Success Stories Archives - Page 2 of 6

From Sick of Dieting to SANE Certified Coach

SANE changed my life because I am not wasting my time, money, and energy looking for a way to lose weight.

I have always been chubby. I often heard that I needed to lose weight because I was too heavy for my age. Once I was old enough to control my diet I started watching what I was eating in order to lose weight. I did not really know what to do at that time, but I decided to only eat a bowl of cereal with a salad for dinner after seeing the commercial for the brand of cereal claiming we could lose weight by doing that. I had to skip dinner with my friends, and I was eating all by myself in my room instead of sharing a good meal with my family.

I went to the United States in 2010, so I started eating more junk food, partying every weekend, and eating out with my friends. I gained about 20lbs, so I decided to count calories and go for a 30-60 minute run every day since I heard that it was the secret to losing weight. I started losing weight at first, but it stopped, and instead, I lost my energy, my sex drive, and my good mood. I was only 23 years old.

I kept trying even though I could see that it was not working, but I thought I was not trying hard enough, or maybe the daily 1,200 calories I was eating were too much. Unfortunately, it is only when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that I had my “a-ah” moment because it made me realize that my lifestyle needed to change. I found the paleo diet while looking for alternatives to medicine to reduce my symptoms. I still was not losing weight, so I tried several diets that were aligned with the paleo diet, but I always ended up putting the weight back on. I thought I had health issues that could explain why I was not losing weight, and I was frustrated to not figure out what was wrong. I would read all the books, magazines, articles etc. that was mentioning the word “diet”.

I found SANESolution by coincidence when I was invited to the masterclass. I was skeptical at first because of everything I tried in the past that did not work, but I thought I could give it a try. I am no longer buying every new diet books that come out, I am no longer wasting my time reading tips on how to lose 10 lbs in 10 days in magazines, and I am saving money by not buying all those things that were supposed to help me lose weight. I am eating, and most importantly I am nourishing my body. I don’t have to starve or run every day (which I hated by the way). I am looking better than I ever did, and I do that effortlessly.

I wish I could go back 4 years, and tell myself that I needed to stop starving myself because I knew it was not working, but instead, I should focus on eating whole foods and learn to love myself. I would have saved time, money, my relationship, and my health.

SANE changed my life because I am not wasting my time, money, and energy looking for a way to lose weight. I also found the confidence to get my health coach certification, so I can help others change their lifestyle, and save their lives. I am grateful that I found SANE, that I got the help of the SANE Certified coaches, and that I was given the opportunity to change other people’s lives the way SANE changed mine.

A typical SANE day for me: I drink water as soon as I wake up, I drink a cup of coffee with stevia and almond milk. I drink a protein shake after my workout on my training days, and I drink a smoothie with a source of protein when I get hungry. I eat as many non-starchy vegetables as I want, with protein and fat for lunch and dinner. I also enjoy SANE pancakes, and 85% dark chocolate whenever I crave it.

*** Debora was certified as a SANE Coach in May 2017 ***

February 10, 2016/by TeamSANE

Motivation, Success Stories

Jessica’s SANE Story: Nearly Wheelchair Bound to Fit World Traveler*

I’m 64, stronger, more fit, and in better health than I can ever recall. I sleep more soundly and now, my husband and I are going to be able to live a dream…travel the world over the next 5-10 years. My lipids are normal for the first time in my adult life! My blood sugar is normal. Not to mention that I’m eating more calories than I ever have and am slimmer and healthier than ever!

Beginning at 11 years old, obese family members all around me, I realized weight was going to be an issue in my life. Over the years, the relatives as young as in their 40’s, were dying off of heart disease, diabetes, auto immune diseases and debilitating spine and bone disorders. Not only had I inherited the propensity to obesity and its myriad associated diseases but the environment was wrought with carbohydrate laden taste tempting cakes, pies, and pastries, with sugar finding its way into otherwise savory main dishes. I was hooked.

Tall and skinny as a kid, the robust family pushed sweets at me until I finally relented and started gaining weight. Thus, at 11, I began dieting, exercising at 15 (uncommon for women at the time) and taking doctor prescribed diet pills in my 20’s, (had to stop after a short time due to high blood pressure, another disease of my genes) while nearly starving myself to stay slim. I fantasized about the latest diet that would put an end to my preoccupation with food and exercise.

My wardrobe ranged from size 2 to 14, my refrigerator was laden with foods of the current diet rage and the battle continued. Perpetually striving to get to some magic number on the scale, I fantasized about the latest diet that would miraculously put an end to my preoccupation with food and exercise.

“Not only had I inherited the propensity to obesity and its myriad associated diseases but the environment was wrought with carbohydrate laden taste tempting cakes, pies, and pastries, with sugar finding its way into otherwise savory main dishes”

Then Came the Babies and the Starvation Dieting

After the birth of two children (now 43 and 45 years old), having gained 70 pounds during each pregnancy, the dilemma escalated. Starving myself again at about 800 calories a day, I returned to my lowest weight each time. My metabolism eventually settled into a harsh reality that has followed me up until most recently…I could only consume 1200 to 1400 calories per day to avoid gaining weight.

Blindly, I followed the “government’s” recommendations to eat a low fat diet to maintain one’s health with plenty of “healthy whole grains,” fruits, vegetables, and small portions of protein. Dining with family and friends, I felt deprived sneaking looks at their plates piled with tasty foods, while my plate invariably had a 4 oz portion of protein, unbuttered vegetable and a single small unbuttered whole grain roll with a salad with diet dressing.

Maybe I needed to “eat less and exercise more.” How could I do more of either? I was exhausted and hungry. I counted calories, carbs and points to no avail.

“My metabolism eventually settled into a harsh reality that has followed me up until most recently…I could only consume 1200 to 1400 calories per day to avoid gaining weight.”

It wasn’t fair. However, by the time I was 58 years old (now 64), I’d already had heart surgery, was on drugs for hypertension, thyroid disease and was pre-diabetic. Most debilitating, was my disintegrating spine. I was suffering with advanced degenerative disc disease.

After traditional medicine failed to guide me to health, I was barely able to walk, facing a wheel chair in a few years, I sought the advice and counsel of a respected local chiropractor.

Discovering How “Healthy” Isn’t Actually Healthy?

Within minutes of studying my 3 daunting MRI’s, my chiropractor asked me about my diet. “Oh, I eat healthy,” I said, explaining my low fat, healthy whole grains lifestyle. He gasped in horror. “This diet must change immediately if you are to improve. You must follow a low inflammation diet!” He handed me 20 typed pages of instructions for following such a diet: low carb, gluten free, all grain free, starch free, sugar free, chemical free with no packaged or processed foods of any type, even if gluten free.

Yikes! How could I do this? No sweet corn in the summer? No butternut squash with dinner in the fall? No more diced Honey Crisp apple in my yogurt in the morning (there are 9 teaspoons of sugar in one such apple). No more oven-roasted white potatoes? No more brown rice, quinoa or tabouli?

Immediately, I went home and began to research, quickly discovering Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis. Within hours of reading, I made the commitment to follow this new eating regime. I wanted to save my life, stop being hungry, stop counting calories and stop worrying about the next meal.

My dear husband followed along with me. He since has lost 30 pounds, is never hungry having lost 8 inches from his waist. I maintained my weight but I could finally eat and wasn’t hungry. And months later I could walk, sleep at night and had a 50% reduction in pain.

“My husband lost 30lbs. and 8″ off his waist and I finally could eat till I was full without gaining weight by avoiding what Jonathan calls inSANE foods.”

I felt so much better. My lipids improved. I was no longer suffering with high triglycerides and high cholesterol. MY HDL improved. But my blood sugar remained high, diabetes looming. But something was still missing.

The Missing Piece

I was still going to the health club 5-6 times a week, doing 45 to 60 minutes of cardio, followed by lifting the weights I could handle. I still felt weak and unfit after a lifetime of working out and now after changing my diet.

Back on the Internet, madly searching for answers, I stumbled across The Calorie Myth by Jonathan Bailor, downloading it on my computer within minutes of reading the intro. I was hooked. Immediately, heading to the health club while repeatedly referring to the book on my smart phone, I meticulously followed the exercise protocol.

How is it possible to exercise for only 10 minutes twice a week and get fit? How could I triple my protein intake from 50 grams a day to 150 grams and not gain weight? Read on!

Everything changed. Jonathan’s book provided me with manageable bite-sized pieces for an exciting easy read inspiring one to jump up and begin the amazing workout routine and accompanying food plan.

Amazing After Just Three Months of Eating More and Exercise Less–But Smarter

“I am stronger, more fit, breathing deeper and in better health than I can ever recall. My pants fit better, I sleep more soundly and now, impossible a year ago, my husband and I are going to be able to live a dream…travel the world over the next 5-10 years!”

The exercise protocol is referred to as HIIT, high intensity interval training. I assure you it’s a “killer” 10 minutes, pumping your own under-used natural hormones to run through your body, producing not only a euphoric sensation but a powerful energy boost that surprisingly lasts for days, strengthening muscles, mood and cells in the process. But don’t get scared off…remember, in 64 and was almost in a wheel chair a few years ago!

After only 3 short months of 2, 10 minute workouts a week, I am more muscular, more fit, breathing deeper and in better health than I can ever recall. My pants fit better, I sleep more soundly and now, impossible a year ago, my husband and I are going to be able to live a dream…travel the world over the next 5-10 years!

A new person at 64 years old, I can finally enjoy foods I love. Had I not already been at a good weight, I’d be losing weight. Instead, I load up on larger portions and handfuls of healthy nuts (which I always avoided, fearful of fat!)

Eating SANEIs Surprisingly Easy, and Filling!

The food portion of SANE is easy for me. By adding healthy portions of cottage cheese and green veggies to my protein rich breakfast, I enjoy protein and veggie snacks throughout the day. At the end of the day, after a filling dinner when a little taste for sweet grabs me (mostly from habit), I make a big bowl of SANE Fage Unsweetened Greek Yogurt, adding a little Stevia, chopped nuts and a handful of berries. I’m in heaven. Never, do I forage around the kitchen at night, looking for something to fill the void in my gut. It’s no longer there.

“Cravings are suddenly gone after 64 years!”

I had already cut out, what Jonathan refers to as “insane” foods a year ago. But, most importantly, I discovered that a vital element was missing from our diet…not enough lean protein sources and non-starchy vegetables.

My Metabolism Has Changed

Consuming only 1200-1400 calories a day to maintain my weight in the past, a few days ago I calculated how many calories I actually now consume…1700! As Jonathan states in his book and online, you can enjoy “more” nutrient rich foods. My daily protein intake is now 160 grams, as opposed to a previous 50 grams.

“I’m eating more calories than I ever have and am slimmer and healthier than ever.”

Jonathan explains how we’ve been obsessed with calories and how “a calorie is not a calorie.” This is not a quick fix diet or faddish program promising huge weight loss overnight, which ultimately proves to be lost muscle and water. This is a simple science backed concept, allowing us to “eat more and exercise less” while experiencing short infrequent bursts of intense workouts and healthy portions of nutrient rich foods.

Thousands of years ago when humans roamed the earth foraging for sustenance; hunting, picking berries and nuts, digging up roots, harvesting vegetation fit for consumption, she/he sought that which his destiny inspired and his instincts dictated. For example, dogs, by nature are destined to eat meat. We have fed them cereals, grains and corn and they too, have become obese, sick and unfit.

Going SANE All Around The World

Now healthy, slim and fit, my husband and I are able to experience a dream; to live in a little beach house on the ocean in Belize for 3 months, to live for 4 months in Kruger National Park in South Africa amongst the animals, to see the Great Migration in Kenya and on and on.

For more, please visit our blog at: www.WorldWideWaftage@blogspot.com to enjoy this life changing experience with us and to see how we will continue to eat SANE from around the world and always find a way to exercise for 10 minutes 2 times a week!

Thank you, Jonathan! We are grateful, healthier and wiser and now, we are able to carry our over-stuffed bags!

– By Jessica Lyman

—–12/10/12 Update——
Hello Jonathan and Carrie! Can you believe I am back with more good news from eating sane? It just continues. My husband Tom and I changed our diets after following Dr. Davis’s book, Wheat Belly for many months. We gave up all wheat, all grains (no rice, no beans, no substitutes), all sugar including fruit (which raised by blood sugar to over 200), and all starches.

We were doing great after giving up all these foods and Tom slowly was losing weight. Then I stumbled across The Calorie Myth, immediately changing my 6 day/week/90 minute workout to two days of HIIT, as recommended in the book. We added another layer to our way of eating, going “sane.”

In the begging I was having blood sugar issues and found that when we started going sane and I began eating more SF Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, my blood sugar spiked. Cutting out these two dairy items, finally put me into the normal blood sugar range around the clock. Tom’s weight loss escalated which had been extremely slow before “sane.” He’s now lost 50 pounds in 16 months and lost 10 inches in his waist!

As I mentioned in a prior post here, I had suffered for years with all over body pain for years due to the herniation of every disc in my spine (diagnosed by recent 2 MRIs) from C1 to L5. I was told I needed a total spinal fusion which I refused. Now, after the double approach of changing our diets, I am totally pain free for the first time in 20 years.

Then, a miracle happened. Husband Tom suffered with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), severe acid reflux which subsequently manifested into Barrett’s esophagus. Last week he had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and it was truly amazing to see the doctor after the procedures. Barrett’s, GONE! Polyps -NONE, IBS – GONE!!! His digestive tract was impeccable with no signs of disease which only 3 years ago was frightening indicting possible cancer in the future with all the inflammation he’d had. GONE!!! After going sane, he stopped taking 7 pills a day!

Now, only 16 months since the beginning of this process, we leave the US to travel the world for the next 5-10 years, having sold everything we own leaving us each with only 3 suitcases, a carry on and a computer bag. None of this would have been possible had it no been for the decisions we made to change or lives. I was ready for a wheel chair 18 months ago. Now I am lifting outrageously heavy weights following Jonathan’s HIIT protocol. Tom doesn’t work out but looks slim and fit. Go figure.

Thank you Jonathan, once again and now you, Carrie. I listen to every podcast when at the gym. We leave the US in 3 weeks. This lifestyle will continue as we document not only our travels but the sane food choices we make all over the world in our rapidly growing blog, where we posted the first 3 year’s itinerary yesterday.: www.WorldWideWaftage.com

It will be no sacrifice when we turn away pasta and bread while in Tuscany all next summer. The small concession has saved our lives. We now look at toxic foods as poison and have no interest or desire in even taking a bite.

Thank you so much! Now both retired as of Halloween, we both feel we are… finally free.

Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom

* 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.

February 10, 2016/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Chanelle’s SANE Story: Raising 5 Kids And Finding Serenity

Wearing smaller sized jeans is kind of a big deal!

But the biggest deal of all for me is knowing that

I’m not going to gain the weight back!

I have struggled since I was young, with a really bad body image. I was never extremely overweight, but I always worried about it, to the point where I had what I called “disordered eating.” Depending on your definition, you may even call it an eating disorder.

When I was in high school and early college, there was very little I wouldn’t have done to be skinny. It was pretty much my lifelong dream. That sounds a little ridiculous to me now being on the other side, but then, feeling bad about myself affected every aspect of my life: what I wore, where I went, who I spent time with, and of course, what I ate. I went to all kinds of extremes when I was younger to try to get my body to look how I wanted it to look.

When I got older, I realized that I wasn’t doing myself any favors with dieting, and I became an Internet research extraordinaire. If there was a webinar, a book, a class, or an article about weight loss, I would read it, follow it, and learn from it. I studied more about nutrition than I ever studied in college! I started to learn some basic principles of nutrition. Probably the biggest one that came up over and over was to eat real food and cut out the processed food. This helped me (both mentally and physically) but I would still fluctuate with my weight and emotions about my body.

When I was 37 years old, I got pregnant with my 5th baby. I had been able to lose my baby weight with my previous 4 pregnancies, but not without effort, and of course, I was younger then! (Our 4th baby was born 7 years before his baby brother.) During my pregnancy, I started to really focus on SANE eating. I wanted a healthy pregnancy and easier weight loss after having my baby.

When I went SANE I ate so many non-starchy vegetables, proteins, whole food fats, and low fructose fruits that I wasn’t hungry for much else. And amazingly, even though I still gained weight during my pregnancy, it came off easily, without conscious effort, and quickly! Within a month, I was wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans. Within 3 months, I was down a size. By about 6 months, I was wearing the size I used to have to diet really hard to get to!

Wearing smaller sized jeans is kind of a big deal. But the biggest deal of all for me is to know that I am not going to gain the weight back. This is my life now. This is truly a lifestyle change! From the start of this journey until now, it’s only gotten easier. I’m not trying; there isn’t a lot of effort to live a SANE life. To me, that is the biggest success of all because it tells me that if I just keep enjoying life, and doing the SANE things that I’m doing, my health will be taken care of.

Do you have any secrets/tips to SANE Success?
Think in terms of what you are adding, not what you are taking away. If I’m really hungry for something that isn’t really SANE, I first eat healthy foods. If I still want it after that, then I eat it, no guilt! I’m not willing to commit to a life with no treats. But the longer I’ve been SANE, the less I want them!

What does a typical SANE day look like for you?
Every day I do yoga and walking, and try to get outside in the morning. I go to bed early and get up early (baby alarm clock ☺).
I eat 4 meals a day. I nurse my baby, so I probably need the extra meal because of that. Maybe that will go down to 3 meals a day when he is weaned.

Breakfast: Greek yogurt and usually a green smoothie
Lunch: Salad with protein (hard boiled eggs, tuna, grilled chicken) OR a salmon burger and cauliflower (my two favorite meals)
Snack: Varies, but I sometimes have another green smoothie and hard boiled eggs, or leftover vegetables
Dinner: Varies a lot. My family eats together and I generally serve 2-3 vegetables as side dishes and a protein. Examples would be a Soufflé with green beans and roasted mixed vegetables, Chicken sausages with broccoli, carrots, and dip.

Jeffrey Holland said it best:
“Don’t give up. Don’t you quit! You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead…You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”

Life after going SANE means peace of mind and peace around food. Nutritional serenity, good digestion, energy, and less stress. ☺

Chanelle’s interview of SANE Founder & CEO, Jonathan Bailor, on her podcast

“Moms Who Know”

February 10, 2016/by TeamSANE

Success Stories

Annice’s Story: SANE Helped Me LIVE Again

“SANE is so much more than weight loss: It is not effortless but much easier than anything I’ve done health wise.”

Have you ever had a terrible nightmare from which you couldn’t wake up? A bad dream where your feet are all tangled up and you can’t move or run? That’s how my life was before SANE.

At 62 years of age, I weighed 266 lbs, suffered from back aches, knee aches, feet are swollen until purplish red and was just going through the motions of living. I was a retired Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Science degree in Counselling and I couldn’t even help myself. I felt guilty and so ashamed of having all this knowledge and training and didn’t look like I knew anything about health. I had tried many, many, weight loss programs in my lifetime, some sensible and successful, and some really stupid and downright dangerous. I would lose some weight and then something would just “happen”. I’d give up because I didn’t get the compliments I thought I would get, nobody noticed or sometimes they would praise me and I would go into this celebration mode and eat myself into oblivion.

Each time I slipped off a program, all the weight I lost, I gained back, plus more. When I was alone, binge eating was a constant comfort. Then when I “messed up” I would go on an eating spree until the next time, and the next, and so on. I finally said that’s it for me, I’m just going to try to be content with the body I was in and forget about losing weight.

Then I opened an email from Jonathan Bailor @ SANE. I don’t know how it came to me but however it was orchestrated, I do believe that it was by divine intervention. I’m one of those people who over-think everything. Before I knew it I had signed up for the free webinar and EVERYTHING Jonathan said made sense and just “clicked”. I had very little money but in faith, signed up with a doable plan.

The sound research and scientifically proven rationale behind SANE resonated with me. Now I know that it was not my fault. Now I know I wasn’t just greedy and lazy! After only three days of eating non-starchy vegetables, nutrient dense proteins, whole food fats and low sugar fruits, I felt more energetic and more satisfied than I ever have been. I was too satisfied to miss bread, rice, cakes and ice cream. The most amazing thing of all is that my brain fog lifted. I could think clearly! I felt like going around shouting hallelujah! But I managed to spare myself the embarrassment.

I don’t feel obsessed with my weight anymore. I do feel down sometimes because there are so many things going on in my life right now. But the SANE coaches, Jonathan’s live coaching, and my SANE support friends are truly like family. They pull me up when I’m down and celebrate with me in ALL that I share. I don’t weigh myself very often, but to date, I have lost forty-three pounds in ten months, four inches off my waist, five inches off my hips and three inches off my thighs. I’m almost pain-free and I am living life.

I’m opening a cottage retreat and wellness center in my birth island of Cayman Brac later this year. It’s as if I’ve awakened from that awful dream and life of nothingness to have another dreamlike experience. Only this time it’s wonderful and surreal.

SANE is so much more than weight loss: It is not effortless but much easier than anything I’ve done health wise. It literally saved my life and gave me hope and a future. And guess what? I’ve only just started. I have the rest of my life to experience more health benefits and to share with others. One of SANE’s mottos is “Progress” not “Perfection” and it will always be my motto too.

I am so very, very grateful.

February 10, 2016/by TeamSANE

Motivation, Success Stories

Kyle’s SANE Story: Losing 114lbs. Long-Term to Make Sure I’m Around for My Kids* Updated

5 Years and 50 Update

We were so excited when we received Kyle’s email letting us know that he had a new blog post up with his 5-year update. He also added “and very possibly the last weight loss post I will ever write… It’s been a great journey.”

If you haven’t read Kyle’s original story, scroll down just a bit.

Kyle does such an amazing job telling this story, but a few parts we really wanted to share with you:

… After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Ho finally remarks, “So, your weight is 167 pounds. Is that correct?”

“Yup” I answer back. “That’s what I always seem to weigh these days.”

Dr. Ho again starts flipping sheets. “Yeah, but… Hmmm.”

“What?” I ask.

“You’re 50 now.”

“Yup” I answer.

“And you lost over 100 pounds. Correct?”

“Yup.”

“And how long has it been since your dramatic weight loss?”

“5 years. So basically since 2012. Why?” I ask. My curiosity piqued.

“I’m looking at your chart and… In 2012, you weighed 167. And once again in 2013, you weighed that exact amount of 167.”

Dr. Ho continues to call the numbers out,

“2014: 167,

2015: 167,

2016: 167.

And now in 2017: Exactly 167.”

“Yup. That sounds about right,” obviously clueless as to the point my doctor is trying to make.

Dr. Ho then gives me one of those smiles a parent saves for when chiding a small child. “Considering that you are now fifty years old. Factor in the considerable amount of weight you lost. And now add the fact that you have not fluctuated even ONE pound in 5 years? Don’t you find that kind of… Remarkable?”

…

Toward the end of our appointment, my doctor did ask me one more question. As I was walking out, Dr. Ho leans in furtively, like somehow a spy organization might be listening, “So what are you doing that seemingly everyone else is NOT?”

Good question. While my approach was certainly different than most, I think the MAIN REASON I’ve been successful where maybe others haven’t is: I was able to create a healthy lifestyle for me, that I simply LOVE living. I enjoy every day of my life right now. I enjoy every bite of food I eat. I enjoy being a part of the world and my place in it. I love the fact that at my age, I am more than capable to engage in any FUN or STUPID activity that might come my way. Because of my good health, the world is WIDE OPEN to me. And for that, I am humbled… and eternally grateful.

So where’s the Action Step? What can a person do to start their own journey?

*I write this particular section specifically for those who are deep in the struggle as I once was… To those who are suffering, know that I understand… And as YOUR first step, I lovingly implore you to just STOP: Stop beating yourself up. Stop hating your body. Stop saying hateful things to yourself that you would never dare say to another person. Take a ginormous breath, and then exhale. Give yourself the GRACE you truly deserve. Find forgiveness within yourself and for yourself. Learn to Love You. BE the person that’s ahead of you, not the person behind. Then… Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Be silly for no reason. Have fun in ways that make absolutely no sense. Seek out the things in life that will indeed bring you true happiness.*

Look, we all want to lose weight. I get that. But at the end of the day, this journey is NOT about LOSING WEIGHT. It’s about GAINING HEALTH. And ACQUIRING the ability to live out your best life possible… THAT, my friends, is what it’s all about.

So, for your first Action Step: Start by taking SMALL, PRACTICAL, INTENTIONAL steps toward improving your health. Things like: Going to sleep earlier. Taking a daily walk. Switching from Coke to Water. Playing basketball with friends. It really does matter. It all matters, however small…

Start there.

I can’t encourage you enough in this. My heart is brimming with excitement for the rest of your journey…

Picture your best life. Start building it. Invent and Create your new normal. Automate these newly formed habits so you can perform them without thinking or stress. Then just lean into it… Live. Ride. Embrace. Love…

Happy Trails my friends,

Kyle

To read all of Kyle’s update, please click here: https://nashdaddyrocks.blogspot.com/

Everyone here at SANE wishes Kyle the best in his transformed life! You are truly an inspiration!

“This has completely and utterly changed my life. I can’t say ‘thank you’ often enough!”

My story has been a long time coming.

I should have shared it sooner.

But I was afraid.

I was embarrassed.

And frankly, I don’t think I had near the strength of character, nor the courage of conviction needed to tell people the truth…

The Truth is that I have struggled with my weight for almost all of my adult life.

The Truth is that in 2009, I had ballooned out to my heaviest weight of 278 pounds.

The Truth is that during that period of my life, my chest hurt, my feet ached, and the only thing heavier than my body, was my heart…

But if I’ve learned anything in my 47 years, it’s that the truth of “right now” doesn’t have to be the truth of “tomorrow” or even the next day. You don’t have to settle. You don’t have to just “buck up” and accept it.

You can change it. It can be better. I can be better…

Today, the Truth is very different than it used to be.

The Truth is that somehow through the grace of God, I have managed to lose 114 pounds.

The Truth is that I now weigh 164 pounds, the same weight that I weighed in college.

The Truth is I now have a new life, and a very promising future to look forward to.

Which leads me to the most difficult part of sharing my story…

Just the thought of posting “Before and After” pictures makes me break out in hives, but it’s finally time to tell the truth. The whole truth. And not just the bits that make me look good.

I do this also, because I owe a debt.
I am indebted to every one of those brave souls who posted “Before and After” pictures of themselves before me. I used those pictures. I used those stories. I used that determination to fix my own life.

So, to those people who put their embarrassment aside and fought the good fight,

Thank You.

I pay it forward that others might come after me…

“Before”

So this is the first picture of me in the “Before” stage. I’m not sure of the exact date, but I’m guessing March of 2009. I remember this moment vividly as it was all I could do to move to the center of the boat as to not capsize.

Here is basically the same shot, but from a side profile.

This picture is The Absolute Worst Shot of me that I could find and had not yet burned… I find it a cruel, but fitting irony that in this picture, I am in jail. However, I’m in jail not only by myself, but I have locked up my kids right along with me… Looking at this picture always brings back to a time I prefer to forget, but the power of this picture is simply undeniable.

OK. Let’s move on shall we?

“After”

I had a friend take a few pictures of me a few months ago. This is just me in my favorite jeans and a T-shirt.

Same shot, same jeans, same T-shirt from the side profile.

Lastly, this is most recent picture of me and my daughter. This was taken right before attending our first “Western Themed” Father/Daughter dance. My new found health ensures that we will have many more moments just like this…

I want to take a moment to post some stats and briefly detail how I got from there to here:

Kyle Wong
Age 47
Height 5′ 7″
Starting Weight 278
Current Weight 164 (-114)

Diet:
“Life is too short to eat bad food…”
This is my favorite mantra regarding food.
In my daily life, I eat a Real Whole Unprocessed Food diet that focuses on Quality, not quantity.

I don’t diet. I don’t focus on cutting calories and what I can’t eat. Instead, I focus on eating MORE of the foods that my body needs and understands. To put it another way, I simply eat the foods that lead me to health, and stay away from non-foods that take me away from health.

In the real world, that basically translates to a diet consisting of quality meats, whole food fats, and non-starchy vegetables. If you’ve read The Calorie Myth or The Smarter Science of Slim, you are already well familiar with this approach.

And although I base so much of my style of eating on the SANE approach, I do want to emphasize that so much of your success will be depend on your ability to tailor this approach to YOU and your specific lifestyle.

The SANE lifestyle provided me a great foundation on which I was able to build my house upon. However, it is not Jonathan Bailor’s house. It is MY house. I get to choose the style of house I want. Any decisions like the color of my house or the furniture I buy, are completely up to me…

SANE-ity is merely a foundation on which to build your perfect way of living and thriving. To make it work, and more importantly, to make it sustainable, it is imperative that you take what you have learned, then build upon it to customize “Your House” into “Your HOME.”

Exercise:
My attitude toward exercise and health in general is that it doesn’t need to be hard. People see the Biggest Loser and think “OMG! I can’t do that! I don’t have time to work out 4 hours a day!” And what I’m trying to convince people is that you don’t have to. I absolutely believe that good health should be simple and uncomplicated. It doesn’t need to be hard. It doesn’t need to be extreme. You don’t have to wake up at 4 am every morning to show up at a boot camp and have some drill sergeant yell at you for an hour. It’s just not necessary.
The approach I use toward exercise is “Maximum results, Minimal time, with Minimal stress on the body,” or the concept of Minimum Effective Dose. The goal is to achieve the best results you can in the shortest amount of time, while still being able to minimize the stress you put on your body. By taking this strategy, I ensure that I stay injury free, and my body gets the necessary inputs it requires to stay strong and healthy for the rest of my life.

So what that looks like in the real world is three 20 minute weight training sessions a week. During each of those sessions, I modify as many movements as I can to focus only on the eccentric part of the exercise.

Lastly, I do one 10 minute sprint session a week. Nothing fancy here. Every Saturday morning, my oldest son Nash and I race each other up and down the street. The competition brings out the best in us, and depending how we feel, we’ll do to 4-6 “races” totaling 10 minutes of exercise time.

After that, any exercise I do is just for fun, whether it be playing basketball, playing tag with my kids, or hiking with my buddies. I make sure I truly enjoy any activity I get involved in. If it ain’t fun, I ain’t doing it.

Lifestyle:

I don’t want to make this section an afterthought.

Sleep and Stress Management are huge pieces to my success. I make every effort to get 8 hours of sleep a night. I also take every precaution to minimize the stress in my life. It took me a little bit of time, but I’ve learned to no longer sweat the small stuff that used to bog me down.

Simplify.

Focus on the things that are truly important in your life and let go of the things that just don’t matter…

So, ladies and gentlemen, that is my life in Technicolour… I want to end this without being preachy or the need to be profound so let me just say this,

Losing 114 pounds is certainly a big change. But the real change happened, not in my muscles, nor in my abs. It happened in my heart…

If you ever find yourself in a situation like mine whether it’s weight loss or anything else, and you can’t imagine where to begin,

Start by putting Belief in your heart. Belief that you can do this. Belief that you are worth the time and the effort.

Let it take root. Care for it. Water it. And it WILL grow.

* 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.

February 10, 2016/0 Comments/by SANE2

Motivation, Success Stories

Dr. Keen’s SANE Story: SANE Eating is Powerful Medicine*

I have lost the grand total of 37lbs and I am continuing to lose safely and long term. My resting pulse has come down from 90 to 54 (an independent prognostic indicator of cardiovascular disease). I feel ENERGIZED, I feel healthier than I’ve ever felt!

I have been a qualified (licensed) Doctor since 1977, at the beginning of my career I used to work in the ‘prestigious’ Harley Street Diet Clinic in London to earn some pocket money whilst I was slaving away for 120 hours per week for the NHS! The way the diet clinics earned their huge incomes was not by virtue of their client’s success but by hoping for the client to fail. This way there would be at least one repeat consultation, multiply that by thousands of clients……..need I say more. I quickly disengaged myself from this money making concern and I went into General Practice which was, most certainly, not a money making concern. As early as 1983 I was espousing the benefits of soluble fiber, high protein and low carbohydrate, not as a ‘diet’ but as a necessary re-education of self for life. I had a number of successes, some shedding 50 lbs. and keeping it off, but the majority insisted going on ‘a diet’ and paying through the nose for advice that was, at best dubious, and not evidence based. They inevitably joined the ranks of confirmed YOYO dieters, losing weight but then regaining lost weight and more.

During that time my own weight started to creep up, I too was a yoyo dieter, I failed to practice what I preached and I looked at short term weight loss without the long term goal in mind i.e. living to eat rather than eating to live. In April 2013 my weight was over 18 stone (252lbs), my BMI was 32 and I felt awful. None of the dread diseases had kicked in but I was fearful of metabolic syndrome creeping up on me. I happened upon Jonathan Bailor’s website whilst Googling around ‘non yoyo weight-loss’. It immediately struck me as being honest and evidence based. So I bought the book, watched the videos and I went SANE food shopping, not thinking for a moment that this method would work over everything else I had tried: Atkins, F-Plan, Dukan…….I had already started cardiovascular conditioning exercises in 2011 after suffering from ME/CFS for 6 years, 4 of which were spent in bed, my being so weak and tired that I found it almost impossible to walk up stairs or lift a dinner plate. As soon as I started SANE my weight began to drop DESPITE eating a handful of Almonds per day(4000Kcal extra per month)!!

The science behind the almond story is fascinatingly logical. So, since April 2013, combining sensible cardiovascular exercise on a stationary bike, with eccentric weight machine exercises I have lost the grand total of 37lbs and I am continuing to lose safely and long term. My BMI has come down to 26.7, my body fat is under 15%, well below the lower limit of normal for a 60 year old and my body muscle is at the upper limit of normal. My resting pulse has come down from 90 to 54(higher levels being an independent prognostic indicator of cardiovascular disease). I feel ENERGISED, I feel healthier than I’ve ever felt, why would I want to feel any different? So I am sticking to the evidence based, sensible eating and exercising plan I have adopted and I am spreading the word to whoever will listen to my evangelizing. It really works. I am not employed by any part of the SANE Solution organization, I am an independent individual and a UK registered, licensed physician.

– Dr. MJ Keen MB, BS, LRCP, MRCS

* 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.

February 10, 2016/0 Comments/by SANE2

Motivation, Success Stories

Vivian’s SANE Story: Her Approach to Eating in an Informed and Conscious Way*

Vivian Before and After

I lost 20lbs and feel better than ever before. I eat whatever I want – no restrictions, except for starch and sugar, which I will eat in minimal amounts. I noticed that if I indulge one night (like Thanksgiving), I will feel hung over the next day. My body is not used to those foods anymore – it doesn’t want them – and I am happy to oblige.

I was carrying around an extra 20lbs of baby weight for the last 10 years. I always had a big appetite and just thought I was one of those people who liked…, wait, strike that, LOVED to eat, and therefore, would always be a bit over my desired weight.

In April 2013, I came across Jonathan’s SANE Solution and his message completely resonated with me. I immediately bought his book and read it, and later was able to talk with him in person about SANE eating and eccentric training.
I immediately started following Jonathan’s advice and cut 90% of starch and sugar out of my diet. I was lucky to find a HIT gym right in my neighborhood and I signed up for that as well. While eliminating starch and sugar certainly required some perseverance for the first couple of weeks, they were easily replaced with delicious alternatives and I was NEVER hungry. In fact, to this day, there is still no way I can eat 10 servings of vegetables per day.

Because my body began to crave sugar less and less, I was able to finally start noticing and paying attention to my internal hunger cues. I rate my hunger on a scale of 1-10 and have learned that it only takes about 4-5 bites to reach the next number on the scale. Sometimes I like eating up to a “5”, but other times, I want to feel full and satisfied, so I will go up to an “8”. Either way, the way I eat now is an informed decision, not something that just happens to me that I feel I have no control over. The compulsion is slowly going away (it’s a long process).

To me, the change has been more emotional than medical or physical. I was never obese and thankfully, never suffered from any health related issues. For me, it was all about breaking the compulsion and realizing that sometimes, 5 bites are enough to make me full. Before, I would’ve never noticed this because of the way my brain was addicted to sugar.

Today, I will tell everyone who cares to listen about my “discovery”. I lost 20lbs and feel better than ever before. I eat whatever I want – no restrictions, except for starch and sugar, which I will eat in minimal amounts. I noticed that if I indulge one night (like Thanksgiving), I will feel hung over the next day. My body is not used to those foods anymore – it doesn’t want them – and I am happy to oblige.

Gaining back control of my body and nourishing it when it’s hungry, instead of the compulsive manner in which I ate before, is nothing short of a miracle!

* 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.

February 10, 2016/0 Comments/by SANE2

Success Stories

Victoria’s Story: Losing Baby Weight & Gaining Energy

For me, SANE is not about a specific eating plan that you either do or don’t. It is a way of thinking about food, exercise, sleep and mental attitude

Before I heard about The Calorie Myth, SANE Solution, and the SANE Family, I was the mother of two with excess baby weight. My life was very busy taking care of the immediate needs of my children.

I didn’t get very much sleep. I felt like I was thinking at half my regular speed until about four in the afternoon. I used to buy huge jars of Jelly Beans or bags of chocolates. I ate them to give me a little boost to get me through the next hour. I cooked dinner most nights and tried to eat healthy. Most of my meals, especially breakfast and lunch, were grains and sugar in various forms.

Life wasn’t bad. I loved my family and enjoyed a lot of the things I was spending my time doing. I just knew there was more I should be doing. I felt guilty about not taking care of myself. I thought it was all part of the sacrifice a mother makes. I would occasionally try an exercise program after seeing pictures from a family event. The effort of exercising consumed my energy and I fell behind in other areas in my life.

A good friend posted about The Calorie Myth on Facebook. I borrowed the book and had to buy my own copy halfway through. I knew that I’d be referencing and rereading it again and again. Being a bit of a science nerd, I loved all the research found in the Calorie Myth. I really appreciated how Jonathan translated it into reasonable steps I could implement. I tend to over complicate things and keeping it simple has turned into a new motto for me.

I started trying things on my own. Mostly, incorporating a lot more vegetables into everything I ate. Breakfast smoothies were a huge improvement for me. At first, it was really tough cutting back on sugar. I didn’t take into account that I was a little bit addicted so I tried, relapsed, and kept on trying. InSANE foods tempt me less, the longer I am SANE.

For me, SANE is not about a specific eating plan that you either do or don’t. It is a way of thinking about food, exercise, sleep and mental attitude. I continue to listen to podcasts, get advice from other people that have gone SANE, I read and learn more. Progress over perfection! SANE isn’t about quick results and exact plans. It’s about being better than you were yesterday. It gets easier the longer I do it.

The better I ate, the better I felt. I still remember a particular morning that I woke up on my own (without the aid of my children) and was ready for the day. I’m not a morning person. The last time I remember that happening was when I was around twelve years old, but never as an adult. I used to take hours to get my mind up to speed for the day. I love how my mood is more balanced and I’m more patient.

Life moves forward and so did we, by moving to a new state. Selling our home and moving takes a lot of energy. I was grateful I had more energy to go around. Eating healthy varied depending on my situation. I always made the healthiest decisions I could. I knew it wasn’t the end of all my progress if every day wasn’t perfect.

I became pregnant with my third baby. It was by far my easiest pregnancy. My doctor and I decided that because of my current health and my healthy habits I didn’t need to take prenatal vitamins. I hated taking them in the past because they made me sick. I’m not saying that eating SANE will give you a perfect pregnancy or that I always felt good. I just eliminated some of the problems I had control over.

Being SANE helped me create the best environment internally that I could to help create a healthy baby. My blood work, weight, and blood pressure were all optimal for me. I had fewer aches and pains. I wasn’t hungry. It’s really hard for me to be satisfied when I’m pregnant, but I was when eating SANE meals.

My energy levels were through the roof compared to my last pregnancies, even while chasing two little kids around. Near the end of my pregnancy, I still had enough energy to do more than just the basics.

I was still working on my projects and doing more than I had before going SANE. I’ve been able to bounce back after having my baby. I gained weight during my pregnancy just like my body is supposed to. It’s naturally coming off now. I love that I’m not in a fight with my body trying to force it into being skinny.

As expected with a newborn, I’m not getting enough sleep. That used to throw me into a downward spiral of bad eating decisions and a lot of time laying on the couch. Now with SANE habits, a bad night’s sleep doesn’t mean I’m eating junk and feeling terrible. I drink my green smoothie, have a handful of nuts and maybe some yogurt, then I’m off to figure out this parenting stuff.

I’m still on my SANE journey and still making improvements. I adjust my goals to fit my life. Sometimes I have more time to devote to upping my SANEity, other times, I maintain my current level of SANEity. Either way, I’m feeling better than I have before.

I’m a more adventurous cook and eating delicious food. My life isn’t controlled by my diet or my body image. SANE is about you and your goals. I love where I am and still moving forward. I don’t want to over idealize what SANE is. It is a perspective and a body of knowledge about healthy living. I rely on my faith in God, my darling little family, and my wonderful friends. SANE doesn’t replace any of these, it simply empowers me to live more fully.

***Victoria was certified as a SANE Coach in February 2017***

February 10, 2016/by TeamSANE

Success Stories

Andrea’s Story: Being the best version of me for my family and my life!

It’s never too late to make the choice to be healthy, and I will forever be grateful that SANE is committed to long-term health so I can be the best version of myself.

When I first heard the SANE term, “nutritional serenity,” I thought, “that’s what I want!” I didn’t want a supermodel body. I really just wanted to be the best version of me. I wanted to spend my time on earth living out my personal mission: to use my gifts of compassion and service and my love of learning and teaching, to help my family and those around me to feel loved and empowered to use their talents and abilities to become their best selves. I didn’t want to spend two hours at the gym every day when I needed to devote that time and energy to my own passions and to help those around me.

I have five children, and with each pregnancy and birth came unique challenges. Most of the time they were common issues that occur with pregnancy, but during the birth of my last two children, I had some pelvic and hip complications. This meant I could no longer “run the post-baby weight off.”

Not long after the birth of my fifth child, a trusted friend recommended the book, The Calorie Myth. The science and explanations made sense to me, but having never done any kind of “diet” I didn’t want to start down that path, so I was hesitant. However, something told me that SANE was different. I sat on the information I had read for about six months, and then I had my “ah-ha” moment. I realized that what I read was still coming back to me months later. I couldn’t forget about it and my health hadn’t changed by doing what I had always done before. This is what prompted me to change my eating habits. I realized that if I wanted to get down on the floor and play with my favorite little people, I needed to be in great shape! Yet again, I wasn’t going to spend hours and hours away from them at a gym and it was this process of prioritization that helped me to realize I needed to change my eating habits. This is when SANE delivered exactly what I needed. A scientifically-proven method for establishing healthy eating habits and not just to lose weight—to become healthy!

One night my husband and I went on a bike ride for date night down the trail near our home and I mentioned the ideas I’d read in The Calorie Myth and how it just made sense to me. I told him I wanted to make a change in my life because I wanted to live a long life and be able to actively play with our kids. I knew if I didn’t make a change now, it would be that much harder down the road. My husband was a bit skeptical, but he told me he would support me in giving SANE a try.

A few months later we went to The City Museum in St. Louis and I was thrilled that I could easily crawl through of the ground tunnels with my kids. When we were leaving I told my husband, “I want to be able to do that with my grandkids!” He was amazed at how much more energy I had and kept commenting on the fact that I was getting my shape back. He was 100% SANE-supportive once he saw how happy I was and has since learned how to make green smoothies and make a mean veggie omelet.

We have so many choices to make in life, but taking charge of our health is one of the most important. With a healthy and happy body, we have the energy and ability to go to work each day, to play with our family, and to live out our own personal mission. It’s never too late to make the choice to be healthy, and I will forever be grateful that SANE is committed to long-term health so I can be the best version of myself.

February 10, 2016/by TeamSANE

Success Stories

Jay Dropped 47lbs & All Medication While Gaining Control*

– By Jay Utz

Outside of music, battling weight gain has been the one consistent hobby I’ve had through my entire adulthood. Since I stepped off my last playing field as a high school athlete, I have watched the scale slowly spin upward for the last 25 years, from college to marriage to kids. I did not stand idly by, mind you, I have battled with great energy and vigor. If you could count it, whether it was calories, Points, or minutes of exercise, I could catalog it all. Well-intentioned people would gently remind me of my weight gain often, as though I weren’t already reminded of that every time I got dressed or walked past a mirror. Summarizing my struggles pre-SANEity, I settled on two words: despair and frustration. If you’re reading this, chances are you fall (or fell) into one of these buckets.

My turnaround started with self-education, more precisely it started with a walk through my old office. Passing through the door of our break room, a thought ran through my head like a bolt of lightning that said “If you continue to do what you’re doing, then you will continue to get the results that you’re getting.” I’ve heard it before, but this time it landed forcefully. I remember that Christmas that my wife gave me a nice belt as a gift, and I couldn’t bring myself to admit to her that I couldn’t get it to fit. The tips wouldn’t even touch.

I don’t recall how I discovered Dr. Lustig’s work, but I remember hearing a 30-minute program with him on NPR. Intrigued by what I heard, and I immediately went and bought his book FAT CHANCE. Learning about the effects of sugar and insulin resistance was both enlightening and eerie; with each page, I was convinced he had hacked my medical file. Weight gain, skin tags, sky-high triglycerides, HDL/LDL out of whack, I had it all. Now, I finally understood the problem. I devoured his book in 2 days but was disappointed to learn at the end that even with my new-found knowledge, there was no action plan moving forward to help me reverse it. Now, though, the pilot light was lit.

Oddly enough, my introduction to SANEity did began away from home. It began on a day trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Strolling down Duke of Gloucester Street on a cool March day, my family wound up in the Barnes & Noble there like we always seem to do. With the boys finally old enough to browse by themselves for brief stretches without reducing the store to a pile of books, I made my way to the Nutrition section. Looking over the racks of books, a bright yellow book cover bearing the title THE CALORIE MYTH caught my eye. When I spotted the title, random thoughts that had been floating through my head suddenly crystallized. This calorie-counting stuff is utterly ineffective crap, and somebody is finally calling BS on it. I was a little guarded in my optimism since the claims on the cover seemed far-fetched, but the endorsement of a respected physician sealed it for me. I remember thinking “I don’t know what’s in here, but I want it.”

I am probably not the poster-child for easing into the program; rather, I dove head-first into the deep end. Out went all the processed foods, gone was the sugar. In its place, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, greek yogurt and tuna appeared. My reward for that was two weeks of misery, but I was prepared for it. My body had been trained to sugar and highly-refined foods for 43 years, and it did not take these changes lightly. For two weeks, I felt as though I could rip the head off of anyone who came near me, and then as my hormones began the process of recalibrating themselves, that feeling subsided almost overnight. After two weeks of SANEity, the puffy feeling in my abdomen that had dogged me for years went quiet. At three weeks in, I noticed that I moved easier, that my arms swung freely when I walked and it seemed as though every joint had been oiled a la The Tin Man. At four weeks in, the sun poked through the clouds and the scale moved backwards for the first time. And then it took off.

Whey protein appeared in the cabinet. Stevia replaced Splenda on the countertop. And the weight kept sliding off, as though my body was agreeing that it had never wanted to be this heavy. Suddenly the Christmas belt fit in the first notch.

By mid-summer, my shorts were sliding down my hips at the boys’ swim meets and I had to begin wearing a belt with them. In late summer, they slid down my legs as I was (thankfully) carrying groceries into the house with both hands. I have since retired those shorts, and have had to replace my work wardrobe with smaller pants (WITHOUT the “comfort waist” or “relaxed fit”, thank you very much).

At a company biometric screening in October, I noted that my triglycerides had fallen from 314 (the previous January) to 160. My total cholesterol had fallen from 170 to 122. I have stopped taking all oral medication that is supposed to “control” my lipid profile.

As of this writing, I have lost a total of 47 pounds and am still slowly losing weight. My goal was to be down 50 pounds by Christmas, and while I might fall a few pounds shy, what a journey it has been. I hope to hit my stretch goal of 70 pounds before Easter, but whether I do or not, the incredible difference between December and March is the feeling of control that I now have over my health and the hope that I have for the future.

The belt is now on its fourth and final notch, and I look forward with great anticipation to retiring that soon as well. It won’t go away, though, it will remain as a trophy and a reminder of where I’ve been and where I’m headed.

* 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.

February 10, 2016/0 Comments/by SANE