I struggled with weight and health my entire life, up until I turned 14 and started puberty, I was tiny. In less than one year, I gained 4 dress sizes. My mother was so concerned that she took me, at 14, to have my thyroid tested because I put on so much weight so fast, she was certain that I had a thyroid issue. My thyroid showed normal levels but this year was to be the beginning of my roller coaster ride with my weight and overall health and wellness.

I have spent literally my entire adult life and most of my teens feeling self-conscious because of my weight. I have tried just about every diet out there and have been able to loose weight with most of them only to put it back one with a few more pounds to spare. What I didn't know is that all of these diets weren't addressing the underlying issues. 

My body was not functioning properly because it wasn't getting the proper nutrition!! By the time I was 21 my cholesterol was already 210 and the doctor wanted to put me on medication. After 3 pregnancies and 3 miscarriages, I found myself weighing 235 pounds on a 5'3" frame, I was tired ALL THE TIME and couldn't even go up a flight of stairs without having to stop and catch my breath. To make matters even worse, I was using food to hide from unresolved emotional issues. I turned to food for comfort. 

In August 2020 I started going to a metabolic center. I told them I wasn't interested in bariatric surgery but I wanted to have access to the doctor, nutritionist, and therapist to try to unlock my emotional and psychological issues surrounding food.  The doctor said that my insurance wouldn't cover it unless they could get me qualified for surgery. So, they did the tests needed and I started meeting with the nutritionist via video and was told I needed to follow a specific eating and exercise plan and was expected to lose 10% of my body weight but not more than that because then I wouldn't qualify anymore. WTH?? After a year I had lost and gained the same 5-7lbs several times and the doctor finally said, "Your metabolism and digestive system isn't functioning correctly but we can help you by doing surgery to close off part of your stomach." I never wanted surgery but I was literally weeks from scheduling it when they told me I would be on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after. It was then that I said whoa!! I can't do that. I am not ready for that and withdrew myself from the program. Enter, my sister with another idea.

I had heard of fasting, but thought it meant I had to deprive myself of food for days on end. I love food to much to deprive myself of it. I had never heard of intermittent fasting until my sister tried it. I was intrigued but I wasn't to interested in trying this because I'd most certainly be starving and I'd fail on Day 1. So why bother trying? 

Instead I watched my sister go through 25 days of intermittent fasting between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and she was feeling great and she lost weight! I asked some more questions and she explained how she patterned her protocol around juicing and reminded me that I have the most nutrient-dense juice on the planet right there in my kitchen already! By giving my body the nutrients it is lacking, I could bring my body back into a state of balance, where it wants to be anyway, I could bring my body back into an optimal state of health. And so she helped me create my own custom intermittent fasting.

Instead of failure, I saw a big positive difference from Day 1. The hunger was a little rough the first few days, but not enough to make me quit. I had headaches and skin inflammation/breakouts the first few days, but once they subsided, I felt better than I ever had before. The weight has been coming off and I don't feel deprived. I have tons of energy. I sleep better. My mental clarity and focus has increased. My cravings for sweets such as cakes, cookies and ice cream have disappeared as well as cravings for salty snacks. These types of cravings would plague me in the evenings and I would end up binging. Even the taste of food has changed - I feel like I better appreciate the different flavors in my meals and I actually crave raw vegetables, especially bell peppers, which I have always disliked before!

I've been on my intermittent fasting journey since December 31st and have seen successful weight loss but the most telling benefit for me is that I am able to easily say no to certain trigger foods that I never could before. I will continue until I feel I've addressed all of the underlying emotional issues that keep me going back to old undesirable habits, and reached the health and wellness goals I've set for myself. Find me on Instagram and Facebook to watch my journey.

I use the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting, then 8 hours when I can eat). The 16 hours of fasting may sound scary, but a good bit of that is while you're asleep, so it's not as hard as you might think. 

I eat between 1pm and 9pm each day, and fast from 9pm to 1pm the next day.

Morning:

Add ingredients to a glass or stainless steel cup with ice.