A New Year … A New You
By Melonie DePalma, Health Coach
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | JAN 2019 37
Is it already January? This last month marks fantastic holidays with
family and friends and the start of the New Year! But, along with the
holiday season, often comes some extra stress between shopping and
travel. Hope you took time to enjoy your family, get in some exercise, and
eat delicious seasonal produce, like sweet potatoes, and pecans.
Here we are in January again and everybody’s ready to jump on the
bandwagon to get fit and healthy for their resolution start to the New
Year. It sounds like a great idea if we can stick to it. I’m going to start off
with telling you my quick version of my story of weight loss.
I am a Weight Loss Survivor of 60 lb. Long story short - I ate too much
food that did not work for my body. The story goes... My challenges began
after my first child in 1998 (I imagine many can relate). I gained too much
weight with my pregnancy and continued to eat excessive amounts of
food to ensure breastfeeding could continue for a long time. The next
thing I knew, by 1994 I was 208 lb. and my normal weight was 138 at
5’7”. Being raised with nutrition in my life and conspiracy theories…
one being that the government had a hand in keeping us fat and sick
(e.g. low-fat diets, GMOs), I knew with the plethora of information I could
figure out a way to lose that extra weight I was carrying.
January 1995, I started my weight-loss Journey. I had tried all the typical
things - eat nothing... eat everything… no sugar… nothing white…
nothing with color unless it grew… measure it… weigh it… shake it (my
body that is). I finally started to just ADD food and ADD exercise. If we
can change our thoughts of taking things from our diet first, then it will
help us shift our perspective on losing weight. I added protein and more
movement and watching the weight slowly come off helped me continue
my journey to living healthy. I still fall off the healthy life that works best
for me, but I get back to what makes me feel my best.
I eventually shifted my eating completely and went on to working at a
gym as a coach, sharing my story of weight loss daily. I have learned
through college and experience that we are all individual and it is very
important to learn what works best for our bodies. Common food allergens
and sensitivities will cause weight gain and digestion issues such as
Trans-fats • Omega-6 fatty acids • Refined sugar • Casein • Gluten •
Refined grains • Alcohol • Food additives • Red meat. So, do your best
to be conscious about how foods make you feel, not only physically but
emotionally also. Then decide what will be in your diet. Once you find
what works for you make sure you stick with it, and be easy on yourself.
Set goals, visualize your end result and be sure to praise yourself!
Being hydrated is so important! I can’t leave that part out. It keeps us
energized, helps digestion, and assists with every system in the body.
Don’t like water? Try adding washed fruit, like lemon slices, strawberries,
some fresh mint, even a drop of organic essential oil (just make sure the
oil you choose has the nutrition label on it, that’s the telltale if is edible!).
Take time to stretch, journal, dance, or meditate. And be easy on yourself,
it takes time and consistency. Whatever works for you to feel your best!
So, through January and the entire year, I wish you the best with your
weight loss goals and feeling your best. Get out every day and smell
our ocean air and walk our beach because the most important thing in
weight loss is having a happy soul to make the right choices to feel your
best.
Sending Love, light, and motivation, Your Tybee Health and Weight Loss
Coach, Melonie.