In January 2017, I was at an event to plan out my goals for the new year. I remember sitting in that room so frustrated. I was so sick of being sick and tired. My eyes could hardly stay open during the afternoon sessions because I was so exhausted. Something had to change, but I had no idea how to make it happen. I had tried what seemed like EVERYTHING! But, I came home from that event with a new determination to transform my life.
Spoiler Alert: I have indeed transformed my life! I’m healthy, 52lbs lighter and feel better than when I was a teenager! If I can do it, then I know you can, too! I’m excited to share with you 4 things that can help YOU take control of your health and transform your life.
Before we get to the solutions, let me give you a snapshot of the health challenges that I was dealing with:
- autoimmune disorders: Sarcoidosis & Hashimotos
- a thyroid that didn’t want to function properly, so my medication dosage increased every time I went to the doctor
- vitamin deficiencies
- severe anemia requiring weekly iron transfusions (and the occasional blood transfusion)
- out of breath ALL THE TIME! (My doctor had just restricted me from walking and working out because I couldn’t catch my breath, so I’d black out).
- sooooo so tired! Every afternoon, I’d finish working only to lay on the couch and watch my kids play.
- constipated – I had a BM 1-2 times a week, if I was lucky!! It was so so bad to the point during one of my pregnancies I was hospitalized because I hadn’t had a BM in a MONTH!
- my hormones were a mess! I had horrible periods that lasted FOREVER!
I was seeing an AMAZING functional medicine doctor! She had helped me in so many ways get me to a functioning level, but she was getting toward the end of options for further improvement. I was personally taking $1,000+/mo of supplements and though they were helping, I didn’t see a significant difference.
But, I came back from that event determined to make a change. I had no idea where to begin because I felt like I had tried everything. Can you relate? Perhaps you’ve tried everything you can think of to take control of your health, but nothing seems to be working. Hopefully my journey will give you hope that you can do this!
Here are 4 things you can do to take control of your health.
#1: Make a Decision
Taking control of your health begins right now with a decision! You must decide that enough is enough and that you’re ready to do whatever it takes to live that healthy life you desire- even if you have no idea where to begin.
Spend time thinking about WHY living a healthy, active life is important to you. This WHY has to be powerful enough to motivate you on the days that you don’t feel like eating healthy, exercising, or going to bed on time.
#2: Envision Success
What does it mean for YOU to take control of your health? What will success mean for YOU? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:
- Specific weight
- x body fat %
- clothing size
- run a marathon
- dance through an entire song with your kids
- eliminate certain medications
Get clear on what success will mean for YOU and then take time to envision what it will be like. What will you look like? How will you feel? What will you be able to do? Spend time envisioning success when you take control of your health. Being able to see it before it’s a reality is such an important step.
#3: Implement One Habit instead of a Complete Overhaul
In the past anytime I wanted to make a health change, I did a complete overhaul. I’d spend weeks mapping out the “perfect” plan for how I would eat, exercise, sleep, etc. And, within a week (or two), I’d be so exhausted by it all that that I’d just give up and quit. Can you relate? I repeated this cycle for years until I decided that enough was enough! In 2017, I started implementing just one health habit at a time and it was revolutionary. I did that one thing over and over until it felt like a consistent habit. Then, once it was an established habit, I’d add an additional habit. This has continued since 2017 with amazing success. Here are the habits I’ve established so far:
- Consistently taking my supplements (this was the catalyst for getting my body healthy, so I could make all the other changes)
- Drinking half my body weight in ounces of water
- Whole Food diet – this took several months to instill as a habit!
- 7+ hours of sleep nightly
- Intermittent Fasting (I fast from 6pm-Noon)
- Daily Self Care Activity (Detox Bath, Journaling, etc.)
- 15 minutes of Yoga + Worship Music daily
- 10k steps a day (this took me a long time to install as a habit, but I kept working at it and re-committing weekly!)
#4: Identify One Next Step
You don’t need to know the entire plan to get started! Instead, you need to identify your ONE next step.
Thankfully when I started my journey, I was reading a book by one of my favorite functional medicine doctors, Dr. Amy Myers. She’s an expert on thyroid and autoimmune. In that book she said the first thing that she does with any patient regardless of their diagnosis was work on their gut health. Woah! That was the wake-up call I needed to show me exactly where to begin. It was during that same time that I discovered gut health supplements that have become the catalyst for much of my health transformation.
I started by rebalancing my gut which created a catalyst for so many other positive changes.
The transformation since 2017, has been incredible! Here are a few of the things I’ve noticed.
- I’ve had a BM everyday since I started the supplements! Oh my!! That’s such a miracle for me!
- I’m HAPPY – like genuinely soooo happy! (And, I thought I was happy before, but this is a whole new layer to it!)
- I no longer need an afternoon nap.
- I wake up with energy & have lasting energy until it’s time for bed.
- I’m no longer winded or out of breath going up steps or walking.
- My body now absorbs the vitamins & minerals, so I’m not anemic nor do I have vitamin deficiencies
- I have normal periods for the first time EVER!
- I’ve lost 52lbs, so far! And, more importantly, I’ve kept it off and continue to lose!
- I feel better than when I was a teenager.
If you’re ready to take control of your health, I’d love to support you on your journey! Commend below or send me an email at kelly@kellythornegore.com! This can be YOUR year to take control of your health.
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