I now have confidence!
Ariane T, Ontario, lost 66 lbs*
It is with great pleasure that I want to share with you all of the amazing things I have experienced and learned while in the Herbal Magic program. I have enjoyed every single moment and definitely every bit of the results. Though I have never been a shy person, I had begun to find it hard to feel good about myself and to act as if I did. Through my 4 years in university and the first year and half of my marriage, I managed to gain over 60 pounds. I’ve always been confident in my abilities, but it is hard to let that show when confidence in your physical appearance seems unreachable.
When my doctor told me that I had gained that much and cautioned me about the risks, I knew something had to be done. The fact is, I had always known something had to be done. My husband and I had started setting money aside for me to join a gym, but I was less than thrilled at the idea. I had tried exercise before and I knew that it was useless if I didn’t learn to eat properly first.
When I was referred to the Herbal Magic program by a co-worker, the “gym money” quickly got redirected. Portion control was never something I had been able to manage. I never knew what a normal portion looked like and I was always afraid of being hungry if I cut back how much I was eating. When I went in for a consultation, many of the questions I had asked elsewhere but never got replies for were answered.
As soon as I started the program, I was able to get the accountability I needed not to give up on a strict diet and I knew the supplements would help me conquer my fear of hunger. Best of all, I had more reasons to cook from scratch, which I love to do, and learn new healthy ways to prepare foods. It was not long before family, co-workers, friends and especially my husband noticed both the weight loss and the new gain in confidence. My two best friends joined me in a shopping trip when I realized none of my clothes fit and were amazed at the different things I was willing to try on. I was finally willing to try unfamiliar things on because I knew they would make me feel great.
New Goals, New Possibilities
During my time on the Program, so many things changed in my life and I would never trade it for anything. A great example is my passion for helping others and charity work. While I could always use mental capacities to participate in charity events, I have now been able to gain enough confidence to actually take part in one of the things I work so hard at. In November, I will run a 5k race to raise funds for my church’s partner church in the Dominican Republic. I have always admired people who could give of themselves that way and now I get to be one of them. I keep telling people that this is so out of the ordinary for me. To help them understand, I explain that I quit basketball after one season at the age of 12 because I didn’t want to run across the court. Running has never been my strong suit, but I’ve always been drawn to it and always wanted to be a runner.
My weight loss has given me both the confidence and the physical ability to do this for myself and for others. This is just one of the areas where physical fitness has been a huge improvement. Though I was never athletic, I always knew that it was important to be fit. I have always wanted to begin somewhere, but never knew where or how. This weight loss has been the first time in my life that I have taken charge of my health rather than letting it happen as it would. I now have the confidence that I will be able to get to the level of fitness I hope for and I know that Herbal Magic helped kick start this by getting rid of bad habits.
Now that I do not have to worry about the extra 60 pounds I had, my goal is to continue in this path. I hope to be able to run a 10k next November and to be fit enough that exercising is a part of my routine I am not willing to give up. I also want to look at food in a new way and continue with the healthy changes I have made to my diet. I want to continue cooking from scratch and with healthy ingredients so that my body can use all of the great parts of what I take in. I know that the tips I have learned from the personal coaching at Herbal Magic will be of great help in this process. I know more about food and the way it affects my body than ever before. I know when to eat certain things to see certain results and I have learned great recipes that help me enjoy the foods I love without damaging my body.
This Has Helped Me Help Others!
Though not directly pertinent to my personal story, I think it is important that you also know how this has helped me help others. I am now aware of six people who have shown interest, joined or re-joined Herbal Magic since I have started. Two of them are my parents. My mom was very skeptical at first. She was the first to warn me about watching my weight as she has yo-yo'ed with hers since her late 20’s. My dad was skeptical because he has seen my mom go through diet after diet without any lasting results. They have described to me that my determination, belief in the program and encouraging experience with the staff, program, products and foods is what lead them to join.
They are now seeing results and are really enjoying being in this together and learning a lot. In my job as a youth support worker, I have also been able to use the things I learned about foods. More than once, I was able to counsel a youth I work with who struggles with anorexia about the right foods to eat and the benefits for her body. Though she suffers from the opposite problem I had, she and I have built a very strong relationship that found common ground in self-image restoration. I was even able to ask Herbal Magic about certain foods and, though it seemed complex, they helped me help her by explaining how foods and our bodies work. I answered many of her questions with the exact words that came from Herbal Magic the day before.
My experience with Herbal Magic has been entirely positive. Even in the tough weeks where I hit a plateau or gained because of special events, I always received positive feedback. My coach was quick to jump on problems where they arose and to help me choose a better product to target those problems. From seeing results with the essentials to trying one of the optional products and being floored by how much they helped my body kick into high gear, I was also able to make the Herbal Magic shakes staples in my diet. When there came a time where I thought I had it all figured out, I was always impressed with the new things I could learn from the short calls three times per week. My coach was always there to answer my questions, and did some research for me if I needed it. I know she will be there to help me as I work towards gaining the knowledge it takes to make this a lifelong change.
Thank you Herbal Magic for giving me a chance to be the person I wanted to be. I now have confidence and I know that the concern is not in what I look like, but in how I treat my body and what I put in it. I have learned so much and will continue to do so for a long time I know it. I will refer to your recipes never because I have to but because they are healthy and wonderfully tasty. My husband will keep growing healthier as I am the cook of the house and insist on two vegetables per meal. I have rekindled my love for food, but in a new and appropriate way.
I Love Food Now
I love food now because of what it can do for me, not to me. I hope this opportunity to share helps influence people throughout the country as they seek for the change I longed for. I hope my friends and family in Quebec and Ontario will be able to influence their friends and families with my example. It is an honour to be able to declare that Herbal Magic is the way I lost my extra weight because I know I am directing people to a worthwhile program. I will never forget nor hide who helped me when I couldn’t do this on my own. The best part is to now be given the tools to keep it up on my own and show myself, my close ones and the world that it is possible!
*Individual results vary
