Guest post by Jillian Maas Backman Any journey worth doing is worth doing correctly. Running helter skelter in spontaneous directions does nothing but create more chaos and a smattering of results. An authentic journey starts one step at a time … Continue reading
It seems like magic, but I’ve still had to make a lot of changes. They haven’t really been all that hard, and I know with all my being that they have been the best thing happening for me. To see … Continue reading
For the last 10 days, I have been doing an elimination diet, which has been eliminating all of the bad food and sugar out of my diet and out of my life!!! The first step in a series of diet changes, I’ve not had dairy, wheat or sugar, but have eaten a lot more fruits, vegetables and proteins. Actually, I was surprised at how much food I was allowed at each meal, and how good a lot of the recipes tasted.
In the first week that I’ve not had any sugar or processed foods I lost 4 pounds, which doesnt sound like alot, but I was in shock when Dr. Akoury’s nurse was measuring me, I lost 20 inches overall and 7 inches off my waist, and my blood pressure was near perfect after being at stroke level! We just looked at each other like “holy cow this is an absolute miracle!” because my blood pressure wasn’t being controlled with medicines. If you’ve ever had high blood pressure, you know how hard it is to get it under control.
The next step in my diet change is ridding my body of yeast, or candida, again by eliminating certain foods, but adding back eggs, some cheeses, and more protein, and cutting back on fruit which contains natural sugar. This will last for 2 weeks and then I’m sure Dr. Akoury has something else in mind! Of course, I’ll let you all in on it!
I’m finding I have a lot more energy, less headaches, and my mood is on an upswing! If you’ve ever been, or are in, the same position as I am, you know that this is a major achievement. The elimination diet has shown me that I don’t need or want that fast food or junk food any longer.
I’m happier because my clothes are getting looser, as a matter of fact, I was able to fit into a pair of pants that I’ve had for over 2 years!
So instead of thinking about what I’m losing or eliminating, I’m happy with how much I’ve gained!
Now that I’ve graduated school I plan to make more time to exercise and walk. Me and my team are beginning to meet at Market Common in the mornings at 8am. If you’re in the area and wish to join us, we welcome walking buddies in any size or shape, walk at your own comfortable pace, and let’s all support each other in living a healthier lifestyle!
My Trainer, John and I walking on the beach
We are starting to develop some exciting programs, not just for me, but for everyone…..so, stay tuned and don’t forget to watch Your Health is Wealth with Dr. Akoury on WFXB FOXTV every day. My first appearance will be airing next week! Yikes!
My first IV treatment day was a long one!
I woke up with a migraine headache, took my son to school and went back to bed to try to get rid of it. After about 3 more hours of sleep I woke up feeling a little better, but not much.
I headed to AWAREmed to get my very first IV treatment, one component of the weight loss program available to everyone. I filled out my medical history paperwork, then the nurse took my vitals. My blood pressure was sky-high!
IV Treatment room at AWAREmed
I then went to my special room, with comfy couches and chairs, soft lighting and music, to have the IV inserted. After my special mixture was started Dr. Dalal Akoury and my coaches, Patricia and John, came in and we all meditated. I was amazingly calmed and all the sudden my headache was gone and I started to feel a lot better!
My first IV treatment took about 4 hours. One of the things I noticed was when I first came in you couldn’t even see the veins in my hands, but later they were all plumped up due to drinking many glasses of water! I’ve learned the importance of keeping myself hydrated and now am attempting to drink a lot of pure or distilled water during the day.
I’m not one to just sit around and be quiet for long periods of time so after a while I got up and strolled the halls with my IV pole, back and forth to the bathroom to “release the toxins.”
Before I was able to leave for the day we had to start an exercise. Dr. Akoury and I ran up and down 4 flights of stairs (she says 10 times, I’m thinking it was more) but she did it with me all the way and pushed me until I was finished even though I really didn’t think that I could!
It was a great day with a great doctor!
I’m on my way now, already feeling better and learning how to take better care of myself. Along with my formal medical education (I’ll be finished next week!) I’m getting a personal education as well which will be with me the rest of my life. My commitment is to change my lifestyle and change myself, one step at a time, until I lose the weight and gain back my health!
Soon I’ll let you in on the 10 days of special meals and how it makes a difference. And soon you will find out how you, too, can become part of the Walk With Jennifer movement. Start from wherever you are, but start today!
Thanks for walking with me!
Oh yea I’m freakin out!!!
For a big part of my adult life I have tried real hard to blend in with a crowd, i don’t like to be the center of attention at all. At my current size it’s a little hard to blend in when those around you are much smaller, and now I will be appearing on Your Health is Wealth with Dr. Akoury in front of cameras! This is the deal I struck and now that it’s coming to reality, I’m scared to death!
I had an extremely hard time in public speaking class and that was only roughly 12 people in the class and now, I am going to be on tv? I really think I’ve lost my mind!!!
How would you feel? Or, more to the point, how do you feel right now about your own weight loss situation? If you find yourself trying to blend in, or stay in the background in social situations, like me, you aren’t feeling too good about yourself either!
You’re just like me and I’m just like you, we know what we need to do, we know that if we continue to carry around excess weight we are dooming ourselves to a life with diseases, a life where we don’t fit in, a life where we aren’t happy, not with anything or anyone around us, and especially with ourselves.
Weight loss isn’t easy, nor is it fast. Think of how long it took to put on these pounds, and even deeper, we need to think more about why we allowed ourselves to get to the point where we give up and give in.
I think by me overcoming my fears and doing things that scare me to death, it will hold me more accountable to actually succeed in being a healthier individual and it will also give other people a chance to see what it is that I am doing to lose the weight and to inspire them to do it as well. We have so much more to gain by weight loss!
Yes, I’m freaking out about being in front of the cameras, but I will do it proudly. I’ll do it for myself, I’ll do it for my sons and family, and I’ll do it for you!
At the same time I’m so excited to get started on the weight loss program with Dr. Dalal Akoury at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center in Myrtle Beach. You will soon have the opportunity to meet the team behind us, Patricia Coppola, Jillian Maas Backman, and ImaginePublicity. We are all working together to bring this weight loss program to you. Stay tuned for details coming very soon!
So, very soon you will see me…literally at my lowest, or largest point, but then the journey begins. Walk with me! Join Walk With Jennifer and let’s start this together right where we are. Let’s show the world we are much more than what they see. Let’s turn the tide on discrimination and begin to help ourselves by helping others. Together let’s become healthier and more vibrant!
So, as I prepare to go in front of the camera each week with the Walk With Jennifer segment, I’ll keep you updated right here! WE can do this!
Jennifer and Dr. Akoury Freaking out!
Walk With Jennifer 