How I Lost Weight, Improved My Health and Unfurled My Wings With the Body Enlightenment System (A Private Journal is Shared)
– by Kate Nicholson
One of our favorite things about Body Enlightenment is getting to read the stories of triumph that come in from participants who are generous enough to give us a sneak peak into their personal journeys of transformation. Kate wrote to share with us some beautiful snippets of her journals from back in 2009, when she first went through the program. She’s currently back for a lifestyle re-boot through the new 5 pillar BE Original program. This is her story.
Back in November 2009, I joined the Raw Diva’s original BES programme (Body Enlightenment System – the precursor of this new improved version). I have to say, I’m loving this new plan! I fell off the raw wagon a little while ago, so it’s great to get back on and to start feeling those amazing changes taking place again.
Just to remind myself of what happens when I focus completely on eating healthily, I fished out my old BES journal from back then. Here’s a few of the entries – hope you enjoy reading my struggles and joys!
Sat 21/11/09
Started today feeling ‘why bother’…could just forget it and curl up with a good book and some jelly beans…Wanted to start my day with a nice hot cup of tea…(it’s cold, wet and windy outside). HOWEVER, I didn’t. I made a cup of warmish lemon water and sat at my computer reading up all the BES stuff, then had a delicious green smoothie for breakfast (strawberries, parsley, banana, some ground almonds, agave, filtered water). Printed off today’s success planner. Listened to Tera’s teleseminar, and off I go! This is the new me. I choose to weigh eight stone and be fit, healthy, vibrant and energetic!
Sat 12/12/09
Went completely off the rails for a couple of weeks, got very depressed and ate tons of junk. Felt awful. Started again this Monday (7th Dec), mostly raw. Occasional oatcake and peanut butter. Yesterday, had green smoothie for breakfast: papaya, mango, banana, blueberries, organic spinach, spirulina, water, agave, then a handful of pecan nuts and an organic apple at work (early shift), then ¾ of a medium sized avocado, a handful of sugar-snap peas and a small banana for lunch. Mid afternoon was two squares of organic 85%dark chocolate and a cup of organic de-caf tea with almond milk. Dinner was a plate of courgette and organic carrot ‘spaghetti’ with home made pesto (large bunch of basil, extra-virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup pine nuts, clove garlic, slash water). Delicious. Drank plenty of water.
Find I’m sleeping less. Wake up very early. Had loads of energy yesterday. Off to London today. Caroline sent me a train ticket she couldn’t use (I practised ‘The Secret’ on Thurs when I got up, and lo-and-behold, her offer of the train ticket appeared in my in-box a couple of hours later!). In fact, I had a terrific couple of days at work as well. I attract all the wonderful things in the Universe. I have an abundance of good things happening in my life, and I am SO grateful!
Mon 14/12/09
London was fine. Bought stuff from Planet Organic and managed to eat high raw all day. Had a salad at Pret for lunch. Very exhausting trip though – engineering works meant delays, and I wasn’t home until 1.00a.m. Lovely to see my daughters, who both seem very happy in student accommodation.
Woke up this morning after a perfect 8 hours sleep. No waking during the night for the first time in ages. Love this no caffeine, no sugar, high raw! Got up, stretched and said ‘Good Morning, World! And here I am, ready to go, full of energy.
Plan to do ballet video today after reading study that found ballet was one of the best forms of exercise for preventing dementia! If it gets my brain moving as well as creating lean muscles, what’s not to lose!?
Right, must sort some X-mas stuff out, it’s xmas day a week on Friday. Help!
Later…had raw oat groats for breakfast with almond milk, sour cherries, pumpkin seeds and agave. Lunch was some raw soup (cucumber, spring onion, romaine lettuce, and sesame seeds blended, with a sprinkling of pine nuts and olives. Had cup of tea after (decaf) with a raw biscuit made from flax seeds lemon and ginger. Mid afternoon I had two apples. Dinner was at a friend’s house; a small piece of salmon and a huge salad and a glass of wine. My friends think I’m mad…I turned down the chocolate torte with Baileys cream for dessert, and instead shared round some raw chocolate that I’d bought in London.
Thurs 17/12/09
Yesterday I had a green smoothie at work – cherries, banana, parsley, romaine lettuce, spirulina, hemp protein powder and agave. Mid-morning – a handful of goji berries with raw cacao nibs, and lunch was a medium sized salad with kale, tomatoes, red pepper and pumpkin seeds. Had an orange when I got home, but wasn’t hungry after that, so just had water in the evening.
Tues 22/12/09
I feel amazing. I weigh 8st 7lbs for the first time in years (effortlessly!). So much energy and so happy. Should be feeling all hormonal and miserable, but so far so good!
The piece I sent in to Tera was published on the blog today! Yay! So excited!
What did I eat yesterday…Breakfast was a smoothie made with banana, spinach, berries, agave and spirulina, but it was unpleasantly sweet, so only drank half of it. Don’t think I need to use agave in smoothies. Had a small Naked bar at lunchtime while shopping/meeting Eileen for my Annual Review at 
work. Had dehydrated kale, spinach, broccoli etc crackers with carrot and almond spread when I got home about 3 ish., followed by a cup of organic decaf tea with a couple of squares of organic dark choc. Dinner was a salad of broccoli sprouts, sprouted mung beans, celery, tomatoes and avocado. Dressing of olive oil and plum vinegar. Boy, broccoli sprouts are hot!! I never would have guessed!
Had a bit of a detox day yesterday at work. Kept going to the loo! Good clear out!
31/12/09
Well, end of the year. Time to take stock. The high raw diet I’m following is a resounding success. I weighed myself on Monday – 8st 6lbs (was 9st 2lbs). Haven’t been this weight for 18 years! Am never hungry. Occasionally empty, but only when I choose to be because it feels right. Have bought some new skinny jeans (skinny jeans!!!) and feel fantastic. Managed a high raw vegan xmas with my family. No alcohol (don’t like it any more). No sugar. Nobody went overboard on food and alcohol this year, interestingly, which makes me realise how my eating habits influence everyone else.
Tues 5/1/10
Had another detox clear out day yesterday – probably the rather hot Mathew Kenney raw chilli I made for me and the girls. It was absolutely delicious though. Got on the scales this morning – 8st 3.4lbs!!! Probably water loss, but still!
Started exercising every day now, lunges and press ups, yoga, that kind of thing. No plan, just do it.
Thurs 14/01/10
Seem to have stabilised at around 8st 5lbs. (‘I choose to weigh 8 stones…’).We’re having the coldest winter for 100 years apparently, and it feels right to cut back and be quiet and meditative, and just take some time out. Have been meditating quite a bit, which feels really good, as does being with uncomfortable emotions when they arise instead of eating to damp them down.
26/01/10
Feel amazing. Better than ever. Practising Kundalini yoga most days, and walking a lot. Met someone from my sculpture class that I haven’t seen since mid-December, and she demanded to know what I’ve been doing as I look ten years younger! My youngest daughter says how lovely it is talking to me as I’m so full of life and happiness that it’s contagious. I can’t believe all this has come out of starting BES in December! That’s only what, six or seven weeks ago?!
Fri 29/01/10
‘I chose to weigh 8 stone’…Well, I now weigh 8 stone 0lbs and 8oz! Haven’t been this weight for over 20 years! I feel so well, energetic and alive. My wings have unfurled! I’m finally flying!
Get Ready to Lighten Up
- The trashy self-talk.
- The circuits you’ve been playing in your head about how “fat” or unattractive you are.
- The isolation, baggy clothes, messy hair and just not taking care of yourself.
- The self-loathing, overeating, and sabotaging behavior.
- The eating in secret (as though you could ever hide it from yourself).
- The weight loss and dieting roller coaster of up 10 pounds, down 10 pounds, up 10, down 10, up 20…
- The lack of hope, lost purpose and feeling you’re stuck in the mud
Click here to register for our core Body Enlightenment program, and get ready to lighten up!