My name is Christine. I thought I would share my story because so many of us encounter life changing events and we lose our way. That what happened to me. I lost control of my lifetime focus on weight management.
Looking back, it is Feb 2019. My life as I defined and planned it was exactly where I had envisioned it to be. I was 56, Vice President of a Top 10 Cosmetic Skincare Company. I was a mom of two young men and married to my high-school sweetheart. I had a small group of amazing friends and enjoyed being part of a larger fitness community. I had 6 beautiful sisters. I had 2 wonderful dogs. Life was perfect. My life was full.
I loved my career choice. I had the distinct privilege of partnering with some amazing talented women. We support one another, we motivated one another and we grew together.
I often shared with my teams that they would need to walk me out the door at 90. While that never happened……
Fast Forward Mar 2020. Covid Fear sets in. The organization I had dedicated that last 21 years of my life to informed me I would be laid off for a indeterminate amount of time. There was very little contact for 90 days. I was crushed. I was lonely. I was scared. I no longer knew who I was. The trust that was so badly broken with my former mentor destabilized me. My sons were grown men, my husband went to work everyday and everyone I had previously worked with seem scared to talk to me. Covid Fear had taken over. I felt like I was adrift at sea and i just could not see the land. On the 90th day, my previous mentor and partner set up a zoom call to let me know the organization was restructuring. After living and breathing this organization, building sales, teams, departments and strategies I had become irrelevant. I was devastated I remember I took my dog down to the river and I sat at the falls and I thought would anyone miss me. That thought shook me to my core. I got off the stone blocks and took Cleo home. This was day 1 of redefining the new me. I decided I would not look for another job. I decided to take some time to focus on me.
Aug 2020 my sister Lisa. My first friend and my best friend called me. She asked me to sit down. I was in my covid gym working out. She said so calmly “My cancer is back and it is in my brain.” She wanted to know if I was OK. Here she is sharing something so scary and she is asking me if I am OK. My world just went black. For the next 13 Months, my sister took every treatment they gave her. Trying to stay alive. Trying to live long enough for her son’s 21 birthday. We walked, we talked, went for drives. I drew on her eyebrows for her. I took care of her when the chemo made her sick. I bought her fun, colourful head wraps because the wigs were too hot. We had deep soul-full discussions about our family. We made promises to each other. As I look back losing my job was a gift. I was able to help my sister, my nephew and my brother-in law. I had the luxury of time. Lisa passed away in her home Sept 5, 2021. I held her hand all the way through. Grief paralyzed me. I was devastated and exhausted. I felt like a part of me died with her. And I was the heaviest I had ever been. It took many months to find my way back. I had many reflections of the last 13 months.
One of the promises I had made to my sister Lisa was to have fun and enjoy life. I had been a career workaholic, chasing before dawn planes and spending too much time in the boardroom. She wanted me to have a more relaxed life. I decided to make me a priority for the first time in along time. I decided I would need to get active in fitness groups. I would need to surround myself with like minded individuals. I would need to make intentional choices and ensure I achieved a consistent long term change in my fitness and nutrition plan.
It is easy to map out your plan but the true work comes in keeping the discipline long term. I decide to join Fit Body Boot Camp. It was expensive for me, especially since I had already invested in a full gym in my home. My friend Tracy had been
going for a year and loved it. So I joined. I have been going 6 days a week for 14 months. My body was changing for sure but I needed to address my nutrition. Tracy told my about InnerStrong and sent me a ADD for the Facebook page. For me this was another beginning. I am learning a lot from this group of women and Nicole in particular . One of the key turning point for me was understanding the impact rigid dieting was having on my progress. It has stalled, my body was protecting itself from me. I was eating 1200 calories a day and working out and walking everyday. Nicole had a session on Metabolic Restoration and I knew I needed to eat more than I was, but the right foods. I slowly increased my caloric intake. The next key turning point for me was Nicole’s session on MACROS. This has really helped me to break my plateau.
I am now down 47LBS. My resting heart rate has gone from 67 to 52 and at 59 I am healthier than I have ever been.
Thank you to all the ladies in the group that keep me inspired, motivated and challenged.
