Author: CourtneyO

Christy

CourtneyOMay 18, 2015Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie,

First of all – thank you for sharing your story.

My name is Christy and I’m from St. Louis.

I feel that I have always been somewhat fit – but I don’t seem to feel that great. No major health issues, I just don’t think my quality of life is what it could be.

After reading your article, I am going to commit to doing what you did. I have quite the sweet tooth and although that will be a tough one, I want to feel good more than I want the sugar.

To give you a bit of info – I’m 53, 5’9 and weigh about 155. People tell me I’m skinny, but you know, I don’t have the energy or stamina I wish that I had. Honestly, I don’t think I look that thin – at least not by a healthy standard.

I am going to – beginning right now – cut out sugar and cut out bread.

I’m training for a 1/2 marathon with my nephew in October, so the exercise part is in check.

What is not in check – and why I would like your input   – is this –  WHAT DO YOU EAT? I guess what I would like from you is a sample menu of what foods you eat that leave you with having the energy to do your exercise routines, and feeling satisfied.

I would like to lose some weight, but more that that goal, I want to feel energetic and fit.

Unlike you, I don’t have any kids, so honestly, there is no excuse for me not being in amazing shape. I work full time and seem to come home from work, turn on the television and the night is shot.

Do you by chance have a book that would have this info in it?

Proof is in the pudding and you look great. Any tips you can send my way are appreciated. I looked up Dr. Dunlap, and although I cannot come to Nevada to see a doctor, I can certainly take away your tips. I asked my doctor this year if he thought an annual check-up is a good idea. He said no – not really – they just want your money.

I agree with your train of thought. Preventative health is just as important as treating real time illness. My mom is a diabetic – I don’t want to follow suit if I can help it.

Thank you Katie and keep up the great work.
Christy

Christy,

Thanks for sharing your story. My diet is so boring it might seem unsustainable but I have followed it for so long now I don’t even think about it.

Breakfast – Protein shake if I work out which holds me over to lunch. Banana and a hard boiled egg if I don’t work out

Lunch – Protein and vegetable

Dinner – Protein and vegetable

The Paleo cookbooks have great recipes to spice things up a bit. I don’t follow Paleo 100% as I do eat some dairy.

I have two things I cheat with occasionally – Starbucks Mocha and popcorn. That’s it. Otherwise I stay away from carbs and sugar. I eat fruit but very moderately as it has sugar so you want to be careful there. It took me about a month to cut out sugar and stop the withdrawals. Then the benefits of feeling great started kicking in and I don’t think about it much anymore. Occasionally I will eat something the kids bake but it usually makes me sick which is a great motivator not to touch it.

Good luck on your journey. Check in anytime you want!

Katie Coombs

Letter from C.S.

CourtneyOApril 27, 2015Comments OffConversations

Dear Ms. Coombs,

Thank you for your April 5, 2015 RGJ column, Finding healing through the words of Dr. Suess: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” I am glad he provides you relief. Coping skills grow from these events.

In the last 70 years, I developed many coping skills. I used them for the last two major ones: the amputation of my left leg below the knee in 2012, a wonderful gift because I’m out of pain (which registered at the 7 and 8 level even while resting) and then chemotherapy once monthly from March to July 2014. The rat poison killed the tumor, about the size of my fist, wrapped around my aorta where it bifurcates and killed my brains: memory and functioning. Couldn’t think or remember much. Currently my degenerative disc disease, or as I like to call it, my degenerate disc disease, generates chronic pain at three to four on the pain meter, occasionally spiking to a steady six followed by higher pain when I irritate it. Alas, no more golf. Before the back pain, I golfed on the new leg. “Accept the things I cannot change.” Several spinal interventions; drat, only minimal relief.

Last December and January, I went through the most painful experience of my life. Worse than losing my jock identity my sophomore year at Whitman College. Clipped twice, ruptured two discs and never played again, after playing since I was eight. Afterwards, sciatic pain dogged me for 20 years. This Winter pain worse than my first divorce, much more painful than mother’s death last April.

During this winter storm, I relearned the AA precepts of forgiveness and acceptance… the Serenity Prayer’s balm. Read Pema Chadron, When Things Fall Apart and David Rico’s The Five Things We Cannot Change: and the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them. I like Rico, because the Serenity Prayer in his focal point. In AA, we recite it at every meeting. Over the last 34 years, I’ve heard it 6000+ times. His message: change the inevitable. Suess-like, celebrate the past and accept it.

I wrote this haiku to celebrate and accept my loss:

To welcome the stump,

I wrote goodbye to my shin.

Glory days! Then wept.

Philosophically, I try to live in the Eternal Now. Those ads that talk about good futures water the mirage of control. Spiritual Fools Gold. In AA we say, “Man plans and God laughs.” We make plans but no longer plan the outcome. Spiritual equilibrium dies from stated and unstated expectations.

Rico says, everything changes and everything ends and pain is a part of life. The Buddha says the root of suffering is attachment. Like attachment to those pesky outcomes. Grieving is part of life. I’m glad you celebrated your son’s new coaching life and Mason’s toothy T-ball smile, “accepting the things you cannot change.

I hope this helps you on your, probably perpetual, healing journey. Keep up the good work. Thanks for your courage to share yourself with us.

Blue skies,
C.S.

Diana & Katie

CourtneyODecember 2, 2014Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie: In case my name on the E-mail does not ring a bell, I am one of the “Traveling Locusts” from TTT. I just wanted to jot off a note to you to tell you how much I appreciate you and your column. Your insight is remarkable and your ability to express yourself clearly makes your column a “must read” every week. I have encouraged some of my friends to read your work, as well. Thank you for the time you spend and your willingness to share your experiences with the rest of us.

Kathy & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 10, 2014Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie,

I really enjoyed your article on the battle with sugar. I can relate to so mayn points in your story and would really like to give up sugar and get healthier.

You mention cutting out carbohydrates,sugar and grains, so I was wondering if you could give me a sample of what you eat over a few days?

Thanks and regards,
Kathy

Kathy,

Good luck with your plan!

A typical day for me would be as follows:

Morning – protein shake or a banana

Lunch- baked chicken and vegetables (steamed or just cut up raw veggies)

Dinner- Steak with vegetables and a salad with dressing (be careful of the dressing – check for carbs and sugar)

I limit the red meat each week so dinner could be chicken or pork or shrimp. There are good recipes in the Paleo cookbooks out there. I eat cheese so I’m not 100% Paleo but close.

I make sure my portions fill me up. If you need to snack, pick vegetables or a fruit. Your body will adjust to this and not crave anything else within a month if you really stick to it. I don’t want any of the junk foods that I used to eat. They don’t taste good to me.

I hope this helps get you started. Reach out anytime.

Julie & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 7, 2014Comments OffConversations

Well Katie….with a few supportive words, your columns, books/articles on No Sugar lifestyle changes, and a bit of soul searching as to why I’m putting junk/poison in my body, I’m on my way to transforming my eating habits/health. I’ve always been very healthy as to how I treat my body especially the last few years, so this is the last, most crucial part. Plus my birthday’s on Monday…what could be a better bday gift?!?!?

I had my first colonoscopy this morn and decided that since it’s all cleaned out and pristine (I know TMI), 🙂 I’ll keep it healthy from now on. I cleaned out cupboards, fridge, and freezer and purged and resupplied with good healthy foods.

I’m keeping a small journal on highs and lows of the journey. Being a teacher and on Fall Break is helpful stress-wise so I can just work through this this week. I started a few days ago in terms of reading and wondering about it all so I’ve done lots already. Yesterday I really started due to the fact that I couldn’t eat anything. They said I could have jello and Gatorade but those are just full of sugar and that’s not part of the plan right??

Anyway thanks for your words of support. Looking forward to reading more columns. Plus since I’ve read you’re a financial adviser, that’s the next area of my life to improve (it’s not bad mind you, but certainly could use some tweaking!!)

Thanks again

Julie 🙂

Julie,

Post a colonoscopy seems like a good place to start! I did something similar.

The first few weeks are the hardest and then I was just pumped up to keep going. I so rarely think about the foods that used to draw me in. I just know they were killing me. Glad you have the week off so you can really take the time to eat clean.

Keep me updated on how it goes. Would enjoy meeting you if you ever need help with your financial plan.

As I’m writing this I just ate a hard boiled egg to hold me over until after my 1:00 appointment! I didn’t use to like them but really enjoy them now.

Take care!

10/06/2014

CourtneyOOctober 7, 2014Comments OffBlog, Robin

I’m all wiggly with excitement. You know that feeling right before the roller coaster starts? That! You did make it!! You’re incredibly strong and you get to be strong again for the next 10 months – but at least they will be shot free.

10/06/2014

CourtneyOOctober 7, 2014Comments OffBlog, Chris

Today was egg retrieval day. Our appointment was at 7:00 am which required a 6:30 check in. The timing of all this is very important because at 7:00 pm on Saturday night Katie had to take a HCG shot which was the trigger that caused the release of her eggs. They’re not screwing around about it either……the shot NEEDS to occur 36 hours prior to the retrieval. Too late and the eggs won’t be ready for retrieval, too early and Katie would ovulate and the eggs would be gone. Same thing on the appointment side….don’t be late! The science of all this is pretty crazy. We were there right on time and the procedure went well. They were able to remove. In addition to the retrieval procedure, I also had to bring my primary semen sample to the appointment. As I discussed in an earlier post regarding the backup sample, there is a specific process you have to follow, questionnaire you fill out, etc. The backup is collected in the event of “stage fright,” which apparently happens more than one would imagine. So, now they’ll fertilize the eggs and call us tomorrow with the “fert rate.” If you want a better explanation of that, you’d better pop over to Katie’s blog as, I’ve indicated before, she’s smarter than me. All I know at this point is that 8 eggs are awesome! I like those odds as I’ve been telling Katie since this started, all we need is one.

Aside from the two grueling semen samples I had to provide, so far I’ve had it pretty easy in this process. Katie, however has had to put up with a ton and has dealt with it like a champ. She never, and I mean NEVER, complains……and the pills and shots she’s had to take made her feel “pretty cruddy.” The fact she said anything shows to me that she feels like crap. I’m thankful that at this point she is through that stage and can hopefully start to feel better soon. I’m so thankful for my beautiful wife.

Michelle & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 5, 2014Comments OffConversations

Hello,
I just finished reading your article about turning 40, aches and pains then deciding to cut out sugar.
I have been told by my doctor recently to go Paleo. Not really for weight but due to my liver. I also have Celiac disease so grains are out anyway.

I just wanted to say that your article was inspiring. I still crave some sugar but I do not have soda anymore, not that I was a real big soda drinker anyway. I have yogurt almost every day so I haven’t cut out sugar completely but that is all I have…I’m trying. Paleo lifestyle, the full commitment, takes work. I’m not much of a baker so it’s a bit hard.

I agree that the kids (or parents) now a days have a problem. Sugar snacks, video games…not good. I’m happy to see there are more vending machines supplying apples and trail mix vs candy bars around schools though.

Anyway, just wanted to say…thanks for the inspirational article. I know I’m not alone in this battle but it’s good to read from other people’s perspective.

Michelle
41 yrs
Reno, NV

Michelle,

Thanks for reaching out. My liver actually had the most dramatic changes. It probably improved my life the most having all of those levels return to normal. I think most people view the liver only in terms of how alcohol will impact it, however, I found out that eating clean changes the entire function of your liver.

I was eating a hard boiled egg and yogurt in the morning and then switched over to a protein shake. I still got the cold flavor I was looking for in the morning and it keeps me full until lunch. That helped me get rid of the sugar in the morning.

There are so many people struggling and trying this approach. I have posted reader comments and questions on my website under conversations if you want to feel even more support www.katiecoombsuncommonsense.com

10/02/2014

CourtneyOOctober 5, 2014Comments OffBlog, Chris

Katie had a really rough night last night. She was very anxious trying to go to sleep and finally drifted off only to be up again at 3:00 am. Her heart was racing and she had pain in her legs that was new and concerning. She was up for about 3 hours before being able to get back to sleep for a little bit. I felt really bad for her. It’s one of those situations where you want to help in some way, in any way, but there isn’t anything you can really do. She was back up again at 7 am, took her shots like a champ, we got the kids off to school and then rushed over to our daily appointment with the doctor. They did another ultrasound to check the follicle development in her ovaries and were able to identify 6-7 that were coming along nicely. I told Katie that all we need is one, so 6-7 is more than enough. She scoffs at my optimism at times, but until proven wrong I’m sticking with it. After the ultrasound we met with the doctor to discuss how Katie had been feeling and he validated her anxiety as he said the process causes many women to be anxious. Then, they told us to come back tomorrow and sent us on our way.

Katharine & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 4, 2014Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie,

I just read your article about your life change. I live in Portland Or. I have many of the same “symptoms” as you said you had and my A1C this month was at 7.4. I am only 34 and pregnant with my first. My fiance and I are both morbidly over weight according to BMI.

I am wondering what you did for your mornings. I love carby sugary stuff in the morning with sugary coffee creamer. I believe starting the day out steong can help. I just don’t know how to add variety and satisfaction.

Also, How did you begin and stick with it with others in the house? I would need to be 100 in charge of all food and cooking if I wanted us both to do it and I dont want to deal with that.

Do you have any literature to recommend.

Thanks for sharing
Katharine, Portland Or. But Reno native.

Katharine,

The mornings also were why I had to make my biggest adjustment. I started by walking or running for 30 minutes before eating and then would do a protein shake. That was filling and kept me full until lunch. If that isn’t enough at first, I would add a banana and some scrambled eggs. You have to make sure you get enough calories to keep that baby fed! Once you get the sugars out, you will be amazed at how great coffee tastes plain. I always used to add cream (lots of it)!

In my house it is impossible to get all of the kids on this diet. You have to commit to this being your own journey and just avoid the foods that you know are poison for you. It took me some time and I slipped a few times but I got there. You will have to resist these temptations everywhere so if you can count on yourself at home then you can succeed anywhere. Keep chopped up veggies ready to eat always!! I use those as a substitute for chips, cookies, or anything I might grab just to be eating something.

All of the Paleo literature is helpful. I read articles on the Internet all of the time. I have a Paleo cookbook but I still eat a little bit of dairy (but not much). Be patient on healing your body. My stomach upset took 9 months to resolve but it is cured from this. That was very exciting after that long wait.

Good luck! Make sure to get permission from your obstetrician before making any a rule decisions.

Please reach out anytime if you need extra motivation!