My name is Susana Rodriguez (@ myhealth.iswealth) and I’m 29 years old. I live in Los Angeles and am a full time mom. After being diagnosed with heart problems, I decided to start eating a flexible low-carbohydrate diet, practicing portion control with Lose It! app, and walk to lose weight lose 110 pounds.
Before I started my journey to lose weight, I struggled hard to have the energy to do simple things. Putting on my shoes or playing with my daughters took a lot of effort. I also struggled with self-confidence. Being overweight made me so insecure. Although being overweight did not prevent me from having happy moments in my life, I was unhappy with myself. In my heaviest moment, I weighed 273 pounds.
In 2019, heart problems started to make me feel worse than ever.
I started to have heart palpitations and an irregular rhythm. I also felt pain and pressure in my chest, fainting and fatigue. I couldn’t even walk for seven minutes to pick up my daughter from school without feeling like I was going to pass out. I went in and out of the ER all year and was misdiagnosed with anxiety. But I knew that something was wrong with my heart.
After finally being referred to a cardiologist in December 2019, I had an echocardiogram and other tests. My cardiologist told me that I had moderate left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which basically means that I have an enlarged heart and, if left untreated, can lead to sudden cardiac arrest or heart failure.
I spent the whole year of 2019 depressed, imagining myself dying and leaving my daughters. I was desperate to feel good. So, in January 2020, I knew it was time now change my lifestyle and take control of my health.
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My cardiologist suggested that I eat a low carb diet.
When I looked at the guidelines for a low carb diet and what it meant, they said that I needed to limit certain healthy things like fruits, oats and dairy products that I not I want to cut. So I decided to go on a low carb diet in my own way.
For the health of my heart, I avoid fatty and fried foods and pay attention to sodium, sugar and cholesterol on nutrition labels. I also try to avoid foods high in trans and saturated fats. I track my food at Lose It! app and installment control practice. If there’s something I want, but it’s not heart-healthy, I make my own healthy alternative. I don’t feel deprived or restricted and I feel like I’m in control of how I eat.
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Here’s what I eat in a day now.
- Breakfast: Dymatize Protein smoothie with papaya, berries, kale / spinach, hemp hearts and almond milk; or a breakfast sandwich made with a multi-grain muffin, Canadian bacon, egg whites, mixed cheese, spinach and fruit as an accompaniment.
- Lunch: Spaghetti with protein from grains and legumes from Barilla, turkey meatballs, mozzarella cheese and vegetarian pasta sauce.
- Snacks: My favorite snacks are Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt with pomegranate arils or black bean hummus with vegetables.
- Dinner: Turkey burgers on the cauliflower sandwich are diluted with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, Swiss cheese and vegetarian ketchup, with sweet potato fries.
- Dessert: I love Yasso mint with chocolate or Greek yogurt cookie dough ice cream bars.
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I was not allowed to exercise immediately because of my heart palpitations and chest pains. I started with light walks in my neighborhood in March 2020.
I walked three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes. It was very challenging at first because I wasn’t used to making any moves and I got dizzy and passed out. But it quickly became my favorite way to de-stress and move my body. Eventually, I was released to exercise.
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Now, a typical week of exercise includes walking three kilometers, five days a week. I also like to do Zumba Toning twice a week and HIIT with dumbbells or body weight three times a week. I joined HIIT playing on the WayBetter app and fell in love with the strength that made me feel.
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These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight loss results.
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- I learned to register my food daily. Learning to track my food was the first major change in my journey. I had tried to lose weight several times before, and I never learned how to control my portions or really pay attention to food. Doing so made me feel true freedom.
- I kept it simple and consistent. It’s easy to want to make a complete change when you want to start a journey to lose weight, but it can be overwhelming. I started with a simple walk and making healthier food exchanges. Learning how to keep it simple and consistent with my method was worth it.
- I made time for me. You cannot wait for the perfect time to work on your health. I have two girls and a family to take care of, but I made sure to take care of myself every day. Sometimes I have more time than others. Even though I only have 30 minutes, I use what I have and make the most of it.
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I lost 110 pounds in 11 months.
The 110 kilos I lost don’t compare to the weight taken from my shoulders. Now I’m really happy. It’s not about the weight you lose, but the life you gain. I’ve never felt stronger. I feel unstoppable. Every day is not easy, but it is worth it. I prefer to fight every day trying to improve my health than to struggle with the consequences of neglecting it.
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