I became a momma at the young age of 17, got married and was blessed with 2 more daughters and a stepdaughter. Family life was in full swing and I just stopped taking care of myself and took care of everyone else.
I felt so out of control on my nutrition. I would go on a “diet” only to find myself losing and gaining the same weight over and over. My weight gradually crept up and before I knew it, I was in a size 26/28 weighting 269 lb.
I was pre-diabetic and didn’t know the first thing about eating correct. My meals consisted of cereal for breakfast. Hamburgers and fries along with any other fast food I could get on the go for lunch. I did try to eat a sensible dinner with the family if you call hotdogs, chips, macaroni and cheese sensible. I didn’t know how to eat a healthy meal. The word macronutrient was just a foreign word to me.
I had several injuries that prevented me from having a normal fitness routine. I had gone through pain management and had shoulder surgeries on my scapula and clavicle shaving off part of my bone as well as cervical surgery. I was told by several Dr’s that I would never have a normal active lifestyle.
At one point, I had just finished from one of my doctor appointments. He had several students following him and after he listed everything from my chart I literally felt very hopeless. I told the Lord, I don’t want to be a teaching tool, I just want a miraculous healing. I heard in a clear voice. I want you to be a teaching tool to help others and I will guide you through your journey.
My exercise program began with a rehab program at St. John’s Medical Center after I had finished with their physical therapy program from my surgeries. From there I joined a fitness facility and invested in personal training. I met some amazing talented trainers and therapists.
Let your medicine be your food, let your food be your medicine. I was finally able to stop taking medication for my inflammation and completely stop pain management. I still had a long way to go and so much to learn. After achieving amazing results from exercise and learning about micronutrients I still needed to reduce my body fat and know exactly what I needed for my body to achieve maximum results.
My journey with Dr. Mark Sherwood began in January 2016. I had achieved, what I thought was impossible years ago, a weight of 157.6 with body fat percentage of 29.5%. I was in a size 12 and was looking to dial my nutrition and fitness plan to never go back to the “old me”. This was no longer a “diet” but a “lifestyle”.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was excited to further my education. It was recommended I take a DNA test to determine what type of exercise/nutrition and diet plan was best for me. This testing helped me determine what I needed to do to stop the yoyo syndrome. The testing confirmed I had the diabetic gene but it was not active.
I truly believe when I made the decision to stop eating preprocessed foods and high fat refined foods, it affected this outcome. It revealed I needed a low carb, low fat meal plan and my best performance was in strength/sprint intervals. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like marathons. I now had the tools necessary to succeed.
My goal was to reduce body fat and fine tune my meal planning skills. I started with the PaleoMeal Plus plan. A few months later, I started the Shape program entering Phase II due to my very active fitness plan. Dr. Mark knew my exercise plan was very important to me and encouraged me to continue my training.
I continued movnat, cross fit, kettlebells and bodybuilding. I worked with my trainers to inform them of my progress and meal planning. Dr. Mark believed and encouraged me to get to body fat of 18%. I literally thought that was impossible but I had an awesome team that believed in me.
November 2016, I achieved my goal attaining PBF 17.9% wearing size 6/8. I could now wear small/medium tops. Dr. Mark has truly helped me reach within my inner strength to know there is no turning back. My life is forever changed. Dr. Mark taught me to never fear. Always live the wellness life.
I feel confident in who I am. I have learned so much about who I am. I have learned to love myself. Believe in myself. Give myself a hug. I am worth it. I am a puzzle that will always have cracks but I am now a total beautiful picture. I am forever grateful for my village of people that has helped me from being a seed planted to a full bloomed flower.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4
Christ gives us the strength to not only endure the tough times but also to grow during them. We are meant to see our faith blossom right in the face of our battles. Keep up the good fight of faith.
Special Thanks: Steven Morales, Taylor Zinn, Aric Hornig, Trevor Bridges, Danny Stephens, Jermey Morrison, Gwenda Hansen, Joe Roberson, Damyko Busby, Hilary Fields, James Steed, Eric Gross, Aaron Baulch, Zac King. Shellie Fujikawa, Jimmy Ellis, Pat Flynn, Stephanie Flynn, Micheal Nelson, Philip Nation, Youree Holloway, Dr. Michele Neil-Sherwood, Dr. Michael Van Antwerp, Dr. Chad Edwards, Dr. Bernard Fuh, Mark Hobbs
There are so many others that has been a part of my journey that I can’t begin to express my gratitude for believing in me and encouraging me through it all.
Schedule an appointment today to find the right plan for you.
