My Health Journey!

Hello & welcome back to my foodiewithabooty blog!

This blog post is going to be a bit different as it doesn't involve cooking directions LOL! I have been wanting to make a post about this for a while but put it off because I couldn't decide on the proper time. Well, here we are... here is my journey.

Let's flash back to 2015, the year I got my head injury. I was in competitive cheerleading at the time. Now you might think...competitive cheerleading? If you've ever seen the show CHEER you will understand!

I was in grade 12 and in the highest level of cheer I had ever been on and training in the gym 4+ times a week during competition season. In the winter of 2015, I had been preparing for a competition with my team and little did I know that would be my last practice.

Standing at the base of a crumbling cheer pyramid, I, fortunately, broke the fall of several teammates but wasn't able to save myself from injury. Later in the week, I went to the doctor to hopefully get cleared for competition, but unfortunately, I didn't, and I was never able to return to cheer.

In the fall, I began school at Ryerson University and quickly lost all motivation for fitness & health. When I look back I realize that after years of burnout from cheer, I had reached a tipping point that would change my life forever.

For the next 2-3 years, I put on a significant amount of weight (approx. 50 lbs) and completely lost myself. I forgot how to be healthy and how to be happy.

It was the Fall of 2018 where I knew I couldn't keep going on with my current habits and had to change my lifestyle. From Fall 2018 to now, I've lost over 35 lbs and gained a huge amount of confidence. However, I had a lot of ups and downs getting here.

This is me in 2018 when I decided to start my health journey.

Click to go through pictures!

I originally started experimenting with a keto diet because that is what I thought I should do. I did not receive any professional help while doing it and looking back I probably should've. I made extremely strict keto meals, however, they included a lot of dairy (I now know I'm dairy intolerant). I would miss out on events or drinks after work because I knew I wouldn't be eating Keto. After I finished university and yo-yo-ing between keto and non-keto for a year, I knew I needed to make my lifestyle more sustainable.

I then did a lot of research and decided that a paleo lifestyle would work best for me, and it did. I was so happy to be eating apples, maple syrup, sweet potatoes and whole-food carbs again.

After losing about 15 lbs on Keto, I switched to a paleo (gluten-free & dairy-free) lifestyle and have been happy with it for about a year! In the past year, I have also received help from a naturopathic doctor and found out I have a severe gluten & dairy intolerance which led me to stick to a paleo diet!

During this time, I also started my fitness/gym journey. As someone who has a hyperactive personality, the gym has been a saving grace for my mental health. I didn't know it at the time but working out probably saved my life.

When I first starting working out, I followed a 4-week gym plan that included bodyweight exercises and low-impact cardio. After doing various plans for a year, I started going to F45 and that is where I took my workouts to the next level. F45 was a huge learning experience for me and I continue to go today.

What do I do now?

In a perfect world, I am working out every day but I know that will lead to burnout and can spiral me into disordered eating tendencies, so I work out when I want to. For me, that is around 5 days a week.

Unfortunately, this past year has looked a lot different workout-wise than I would've liked but focusing on my mental health during this pandemic needs to be a priority.

Currently, I TRY to do 3-4 weight lifting sessions a week and go on a walk/jog every day. My weight lifting sessions are based at home with my 30 lb weights and booty bands (gotta build that booty).

I am looking forward to gyms opening up and taking my workouts to a new level!

I should also mention that I still have personal fitness goals and am still in my fitness & weight-loss journey.

My goal for this upcoming year is to lean out and focus on muscle growth

So... How did I do it?

This is a tricky question because most people will not like the answer. There is no ONE thing I did/do that lead me to lose weight.

I had nights where I wanted to give up because I wasn't seeing progress and I still have those days, but the important thing is I am still giving it my all.

I have tried everything from weight watchers to low fat/low cal and unfortunately, these "diets" spiralled into disordered eating cycles.

I now am at a place where I know that nourishing my body is more important than how "skinny" I am.

I decided for this blog post to list all things I did to help me lose weight, but this does not mean it will work for everyone. If you struggle with an eating disorder or have an unhealthy relationship with food, please get help from a professional.

I am not in any way a nutritionist or dietician, but after years of research, this is what I have learned and done to lose weight.

Diet & Lifestyle

• FOCUSING ON WHOLE FOODS!

• Eliminating gluten & dairy (I am intolerant to both)

• Eliminating any process carbs

• Intermittent Fasting (I do 16:8)

• Limiting my carb intake (100g-150g carbs per day)

• Focusing on nutritionally dense foods

• Adequate amount of protein at every meal (I try for 30g)

• Lowering my stress levels (supplements, walking & meditation)

• 8+ Hours of sleep every night

• Eating in a slight calorie deficit (1600-1900 cals) everyone's calories for weight loss are different

Fitness & Workouts

• 1-3 Cardio sessions workouts per week (@F45 when they were open)

• 2-3 Weight Lifting Sessions per week

• Active Recovery on days off (walking, running, yoga, etc)

• Learning to listen to my body (rest when needed)

Why lower carb works for ME

In the past year or so, I have done a ton of research on low-carb diets and their benefits. If you haven't read the Obesity Code you totally should (buy it here).

It wasn't until recently that I have found out I struggle with insulin resistance (click here to learn more about insulin resistance).

One of the ways to treat insulin resistance is following a low-carb diet. I have been following a low-carb diet for about 4 months now, and I notice a huge difference in my body. I have to keep in mind that a lot of times the number on the scale does not show all your hard work and progress, which is why I take progress photos.

I find when I am following a low-carb diet, my energy levels increase, my brain function improves and I am overall happy and not left hungry at the end of the day.

The Takeaway

If I could tell myself one piece of advice 2 years ago I would say "slow progress is still progress." I wish that 18-year-old girl knew that being on a diet did not mean you had to miss out on life.

I believe that years of experimenting with different lifestyles gave me the knowledge I have today and I would not do anything different.

So if you're reading this and you want to start your own health journey, then buckle up because it can be a rollercoaster but 100% worth it!

* Again, I am not a professional, but this is what I have learned over the past 2 years *