It’s Saturday… and in the States, we have Monday off… I love long weekends; it’s all about getting caught up on sleep and centering myself back into my core. I looooove long weekends, and I love sleeping in.
So, today, I wanted to share a part of my journey with you. It’s been something that I’ve been working on for a long time now. And that is my health and wellbeing journey.
Before I get into today’s blog, if you live in the Denver area, I’m coming to see you on my Unstuck Tour next Saturday – June 4th – click here to RSVP.
I also want to preface this blog by saying that this blog was very hard for me to write and is a deeply personal share – please honor that and know that I am sharing today for those who are still struggling with the issue of weight and health. I know that the topic of food can bring up a lot of different points of view.
If you are Paleo or Vegan or anything else, I honor your path and I would ask that you honor mine as well. Many times when I talk about food and this topic, I get a lot of feedback on other things I “should be doing”.
Let’s agree that each person’s path to wellness is unique and what works for one person, doesn’t work for the other person.
Please know my intention for this blog is to share my journey with you and I am not soliciting for more advice. I honor your path, please honor mine.
Back in 2013 when I wrote my first book “Daily Love: Growing into Grace” I gain about 50 pounds in 4 weeks. It was crazy. The reason why was… when I wrote my book – I was reliving a lot of painful times from my past, and all of a sudden my binge eating came back with a vengeance.
I’ve noticed since my early twenties that it’s been possible for me to gain weight, but almost impossible to lose it. I kind of got used to gaining weight and wherever I was, that being my new weight. I had a ton of stories about why I couldn’t lose weight.
After working with my mentor and doctor for the past year+ and doing TONS of blood tests and analysis – we finally discovered the real issue:
My insulin was off, and I was borderline pre-diabetic.
This explained why I wasn’t losing the weight. So, I went on a Ketogenic diet and started doing intermittent fasting, and my doctor put me on a brief stint of Metformin.
The results in just a couple months?
Down 20 pounds from my top weight.
Blood sugar levels are well below a prediabetes level.
And I feel control of my life again.
What’s amazing to me is all the stories I told myself that weren’t true. And also what’s amazing is to think back to many of the “health experts” telling me that I wasn’t working hard enough or doing it right.
There have been months where I had followed the food plan perfectly (before I went Keto) and worked out 6x a week. And didn’t lose a pound.
The voice in my head said something like “You’re doing it wrong…” or “You’re just going to be this way for the rest of your life…” and then there’re the voices of the experts who said, “You just need to work harder…” or “You must be doing it wrong…”
And after the real, practical results came out – the truth is – back in my late teens and early twenties with all the drug addiction (and sugar addiction + the SAD diet) I messed up my hormones horribly. And as a result, my body could not release fat.
Thankfully, I have been steadfast in my own research around my body and what it needs.
And I have an amazing group of nutritionists and doctors who have helped me zero in on the issue.
I have a long road to go still, but for the first time in many years, I feel back in control of something that has felt so out of control for such a long time.
The moral of the story is this: don’t take unfavorable results personally. Keep digging. There is an answer. Find mentors who know the road ahead. And keep digging for an answer. You will find it.
What’s my regimen now?
8-9 hours of sleep.
My eating window is 1pm to 9pm.
1 cup of Bulletproof coffee in the AM before cardio.
65% of my diet is fat.
25% of my diet is protein.
10% of my diet is carbs.
Food is organic.
No dairy (except grass-fed butter and occasional heavy cream).
Not gluten, wheat, yeast or mold.
½ oz of water per pound of body weight.
Cardio for 50-60 mins 5x a week.
Weights 3x a week.
100% patience and compassion for myself.
I’ll keep you posted as my results come in. This has been a hard battle to fight, and I’m excited that I’ve found a path to follow that’s working for me.
If you struggle with your weight, I suggest looking into a Ketogenic diet. Before you get started, do what I did – talk to your doctor (make sure your doctor is up to speed on the latest research) and be patient with yourself.
Make it a great day.
Remember to get out there, take action and make it real!
Your biggest cheerleader,
Mastin