Diviya's transformation story

Hi, lovely ladies. You are listening to this podcast episode and currently the group coaching program for November is open for enrollment, so if you are listening as it comes out, then the group coaching program. Enrollment is open from now up until the 21st of October, 2022, and I would love to have you in the group.

I know that you have been listening to me. Either you've just kind of been introduced to me, or you've been listening to me for a long time and you're listening because you just wanna lose weight for the last time. You're just so fed up of having to deal with this weight issue. again and again and again, and having it take up so much of your mind space.

So this is the program that will get to the root cause of your overeating and deal with it for good. So make sure you go to the website, www.amruticoaching.com/group. To get your application in. If you would like to book a free consult with me, then you will also be able to specify that on the application and we will be able to talk about what you're struggling with, what you'd like to achieve, and how coaching may be able to help you.

So I would love to speak to you, so make sure you get in. and put in your applications on the website. So the website again is www.amruticoaching.com/group. Okay, now let's get into the podcast. Hello ladies and welcome to the podcast. Today I have an extra special guest on the podcast. I have one of my amazing clients, Diviya on the podcast. Diviya is an amazing client. She went all in on the program and was able to create some tremendous results. She was able to lose over 20 pounds in the program while starting at nearly normal bmi.

So I'm gonna introduce herself and tell us a little bit about her. Welcome to the podcast. Hi, Amruti. How are you? I'm good. How are you? Fine, thank you. Um, yeah, so I'm Diviya and yeah, I've been sort of. Up and down with my weight. And also I've had a few like, um, hormonal issues, like skin problems and things like that.

And I just wanted to try something different. So I've been, you know, looking at what Am's been doing for a while and it took me about good a year or so to kind of say, you know, to say, Okay, I'm, you know, try and go for it and see how it goes. And, um, yeah, I. One day I just woke up and I said, Okay, I'm gonna contact her now.

Yeah. That's so fun because I wonder, like so many of my clients have been following me for a long time, and um, they're like, Oh, I wanna contact her, but I'm not gonna, So what was it that made you that day? Say, Yes, I'm gonna contact her now? I just think it's just the whole, like every day you're just thinking, Okay, I'm gonna do this to try, I'm gonna try this, I'm gonna try this, I'm gonna try this.

And then your mind is just going all over the place and then you just end up giving. So I was like, um, I think it would be good to just get a bit of a stay and, um, yeah. So I thought I'd come to you. You read so many things on the internet and you get so many different ideas and then, you dunno what's right for you.

You don't know if it's gonna be correct. So, um, so yeah, I, I just thought, lemme just give it a try. So yeah. I'm so glad you did and I know that you got some tremendous results in the program. So tell us about, firstly, I know most of my clients like to know about the weight, so tell us about your, your weights in the program and then we'll talk about all the other.

Yeah, so initially, the highest I've ever been is about, uh, 70 kg. And from there I've lost about, I would say about 14 kilos. What? Yeah. So, um, I've always been going up and down, up and down with my weight and, uh, I've never been able to keep it steady and I just needed. Yeah. Some sort of guidance in what to eat and, you know, things like that.

And I thought the program really, really helped me. Yeah. Um, control and, um, yeah, just choose why I eat as well, make, make choices. Um, so that was really good. Um, yeah. And now it's just like automated. Like I just make the choice and. Sometimes I don't even have to think about it. I just say, No, I don't want this.

Yeah. You know, I don't feel like this. Um, so yeah, it's really good. It's been amazing. Amazing. Oh my gosh, that is so fun to hear because so many people think that they're gonna have so much drama about food cuz they come in because they've got so much food drama, Right? They've got, Should I eat, should I eat this?

I don't know. but this will make me put on way. Oh, I shouldn't really have that. Oh, that's being naughty. Like so much of those food thoughts. So how did it start off with, for you, and then what was it like after the program with all of that food chat in your brain? Well, I just think like, Okay. I know I used a lot of chocolates.

I still do. Mm-hmm. . Um, that was probably one of my weakest points. And, yeah. And it was trying to give that up. Well, I didn't give it up. I just initially said no to it until you said, Okay, fine. You can stop eating it. Mm-hmm. , um, So, yeah, it was hard. I had to control it. I had to, feel my thoughts and feel, feel everything that I'm like, the reason why I want it, Am I really hungry?

I needed to ask all these questions. Mm. And then when I started analyzing those things, mm um, I started getting used to it, and now I don't hardly have it. Yeah. There's so much that you said there that was like gold. Some people say, Will I have to give up anything in the program? And as most of you know, I suggest no sugar, no flour.

But so many people in my, in my programs, sometimes they have sugar and flour. And me as a weight loss coach, I have chocolate every single day. So I have some sugar on my plan every day. So this is a guidance, This is like based on the science that it's gonna be. The quickest for you, but not everyone follows that to the tea.

And as David said, you may want to, when you're becoming flat adapted, give up the food for a certain amount of time. So I think I get, I told you for about six to eight weeks until you adapted, try and see how you go without the, chocolate. And then you introduced it, right? Yeah. And then you were introducing it in a way where you were having like small amounts and seeing how you reacted to it, and then you started introducing it more often, based on how you were doing, right?

Yeah. Um, What you said that was amazing was that now you are like a bit more okay with when you are feeling a little bit of an urge or a bit of hunger, because initially when you came in that would freak you out. You were like, Why am I feeling so hungry? Or I'm getting this urge to eat this, and it's really strong.

So tell us about that experience. Um, well, obviously, you know, you go through different cycles and you are like throughout, like maybe every month or every, you know, so you're gonna get different hunger sort of Yeah. Hangs and sometimes you might not feel hungry at all, so some once in a while it's okay to have.

Yeah. Um, what you want. A bit of sugar, a bit of chocolate, a bit of cake, You know, It's okay. Um, because, you know, You're actually, your body's telling you that it wants it. So it's, it's just listening to what it's, what it, what it's saying and what it, what you, you know, and following it through.

Um, But sometimes you don't feel like anything and that's okay as well. I mean, you are just balancing that, aren't you really? So yeah. What, It's so interesting that you say this so calmly because at the beginning, , you were like, What? I can't, I'm not allowed to eat these things. And I remember when you had work dues and you were like, Wait, what?

I'm gonna have like, you know, things there that are off protocol, Like how do I deal with that? And now you talk about it so calmly, which makes me realize. You've just like, instead of asking me for the approval, you've given yourself that own internal approval to be like, Hey, I'm gonna try it out. If it doesn't work, then I'll just tweak it a little bit.

It's no big deal. And so you are that owning authority rather than asking your coach for that. That is so fun as a coach to see, because now you can do that by yourself. You don't ever know. I, Yeah, I do that by myself all the time. So. And like you say it so normally now, but I want you to remember back to when we started and it was much like, can I have this?

Can I have that? What should I do here? What should I do there? And now you able to very normally do it for yourself, which is the biggest gift as your coach to be like, you know, she doesn't need me. She has learnt the tools and she's great to go by herself. So fun. Okay. Yeah. So what I wanted to, touch on was, You learned some new tools in this program that you may never have learned elsewhere.

Which ones of these tools were the most useful for you and why? I think, the planning and the thought downloads was really, really good for me. Um, it just structured everything, all my thoughts and stuff. Yeah. Um, it just, imagine like a crazy wire going in, in your mind. It's just like kind of detangling it.

It was really good. It was a good experience. Um, and it's really helped in other areas of my life as well. So, um, so yeah. What kind of areas of your life has it helped in, like, work? Um, I'm a bit more like relaxed. I take things one at a time. yeah. Social life, everything is just, yeah, it's just so much better because I don't, One minute think one thing next minute that you think another thing.

You know? Yeah. It's just a bit more structured, I would say. And I think, what we worked on a lot was you trusting your own, like, ability to create the results that you want. So like basically trusting that you are able to do it for yourself. Yeah. I know that like when you went on a work do or when you went on holiday, That's when you would worry, would I still be able to stick to it?

So tell us a bit about that. What happened then? So, yeah, I mean, going on holiday was my biggest fit. It's like, I know there's gonna be loads of food, loads of alcohol, unlimited breakfast and you know, all this stuff. I'm, how am I gonna cope with this? But, yeah, I had it here and there and I know, I knew that Okay, I was gonna put on a little bit of weight.

But as soon as I got back, it just, it just went literally. Um, I did feel like I overindulged, so I think my body just naturally just wanted to go back to how, what I was doing before. And yeah, it just, it just kept it off. It just like, just, it's so fun to know that because so many of my clients think they have to be perfect all the time to get results.

And I just want you to hear what Dier just said there, that she over it on holiday and it wasn't that much of a big deal. I think the first time you gained one kilo, one holiday was first time. First time, and then that was gone within a few days. Yeah. And is it the second time you, you gained some weight, but then it went off as well?

Something like that. Yeah. Second time it was a little bit more because I, Yeah, it was a little bit more and then, um, yeah, that just went after as well, just, yeah. So it's, it's really fun to see that yes, you can enjoy your holidays and it doesn't have to impede your weight loss goals because you just come back and you just get back to it, and it doesn't have to be a big deal.

But that was only the case because we worked so much on your mindset because you would've freaked out and you would've thought, Oh my gosh, there's so much going on here. I've gained weight. and then that would've been like, I'm doing it wrong. Which would've made you feel bad, which would've made you take actions of over reading to compensate that, and then you would've kept gaining more and like proving to yourself.

Mm it wrong. So because we were able to set that mindset foundation, you weren't able to know that, Oh yeah, hold on. Even if I gain weight, I know exactly what I need to do to get back on. Yeah, that was your thought that brought you on there. I remember like coaching you on that a few times, right? Yeah. So, um, but then again, even now, like I eat a lot less than what I used to because my body's not used to eating.

How I used to eat on holiday. So yeah, you, you pick on things that are not part of protocol or not in there, but you don't eat as much of it anyway as now. Yeah. So, and that's, that's what we did about becoming fat adapted and, and like becoming appetite corrected. Right. So initial you were able to eat way more than what your body needed and then when we balanced out your hunger hormones, you were then able to notice, oh, hold on, I'm actually comfortable now.

I don't need to eat anymore. Yeah. And appetite. Shrunk quite drastically, didn't it? And you, Yeah, were eating a lot less, but not because you were depriving yourself, but more because your body was just telling you how much it needed and you were respecting that, right? Mm-hmm. . Yep. Definitely. So even now, I, I sometimes, you know, Eat a lot less.

and yeah, I think it's because mainly probably because of my sugar levels. I mean, you can tell me more about that, but cuz I think before it was going high and low very quickly, but now it's like quite steady so you don't feel as hungry as much. Yeah, exactly that. Yeah. Yeah. Your, what you're talking about is your insulin spikes and the way that I suggest it is, If you have no sugar, no flour for the majority of your diet, then you're not getting those huge insulin spikes because insulin is that fat storage hormone that makes you want to store fat.

And when you are not having huge insulin spikes, then you are less likely to go into fat storage mode. and when you do intermittent fasting as well, then that lowers your insulin levels as well. So it makes it easier for you to go into. Burning mode rather than fat storage mode. But if you wanted to know more about that, you can go and listen to the Hunger Hormones podcast, earlier on in the, that would really help.

Okay. So I found that one of the main things we worked on, was your people pleasing behavior. So tell us a bit about that. So, yeah, I mean, when I go, go out and, you know, it's like. People would expect me to drink loads and you know, cuz I'm apparently a lot of fun, like when I'm, are a lot of fun. Yeah.

where God, So I was like, okay, so if I don't drink, but what are people gonna think and you know, this and that. And I was like, I have to, I have to stop that. Um, I have to do it, you know, I have to do what's good for me and think about me. And now when I go out, I just have one drink. I can't even have much to be honest right now.

It's just, yeah, it's just, but I don't force myself. I just have what I wanna have and that's it. Um, I, I see it more as you're going to socialize, you're not going to. You know, you're not getting yourself drunk all the time. It's not always about that. You're going to see, see how others are doing. They come to see you, see how you are doing, and that's what it's all about, you know?

And you are saying this, so certainly right now. But I want you to remember a year ago when we started and you were very much like, Oh my gosh, what they're gonna think. They're not gonna like, they're not gonna like how I am now. They're gonna think I'm a party pooper. They, they're gonna think that I'm, you know, going out and I'm not even dreaming in the fun.

We coached so much on it that now this is your norm to think, yeah, all done. Maybe they just wanna see me for me. Maybe they just wanna like be with me. Maybe they just wanna connect with me and it doesn't have to be all about the food and the alcohol. That's so fun to, as your coach that it's just so ingrained in you now.

It's just so normal. Yeah. Like now when I go out, I just. I hardly have anything. I just have one or two. No, I haven't even had two drinks. I've only had one drink here and there. That's it. But you also know that you can have two anytime you want and it, it wouldn't be a big Yeah, I know that. And, um, but it, I just take it as Okay, if I feel like having it, then I'll have it, otherwise I won't.

I'm not, I'm not restricting myself. I'm doing it if I want it. Yeah. Yeah. So, I remember you saying that one of the main things that you gained where you were able to wear clothes that you weren't able to wear before you were like, You know what? I never used to be able to wear certain clothes, and I used to like always keep changing out of different clothes and stuff and um, Yeah.

Yeah. Tell me about that. What happened there? yeah, every time I used to go out and I used to think, Okay, will this look okay? Will that look okay? but now I just pick whatever. I just, just, yeah, whatever I haven't worn for a while, I just pick it out and then I just wear that, you know? Um, I don't have to think two weeks before, what am I gonna wear at this party?

Or what am I don't have to think like that. I just think of it on the day, like, I don't have to worry. So, uh, yeah, like freedom. That freedom, definitely. Yeah. Yeah. That's freedom. And thinking back to when you were, when you started, what was, how was that different for you? yeah, I mean, before I started I didn't like wearing certain things. yeah. I didn't wanna share my tummy I had to like, wear baggy clothes on top because I thought my tummy would show a lot, lots, you know? So, yeah. But now I don't really bother without just, yeah, I just wear what I want.

Um, and I don't think that's just because of the weight. I think it's because also you've worked on the, loving yourself regardless. Yeah. Initially, before you actually lost the weight. We had to work on loving yourself regardless at whatever weight. Mm. Only then could you lose the weight because most people think, Oh, I'll start loving myself when I have lost the weight.

But it works the opposite way around, right? Because if it's your thoughts that create your results, then you have to work on loving yourself and thinking, loving thoughts about yourself and believing them before you can actually create that result for yourself. So yeah. How did that work for you in this journey?

I mean, I knew I was gonna get asked a lot of questions like, Why are you doing this? Why, you know, and, um, It's like I've, I've gone through that now. Like I've, I'm not worried about what others think. I'm just doing it what's good for me and it doesn't affect them. So it doesn't matter.

It's, it affects you and, in a good way. So that, that's why, um, yeah, it's a process. Like you, you obviously have to face those things, like those things that come up. But um, once that phase is gone, It's relatively easy after that. Mm. So you have a lot of, um, thoughts about, okay, what, what I was gonna think, How am I gonna do this?

What if I go to this wedding? How am I gonna cope? You know, all of that. Those fears just went after, you know, just, Yeah. How, when did those fears go? Because I think that's such a big, worry for so many of, of my clients initially, cuz they're like, Wait, how am I gonna make this work in my everyday life?

So what would you have to say about. I dunno really? Cause it's so natural to me now. I just dunno how to uh, how to go back to how I used think, um, wait, hold on. I just want you to want to stop you there and tell you how amazing that is. Initially it was like, wait, what am I to have this?

Don't even know how I used to think before. That's, I mean, what it was very much like, am I allowed this? Am I allowed that? Am I, I don't know. What am I going to eat? I can't have this, this is boring. All of that was coming up initially. Yeah. And my health is very much like, Oh, this is just the norm. I don't even remember what I used to think about.

Which is so fun to see as your coach because it's like, wait, these are the thoughts you're repeating to yourself every single day. Yeah. And do they become your norm? Yeah. So you just keep reinforcing to yourself how easy this is. And this is just the norm and this is just how I eat. And it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and it's fine.

Yeah. And I'm doing this for me, but initially that was the biggest hurdle that you had to overcome. Yeah. What other people thought of you? What would you, how would you respond? So often in the coaching sessions, we would practice that, right? We would practice, okay, this person may say this, what would you do?

And it felt a bit like, weird at the time, but it really helped you like, Practice how you would respond to some of those. Like awkward, right? Cause after a while you forget about your old habits. Don't you want, if you've repeated it, if you're repeating something new for a long time, then you get used to the new way.

So then you forget what you used to think about. Um, and that's what's happened here, really. I just, yeah, I don't, I think I used to eat probably four times as much as I eat now. Wow. Yeah. And I could never go back to that. Yeah. Cause I, I, yeah. And do you not restricted, Cause so many people would may hear that and be like, Wait, what?

You are only eating a cord of what you used to do, Like you're restricting yourself. How would you respond to that? Um, Well, I know, I know I used to overeat a lot anyway, so sometimes I, I go out with my friends, like before I go out, I'd eat something and then when I'm at the restaurant, I'd eat again, and then sometimes a couple of hours later I'll eat again.

So I know I used to overeat anyway. Mm-hmm. . So cutting that down to a quarter is what I think is normal. Mm. Because for me, that's normal. Um, yeah. It only became normal after you started paying attention to your hunger signals and things, right? Yeah. Because initially it was then you were eating a little bit less and then a little bit less, then you, little bit less, and then you were like, When I eat more than this, I actually feel uncomfortable and feel over full, and I don't like that feeling.

So that's when you started to kind of like, understand, okay, when I, I need to eat this much to be comfortable, right? Mm-hmm. . Yeah. So, um, I don't eat as much as I used. And it's not like I'm stopping myself. I'm eating when I'm satisfied, up to when I'm satisfied and that's it. I'm not going crazy.

And my. Tummy's, like stretching like crazy. I don't go to that extent anymore. It's not like that. And I think so much of it was normalizing, eating to enough rather than eating to overflow for you. Yeah, because when we got used to the emo the, the like sensations in your body of this is what enough feels like.

I don't need to eat to like overflow or anything like that. And when you like practice that again and again, then you were like, Oh wait, hold on. I actually, this is where I'm meant to be eating un until, cuz that's what my body is telling me. But I've just been drawing these signals for so long because my mind keeps telling me, Eat more, eat more, eat more.

So when you are able to control that mind and actually listen to your body and pay attention to those body signals, that's when everything changed for you. Right. Because I know. Because you were, you were actually starting more or less near normal bmi, am I correct? Yeah. When you, you started, so then you lost 20 pounds in the, um, Well, more than that in the program in months.

Even though you were at, more or less at normal BMI at the beginning. Mm-hmm. . This was only because you were willing to challenge those kind of thoughts and you were really good at that. So, you know, like I have evaluation questions every day in the program. You would fill them in, you would plan your food and if you didn't you would kind of like try and make some sort of plan in your head.

And so yeah, you were willing to do that work and like do that regularly. So you did that for the six months. What is your life like now with all of that? Would you. Well, sometimes I may not do that. I may not evaluate and, but it's natural, right? It's just second nature, so I don't have to, think about it just automatically.

It's just automated. It just. Happens. I love that so much because basically you practiced it so much, it's just become your norm. Yeah. Now you, you know, it just happens. So, so for, for those of you who are worried, oh my gosh, I can't plan for the rest of my life. You don't need to plan for the rest of your life if you don't want to.

And it becomes second nature to you. You don't have to, It's completely right. Yeah. Um, and, um, it's like, yeah, I, I, I do like the self talk in terms of yeah, what I'm gonna do have today, what do I feel like today? And yeah, I just do that and that's it. And, um, I don't need to worry about it. Yeah. Sounds like you're so much more loving to yourself.

Yeah. Because before you used to beat yourself up a hell of a lot, right? Mm-hmm. , it's like, like, I, I, you know, it's not good enough or, you know, a lot of those thoughts used to come in. Now it seems like you're just so much more like calm and grounded in yourself that it's isn't just as much of a, of a loop in your brain.

Yeah. And it just sounds like you're, you are willing to. Pay that attention to yourself and not worry about what others think, which is huge, especially in our society and in our culture, where women are often told to put themselves last and put everyone else first and things. Yeah. So for you to be able to do that is like a really big deal.

So well done. I mean, is huge. Okay, so what I wanted to ask you were, what were the things that, you gained in the program that you didn't even imagine that you would? the fact that my weight is just steady. Mm. Like I don't, it's never been this steady. Mm. Um, the fact that, okay, sometimes you have good and bad days and bad days is natural.

It happens as well. and how to go about it and, How to Yeah. And how to control that and not let it affect your life. I think that's really good in terms of your coaching. That really helped me as well. Yeah. And sometimes when you have those bad days, you use food to, Yeah. You, you tend to use food to kind of believe that about those bad days.

And I've learned not to do that. so. And I, and I think that what we coached on so much was relieving. With food is, was the norm, right? Like that's what we all learned how to do and when really, when we really asked ourselves what do we really need right now? So much of what you just wanted was like calming down your nervous system, being okay with what you wanted to do, and.

When you were able to provide yourself, so it may have been rest, I just wanted to rest. When you were PR able to not eat instead of rest and actually give yourself what your body needed, that's when you were able to release that grip on food, on eating to make yourself feel better, right?

Mm-hmm. , because you were able to give your body what it actually needed. So that was a huge shift because you were able to listen more to your body than what your brain was saying all the time. Also, the amazing thing is I barely exercise. It's just, I, I hardly even do much working out. And, sometimes I'm, I'm like, Okay, I should actually be working out for my, for my body at least, like, just to make sure my, you know, my joints and muscles and all that.

But I don't need to excessively do it. It's just maybe go for a couple of walks, do a bit of yoga or something. Yeah. meditation, that kind of stuff. Yeah. Nothing too excessive. Oh my gosh. And tell me how you started off the program and then what I advised you in. So I used to do 20,000 steps a day, and I still wasn't losing anything, so I was like, this is not right at all.

Um, there must be so. What I'm doing. And, um, I stopped that after, No, I, I think I cut it down to 10,000 after I was like, I can't stop it. I'm just so used to that. Mm-hmm. . Um, so I stopped, I cut it down then you took, then you advised me to cut it down to stop it completely for a little while.

And then, um, then yeah, it's like now I don't really need to, I do it for my own, like mental health, but I don't do it for To maintain my weight anymore. Yeah, that is huge. Everyone, I want you to really hear that. So many of us get conditioned to believe that we need to exercise to lose weight here. I had to advise Dia to stop exercising because actually what was happening is it was actually causing an increased stress response in her body.

And then she was, raising her stress hormone, which is cortisol, which. Impacts her insulin levels. So then what was happening is she was gaining weight whilst exercising or staying the same. So what we had to do was stop it for a little while because also what was happening is I think you were overeating because you were hungry from the exercise.

Yeah, yeah. And because exercise is only 5% of weight loss and 95% is, diet and mindset, when you are exercising and then you're overreading, you're gonna always end up gaining weight or staying the same. You're not gonna. And so that's why when when we say, Oh, I've exercised that, I can just eat something that is never gonna work in weight loss because you're always gonna be staying the same or gaining.

So it was so fun to see that we actually lowered your exercise and you were able to use weight much quicker. So that is, I mean, I mean, if I wanted to exercise, I'd do something that would tone me up. Just something to. Make me stronger, but that's it. and a little bit walking here and there just to kind of, you know, get some movement in my body and that's it.

Um, yeah, I wouldn't go crazy. What did you like feel about being in a group? Because I know initially you were a bit worried cuz you said you were a bit of a private person. So what was it like in a group? So tell me what your experience was like being in a group. I think, Knowing that everyone has different problems, everyone has different things going on in their life and I think hearing other people's, problems and the way they can be solved, it can also apply to you as well.

So I thought it was really good to, sometimes you can also advise and then you end up listening to your own advice as well. Yeah. So that was really, Yeah, I found that a couple of times as well. So that was really good. And then, you remember, yeah, I told this person this this time. Yeah, I remember that.

Maybe I should do that as well. , isn't it so fun? Because we can access our own brains when we are giving advice to others, but we don't listen to our own advice. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So that. I find that as a coach as well, because I, I'm coaching you guys all the time and sometimes I'm like, Hey, I should probably do that myself.

Yeah. And it's, it's, it's like you're not alone, you know? That's what you feel like as well. There's many people who goes through different problems and, Yeah. Yeah. It's, yeah. It helps me minimize the shame as well because so many people feel shame when they are on this weight loss journey. They think, Oh my gosh, I shouldn't be going through this.

There's something wrong with me. I'm like broken, or I'm just greedy, or I'm lazy, or whatever those thoughts may be. And when you see everyone else coming together and like talking about the same issues, the thing that are so fun about group coaching is everyone is going through the same issue. So when I'm coaching one of you on, on it, all of you get coached on the same thing, which is really fun.

And what was really fun also is watching you guys like, like help each other as well. Be like, Hey, I try this, I try this. And so that's what you were talking about, right? When you were giving options to others, you were like, Oh, hold on, I can try that too. Which is, Cause then it accesses different parts of your brain, to kind of make it a more whole experience for you.

Right? . And another thing I sort of found is that, okay, you read a lot of things about like, say intermittent fasting and I had done intermittent fasting before and, but I was doing it wrong, so it was like I wasn't doing it properly and I was still eating more than I needed to. So, this program really helped me to, make me think, okay, this is the right, this is the correct way, this.

And again, there's no correct way as you're saying. It's what works for you. And I may, I kind of took your advice and I made it work for me basically. Yeah. And also you didn't stick to every single tiny little thing. No. You still made off protocol on holiday when you were at work events and things. And that is great because that is life.

So you made it work for you in your. Which is what is like so fun about this because I'll give you the guidelines, but then you make it work for you. Yeah. And a lot of people think, wait, hold on, I'm so used to having an exact protocol. You need to eat this, this, this, this, and this. But this is a very different program for that, isn't it?

So can you just explain to the listeners how it is for you in terms of like planning your own food and creating your own food protocol? Yeah, I mean sometimes, um, I may. Sometimes actually, to be honest, sometimes I don't even know like what I'm gonna have for dinner, but I actually make it work for me.

Like I go home and then, I see what's there and then I just make it work. Like, sometimes I may not have time to plan. Initially, yes, I did it because I had to change my mindset. But after that, I wanted it to be a way of life. Yeah. So I tried to, yeah, when I get home, I just make it work for me.

and I didn't want everything to be so regimented as well. Yeah. I didn't want it to be like that, so. Um, that's huge because what you basically did was you learn all the guidelines mm-hmm. , and then you decided, I'm gonna pick and choose which ones are useful for me and I'm gonna make it work for me.

Which is what is gonna, which is why you've maintained your weight loss for like a year, right? Yeah. Because you're able to, Like make it work for you, which is why this program is so fun because I don't tell you exactly what to eat. I give you a sample protocol and then you get to choose from there what's gonna suit you, your family, what you're gonna like to eat, and then you get to pick from there.

So that's why it's sustainable, because then you know exactly what you are eating. And when it fits in with the family, it fits in with what you know when you're going out to eat and things like that. Soccer, I'm telling you, you have to eat green beans. You get to decide. Mm-hmm. , you know, and it's so much more because different people like different things.

Yeah. And some people will go more low carbs, some people will eat sugar and flour. Some people will do fasting for longer. Some people will, you know, there's so many different ways of doing it. Mm-hmm. . But this is how you find the way that suits you and that will like work for you.

So that's really fun for you. tell me now, When you, chose this program, you had some doubts. You said that there was like, you were not, ready for a whole year. What held you back and what helped you, sign up? Well, I thought, Okay, let me try different things. Uh, I tried the steps. I thought, yeah, you know, maybe steps might help.

Then I was like, Okay, should I go to the gym? But I was like, I don't really wanna go to the, I've done that before. I used to do loads of swimming. I used to swim like 60 laps a day. And um, yes. You know, it helped my fitness and stuff, but It's not sustainable to do that every single day for me, I just couldn't do it.

Mm-hmm. . And then I stopped for a little while. I did it for about a month and then I stopped. So then I was like, I need to try something different. And then I saw your program. and then, yeah, I just, it just took me about a year or so to decide, Okay, I'm gonna do it now. And I think it was mainly one thing was my skin.

It was really affecting my skin. Like some, whatever I was doing, whether it was too much exercise or whether it was just affecting my skin mm-hmm. , and I was like, I need to do something about it. So, yeah, and I, that's when I came to you and then, you know, I got two things in more than two things in one go because I got the weight loss and I got my skin issue resolved.

Wow. Um, and I don't, like, I used to spend so much money on these cream and stuff like that. I don't do that anymore. Like I don't have to buy all these expensive face washes or any of that anymore. I don't do any of that. So That's so funny. Saving money there. Yeah, because initially it's a cost, but then it lasts for your lifetime.

Right? Because now you don't have to worry about your weight or your skin really for your life. Yeah. And so, A lot of people think it's a lot of money upfront. What would you like to say to them for if they're thinking that? Yeah, initially I, I thought the same as what everybody else would think. Yeah, it's a lot, a lot of money.

but at the moment I would say I'm saving more because I don't go to the gym. I don't buy random foods that I don't need. Mm. And so I tend to buy a lot less than what I used to in terms of groceries and things like that. Don't, I don't need half of it. Um, and in terms of skincare, I don't hardly spend any money on that.

Mm. So I in the long run, yes. You, you'll gain that back. Yeah. In no time. So what about in the mental drama that you had, about your food and about your weight and stuff like that? What would you like to say about. The cost of that for you? Yeah. I mean, every time like you, you decide on something, you think, Okay, let me sign up to a gym membership.

Maybe that might work when I go, you know, and it's like, It was exhausting cuz every day you're thinking of different things. Okay, let me do this, let me do that, let me do this, let me do that. And then nothing works for you. It's a bit dis you feel disappointed. And then, you end up eating, and you gain more weight.

You feel more anxious about the way you look, everything. So yeah, it is, I don't, I don't do that. Mmm. So isn't that so fun? You have like so much more mind space to kind of just be you do the things you want to do in life. Exactly. And just, you seem so much calmer than when we started because you're just like so free that all of that space that you had talking about food and your and your weight and stuff for so long has now been released and it's released forever.

So you've got all that mind space to do whatever you want, which is so fun. I love that for you. So, Thank you so much for coming on this podcast today, Viv, it's, Thank you. It's so fun, fun to have you here. Is there anything else you would like any last, things you would like to say to the listeners at all?

you know what, it took me a long time to say yes. Okay, I'll, I'll go for this program. It's probably the same as all of you guys at the moment. All of you ladies out there are at the moment probably thinking the same, but I just went over the rope and I just went for it, and it really helped me.

You, you do have to be in the mindset that yes, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, you will fail. Sometimes no one's perfect initially, but you just have to take it day by day, and then the next day you just kind of carry on. And it will work. It will work. If you, if you go through that mindset, it'll be, You'll be fine.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. That is such amazing advice because so many people have tried so many different things and we just feel so disheartened, right? Because we've tried everything and it's just not working. Feels so draining. Feels so exhausting. And then when you decide that, I'm gonna get to the root cause of why this is going on for me.

And you actually deal with the thoughts and the feelings, and you actually like, even if it feels weird, even if it feels woo, even if it feels awkward, and do that, that is so powerful. So just, just to end, how was it for you feeling your emotions, talking about your thoughts and things like that? it's like getting to know you, that you've never really thought about or.

You always look at, look outside of what's going on, You don't really look in your inner world, and it really helps look at that and explore that. that's, that's just as important as, as what is going around you as well. Mm-hmm. even more important, I'd say, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. So then, and I think. I think that knowing you inner, inner world is so important and it really helped me.

Definitely. Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing your amazing wisdom with all the listeners. Thank you. I'm sure that they would've, really picked up on so many of the things that you've talked about and I really appreciate you, You have created tremendous success and I'm so proud to be your coach.

Thank you. Thanks. Take care. Bye bye.