since the beginning.

Laura has been with me from the moment that I started Move it Monday.  She wrote me and email and we immediately connected.  At the time her father was alive and fighting cancer.  She was feeling so much a coming home to her heart and a deeper connection with her dad.  Since then, her dad fought to the end and then the cancer took him, she misses him still.  She's also found her heart in so many ways.  This woman is amazing and soulful and beautiful.  On her journey she discovered how to be healthy.  She's vibrant and healthy and oh so happy.  I asked her if she'd share the highlights of what she went through on the healthy side of her journey.  (If you'd like to see her feature on life/work balance in the Women and Business side of her life, click here.)

Laura:

I wanted to share with you that it has been almost two years since I started your Move It Monday contest! It was at a low point in my life when I was grasping for control and positive change in ANY way and when I saw your challenge, I had to take it! The most exciting thing is that since that time I have lost almost 30 pounds, am SO close to three sizes down and am feeling healthier than ever! In fact the weight loss and body change is almost a by-product of the other changes. These changes did not come overnight, nor were they particularly easy, but the key ingredient, is that I was ready for change. I also made changes in stages. Let me illustrate...
 
 

Stage One: walking

(Laura at the beginning of her journey)

January: This was pretty easy as I had joined Team in Training with a goal of walking 13 miles at the San Diego Marathon. The 13 miles was not easy (physically or emotionally), but because I was with a team of great support and I was mentally committed, that helped. The easy part was fulfilling Move It Monday's requirements of moving! I typically walked 2-3 miles four times a week.
 
Stage Two: no wheat/no dairy
I began having knee problems and had heard that gluten/wheat can be an inflammatory. I would do anything to keep training and I had gone off wheat before and knew I would lose weight and feel better. It was an easy choice because I wanted to do my walk so bad. This was also a great thing for me, as I am a sugar addict. Cookies beware! This meant I couldn't have cookies (because they had wheat in them) and I lost 10 pounds in about 3 months!
 
Stage Three: no sugar
This was a really big deal for me. As a sugar addict it was especially hard to say no to sugar. I knew I needed to do it for a few reasons. One: my dad and my niece both had cancer and cancer loves sugar. Two: I was addicted to the stuff. Three: it gave me mood swings and PMS. Four: Sugar is also an inflammatory. I knew I needed to let it go. In August, I ate too much of my son's gluten free birthday cake and was completely grossed out. The gross-out method is a good way to get off something. I quit sugar the next day.
 
Note: through all these changes I methodically lost around 3 pounds a month. Plus or minus. I was more focused on the food than the weight loss so this was a bonus. I was not on a diet, I was focusing on being healthy!  More good bonuses happened along the way. My chronic (tested for rhemetoid arthritis) joint and muscle aches went away, my pms went away, my depression went away.
 
I continued on month by month. I only weighed myself once a month. I found out my knee had many problems more than someone my age should have. I was told, No More TEAM in Training. Or walking. I could bike or swim. After grieving my walking for a few months, or walking just a little bit, I took some time to find my next thing.
 
I found Yoga. LOVE yoga! It is my soulmate for excercise! I call it becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. A good parable for life, yes? If you can become comfortable with being uncomfortable, you can do anything! Also good for mental health, strengthening core, body image. One of my five life goals is Strength Through Fitness, so nothing comes between me and my yoga. Twice a week. More weight loss. Smaller butt. :) Have to buy smaller yoga pants.

(Laura today)

Now. I have made all these changes. I have taken things away. But now what am I eating? For awhile I ate fake sugar products and diet things. I didn't feel good after I ate them and found out they're really bad for you anyway. I read this book called Skinny Bitch, which is pretty genius. They make it look like a cool chicks guide to be thin. It is really about eating healthy and getting thin because of it. I found the sometimes irreverant language and humor funny. (swear words! ooh!)
 
For anyone that has scuba dived, there is a point when you are swimming along and to go up or down you only have to lift or lower your head the tiniest bit. That is how I felt at this point. I examined myself and decided to stop with the decaf/soy/sugarfree Hazelnut/lattes. One thing. More of a taste sensation than a need for speed. When you change one thing at a time, it is not so hard.
 
More weight loss. Felt better. (found out later I'm sensitive to soy)
 
WHAT are you eating you may ask?

 Guess what? I can eat carbs! I eat rice, rice pasta, sweet potatoes. Things I couldn't eat when I was on a diet. Then I learned about fun ways to get more veggies and greens into my diet. Each meal and snack must have protein/good fat/good carbs. Check this out.
 
Green Smoothie
1/2 avocado OR banana   (makes it creamy)  (avo is good fat)
wad of kale and/or spinach
small slice of fresh ginger
1 pear
parsley if you wish
ice if you wish
coconut milk, not lowfat (small amount 1/4 cup?)
water (no juice, milk, yogurt)
 
Now your smoothie will be a beautiful green color. If you add berries, it will be delicious but turn sort of brown.
To get protein, add protein powder or have a scrambled egg or two.
 
If you do this daily you will feel so good and it tastes like Passion Fruit! It is seriously good!
When you blend or juice the nutrients get digested so much easier. Plus it's better than eating wads of greens.
Although now when I make salads I add kale. Who knew? The Greens are the secret. I make it a contest to see how many I can get in my salad/smoothie/stirfry...
 
Get crazy and try other things in the fat/carb/protein categories.
 
When I talked to Davina I was on a high about all the changes I had made. I have to confess today I ate a gluten free donut and it was really good! I could've kept going. In fact later I had a cookie. I determined I get bored when I work on the computer all day and want to eat for entertainment. So now I need to find a way to not be bored on the computer. I like to play upbeat music. Take breaks. Stretch. Eat green smoothies so I'm not hungry.
 
Another great tip is this...on Sunday, put an organic chicken in your crockpot. Add veggies and healthy things. Pick the chicken clean and use it all week on salads, with rice and beans, in other recipes. Make onion and mushroom soup with your broth. Make butternut squash soup with your broth.
 
Last tip I learned from Jack Canfield. 100% is heaven, 99% is hell. Deciding whether or not to have that ONE cookie can make you crazy. When you commit to your change, do it 100%! It is SO much easier than that conversation about whether a little bit is okay. If someone offers, just say "no thanks, I'm off sugar (or wheat)" You never have to say you're on a diet, because you are not! You are making a conscious choice for health.
 
Some helpful books:

The Mood Cure
The Diet Cure   (helped me understand my sugar addiction)
 The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook  (great healthy tasty recipes)
 
The key is you must be ready for change. It is in your head. Create your own five life goals. When you have something as a goal, it is easier to keep. I was tired of feeling bad and that is why it was easier to commit to feeling good. And I do feel great now!
 
What are your five life goals??? :)
 
In good faith,
Laura Cottril
 

changed. LIFE.