This hike was so challenging and awesome with my friends Cat Glennan and Barry Romoser! After an epic climb, standing atop Gothics and Pyramid Peak in the Adirondacks, I felt a sense of redemption wash over me. This hike was everything I had been working towards since last September, a testament to my resilience and determination.
In the past, I’ve tried countless diets, but none of them stuck. As a type 2 diabetic with insulin resistance, calorie restriction was not the answer. It left me nutrient-deprived and stuck in a cycle of weight fluctuation. I’ve lost weight before but would always crash on these diets and put it back on – yo-yoing the same 70-80 lbs over and over again and never understanding why. But it was a birthday hiking trip in September 2022, where I struggled and didn’t like what I saw in the photos, that finally sparked a change.
With the guidance of my primary care doctor, Joseph Spirito, and my nutritionist, Kelly ODocharty Miller (The Addiction Nutritionist), I started medication for type 2 diabetes, focused on my diet, and locked in on exercise. I’ve been blessed with healthy whole food meals prepared by our chef, Jamirse, and a robust exercise regimen. A shoutout to my mental and spiritual health coach Lynda Loranger, the Strong and Lean strength training program by Mark Lauren Bodyweight Training, my love of running, physical therapy exercises from Jess at Sakonnet Physical Therapy (who helped me recover from tendonitis in both knees in 2020), some light weight work, and the hot yoga/yin yoga/heated core conditioning team I’ve worked with at Rhode Island Hot Yoga (Shirley, Stacy, Zach, Juliana, Jess you rock!).
Today, I weighed in at 166 lbs, almost HALF of my highest recorded weight of 331 over 7 years ago. More importantly, I’m down more than 80 lbs since that difficult hiking trip last September. For the first time in my life, I’m focusing on truly being fit instead of weight loss and the weight loss has been happening. I’ve never felt better.
This October, I’ll be running the Newport Marathon again, a testament to my journey from struggle to struggle to struggle to strength and resilience. My story is proof that it’s never too late to change, to choose health, and to choose yourself. Remember, it’s not about the destination, but the journey. Here’s to the next chapter of this incredible journey.
I’ve included an old picture from years ago and a picture from that hike in 2022 for contrast.