Since then I have researched this way of living and have found many plans that support it (Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat to Live, Mary-Ann Shearer’s Perfect Health, Brendan Brazier’s Thrive, George Malkmus’ Halleluja Diet, Harvey Diamond’s Fit for Life). They’re not identical, but they all share the same basic principles and I am certainly thriving.

My journey is for life. There is no end to living the way we do… in fact, we are always refining and improving.
Hanlie´s last blog ..Recipe: Vegetable Paprikash

My body was absolutely broken and, with more than 150 pounds to lose, statistically speaking, none of the traditional “diet and exercise” plans was likely to work for me. Diane, you are truly one of the “results not typical” in that arena.

I was so toxic, due to things like hypothyroid and fibromyalgia, that trying to find a plan I could stick to for more than a day had become downright impossible. My body would SCREAM for sugar, bread and caffeine. Why? Because with fibromyalgia, you don’t get sleep, so your body doesn’t regenerate, so you’re always in pain, so you can’t exercise, and you have no energy, so your body is in constant crisis mode, just trying to SURVIVE.

How did I survive? By feeding my body the fastest source of energy foods I could find: SUGAR & CAFFEINE. Of course, we all know what happens when you eat those things; you get a momentary high, and then you crash and burn — until you repeat the process (More Diet Pepsi! More cookies! More carbs!)

I felt helpless, alone and trapped. I just wanted a fighting chance to be healthy.

Thank God for weight loss surgery. It broke that horrible cycle and my body was able to find a homeostasis that I’d been longing for all those years. I was finally able so sleep, which enabled me to have energy to workout, which gave my body energy to actually BURN (and use) fuel from complex carbs and protein. What a remarkable metabolic change!

So, for me, surgery was the answer — but it wasn’t one I arrived at overnight, and it has not been easy. Of course, nothing that matters ever comes easily, right?
Cari (aka Gastric Bypass Barbie)´s last blog ..HOLIDAY BLUES: I Am Not Normal.

For example, I am not very successful with counting calories. I can do it if I keep my food very simple. And that is just no fun for me after just a short period of time. Instead, I focused on portion size (which has always been my problem) and using healthy, fresh, low fat ingredients. I also stepped up my exercise a lot. All these things were doable for me at that moment in my life.