Margie is a local legend at RMR. She does the work and it has paid dividends. She is also proof that it is never too late to start.
If you are sitting there, resigned and cynical about your health and the hopes of you even turning it around, keep reading because Margie’s story may just be the antidote!
Here she goes… (we added the links where she mentions programs)
Some background on my health…
I moved from Zimbabwe in 1984, weighing about 80kg. This is when I came in touch with the commercial side of low fat diet products and wondered why I kept gaining weight. I most likely had insulin resistance from an early age as I grew up on a Citrus Estate and had most fruit in our garden as well!
From my teens to around 2013 I had been on MANY diets, exercise, tablets, Drs diets! Gym etc. I’m sure I would have quite a large investment now if it had just gone into the bank and not the dieting body!!!
I have been a Type 2 Diabetic for about 22 years. Sleep Apnoea began a few years downstream.
To begin with, I managed my diabetes unsuccessfully with my diet. Then I was put on Glucomed. My weight soared from the 90kg range to 105kg (I put on at least 15kg in a few months). I was permanently starving and I felt like I had a pit in my stomach.
I then went on to Metformin which helped with the hunger but the pattern kept going as carbs were driving the blood sugar highs and lows. The doses increased and eventually, the doctor added insulin at night. I started banting soon after this and I was having too many lows.
I discontinued Insulin when my husband passed away in 2014 as I did not want to have an incident and have my kids find me. I’m not sure exactly when I also stopped taking Glucomed but I felt it would be the only way to actually get my health back.
Food
I loved food, and I was a real carb addict. Loved anything sugary. I did cook meat and veg for my family, but we did loads of sugary CARBS. I thought about food a lot. I ate when I was hungry, when I was sad, angry, bored and lonely to name a few emotions.
I work from home and have been doing so since 1984. I would have my prescribed Weetbix with skim milk and canderel (I hated eating cardboard, but that was on the diet plan). I would make my way into the kitchen foraging for food all day long and I would have food hangovers on Tuesdays after weekend food binge ( Not a drinker).
How did your health make you feel?
My health in those days made me feel sluggish and just below par. The carb hangovers, blood sugar highs and lows leading to more eating, shakes, sweats, very painful Joints, swelling of hands and lower limbs, brain fog, mood swings, umbilical hernia, urinary frequency, IBS, reflux, sleep deprivation etc.
There were also a few years of movies I watched with the family and I have no memory of ever watching. I Would fall asleep while writing a cheque or driving a car. (sorted with CPAP machine)
In the later years, I could feel tingling in my lower legs when eating chocolate ie. slab of Cadburys.
My energy levels greatly improved with the CPAP machine but LCHF and diet changes helped onwards.
I did exercise, with pain (Run Walk for life etc. Gym with personal trainer 3 x week from 2012 to 2020 not since Covid)
Some physical stats on my health:
1970s – 70-80 kg (in 70’s married 1974 was around 62 KG)
1980s – 80-90 kg
1990s – 90-100kg
2000-2013 – 100-120kg HBA1C 9 plus in this period. Plus raised Cholesterol. At this point I likened myself to a rugby prop at 120kg!
In 2013 I bought The Real Meal Revolution Cookbook and attended talks with Noakes. I also followed Diet Doctor and other fundies like Dr Fung, Eric Berg etc. on YouTube and I started Banting.
2014 – 110kg Banting on and off till 2020. My weight fluctuated a bit.
2018 – I finally broke the 90kgs
2020 – I had a Heart Attack Takotsubo (blood clot) which is rare. It is also known as Broken Heart. This was just after lockdown. I had flu-like symptoms about 2 weeks before it happened, and I had positive Covid antibodies when I tested later in June. No Cardio vascular disease present.
At this point, my weight was 90kg, my HbA1C was 7.7 and Cholesterol was also 6.5- 7.
I was 96kg when I moved back home after a few weeks having stayed with Jacqui (my daughter) for 2.5 months.
I weighed 88.2 Kg when I finally registered with RMR.
My health and my mind
In the early 2000‘s I suffered from depression, I think also related to PTSD /armed robbery (gun to the head). Also, menopausal!!! Not treated.
I was married for just two months short of 40 years when my husband passed away. It was a happy marriage. We did work together for as long as we were married!!!
My discovery of RMR
My daughter Jacqui originally introduced me to RMR in 2013 and Danielle (other daughter) got me signed up to RMR’s course in 2020.
In 2020 I was already back partially on track and Danielle suggested I join RMR (Online Keto and Banting Course).
I was not keen to join another group of ‘dieters’ but I would probably still be yo-yo-ing if I had not joined. I am very grateful that I did join. She (Danielle) registered me and to my surprise I had a benefit through Momentum Multiply, so I thought it was a no-brainer, I would give it a go and here I am and will be for a while longer.
I was expecting another diet but I knew it was one that worked. The experience has been wonderful as the emphasis is not on food alone, but the triggers and other elements that lead us to binge etc.
The diet keeps you from the hunger pit and allows you to develop a healthy relationship with food.
The Dietitian (Bridget Surtees) gives a lot of knowledge about the food we eat and the science behind it all and tracking meals so you are more aware of what you are consuming.
There is also a lot of coaching of the mind with great psychology and mindset interactive lectures with Jonno, Coach Sam and Clinical Psychologist, Victoria.
What sets this apart is group accountability all in it together coaches included (unique to Hero Program).
How has RMR changed my life?
I am no longer food-obsessed and I now enjoy socialising focussing on the experience rather than the food table. I am no longer hungry when eating LCHF, and I’m not constantly obsessing about food. I can wear dresses again
How was this different?
This is a total holistic approach. I can decide how much and when to eat or not eat. Unlike needing to have X meals a day. Fasting or intermittent eating is just one of the differences. The group meetings and coaching sessions keep me motivated and educated. Accountability from your group and the coach. (Benefits of the Hero Program)
My stats…
Since 2012 -2021 I have lost a total 45kgs.
Since joining RMR at the end of September 2020 I have lost 13kg and I am at least 5 dress sizes down.
My current HBA1C is 5.5
Cholesterol 4.4
LDL down
HDL up
Triglycerides down
Woooohoooooo!!!
If you are the kind of person that has had a difficult life with dieting and losing weight, only to gain it all back again and again and getting bigger each time, I would urge you to join RMR.
This lifestyle will enable you to reverse your diabetes which I have achieved! It allows you to lose weight and not feel constantly hungry.
I would also urge Type 2 diabetics to join RMR and let your Dr adjust your meds as you progress. I lost weight this time around as I needed to get HEALTHY. The weight loss has been a great bonus. It also does not have to be an expensive way of eating.
And now…
It is just so great to go shopping and buy what I would like instead of what fits.
I am comfortable walking across the room in front of people and not having that twinge of self consciousness.
I’m sure my daughters also enjoy me more in a sugar free zone 🙂