Health Coach Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS

Karen Moore: Weight Loss

In February 2022, I was visiting Donna, who was adding health and nutrition to her knowledge base with the goal of becoming a health coach. I was approaching both retirement and age 58, and I was as heavy as I had ever been. Every year I was putting on 3-5 pounds, and COVID constraints and menopause did not help. I knew if I wanted to enter my retirement years in the best of health, I had to do something to reverse the trend of yearly weight gain. I was not looking for a fad diet, and I knew there was no quick fix. I was looking to CHANGE my diet.

I told Donna I would be happy to be her first client! She gave me the book The Blood Sugar Solution 10-day Detox Diet by Dr. Mark Hyman as a guide to get me started. I had developed some unhealthy habits of too much sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol in my daily diet. Donna and I discussed my current eating habits and daily exercise routine, along with my goals for both weight loss as well as what I could reasonably do as far as cooking and preparing meals. We both agreed that following the 10-day detox plan would be a good start, and then we could go from there.

I started with a resolve to be a healthier version of myself, and to feel better. Many nights I would go to bed feeling full, resulting in restless sleep and poor digestion. For the first time since my 20s I took my measurements – waist 36 ½ inches, hips 40 ½ inches, thigh 23 inches, and weight 154.6 pounds on my 5 foot 6 inch frame. I had my guide to follow, which included meditation, a 30-minute morning walk, and a relaxing bath in the evening. On February 17 I started my new diet, with the help and guidance and encouragement from Donna every step of the way!

Fast forward to July 17 – the weight did come off slowly, but the good news with that approach is that I developed much better eating habits. I eliminated most sugar from my diet, and reduced my alcohol intake significantly. (Most weeks I don’t drink any alcohol, but do allow myself an occasional drink when with friends or family.) I also removed all processed food, and most refined flours and starches. I lost 26 pounds, my waist is now 29 inches (minus 7 ½ inches), hips 35 ½ inches (minus 5 inches), and thighs 19 ½ inches (minus 3 inches). More importantly I feel much better, my sleep has improved, as well as my endurance while running. My goal now is to maintain the weight loss and continue eating a better diet. One thing I learned from Donna is that there is no one diet that is going to work for everyone, and the best diet is the one that you can stick with both during weight loss and once you reach your goals. Donna’s approach is both individualized, realistic and based on food as medicine. What you put in your body affects your health, which becomes even more important as we age and want to enter our retirement years fit, active, and healthy.