Debra L.

I have been on a weight loss journey since I graduated school in 2011. Starting slowly with exercising as this is what media/society is always saying one must do. Exercise to lose weight.

So, I started off just exercising one day per week and building on from there. May 2011 until Dec 2012- starting at 192 lbs my heaviest weight. I lost a few pounds here and there but not enough . I joined LA Fitness Dec 2012 until Dec 2013. I exercised 2 times a week (1 day w trainer/ 1 day myself).Very expensive but hey I LOST about 20 lbs. I started @ 184 ish and by the end of Dec 2013 I was 164lbs. I was happy even though I wanted to lose more weight, little did I know the weight would slowly return.

Trainers never push the nutrition portion of weight lost unfortunately. It might be so they have return clients….. who knows. In LA Fitness they measure your BMI with this tool that you have too hold. I would always be around the same number, 30 to 28.9 being the lowest. Even though I lost 20 lbs, I though it was weird or there was something wrong with me because my BMI would never decrease.

From Dec 2013 until Dec 2014, I left La Fitness (because I was broke…LOL) I went to a cheaper Club called YOU FIT. I worked out with a trainer here for about 6 months( 1 time w trainer and 2 by myself).I noticed I never really lost weight. I went back to 174/176. I gained 10lbs and I was working out more. I was mad!!! In YOU FIt a had a female trainer that asked more questions about how I ate and so forth. She said I needed to eat more to lose weight. I thought she was crazy.

I started doing my own research. I learned I needed to eat multiple times a day, include more vegetables, fruits, whole grains. I supplemented with fiber because I always felt bloated..etc. I began the process slowly.But I knew I needed someone to help me PIN POINT exactly what my body needed on a nutritional basis for me to lose weight and KEEP it OFF. I started researching for a nutritionist.

I then went to the Women’s Expo and PERSONALIZED NUTRITION CONCEPTS was there. I was interested and Marti gave me information. I contacted JILL around Oct 2014. I though it was expensive so I wasn’t ready to start right away. I saved money because I though it would take longer than 3 months which was the longest plan they had . So I though I might have to go at least 2 , 12 week programs. If I was to lose weight safely.

___ I started Feb 2015, 12 week program. I learned that FOOD/NUTRITION is 85% of weight lost WITHOUT a doubt. I learned how to read and decode labels.Also, body fat is more important than the number on the scale even though that is important too. I learned how to shop for food, to look for protein such as WILD caught fish and which portions of meat/chicken is the leanest to get the most nutrition from it .I got my sugar cravings under control, after a while LOL ( it was hard ) . I was given/taught other ALTERNATIVES to Sweets and to stay away from processed foods and what there long terms effects are on the body.I learned the facts about Fiber, Carbs, Fats, Protein, Sugar, the effects food has on the brain. I became aware of how we as a society are uneducated about food and how the government is not much help in the whole situation.

I learned We are responsible for what we put in our body’s and how we treat ourselves. Jill has given me a gift of self-awareness and understanding for my life and a skill that is vital for my health. I will forever be grateful to Jill and PERSONALIZED NUTRITION CONCEPTS. This is a journey that I will always take seriously and was committed to.I will continue to be committed for the rest of my life. I started at 174 lbs and ended at 156 lb. My Body Fat is now 16.40%. I am very happy with the results but more so with what a took from this experience as a whole and how now this is such an involved constant in my life. It was worth ever penny. I will still keep educating myself as this is a journey but I have a foundation with which was given to me by JILL to continue my life.

The maintenance portion was the most important to me because I have lost weight before, but maintaining well that was another story, I didn’t know how to do this. I have been maintaining my weight now for about 6 weeks or so at 155 lbs to 157 lbs .I was a 12 but now I’m a size 8/10 I don’t like to wear my clothes to tight. I’am 5’4 and will be 28 yrs old soon. I’m about the same weight I was when I was in high school and I feel good, I am happy and look good 😉

. Exercise is my stress relief/ fun and has helped me with my past depression.

Exercise is important but NUTRITION so much more. THANK YOU again JILL you are my Teacher ! 🙂 and what you do is LIFE CHANGING. GOD BLESS you!! THIS is not bullshit… this is life! I just spent a hour and half of my life writing this!! Empower yourself.