How I Lost the Weight, Reclaimed My Power, and Built a Life I Love One Dose, One Day at a Time
– Guest Post by Debbi Ballard
The Woman I Was, The Future I Claimed
I’d lost 50 lbs before, I knew how to do it. But, menopause, a hectic work and family schedule and a bit of loneliness helped me ignore all the signs. Clothes that no longer fit, movement I could no longer achieve, less joy and more stress, all came creeping in, and honestly, I felt hopeless that I would ever achieve what I knew was possible. I had a doctor appointment that week and knew I was in for it – I was going to have to confront a number on the scale that I had long avoided, and I just knew it wasn’t going to be good news. And then, there it was. 203 pounds. The doctor was unhappy, and I was even more so. Something had to be done, and I was going to need some help along the way – not to lose the weight, but to literally stop the madness. I was facing 62, and not willing to go this route again, without making lifelong changes. I asked the doctor about the new weight loss prescriptions, and he wholeheartedly agreed. However, with my blood tests being about as borderline bad as they could be, I wasn’t a candidate for insurance coverage, and brand name prescriptions would be $1,000 per month. The doctor literally said “there are some med spas offering compounded drugs and you would benefit from them, but I don’t prescribe, and I don’t make recommendations”. I did my homework and found an amazing clinic, and a great support team but I knew it wasn’t going to be drugs, alone. I needed an advocate. A coach I could count on to look at every bite that went into my mouth, to help me identify simple yet achievable goals, one small step at a time, and a philosophy that would help me get my nutrition really under control, while eating foods I loved. I found Mary Sabat (BodyDesigns), and she became my advocate for nutrition and exercise. It really started with a vision, and a relentless determination. I was going to FINALLY achieve the whole “enchilada”! My eating under control, exercise I could feel was within my abilities, I knew that I could absolutely do it the right way, and I’m so excited I put all of those steps into action.
Mindset First — The Journey, Not the Shortcut
I knew it was about my brain, not the drugs. What I knew instinctively is that I had always approached dieting as temporary, not a lifestyle. I knew that I could not depend on the drug, and could only depend on me, and so for the first time, I took ultimate responsibility for what I was going to accomplish. “Slow and steady wins the race” became my motto. The goal wasn’t time. It wasn’t a number on the scale. However long it took me to look and feel GREAT was the vision. I was willing to go in for the long hall. I had to set my mind straight, give myself grace, and set realistic expectations. This would not be a diet. I would not cut out any one single food group. Mary set me out a great plan, incorporating plenty of protein (#1 goal), fiber (#2 goal), carbs (yes, I said CARBS) and fats. However I could combine my foods (CLEAN EATING was Mary’s #1 philosophy), I could eat what I wanted, but get all my food and water and fiber in and the day would be a success.
The Power of Planning — Nutrition, Movement, and Intuition
From that first day, I had a plan. Mary gave me great exercises I could use 3-4 days a week to include weights and cardio. In addition, everyday I would get in at least 30 minutes of low impact cardio, simply walking outside or at the gym, and ensuring I was getting enough movement for a calorie deficit. I worked my numbers like a pro, and every day Mary gave me great feedback and encouragement. It felt great to have someone in my corner, and soon enough, I was able to simply know what to do to bring the results I wanted. The scale was really beginning to move. Suddenly, people started noticing, and I wanted to really document this journey, so I could be a beacon of hope for people like me in the future. This essay is the start of that help – using my own experience and success, because it makes me feel great to help others. I learned right away to listen to my body – the GLP-1 helped ensure I got fuller faster, but even still I learned to eat foods that FELT better in my body, and I journaled a LOT to remember the feelings I would get from what I was eating.
Dose with Discipline — Don’t Chase the Number
From time to time, my weight loss results would slow down. Instead of 1-2 lbs. per week, it was .25-.50, and I wanted to jump up in dosage, not being patient enough, and I got the best advice
from my team. “The faster you push higher, the harder it is to come down”, they would tell me. I had to give myself the gift of patience to remember that some weeks were going to be slow, but
my body was still changing. Staying on a low dose meant I saved money over the long haul, and learned to depend more on my actions, not the drug itself. It was better to treat my team like the partners they were, not the drivers, and the greatest result of that was building confidence in my own decisions. I was the driver of this body, and I would be the real one to thank when I reached my own goals.
Eat Like You Want to Live
Here’s a great piece of advice: Make friends with your hunger. Let it teach you, but don’t think it always means you need food. Count your macros, drink enough water, and if you’re starving, drink a protein shake, because you’re not really hungry. But, at the same time, don’t try to live on things like celery and lettuce. Protein, fibrous veggies, and carbs to fuel you, and fats to make everything function well, is the magic bullet. These foods together will make you feel good, but just eat enough carbs and fats for what you need, and let your body burn off fat. To this day, a 63 lb weight loss resulted in 58 lbs of FAT – and that is remarkable on a GLP1, known for it’s propensity to eat muscle away. I have built muscle mass, burned fat, and felt COMPLETELY satisfied with my new way of eating. To this day, I have never cut out a food group, I’ve just chosen healthier, more digestible foods to eat, that give me energy and make me feel great.
The Muscle Matters — Resistance Training Saved Me
I remember old weight loss programs would discourage me from weight training – they wanted to simply measure a number on the scale, and I’m so grateful I didn’t choose that path again. I
bought myself a smart scale, and began measuring all the biophysical details – fat mass, water weight, muscle mass, visceral fat, and I measured the numbers monthly. Within a few months, my shoulders and arms looked great! That really helped motivate me, even at a point when weight loss was slower, I could see my body changing. Within 4 months, I already had to buy new clothes, and I felt like I looked SO much better than even the number on the scale reflected. I was actually beginning to look “athletic” – NEVER a word I would have ever used to describe my appearance. This was becoming FUN! On top of all of this, I really began to trust even more. Even when the scale wasn’t moving, I knew the benefit of my BODY moving.
Chapter 6: Water Is the Secret Ingredient
Some of those weeks, I just knew there was nothing better I could do food-wise, so why wasn’t the scale moving at all? Well, trust me, when that happens, look to your water (and electrolyte)
intake. I guarantee that’s the issue. Some days, I measured out 100 ounces of water and forced myself to sit and drink, set off timers, and just made sure no matter what, I consumed my entire
allocation of water. Guess what happened? Within 2 days, the scale would move again. Being on a GLP-1, things tend to “move out of your body” on a much slower basis. This is really where fiber, water and fats come in – you have to have the entire allocation to make sure everything that came in is going out – and water is almost always the vehicle to make that happen! I love my Owala bottle, and will often drop in a cucumber or strawberry to make it interesting, and other times, I just poured out an 8 ounce glass and wouldn’t move till it was gone. Get it down!
Protein + Fiber = Power Move
As I mentioned, Mary was really on me about fiber, and I figured out why. The protein, fiber and water relationship together is really the magic in the movement. My FAVE addition in my life became my Ninja Creami machine, where I would make high protein, low fat/low carb protein ice cream and sometimes get 40g of protein in one serving! I loaded up on shakes because it has to be easy and smooth to drink. I took a fiber supplement daily and I also love the Catalina Crunch Cereal. It’s 9g of fiber, 11g protein and a great and crunchy breakfast food that satisfied my need to chew.
These foods also help ensure hunger stays away, so you’re able to workout, have plenty of energy and still feel like you’re eating plenty every day. Any time I’ve needed a reset, they are my top 3 focus foods, and as long as I hit those numbers, I’m so happy.
Maintenance Mindset — Who Are You Becoming?
I’m becoming an athlete! Every day, I get better, stronger, faster, and leaner. I can actually see these changes not only on my body but in the way I think and feel. I feel amazing! I am now wearing a size 6, take pics of myself at the gym, and work out using an app that shows me my achievements and personal records in terms of the weights I’m lifting. Focus on yourself, and give yourself TONS of compliments. I literally go for a walk and speak out loud the new changes I see that I love about myself. I tell myself I’m doing a great job, and how proud I am of myself. And yet, there’s still things I need to do better. I’m so busy I don’t often get the full 4 days a week to lift weights. I still HATE lunges and burpees and wish I could be better at those. They are still my “teachers” but I don’t hate them as much – and I bet, the better I get, the more I will see their value and impact. Most importantly – remember every time you get frustrated that time moves on and your body
will continue to change if you stick with it. If you give up, you’ve just derailed yourself and negated the hard work. I indulge myself from time to time, but in a very proactive way. I’ve learned to go to Costco for my perfect indulgence – ONE piece of pepperoni pizza! But, I work it into my macros and eat veggies and chicken and protein shakes the rest of the day. Look to who you are becoming, not what your patterns have been in the past.
Final Words: The Weight Was Never Just the Problem
The weight was never my problem, just a really big symptom. I know now that I used food as a substitute for friends, lovers, adventure, just about everything that was missing in my life. I have
learned to eat to live, not live to eat. I wasn’t broken, and neither are you! We are all becoming – someone, something, and we all can control exactly who and what that is. When I gave myself permission to be vulnerable, and to seek out activities that felt rewarding – whether I was with someone or not, THAT became the journey. I see the end of this journey, now, as I’m back down to a tiny micro-dose of GLP-1, and the scale continues to move in the right direction. I’m energized by the challenge of continuing to lose body fat, build muscle, and feel better and stronger, and I got here because I put my trust in ME, a great team of support, some really critical TOOLS (not solutions), and when I put it all together, I can see how my story will now serve to inspire others. Put the right resources in place, get the right members on your team, but remember, the ultimate accountability (and POWER) is within YOU!
Are you looking to transform your health? Mary works with clients all over the country developing personalized nutrition and exercise plans for weight loss and health. If you’re ready to get started on your journey to health and wellness contact her today!
Visit BodyDesigns Two Week Detox Plan or BodyDesignsbyMary for more information.
