Embracing Health and Self-Acceptance – a Dietitian’s Journey

Yesterday, with some encouragement from others, I went to a hairdresser that specializes in cutting “curly hair”. In one sense, it was life-changing to have my hair cut to actually “be” curly, and in another it was another step in my “journey”, a Dietitian’s Journey. My “unruly” hair was not unlike being overweight and in poor health; all were barriers to looking and feeling the way I wanted, but not something I dealt with until recently.

I saw my hair’s texture as a barrier to having the smooth, silky hair I desired and that I saw in the media as being something to be valued.  Growing up, naturally curly or wavy hair was seen as unruly; something that needed to combed or brushed and restrained in some way, in a clip or pin of some kind. Yet older women went for “perms” and these man-made curls were placed where they were desired, in the size that was desired and coloured to the chosen shade.

Growing up in the early 1970s, being overweight was solved with “girdles”; just like unruly hair was solved with combs and hair clips. For those that are unfamiliar with “girdles”, they are essentially torture devices that women squeezed into to arrange their fat in a more acceptable manner, and at least keep it from jiggling where it offended others and embarrassed the individual. Wearing a girdle wasn’t about health; but appearance.

Around this time the “health at every size” movement became popular, but it wasn’t until I was a Dietitian that it came to my awareness. The overweight women around me were not into acceptance, but denial and girdles were their solution.

In the 1990s, I was torn between the reality that being overweight or obese was rarely associated with positive health outcomes, yet at the same time knowing there was a need to be compassionate toward those who themselves were overweight or obese. At this point, I was slim and in good health, so my views were coldly ‘academic’. That said, I was always against “fat-shaming”, but didn’t feel the answer was to “embrace” being fat. I missed the point; it wasn’t about embracing being overweight or obese, but about focusing on health — health at every size.

Me and my 3 sons – White Pine Beach, September 10 2003

After having given birth to 3 children in a little over a year (yes, one set of twins and a singleton), I had little or no time to focus on “me”. My weight continued to creep up and along with it, my blood sugar and blood pressure. The photo on the left is what I looked like at this time 16 years ago. I knew my being overweight (obese, actually) was unhealthy, but despite my education, the idea of “eating less and moving more” seemed impossible.

The years passed and in May 2008, when I graduated with my Masters Degree in Human Nutrition, I was obese and pre-diabetic.  I heeded my GP’s advice and followed the (then) Canadian Diabetes Association’s dietary recommendations to eat 60 g of carbohydrate at each meal, plus protein and carbohydrate at each of 3 snacks. I considered I was being so virtuous by eating “whole grain”, which was whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and multigrain brown bread with seeds.  Despite this, within two years I was diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes and in hindsight, eating that many carbohydrates per day; carbohydrates that were really just less refined and not truly “whole, foods”, and eating that many times a day, made becoming diabetic inevitable. The only issue was how long would it take.

When I first saw an endocrinologist in 2014, she told me that if I continued to eat the way I was eating (same as above) I would be on insulin within 5 years.  She encouraged me to eat a maximum of 100 g of carbs per day and mostly as unrefined vegetables, with only a small amount of fruit and unprocessed, whole grain. It took until my health had become a crisis two years later until I had little choice but to change my lifestyle.  That was March 5, 2017 and the rest as they say, is history.

May 2008 (Masters Convocation) – May 2019

The photo on the left is what I looked like at my Master’s Convocation in May 2008 and the photo on the right is what I looked like this past May 2019. Yes, there’s a big difference — a 55 pound difference and even better, my type 2 diabetes is in remission and I no longer have high blood pressure.

In my health-recovery journey (which you can read in its entirety, here), I didn’t focus as much on weight, as I did on lowering my blood sugar and blood pressure. My focus from the beginning of my journey was on health as I attained a healthy body weight and waist circumference.

Surprisingly, my first experience with ‘fat-shaming’ was in January 2018; ten months into my health-recovery journey. I was told by someone quite well known in low-carb circles on social media that they “wouldn’t trust a fat Dietitian” and that ”once you get in shape then you can dish out advice“.  I was hurt and offended, and my response at the time was to write an article I titled “Competent to Counsel“; where I addressed that what makes me competent or credible is not my own body weight, but my knowledge. I still feel that way now, even thought I’m slim. While it was offensive to be spoken to in this way, it made me acutely aware of the tremendous bias that overweight and obese people face; especially obese clinicians. I think it gave me more compassion towards those that struggle with these issues who have faced this type of disdain for years.

It has been 6 months since I achieved my health and weight loss goals, and both are stable. I’m still below the criteria for type 2 diabetes and have normal blood pressure.

I’m still not used to being ‘slim’. I still think I can’t fit in a space behind a chair, or beside a parked car when I have ample room. I try on clothes that I think are the right size, and they are too big — and then assume the brand must be ‘sized wrong’. I’ve been told it takes a while to adapt.  That said, I am fully aware that as many as 80% of those who lose weight regain it within two years, so being in ‘maintenance mode’ does not mean I do nothing. I continue to monitor my weight weekly and waist circumference every few weeks. While less frequently than before, I continue to test my blood sugar at home and go for my HbA1C test every 3 months and now that I am off blood pressure medication, check my blood pressure frequently. While I am at a good weight and waist circumference and have recovered much of my health, I cannot afford to rest on these accomplishments. When I see my weight creeping up, I take inventory of what I am eating differently and same with changes in blood sugar or blood pressure.

Maintenance isn’t about doing nothing, it is about doing the same thing, over time.

Embracing my health is a bit like embracing my curls. I am no longer the obese Dietitian with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and I can share my story with others; to encourage them that I understand, have “been there” and also that I have the knowledge to help. But just like those who embraced their own curls before me and encouraged me to do so too, each person has their own journey. My role is to support people in theirs.

More Info?

If you would like to know about how I can help you, you can learn about the services I provide under the Services tab, or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as I am able.
To our good health!

 

Joy

 

NOTE: This post is classified under “A Dietitian’s Journey” and is my personal account of my own health and weight loss journey that began on March 5, 2017. Science Made Simple articles are referenced nutrition articles, and can be found here.

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Copyright ©2019 The Low Carb Healthy Fat Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

 

3 Months in Maintenance Mode – making health a habit (short video)

Today is exactly 3 months since I completed my health recovery and weight loss journey, and this short video update is about how I navigated the transition from “weight loss mode” to “maintenance mode”. This is the 14th entry in the series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information about lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, or maintaining (or building) muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes in length) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles which are longer,  research-focused articles.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on social media after watching the video.

In addition to helping people begin their own weight loss and health recovery journeys, I also provide follow up services to support them to be successful over the months, and sometimes year or two it takes and to help them make the transition to maintenance mode.

If you would like support, you can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

P.S. As mentioned in the video, here is the selfie I took this morning, of what I looked like after 3 months in “maintenance mode”.

To your good health!  

Joy

 

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Visible and Audible Difference – making health a habit (comparison videos)

Friday, I wore the same jacket during my morning walk and “Making Health a Habit” video as I did during my very first “A Dietitian’s Journey” video in March 2017, but the difference between the two videos is remarkable; not only visibly but there is an audible difference, too.

I don’t look the same…

…and listening to the two videos (links below) I don’t sound the same!

For me, this is what the difference between chronic disease and remission of metabolic disease looks like. Of course, everybody’s “journey” is different, but in order to arrive at one’s destination, the journey needs to begin.

I’ve said it a few times on podcasts, in videos and in blogs but for me, I changed how I ate and my activity level “as if my life depended on it” because for me, it did. It wasn’t just a vanity issue about how I looked; but about having very high blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes that was not being controlled. March 5, 2017 was the turning point for me and I have not looked back.

I don’t talk about being on a “diet”, but rather about the way I now eat because in order to keep obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure in remission requires me to make my health a habit. If I don’t, it is only a matter of time until the chronic diseases return.

If I can help you begin on your own health and wellness journey or to maintain your accomplishments, please let me know.

You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

If your physician has recommended or prescribed a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, please let me know when you contact me.

To our good health!

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

May 3, 2019 – Friday’s video

March 16, 2017 – my first video

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

What about “cheat days” (short video)

I often get asked about what I do about “cheat days” and this is a short video on how I navigate through it. Keep in mind this is what I choose to do and why, and is not in anyway prescriptive. This is one of many choices available and why I choose this approach. Everybody’s needs are different.

This is the 13th entry in the series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information about lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, or maintaining (or building) muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes in length) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles which are longer,  research-focused articles.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on social media after watching the video.

If you would like some help navigating through whether or not to take “cheat days” and if so, how based on your own health, I’d be glad to help.

You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!  

 

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Low Carb and Keto Diets – the good, the bad and the ugly (short video)

What is good, bad or ugly is always a question of perspective. In this short video I reflect on what I see as the “good”, “bad” and “ugly” of a low carb or ketogenic diet.

This is the 12th entry in the series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information about lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, or maintaining (or building) muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes in length) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles which are longer,  research-focused articles.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on social media after watching the video.

If you would like to know more about the issues discussed in this video, I’ve posted some links to articles I’ve written on the subject, below.

Perhaps you’ve chosen to eat a low carbohydrate diet and would like to know how I can help. You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

If your physician has recommended or prescribed a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, please let me know when you contact me.

To our good health!

 

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Here are the links to 4 articles that I wrote about the new ADA Consensus Report:

April 25, 2019 – ADA: Brain’s need for glucose can be fulfilled by the body

April 24, 2019 – ADA Eating Patterns Differ from The Dietary Guidelines for Americans

April 23, 2019 –  ADA includes use of a Very Low Carb (Keto) Eating Pattern in New Report

April 19, 2019 –  New ADA Report: reducing has intake has most evidence for improving blood sugar

You can find a one page downloadable printout that you can bring to your doctor or other healthcare professional which summarizes the American Diabetes Association’s new Consensus Report of April 18, 2019 position on the use of a low carb or ketogenic diet by clicking here.

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Living for Today (short video)

This is the 10th entry in the series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information that can be applied to almost anyone for lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, or maintaining (or building) muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes in length) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles which are longer,  research-focused articles.

This very short video (2 1/2 minutes long) has a few thoughts on the fact that none of us are promised “tomorrow” and how living in that light can impact our lives for the better.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on social media after watching the video.

If you’d like to know how I can help you achieve your health and nutrition goals, please let me know.

You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Obesity in Remission? (short video)

This short video are some reflections about a challenge I received on social media as to whether I was “an obese Dietitian” or “A Dietitian with obesity or a Dietitian that developed obesity”. What is the difference?

What does it mean to have “obesity in remission”?

In this short video I talk about the second topic first; why it is appropriate to talk about obesity as being “in remission”. In my next video, I’ll talk about whether I “was obese” or “did I have/develop obesity”, and what the difference is.

This is the 8th entry in the series titled “Making Health a Habit” , which can be found here.

Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information that can be applied to almost anyone for lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, or maintaining (or building) muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes in length) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles which are longer,  research-focused articles.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on social media after watching the video.

If you’d like to know how I can help you to get started eating healthier or beginning to address symptoms of obesity, or some of the disorders that often accompany it, please let me know.

You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Maintenance Diet versus Weight-loss Diet (short video)

Introduction: Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information that can be applied to almost anyone for lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, maintaining a healthy body weight, or building muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet. Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles, which are longer, research-focused articles.

This is the 7th entry in the new series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

Part of successfully ‘making health a habit’ has to do with transitioning over to a maintenance diet once you’ve accomplished your goals, but how?

In this short (~3 minute) video, I talk about some of the factors that need to be considered in doing that.

If you are getting to that stage in your health journey and would like some help making the transition, I can help — and if you are just setting out, I’d be glad to help you get started with a meal plan designed for you, based on your needs and goals.

If you’d like to know more about my services, you can find out under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above, and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!

 

Joy

P.S. Here is a picture of where I walk.

Como Lake, Coquitlam, British Columbia

Isn’t it beautiful and it’s minutes from my house, in the middle of an urban area! I encourage you to find a place near you to enjoy being active at. It makes it so pleasant and something to look forward to.

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

Exercise or Diet Changes First? (short video)

Introduction: Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information that can be applied to almost anyone for lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, maintaining a healthy body weight, or building muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet.  Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles, which are longer, research-focused articles.

This is the 6th entry in the new series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

The idea for this short video (~4 minutes) came from a lively discussion that occurred on social media yesterday about which is more important to change first in achieving one’s health and weight loss goals; how we eat or exercise.

The person who initiated the discussion said they believed without a doubt that exercise was the more important of the two and many people contributed to what they felt was the most important from their experience and why.

In this short video I summarize what was said in that interchange, as well as my own thoughts on the subject.  

If you’d like to know how I can help you to get started eating healthier or incorporating activity into your day, please let me know.

If you’d like to know more about my services, you can find out under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above, and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.

If Excuses Were Dollars (short video)

Introduction: Making Health a Habit picks up where A Dietitian’s Journey left off and provides general health information that can be applied to almost anyone for lowering insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar at a healthy level, maintaining a healthy body weight, or building muscle mass, or may simply be my opinion on different matters related to a low carb or ketogenic diet.  Making Health a Habit are short videos (< 5 minutes) or short blogs on health-related topics and are quite different than Science Made Simple articles, which are longer, research-focused articles.

This is the 5th entry in the new series titled “Making Health a Habit”, which can be found here.

In making health a habit, how we ‘talk’ to ourselves makes all the difference —especially during the first 9 – 12 weeks that it is becoming a habit. How do we make excuses?

In this short video (<4 minutes) I share my own struggles with making excuses for being active, simply because I have years of practice at making excuses.

For health to be a habit, I need to “talk” to myself differently.

If you’d like to know how I can help you to get started eating healthier or being more active, please let me know.

You can learn more about my services and their costs above under the Services tab or in the Shop and if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note using the Contact Me form above and I will reply as soon as I can.

To our good health!

Joy

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchfRD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lchfRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lchf_rd

Copyright ©2019 The LCHF-Dietitian (a division of BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.)

LEGAL NOTICE: The contents of this blog, including text, images and cited statistics as well as all other material contained here (the ”content”) are for information purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, medical diagnosis and/or treatment and is not suitable for self-administration without the knowledge of your physician and regular monitoring by your physician. Do not disregard medical advice and always consult your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before implementing anything  you have read or heard in our content.