Thursday, August 27, 2015

How I Lost 18 Pounds And Got Rid Of Aches And Pains




Let me start this post with a warning:
I don't recommend you do anything without
consulting with your doctor or medical advisor.


I thought I would share with you a personal
issue today...being overweight and in pain,
and what you might be able do about it.

Maybe it won't work for you, but Wild Bill and
I have shrunk this month. So much so that we
are weeding out our clothes and donating them
to the local charity thrift store.

I haven't shared this with you, but Wild Bill's
mother collapsed on June 8th and was rushed
to the hospital. Her main artery was 100% blocked.
She owes her life to the paramedics who got her
heart working again - twice - on the way to the ER.
The docs at the hospital put in a stint to open her
artery and kept her fully sedated for 5 days in
the ICU to give her body time to recover.
She's doing well now and back home.

Wild Bill and I joined the gym the very next day
after she was rushed to the hospital.
We paid for a full year so we wouldn't back out.
That was baby step #1.

Before you say you don't have time or money for
a gym, let me say we committed to going 6 days
a week for only 30 minutes a day.
We could do that at home, but we both like the
structure of going to the gym, and we like to
exercise early...like 5 or 6 a.m. early!
The exercise we do could easily be done at home.

I like to walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes going
three laps around (3/4's of a mile) and then do
sit-ups, the back machine, and the leg machine.
Remember...I said baby steps.
That's baby steps for me.
I used to walk 3 miles every morning back in
my 30's, so I know I will be able to increase
my mileage as time goes by.

The key is to ENJOY what you're doing,
that way you'll keep doing it.

After about a month of exercising steadily,
we were ready to tackle chemicals--baby step #2.

I read The Coconut Oil Miracle and got rid of
all oils except coconut oil and olive oil. Now I even
put a teaspoon of coconut oil in my hot tea, cocoa,
and I would put it in coffee --if I drank it. Try a
little of it in your hot drink and you will find it just
makes it taste creamier. And your lips will be
sooooo smooth!

I've written before how I use coconut oil to remove
my makeup with a wash cloth in the shower. Well,
now I slather it on my face as a moisturizer. I do it
several times a night. In fact, I got rid of all my
facial cleansers, moisturizers and other products.
Believe me, after 9 years of rosacea, I had products!
Again, consult your doctor before you do anything
drastic like this.


Finally, step 3 for us was food...
I read Living Paleo For Dummies. This
was the book that finally got through to me, despite
the fact we have about 10 other books on Paleo,
Atkins, and other low-carb lifestyle plans.

We gradually reduced our intake of flour, sugar,
starchy veggies, beans, milk and processed foods.
Finally, around the end of July, we got rid of
all those foods from our kitchen for good...
I even gave away all the canisters!

On August 1st, I weighed myself at the gym on
 their doctor's-type scale. When I weighed in again
on the 24th of August, I had lost 18 pounds!

Better than the weight loss, the constant pain
I've had for years in my hands and one leg is
almost completely gone. I credit giving up grains
and using more coconut oil for this change.


I'm not ready to share before and after pictures
yet, but I will when we get farther along. 


I'd love to hear from anyone who has had
success with lifestyle changes and/or has
any tips to share.




Thanks for dropping by!





P.S. The book advises to use virgin, organic
unrefined coconut oil. It's easy to find in any
store, including Costco and Sam's.






Join Me Here:
The Charm of Home



15 comments:

  1. Great job, Mom and Bill!!! I'm proud of you guys!

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  2. Good for you! So VERY good for you! Can't wait to hear/see more.

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  3. Congratulations to you both. I was pre-diabetic, COPD and on Blood thinners.
    So, I knew that I needed to loose weight and I went on the Atkins Diet and have lost 40 lbs. I have my sugar under control and I can breath better. Just turning 80 I am kinda limited on exercising, but I walk around in the stores. I do all my own cleaning, cooking and some yard work. I still want to loose another 15 lbs. But, I feel so much better.
    I am very proud of your weight loss - you go girl. You will find that you have more energy and feel so much better.
    So glad that Bill's mom is doing well.
    Keep up the good work.
    Mary

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    1. Thanks for your inspiration Mary. Bill's doctor told him in mid-July his blood sugar was headed up instead of down for the last 6 month period. He ordered a blood sugar test kit for Bill and we have been taking our blood sugar each morning. His went from 158 to a daily reading of 108 to 110 in just one month's time. We set out to improve our health and the weight loss was a great side benefit.

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  4. That is impressive! I look forward to reading more about your progress!!

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  5. I bought the coconut oil after you mentioned it in a post a while back. I will try it in my coffee and tea. Eighteen pounds is a lot! Congratulations!

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  6. Congratulations, you've done remarkably well. I walk a great deal, but the cutting of sugar I find so very difficult, "baby steps" may work for me too. Thanks.

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  7. Wonderful! Paleo is such a good way to go. We use coconut oil too and I do believe getting rid of all the grains and pasta is key! It is sad that so much of what's in the grocery store is actually bad for us. Keep up the good work, so excited for you!
    Have a great weekend!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  8. Yeh!
    I LOVE reading this.
    It's not easy to do.
    I've lost and gained so much weight that it's ridiculous.
    I'm so glad that you have found something that is working for you.
    Sometimes it takes something frightening to get us on track and it's so hard to stay with it. I'm glad you have a partner with you on this. It's great to have someone to encourage and be encouraged by.
    I was doing very well a few years back and now I'm eating sugar and drive-through food non-stop.
    I feel so tired and achy.
    Thank you for this! I got to start baby steps too.
    I'm going to Amazon right now to get that book!
    XOXO

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    Replies
    1. Cynthia, I hope you will post on your blog how it is working for you when you get going. If one person benefits from this post, it will be so worth it to me.

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  9. Good for you Sharon! I'm so proud of you, and excited for you! I use coconut oil, but not as much as I should..I keep forgetting...But I have used just Olive oil for about 40 years now, which has made my HDL excellent! Keep up the good work! Sister Kathy

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  10. Rivercrest Cottage,
    I'll give Coconut Oil one more try, dear friend!!!
    First time I tried, I didn't like the taste at all!!!
    Glad to hear that your Mother~in~law survived her Carotid Artery attack!!!
    Good for you and Wild Bill!!! Keep up the good work, dear one!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  11. Wow, way to go! The two of you are doing great. I'm also happy to hear that your mother in law is doing better. Hugs... :)

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  12. This is wonderful! I have had great results with the Paleo diet, but I do add some carbs (white potatoes and beans) this makes my hormones work. Thanks for joining Home Sweet Home!

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  13. Way to go Sugar and Wild Bill! I eat Paleo to and do Crossfit and it has helped a lot for losing weight. Keep up the good work!

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