Darci's Story

By the time I was 25 years old I had been on numerous diets, including low fat, low carb, "balanced" through a nutritionist, calorie counting, six week makeovers, and even just chicken and steamed veggies before my wedding, because I thought I was overweight. While, I may have had a small amount of weight to lose here and there, looking back at the pictures, I now know I was certainly not fat. Apparently, being told over and over again by a teasing relative that I was fat got in my head and it became part of who I thought I was.
 
I grew up with knee bone issues and imbalanced hips, which limited my athletic ability and caused chronic inflammation and pain. Becoming "good" at skiing or running or wakeboarding was not an option for me, despite wanting to do more than the basics. I spent every day of my life waking up with anxiety that I was taught was "just your personality."
 
After a tragedy in my life, I moved across the country and ultimately ended up in a sedentary job. Combined with not being very happy, no longer living an active lifestyle and eating poorly most of the time, I began gaining weight on and off. The off was when I would try various diets and exercise plans and lose some weight. Over the course of about seven years, I finally ended up weighing about 100 pounds more than my ideal body weight. Add that to chronic health issues, such as heart palpitations (with strong medication) and anxiety I had since I was a child and throw in some insomnia from my chronic pain, and you have a trifecta of misery with no end in sight.
 
At the end of 2012, I was watching PBS and Dr. Fuhrman's Eat To Live presentation came on. I had seen it before. On that day, I was at my lowest and my heaviest. I wasn't sleeping from my chronic pain and I wanted relief. I wanted my life not only back but better than ever. I purchased the Kindle version of Eat To Live right away.  I experienced weight loss and healthy improvements the very first week and stuck with it on a strict basis for several months. I became a foodie of sorts, making all kinds of great recipes.

But I wasn't exercising and started to add some food options that were not so healthy for me to maintain my progress.  Over the course of the next year and a half, while I didn't gain the weight back and maintained my amazing health benefits, I stopped losing weight due to the addition of nutrient-poor food choices and lack of exercise. I was down about 30 pounds at that time.
 
In late January of 2015, I was truly back on my path with laser focus in all aspects of my life. With that, I rededicated myself to being 100 percent Nutritarian and my life changed forever. I lost another 60 pounds by mid-August, discovered my new pain-free body allowed me to begin CrossFit (West Boca CrossFit), and be happier than most people can imagine feeling; all because of my food choices.
 
Almost every day, there is an opportunity for me to share my story with others and help someone become motivated to change their life or the life of someone they care about. I have now personally coached many people, who also have seen their own lives change for the better.  To wake up every day without health issues, and the chance to do anything I want with the rest of my life is joy I know that God has provided. My passion has become helping others find their health and happiness. There is no greater joy for me than to see others experience their own miracles.
 
I eat vegetables and fruit for breakfast. I don't snack (except fruit after a workout). I don't eat any grain or other "limited" foods while I am still heading to my goal. I am asked where I get my protein pretty much every day. I get told I have amazing discipline. The truth is that if you give nutrition a real chance, your body will respond. Your results will be all the motivation that you need.

God brought me to Dr. Fuhrman to change my life so I can now help others change their lives. On this journey, he has brought people into my life to help me on my path and lead me to success. We all need support. Food, weight and health problems are very personal and difficult issues to resolve. With real food options, proper education, support from people that care and doctors like Dr. Fuhrman, and our making a commitment to our health, we can all find the solution to this American tragedy of  unnecessary sickness and overweight.