Lost 100

Success Story: Alanis Morisette Shares How She Recovered from Anorexia/Bulimia & Found Strength

If you're anything like (the old) me, then you may have been sort of jealous of a confession of an anorexic that they ate only melba toast, carrots & black coffee for 4-6 months at a time.  Hell, if you've ever been obese you know that the go through times when it's hard to eat less than 4000 calories a day!  To have that kind of will power is admirable, right?  Um, wrong-o.

Really, anorexia & morbid obesity are equally as bad...If you look at eating/health habits on a continuum, it may look something like this:

1. Anorexia     
2. Bulimia
3. Struggling to eat enough
4. Restrictive Diet   

      Eating to Live   

1. Overeating
2. Overweight
3. Obesity
4. Morbid Obesity
   

 

No one wants to be in the fringe.  Let's for a second think about the life of an anorexic--they have the same shame as those of us who overeat, they know they have bad eating habits, but different from us, they seemingly get lots of attention, 'good attention' told they look great, idolized by most mainstream magazines, and unless they become 'bony' most friends and family members will continue to give them positive attention for their body.  On some levels I think it may be harder to change in that climate, whereas there are so many more resources and ways to get positive attention when you are losing weight. 

Fundamentally, we all want the same thing...we want food to be something that sustains our bodies, and isn't tied to emotional issues.  To have food be a non-issue in our lives is a huge goal for both anorexics and morbidly obese people.  We are not enemies, but allies.  We can learn from one another and support one another. 

Alanis Morissette's recent interview with December's issue of Health Magazine (on newstands Nov. 24th) and CNN shows a confident, strong, self-actualized woman who has overcome her issues with food & can now concentrate on the things that are really important to her, 'integrating all the parts of me -- jock, musician, writer, poet, philosopher -- and becoming stronger as a result.' 

I applaud Ms. Morissette for sharing her story and her journey & hope more people can come to experience the success she has, regardless of where they fall on the eating spectrum!

See the CNN article below:

(CNN) -- Alanis Morissette was the definition of "fierce" when she arrived on the American music scene with one of the big break-up songs of the '90s, "You Oughta Know." But behind that tough exterior were secrets of a difficult past.

"As a teen, I was both anorexic and bulimic," Alanis Morissette recently told Health magazine for its December issue. "I was a young woman in the public eye, on the receiving end of a lot of attention, and I was trying to protect myself from men who were using their power in ways I was too young to know how to handle."

By the time Morissette was 14, she had already starred in a popular Canadian children's show, started her own record label and had a publishing contract with MCA Canada, according to her Web site.

"Disappointment, sadness and pain hit me hard, and I tried to numb those feelings through my relationship with food. For four to six months at a time, I would barely eat. I lived on a diet of Melba toast, carrots, and black coffee," she said. "I began recovering at 18, when a sweet friend confronted me."

Now that she's older, Morissette, 35, said she's no longer starving herself and has begun to look at eating as "a sort of spiritual practice." Her healthier view of food and nutrition is thanks in no small part to a book she discovered a few years ago called "Eat to Live."

"It's become my bible, pushing me to completely reorient my thinking about what to put into my body. ... Now I concentrate on eating high-nutrient foods like fruit, nuts, collards, kale and spinach. I'm obsessed with them. I even put spinach in my smoothies," the Canadian musician admitted.

The seven-time Grammy Award winner has also sworn off dairy, on a tip from Woody Harrelson, no less. "Woody Harrelson [told] me I needed to get rid of the dairy in my fridge to clear up my skin," she said.

It's had a positive effect: Morissette said her skin "looks great now."

But all of that health consciousness doesn't mean Morissette has lost appreciation for the more delectable things in life. "Don't get me wrong," she said in the interview, "I still indulge in a glass of wine or chocolate -- treats are mandatory. Without deviating from the day-to-day healthy diet once in a while, it wouldn't be sustainable for me, and that's what I wanted: an approach to eating to last my entire life."

Resolving her issues with food and body image has helped Morissette to develop clarity in other areas of her life as well.

"I'm really clear about what my life mission is now. There's no more depression or lethargy, and I feel like I've returned to the athlete I once was. I'm integrating all the parts of me -- jock, musician, writer, poet, philosopher -- and becoming stronger as a result," she said.

"I hope my effort shows any woman battling an eating disorder or poor body image that she's not alone -- support is out there -- and inspires her to discover her inner athlete. It doesn't matter what your fitness-skill level is."

Health magazine's December issue hits newsstands November 24.

5 Weight Loss Success Stories

So, I came across this site, and found some pretty inspiring 'real people' success stories.  They look awesome!  The only thing I wish is that they posted the before/after on the same page...I like to compare them.  Oh well.  Anyway, click on the link below to check out these 5 ladies.  And keep on keeping on my weight-loss warrior friends!

Ladies Home Journal

Success Story: Angela Stokes Goes Raw & Loses Half her Bodyweight!

Here's another weight loss success story. Angela Stokes made a huge life shift and began eating a RAW diet...through this she lost 160 pounds and has kept if off for 4 years. I like this CNN.com article because they interview a registered dietitian and give a well-rounded review of this approach. I firmly believe that there are many roads one can take on the journey to health--this is just one of those. Take what works for you...and leave the rest. I don't think a fully raw diet is right for me, but I certainly know that eating more raw fruits and veggies would be a welcomed event that my body would love. I find myself embracing elements of this lifestyle. Enjoy the video and article!







by Jackie Adams, CNN Producer

Angela Stokes had never been overweight as a child.
Angela Stokes, 30, lost 160 pounds in two years after she adopted a raw-vegan diet. She now weighs 138 pounds.
But she steadily started gaining weight as a teenager because of an under-active thyroid gland. By the time she graduated from college her weight had ballooned and she wore a U.K. dress size 26-28.
"I was 300 pounds, very unwell, very miserable," recalls Stokes. "I ate junk food all the time. I was very closed down emotionally. I had no interest in dieting; I just wanted to eat all the time ... that was like my comfort in life."
At the time, she says she was so "emotionally shut down" she refused to talk to anyone about what was happening. The weight was also taking a physical toll on her health and she frequently battled infections and illness.
Stokes says living her everyday life became a challenge.
"My mobility was quite restricted ... I was unwilling to participate in things from cutting my toenails to going on a walk with my friends," remembered Stokes. "I tried to give this impression that I felt fine about everything, but inside I was in a lot of pain a lot of the time."
Two summers after she reached her heaviest weight, Stokes was working at a greenhouse in Iceland, when a friend lent her a copy of a book about the health benefits of eating raw foods. Stokes, who had never been interested in diets, says she was completely "absorbed" by the approach.
She started eating raw the very next day.
"Everything in my life completely shifted. It was like a light bulb moment to be like ... 'this is what I was waiting for to reclaim my health,' " said Stokes.
She went cold turkey or "cold cucumber," as Stokes often jokes. She stopped eating meat, animal products and processed foods and instead switched to a diet that consisted of uncooked and unprocessed vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
"To me, the thing with raw food is that it just makes sense. It's simple and natural, eating food straight from the earth. There's no rocket science, no mystery," said Stokes. "Once you understand the simple principle that no other animal in the wild eats cooked or processed foods. That's it."
The raw food diet completely transformed her life, she says. Within the first month of going raw, she had her first boyfriend in more than five years. In just two years, she had lost 160 pounds and has experienced dramatic improvements emotionally, physically and socially and is "happier than I've ever been."
Andrea Giancoli, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, says everyone could stand to eat more fruits and vegetables.
"We all need to be moving towards a more plant-based diet," Giancoli said. "There are more pitfalls to a typical American diet with all of the processed foods and focus on meat than there are to a plant-based diet."
Is it healthier to eat uncooked vegetables? Not necessarily.
"The raw diet, specifically, the philosophy behind it is scientifically incorrect," Giancoli said. "Raw foodists believe that cooking food destroys enzymes that are essential for the body. While that's true, so does the gastric acid or juice in your stomach.
"So those enzymes are broken down anyway in your gastro-intestinal tract."
Giancoli believes there's a nutritional downside to a vegetarian diet. People who eat no animal foods run the risk of nutritional deficiencies such as a lack of vitamin B-12, iron and zinc and the powerful Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, she said.
Giancoli recommends people meet with a dietitian to develop a balanced eating plan before they embark on a raw food diet.
Stokes, who now weighs 138 pounds, has kept the weight off for four years and authored several books on "raw foodism" lifestyle.
What tips does she have for people considering a raw vegan lifestyle? First, start slowly.
"I recommend people start out being at least 50 percent raw and go from there," advises Stokes. "Maybe it ends up at some point you are completely raw, maybe not. As long as the majority of the stuff or at least 50 percent is fresh raw food ... then you're tipping the balance in your favor."
Stokes also advises people to start eating things they like such as peaches, plums or spinach and then slowly incorporate more fresh raw foods. She admits the lifestyle can be socially challenging and she encourages people to connect with other "raw foodists."
"It's great to get support. If you look on the Internet and around you, you may find pot lucks," said Stokes. "Read books to inspire you to keep going on this journey."

Success Story: Sharon Twitchell loses 110 through WW on-line!

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's doc-in-residence brings us this inspiring story as part of his 'Fit Nation' series:

Success Story: Bunny Dimmel Proves that 'Quitting is NOT an Option'!

Suicidal, Vivian 'Bunny' Dimmel, decided it was either time to kill herself or lose the weight. She made a 2 year contract with herself, saying 'step up to the plate, if in 2 years you still want to kill yourself, do it'. That's a true story. But one that is years old. You see, Bunny never made it back to that point, she lost the weight and embraced her new life.

Living by her motto, 'Quitting is not an option' Bunny is now 265 pounds lighter and a motivational speaker. The self described exercise fanatic now kayaks, zumbas, walks and does aerobics.

It was 5 1/2 years ago when Dimmel, then a teacher weighing 435lbs., fell in the classroom, breaking her femur. Because of her limited mobility she claims she was fired from her teaching position until she could walk up steps again. She also faced her children leaving the nest for college, and a rejection from an advanced degree program she was seeking at Syracuse University. This things coupled with the death of her husband on Christmas 9 years earlier left her devastated. She was afraid to call anyone for help.

It was her husband's dying wish that she would lose the weight once and forever. But it was a scary proposition for Bunny. She had tried and failed so many times in the past 9 years. She would lose 40 lbs and quickly gain it all back and then some. What would she do differently this time to make it stick?
Bunny joined Weight Watchers to help her learn proper portion sizes and to change her thinking. She admits it took months of 'being a robot,' she says she was very angry and had trouble getting in the right mindset. Slowly Bunny began to develop her own program around food. She used Weight Watchers at first, but over time realized it didn't always prescribe healthy meals; she believes Weight Watchers only puts a bandaid on the problem. She began to pay attention to the types of foods she put in her body--opting for more natural items and shunning things like splenda and fake butter sprays. Basically, as Bunny puts it, she began to listen to her body.

Besides eating healthier, Bunny added a HUGE component to her life: EXERCISE. Bunny is a firm believer that a person MUST exercise to maintain their weight. Before she lost the weight she had never exercised in her life. At first she would swim, now she takes a daily 6 mile walk, sometimes 8. She also kayaks, zumbas, does aerobics, and weight trains.

Bunny has some core beliefs:

• Quitting is NOT an option
• Everybody CAN do this
• You have to commit to a lifestyle change
• It's not overnight & it will take a long time
• You must commit yourself to exercise
• 'it's only food'
• After abusing your body, it's time to treat it right, give it 'high octane fuel (food)
• You can eat whatever you want or weight whatever you want, but you can't do both
• Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince & dinner like a pauper

Bunny's advice to someone who is just getting started: You are doing the absolute best thing for yourself. You need to look at 'why' you got fat & you need to go back & 'fix' it. Use your past as strength. Forgive yourself for the past. Everyday is another day, a chance to help yourself. You just need to keep getting 'back up on the bike.'

Bunny has her own website: Bunny Diet. She now weights 170 lbs., that includes an additional 25 lbs. of extra skin she has not had removed.

Here is a video of Bunny Dimmel being inducted into the Today Show's 'Joy Fit Club':

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Jennette Fulda Loses 1/2 Her Bodyweight & Pens: 'Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir'

Her nickname was 'Jennetti-Spaghetti', so it's no wonder when she started her blog she entitled it 'The Pasta Queen.'  So how did this self-described wall-flower, carb-addict, 372 pound 23-year-old go from having a gallbladder attack to weighing 170 pounds & running a 1/2 marathon in less than 2 years?  It's quite a story and one she tells well in Half-Assed:  A Weight-loss Memoir. 

The Indianapolis-based web developer came from an overweight family, her parents, aunts, uncles and younger brother were al overweight.  At 372 pounds she wore a size 32, but because of the elastic waistbands she believes she could have been a size or 2 bigger.  She suffered a gallbladder attack, severe abdominal pain, and a knee injury all brought on by what she describes as eating a high fat diet, and having to much bile.  She was scared.  If she was having gallbladder attacks at 23, what would her future look like?  Would she have one?  Within a year she watched her brother lose 60-70 lbs and that was the little nudge it took to begin her own program. 

Refusing to do weight loss surgery she began walking on January 15th of that year.  She also started a blog, but due to embarrassment she kept her weight a secret.  After losing the first 100 pounds she began weighing-in regularly on the blog.  It went viral.  She weighed-in every week for 21/2 years.  Now she weight's in monthly. 

How did she do it?

Fitness wise--Jennette walked on the treadmill, starting at just a few minutes.  Slowly she walked faster and increased the incline.  She regularly did 45-50 minutes on the treamill.  After a year she began doing Pilates and strength training.  After a year and a half Jennette began running.  She has completed 5K's, 10K's, 15K's and the Indianapolis 500 1/2 marathon!  One of her tips for fitness is to try new things, keep yourself both mentally and physically stimulated.

Food wise--Jennette told me that she never use to plan her meals, but now she does.  She likes aspects of the South Beach diet and likes to eat 'real food'.  She does not eat a lot of junk food, eats 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.  A typical day may look something like this: B: omlet, or oatmeal; Sn: string cheese, or 30 pistacchio's, or fruit, or celery & carrots; L: TV dinner (lean cuisine); D: protein (chicken, fish), veggie, couscous or brown rice.  She avoids white rice, flour and potatoes.  

Today Jennette reports she is more confident, more willing to put herself out there.  In fact, Jennette is working on a second book (Chocolate & Vicodin:  And other failed cures for the headache that wouldn't go away) that will be tentatively published next fall.  Her blog is now a hodgepodge of weight loss, headaches, cats, sass & spunk.  Even from when I interviewed Jennette late last year I see a new edge in her writing, more confidence shining through.

It hasn't been all bikinis and bliss for Jennette.  She got a headache in early 2008 and it never went away.  A deep depression followed, and a small re-gain (30 pounds).  But she's working on it, which makes her even more real and in a sense more inspriring.  Life happens and Jennette is proving to us all we will live through it, and even if we come out a bit scathed, we can start anew.

Jennette's tips include:  

• Weigh yourself regularly (she does so daily)
• Keep a chart
• Track food, if you start to gain, or are on a plateau, be sure you are writing it ALL down
• Join a gym
• Hire a trainer
• Make it a priority
• Consider journaling or blogging
• Stay focused on your successes
• Set up a support system
• Be accountable (to yourself or someone else--for Jennette it was only 10,000+ of her closest friends!)

Jennette continues to gain inspiration from many, including: other bloggers, Spark People, Scotland Shauna (Diet Girl), Jillian Michael's podcasts (from her radio show), other weight loss memoirs such as: ' 'I'm not the New Me', 'Tales from the Scale', & 'Lose the Buddha'.

Way to go Jennette!  You are an inspiration to us all :-)

US Magazine's Pictorial: 2008 Celeb Weight Loss Winners

US Magazine has put out a pictorial of stars that lost weight in 2008.  As you know, I tend to find the smut-mags glorifying uber-skinny girls and criticizing women with normal figures (ie. Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Mariah Carey, Beyonce Knowles---all of whom, wouldn't you know, are featured), but they also featured Michelle from the Biggest Loser, Horatio Sanz (who is looking oh-so-fine), and other folks who dropped a large amount of weight...so take it for what it's worth--check it out by clicking the link below.

2008 Weight Loss Winners: How the Stars Slimmed Down

SUCCESS STORY: FROM NY DAILY NEWS, MAN LOSES OVER 400 POUNDS

Yes, I've pilfered a story...but why not...it's a good one! 

NY Daily News, 'City guy says he dodged death by losing 430 lbs., going from 640 to 210'

SEVERELY OBESE MAN TAKES THE ORIENT EXPRESS TO WEIGHT LOSS!

Okay, so he hasn't lost all his weight yet, but here's a story about a man from Wisconsin who won a contest to go to a Chinese fat camp/boot camp/ weight loss hospital. I was not familiar with their history before this story, but this guy has lost 235 lbs in 7 months! That's pretty incredible. It seems like he is forming good habits and is not exercising too much. Building a good base for exercise will help to keep him going after he gets home. I hope CNN does a follow-up (& more thorough story) when he loses the rest of his weight!

CNN'S FIT NATION SUMMIT: SEE THE ENTIRE VIDEO HERE

Here is the complete video of the CNN Fit Nation Summit I had the distinct pleasure to attend 2 weeks ago today. It was awesome! The video is long (31 minutes), but I thought you may want to see it...so here it is!