Christina: 20 Pounds Gone and 2 Dress Sizes!

Throughout my life, I have been painfully aware that I have been dealt some difficult genetic cards because of prevalent obesity-related health issues on both sides of my family. 

My father suffered from diabetes and subsequently died of several consecutive heart attacks at 64.

I knew that unless I found something to “save” me, I would most likely be facing a life stuck behind layers of fat ending with an untimely death from diabetes or its related illnesses.  

About 10 years into my father’s diagnosis, I decided to help him and myself by reading books on diet and nutrition.   I had tried almost every diet under the sun, some with small temporary wins, but they were all usually very difficult to stick to and sometimes made me behave in very strange ways. For example, after only 5 grams of carbs per day for a week, I once walked into the supermarket in a half zombie-like daze, and grabbed a pack of cold pancakes off the shelf, and ate them in the car before driving home. It was like my body was just acting by itself and I could only watch. 

My doctor started threatening me with a diabetes diagnosis in 2016, but through a huge amount of effort of white-knuckling my way through vegetables, fruit and meat, I managed to drop some weight, and my bloodwork improved enough to appease the doctor and agree to a diagnosis of “glucose intolerant.” So I narrowly escaped diabetes then.

At the end of 2017, the stress of raising twins and working 80 – 90 hours per week took its toll.  I went straight back to eating bread, pasta, and chocolate for daily sustenance.

I lost my job in January 2019 which was an absolute blessing, as suddenly the stress was gone. So, I knew that it was now or never. But how to go about it?  This is where the SANE program caught my attention. After watching the Masterclass, I realized that the program was exactly what I was looking for: a system based on science.  No magic. No guilt. I only spend my time focusing on getting enough vegetables – eat more, eat more!

My life is better since discovering SANE in that I am never hungry. In fact, I can barely keep up with all of the eating I need to do.  I have positive self-talk. Instead of “no, Christina, you can’t have this or that!”, now I am spending my time saying: “Yay, let’s have some more of this, and some more of that.“

As I get lighter, I become nimbler on my feet, so I enjoy walking more. My trousers are falling off constantly. I have had to buy a rubber band belt so I can keep them up. 

So far, I have lost 20 lbs and have gone down two dress sizes. 

For the first time ever, I can actually see myself reaching my end goal.   I am only 20% of the way so far, but I know I will get there.

SANE is different from any program that I have tried in the past because I now focus on what I should eat rather than what I should not eat.  It also provides community support where I feel that I am standing on the shoulders of people with scientific knowledge who have a positive view on life and who care about my progress, the way a family would.  Also, it provides access to resources where I can learn how to swap out the foods I previously ate for new variants that are just as satisfying. The SANE website also contains cooking classes that are a real revelation.  I was already a good cook, but now I have become an alchemist.

The advice that I would offer someone who is just beginning their SANE journey is not to expect immediate results.  Let your body adjust and keep going; the change will come. And get curious in the kitchen! The more adventurous you are, the more fun it gets.

~Christina E.