Success Story: Teri lost 85 lbs. and found herself on the way to better health
I'd like you to meet Teri Marshall. Teri is one of my clients and I adore her. She is full of life and spirit and an unmistakable determination. I want to share with you the story of her journey this past year.
Every year Teri and her family go the beach between Christmas and New Year's. It is one of her favorite getaways because it gives her time to reflect on the past year and to consider her plans for the coming year. Last year during their trip, Teri watched the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. The film hit home. Teri knew she was overweight. Her self-esteem was at an all time low and she knew she needed to make changes in her diet and lifestyle. "I realized that I didn't like me. I was self-conscious about my weight and I didn't want to draw attention to myself. I made a resolution then and there that this year would be my journey back to me.", Teri told me.
Teri started her journey by taking simple steps. Like almost everyone, she knew there were things she needed to do differently. Her first step was giving up the large Coke she was getting from McDonald's every day. She started paying more attention to portion sizes and she cut down on fast food and junk food. She was struggling with pain in her foot, so she couldn't exercise, but she made a conscious effort to get more movement during the day. By the time I met Teri in March she had already lost about 20 pounds.
In March, Teri's focus changed. Her daughter, Caroline, was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Like most people in the U.S., Caroline's hypothyroidism was caused by Hashimotos, an autoimmune disease where antibodies attack the thyroid. Caroline was young and Teri was concerned that she might have to be on medication to control her thyroid for the rest of her life. Teri and I met and she and Caroline both started my six-month Health Coaching program.
Between April and October, I coached Teri and Caroline and they willingly made changes in their diet and lifestyle. We focused primarily on steps that would benefit the thyroid, but we also looked at why their diets had gotten off track in the first place. Sometimes I'd meet with Teri and Caroline together, sometimes with just Teri, and sometimes I'd meet with her husband, Bill, too. It became a team effort to get the family healthy. Teri has told me since then that, "Having a Health Coach was such a great resource. I had a personal contact to get all my questions answered. Health food is a big business and I realized I could make bad choices even at a health food store." During the six months we worked together, Teri saw huge improvements in her lab results from doctor's visits. Her cholesterol dropped 25 points, her vitamin D increased, and her TSH, which was also creeping into the hypothyroid range, fell back into the recommended range.
One of my favorite things about being a Health Coach is seeing how much people can grow and change in just six months time. Both Teri and Caroline now eat healthy and set an example for others. Caroline's friends love the snacks she brings to school and they ask her questions about nutrition. Friends of the family can't believe that she is now craving salads and vegetables. She is happy, confident, and she feels empowered. She is even thinking about a future career that helps other kids fight disease with nutrition!
Teri is thrilled that her family is on this journey with her. She has now lost 85 pounds! Her clothes are falling off of her, but she refuses to buy new clothes because she says she's not done yet. Teri has told me that the weight loss feels effortless now because it's not about diet. "I thoroughly enjoy these foods every day", she says as we share a healthy lunch together, "My energy level is better and I feel empowered in a part of my life that controlled me for so long. It is no longer in control. I am."
Teri truly has changed her life for the better. The weight loss is just part of it. She has a new spring in her step, she is happy and positive, and she looks great. But most of all, she has accomplished her goal of re-connecting with herself. "I can't believe how much I've accomplished and how much better I feel.
I was wilted, but I have bloomed again."