Definition for Ladies Spring 2014 Issue 001 April 2014 | Page 47

Third, I was getting zero exercise.
Sure, I would tell myself I was going to
start exercising. On Monday. Tomorrow.
Today. Today’s the day! But, that day
would always get pushed back. I was, like
most of us, too busy, too tired, and com-

and what times of day I can schedule
and actually commit to my workouts.
Now, I love to exercise, and I make
sure to move my body every day. My
favorite ways to get my sweat on are

I successfully lost 85 pounds
and 16 pants sizes, and gained
a new understanding of health.

with weightlifting, various styles of
yoga practice, and teaching spinning.

I’m happy to say that I achieved

day were filled with working a full-time

I made nutrition a priority. Through

this in the healthiest way

job, going to school, studying, commut-

countless hours of research on all

possible. I took my time. I did

ing, and trying to have some sort of a

things nutrition, as well as listening

social life, which meant staying up late,

to my body, I learned which foods

things right. I listened to my

and not getting enough sleep. I just didn’t

my body responds best to. I followed

have the time or energy to work out.

the direction of my moral compass

needs, rather than depriving it.

and transitioned from vegetarian to

I taught myself healthy habits.

pletely unmotivated. The hours of my

Fourth, I had developed health issues.

body and gave it the fuel it

vegan. Thanks to some pretty awe-

My gall bladder was full of gall stones,

some iPhone apps, I started tracking

and it eventually needed to be removed.

my nutrition to ensure I was meeting

My blood pressure was high. My cho-

those goals. Now that I’ve taught myself

I learned that the scale is a terrible

lesterol was through the roof.

how, planning and preparing balanced

reflection of health. I learned that num-

meals has become second nature.

bers on the scale really don’t matter. I

Sound like a recipe for disaster? Yeah, it

learned that muscle weighs more than

was. The combination of poor eating

I made health a priority. Through

habits, lack of nutrition, zero exercise,

these changes, my health improved

no quality sleep, an unhealthy relation-

dramatically. My cholesterol has dropped

ship with myself, and absolutely no

from being in the danger zone to being

focus on health, left me in a downward

ideal levels. My nutrition levels are all

I learned this is a lifelong journey.

spiral. Something had to change.

excellent, including those commonly

Today, I can reflect back at the long

considered difficult for vegans, including

path behind me and smile. I can look

protein, calcium, iodine, and vitamin B12.

forward at the long path still ahead

2013, I successfully lost 85 pounds and

I kicked some common ways of

of me and smile. If I can turn my life

16 pants sizes. I’m happy to say that I

thinking to the curb. I learned that I

achieved this in the healthiest way pos-

could no longer look at a “diet” as some-

sible. I took my time. I did things right.

thing I temporarily change for a certain

I listened to my body and gave it the

number of weeks or months in order to

fuel it needed rather than depriving it. I

lose weight. When we hear the word “diet”

taught myself healthy habits.

today, we think of it as a temporary solution.

One step at a time, things did change.
From November 2011 to September

I made exercise a priority. Through
trial and error, I finally figured out
what kinds of exercise I actually enjoy

spring | 2014 | definitionforladies.com

fat, and can be deceiving. I learned that
sometimes, in order to get healthier
and stronger, the scale may go up!

and health around, so can you. It’s
never too late. Your body and your
loved ones will thank you greatly. •
Find Dani online: Check out the Our Team page!

We “diet” then we go back to “eating.”
I finally found a way to look at my diet
as a sustainable way of living every day.

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