Hidden meanings, hidden purposes

Several months ago when I began this little blog, I wrote a post fully explaining why I chose the name "Conquering demons, losing weight." It dawned on me today that some may not understand the title since I have removed that original post.

Allow me to clarify things a bit.

If I have learned anything over the past several months, it's that losing weight is ALL about conquering one's personal demons - not food! Sometimes terrible things can happen to you in life, things which ruin your self image and unfairly saddle you with guilt. It can be completely overwhelming and cause you to spiral downward in a vicious cycle of self-loathing and a feeling that you simply are not good enough to deserve to lose the weight.

But, I have good news for anyone feeling this way. You DO deserve to lose the weight. And, what's even better, you CAN do it in a healthy, enjoyable manner.

For me, the transformation began when I started working for a small bloodbank. I dedicated myself 110% into educating people about the importance of giving blood. I worked LONG hours, usually 6 and sometimes 7 days per week educating, cajoling, prompting and yes, guilting people into giving up a pint of blood to help save some stranger's life. It felt SO good to know I was helping people!

After a little more than a year, though, I realized that I couldn't keep up that pace. I thought long and hard about what I could do. I had wanted to return to school so that I could become a teacher. So, I quit a job that I truly loved, and I began working about 12-16 hours a day on earning a Master's degree. One year and three months later, I graduated summa cum laude with a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. And, I don't mind telling you, my grades had NEVER been that good before. This time I believed that I was worth the effort.

About the time I graduated, I started wondering what would happen if I used that same dedication and applied it to finally losing the extra weight I'd gained over the past several years. Weight gain which had only added to the tremendous and seriously misplaced guilt I'd been carrying with me since age 11.

Less than one year after asking myself that question I've lost more than 50 lbs., am healthier than I have been in years, and I did so in part by falling for one of the worst diet scams in the history of the world: Kimkins.

Fortunately, I didn't stay on Kimkins long enough to do myself much damage. I did lose some hair, and I did have some dizzy spells. But, thanks to an excellent vitamin regimine I had going prior to Kimkins, my system didn't suffer as much as some others who have followed the lies and manipulations of one Heidi "Kimmer" Diaz. I have since switched to a doctor-approved low-carb diet - scratch that - way of eating forever - and am doing just fine!

So, if you are still struggling with your weight, give yourself a break. Love yourself. Find a way to do something good for someone else - give blood, visit the nursing home, volunteer at a hospital or school - and find out just how valuable you really ARE. Then, find yourself a doctor-approved low-carb plan that you can live with for life, and start working it.

Don't pay anyone like Heidi Diaz or Bonnie Luper (Magic Chicken (starvation) Diet) to help you starve yourself and damage your health. You are too valuable to trade your health and stamina for $70 dollars worth of false hope.

Know that, and give yourself a fresh start! You deserve it.
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