So, I made it. I somehow survived the whole three months battling along with Joe wicks AKA the body coach as my personal trainer. How am I really supposed to workout with this little bit of arm candy occasionally flashing the abs during our session? It’s worth signing up just for that. If you have been following my updates you will have seen my progress over the last two months. I had always looked at myself as a fairly fit person who ate well and exercised regular. I wasn’t particularly bothered by how I looked, I thought I looked ok. There is nothing like sending off your underwear shots to the Body Coach to make you realise that Christmas had well and truly happened. You never really see yourself at these angles, so the photos truly reveal things that you don’t really see. I was shocked and so pleased this plan had arrived.
I absolutely loved cycle 1. It was, without a doubt, the cycle that flowed easiest for me, if you can call it easy. The foods were amazing, and I really upped my water. I didn’t realise how dehydrated my body had been. With this water increase and the nutrients and minerals coming from my new diet there was a massive change in my body. My skin loved it. I lived with bad, dry, tired looking skin for years, but had always blamed it on my Thyroid issues and medication. The lack of sugar was working wonders and I couldn’t believe I was allowed full fat everything. I was a little dubious in the first week. I couldn’t believe that the high calorie count was going to help and with the increase in water came the bloat. I was a little terrified in the first week. That soon passed, and I instantly felt slimmer. I was ready to see what cycle 2 could bring.
Cycle 2. I struggled, and I mean really, really struggled. I thought it was the added carbs that was making me sluggish and tired. I put my low mood and lack of energy down to this carb increase. Unbeknown to me, my subconscious mind was battling something a little darker and it was at the end of this cycle that I realised I slumped into a depression. My personal life was completely turned upside down and my health was deteriorating. I thought I had been strong and that I was dealing with it. The reality said different. So, realising that my mental health was also taking a battering, I did the opposite to what a depressive and anxious person would do faced with a lifestyle change. I battled on. I dragged myself out of bed. I made myself eat and I tortured myself with the workouts. I had, after all paid for this experience and I was against the clock with my medical team to try and change my blood results with this new diet and healthy eating. I couldn't let any amount of pain or upset stop this plan in its tracks. The thought of exercising was awful. I struggled to get out of bed every day and the thought of getting on that horrendous sports bra that was a workout in itself. However, I worked out. I did it. I felt better, my endorphins were released, and these happy little things would float around my body even if it was a fleeting moment, but if it made me feel good, I’d feel better. I struggled to eat. Stress stops my appetite just like that, I could go weeks without eating. I continued following this plan. Again, one to never give up. I had a reason to eat. To drink a shake, to prep some meals, I had to keep going and stay on track. I spoke to the “support Hero’s” and explained my current situation. They praised me for reaching this far and encouraged me to continue. I’m glad I did, having completed this plan I am now a different person. I am happier, healthier and a whole lot lighter than the person I once was.
Cycle 3 is designed for you to follow the cycle that worked best for your body. Joe understands that not every body reacts the same way to food, so the first two cycles are a little experiment to see which types of food fuel you best. So, I decided cycle 1 worked well and followed the same principles. My body works best on a low carb and high protein diet. It gives me so much more energy, my sleeping pattern works better, and my days are full of more energy. This method agrees with my body better. I plan my food with that structure and continued to progress. I look at food completely differently now. I always used it as a method to fuel my body during my long hours. I never really had the time to appreciate and enjoy my food. Now it’s fun. Yes, even batch cooking is fun. My Sundays consist of getting up, working out, eating while prepping for my week ahead. Then I have the rest of the day to do whatever I want. I do tend to throw in a cheat meal on a Sunday afternoon, I have worked out life is about balance. All I consume is full fat everything. Kgs of protein, low carbs and no sugar. This diet is agreeing with my body. Before starting this plan, I must fill out a questionnaire and add a food diary for a week. Writing that up I felt a little bit silly. On paper I looked like a model student. I was hitting the gym 4-5 times a week and believed I was eating a healthy diet. How wrong was I. The healthy food I was eating was totally wrong for my body. There were excessive amounts of artificial sugars and even the natural sugars were high, with the amounts of fruit I would happily consume every day. So, let’s find out if this “diet” really worked. Jumping on the scales for the last time, I was nervous for the end results. I knew I had lost again, my clothes were starting to feel even looser. I jumped on those scales completely butt naked as there was no way I was going to risk adding a few extra pounds of clothing. I could not believe it I had lost another 3 kilos. So, in total I lost 1 ½ stone in the 3 months on plan. I will admit I had a few meals out and the occasional drink. I’m not going to pretend that I’m perfect, but other than that, I stuck to it best I could. I weighed only 3 pounds when I was born many years ago, so I have near enough given birth to 7 babies the size that I was. 9 1/2 big bags of sugar, or 38 bars of butter. That’s a hell of a lot of weight if you look at it like that. I lost 0.5 – 1'' off my biceps, 1'' off my thighs, 2'' off my hips, 3.5'' off my chest and an amazing 4'' off my waist. I literally dropped a dress size. I’ve learnt so much about foods and how much of what I should eat and when. It has really been a major learning curve in my life. I have learnt so much about nutrition and what my body needs. It really is our temple and we should nurture it the best way we know how.
I can honestly say this diet saved me. It got me on a straight healthy path. It might not have prevented me from needing radioactive therapy, but it helped my mental health in the best way. It stopped me from drinking for three months and gave me a reason to eat. It kept me exercising. Exercising made me feel better. As my body changed shape and got stronger I felt happier within myself. The old Hayley that had got lost from years of battling numerous health issues was coming back. My relationships started to change. I was less angry. I was healthier and happier as a person. I felt fit and finally got my sexy back. Now I am so happy with my weight, I feel able to throw in that odd Gin and tonic or that hot dog from the barbie and socialising with friends. I’m happy with my new lifestyle and cannot see any reason why I would change it. I’m 100% on plan in the week and still working out hard. So, was this plan worth it? 100%. Will I continue? Definitely. I might have a few drinks here and there but I’m happy with my body, and my health is in the best shape it can be. Why would I change that? This isn’t just a “diet”, it really is a lifestyle change. And I believe it has changed my life for the better. I can’t thank the 90-day plan enough for the way it has improved every aspect of my life. Its help with my organisational skills in my work and life. It has changed my sleeping pattern and increased my energy levels, so I can achieve so much more in a day.
It really is a game changer.
Thanks Joe.