I hired a holistic nutritionist today. After losing 100 pounds with gastric bypass surgery, and still holding on to bad eating habits, I decided it was time to learn something about my health. I began the nutrition journey this year because I refuse to go another year being labeled obese. I don't want to be overweight, I don't want to be rail thin. I do want to be healthy. I want to be able to climb mountains with my nephews and not worry about falling. I want to be able to hold a baby on my lap and not get winded while playing a game of freeze tag. So today the journey began.
I researched the options, and found someone that I feel is a good match for me. Someone who will call me on the carpet when I beat myself up, or don't admit to my mistakes. Someone who will be there when I need to talk it out, and not let me off the hook when I steer off the plan.
I have three challenges 1) to increase my energy levels, 2) to lose weight and 4) to find a routine that will work for me with my work and personal schedule.
Interestingly she told me that as women age, one of the biggest challenges we face is our energy. I have felt exhausted over the past three years, and I blamed it on all the weight I was carrying around. Don't get me wrong, the weight does slow me down, but she assured me that by eating right and following a few simple rules, I can get my energy levels more regulated.
The first three rules I have for this journey: 1) No sugar. 2) No breads 3) Eat every four hours and nothing after 7:30pm. The weight will probably not come off until I get this routine down, and the plan is to develop a discipline of healthy eating so that each week we can incorporate new goals into the mix. Let's see how it goes.
What to look for when choosing a nutritionist? For me, I went to a website that offers nutritionists by city. I read through the biographies and credentials and narrowed my search to 5 possible coaches. I then sent an email requesting more information. I narrowed the search down then by the response or lack of response, whether they provided a free initial consultation, and the resources they offered. To me cost was important, but I opted for a little higher cost based on the level of service I received from the beginning. Cameron Rupprecht in Alexandria, VA offered experience, compassion and was excellent with follow through. When I talked to her I felt she was really listening to me and developing a program that was personalized for me specifically.
She didn't expect me to "do it all at once" but developed a series of small goals over the course of the first week. Every two weeks a new discipline was added. I will post more as I go. If you feel classified as obese, and want to participate in a place where you get support and encouragement in a non threatening environment, please join me and feel free to share your story here. My goal is to change the way America treats the obese, one person at a time.
