Tag: healthy

Julie & Katie

CourtneyOJanuary 26, 2018Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie!!

Read your column from Sunday with great interest because I’ve been seriously thinking that I need to finally win my battle with sugar!!! I’m turning 53 soon and feel much older at times especially in the morning trying to get out of bed :/.

I’m probably not the first to write you for support but would love any advice and support you can offer?!?!?! Fortunately I can say I don’t eat a great deal of sugar but enough that I know giving it up and bread (that’ll be more difficult for me) would produce great benefits.

Thanks so much

Julie. 🙂

Julie,

Bread is definitely a hard one but since it is loaded with sugar, the best thing I did was identify it as “poison”. I know that sounds extreme but the way I was feeling each day felt like someone was slowly poisoning my body. I knew I would never actually eat poison so I looked at the foods I would miss the most as poison and that made me not want them. I haven’t had bread all year and I really doubt I will again. I feel so much better physically and have energy like I did 20 years ago. If you can set a goal for one month and get through that hard part, I know you can make it. The withdrawals and irritability get replaced by energy and feeling strong. You have to totally cut it to get there though. Maybe shoot me an e-mail every time you get tempted and I will see if I can help?

I have had lots of people e-mail me for support. More than I was expecting actually. There are lots of people like you that want to do this so take comfort in knowing you aren’t alone!

Debra

CourtneyOJuly 13, 2015Comments OffConversations

Good Morning,

I read your article about breaking the sugar addiction and I just wanted to know how did you detox. I try so hard and also tried so many times I just can’t get past the 2 week mark and the sugar grip gets me reeled back in…

Suffering and declining at 53 🙁

Debra

Debra,

There is no easy way unfortunately because you are getting rid of a drug from your body. I had a cranky 3-4 weeks. I used one Granny Smith apple in the morning and one in the afternoon my first month. I cut fruit completely for the second month so I knew the addiction was gone. I added back in modest amounts after that in my diet for vitamins but my main source is always vegetables. I have cut up veggies around all of the time. They are essential to your success.

Good luck with your journey. Check in any time. You will feel like a different person if you can get through the first month. It is smooth sailing from there.

Katie Coombs

Christy

CourtneyOJune 29, 2015Comments OffConversations

This article is me as well I believe thought i haven’t started the process. I know I have too much sugar and for my kids too. Do you have recipes to share that help ? And I would love to see the snacks yo give your kids. I am ready to get rolling on this asap and get my energy back!

Thank you for sharing your story!
Christy

Hi Christy,

The best recipes come from Paleo cookbooks even though I don’t follow Paleo exactly. The kids snack on lots of chopped vegetable and fruits or nuts and seeds. They do not eat as clean as I do but we are slowly getting them transitioned. They always eat a clean dinner.

I have also had lots of success on Google. You can just google clean chicken recipes or sugar free/carb free meal ideas and there is so much that comes up. You will eventually stop living to eat and completely shift to eating to live. Food isn’t about variety or even taste anymore but about health. With that said, some of the recipes out there are delicious. I own about three Paleo cookbooks and we use those lots.

Good luck in your journey. Check back in and let me know how it goes!

Katie Coombs

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!

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!

10/05/2014

askkatiecoombsOctober 3, 2014Comments OffBlog, Conversations

Hi Katie,

Thanks for another great article this week. I did very well Monday through Saturday and I’ve found that my stomach feels so much better – almost no gas, bloating or pain. I’ve cut out sweets, bread, pasta and rice. I’m still eating quite a bit of fruit but will work on that later.

I had to laugh when you wrote about friends & colleagues trying to sabotage us. My boss yesterday gave me a big fat cookie.

I’m so glad I saw your initial article last week as I feel I might be able to really stick with this.

Have a great week and, again, thank you.

Carole

Carole,

I’m so happy that you have had a good week and are feeling motivated. Please reach out anytime you want or if you are having a weak moment.

It can be a hard journey – especially when others really don’t want to watch you eat healthy! It’s all worth it when you start feeling great.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Debby & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 2, 2014Comments OffUncategorized

Oh, Katie … your article today was so timely for me. I’ve been on a 21 day sugar detox and on day 18 I began cheating. I have family in town for a long weekend and there is bread, sugar, and all kinds of bad carbs around every corner. And I caved. I had dropped 9 lbs and this morning I weighed and had gained it all back, just by eating bread and sweets over the past 3 days. Ugh. I need to get it in my hard head that this isn’t just a diet, it’s a change in eating for LIFE. Thanks for your words today. I hope we can stay connected and encourage each other!

Debby

I’m here for you all the way! It’s so hard. I struggled so much in the beginning. Reach out when you are tempted and let’s see if I can help you make a different choice.
My friends just tease me now! I show up everywhere with vegetables. They are supportive though after they tease me. I tell them my life depended on this change! So does yours and so many others.
Good luck Debby!

Carole & Katie

CourtneyOOctober 2, 2014Comments OffConversations

Hi Katie,

When you say cut out all sugar, what exactly does that mean?
– Do you only eat naturally sweet things like fruit?
– Do you also avoid artificial sweeteners?

When you decided to cut out sugar and almost all carbohydrates, did you basically just stop eating sweet things, white bread, rice, and pasta? Or did you get into more complicated meal planning, counting, etc?

Thank you for any input.

PS I wouldn’t mind being copied on others’ questions and your answers. I’m sure it would all be helpful.

Carole,

I will be working on getting questions and answers up on the website this week so everyone can see it.

I don’t eat anything with artificial sweeteners. I did use lots of fruit in the beginning (mostly apples) to get me through withdrawals. I don’t want those sweet fruits anymore. I usually have bananas if I have fruit.

I don’t have time for complicated cooking but I did get two Paleo cookbooks. There are quick recipes (mostly the chicken ones) that are delicious. A typical dinner for me would be a chicken dish and the sides are broccoli and cauliflower and a salad with a dressing without sugar. I eat until I’m full so I really don’t skimp on portions at all. I stay clear of pasta for many reasons. The pasta itself but also the sauces which are typically loaded with sugar.

It’s really simple what I do each day as it is just eating to live instead of living to eat. Once you adjust to that mindset, your life changes completely.

Hope you have a great Monday.

Thanks Katie! Cauliflower should be a piece of cake…at least for me. I like it. My wife doesn’t care for it, but is willing to try. We are both around 50, and used to he able to eat anything. The last few years, on went a few pounds, and both of us feel “blah”, most of the time.