Success Stories Archives

Christine M’s ReAlive! Testimonial – From Severe Joint Pain to Walking Pain Free in 3 Weeks!

I am 59 years old and as often happens with age, I’ve developed arthritis in several joints. This has caused pain and limited mobility in my right knee and my left hip. The pain and dysfunction in my knee have been intermittently occurring for several years.

Recently, however, it has worsened to the point that I was having trouble walking my dog Jasmine, because my knee buckled several times during the walk. The issue with my left hip has been occurring for at least 6 months, at times causing such severe pain that it forced me to purchase a walking cane to relieve the pressure on my hip.

Recently I decided to purchase ReAlive because I read about the huge number of scientific studies showing that collagen consumption may have a positive effect on joints, reducing inflammation and pain while improving range of motion. And studies on cacao consumption indicate that it may have an anti-aging effect. (Arthritis is a symptom of aging for many of us.)

So, I mixed 1 tablespoon of ReAlive into my coffee every morning and drank it. At first, I didn’t notice any difference. Within 3 weeks of starting ReAlive, though, I was walking Jasmine several times a day without my knee buckling even once. And no pain. My knee feels great! Meanwhile, the discomfort in my hip is barely noticeable, and I expect it to disappear soon.

I credit this positive change in my arthritis symptoms to ReAlive, and I’m signing up for autoship!!! ~Christine M.

January 8, 2020/by TeamSANE

Motivation, Success Stories

Christine’s SANE Story: How to Lose 100 lbs Without Starvation or Cardio After Breaking Your Neck*

christine

“From recovering from a broken neck due to a severe car accident, to PCOS, high blood pressure and headaches, I’ve lived through the challenges. I have lost over 100 lbs and am medication free! When I began I weighed 278 lbs. wearing a size 4x. Today I am a fit 176 lbs. wearing a size 10 medium!”

Eat SANE and Smile! Hi, my name is Christine Biswabic and this is my new motto. I have learned how to take my sanity back from my head to my toes. This is because I have a special understanding of how changing your mindset transforms your body. I experienced it firsthand. From recovering from a broken neck due to a severe car accident, to PCOS, high blood pressure and headaches, I’ve lived through the challenges and am now on the other side. I have lost over 100 lbs and am medication free! When I began taking my SANEity back I weighed 278 lbs. wearing a size 4x. Today I am a fit 176 lbs. wearing a size 10 Medium!

If you are what you eat, then I am a product of what I’ve been feeding on from Jonathan Bailor (SANE). Other great fitness/nutrition experts followed and offered even more tasty lessons helping me on my way. (Isn’t it great how we can work, learn and grow together by helping each other?) So now I’m a SANE Certified Coach who specializes in helping people find their fat loss formula for their lifestyle. Because of choosing to eat SANE I am now able to use the advanced principles of hormonal nutrition to help people reshape their bodies, reach their fat loss goals and live in their best possible health. This is why I chose to totally change careers and found my SANE career providing in person and online nutrition and fat loss coaching to help people live their best and healthiest lives.

As a SANE Coach I like to say:

“We have ‘WEALTH’ managers who help us with our finances, what we need are ‘WELL-TH’ managers who help us achieve better health, so we can truly enjoy our wealth!”

If I can “go SANE” and “get eccentric,” transform my life, and empower others, any one can! What are you waiting for?! EAT SANE 😉

Today I am now 50 years. old. I am in the menopausal season of my life and I am still SANE. I have gone through changes in my body where I began to gain some weight and lose some energy. So, I went back to the SANE AIM (assess, investigate, modify) process to see what was going on and what I needed to do to stay optimally healthy. I realized that in menopause we become more starch sensitive and stress reactive so I made some modifications in my food choices, my movement, and my mindset… and yes! … I began to lose that menopause induced fat I had gained. I am still enjoying my SANE journey, looking forward to how I eat and move, and am grateful that I am not on a bunch of medications. I am delighted to say I am never on a diet! And I am honored to be a SANE Certified Coach helping SANE members customize their SANE journeys and live free of the dieter’s mindset along with me!

Christine Biswabic

SANE Certified Coach
www.facebook.com/eatsane 

* Testimonial Disclaimer: All of the testimonials were written by actual members of SANE Solution. Individual Results may vary. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.

April 27, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Mez’s Success Story: 3 Kids & 20 Years Later, I’m Looking & Feeling My Best!*

“After my 3rd baby I was topping 212lbs. I have lost 56.4lbs & have more energy at 41 than I did in my 20s!”

After the birth of my third baby I was overweight and very unhappy, when my son was 17 months old I was topping 212lbs (96.6kg) which was heavier than when I was pregnant at full term. I started out and did ok with just reducing my portions, but then I plateaued. I was focused on portion control and calorie counting but not on food quality.

When I “went SANE” I cut out processed foods, I stopped eating wheat products (which were causing me many stomach issues with pain and bloating) and I cut out sugar in my morning cup of coffee. I replaced them with mounds of non-starchy vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, as well as berries and citrus fruits.

My body shape changed so much! I stopped bloating and feeling “blergh!” Now, I rarely desire sweet foods anymore, which is huge as I have always had a sweet tooth!

So far through following a SANE lifestyle and just continuing to walk when I can, I have dropped 56.4lbs and have more energy at nearly 41 than I did in my 20′s & 30′s 🙂

I can’t imagine eating any other way now, so thank you SANE for making it easy for me to get into the shape I never expected to be in my 40′s.

– Mez Foz

April 26, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE2

Motivation, Success Stories

Cristina’s SANE Story: Lost 45 Lbs., Finally Got Pregnant, and Helped My Diabetes!*

“3 months of eating like this has gotten me off a diabetes medication and reduced my HbA1C from 8.3 to 5.7, rendering me diabetes-free. I also was on cholesterol medication, but my cholesterol went from 220 to 103, and I was taken off that medication as well. Finally, after five years of trying, I finally got pregnant!”

TIP: One of the most common questions I’m ask in reference to going SANE is “Can I be SANE and be a vegetarian?” The answer is yes. Eating SANEly is as applicable to vegetarians as it is to non-vegetarians. Going SANE isn’t about “you must eat this” and more about: “Here are the foods which have been proven to help burn fat and boost health for the long term. Adjust and modify as much or as little of this as you like depending on your goals.” For example, here’s how vegetarian-reader Cristina Hanganu-Bresch transformed her health and body composition in just a few months by going SANE.” – Jonathan Bailor

I Went SANE, Reversed My Diabetes, & Lost 45 Lbs. in ~3 Months (PS I’m a Vegetarian)

by Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, http://www.lipomachia.wordpress.com

When I decided to become a vegetarian 3 ½ years ago (forgoing meat, but keeping dairy and eggs in my diet, and for about 1 ½ years, seafood as well) my mother panicked. “But, what will you eat? Whatever shall I cook for you when you come home?” she lamented. I laughed, but understood. I come from Romania, an Eastern European culture heavily reliant on meat—pork in particular. I gently pointed out that I was not going to starve—and even if I did, a little, would that be such a horrible thing considering how fat I was already? I was big and have been all my life, and I had gotten particularly bigger in the year previous to my vegetarian resolution, due to a rapid weight gain prompted by work-related stress. At 238 lbs. and a BMI of 34, I had long crossed from “pleasantly plump” into “obese” territory.

But moms will be moms and so she fretted. When I visited home for the holidays or during the summer, she fussed over my diet and ended up making these heavy, lasagna-type dishes stuffed with cheese and butter and some spinach for the illusion of “health” and offered numerous pastries and breads for consumption. I can’t fault her—I had relied on the same starch-heavy diet as well, and while I wasn’t really gaining weight, I wasn’t losing anything either, despite my earnest attempts at exercise. It was probably this starch- and sugar-heavy diet that ultimately accelerated my diagnosis of Type II diabetes on February 1^st, 2012. I knew right then that I couldn’t eat the way I used to anymore – but what to do? This is when I read Jonathan Bailor’s The Smarter Science of Slim and realized that there was another lifestyle that could work for me—it had to work for me, as I HAD to get my blood sugars and my HbA1C down, period. End of discussion.

It was probably this starch- and sugar-heavy diet that ultimately accelerated my diagnosis of Type II diabetes on February 1^st, 2012.

You can imagine my mother’s renewed panic when I started going SANE in addition to being a vegetarian. “So you were not eating meat—not even seafood, and now you’re not eating bread either?” “Nope.” “Pasta?” “Nope.” “Oatmeal? Cereal? Rice?” “Nope. No potatoes or corn, either. And I’m off milk and most dairy as well.” “OMG, you’ll starve to death!” I laughedg but was a little uneasy. Could I pull it off?

So, how do you maintain a SANE lifestyle when you’re a vegetarian?

The answer is easier than you think. In fact, one of the things that attracted me to going SANE is that at the top of the list of recommended foods were vegetables (non-starchy, but still vegetables), followed by lean protein, certain fruit, nuts and seeds (and in moderation, beans and similar legumes). If you look at the list closely, you’ll see that most of those recommendations fit beautifully with a vegetarian lifestyle—even a vegan one, if you also decided to give up eggs and dairy. In fact, the only place where non-vegetarian items creep into the list is the “lean protein” category—but then, again, vegetarians have learned only too well how to get their protein elsewhere, and these days, the variety and taste of meat substitutes have improved so dramatically that you won’t skip a beat going SANE. And you won’t miss the starches and sugars.

You won’t skip a beat going SANE. And you won’t miss the starches and sugars.

I was just a little doubtful at first. I thought for sure I can’t give up ALL starches! The first few weeks I even had a little oatmeal in the morning, and used quinoa and farro, which I envisioned to be healthier than your usual rice and potatoes. But as I was reading the labels, I realized the excessive amounts of carbs these products contained; even if I had a little, it threw my diet out of balance (after all, veggies and fruits are also mostly carbs, right?). I wanted results fast, so without regrets, I cut all those products out. Even popcorn had to go. I rounded up all the inSANE carbs I had stored in my kitchen – and the results were scary:

wheat flour (2 lbs.)
sugar (granulated–5 lb.-bag, confectioner’s, brown–I had all kinds!!!! yes, that’s quadruple exclamation point!)
rice (1 lb.)
pasta (shells, lasagna sheets)
bread crumbs (2 boxes!)
buckwheat (soba) noodles (3 packages!)
honey (2 lb. container)
raisins (1 big box)
cream of wheat (3/4 of a box)
baking powder and yeast
cornmeal (2 3/4 bags)
popcorn (whole box)
chestnut flour (I kid you not) (1/2 bag)
2 potatoes
2 sweet potatoes

And from the freezer, the following items:

pastry sheets (2 packs)
phyllo dough sheets (1 1/2 packs)
pizza dough (1 bag)
pita (1 bag)
pumpernickel bread (1 loaf)
actual (Italian) bread (1 loaf)
vegetarian “chicken” fingers –they were breaded, which is a no-no.

Yes, approximately 50 million calories of inSANE carbs were lurking in the pantry and freezer 2 weeks into my sojourn into SANEity! I realized they had to go, immediately—and so they did! (Also, the mystery of my overweight and diabetes? Not such a mystery, after all.)

Approximately 50 million calories of carbs were lurking in the pantry and freezer.

Experimenting with Meat Substitutes

The second thing I did was experiment with meat substitutes. Tofu is not the be-and-end-all of vegetarian protein; there is TVP (textured vegetable protein – very versatile, use it as a substitute for ground meat), seitan (wheat protein, high in protein, low in carbs), and a variety of soy and wheat-based vegetarian meats that come in all sorts of shapes of flavors. I am particular to most Gardein products (except for the breaded ones and the ones with sweet sauces—in which case I simply discard the sauce), Boca and Quorn (look for a high protein to carb ratio—not all their products will have it, but most will), and Morning Star (their “chicken strips” meal starters are delicious). There are lots of other vegetarian burgers out there that I wouldn’t touch, because they are mostly inSANE carbs. Once I started paying attention to the nutritional information and not just the overall calorie count, I had to give up some brands I used to like, like Dr. Praeger’s spinach patties—they are potato-based, so that’s a no-no. I also tend to avoid tempeh for the same reason—a little too high in carbs for its protein content.

Tofu is not the be-and-end-all of vegetarian protein; there is textured vegetable protein, seitan, and a variety of soy and wheat-based vegetarian meats.

So what do you eat if you are a SANE vegetarian?

For breakfast, I usually have egg white scrambles with veggies and tofu or some other meat substitutes (ground Boca veggie meat works beautifully), to which I add some milled flaxseed. If you’re vegan, you can concoct a scramble using tofu (and possibly some egg substitute powder) instead of egg whites. Sometimes I bake vegetarian “mini-quiches” in my muffin molds. I spray the molds with Pam, fill them up with the veggies/protein of my choice (broccoli, mushrooms, scallions, and sliced smoked tofu work wonderfully, but feel free to get creative here), then top everything with egg whites flavored with salt/pepper/herbs, and bake for 25 minutes. The resulting “quiches” keep fairly well in the fridge for a couple of days, and I can have them whenever. If I’m in a hurry, I have a protein shake for breakfast—I use whey protein, but there is also vegan protein available, if you don’t want any dairy products. I add berries, Splenda, and some flaxseed or almond milk, perhaps a tbsp. of almond butter if I feel adventurous.

For lunch and dinner, I alternate between eating leftovers and making new things. Here are some suggestions:

Soups

Soups are awesome, and are chockfull of good veggies. Just forgo the starches (e.g., potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, beets, parsnips, and, of course, pasta) and you’ll be fine. There are tons of good vegetarian recipes out there that do not use starches, so grab some. And now is the season for gazpachos, which are, by definition, as SANE as can be!

Veggies

The sky’s the limit. Steamed or sautéed, they’re delicious, provided you’re using the right seasonings. Green veggies are king: kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, bok choy, watercress, broccoli, etc. are EXCELLENT and you can learn how to cook them properly. Green beans, snow peas, snap peas, and cauliflower are also excellent choices. I like to top my green veggies with some sort of nuts, such as slivered or sliced almonds or sesame seeds. You basically can’t go wrong with any green veggies – choose some you really like, find ways to prepare them, and go for it! I also love mushrooms of any type, which I sauté, bake, stuff with TVP and seasonings, add to recipes—etc. Green and red cabbage are also excellent and you can have them raw as salads or cooked—your choice.

Stews

Eggplant and zucchinis or other types of squashes combined with tomatoes (yes, canned, why not!) make excellent vegetarian stews, when properly seasoned (add leeks and onions to solidify the taste—as an aside, there’s no dish that leeks won’t improve, in my humble opinion); you can add chickpeas or make some really yummy lentil dishes as well—don’t overindulge and you’ll be fine.

Salads

Need I say more? For a little boost, keep a container of cooked black (beluga) lentils in your fridge, and sprinkle some on your salads. Beluga lentils keep their shape and texture when they’re cooked, unlike most lentils, and give a little texture and extra protein. Tofu croutons are another option (they’re good in soups as well) – cube, season, drizzle with olive oil or spray with Pam, and bake for a good 45 minutes. Make sure you add some protein to your salads – egg whites, veggie “chicken strips,” etc. And be careful with commercially bought dressings. Make your own vinaigrette—this way you’re certain there’s no mystery sugar in it. I for one simply use olive oil and vinegar or lemon oil.

Shirataki noodles

These “miracle noodles” or “no-calorie noodles” are based on the root of a plant and can be found commercially under different brands. Some are really low in calories (20 cals/serving) and some have zero calories. I use them with abandon—I rinse and dry them in a pan and then use them like pasta. I made pasta all’oglio with them, used them instead of rice for stir frys, added them to soups—whatever I can think of. They will work. They don’t taste great on their own, so make sure you add the proper flavoring. Spaghetti squash, btw, makes a wonderful pasta substitute as well.

Veggie meats

If they’re not already flavored out of the bag, you can still bake, grill, or fry tofu and seitan in a variety of creative ways. It’s easier to do than you think—crack open a vegetarian cookbook or Google it. You’ll find lots of great recipes.

Desserts

Fruits! Fruits! Fruits! For me, it’s mostly berries. They have the lowest amount of sugar among fruits. If you’re not diabetic, feel free to branch out. I would avoid mangoes, grapes, and bananas, though—they’re really high in sugar. You can also prepare shakes, of course, with some protein powder. You can even make them into a mousse-consistency by adding soft tofu. Add berries, Splenda, vanilla, chocolate powder, perhaps cocoa nibs for a touch of decadence, and you’re in business! Or, whip up some almond butter truffles. Mix almond butter with chocolate powder, Splenda, and some vanilla and almond extract (it’s a little hard, but worth it!), then roll the resulting “dough” into little balls, which you can finish off by rolling them into a mix of cocoa powder and Splenda. They are delicious, trust me!

Worry Free. Diabetes Free. 45 lbs. Lighter.

I guess this is my long answer to my mom’s panic. No, mom, I am fine, and have PLENTY to eat. I am not starving. On the contrary, I am well-nourished and satisfied and feel great all the time. And yes, the weight has been coming off, while those pesky blood sugars have been coming down. Three months of eating like this has gotten me off a diabetes medication (glipizide) and reduced my HbA1C from 8.3 to 5.9, basically rendering me diabetes-free. I also was on Lipitor, but when it went from 220 to 103–, my cholesterol dropped way more than what the medication could have done on its own—I was taken off that med as well. My husband, who is not a vegetarian but humors me and eats what I eat inside the house and orders lean meats when we go out, has lost 32 lbs., resolved his sleep apnea, which was a huge stress factor in his life, and stopped having migraines. We both stopped having heartburn, which for me was a daily and painful occurrence—no doubt, carb-related. And to top it off, I have lost 45 lbs. since February 1^st, 2012, the fated day of my diagnosis, and need to lose 20 more. I have no doubt I will succeed.

So will you, if you follow the SANE dietary principles. And if you’re a vegetarian, nothing could be simpler—or SANEr.

I’ll be back soon to share 13 simple tips for SANE vegetarian eating.

– Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, http://www.lipomachia.wordpress.com

PS There’s just one more thing: After five years of trying, I finally got pregnant! I can’t tell you how excited my husband and I are. You better believe we’ll be SANE for life now.”

* Testimonial Disclaimer: All of the testimonials were written by actual members of SANE Solution. Individual Results may vary. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.

April 25, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Travette Transformed Her Body, Mind, and Spirit*

– By Travette Pram

Hi there,

I’m Travette from Auckland, New Zealand. Where to start? I’ve come to realize that I’ve had an issue with my weight for as long as I can remember. In high school I had a torturous self-belief that I was fat when in reality I was verging on being underweight. In the 20 years since leaving high school I’ve witnessed my weight go up and up. I tried the conventional weight loss advice to eat less and move more with some success but I gained back the 15kg I lost with 10kg in interest. In the past few years I have reached my heaviest weight, 137kg! It’s taken me a while to admit that number publicly!

These last few years have been incredibly stressful and emotionally taxing resulting in my weight increase and health decline. I currently care for my partner full time who is chronically ill and is on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Not his first, not even his second but his THIRD transplant. See what I mean by stress?! It’s not really a huge surprise that I packed on so much weight over this time….. food equated comfort. After his last transplant he was only home 3 days before I wound up in hospital myself with a heart rate over 200, ambulance called…. The whole nine yards. Thankfully, I have avoided any long-term health issues. When it was confirmed he would need another transplant in January 2014 I vowed not to be in this physical state again. I figured there wasn’t much I could do about the stress of our life but if I’m physically healthier that can only help me cope a little better.

The release of The Calorie Myth came at EXACTLY the right time for me. I’d made the commitment to change and I just needed the right information and guidance to implement it in my life. I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished it and I was surprised at how much sense it made to me. I felt a mix of excitement (and hope) to start a SANE lifestyle but also found myself preparing for the disappointment that something so simple couldn’t actually work. So I took the plunge and embraced eating SANE foods. I guess you could say I went cold turkey to test the waters and see if this SANE business really works – it does! It’s almost been a year since starting a SANE lifestyle and I’ve lost nearly 30kg and gone from a size 22/24 to 14/16. Besides the obvious weight loss the change in me has been transformative. After only a short time of eating SANE food I realized how bad I used to feel all the time – fatigue, aches and pain in my joints, low energy and at times mentally ‘fuzzy’. The difference in how I feel now is like night and day, I have more than enough energy and the aches and pain have disappeared.

There are some key things I have learnt about myself on this journey. Despite going cold turkey and being quite strict with what I ate at the start, I quickly realized this was not something I could maintain long term. I needed to relax into what works for me while still moving towards my goals. In my life this means maintaining the fundamentals of a SANE lifestyle but not beating myself up for imperfection and letting go of those numbers on the scale. Something else I’ve learnt is the realization that being so overweight deeply affected my self-confidence. I can see now that it permeated almost every facet of my life. Losing weight has absolutely improved my confidence in how I look but it’s more than that. Being as big as I was, I felt relegated to the fringe because ideals like ‘normal’, ‘healthy’, ‘beauty’ and arguably, ‘self worth’ equates to thinness. Living a SANE lifestyle has shifted my focus from being thin to fit in to valuing the importance of being strong and healthy. Another shift I’ve embraced is that I enjoy being active and exercising. Boy, did I beat myself up for being lazy and not exercising more. I’m not trying to shift blame at all, I am responsible for my choices but when I felt tired all the time and experienced aching joints it’s now obvious why I wasn’t enthusiastic about exercise. I had to ration out my energy to different tasks in an average week so I could reach that balance of achieving what needed to be done without total exhaustion. Not only did I have to ration out my energy but also the terrible pain I had in my knees meant I would often cringe at a set of stairs and movement in general was difficult and tiring. Now I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want without having to give any of these barriers a second thought.

It’s been interesting to see other people’s reaction to my journey. For the most part these reactions have been positive with family and friends being supportive and encouraging. I’ve even managed to set the example for some family members to make positive changes. A common question or comment people have is how I manage to remain ‘good’ and stay the course? How do I resist that piece of cake or bread or french fries??? Without doubt it takes commitment and hard work but the most important factor that keeps me focused is pretty simple…. My quality of life has vastly improved physically, mentally, and emotionally – I wouldn’t trade that for a piece of cake, bread or french fries. The way I feel now is invaluable.

* Testimonial Disclaimer: All of the testimonials were written by actual members of SANE Solution. Individual Results may vary. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.

April 25, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE

Success Stories

Jayne’s SANE Story: Down 20lbs and Not Looking Back!

Best news…my blood sugars have plummeted to almost normal levels. Wow! didn’t see that one coming so fast.

Age: 62
Family: yes! 5 girls, 3 boys, 3 grandchildren. Youngest daughter is a senior in high school
Occupation: homemaker with journalism education
Where in the world can you find me? Iowa
Year I went SANE: May 30, 2018
Current height/weight 5-3”, 150 pounds
Health before/after SANE I still struggle with blood sugars, but now I know why (heavy metals. My health was ok before, now it is amazing.
Favorite SANE meal: death by chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chips. I love fish.
What words of advice can you give to someone just starting their SANE journey? It’s more about progress over perfection. This is a total acceptance, guilt free zone. You are home!
Hobby: rosary maker, gardening, herbs, gourmet cooking with mistakes and successes, storytelling, ping pong…I’m kind of competitive with it…and laughing at my kids jokes
SANE words to live by: You are free to put anything into your mouth. Put in good things for best results.

My journey to SANE still continues. I love the freedom from sugar addiction this program taught me. And I especially love the encouragement and tools given to me to succeed. The big tummy is gone, my jeans are a size 4, but that is not my greatest progress. My greatest progress is that sugar no longer runs my life. I can celebrate with something sweet, but I don’t have to have it as say, well, oxygen or water. I’ve lost a lot of weight.

Here is the reflection I wrote after one month.: @JonathanBailor, I’ve been on this SANE way of eating for one month. What’s different? I don’t crave sweets. I used to think of them every day, especially when I wasn’t letting myself eat them. They had a starring role in my thoughts. Not now! Also, my hair looks better…softer, more vibrant…gotta love those veggies. I do not leak when I sneeze nor do I have to brace my legs together..just in case. Wow.

My scale has gone down 4 pounds. I thought I would have dropped ten…but I lost a little over an inch in my waist and the next size down jeans fit without any muffin tops.

So, I’m going to stop stressing about weight, stop lamenting that my waist is not where I want it…progress, not perfection… It’s headed in the right direction. I’m celebrating all of the success stories I’ve read…just finished listening to what 8 months have done for one person. And I’m going to share this way of eating with whomever seems ready for a change. And I’m thanking God for bringing me here. I’ve prayed for help for a long time. Thank you. On to month two!

Now I’m in month 8. My skin is clear, my weight is normal, my hair looks shiny and vibrant. My after picture is from my new hair cut! My sugars weren’t going down like they should, and I found out I had heavy metals from when I was a kid. I never would have found this out without SANE. Now my SANE diet is just what helps the most with detoxing and I never feel deprived. I will get my mercury filling out soon, and I haven’t even shared the best part. It is the people on this journey with me! They encourage and lift me up and broaden my horizons with new ingredients or recipes or what worked for them.

This is a no guilt, total acceptance zone where the next bite you eat can be SANE. The decision is with me. The SANER I eat, the better and faster my results. I plan for some insane foods still, but I eat after a SANE meal so that I don’t overeat and also, I do not feel deprived. What I am finding now is so strange. The insane foods do not taste as good as my memory of them would suggest.

I have to say a word about my coach, Paul. He went above and beyond in helping me follow this new way of eating and helped me not stall in guilt and shame when I messed up. He helped me see this was a process and every step made me closer to my dream…not saying, oh well, pass the snickers and Pepsi, I’ve already failed.

I love this program…it really is just a normal way of eating. It is not common, but it is so normal. And as my body heals, I crave good things, more of it, and lots of green non-starchy veggies. I do my exercises twice a week and “move like a human” the rest of the time. I loved that Jonathan Bailor quote! Good sleep, meditation, calm…. this is the fruit of SANE living.

Thank you SANE. I’ve lost about 20 pounds, but the real story is I don’t gain and lose the same 10 pounds all of the time and my question to myself is ‘how do I feel’ rather than “how much do I weigh.” I feel beautiful inside and out. Joy comes from sharing goodness and beauty with others. My tip for others? Don’t give up on yourself. You are wonderfully, awesomely made and someone out there is waiting for your encouragement.

April 24, 2018/by TeamSANE

Motivation, Success Stories

Jean’s SANE Success: Down 45lbs and Feeling Amazing!

“After just 8 months, I have lost 45 lbs.”

Two years ago I was weighing in at almost 200 pounds. I knew I needed to make some changes. Since finding SANE, I feel healthier than I have in years. My blood pressure is normal and I have more energy! I look better and enjoy clothes shopping again! After just 8 months, I have lost 45 lbs.

SANE was different from anything I had tried in the past as I now have an understanding of why I was overweight thanks to Jonathan, his SANE program, my SANE coach and my SANE Concierge! SANE really works without having to count calories, and the extra bonus is it has even improved my outlook on life. I am a healthy and happy 79 year old woman! YAY SANE!

My one piece of advice to someone just starting their SANE journey is, be determined to let the program work for you!

April 24, 2018/by 7728pwpadmin

Motivation, Success Stories

Dr. Britell’s SANE Story: Healing Myself While Having Fun*

I’ve attended every medical educational offering on obesity that I could find. Despite continued dieting, my weight crept up to 230lbs. I decided to give eating more and exercising less a try. Went off half of my blood pressure medications, my blood sugar improved, as did my serum lipids. I’ve gone from a size 22 to a size 14 and have lost 45 lb. and kept if off for over a year!

“As a physician who specializes in Rehabilitation Medicine, my goal has always been maximizing healthy functioning in my patients – and myself. I was a “chubby” child, always more interested in books than sports, but with puberty, through high school, college and medical school, I worked long hours, ate very little, and I suppose I could have been considered “shapely” but not obese.

But then came pregnancy, with gestational diabetes, two C-sections due to very large babies, and significant weight gain. After our second child was born, I developed hypertension and despite a very low-calorie diet and daily intense walking program, never lost the weight I had gained. As time went on, the hypertension became worse, and hyperlipidemia developed. I was given statins and developed severe muscle inflammation as a result. I continued doggedly following my doctors’ advice, eating a very low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercising moderately every day. With menopause came more weight gain despite continued starvation dieting and long hours of exercise. As I continued a very busy life as a mother and physician and medical educator, I was always quite embarrassed about my body. I thought doctors should know better than to be fat; but despite my very best effort, I was still – well – fat!

Over the years, I’ve attended every mainstream medical educational offering on obesity that I could find; anxious to learn something new that would make me healthier. On my doctor’s recommendation, I maintained my very low-fat, low-calorie diet, keeping food diaries and exercising at least 45 minutes to an hour a day. I worked with a dietitian, who was convinced that I was not being honest about my food intake. She suggested psychological counseling around my “overeating problem”. I was sent to a cardiologist because of some heart rhythm abnormalities and as we talked, I mentioned “I know it would be good if I could lose weight, but I’ve tried everything, and I guess I’m just pretty much a failure at that…” I’ll never forget his comment: “Cathy, don’t beat yourself up about being overweight. I’ve never seen a post-menopausal woman with your numbers who COULD lose weight. You’re just going to have to deal with being the way you are, and I have to try to help you.” At least he believed that I was trying!

Over the next few years, my weight crept up to 230 lb, despite continued dieting. I hated oatmeal but ate it religiously for breakfast every day, because I was a very good girl and the doctor and dietitian said I must. I developed a fatty liver and gallstones, and underwent a cholecystectomy. It took 3 medications to control my blood pressure. My hips became painful, and I was happy that the elliptical trainers became widely available at the gym so that I could get on them for hours, keeping my heart rate in the “target range” prescribed by my trainer, and listen to continuing medical education lectures on my MP3 player.

Then I read that a vegan diet might be useful both in controlling serum lipids and arthritis, as well as weight loss, so I adopted a very low-fat, low-calorie vegan diet. Just a few beans and a lot of gas. I seldom ate at restaurants or friends’ homes, and often made two dinners, because my husband was not enthralled with the vegan fare. I was chronically cold and tired; fighting to get through each day. My blood sugar was continuing to creep up and I started taking metformin, which caused a horrible taste in my mouth, making food completely unappetizing. I was afraid to get to close to people for fear that they would smell my horrible “metformin breath”. I hated the vegan diet and the gym and the elliptical trainer, and the medications…but I was afraid to change anything for fear that I would REALLY balloon up; so continued on that way for two years. I managed to lose 5 lb over that time.

Then one evening in February of 2012 I saw Jonathan Bailor on the evening news. I was intrigued, bought “The Smarter Science of Slim”, read it, and A LIGHT CAME ON! This made sense! How had I missed all the literature he’d reviewed? Why hadn’t any of the courses I’d attended included that? He described my situation perfectly, and outlined a path OUT OF THE QUAGMIRE of starvation and long hours of useless exercise! With more than a little uncertainty, I decided to give it a try. After three weeks, I was sold! My clothing already was becoming looser, I was warm, I was eating wonderful, plentiful meals, and I laughed a lot more! In the first six months, I lost 20 lb, two dress sizes, and half of my blood pressure medications. My blood sugar improved, as did my serum lipids. After a year, I had lost 35 lb and gone from Size 22W to Size 16. Now after 18 months, I’m down to Size 14 and have lost 45 lb. I’m not looking like a skinny model – yet – but in truth, I never did and I don’t really want to! And even though I’m only losing about a pound a month at this point, my body is still changing – adding muscle, losing fat, firming up, and getting smaller. I can now run up hills, lift heavy things, and take part in physically challenging activities just for the fun of it. I sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed. My joints are completely pain-free, my serum lipids and blood sugar are normal, fatty liver is gone, and I’m bursting with energy! At 66, I feel younger and more vibrant and pretty and fun and happy than I did at 45!

I still have some fat loss goals. I’d like to lose a few more pounds, add some muscle, maybe wear a Size 10 dress. Considering my age, history, and hormones, I’m not sure that will ever happen. Whether it does or not, I now have a body that is comfortable to be in, works really well, and is still GETTING HEALTHIER! I have a whole lot more time and energy for FUN! I LOVE eating MORE delicious food than ever, and my husband is thrilled with our lifestyle. What a JOY!! Thanks, Jonathan!!”

– Catherine W. Britell, M.D.

April 24, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Jay & Jennifer’s SANE Story: From Biggest Losers to SANEst Winners*

“We knew eating less and exercising more worked short-term, but we didn’t know another option was available for the long-term. This is why understanding the science was so helpful for us. Eating more, as long as it’s SANE, is sustainable, enjoyable, and resetting our set-point. We couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Jonathan Bailor

I’m delighted to be collaborating with Jay and Jennifer Jacobs, two past contestants from NBC’s Biggest Loser, to help them eat SANEly and exercise eccentrically.

If you are familiar with Jay and Jennifer, you know they achieved wonderful success dropping a lot of weight quickly during their time on The Biggest Loser. Now interested in practical and lasting health and fat-loss—which is much different than short-term weight loss…and therefore requires a much different approach—Jay and Jennifer are beginning to live SANE, and I hope our experiences together will help you eat smarter, exercise smarter, and live better.

Jay and Jennifer…over to you.

Jay and Jennifer

Thanks Jonathan! Derek Johnson, the founder and creator of New Metabolism and the Executive Nutrition Director for The Biggest Loser Resorts, highly recommended SANE to us a couple of months ago as we were both looking for ways to live the rest of our lives at our personal best. For us our personal best is more than just losing weight, keeping it off and being physically active. It’s about living our best lives mentally and physically so that all of the areas of our lives become “well” too. And we’ve found that the mental journey is more often than not the toughest part of the journey.

That’s one of the reasons we really like what you’re sharing in SANE. Yes the book is based on “science”, but for us it’s also about the way you make it easy for us to start a new way of “thinking” about the why’s and what’s are bodies are doing vs. the usual weight loss/wellness formulas that are presented where you “do this” or “do that” without any real factual rhyme or reason to why we should. And based on the results of where our collective waist lines have been headed, eating and exercising without any real factual rhyme or reason isn’t working too well.

To us SANE for the first time gives all of us non-scientific people the “back story” to what our body understands, while we’re still grasping at straws trying to keep our wits about us as our minds, scales, and waists are on a wild roller coaster ride!

We were blessed with the rare opportunity to have been chosen to be contestants on NBC’s hit show Biggest Loser, and what we thought was going to be a weight loss journey really evolved into a mental and spiritual journey not only on the show, but especially after the show.

Yes it was truly life changing for us (Jennifer lost 114 lbs., and Jay lost 181 lbs.) and not taking anything away from our accomplishments, but when your full time job is eating the highest quality foods ever, exercising/moving 6-8 hours a day, and being trained with some of the world’s best trainers, that’s an amazing gift, but not a “weigh” you can live the rest of your life.

It’s not a secret that when most people lose a lot of weight at a pretty rapid pace it doesn’t take much for the weight to start creeping back on. And sure enough, that’s happening to us as well.

We were told that most likely we’d all put on about 20 lbs. after the show because our bodies would start to settle into their “new normal”, but when Jennifer and I started seeing the scale slide upwards 20, 30 and 40 pounds, we knew we needed to better understand how our new bodies were dealing with all this change, and although we had a pretty good handle on our new mindset, our bodies seemed to have minds of their own.

You already know from our frequent phone conversations, we love SANE’s position of “doing what works for you” and “sustainable results are all that matter,” and are therefore putting our own spin on some of the smarter science. We’ll of course see how that goes and are eager to find a sustainable and enjoyable eating and exercising plan that we can thrive on. We also come to the table thinking we’ve been metabolically-challenged our entire lives, have tried it all, and our questions and feedback are not only going to be coming to you from our experience and mindset, but also from the thousands of people we hear from online and offline as we travel the country who are tired, frustrated and disillusioned as to what to do next. I’m hopeful that our experience of “going SANE” and “getting eccentric” will benefit many lives beyond our own.

So… having test driven SANE over the past 30 + days, and even only following it SANEly 80% of the time, we wanted to tell you how pleased we are with the results. So if you’re game, we’re game to openly and honestly share with all who are interested in what we together can discover “mentally +physically” by applying what you’ve uncovered as we continue to live our “personal best!”

Back to you Jonathan!

jen, jay, and jb - Copy

Jonathan Bailor

Jay and Jennifer, I couldn’t agree with you more on the importance of the mental piece of the puzzle especially since what we’ve all been taught over the past forty years regarding “weight loss” has been proven to harm our health and lead to fat gain 95.4% of the time. We’ll cover the scientific “why” in the future, but from a common sense perspective, starvation and stress are not healthy. Eating less of our existing diet is simply starving ourselves and leads to terrible mental and physical stress. Exercising for hours per day is the other side of the same stressful-starvation coin. But sadly, all we ever hear is “eat less, exercise more” despite the proven fact that we’re more likely to quit smoking cold turkey than we are to achieve our long-term health and fitness goals with this approach.

We need a smarter approach. We need a less stressful goal. Fortunately, that smarter approach has been uncovered by more than 1,100 international research studies, and here’s a stress-free goal that is surprisingly simple once we have the right information: practical and lasting health and fat-loss.

As you stated so well, Jay and Jen, before any smarter science will stick, we have to shift the way we think about health and fitness. In my experience, the three most common mental challenges here are:

Avoiding the trap of trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results
Freeing yourself from disproven, but pervasive weight loss and health theories
Internalizing the difference between “short-term weight loss” and “long-term fat loss and robust health”

Avoid the Trap of Trying the Same Thing Over and Over and Expecting Different Results

We’ve all experience this, but we’re not to blame. We eat less. We exercise more. It doesn’t work long-term. Then we do it again. Maybe it’s a different DVD workout program or a different diet, but at the end of the day we’re still starving and stressing ourselves.

But what else are we supposed to do when this is all we hear about day in and day out? We’re doing the best we can with the information we’ve been given.

Exactly! The issue is the information. The issue isn’t us. We’re doing our best with bad information…and the results speak for themselves. And sadly, they’re not good.

However, once we get access to the proven science of eating smarter and exercising smarter, long-term health and fat-loss is surprisingly simple. And as a bonus, we’ll never be hungry again.

Freeing Yourself from Disproven But Pervasive Weight Loss and Health Theories

Escaping the trap of trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results is easier said than done because we’re constantly bombarded with marketing messages from those who profit off of our health and fitness struggles.

I find keeping three things in mind very helpful here:

Remember that the perception that health and fitness is hard is profitable. Think about how much money we spend trying to make it easier to eat less and exercise more.
Hundreds of billions of dollars of business depend on the continuation of chronic illness and weight gain. If we were all healthy and fit tomorrow, a lot of businesses would lose a lot of money.
Staying health and fit cannot be complicated. It’s the most basic ability any organism can ever have.

Tying these three points together, the complexity and confusion comes from marketing and myths. The good news is that we can crowd those out by using proven science.

Internalizing the Difference Between “Short-Term Weight Loss” And “Long-Term Fat Loss And Robust Health”

I’ll go out on a limb and say that nobody wants to lose weight this month only to gain more back and get sick for the next six months. It’s critical to keep this in mind because things that DO help us lose weight short term often DO NOT help us stay healthy and slim long term.

I’ll take this one step further. If someone hopes to lose ten pounds in two weeks with no concern for what that does to their health or if it predisposes them to gain twenty pounds of fat back in the next two years, what we’ll cover here is not for them. I would, however, urge them to consider what they really want to accomplish. If they look deeper, they will likely see their goals are actually tied to looking and feeling a certain way and staying that way for the rest of their life.

I like to illustrate this with a little experiment: If you could wave a magic wand and look radiant and feel dramatically better while lowering your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer but would weigh no more or less, would you be happy? On the other hand, if could wave that same magic wand and instantly weigh twenty pounds less but look and feel drained and deprived while increasing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, would you consider that a wish well used?

In Sum

I’m so excited for our journey, Jay and Jennifer. Over the coming months we’ll simplify and apply a surprising and scientifically proven body of knowledge that enables you to trigger a fundamental metabolic change that enables you to look and feel better for the rest of your life while lowering your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

So enough with being told to do the same thing over and over and to expect different results. Enough with theories that have been disproven but live on because the more we struggle the more money big food, pharmaceutical, and fitness corporations make. Enough with focusing on the short-term at the expense of the long-term. And on to practical and lasting fat-loss and health supported by the largest scientific analysis of wellness ever conducted, a program endorsed by the world-wide scientific community including top doctors at The Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins, and UCLA, and a lifestyle approved curriculum for RDs by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. On to SANEity!

* Testimonial Disclaimer: All of the testimonials were written by actual members of SANE Solution. Individual Results may vary. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.

April 24, 2018/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Sam’s SANE Story: Former NFL Player Drops 85lbs and Beats Diabetes in 3 Months *Updated

Update – 9/20/2018

We were so thrilled to hear from Sam on his incredible update! Sam has now lost an astonishing 168lbs!

Read Sam’s original story:

The best news came from his doctor who proclaimed him cured of diabetes and took him off metformin immediately. “In 35 years of practicing medicine, I have never seen anything like this,” said Sam’s doctor.

One of SANE’s most powerful case studies regarding diabesity is Sam, 67, a construction manager and former NFL player with the San Francisco 49ers. Sam had been overweight all his life, except during his stint in pro football. But throughout the rest of his life, he struggled with obesity and was the classic yo-yo dieter, going up and down 100 to 200 pounds at any given time. Like most dieters, Sam tried everything, including lapband surgery that failed and almost cost him his life. By early 2016, he was obese again, nearly 120 pounds over a healthy weight.

In May 2017, Sam received what he referred to as a “death sentence:” type 2 diabetes. Sam knew the consequences; his older brother had his leg amputated as a result of diabetes. Sam’s was a classic case of diabesity: diabetes brought on by obesity. He was immediately put on the oral diabetes drug metformin.

Sam was determined to defeat his diabetes – and lose weight once and for all. He embarked on a calorie-counting diet that included oatmeal, grapes, watermelon, fiber bars, and occasionally packaged food from Nutrasystem – all of which he thought would help him lose weight and get healthy. Well, he was losing weight, but only at the rate of a pound or half a pound a week – extremely slow for a man. It was frustrating.

Enter his fiancée, Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, author of Control Diabetes in 6 Easy Steps and Foods That Combat Diabetes; a series of Biggest Loser books; and a collaborator on countless diet books. To say that she is familiar with most diet plans would be an understatement.

Maggie started working with the SANE team in September 2017. She was instantly amazed by the program.

“I thought I knew just about everything there is to know about food and weight control, but SANE opened my eyes to new information … strategies and concepts such as standard carbohydrates and how nonessential they are; the importance of wholefood fats, setpoint science, hormonal influences on weight; the fallacy of calorie counting; and so much more.”

Maggie put Sam on SANE right away. Pretty soon, Sam was dropping 4 to 5 pounds a week – consistently. No more oatmeal for breakfast – it was egg white and veggie omelets. Gone were the high-sugar grapes and watermelon; in their place were blueberries on occasion. Sam never strayed from SANE. He felt so good about the plan that he told everyone, “I love losing weight on SANE.”

By February 2018, he had dropped 85 pounds. But that’s not all. The best news came from his doctor who proclaimed him cured of diabetes and took him off metformin immediately. “In 35 years of practicing medicine, I have never seen anything like this,” said Sam’s doctor.

“Most people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes take their medicine but never really change their diet,” Maggie added. “As a result, they often escalate to taking a second drug and sometimes have to go on insulin. None of this has to happen. The SANE nutritional plan has the power to stop diabetes and diabesity completely. It should be the standard, first-line approach for treating these twin epidemics, in my opinion, not drugs. It is miraculous in its effect, and Sam is living proof.”

April 22, 2018/by TeamSANE