By Wilma Young CPT
Changing our lifestyle to be more fit and healthy is a process. It stems from building your knowledge about proper eating, hard work and consistent choices. I was so happy for a recent revelation that one of my “star” clients had. She has spent the last year transforming her body and mind. She has dropped over thirty pounds and 3 pant sizes. Has muscle tone that rivals a college student and she is twice the age. Her physical changes are obvious to her family, friends and co-workers. But the surprise that revealed itself to us both happened this week. She had to prepare for a scope of the lower and upper GI tract as a regular routine test for a person her age. It required a “prep” diet that involved the elimination of all fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein shakes etc. All of the food choices she has come to rely on for mental and physical energy. The recommendations for eating were meat, white bread and processed foods that had little nutrition and fiber. By the time I saw her she was low in energy and feeling “punky” as she put it. She did not need to cut calories so that was not the issue. She knew at that moment that all of the foods she had been choosing over the last year that were full of enzymes, phytonutrients and life-force were an irreplaceable part of her health. That a few days without these items made her feel worn out and sluggish just emphasized how essential this ingredients were to her active and happy life. Her biggest dream was to eat oatmeal and salad again the next day. At this moment we had realized that not only had she transformed her body but also her mind and spirit. That she now craved the nutrition of good food as opposed to the “cheap” high that fast food or sugar provided was proof of what true success is! I guess the old adage is true, that you never know how much you miss something until it’s gone. That the life we choose to invest in is worth the uncomfortable stages we must go though. That in the end we have truly gained success when we know that the choices we make are the right ones and also the ones we want!