Hi there!
I’m Beckie Hilton, a 76-year-old retired high school mathematics teacher.
My greatest accomplishment in life is not the teaching career, however, but raising 3 incredible sons. My 5 grandchildren are amazing!
Jack, my husband of 15 years, and I were avid hikers and have hiked half the Appalachian Trail and thousands of trail miles all over the United States.
Life was good until 4 years ago when Jack’s health began to fail; he now lives in an assisted living facility. My middle son, Joe, moved in with me to help take care of things around the house.
I’ve been weight conscious my entire adult life but with all my physical activity, I was able to control it. After Jack moved away from home, all that changed and I gained 20 pounds.
I go see him and assist in his care almost every day. By the time I got home, I was too exhausted mentally and physically to prepare a meal. My son Joe and I fell into the pattern of eating out almost every evening meal.
A coffee shop near Jack’s facility was a frequent stop for a 20 oz latte. I’ve tried several plans to lose weight but would become discouraged and stop.
Weight Watchers has too many choices for me and I don’t want to have to count every time I ate a meal. Just tell me what to eat! Nutri-System has too much sugar and processed ingredients. As soon as I stopped the program, I gained all the weight back.
My granddaughter introduced me to Clean Food Crush on Instagram. I tried several of the recipes and loved every single one! I was tired of all my clothes being too tight, and I joined the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge.
The program helped me realize that I had to have the right mindset to be successful. On previous attempts to lose weight, I would cheat a few times and then just totally lose my focus. With the resolve to keep a positive attitude and to follow the program, I set out on this journey.
I am encouraged to make healthy choices because it is all laid out in the challenge. Just stick to the program and you’ll eat healthy food! I realized that I was not eating enough protein nor green veggies before starting the program. I do minimum prepping but maximum planning. I write down everything I’m going to eat for the week making use of the food journal provided in the materials.
I still eat out on occasion but have learned to make healthy choices that conform to the CleanFoodCrush guidelines. I’ve given up junk food, the coffee shop, and sugar. Green veggies have become my best friend and adequate protein keeps me from fading before another meal!
I had always struggled with drinking enough water even though I have a health condition that dictates adequate water. Now I drink close to 1 gallon of water each day and my natural thirst has returned.
In addition to the 6-pound weight loss and the loss of inches all over my body, I feel amazing. I have more energy than I’ve had in a long time!
Once again, I’m able to enjoy walking several times a week, hiking in the mountains on occasion and standing for long periods while cutting stained glass or working on a piece without becoming totally exhausted.
My fear that this program was going to be hard to do was unfounded. The recipes are delicious making the whole experience enjoyable. My son also likes everything that I’ve cooked. I really feel empowered because I’ve stuck to the plan with only a few hiccups. I can see and feel the difference in my body. How amazing is that?
I would say to anyone getting ready to embark on this journey to have a positive attitude throughout. Then read all the materials thoroughly before you start the challenge. You can’t make healthy choices if you haven’t learned what to eat and what to avoid. Guard against comparing your results with others. We are all unique; be satisfied with whatever results you are achieving. If you are patient, Clean Eating WILL work for you!
Plan your meals and write down what you are going to eat. Be realistic about how much time you will have each day to get ready and prep accordingly. If you slip up with a small cheat or a big one, just start over and don’t beat yourself up over it. You can do this 🙂
– Beckie
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