As an adolescent, I was diagnosed with a rare hip condition that put me in a wheel chair. From that point on, my weight began to spiral out of control. In two years I managed to put on 80 pounds.
I had always been a healthy and active child, but being contained to a wheelchair made me feel restricted and depressed. I felt like I couldn’t control my weight or overall health because I could no longer walk.
This “giving up” caused me to indulge in foods like ice cream, chocolate, and cinnamon buns. I was lethargic and upset, experiencing daily hip and back pain. As the numbers on the scale went up, my self-esteem went down and it reflected in my interactions with other people.
One day I was sitting on a bean bag chair looking at the empty box from the pizza I had just devoured. The longer I looked at it, the more disgusted I felt. I knew I had to change, but I didn’t know how or even where to start, and I feared my hip condition would be an obstacle forever standing in my way.
Before I found a healthy diet that worked for me, I began with a crash diet consisting of rice cakes and watermelon. My weight yo-yoed and I wasn’t getting the results I hoped for. Even when I lost weight, I didn’t feel any better. I was still depressed and lethargic, but this time also hungry. I think I was looking for a quick fix instead of realizing that the weight didn’t come on overnight, and it wasn’t going to go away overnight either. In my early twenties, I finally learned the secret! Eating good, nutritious foods and being active, plain and simple. I began eating foods high in protein and fibre, and pushed myself into trying new activities. As I kept losing weight I would challenge myself more and more and eventually through good eating, exercise, my own perseverance, and endless support from my mother I managed to walk again.
I stumbled upon the Low Carb Grocery online five years ago, and have been shopping there ever since! The staff truly cares about helping you reach your health goals, and they have been a great source of encouragement. Chocolite caramel bars, Walden Farms BBQ sauces, Dukan Diet muffins – I could go on all day! When I first walked into the Burnaby store, seeing all the products I use to order online stocked on shelves, I turned to my sister and said “I feel like I’m at Disneyland!”.
Several years have passed since my overweight wheelchair days, I’m at 110 pounds and I feel better than ever. I was even able to stop taking medication for my hip pain. There aren’t enough words to describe the amazing difference I feel both mentally and physically.
Don’t start counting your obstacles before you try something new! When you want something bad enough, nothing can stand in your way.
-Erin S.