Success Stories

Sharing our Successes…meet Libby!!!

April 8, 2014 By Kara Leave a Comment

I cannot wait for y’all to read about this Success Story. Libby was a dear childhood friend that I grew up with. She’s now an international missionary and on a journey to steward her health well. Read and be inspired!!

Tell a little bit about yourself.

My name is Libby Green and I am 34 years old. I am originally from Statesville, NC, but for
the last 16 years of my life I have been living all over the world! Currently I live in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in
Central Asia. I call Kyrgyzstan my
home. It has been here Daddy (God) has
been changing my life! I am an “M”
(Missionary). I work for my Heavenly
Daddy. He is my boss!

Your Story:
-How long have you been on this journey?

I have been on a journey for my entire life, but to really focus on
health it was August 2012.

–What was the turning point for you? (What made you decide it was time to get
healthy?)

I have struggled with weight issues all of my life, but they did not get
out of control until I was around 15 years old.
At this time my hero (my grandfather) passed away and this really
affected my life. I became lonely and
depressed and I took food for my comfort.
Within a year I gained over 150 pounds.

My turning point really happened when I was visiting my friends in
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan and I got very sick and it took me almost 2 weeks to get
over it. I was miserable! I knew at this point that to come back to
Kyrgyzstan full time I had to get healthy.
I went back to the states with a focus to do that. I went gluten and sugar free, but it only
lasted until winter. In January 2013 I
decided to visit a nutritionist that only works with organics and focuses on
your body’s needs. I worked with Dr. Ley
for 6 months and during that time I started as much as possible to eat clean,
but I was still struggling to lose weight.
During the 6 months I only lost 7.7 pounds.

When I was approached about moving back to Kyrgyzstan last summer, the
first thing I said was I am not healthy enough.
I really prayed and asked Daddy to lead me where He needed me! He led me back to Kyrgyzstan and I felt like
He was saying, “trust me and I will help you do it FINALLY!”

In October Daddy blessed me with a local family to live with! They are Russian and believe in clean eating,
NO SUGAR, NO WHITE ANYTHING, and no chemicals or preservatives. They also believe in physical activity! I was totally adopted in and within two
months I had already lost 35 pounds. Now
I cannot ever eat sugar or anything with preservatives without getting very
sick! My system took about 3 months to
total detox, but now these toxic substances make me very sick.

Now, I am healthier and have more energy that I have ever had in my
life! I still have about 100 more pounds
to lose but I know now I can do it!

–Pounds/Inches lost? I have
lost 99 pounds as of 3.30.2014.

–Clothing size difference? I was
a 28 and now I am a 16.

–Any other medical stats that changed such as cholesterol, blood pressure,
blood sugar, etc.?

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 19 years old. I was also told at 22 I would never have
children. At this time I have been
healed of the PCOS and I was told in March I could in fact have children!

–What is your workout routine/schedule like?

I now workout at least 3 times a week with resistant bands. Aerobics at least 3 times a week. I also walk about 3 to 5 miles a day!

–What eating plan or food choices do you follow?

I eat clean. I even use clean
homemade products such as soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste.

I also oil pull ever morning for 20 minutes and I drink 2 tablespoons of
Apple Cider Vinegar in 16oz of water every day.

I also drink raw honey, lemon, and cinnamon tea everyday sometimes twice
a day.

Lastly, I drink about 2 to 3 liters of water a day or more depending on
activity.

–What helped you the most on this journey to be successful?

I think giving up the white killers and chemicals help me a lot, but
another major help was a huge support system.
The family I live with and my school family have cheered me on the
entire way. The most important help has
come from Daddy. He has held my hand the
entire time and I feel His grace everyday to push on.

-What words of advice do you have to give those who are ready to get started?

Do it! Your life will never be the
same.

–What words of advice do you have for those who think they will never
be able to turn things around in regards to their health or that may be
discouraged?

Do it! You have nothing to lose
and once you take the first step all the other ones get easier and easier! When I stated in October I could not even
walk half a mile without wanted to stop, but now the sky is the limit! I did have a hard time giving up the
addiction to sugar, but after two months there was no need for it in my
life. Even my eczema cleared up.

–How do you make time for fitness/healthy eating in an already busy schedule?

One of the advantages of living in a post soviet country is life is
slower here. Yes, my schedule for a
local family here is very full, but I find I have to make time. If I don’t, I feel terrible physically, spiritually, and
emotionally. I try to spend 2 hours a
day really focusing on myself. During
this time I am doing what I want to do…it can be exercising, reading, listing
to a message or music, walking in the park, watching a movie, so on and so on
(this time never revolves around food)!
The next 22 hours of the day I allow Daddy to lead them. Of course I also try to be in bed by 12am
every night! I have also found that
sleep is very, very important to weight loss too!

–Any other info you would like to share?
Always remember to follow
Daddy! He is the best in teaching us
what we need and do not need in our lives.
When I was 32 years old I told Daddy, I want to move back to Kyrgyzstan! I believe He said back to me, “I cannot use
you if you are not healthy!” Now I am
striving to be as healthy as I can so HE can use me for His harvest fields.

Now for her Before and After Pics. This photo was taken in December of 2012…

And here she is 99 pounds lighter:

WOW, huh?!?!??!

Libby is halfway around the world taking the Gospel to those that need it and she has made her personal health and fitness journey happen. She doesn’t make excuses, she is just persevering and making huge steps. So proud to know this amazing lady.

Here’s her prayer card in case anyone wants to know more about her ministry and her mission field:

I know that she would LOVE your prayers and she also would love any financial gifts you may feel led to send her way so that she can continue serving and reaching the people of Krygyzstan.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Libby! So proud to know you!

Transformation Tuesday

March 18, 2014 By Kara Leave a Comment

If you don’t follow us on the Wellness Witness Facebook Page, you probably didn’t see this. I shared this picture:

Although the physical changes are obvious, what you can’t see in this picture are all the other things that changed that aren’t visible to the eyes:
My mental and emotional health
My spiritual health and closeness to God
My determination
My Confidence in who He made me to be
My joy!

Friends, change takes time. There will be days when you think you aren’t making any progress. But keep pressing on. Make good choices and eventually THEY PAY OFF.

I’m cheering for you today!

Sharing our Successes…meet KIM!

March 18, 2014 By Kara Leave a Comment

Today’s Success story comes from a friend I met online- Kim. Her story is powerful and I know it will encourage you in your journey. I first ran across her page and I am daily amazed by the words that God gives her to share. I’m so excited she was willing to share her story with us at Wellness Witness.

———————————————————-

Hi! My name is Kim and I am a stay at home mom
from the Dallas-Fort Worth Area in Texas.
I have been married to my wonderful husband Ron for almost 15 years and
have two beautiful daughters.

When asked
to describe myself and my priorities, I usually refer to the “Five F’s”… my
FAITH, my FAMILY, FITNESS, healthy FOOD, and having FUN! Everything I do usually revolves around these
priorities! My journey is not your
typical story of a big transformation.
In fact, health and fitness have been a big part of my life for most of
my adult years. However, we all have
obstacles and struggles along our journey, mine came in the form of Lyme’s
Disease.

For several years, I had been
working out and eating clean, and saw great results; even the high cholesterol
that runs in my family had been lowered significantly into the “healthy
zone.” I felt strong and healthy and was
in a really good place in my life.
Everything changed after a family vacation when I came home with what
looked like a spider bite. I ignored it
for several weeks, thinking nothing about it, until the horrible symptoms
began…Anxiety, joint pain, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, dizziness and
confusion wreaked havoc on my entire body.

I was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease; something
that I had heard about, but never really knew how devastating it can be. What I thought was a spider bite, was
actually from a deer tick that affects your central nervous system. The treatment was four weeks of antibiotics,
and the symptoms got worse before they got better. I spent many nights awake, covered in sweat
and in pain, crying out to God for help.

Afterwards, I felt so weak, still having
lingering muscle and joint pain which got better over time. It was heart wrenching to see the health that
I worked so hard to achieve, taken from me in a moment, and I could not see how
I would ever be able to restore it.
However, during those weeks of illness, I was clinging to God’s Word and
His promises. It was the ONLY thing that
brought me peace during those days. Yes,
I was physically much weaker, but I had never felt so spiritually strong.

With the help and encouragement
of family and friends, I decided to try working out again. It was really a struggle in the beginning,
and for the first few weeks, my workouts lasted for about 5-10 minutes, and
then I would leave the gym in tears, completely discouraged and saddened.

There were several times I wanted
to quit. It was only because of the
promises in God’s Word, and the love and support of my family that I continued
to go back every day. I clung to
Scripture and declared its truth throughout the workout, even though many times
my body was screaming to give up, but little by little, I regained my strength.

I will never forget the day I finally
completed a full hour workout…that day, I cried tears of joy and
thankfulness. I still have trouble
making it through a workout without welling up with tears. The ability to work out and have health is
such a precious gift, one that I will never again take for granted.

Now, my hope and prayer is that I
can encourage and inspire others to fight through whatever difficulties and
obstacles they might be facing to become their healthiest! I started a facebook page page, Fit Family Faith at first to
motivate myself and had only invited a few friends and family to it.

I am humbled beyond words to see how it has
grown and how God is using the Lyme’s Disease trial to be a testimony for
others who are facing trials of their own.
There is an incredible scripture in Genesis 50:20 that echoes this,
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what
is now being done, the saving of many lives.” I know that what I went through was intended
to harm me, but through God’s sustaining hand, I have come through it stronger
than I could ever have imagined and I love the person I have become, because I
have fought to become her!

Another verse I mediated on often
was Romans 8:37, which says “in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Your obstacles are probably different than mine, but I believe the
solution is the same…include God in your journey. I encourage you to write down your goals, and
be very specific. Then, pray over them
daily. Find a few scriptures that
encourage you and repeat them throughout the day, especially when you are
struggling with making healthy choices.
Also, remember that it is a journey, and it takes time. You will stumble from time to time, but give
yourself GRACE, and then keep moving forward!
You can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians
4:13)!

Here are a couple of my “go-to”
scriptures for reference:

Genesis 50:20
Joshua 1:9
Psalm 91:14-16
Isaiah 41:10
Romans 8:37
Philippians 4:13

Thanks, Kim for your willingness to share with us! Y’all be sure to go stop by her Facebook page and click LIKE so that you don’t miss out on hearing more from her daily. You’ll be blessed, I promise!

Sharing our Successes…Meet Cindy!

March 5, 2014 By Kara 1 Comment

I want to start a new series of posts for you about real life success stories of those who have made changes towards living a healthier lifestyle.

For the first success story, I’m featuring a friend I met online named Cindy. I know that after reading her story and seeing her incredible before and after pictures, you’ll be inspired and motivated as I was.

Without further ado, meet CINDY! 🙂

Background Info:
Tell us a little bit about
yourself.
I am a wife
and homeschool mom of four kids: my daughter is 8, and my sons are ages 6, 5,
and 3. Before having children, I worked in TV news (first as an assignment
editor, then as a newscast producer). I left TV and went to work for the
Australian Embassy in DC for four years, as a Public Affairs Officer. More
recently, I became a TRX instructor at my gym and hope to inspire others to become
fit and healthy.

I have always
wanted to adopt, so after we had two biological children, my husband and I
started the process to adopt a child from Taiwan. We adopted our third child
from Taiwan in 2009; about a year later, our agency contacted us to tell us our
son had a biological baby brother placed for adoption at the same orphanage. We
returned to Taiwan in 2011 and brought him home to join our family.

Your Story:
-How long have you been on this
journey?

I have been
overweight for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I have tried pretty
much every diet plan. I have counted calories and points; done the high
protein/low carbs; eaten only soup and exercised like crazy. I would typically
lose weight but as soon as I stopped “dieting” the weight would return, plus a
few pounds.

-What was the turning point for you? (What made you decide it was time to get
healthy?)

I saw a photo
of myself taken in June 2011, when we met our youngest son in Taiwan. Usually,
if someone was taking a photo of me, I could stand a certain way or make it so
you could only see my face in the photo. But this photo was a candid and I was
shocked when I saw it, at just how big I had gotten. I always thought I
“carried my weight well” but this photo said otherwise.

Pounds/Inches lost?

My highest
non-pregnancy weight topped out at about 186.

I weighed in at 140 last summer.
I now weigh 146. I have been working on lifting weights, so I expect to gain a
few pounds but the number on the scale doesn’t matter to me as much now,
because my personal trainer measures my body fat each month – that gives me a
better perspective on my body composition that the scale. Since he started
measuring it a year ago, I have lost about 9% body fat (I had already lost
about 30 lbs before he measured my body fat the first time. In the last year, I
have worked to build muscle and reduce body fat.)

Inches lost –
I have lost 8-9 inches from my waist; about 10 inches off my hips; 5-6 inches
off my bust/chest area – yes, I have dropped several bra sizes.

-Clothing size difference?

At my highest
weight, I was wearing sizes 14 and 16. I now wear a size 4 in most clothes;
occasionally a size 2 or a size 6 depending on the brand and the style. I have
always had a range of clothing sizes in my closet from when I would lose and
gain weight in the past – anywhere from a sizes 10 to 16. I have a size 8 dress
I bought on clearance that I hoped to wear one day – it’s too big now. I’m in
the process of clearing out my closet because I am not worried about gaining
back the weight this time.

-Any other medical stats that changed such as cholesterol, blood pressure,
blood sugar, etc.

I had a
check-up last year, and while I have always been pretty healthy, all of my
numbers showed a major improvement from the last time my cholesterol/blood
pressure was checked. I recently checked my “heart age” on this website: http://www.heartage.me – it put my “heart age” 13 years younger than my
current age.

-Your blog/website/instagram account:

http://www.welltrainedmama.com

http://www.facebook.com/welltrainedmama

http://instagram.com/welltrainedmama

-How did you get started? What was the first change that you made?

In January
2012, I started by setting a goal to get to the gym 3x a week. Once I was on
track with that goal, I started setting new goals each month (for instance, try
a new class at the gym, learn to jump rope, complete a push-up challenge,
sign-up and train for a race, etc). I didn’t make any changes to my diet/food
at that point – only tracked calories. In 2013, I started following a program
called Atomic Weight Loss. Through that program, I have re-learned how to eat.
I follow my personal nutrient plan and eat probably twice as much as I was
eating when I was “dieting.”

-What is your workout routine/schedule like?

I typically
participate in 3-4 group exercises each week, usually Boot camp and TRX
classes. I lift weights 3-4 times a week, and also try to run 2-3 times during
the week when I am training for a race. I just returned to running last spring
and will be running my first 10K at the end of March.

-What eating plan or food choices do you follow?

Atomic Weight
Loss – http://www.atomicweightloss.com

I eat
according to my personal Atomic Weight Loss plan, which includes the amount of
protein, fiber, carbs and fat I should be eating each day. I don’t count
calories any more, rather I focus solely on nutrients instead.

-What helped
you the most on this journey to be successful?

I have been
successful at losing weight in the past; the nutrition has been huge for me –
and the reason why this time around, I have been so successful. I finally
understand how my body processes food; I try to “eat clean” most of the time.
This has become a complete lifestyle change for me – but I had to do it in
small steps. If I had tried to do it all at once, it would have been too
overwhelming.

-What words of advice do you have to give those who are ready to get started?

Set small goals
that are measurable and attainable. Maybe set a goal for a week or a month.
Stick with making small changes one at a time.

-What words of advice do you have for those who think they will never be able
to turn things around in regards to their health or that may be discouraged?

Philippians
4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

You must
change your mind set. One day at a time. One step at a time. Capture those
negative thoughts and tell yourself the truth: You are more than just a number
on the scale. You are stronger than you think. You are created in the image of
God, to glorify Him. I would never say to someone else what the little “voices”
in my head used to say to me. It’s going to take time to reach your goals, but
it is worth it and you can do it.

-How do you make time for fitness/healthy eating in an already busy schedule?

The
gym/working out is part of my daily schedule. I mark my workouts on my calendar
like an appointment, so I don’t overbook myself. I have learned to say ‘no’ and
limit extra activities in our schedule. I participate in online Bible studies
that allow me to stay on track with the kids’ school work during the day. And I
do my grocery shopping and other errands in the evening when my husband is
home.

-Any other
info you would like to share?

I had a bad accident in college where I fell about 20 feet
from a lift while videotaping a football game. Because of my injuries, every
doctor since then has told me running is bad for my lower back. I have suffered
from back pain for the last 15+ years. I let that be an excuse for why I
couldn’t work out and why I had such a hard time losing weight. But by God’s
mercy and healing, I have been able to get back into running – I ran two 5K’s
last year and an 8K, and will be running my first 10K later this month. When I
run now, I praise God because He has given me the ability to run and I love
that time where I can listen to praise music and mentally list all the
blessings for which I am grateful.

I will celebrate my 40th birthday this year and
feel healthier than I did at age 30.

Check out these awesome before and after shots!

Wow, huh?!?!?

Friends, YOU can do this. Use her story as your motivation and encouragement today. And head over to her page and show her some love 😉 So proud to know you, Cindy!

If you’ve got a Success Story that you’d like to see featured here, please email me.