  If you’re not convinced yet, check out a sneak preview of Squeaky Clean Paleo HERE.

  Friends, let 2014 be the year you achieve health, throw out the scale and focus on nutrient dense food and you’ll get there in no time.

  You can buy Squeaky Clean Paleo here: