Transformation with support
Transformation!!
They say a family that prays together, stays together. I believe the same goes for couples. 👩❤️👨
A couple that gets healthy together stays healthy together. 😊👍 We transformed together and have stayed transformed together.
When Levi and I first met in 1998, he was the fittest he had been since after college and I was getting more fit post-college as well. 👍
During our dating year, it was mostly eating at restaurants. Well actually it mostly consisted of eating. Both of us love to cook and I feel we are both very good cooks. 😂
At times we also felt we were eating healthy, like chicken and rice, right!?. We even joined the YMCA and worked out. 🏋️
As our wedding approached in 2000, I personally went on a low calorie diet and worked out for 3 months to lose the weight I wanted to get in the dress I wanted. Everything worked, I got to the size I wanted, wore the dress I wanted, and loved the results for my goal at the time. 👰
The first year of our marriage we had decided to gut and physically remodel the entire house including new wiring and plumbing personally. We lived in one room which confined us to a microwave only for 'cooking'. So for an entire year, we ate out or ate microwave dinners the cheap ones too! ⬇️
You can see in the first photo labeled 2000 the physical result of those behaviors. Please know we're fat and happy! 😁
In 2001, when we were still remodeling our home, I ended up with an emergency gallbladder surgery after having dinner at the "Country Kitchen". surprisingly after the surgery I wasn't given any instructions on changing how I ate. 😷
I remember very well in February 2002, I had just finished a half gallon ice cream and immediately after, looked at my husband, and said what do we do? I knew immediately I needed to change how I ate. 🍛
We embarked on a very strict low-carb diet and within six months I had lost 40 pounds, he had lost 70 lbs. It wasn't planned but we happened to look really good for my sister's wedding. 😉
Then in 2004 when we were pregnant with our first, I was wonderfully keeping off 30 of the 40 lb I had lost. This was a huge victory for me. But I was very nauseous eating that lifestyle. I immediately added carbs back, of course the unhealthy carbs, and gained not only pregnancy weight but extra weight. ⚖️
So from 2004 until 2011 with pregnancies, living between two countries, and a variety of other busy lifestyle choices, my health, food, exercise was not a priority. ⛔
In 2011 at the end, but basically 2012, I again knew I needed to change my eating and my husband did it with me. 👥
In 2013, within 18 months, each of us had lost 100 pounds each. 🏆
This was in food changes ONLY and continuing to eat three meals a day. We had just greatly changed our quality, quantity, and our frequency of food. My research had me following an amazing nutritionist and her suggested eating protocol At the end of the day it was eating real food, and sticking to more plants. 🌱
***NOTE: The food changes wasn't for a goal to lose weight this last time... it was actually mainly to improve my health because I have a wonderful husband and four amazing kids to live with and enjoy life with abundantly daily!
I had realized that it's my personal responsibility to take control of my health and with the knowledge gained, I knew better. sure there are genetics and some obstacles that are in our way but I fully believe and have personally experienced great changes and positive results of finding the right ingredients that heal and improve your body.
Now... living my days as best as I can, maintaining as best as I can within my resources. It is with joy to feel victorious all these years later. I have never done that before. 🎉
Today, I reflect on transformation Tuesday to smile and be glad that my husband has supported and been very much part of this journey in life, through sickness and in health. Truly being two that become one.
We are far from being perfect in eating right, but we are definitely better than where we were. 👏🙌#happilymarried
