I don't know about you, but I have seen the pounds creep onto my body over the years, despite trying so many diets, weight-loss "solutions," exercise programs, and the combination of them all, and the diets just stopped working for me. The exercise felt great, but did nothing for my dreams of a slimmer waist again. Seriously, I think I tried everything: Pruvit Keto OS, Zrii and Nutriveda, Isagenix, the Keto and Paleo diets, low-carb-high-fat, low fat, no gluten, Plexus, 4-Hour Body diet, exercise, and supplements, Deep Tone exercise, diet and supplement guidelines, counting calories and macros and mixing medium-carb, high-carb, and low-carb days (that sucked- gained weight), Elevacity and DOSE, joined love your body webinars and classes, did probiotics, prebiotics, blood tests, spit and hormone tests.....I even tried some laser treatments and 1 Coolsculpting spot! (Oh my word, talk about expensive and not natural-looking!)
I became super frustrated. Especially after the actual "menopause" hot flashes and cold flashes were kicking in, nothing worked. I mean nothing. No lasting budging of the scale or the tape measure.
I get all of the "accept your body as it is" and "love yourself" and "you are beautiful, no matter what shape" and I've seen super sexy overweight women, I just didn't want my body to be hard to dress and look as good as it used to.
It's bad enough seeing the gray hair, the wrinkles, the sagging cheeks, the dropping breasts, the flapping arms....
In this society where facelifts are frequent for those that can afford it and weight-loss and sexy and young and beautiful is so stressed, it's hard not to be affected.
Yet, most women that go through menopause see weight-gain and are given that, "well, of course, your body's changed, just accept it!
I remember at one point, sharing with my husband how upsetting it was to me, nothing working, and actually crying about the changes. Feeling betrayed by my body and the changes I was experiencing with the passing of time.
I really didn't want to stay in that, and one day I was explaining my frustration to a friend that had just lost 25 pounds in 5 months, and looked great, and she shared with me her secret!
She did the "Snake-Juice Diet", which is really just fasting and giving your body some salt and minerals while fasting.
So I looked into it, and though I couldn't stand listening to the brash and insulting founder, it made me curious, curious about this whole idea of fasting and getting your body to burn the stored fat. It always seemed to me that there should be a way to kick into that fat-burning mode, it worked for awhile with my Keto OS stint, and I remembered having really steady energy with that. What I really didn't like about that was relying on a product to kick me into ketosis, and it started to not really work after awhile, anyway, like my other weight-loss products I would try, they would get me to a lower weight, but then, nothing, no more, even though there was still weight and fat to come off. My waist would be 30", never in the 20's.
I did additional research and found a medical doctor with a book and a lot of research on fasting, Dr. Jason Fung. That made me feel 100% more trusting of all of the ideas. I got his book, The Complete Guide to Fasting and devoured it cover to cover.
I decided to start the "Snake Juice Diet," got the ingredients for the salt water concoction
and took measurements and started right after a 5-day vacation of eating a lot, so I was at a high of 144#. My goal was 30# off, so to 114# (I'm only 5'-3"), and then see.
I started July 5, and did the salt water drink for a few days. I really hated it. I was so totally nauseous! I went to a party on the third day of my initial fast, and didn't eat or drink, I just drank mineral water and people were smoking cigars there, though it was outside, I couldn't handle the fumes. I had to leave and on my way to my car, I had to stop a number of time, barfing up nothing but water and salt and ugggg!! It was terrible!
I stopped the salt water concoction, I just got the heebie-jeebies from it. But I needed the minerals, I realized, after suffering through not being able to sleep, muscle aches in my legs, and then I happened to pick up the Natural Grocers monthly mailing and read about magnesium and realized that's exactly what my body needed, so I got a supplement. I actually realized, then, after reading Dr. Fung's book, that I could do this without the horrible apple cider vinegar saltwater drink, I could drink mineral water and take some supplements, so that's what I switched to, for my safety and my digestive tolerance.
So, I found my own personal way to do the water fasting, allowing myself coffee (americano - espresso and water) with whole cream on a daily basis. I fasted 2-3 days at a time, and then would eat 1 evening meal or have healthy snack days. Whenever I had wine, I would try and eat something to not drink on an empty stomach.
It worked marvelously! I shed 30# in exactly 3 months! and a total of ____ inches!
So, haha! Menopause does NOT have to mean weight gain! It does NOT have to mean you are going to have bulges you don't want! You don't have to be rich and get Coolsculpting in a million places for a lopsided look! You do NOT have to get laser-lipo!
You CAN do this, it is actually your body's natural way to lose weight and it is actually very healthy for you!
Imagine you, over 50, slim, sexy, beautiful, healthy, and full of vibrant energy! You might even buy a bikini again! (I did!)
So, now that I've reached 114#, I have set a new, lower goal, as I have a little belly yet, and my waist isn't where I want it (that 70% of hips) since my hips just get so darned small! (Apple body type here).
The thing is, I know I can do it! I know it will come off, as it has been doing that! and, boy, do I feel slim and sexy, and thrilled and energized, and happy to have my slim body back!
If you are frustrated with post-menopausal symptoms, including weight-gain and want to be coached through a fasting and weight-loss program by me, I would love to give it a whirl! Sign up for a free session and we can see if it would be a good fit!
This I know: MYTH #1 BUSTED!
