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A blog reader recently wrote to me that she has Hashimoto’s and she was interested in working with Dr. Jack but concerned because I talk about Pilates and going to the YMCA.  Her fear was exercise and the pain it causes.  She was telling me how walking to her mailbox is a painful experience.  That she suddenly has a pain that escalates into other pain.    And,  I can totally relate.  Gosh, I have felt your pain, literally.   And my blog today isn’t just about her pain or mine, but about all kinds of diseases that truly bring life altering pain and inflammation.

So first, remember that I am with Dr. Jack since October.  I started Pilates not until March and didn’t start at the Y until June.  Dr. Jack would be the first one to tell you tone down the exercise in the beginning.  So keep that in mind.

Read morePain…..

Dr. Jack is a really talented man. Besides being the best doctor ever, he has an active,  busy family life, he has a busy personal life, he coaches,  he has two businesses to run, he is an author and he even finds time to play the trumpet.  Last night, he was going to be playing with his son in the community band, and I had a rare weeknight off, so I was able to go see him play! I was really excited to hear him in a live concert.

He told me it would be outdoors, even better, as outdoor music events are favorite of mine!  He said to bring a chair and told me where and when it was.

A few years ago, I had bought one of those collapsible chairs for events like this.  It was not easy to find.   You see, when you are a larger person and you are short, those kinds of chairs are not built for you.  Mostly the problem is weight.   When you are heavy, all your weight is suddenly in a position where simply standing up is not easy.  If I had longer legs then I could shift my weight forward more easily from the position,  but I am all of four foot eleven with a half inch thrown in there.

When those first came out, I wanted to get one.  My friend Mark, is a huge athlete.  He was always playing flag football or softball. And I would often go to his games.

Read moreThe chair and Dr. Jack’s concert..

I was having a plateau. A large plateau….A plateau that has hung on for a bit.   And I seriously was not happy about it.  I kept thinking it would pass in like a week, or a two.  But it seemed to hang on longer and each week I got more frustrated.   Despite no cheating, not eating differently, this dumb plateau just wouldn’t GO. Each week, my jump on the scale was followed by a big long, “Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh………”

Read moreThe plateau is over….. Phewwww…..

If you do Dr. Jack’s program, you take all natural supplements to help your body heal, and do things it is intended to do.  They are great supplements!  They are not like junky over the counter stuff filled with nasty fillers and preservatives.  Ewwwwwww…..

So, many new friends on his program ask me which one is my favorite.  I have to say I like them all but if I had to choose?  Hands down, Body Purifier! Where was that my whole life?  I am sure I have needed it forever! If I don’t have a full container after I bag my supplements for the week, I get panic stricken.  I am ordering it right away so I keep my supply up.  I am sure I have at least three bottles on hand right now and as soon as two are empty I order more. Going without is like not having water.

Read moreMy favorite supplement? Body purifier!!

Yesterday, someone asked me that, ” What is the thing that makes Dr. Jack’s  program so different than any other? It’s just a diet.”

Answer: Well, first, golly, whatever  you do, don’t use the word, “diet,” in front of him.  Yikes……. Dr. Jack isn’t a big fan of diets….  This isn’t a diet.  A diet is essentially a plan to lose weight, and this isn’t that at all.  That is really just an added benefit.   His program IS different because he IS different and what he talks about IS different, and his approach is different and….. You get the idea.

Read moreDr. Jack vs traditional programs? Can’t compare two unlike things.

Have you noticed that since I started working with Dr. Jack, I just keep jumping out of my comfort zone? It’s gotten so that I am more comfortable being uncomfortable than anything else.  Ha ha!!

So yesterday, I tried something totally new, never, ever done before.  I went to see Kelly Kuechler, who works out of Dr. Jack’s office.  Kelly is always helping me with my loose skin through wraps she uses that have helped me tremendously!  Every month, I notice improvement.    Last month she had a sale going for facial skin treatments and so I thought I might try it.

Read moreKelly Kuechler, working hard to help my skin..

No, don’t worry… I didn’t go crazy or anything, it was just that last week, I finally found it.  The emotional eating trigger, the big one. Not those little itty bitty ones that say, “Oh look, cookies! I love cookies!”  No, not that one, I am talking the biggggggggg one!   The nasty ugly dragon with his big horns and breath of fire screaming at me to just forget the hard work and eat something enormous and bad for me!  And now that I have identified the enemy, I just have to keep working on getting rid of it, or at least figuring out how to keep it at a distance.

Read moreThe emotional eating monster….

My son and I live in the same house.   Being two working adults, we lead busy lives and mostly bump into each other on our way out the door.  Twice this week,  we had a rare opportunity to spend a little time together.  He looked at me and said, “You know mom, Dr. Jack has changed you so much!  You are so active now.  You just go go go and it’s so nice to see you enjoying your life.  It’s great seeing you enjoy the things you used to love to do and couldn’t. It’s like you are a new person.”   Yeah….that really is a great gift Dr. Jack gave me……  You would have had to live here to truly appreciate that.  I used to have a great life.  And then I got thyroid disease…..from there,  back surgery…. Then my Hashimoto’s really kicked into gear and that was that….

Read more“Mom, it’s so nice seeing you enjoy your life again.”

I wasn’t going to share it… It’s kind of personal…. But everyone asks me what makes Dr. Jack different….that you can just buy a book and do it….

Dr. Jack does huge things for me. Like educating me about my disease.  But it’s the stuff like this that keeps me going.  It’s this kind of thing that touches my heart.  He has a unique ability to take something that is tugging at me, dragging me down, and make it better….  Where do you find THAT in any other program?  In a book?

Read moreWhen you feel like the loose link in the chain….

Nine months….. Hard to believe…. Nine months.  95 pounds to date.  Look out 100, I see you!!

Things have gone a little slower weight wise and yet when I look at it and think, could I believe I would be here today… The answer is NO!!   My partner, Dr. Jack Saia, http://drsaia.  , he believed  it, but I didn’t.   My teammate had every hope that we would make 100 pounds before a year.  I couldn’t believe him, I was afraid to.  But 100 is in site with time to make 110!

Here we are, and I can hardly type through the drippy tears of joy.  I tried to tell him today what it meant….

You know, Dr. Jack is a very modest man.  Every time I try to tell him what this all has meant to me, I can almost hear his discomfort at the other end of the phone.  And what doesn’t help is me getting so choked up I can’t find the right words.  He keeps saying its me, and I keep,saying its him.  Maybe one day the right combination of words can come.  How can he know? He wasn’t living inside here so he really doesn’t understand.

Read moreHappy Nine Months to Dr. Jack and Me!!!