Why LEAP? / Benefits of LEAP

They say it takes a while for people to notice you have lost weight. And then, all of a sudden, after you have been sweating and committing for MONTHS, out of the blue, you get asked.

"Have you lost weight?" 

Well, of course you have. That's why they asked. And you (I) wish they would have asked a few months ago, when I was at the hard part. Anyway... I always answer with a number. "25 pounds." Then the next question.

"What are you doing?" 

This is where it gets tricky for me these days. My answers in the past sounded like this:

"Atkins" 

"Slim Fast" 

"Weight Watchers" 

"Low Carb" 

"Mediterranean Diet" 

and so on. Some are embarrassing to admit I tried! 

And people would nod in agreement, because they totally knew what I was talking about. Now? When I say "I'm following a program called LEAP" I get blank stares and lots of questions. I start to go into the story of how I was feeling so bad, and then I met this amazing nutritionist, and took a blood test, and cured myself of all kinds of stuff. By this time, their eyes are getting glazed over (much like a donut I cannot have anymore) because (most of the time) all they really wanted to know was how I lost the weight. Oh yeah, by the way, I lost weight too. But not having weight loss be the primary reason to do a "diet" is so foreign to people. Not me anymore. I drank the Kool-Aid filtered lemon water and I am all about it.

I thought I would do a blog post listing why I do what I do. Why I gave up foods that I "loved" and am "depriving" myself and "not enjoying life". Quotations added to show sarcasm :) because this is a huge misconception about LEAP. I want people to know what LEAP really does for you - besides helping you lose weight.  I am also writing because I have had a few friends and even my MOM say "Just tell me what you are doing and maybe it will work for me too." Well, the thing is, it doesn't work that way. Because LEAP is a personalized program that starts with a blood test (with your blood!) and your results are going to be different from anyone else's. It's like going to a friend's house, opening their medicine cabinet, and taking their prescription for heart medicine because you have an ear ache. It's literally the wrong way to treat yourself and can wind up hurting you. Same thing with LEAP. Everyone's sensitivities will be different!

Here's the skinny (full disclosure: pun is always intended) on the benefits of doing LEAP

• Weight Loss. OK I am putting this first just in case that's all you want to know. But weight loss is what I like to call a "happy side effect" of LEAP. If you just want to lose weight, I highly recommend Weight Watchers. It's one of the most balanced diets out there and it will help you to learn portion control and healthy guidelines. Look at Jennifer Hudson.  She looks amazing, and is keeping it off.  WW lets you see how much you are really eating, giving insight to why you are not losing weight. So that's that. I am actually doing WW myself now (more on that later) in conjunction with LEAP, because I need to be held accountable. 

PLEASE NOTE: even though weight loss shouldn't be the only reason you try LEAP, if you are unable to lose weight no matter what you try, it may be for an underlying condition which would benefit from doing LEAP and is worth a shot! This was true in my case! Check out the links at the end of this post.

Here are the REAL reasons you should consider doing LEAP. These are chronic conditions that can be made worse by food sensitivities (which LEAP will identify for you) The highlighted ones were my reasons!

• Irritable Bowel syndrome, Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and heartburn
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue or general malaise
• Restlessness, irritability, depression, anxiety and mood swings
• Muscle or joint pain, aching or stiffness
• Chronic Sinusitis or sinus pain, runny nose, stuffy nose, post nasal drip
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• ADHD
• Eczema, Dermatitis, Psoriasis and other skin rashes
• Obesity and weight imbalances
• Thyroid disorders
• PCOS and related infertility issue
• Health: All you have to do is look at the laundry list of symptoms I came to Emily with to figure out how LEAP can benefit these issues. I had suffered (not being dramatic, it was suffering) from all of those things for YEARS. My biggest concerns were my digestive issues and my fibromyalgia. I knew that my fibro was most likely caused by some kind of inflammation in my body but no doctor could really help me understand it. I hurt ALL THE TIME. So I researched it a lot online and started to try things like cutting out sugar, which would help a little but not provide significant relief. I had pain which no one could explain, and that's enough to make someone feel crazy (and the fact that some doctors wanted to prescribe me Prozac only confirmed that). I knew I wasn't crazy (I know, that's what crazy people say) so that wasn't a good solution for me. My results of being on LEAP gave me a 50+ point reduction in my LDL (lousy) cholesterol, causing my cardiologist to fist pump me in the office. I had had an allergic reaction to my Simvastatin and the healthy eating and exercise habits I developed on LEAP helped naturally lower my high cholesterol. Also, since I had taken up running, my injuries such a shin splints, sore ankles etc started to lessen. Partially due to the weight loss I am sure, but I also need to give credit to the healthier eating I was doing. I recovered rather quickly from the pain of my first half marathon last October. The fact that I was able to FINISH one was nothing short of a miracle! My fibromyalgia is GONE BABY GONE. Vanished. Finito. I want to shout it from the rooftops! This is how I know this works. 

• Medicine: As a result of being on LEAP, I no longer need a pill to control my cholesterol. I am also off of my Nexium (previously on Prevacid)  for my GERD (which I had been taking for over 7 years) and off of my daily dose of Miralax (my doctor's "fix" for my digestive issues. I had taken it every day for almost 3 years and knew THAT wasn't healthy!) I am kind of saving a lot of money at the drugstore these days because food is my medicine (a philosophy Emily talks about often on her Facebook page) and found a healthy digestive enzyme Emily recommended that has my tummy under control and doing what it should.

• Mood: Those of you who know me may find it hard to believe I had mood swings. And those of you who REALLY know me will not find it so hard to believe :) I was irritable a LOT, and it wouldn't take much to set me off. Don't get me wrong - coming from NY, I am still capable of some zingers when called for - but overall, I am a more pleasant, patient person, and my family has taken notice. "I" have taken notice! Sometimes I am like, "Wow, that really would have bothered me last year" and am able to overcome it with without losing my temper or having a meltdown. All because of the food I am eating. Hmmph. Who'da thunk it. 

• Clarity: The "fibro fog" you hear about is a real thing. All I can say is that I am literally cured of my fibromyalgia and all the unpleasantness that came from it, including the mental fog that clouded my days. I feel much more aware and mindful and in tune with life in general. That is not some "new age" way of saying I am groovy man, and in touch with the universe - I am just saying that I feel sharper mentally. Look out ;)

• Sleep: I used to be able to sleep all day if you let me. On my days off, it was not unheard of to wake up at 1. As in, one p.m. And my sleep was not a "restful" sleep. And my over indulgences of the day would lead to uncomfortable night times when I would literally cry myself to sleep (this is honesty, people) because I was so full, and guilty about what I had eaten. Now? I go to sleep like a baby and am able to wake up at a decent hour. "Sleeping in" lasts til 9am these days. 

• Energy: Before LEAP I was tired ALL THE TIME. Even after sleeping for 9 hours, I was just exhausted all day. A few weeks into the program, I was jumping out of bed at 7:30 a.m. and not finding myself yawning at lunchtime. It was a palpable feeling, and quickly became addictive. I looooove not being tired during the day! 

• Migraines: This is also on the LEAP list of conditions that can be helped. I would get such bad migraines, I couldn't blink without cringing. News flash: I have not had a migraine in just about a year. When did I start LEAP? Just about a year ago. Coincidence? Me thinks not. 

• Cravings: One of my favorite "Eureka!" moments (and I have had lots) during this program was one night, about 3 weeks after I started LEAP, I realized out of the blue that I didn't want anything to eat. That nothing in the cupboards or freezer was "calling my name" and that I was not mindlessly opening and closing the fridge or cabinet doors looking for something to satisfy my cravings. Still, to this day, my cravings are all but gone. Sometimes I "get a hankering" for something, but it's different. (Tonight, it was grapes). It's not like "I have to have this NOW" like I used to get when I ate sugar (lots and lots of sugar!). "Eating clean" and not having processed foods has my body getting the nutrients it needs and my body is a happy (satisfied) camper. I eat normal portions and am satisfied with normal portions. I have not felt "stuffed" since starting LEAP. Not once. 

• Cooking: Boy, did I learn a lot. I have tried things I never thought I would try. And I became hyper-aware of the ingredients in everything I bought (in the beginning, what I bought WAS the ingredient!) and now, I am a CLC (Certified Label Checker. Self-proclaimed.) Before, my label checking consisted of making sure the 1st word on my bread ingredient list was "whole" because that's what I had been taught. Silly girl! I experimented with new recipes and had both success and failures but I learned to try new things (pinto beans and almond flour are LEAP favorite finds) I have alternatives to the things I "loved" (tonight was a brownie batch, and it was better than the other ones pre-LEAP for real.) Check out Emily's Pinterest page to get some amazing LEAP friendly recipes! She has them categorized by food type so you can easily find your non-reactive foods. This was a LIFESAVER during my first few weeks! 

So, those are the best benefits of LEAP, and ones that I am now not willing to trade in for anything I have had to give up. I do not want to go back to the life I had before, because it was not an abundant life. I felt crappy, I looked crappy (pictures now confirm my puffiness and bloating) and I did not have a happy heart. 

When I weighed in Friday, I realized I had lost 20% of my body weight. Even though I have been going on about LEAP not being a weight-loss plan, I can't say that I am not thrilled about this milestone, because I know the health benefits I will reap. Healthier heart, lowered risk of diabetes...I am out of the "obese" category on the BMI chart. It's very empowering for me. LEAP gave me back my confidence, and allowed me to heal my body inside-out. 

Wanna take a LEAP of faith? How to start? My best resource is the person who started me on my LEAP journey, the person I keep talking about, :) Emily. Check out her website on all things LEAP for detailed info. She was simply a blessing in the midst of all of my confusion about where to start and what to do, and she gave me the kick the the rear (lovingly disguised as encouragement) I needed to get me going. I went "all in" and took my LEAP of faith and I am so happy I trusted the process, which I do not think I would have done without Emily. She will work with you long-distance (I am in PA, she is in Utah, and she might as well have been right next door because she was always there for me.) 

Let me say that I have absolutely, positively nothing to gain by talking about LEAP or Emily. You can try to find someone near you if you want. But I know that my experience with Emily made all the difference (Emily I know you are reading this and I apologize if I am making you blush!) I simply am so excited about this new abundant life of mine and I want to share however I can, because I know there is someone out there who is just like me and looking for answers and if I can help just that one person, then I am paying it forward. LEAP made me want to go back to school to take some nutrition classes because it literally changed my life. I get asked questions, so I am providing a resource for answers. Do your own research and see if LEAP is right for you based on what you might be going through. Make an investment in yourself like I did; it is a priceless gift and one that I am thankful for every day. 

There are sacrifices; there are things you "love" now (but do not love you back!) that you might think you will "miss" - but LEAP helps you get over that emotional attachment to food, once you realize the physical (and mental) benefits. When my mom realized that I do not eat dairy, she said "Well if I am reactive to milk I am not giving it up because I enjoy my lattés too much." Another friend said that she was "afraid to do the test because it might say something she didn't want to hear." Lemme tell ya, if you are not willing to give up a certain food even after you find out it is making you sick, you are SO not going to do well on LEAP. Why even bother?  I made up my mind that after trying everything, I was willing to do what I had to do. Because I was sick & tired of being sick & tired, cow's milk be damned! 

I am not a paid LEAP spokesperson (but will happily take the gig if it's available, haha) - I am just an average person who went way too many years being misdiagnosed for things that could be treated with simply eating the right food. I do not want to lament the years that I feel were "wasted"- but boy oh boy, am I cherishing the years my days are making now, because I have literally never felt so good in my life. I am still "all in" and loving every minute of it. This is what LEAP did for me! Feel free to comment if you are a fellow LEAP-er to encourage those who might need it. 

Diana 

P.S. The picture on this blog is from Christmas; I celebrated my 30-pound milestone. Now, in July, I am at 37 pounds. Doing the math, you will see this is a "slow and steady" kind of thing. I was in maintenance for a while and am now pushing towards my goal in a healthy manner using WW to count my "points" as I follow my LEAP program. I need this because if I do not 'count', I tend to under eat. This is what works for me; in the beginning of LEAP it's important NOT to focus on the counting (calories or points or whatever) as you calm down your immune system. 

Goodbye Party

We have had a couple of goodbye parties at work lately. A Team Member moved out of state; another started pastry school; another left to have a baby and concentrate on motherhood. I always say "I hate to see you go but I love to see you grow" - that's true, but it's still tough to say goodbye to people that have been a part of your life for so long.


I was reminded of a goodbye party I had for myself about 9 months ago. I was reminded of it, because I found myself at the "scene of the crime" today. One of my most favorite places in the world - Wegman's.

Wegman's wasn't exactly the scene of the so-called crime. The shopping center where it's located was. I found myself there today, on my day off, because I was in need of going through a "wash out" phase of LEAP (where you go back to basics, the 1st week's list of foods, to kind of get back on track and detox a bit from any reactions you may be having) and Wegman's is chock-full of LEAP-friendly stuff.

The first time I started LEAP (about 9 months ago) I went off to Wegman's, list in hand. But, before I entered the store of organic and healthy foods, I decided to have myself a goodbye party for some food I wouldn't be having for a while. And by "for a while" I meant possibly never.

Chick-Fil-A was my first stop. Fried chicken tenders, waffle fries and ranch dressing please. Then it was off to Sweet Frog for some yogurt topped with all kinds of stuff I loved (like Snocaps and fudge and sprinkles and more fudge) - you may have read an earlier post about the tear that fell into that yogurt as I had the poor me's about my "last supper." I have had a few good laughs when I remember that.

A friend of a friend posted on Facebook about going out to "live it up" before they started a certain diet & exercise routine. Something about stuffing their face with potatoes. Been there, done that. Back when I tried Atkins, I probably had the same DNA as this guy the night before I went carb-free:

I have come a loooong way. Through LEAP I was given knowledge about the foods that were hurting my body. And this is my Eureka! moment about that:

Stuff that makes me feel bad does NOT deserve a party. 

You wouldn't throw a party for someone who is mean to you, right? Someone who hurt you? The food I was eating was literally making me sick - hurting me! - and until I realized how good I felt when I stopped eating it, I didn't fully understand that not eating it was celebration enough!

With LEAP, the only things I have to have a goodbye party for are pain, medicine, and discomfort. And the by-products that come with feeling good about yourself also let you have a goodbye party for insecurity, self-doubt and self-pity. It's an incredibly empowering experience, and I highly recommend it :) For those of you curious about LEAP (or just eating better!), start here and meet my LEAP mentor Emily, who has some amazingly sound nutritional advice!

I know you've done it. Smoked half a pack of cigs the night before you quit, drank half a bottle of wine they night before you want to dry out, ate half a batch of cookies on Sunday (because Monday was Diet Day.) Here's the thing: don't have a party about something that isn't good for you. Celebrate the good stuff, not the bad stuff! Eating 5 potatoes or half a dozen cupcakes will make you SICK, not happy. And if you're not supposed to have it, you certainly shouldn't overdose on it! It's a lesson I learned the hard way.

Once I got into my LEAP groove, I didn't overeat. I didn't feel overstuffed, I didn't feel bloated, I didn't have food comas. I just ate what I was supposed to eat and voila! - I started to feel healthier. And more importantly, I started to BE healthier. It's a feeling I want to keep feeling.

Today as I drove up to Wegman's a small smile came across my lips as I drove past Chick-Fil-A and Sweet Frog. I thought about the girl who cried a salty tear into her overly sweet yogurt. I am not that girl anymore. Yes, I have had some slip-ups lately, and I am in need of a little do-over. But knowing that didn't give me a free pass to have another "last supper." Without fanfare, I loaded my cart with my Week 1 foods. I didn't have to sneak anything in to eat tonight because I couldn't have it tomorrow. I have been faithful to LEAP about 90% of the time these past few months. Lately, I started to test some ingredients that haven't agreed with me, and now everything is so jumbled up I don't know what the heck I am having reactions to (feeling fatigued, skin breaking out, eczema, etc) so I am simply going back to what I know works. To know that THAT is what my "comfort zone" now is, is somewhat amusing. And comforting. It feels so good to know that I am not held in bondage by my old bad habits.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

I can say with a very strong amount of confidence that the old has indeed passed away; the new me is here, and it feels great. By the grace of God, I will get back on track and stay back on track.

Tomorrow's menu includes steel cut oats in the slow cooker and chicken and green beans, along with some watermelon and pineapple. Now THAT'S what I call party food :)

Reminders

It's amazing that even after some hard life lessons, we still need to be reminded of things that we SHOULD just automatically remember. But then what I like to call "convenience amnesia" sets in. 

Yesterday was my Dad's birthday. He would have been 66. His birthday is always a reminder to me not to take anything for granted. When he passed, he was just 58 years old. That seems so young to me - in 10 years, my husband will be that age. I couldn't fathom losing him that soon. 

After years pass, it is easy to "forget". Life starts to get in the way. Tempers flare and the preciousness of relationships are hard to remember. Things get said that cannot be unsaid. We forget. Oh, how we forget. 

I quit smoking the day my Dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. That was a lesson I do not need to be reminded about; I will never smoke again. I am amazed that anyone who watched him go through his battle can ever light up again. But that's what the convenience amnesia can do to you. Sometimes, you remember. I will never smoke again.  Sometimes, you forget. And need to be reminded. In a not-so-great way.

Recently, I started to venture out into uncharted territory concerning my diet. I have been feeling a little bold. Eating things with a few more ingredients in the list than I should. Testing things. Having convenience amnesia about what food did to me before I started LEAP. 

Starbucks soy lattes wound up not causing a reaction. Until I started having one almost every day. Cue the bloating and the eczema back in full force. 

A few pieces of dark chocolate are good for you, right? Right. True for most people anyway. Until a few pieces becomes a few pieces more. I forgot that sugar is NOT my friend. Cue the insomnia, bad mood, and fatigue. My son actually asked me "Did you have sugar or something?" because I got a little snappy with him. Ouch. That obvious, huh? 

A few weeks ago, my mom made peanut butter eggs for Easter. My favorite. It hasn't been Easter since I started LEAP. I normally would have been like "no way" but me and my bold self decided to give one a try. Here's the thing: I didn't even LIKE the way it tasted. But I ate it, because I remember I used to like it. Only my fellow food addicts will "get" that. Anyway, it had some pretty bad consequences. I threw up. It was so uncomfortable and I realized that maybe I 'shocked' my system with all the non-friendly ingredients that were in it (have I mentioned that I had already proven peanut butter is no good for me?) Same thing happened the other day when I had a burger. 3 times now, I have tried for a plain burger when going out to eat. 3 times now, I have thrown up after eating said burger. You remember the definition of insanity right? 

I am not sure what the heck I was thinking. Except that beef is an OK food for me, and maybe it was the method of cooking that wound up not being OK. But I know now that I am not going to order another burger when eating out. Lesson learned. Takes me a while but...lesson learned. 

I do not want to forget the way I feel when I feel great. I also do not want to forget the way I feel when I feel bad. These are the REMINDERS I need! They're what YOU need if you are struggling with doing the right thing with food choices, too. 

Eat like crap, feel like crap. 

But how weird is it that we eat like crap again, just to prove that statement to ourselves? Maybe "weird" isn't the right word. Maybe "crazy" is. Because that's how I have been feeling lately. Just plain crazy for forgetting the most important lesson - that taking care of my body with good food choices has very, very good consequences. As my Dad used to say: "Hello, DUH!" Big time duh. I was doing so awesome. Now I am up 3 pounds, am feeling the fatigue, and had a migraine today for the first time in almost 8 months. Ugh. I was doing so awesome, and then I started to color outside the lines. 

Don't get me wrong here - I have not fallen completely off the wagon. I am still a LEAP-er at heart and for life and am making good choices MOST of the time. I just need to be consistent, and REMEMBER the basics. I simply cannot have the life I had before, if I want to have the abundant life that's ahead of me. That's it. Those two things cannot coexist in my new world. 

I have proven to myself - once again - that the choices I make when I put food in my body will have consequences. And I will pay for them. And I am grateful that God gives me reminders along the journey of life, so I won't forget the lessons I have learned. So that I won't take for granted anything or anyone that makes my life a better place to be. So that I remember. 

The words we say have consequences. They can affect our relationships. 

We should choose our words wisely. 

The food we eat has consequences. It can make us sick, or it can help make us well. 

We should make our choices wisely. 

The choices we make have consequences. Choose to smoke and drink, and your health will suffer. Choose wisely. 

Proverbs 15:32 says 

"Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, 

but the one who heeds correction gains understanding."  

This is my new favorite verse. It sums up perfectly what I have felt and learned. I am heeding the correction and remembering. I am reminded of why I started LEAP in the first place. I remember why I stopped smoking. I remember why I stopped drinking. I remember why I stopped eating the food that was making me sick. And I will take one day at a time so that those precious reminders help me continue to make the good choices I need to continue on a healthy, happy journey. 

SO I pretty much can say been there - done that - got the T-shirt :) Can you?  

Traps

Ever fall into a trap? It always happens when I am on a path to get healthy. Sometimes you don't realize you were in one until you get out of it. And sometimes you are in so deep, you don't see a way out, and the trap becomes...comfortable. Normal. But it's not. Hindsight is 20/20. After I get out, I know I was in. Very rarely do I see it when I am in it.

The biggest traps are always the one surrounding diets. I've found my way in and out of a few lately. Wanted to share and maybe you can identify yourself!

Doing LEAP has shown me that  there is a whole new world available to me. That world, at first, was kind of small. The first few phases of the diet were very restrictive as I eliminated reactive foods and went through the "Immuno-Calm" phase. I had a few choices of what I could eat, and that was all I could eat.  I kind of liked that. I found that having too many choices in life got me into trouble in the first place. LEAP got me back on track, reined in my cravings (and then obliterated them) and helped me kick off my weight loss, which I had had trouble with for so many years. Then I got to add things in week by week. By the end of month 3, I could "challenge" some of my yellow foods (although this does not mean color, I might have confused my family by challenging bananas & eggs first, haha). I also found lots of snacks that fit my LEAP needs. Like....LOTS of snacks. And that was when I tripped and fell into...

The Convenience Trap

If you've read my "Food for Thought" entry you know all the great things I found. Popcorn, chips, fruit snacks. I even made cookies that tasted like cookies (trust me, my earlier attempts with limited ingredients and "homemade eggs" were not exactly edible- even though I admit in my desperate state I ate them anyway). So excited was I to eat like a "real girl" (insert Pinocchio voice here) that I focused on those snacks and went a little overboard. In the beginning of LEAP, my snacks were fruit and nuts. LOTS of fruit. And here I was grabbing single size servings of Popcorners (still love 'em ... stay with me here) and fruit strips and dishing out Plentils at night and suddenly I realized I had not had a real, genuine piece of fruit in...well, in days. And that bothered me a lot. I had to check myself before I wrecked myself and became a fast-food junkie (even on healthy food!) - I still want to stick to the "source" when I can, and have the majority of my food in its natural state. I have my snacky-snacks but now I treat them like treats and don't have more than one kind a day to make them feel more special. Let's face it - fast food is more convenient than cooking at home, but it's certainly not as GOOD for you as a home cooked meal! Same principle. I didn't have too much time to celebrate seeing my way out of that trap when I fell into another one...

The Lazy Trap

After getting over the flu, which took the better part of two weeks, I was determined to get out and run. It had been a while, since it had been so darned cold and I really (really) hate the cold. And then I was recuperating and simply couldn't exert the energy. And then, when I could have, I made excuses. It was still too cold. I had so much work to catch up on (even though I only actually missed ONE day of work due to the illness). I would see people running along the road as I drove by and felt that little pang of guilt but shooshed it away with a "crazy person!" snort. Once I got out and ran on the freakish 50-degree day we had recently, I realized that I had fallen into the lazy trap big time. And I ran my way out of it. Thankfully this time it was just a  few weeks - not months - of that trap. It's one of the most dangerous ones for me, because lazy is easy. If it wasn't there wouldn't be so many treadmills open at the gym. I consider a few weeks of lazy (following my illness mind you - oops was that an excuse) progress. Because I got out of it faster than I had before. And that, friends, is progress. Until I stumbled and fell into

The Size Trap 

I wanted to find out who I should call, to let them know I am the only person I know who gained 3 pounds while having the flu. There had to be a number somewhere.  Anyway, one of the myths I have debunked is that you cannot gain weight eating healthy food. And when you combine eating too much with not exercising...well, I am no rocket scientist, but I figured this one out rather quickly. But the trap I was in was new to me after being on LEAP so long. Because after I lost the initial 30 pounds, I fell into a steady pattern of maintenance. And that was A-OK because it allowed me to catch up mentally to where I was physically, which I needed. But once I saw that scale go up 3 pounds, I panicked. Like, legit panicked. I tried on my size 8's (they still fit) and then, because I am me, I tried on my 14's (they were still too big). I started to obsess about getting those 3 pounds off. And I got scared that I was going to gain all my weight back so I weighed myself daily (bad idea - bad, bad idea.) As soon as I started to track my food and eat healthy portions of my healthy foods, my body responded. I went over my healthy rules to live by - enough water? Nope. Exercising? Nope. So I accepted the fact that I was wearing my actions- literally, wearing those 3 pounds - and I allowed myself to breathe and realize it was a temporary state of being and that my body had NOT let me down thus far. I started doing the math, and the 3 pounds came off. I love this kind of math, because it is reassuring. I do not want to be the girl who packs her scale when she goes on vacation. Been there, done that, not fun. Being in the size trap automatically comes with a free pass to...

The Woe is Me Trap 

Man, did I feel sorry for myself before I got on LEAP.  The only thing I can compare it to is a long distance relationship (me and my romantic heart had several over my younger years). Picture your boyfriend getting on a bus. You know he is leaving, you don't know when you'll see each other again, and you just want to hang on to him as long as you can. Now, replace the vision of the handsome boyfriend and insert a vision of a chocolate chip cookie, and you will know how I was feeling about doing LEAP. Dramatic? ME? oh yes. Yes, very much so. Instead of looking at all the things I COULD have, I looked at my red & yellow foods - the no-no foods. There was a lot of woe-ing going on. I thought about my trip to Disney - 4 months into the future - and what I couldn't have and how all the fun was going to be sucked out of my happy place. Woe. After LEAP, I would get the woe's from people who felt sorry for me. They made me feel woe-ish when I wasn't feeling it myself. "I feel so SORRY for you!" they would lament as their fork dove in for another hunk of chocolate cheesecake, their eyes droopy with sympathy as I stuck my fork into a piece of cantaloupe. I actually enjoyed that cantaloupe, and didn't need the sympathy, but my protests of "I'm fine, I am enjoying this" seemed to go unnoticed. Food simply doesn't equal fun to me anymore, and though there are times a little woe sneaks into my day, I am OK with the cookie getting on the bus. With a one-way ticket. :) 

Got Traps? I may be in one right now - I'll let you know when I get out. The wonderful thing about LEAP is how my mind is evolving along with my body. I know that I am making better choices for me, and I feel great. I have one of the greatest gifts: clarity. My mind is different (I swear, the bad foods were fogging my mind. For realz.) 

Think about it - really think about it - as to what kind of trap you may be in right now. Every day is a new day, a chance to start over. 

Lamentations 3:22,23 “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”

New every morning. A chance to start over. A mulligan. Take it! It's never too late to realize you're in a trap, and to get the heck out of it. I usually laugh when I look back (usually) and realize how I'd been hoodwinked - often by myself - but there's always a way out - a better way. 

Find it! 

Rules

I've learned a few things about rules while following LEAP.

First, some rules need to be followed and never broken. Do not eat reactive foods is pretty much a no-brainer. And once I started feeling good - like, good-good - I didn't want to eat that stuff anyway. It was kind of the first time in my "dieting" life that I didn't break a rule. And I put "dieting" in quotes because that's not really what I am doing, even though LEAP has helped me lose the excess weight I have been wanting to get rid of. I stuck by the rules, and it paid off in spades. Not just on the outside, either - my cholesterol went down 55 points. That is fifty-five for all of you who think I typo-ed that. FIFTY FIVE. As I say goodbye to 2012, this is one of my proudest accomplishments.

Another rule I had to follow was to track what I was eating. In the beginning, I wasn't eating enough - I wasn't planning my meals or making sure I had things with me for snackmergencies. When I finally did add up my meals, I realized some days I was eating less than 1,000 calories - no bueno! SO I made a conscious effort to make sure I was getting enough of what I needed - and then the magic started to happen.

I have also learned that there are LOTS of rules to break. So, I broke 'em. Here's a list of my bad-ass behavior and the rules I broke:

1. You can only have breakfast foods for breakfast. With a limited amount of items on my first phases, I had to think outside the (cereal) box. And eggs were one of my "yellow" foods so they were out (yellow has nothing to do with color, it is a "caution"moderately reactive food. Actually, thinking about the foods like a traffic light helped me a lot - green meant go, yellow meant slow down (for now) and red meant stop! I have recently begun to challenge some yellow foods, but that's another blog.) So it went for lunch & dinner too. I remember when my son was little - 5, maybe - and I was a single mom, out of money and low on food and it was close to paycheck time. We had cereal for dinner. His little 5-year old self looked at me in shock and exclaimed "We can't have CEREAL for dinner!" and I explained to him there weren't any 'rules' that said we couldn't. So we did and it felt fun and...naughty. Fast-forward 11 years and I was the one having oatmeal for dinner some nights, because it was good and on my plan and I was out of options. I would have oatmeal for lunch sometimes too (I know, I know, I am out of control). Cashews & cheddar cheese made a great lunch, and so did Udi's granola with almond milk. Never would have planned for that before.

This was my dinner the other night:

What is it? It's quinoa pasta, fried with a scrambled egg. In walnut oil. Now, a few months ago, I never would have thought to myself "Gee, I have a hankering for some quinoa pasta and an egg fried in walnut oil!" but then again, I had the world as my oyster, and I was in trouble from it. So, I have really become a whole new person with a whole new set of thoughts, and I have found a whole new healthier world because of LEAP. Have whatever you want, whenever you want - just stay on plan. (by the way, I can have eggs now- after 3 months I was able to "challenge" them and I did fine!)

2. Stay in your comfort zone to be successful. For this example of a perfectly broken rule, I shall use the pinto bean. Pintos were on my protein list for phase one, and I remember just ignoring them until I got kind of tired of my other choices, so I googled how to eat them. And the next time I made chicken I sautéed some pinto beans and onions with it and my world was changed forever. Like, for real. This is not drama. Pinto beans changed my world. My son actually requests them because he tried them and loved them. And I use them at least twice a week in my recipes because I am in love with this little bean. I would have never, ever tried pinto beans, EVER, were it not for LEAP. And it was an "uncomfortable" trial because I had no idea what I was in for. I am very adventurous by nature - I love to travel! - and LEAP brought that out in me in another dimension of my life. The food dimension. I have also become fond of apricots, dried plums (don't call them prunes now) and the spice cumin. I wanted to "bread" my meat in the worst way, so I threw my allowed spices in with some almond flour and "breaded" it. Heaven. (side note: don't flip meat too often, it tends to be crumblier than bread-breading) While choices are limited in the beginning phases, and you see things that are "new", give 'em a try! Even if you are not on LEAP and some of this language about phases and such doesn't make sense....getting out of your comfort zone is a healthy thing to do! Especially if your comfort zone involves highly processed foods and ice cream and cupcakes with gobs of icing. Because that's exactly what my comfort zone was, and I was sick from it. Not just sick in my belly because I ate too much crap, but sick on the inside with inflammation and bad feelings and low energy and fibromyalgia. The snacks I am finding now with LEAP friendly ingredients (see my Food for Thought post) are seriously as good - no, they are better - than the snacks I had before. Going to health food stores, and gourmet food shops, just to get food I can eat and feel happy about is new. And it's comfortable now :)

3. Give up all the things you love. This I was sure I would have to do. There was a tear in my frozen yogurt the night before I started LEAP. I mourned the loss of my beloved Disney Mickey bars on my next trip. But then, a few months into LEAP, I realized the food I thought I loved really didn't love me back. As a matter of fact, it hurt me (and love shouldn't hurt, y'all). And I found NEW things to love. Things that loved me back. Like the chocolate cookies I just made, and the potato chips with avocado oil and salt and nothing else. Yup, that's right, chocolate cookies and potato chips are part of my life now. they are just HEALTHY versions, and ones I can feel good about. I ain't givin' up nothin'.  I remember Jen telling me (when I told her I loved cupcakes) that there was "probably something else going on" and it wasn't really that I loved cupcakes. Yup, that was true. And I just ordered a new cupcake book on Amazon (you can find it here) to make myself some healthy cupcakes that won't make me feel bad.

4. You have to spend tons of money on healthy food.  At first, my grocery bill did go up. I had to buy a whole round of meals for me, and another round for my boys. But then, it evened out, and as I added things in, I was able to make things we could all eat. Like pork & sauerkraut. And when I made chicken, I left off the pepper and let them season it themselves on their plates. OK, so I confess we haven't had any "Quinoa pasta & eggs in walnut oil" family meals, but mostly we all eat the same thing. I haven't been able to convert them to my snacks - more for me, haha - but when I find something new at the store, I buy one, then if I love it, I go to Amazon and get a case of it. I just did that with Popcorner chips. 40 one-ounce bags coming to the doorstep of yours truly this week! And it's really not that expensive. I would much rather spend a few more dollars on healthy, wholesome food than shell out my $20 copay at the doctors every other week to figure out why I feel bad, or shell out my prescription money (did I mention I am off all my meds?) - you get the picture. And I am less inclined to go out to eat nowadays (when I make it myself I am sure of the ingredients - in spite of best efforts you just never know what you're gonna get!) so there's some savings. I actually eat LESS now. Because I am more satisfied with the food I am eating - no empty calories here! - and I do not graze all day, I eat less. So no, I am not spending "tons"more. A little more on ingredients maybe (like almond flour for my baking) but all in all, I am worth it, it is worth it.

5. It's all-you-can-eat since it's healthy for you.  Did you know that a cup of cashews has 832 calories? Um, yeah. So I eat a quarter cup. And since weight loss is totally calories in, calories out, you need to pay attention to that if weight loss is one of your goals.

So there you go, I'm a rule breaker and I have never been happier. As I say goodbye to this year - the one that helped me finally find myself under all that extra weight - I believe Jeremiah 29:11 is coming true for me - that my hope and a future is ahead.

As you ponder what your resolutions are for this new year, add the word "because" after them to give them real meaning and give yourself a reason to succeed! If weight loss is on your list (as it has been even single year for me!) then consider what you really need to do to make it happen. Commit.

And go ahead...break some rules.

Communication

Odd as though it may seem for someone who loves to write, I sometimes have a little trouble communicating. Not ever on how I FEEL but on what I NEED.

When I first started the LEAP program, I was kind of "quiet" about it. No "Facebook Official" announcement, even. I just wanted to concentrate on my mission (and to be honest, didn't want to announce something lest I should fail).

So, when time came for me to take my first trip, I packed up some food to take along with me. It was a work trip, and I was part of a committee that involved...taste testing (the irony was not lost on me, trust me). I had to check the FAA website to make sure pouches of tuna was allowed. They were. There wasn't actually a paragraph on tuna...but I figured it out. Anyway, the guy who sat next to me wasn't too happy but I stayed on plan.

On the way to the hotel, I asked the driver to stop at a local grocery store so I could get some of my LEAP friendly foods - some fruit & oatmeal. It was all very quiet until I walked into the hotel and the lady in charge of planning the meeting came up to me and cooed "Oh, you didn't tell me you had special needs! You should have let me know!" Apparently, my colleague who was sharing the car ride from the airport had let them know we would be arriving a little later, and shared what I was buying and why. Out of the goodness of his heart, I'm sure, but I was mortified when all eyes turned on me.

Special needs?

OMG, I wanted to die. I murmured something like "It's nothing special really" and brought my oatmeal, 2 oranges and 3 apples to my room, feeling kind of like a criminal. I didn't want to do drama and call attention to my...um...special needs. Now everyone would act like I had the plague or something.

Later that night at dinner I had to ask for a hamburger, plain, no seasonings...and trying to do that quietly in front of 10 people around one big table is tough. So a conversation started about LEAP and everyone seemed pretty fascinated by it. My lady-planner friend pressed me for details on what exactly I could eat and then hooked me up with the girl who was planning our meals, who passed my concerns to the chef, who prepared special meals for me over the next few days. Which totally helped me not starve stay on program. When it came time to taste test, I skipped over the items that I was reactive to and sampled the fresh fruit - no one really even noticed what I was eating.

The most important lesson from that trip is that by communicating what I needed (albeit by force) I got what I needed. What a novel thought! You mean, if I ask for what I want I get it? Neat!

I tested the waters once again when I went to Myrtle Beach for my first 1/2 marathon. I had a few speed bumps until I found my voice -the one that said "I am paying for this I should have it how I want it" voice. (and by the way those exact words were on the inside...the outside came out sounding much more polite!) If you are ever there, go to the Landshark Bar & Grill on the ocean - this is the 1st time a chef came out and took my order and then came back to see how everything was. I was so impressed.

My trip to Disney really drove that home. They totally catered to my "special needs" and didn't make me feel like a nuisance because of it. I am one of those people that doesn't want to "put people out" - ya know, make them do something special just for me. Because I am a people pleaser and that isn't too much of a people pleasing thing to do. But I learned that if I am going to be successful on LEAP I have to say what I can and cannot have so I get what I can have. And my trip was wildly successful and I didn't feel like a nuisance - I felt important. The "valued customer" kind of important. And that was empowering. I found my voice!

More and more places are realizing that Guests have special dietary needs and they are catering to those needs in the hopes of having happy customers. But you have to let them know. And you have to be committed enough to the program to not let eating out be a stressful thing.  I have learned to communicate my needs better so that I can enjoy a meal away from home.  Here are a few LEAP rules on eating out or going on vacation:

** Specify right away that you have special dietary needs. I have even called ahead and asked if certain things were prepared a certain way (is your meat marinated or injected? Is it possible to get my steak without butter? Those kind of questions). The really good restaurants will have the chef come to the table and discuss your meal. If they don't, ASK for the chef to come out! Too may things have gotten lost in translation by the time the server leaves the table to relay the message. Cut out the middle man!
**If you are shy, get un-shy. You need to find your voice - the one that says "I am important not only because I am a paying customer, but because I am taking care of myself and deserve to eat out too!" You many need to repeat this on the way to the restaurant several times - fake it til you feel it!
** You may have to use the "A" word for the establishments that do not understand what food sensitivities are. I have used it and do not think of it as lying. I think of it as a way to drive home that I cannot have certain things. "I'm allergic to pepper, can you please make sure that is not used in my meal?" Semantics, people. Semantics. Go ahead and whip out the A word when you feel it's necessary. No need to split hairs, you just want to make sure your meal is done right and oh yeah, you are paying for it, remember? Get what you want! You're not breaking any law!
**Have something with you just in case! This is a must! See my "food for thought" post for ideas! I brought a baked potato (the kind that is pre-wrapped and ready to nuke) with me and had them microwave it at the restaurant to eat with my plain chicken breast. This is no joke. I also brought my own "dessert" - an orange does the trick. You will not get in trouble for eating an orange at the table even if you didn't buy it there. Think about it - what the heck could they do to you anyway? I learned that I can't be embarrassed by taking care of myself. It actually sparked some fun conversations about LEAP.
** Think of what you might need to "go with" what they have. For me, I was concerned about breakfast (reactive to eggs, so I stuck to oatmeal on the trip) Most places serve plain oatmeal. But most places might not have the toppings you need for your cereal. I carried around a container of coconut sugar, and some "Plum-azings" to top off my oatmeal. Don't mind those stares - they're just jealous you thought ahead (: and who knows, a spontaneous episode of "Let's Make a Deal" might break out and your purse will be, like, SO totally prepared for those oddball questions of what's in your purse. That's the game I play in my head so I don't seem weird to myself. Go with what works for you! 
**Savor the moment of eating out and eating healthy! I was thrilled when I realized "normal" life didn't stop for me just because I am on LEAP. I can do the things I did before; I just do them a little differently now.
** Make sure your dining companions know that you will be ordering a little differently - and that might make the food take a little longer to come out. Make sure they know not to try and entice you to eat something off plan (if they are good friends they will not do that). I like to joke with the server that I am going to be a "little bit of drama" and then I ask for the chef. It's OK - they want a good tip and will make sure you are happy.
**MOST IMPORTANT! Do not let the menu scare you. I was starting to get scared at the Landshark in Myrtle Beach until the chef let me know he could make me something...um...special. A plain, unseasoned burger with a side of sliced pineapple and avocado was not on the menu, but it's what I got. 9.9 times out of 10 they have food "back there" that can be put together to meet your needs - you just have to communicate a little to make it happen.

Communication is the key to any good relationship, right? So use it in the relationship with YOU. Make sure you are finding your voice when you need to get what you need to stay on program! I don't think twice about it now. I just matter-of-factly tell them what I can have and they make it for me. It's a beautiful thing. Don't be afraid to speak up!

Food for thought

Thought I would do a post JUST on the LEAP friendly foods and snacks I have found after hours of reading labels over the past few months. In addition to Emily's Pinterest boards (where there are tons of ideas depending on what your non reactive foods are) there are LOTS of good things out there to help you feel "normal" (a relative term) - you just have to "dig" a little! It's not just for anyone on LEAP either - anyone wanting to eat "cleaner" can benefit! I've had a lot of people ask me "What do you EAT?" and here are some of the things that have made life more enjoyable as I have adjusted to my new lifestyle! It is so important to have healthy, portable snacks when I need them and these have totally made life easier. I know now that you do not have to sacrifice flavor when you give up the things you thought you loved. You just need to find better alternatives to the "bad" stuff.

Detoxinista has a great collection of recipes that just happened to fit my needs. The Almond Butter Fudge and Double Chocolate Cookies proved that I didn't have to give up "sweets" forever - I just had to make healthier ones! Eureka!
http://detoxinista.com/

Matt's Munchies were one of my GOLD MINE finds - yummy little squares of fruit with coconut topping - feels like candy! Island Mango are my favorite new sweet treat!
http://www.chefrobertsdirect.com/

I adore cereal. But there are so many ingredients in the "normal" boxes that I thought i was doomed from having a sweet, crunchy alternative. Then I found Oats. Best. Stuff. Ever. And I can pronounce all the ingredients. Coconut is my Fave!

Tell me if you can find popcorn with 3 ingredients. I double dog dare ya! This stuff  from Popcorn Indiana is such a wonderful treat while watching a movie, and I need to buy extra bags because my guys love it too.

I stumbled upon Stretch Island Fruit snacks when I was looking for "all natural" energy for my first 1/2 marathon - these healthy versions of "fruit leather" have become a staple in my purse for snackmergencies. I order them by the case from Amazon! I rotate flavors for variety (-:
Stretch Island on Amazon

This recipe for Chocolate Avocado Mousse saved my life. OK OK that is a little dramatic - but it felt like a decadent treat when I needed it. I subbed honey for the agave until I could challenge that - and it is great both ways.

Totally digging these Cocoroons - the brownies are my favorite - just one takes care of that sweet tooth! Even thought they are not what most would call typically "sweet", once your taste buds have adjusted they taste like candy.

Most potato chips are LOADED with yucky ingredients - but these ones from Good Health are just chips, oil & salt and they are TOTALLY DELICIOUS. So delicious, my son is addicted and I need to buy more than one bag at once. Thanks Emily for this great tip!

Speaking of chips, have you ever heard of Plentils? I found them by accident in the organic section of my local supermarket. It's just nice to have something to CRUNCH on! I do not question how they turn lentils into chips. I eat and enjoy them and that ignorance truly is bliss.

Popcorners are another amazing crunchy find - I love modern technology. Technology that turns popcorn into triangle-y chips of goodness. Major yum factor!

I thought cereal was a thing of my past until I found Udi's - and now I am in love. It is great with my almond milk and so much better than all those sugar-laden cereals! Try it - the vanilla/almond is my favorite. The natural/honey is great too, sometimes I do 1/4 cup of each if I am feeling really wild & crazy (-:

These snack bars by Coconut Secret are a recent find. I have tried the almond coconut one and found it to be very decadent - had to eat it off a plate because the chocolate melted fast but I really liked it. Not sure if I could eat more than one a week though! But what a nice treat!

I found this coconut sugar and was happy to have something to put in my coffee to sweeten it up! I also sprinkle it on my oatmeal. Haven't tried baking with it but that's coming soon.

Believe it or not a lot of the above things I found at Marshalls/TJ Maxx/HomeGoods! Their food section has an awesome selection of healthy, unusual treats! I am still in "discovery" mode. Grocery shopping takes me a little longer, because of all the reading I do - but it's worth the time to make sure I am staying on program.

Those are just some of the things I have found during my LEAP adventure. I look back on me at the beginning of all of this, when I was terrified of starting LEAP because of what I would have to give up. All the "fun" food I would be missing out on. Now, I have 'fun' experiencing the REAL tastes of REAL food and knowing that when I eat the foods that help my body, I feel great. I don't "miss" anything because there's nothing to miss- I have a whole new inventory of snacks to choose from and I am finding more things all the time!

Keep an eye out for hidden ingredients - once I find one I put down whatever I am looking at and move on. It's not worth it to me. I remember what I felt like when I ate "that stuff" and I am not willing to feel that way again. I am following Emily's rule of "If it's real, you can eat it" and realizing how many things out there are NOT even real! Scary stuff!

Hoping these things help you realize that you have options when it comes to snacks, and you do not have to "settle" for anything less than YUMMY when you are trying to change the way you eat for the better.

Much Love
Diana