- The Grace and Strength Lifestyle
- Success Stories
Jayna's Story
My motivation for seeking out Grace and Strength was not really about the weight loss. In fact, when I spoke to Cyndi during the introductory meeting, I was afraid she wouldn't accept me as a client because my goal was to lose about 25 pounds. What I really wanted to gain from my journey with Grace and Strength was a new understanding about food. I wanted to invest in my future, both by learning about nutrition and by growing in my walk with the Lord. I had been trying to do it on my own, and realized that I needed to seek out the proper tools in order to succeed.
You see, my mom suffers from severe osteoporosis brought on by her diet. At the beginning of last year, my mom learned that the back pain she was experiencing was due to three vertebrae that had crumbled. In the first quarter of the year, I watched as she struggled with the effects this had on her life...continued pain...disability...lack of energy...and losing several inches in height. She was very deficient in essential nutrients like Vitamin D, Calcium, and B12. While my mom was struggling with this, I was experiencing foot pain. I went to the podiatrist, hoping a shoe insert would be the solution, only to learn that I had a stress fracture in my foot. The doctor discussed my Vitamin D levels and suggested I get a bone density test. I was just shy of my 40th birthday, and my doctor was suggesting the same tests my mother had just had! At that point, I had a few (or 12) pesky pounds that I couldn't lose. On a regular checkup with my endocrinologist, I discussed this with her. She told me my efforts to lose that extra weight (low fat processed foods, very little protein, etc.) had shot my metabolism. I was trying to follow her advice by watching calories and exercising regularly. But now I was wearing this boot! I added another 12 pounds in the eight weeks that followed. In those same weeks, our family went on a mission trip to Uganda - with me in that boot. In Africa. In the summer. I was slowing everyone down.
I came to a crossroads. I have many years ahead of me and I don't want physical ailments brought on by poor nutrition to stop my family and me from ministering, traveling, and living a full life together. I had always felt okay about my diet because I knew it was healthier and more balanced than my mom's. I thought I was doing okay, but my body was telling me that clearly I was not doing as well as I thought. I didn't let that warning sign pass without taking action.
Through Grace and Strength, I have learned so much about nutrition. The most eye opening for me was the lack of truth in advertising. Those processed foods on the shelf were full of things that weren't good for me. To be honest, I had always thought all the talk about avoiding processed foods was a little over the top. I mean, I had lived my whole life eating it and I had done just fine. I only had a few pounds to lose, and if I were just more disciplined, then I could do it. But seeing the long term effects (in my case, broken bones) of consuming highly processed foods with little nutritional value was a wake up call for me. As I considered pursuing a journey with Grace and Strength, I had several conversations with a friend who is a former G&S coach. During one of our chats regarding butter versus margarine, she said, "Butter is better for you. Margarine is artificial, so your body doesn't know what to do with it." This was eye-opening for me. I came to the realization of just how little I know about food and wanted to rectify that as soon as possible.
As I began my journey, I was looking forward to the Bible studies as a great time to invest in my spiritual life. I've always been a good student, so I was approaching this like a class, with weekly homework that needed to be completed. But once I got into it, I let my guard down a little and really let the teaching sink in. Even though I didn't realize it, there were areas in my life that needed some work - areas that tied directly with food. When stressed or frustrated, I was seeking comfort from food instead of turning to Jesus for a solution. You know what? A Snickers bar never solves any problems, but turning to God in prayer sure can!
As I worked my way through the phases, I let the weight loss (or increase) notify me if I was getting the concepts I was being taught. I had happy-dance moments and frustrating, failure moments. During a recent family trip for the holidays, my husband commented on how much better I was doing on the trip than I did the year before...handling the walking and numerous flights of stairs with no problems. Yes! This is what I was working toward...an active life where I'm not encumbered by healthy issues. And though I have reached my weight loss goal, I am still continuing in my education on food and nutrition, and on going deeper with God in new areas of my life. I'm looking to Him for comfort for today and for vision for the future.
Through it all, my husband and my coach, Anna, had my back. They were both my cheerleaders through the whole thing. Anna's straightforward, no-nonsense style of coaching was just what I needed in a coach. I'm thankful for my Grace and Strength journey and looking forward to joining the alumni group as it continues.
* Individual results may vary.
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