Meet Michael, Who Lost 13 Pounds In 30 Days and Hasn’t Felt This Good In Years!
Hi, my name is Micheal. I was a firefighter for over 13 years, and I didn’t really have to worry about what I ate. I was so physically active in my job that although I had terrible eating habits, I maintained a very healthy weight and shape.
I left the fire service and went to work as a paramedic in a pediatric emergency room. I was on my feet all day, but the rigor of the work wasn’t the same. I kept all my bad eating habits, and also developed some new ones. I gained 35 pounds in the 7 1/2 years I was there, and none of it was muscle. To be honest, I lost a ton of muscle in the process.
I could work whole 12 hour shifts where my only intake was 12-14 cups of coffee (with cream and sugar), 3-4 Mt. Dews, Cheetos, candy bars, donuts, etc. When I did get to eat meals, they were rarely healthy. A LOT of pizza and burgers and burritos.
My line of work also carries a lot of emotional strain, and I’d treat myself to ice cream almost every night right before bed. Not a little ice cream, either. Big bowls of the “really good stuff”, which is actually the really bad stuff.
I made a huge job change, and with it came a little feeling of pride and an ounce of motivation. A friend of mine passed of a random heart attack, and we’re near the same age, so a little more motivation came in. My Dr. told me my A1C was pre-diabetic and my cholesterol was getting pretty bad.
I Felt Like I Needed A Change.
My wife had been following Rachel for a while and asked if I was willing to try the Challenge with her, and I jumped at the chance. I joined the June 13th 30-Day Clean Eating Challenge.
The first week was rough, just because with us working full time and raising kids, the cooking was a LOT. We made it, though, by doing it all together. Side by side, we worked through planning out our meals and cooking and shopping. I don’t think I could have done it alone, and I don’t think she could have either.
We found that we enjoyed most of the meals we tried, and there was only one that I said I’d never eat again, maybe two if you count the week 1 spinach salads. The number 1 recipe for me was the slow cooker pineapple chicken and number 2 was the grilled taco like chicken, though black bean breakfast burrito was a close third, and the apple banana bread was amazing… Okay, that’s 4 favorite recipes, but there were so many delicious choices!
The first month is wrapping up, and I’ve lost 13 pounds and 3 inches off of my waist.
I went from 200lbs to 187lbs in the 4 weeks and I’m so happy I can’t describe it.
Not only is it noticeable on the outside, but even my health is better.
So many years I thought I had IBS, but eating regularly and eating healthy, I’m no longer plagued with a constantly upset stomach. I guess all the coffee and soda were affecting me more than I thought they were.
Most importantly, taking the Clean Eating Challenge has shown me that not only can I find motivation, but I WANT to. This wasn’t tragic and painful. This is a sustainable change and not a fad diet that will have me packing on pounds again the second its over.
The Challenge has made me feel confident that I can tackle other aspects of addiction besides sugar, and soon I’ll be on the journey to stopping smoking and increasing my physical activity again.
My words of wisdom: Don’t give up. A bad choice once doesn’t doom you, just make healthier choices after that. I faltered a few times and gave myself the grace and forgiveness I would give to anyone else, and with that grace came the ability to stay strong and keep going.
We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to learn to do better.
So thats my story. I hope others can read it and see that success with the 30-Day Clean Eating Challenge it is possible, it is healthy and it is sustainable.
A little effort went a long way for me, and I haven’t felt this good in years.
Thank you all for this.
– Michael
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