Monthly Member Spotlight {Sherrie}
Sherrie is a member of our Instant Loss Community. She has a beautiful testimony of how switching to a whole foods diet changed her life and perspective on dieting. Thank you for sharing your story with us Sherrie!
I am so honored to share my story with y’all. I pray it helps someone.
I’m 53 years old. I didn’t always have a weight problem but after the birth of my son 26 years ago, I went through pretty bad postpartum depression. I began to gain weight at that point.
Over the years, I have tried every trick, gimmick, diet there is. Twice I was able to lose weight. Once, shortly before I ended my 17 year marriage, I lost about 60lbs. I had no self esteem during that time, and was trying to regain some control of my life. Sadly, I wasn’t doing it a healthy way. I was eating so little, but spending up to 4 hours a day in the gym. I was running from my life, but wasn’t dealing with issues. I gained it all back plus some.
The second time was 2 years ago, when my wonderful husband of 3 years, did nutrisystem with me. I lost 40lbs, but once we stopped the plan, it came right back. It wasn’t so much portions, but I was still eating the wrong way and didn’t even know it! So, you guessed it, I gained it all back. PLUS. Isn’t that how it works? It’s no wonder the diet industry is such a multimillion dollar business. If you don’t change your mindset, the way you think, it will never stay off.
The last 2 years, I developed arthritis in my knees. I was in such pain all the time, and got to the point, I didn’t want to move anymore than I had to. I could literally feel inflammation in my body. My hands were swelling, even just while sitting at my desk at work! I knew I had to do something, but honestly, I just didn’t know where to turn. So I prayed. I KNOW that my Father hears and answers my prayers. And I know that He wants my temple to be healthy and whole.
I sat and prayed for God to help me. And then came the holidays. And the sweets, the good food, my in laws, my parents. And the misery. While we were at my parents’ house, at Thanksgiving, my mom was showing my husband and I her new pressure cooker. She was so excited. I was like, yeah that’s great. 
. Apparently my husband drank the kool aid. He was online looking for Black Friday sales on them! And he bought one! So, when we got home, I thought well now I have to cook in this thing. And that’s when I started looking up recipes. And “accidentally” came across Brittany’s story about losing 125 lbs in 1 year by cooking with the Instant Pot.
Ok, now it’s getting interesting. And that is when my switch flipped. I knew this was what was going to work. I KNEW it!!!
I started thanking God for the answer to my prayers. But as awesome as His answer was, I knew I had to be the one to do the work! We made the plan to start Jan 1. The week before New Years, we went shopping. I cleaned out the pantry and the fridge. I bought things I had never heard of!! And then I told my husband this….we’re starting tomorrow, not waiting til Jan 1. I didn’t want this to be a “resolution “. So, on Dec 31, 2017 we started. Yep a whole day early!! 🤣 I was just ready.
Then came the hard part. I had to get on the scale. So I did it and started my meal plan. I mix and match on the menus. I’m not good with following a plan to the T, but that’s the great thing about this plan. It’s MY plan! It’s YOUR plan! It’s totally adaptable! Don’t be afraid to try foods you’ve never had or even heard of! Some you’ll like, some you won’t, but you don’t know until you try! I have discovered quite a few things I really love by just trying them! And y’all I am not a plan the whole week person, but I have been so faithful to the weekly prepping. I always have breakfast and lunches made for the week.
I just went full speed on the plan. I can’t ease into something or it’ll never happen. For example, I gave up all wheat and grains. Now if I’d tried to limit to 1 piece of bread a day, I know me, it ends up being 1 with a 0 at the end. It’s a slippery slope. I also gave up Splenda, anything not naturally sweetened, and most dairy. I still have limited amounts of cheese, and I do cook with grass fed butter. I gave up diet Dr. Pepper. And of course, ALL processed foods.
My results have been so exciting. I started at 205lbs (ugh, I hate saying that). I am down 26 lbs. and over 20 inches all over! I am down 2, almost 3 sizes. But the best part? I have NO pain anywhere! My knees and feet do not hurt at all. I am walking usually 5 miles a day, and on the weekends the hubby and I are walking 10 – 12 miles on Saturday and Sunday!!! I no longer have inflammation in my body, and I don’t swell anymore. My life is just better. I am more energetic, I don’t feel sick, bloated, or run down.
I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Brittany for being willing to be used by God to make lives better. This is not a diet at all. This is a lifestyle. It’s so funny that I don’t feel like I’ve given up anything. I feel like I have gained so much. It’s such a pleasure to go shopping and find the fresh produce. I love it that I always have dishes to wash and I am always in my kitchen! Ok, not quite always but I don’t think I have ever washed so many dishes! 🤣🤣
The most important part of this is your mindset. I truly believe once you stop focusing on the things you “have” to give up and start thinking what you WILL gain, you will achieve such success. Not only in the weight loss, which will happen, but something happens. It has to me. I feel clearer, more focused. I feel more self control. I feel more social. I feel healthy. Mentally and physically, and yes, even spiritually. As I have focused on this lifestyle, it has allowed me to focus less on me, and more on my walk with Him. I can’t explain that part of it really, I just know it’s true.
I have 44 more lbs to lose to reach my goal. As a celebration for success, I booked and paid for a cruise, with excursions and other surprises for my husband and I. He has NO idea! We sail on September 1. I can’t believe I haven’t told him. I’m horrible about buying gifts then wanting to give it that day. So, I’m giving it to him on our anniversary in May. By September, I will be at or close to my goal. I have already requested our gluten free diet. AND bought a beautiful new formal dress in a smaller size, and picked out my new swimsuit!!!
You will not be disappointed if you stop dieting and start being healthy. This group is the best for support and encouragement and celebration! And accountability. So, Keep going! Live the best life you can!! Love yourself enough to invest in healthy, not a gimmick. It is so worth it. And so are we!!
Thank you for letting me share just a little about my journey. You guys are such a great family! 
Dear Sherrie, your story has encouraged me greatly! I LOVE how God uses his children to help others! I am an emotional eater and am now heavier than I’ve ever been. Sigh!!! Today, instead of eating when I got frustrated I made fresh tomato soup in my Vitamix! Yay!! One point for me! Hahaha!!! Thank you for sharing your story, and your faith in God. Keep trying!! I’ll be praying for you. -Carol
p.s.–I’m going to start using more Instapot recipes! I’m intimidated by it and don’t want to waste money if the family doesn’t like the meal. But I’m going to half the recipes and start making them for lunch. 😉
What a wonderful story! I love that you prayed and God answered. He is good. All the time. The thing that struck me the most was that you don’t have pain anymore. And although it could be from weight loss, I really believe it’s from all the junk not going into your body anymore – all the inflammation from that junk is gone. Diet Dr. Pepper? Ugh, I don’t even want to THINK about what’s in that, but the artificial sweetener alone would wreak havoc. I’m so glad your husband “drank the kool-aid” as you say, and bought you that Instant Pot! I’m going to share your story with someone who has so many health issues that I practically want to kidnap her and feed her nothing but IL meals so she can experience the difference when she stops eating junk. Thanks for sharing your story!
This is so Awesome. We just moved across country, so I am starting with an empty kitchen! I know what I am going to fill it with. I need to lose about the same amount of weight is you so this gives me hope. I wish you lived near me. Congratulations!