Stephanie

I started my first session at Eupraxia in October 2012.  After my first two-week trial period, I was sure about two things: #1 – It was the best program that I’d ever tried, and I had tried a LOT; and #2 – I knew that it would eventually help me reach my goals.  So, I signed myself up for a whole year.

There was just one thing I wasn’t so sure about.  No grains?  No legumes?  No dairy?  Say WHAT?  Sure, after sitting through Dr. Steve’s nutrition seminar, it made sense.  But when I got home and started throwing out all the “healthy” foods I’d been, I had my doubts.  I needed more science.

So, for Session #1, I worked out an average of three times per week, and I researched “Paleo” nutrition – no grains, no legumes, no dairy.  I found all the books; read them all.  I used their references to find the scientific articles; read them all.  I discovered a gajillion blogs; read them all.  And all along the way, Paleo nutrition made sense.  So I figured – what the heck, why not try it?!

For Session #2, which started in January, I upped my workouts to an average of four per week.  I also decided to “wean” myself off of my old diet, eventually working up to eating completely Paleo.  I figured this would help me to kick my bad habits slowly and for good, while also giving my body time to adjust to the new foods (my tummy was NOT friends with veggies).  Things seemed to go well.  At the end of the session, I felt good.  My clothes fit a little better.  The workouts were a little easier.  And I finally got to a point where I could eat veggies without feeling like a leaded balloon.

On Results Day #2, I was a little crushed.  As good as I felt, the scale doesn’t lie.  In sixteen weeks, even though I’d gone from Sedentary Sloth to a regular-exerciser, the results were lacking.  I hadn’t dropped any overall weight.  I’d only gone down about 2 ½ inches.  My body fat dropped a little, but it was still in the danger zone.  I wanted to do what I had always done at that point – quit.

Instead, when I got home (and after had myself a little pity party), I decided to take some time to look back at my “weaning” period.  One trip through the cupboard told me all I needed to know.  I had a brand new loaf of bread, a ½ eaten box of pasta, a bag of rice, a few “sports drinks”, coffee creamer in the fridge, and a plethora of beer.  Clearly, there’d been very little weaning going on.

I realized then that I’d cheated myself.  After all I’d done to get myself into a decent exercise routine, after all the research I’d done, all the reading, all the notes, all the PLANS I’d made for healthy eating, I’d basically wasted my time.  I was fed-up with myself.

So, for Session #3 which started in March, I ditched it all – the bread, pasta, rice, sports drinks, creamer, and beer.  I tossed the teriyaki and soy sauce I found hiding in my spice cabinet and the butter I found in the fridge.  I even threw out my chocolate.  And then I stocked up.  More veggies.  More meat.  MORE EGGS.  I made a meal plan.  I made a standard shopping list.  I made a commitment.  For 30 whole days, I was going to follow a strictly “Paleo” nutrition plan.

Easier said than done.

The first two weeks were horrible.  TERRIBLE.  I was so nauseated and lethargic.  And I was CRANKY.  I barely had enough energy to work out.  I had a moment where I almost quit – I thought, how could this type of nutrition be good for me if I felt so terrible?!  But, with more research, I found out that I was actually detoxing and going through withdrawals.  Yep, my body was so used to junk that it was responding the way a junkie would respond to quitting cold turkey.  WITHDRAWALS!

But instead of quitting, I pushed on and got over the hump.  One day I woke up and felt normal.  Hungry.  Energetic.  And not cranky!  I kicked ass at kettlebells that night.  And then I repeated the same success the next day.  And the next!  After all that, my body was finally able to use and perform with the fuel I was giving it.  And when the 30-day Paleo period ended, I felt so good I just kept going.

Then the outward signs started.  Around the 4-week mark, my clothes were looser.  People started saying, “what are you doing?  You look great!”  Pictures taken out with friends started looking better.  Around the 6-week mark I HAD to buy new work pants.  I couldn’t get my old ones to stay clasped.  And for once, it wasn’t because my muffin top and ghetto booty were pushing the clasps to the limit.

So finally, on Results Day #3, I got what I’d been working for.  I’d lost a total of 8.9 pounds in fat and gained 6.2 pounds in muscle.  I shed nearly 9 inches from my waist and hips!  I did 19 push-ups and 16 burpees in one-minute trials (I started at ZERO and 6).   But the two most important things – I felt stronger and healthier.

I can honestly say that this level of success wouldn’t have been possible without my commitment to proper nutrition.  I have the personal proof.  I completed two sessions at Eupraxia with less-than-stellar results.  For the third session, I kept the same workout routine but changed my nutrition to follow Dr. Steve’s recommendations, and I KICKED ASS.

As they say, you truly are what you eat!

About the Author: Eupraxia

My goal when writing is to take confusing or complicated information and make it easy to understand and apply. I have spent the last decade obsessively researching and teaching how to improve performance and longevity. Dr Czys