Inspiration Ambassador Nicola C
I have battled with my weight my entire adult life. You name the diet, I’ve been on it.
Over the last 20 years, I must have been to at least 15 different dieticians. I noted that they all had the same approach, they would take out a template and populate the documents with specifics for me. No deviation from this plan would result in weight loss and would lead to a shame and embarrassment spiral. Never was there any discussions about why I was eating the way I was or the reasons behind that.
Last year in September I decided that I was going to give dieticians one more go and if it was the same as the others I would basically give up. With a little help from Google, I found Tabitha Hume. I looked at her website and thought it looked like she utilized a different approach. I made my appointment and nervously awaited the dreaded first meeting.
During the first meeting we discussed how and why I was eating the way I did and what was triggering for me. Tabitha then provided me with a flexible eating guide with examples for each meal and snack that I liked. The whole plan was focused on what would work for and suit me. She also added foods and snacks that would suit my favorite for salty things.
When I started this new lifestyle, I could not believe how much I had to eat. There was not way I would be able to eat so much food and then the snacks as well. Well, now I get hungry at my normal eating times and consume all my food with glee. In the year I have been following this lifestyle with the support of Tabitha, I have lost 22.2kg. I have never lost more than 5 kg and gained it back on any other “eating plan”.
Here are the key lessons I have learned during this year that have helped me and continue to help me on the journey.
- Prepare and pack your food the night before. Think of it as medicine, a diabetic would have to prepare all their insulin for the next day so, so can you.
- The amount of vegetables seem daunting in the beginning. Yes, you will get used to eating so much and end up craving it.
- Find what works for you. In the beginning I was strictly keeping to my meal suggestions and the recipes. Especially the chicken a la king as it is a firm favorite.
- I always have my measuring cups ready to use, even after a year.
- I have also found that other recipes, such as the basic vegetable soup, is a great alternative for vegetables.
- Snacks are so important to keep your sugar level, level and assisting in keeping other temptations at bay
- The “hacks” shared by Tabitha for making your life easier with bake sauces, meals prepared etc. really makes a difference for those days you just get home tired and not in the mood to make food or to just make your life easier.
- The treats allowed shocked me, and I always have paddle pop ice lollies and Steristampies in my house.
- I have learned what I should have when eating out and asking the restaurant to remove certain things. Everyone is very accommodating.
- I follow my GI level charts as best I can and always try to eat low GI but do not have a breakdown when I can’t.
- Life sometimes makes it difficult to keep to how you would like to eat, it is going to happen. A party with drinks and foods you have no alternative to. I think of these as treat days and just get going with the clean eating the next day.
- Everyone makes mistakes and may have an unscheduled “treat” (never a cheat). We are human and that is ok. We move on from that. That took me a while to make peace with as I would always be ashamed or embarrassed.
- After a year this is now my eating lifestyle and I eat every 2-3 hours. I still have days that I have many treats, however the next day I keep going.
If this plan can work for me, a serial dieter with no self-control, you can do it too