Diets Are Dumb

Photography by Kimberly Ishoy

Eating smart helped this diabetic lose weight and revitalize her life.

As a culture, we think of diets as eating plans based on deprivation, but if you look up the word diet, it’s defined as “that which you habitually eat,” not what you don’t eat. Once Kimberly Ishoy adopted this point of view, she began to lose weight.

A lifetime type-1 diabetic, Kimberly struggled with her weight for years, and more often than not turned to comfort food to make herself feel better about whatever was bothering her, be it family issues, work, or even general stress. Ice cream, popcorn and other processed foods were her go-to evening snacks, and as she crept up to 233 lb, her energy waned and her diabetes thrived.

“Things got so bad that by 2:30 in the afternoon, all I wanted to do was put my head down on my desk and take a nap; [I was] completely drained of energy,” says Kimberly. “I was tired of always feeling tired and feeling bad about myself. I was constantly comparing myself to people on TV or others around me and beating myself up.”

New Eating Plan, New Energy

Kimberly finally decided to make some lifestyle changes to see if she could get her health back on track. She replaced processed food with more whole-grain and raw options, and split her larger meals into several smaller meals and snacks spread throughout the day to help maintain her energy. “After about two weeks of eating more healthfully, I literally felt like a new person,” she says. “I had more energy and no more desire to nap in the afternoon!”

Of course, she had a few slip ups along the way. “At first, I needed a ‘cheat meal’ to keep me from eating every little tempting thing that came my way,” she admits. “But these meals never made me feel great and it took me a few days to recover from them. So I replaced them with ‘reward meals,’ which consist of healthy meals with a small serving of comfort food I might be craving that week.”

Today, Kimberly is down 22 lb to 211, and admits she has a ways to go. “I don’t look like a supermodel, but compared to other grandmas, I rock!” she laughs. “I have all the signs of inner health and know that the outward signs will come in time. I have an inner glow that is irrepressible. I am happy, healthy, confident, in control and full of life.”

Simple Steps For Lifestyle Changes

Eat several small meals every day. Bingeing comes when you skip meals or allow yourself to get too hungry.

Eat natural foods rather than processed ones. They contain healthy fiber and stick with you longer to keep you more satisfied.

Drink lots of water. If you get bored, skip the soda; instead add a squeeze of lemon, lime, grapefruit or mint to your water.

Don’t expect to be great at working out immediately. Begin from where you are now, starting small with moving your body — walking, doing little squats during TV commercials — and be realistic with your goals.

Make note of what you can do to exercise every day (not what you can’t do!) and even write it down in a journal. For instance, if you can only do three situps, do them and write it down. Then tomorrow, try to do a little more. In a month, you can look back and see your progress and be encouraged!

If you fall off your healthy plan, it’s OK – you’re human. Don’t ruin the entire day or week because of one bad choice. Take it one meal at a time and get right back on track!

 

A Daily Menu

Breakfast: Shake made with unsweetened coconut water, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 scoop oatmeal, 1 apple (or other fruit), and a handful of greens like kale.

Snack: 1 apple with peanut butter, or one unflavored Greek yogurt (I add my own flavors).

Lunch: Chicken breast (seasoned with chili powder, mustard, turmeric and garlic), steamed green beans and zucchini.

Snack: Salad with lettuce, tomatoes, chicken and a squeeze of lemon.

Dinner: Extra-lean ground beef with chopped onion, spinach, egg, garlic and salsa all mixed in a bowl.

Evening snack: Fit Freeze, a Your Body, Your Life bar, or Kim Lyons’ cauliflower ‘popcorn’!

 

Please sponsor Kimberly’s efforts in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes! Go to www2.jdrf.org/goto/Kimberly.

 

Kim Lyons, NASM CPT, PES, CES and Prenatal Specialist, is an internationally known fitness trainer who worked on “The Biggest Loser.” For more information about Kim, visit kimlyons.com.