Life shifts can stir a plethora of changes. Jill is an amazing lady that has inspired me consistently over the past 6 months with her never give up attitude and thirst for knowledge. This is her story about how she regained her life, health and happiness.
Jill’s Story – “How I Reclaimed My Health and Lost Weight Without Dieting”
When I came across Karla’s website I was at a point where I was completely confused by the plethora of conflicting information surrounding a healthy diet, how to lose weight and what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.
Whilst I have been at my ideal weight throughout most of my life, a turbulent few years in my personal life saw me stack on twenty kilograms and hence began the search for a way to lose them again.
I grasped at a variety of diets, each one promising weight loss, each of them working for a short time, then each of them failing as I realised that they were either unsustainable or unhealthy.
After five years of trial and error, I had managed to lose seven kilograms and yet, I was still caught up in a daily battle to manage my appetite, cravings and binges. I was unable to settle into any pattern that worked for me and my weight was again creeping up.
It was at this time that I decided that online support may just work for me and as I searched for the help I so desperately needed, I found Karla’s website. It had immediate appeal for two reasons: Karla was a well-known Australian icon and the outline of her Naked Habits Ebook seemed to offer something far superior to the prescriptive diets I had previously tried.
And so, with enthusiasm, optimism and hope, I also embarked on an 8-week private coaching program with her.
I printed out a poster to stick on my fridge and it contained thought-provoking words that really helped me to make the necessary changes…
IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU’LL ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS GOT.
I was NOT going to repeat any previous mistakes. I woke enthusiastically each morning, keen to read the day’s email and hungry to learn. I felt empowered. I was being provided with a daily dose of sound information and it was up to me to put it into practice.
I learnt how to recognise my unhelpful habits; how to develop an exercise program tailored to my specific needs; I was provided with nutritional information that helped me to sort fact from fiction and from there I was guided towards meal planning, shopping and cooking in a healthy way that suited my lifestyle. I was also guided through an understanding of food labels, digestion, stress, toxins and long term goals.
Karla had said that ‘you have to believe in it’ and I did. Everything made so much sense and following the ideas in Karla’s method was easy and felt healthy.
At no stage did I ever feel as though I was ‘on a diet’. Quite simply I was making changes to what and when I was eating and as the days and weeks progressed, the quality foods that I was preparing and eating allowed me to feel satisfied. Cutting out sugar and limiting my starches and carbs to high-quality sources was the biggest single factor in curing my cravings and binge eating; including small amounts of high-quality protein helped me to feel satisfied and I found myself eating just three small to moderate meals each day with no desire to snack between meals.
My new lifestyle became second nature and has been incredibly easy to follow. I don’t have cheat days; I no longer eat processed foods and I have given up many unhealthy foods and habits. At no stage have I suffered any kind of relapse and I feel better than I have ever felt in my life.
Karla’s advice translated into a completely new lifestyle for me – one which I’ve been following for some twenty-one weeks now……almost half a year. I have effortlessly lost 14 kilograms and have returned to the weight that I had been for most of my life. I incorporate exercise that I love, into my life and I know that this way of eating and living will take me into the years ahead.
I’m grateful to Karla for empowering me to take control of my own well being and for guiding me through the process of change with her knowledge and wisdom and common sense approach to personal well being.
