Janet Yost

Sept 2012

 In September I made a life altering decision.  Let me give you a little background first.  I was diagnosed with MS in 1994.  As a woman of great faith I thought that this would just be a minor hiccup in life that would soon go away.   I was wrong.  The one thing that I forgot is the Bible teaches us “faith without works is dead”.  While that makes sense in the spiritual sense, I did not understand it is also true in the physical world.

My health began to deteriorate, and I began to retreat in food as an escape.  The more difficult it was to do simple tasks, the more I found solace in my poor food choices and sedentary lifestyle.  So much, in fact, that I found myself almost 15 years later as a middle aged woman in her 50’s at almost 250 lbs, and having needed a cane to walk for almost 7 years.  Something snapped in me in 2009.  Perhaps it was the daughter of a friend being diagnosed.  Perhaps it was being told that after 15 years you can expect your health to go downhill when you have MS.  Perhaps it was I was sick and tired of depression and fear ruling my life.  Whatever the reason, I joined a gym for the first time in my life and started working out HARD with a trainer.  Within 3 months I no longer need my cane, and was off almost all medication.  I steadily began to improve dramatically.

Oct 22, 2012

Oct 8, 2012

Nov 2012

My diet was “clean” and I thought it was good.  But around August of this year I began to think “good enough is not good enough”.  Having gone from a size 20/22 to a 12 was good, but I began to think I needed to  get serious again. So I made the life altering decision I mentioned above. A friend and I were discussing my thoughts, and he said I should go to the best in St. Louis – and the best in St. Louis for women training was Debbie Portell.  So I hired Debbie to help me with my nutrition and as a trainer.  The first thing I found out is about 80% of what I was eating, I should NOT be eating.  My diet was clean, I was used to cooking most of my food, but I was still eating gluten, meats, vegetables and fruits that I should not have been.  So in order to achieve optimum health I followed Debbie’s instructions.  Oh, and I totally cut alcohol out of my routine.  As a woman who loved her wine, my friends could not believe this would happen.  Heck, I could not believe this would happen.  But it is December and I have not had any alcohol since September.  Perhaps I will in the future, but never to the extent I used to.  And perhaps not at all.  Because I decided that I am in this race for the long haul.  That means something different to everyone.  Perhaps it is fitting into that dress or pair of pants.  Or being able to look into the mirror and smile.  All of those are important, but I have been working to stay out of a wheelchair.  That gives you a lot of incentive and motivation.So just a few months later I find myself about 2 sizes smaller (no idea of the pounds, I threw away my scales a long time ago).  But more importantly, I FEEL fantastic.  I feel HEALTHY. 

 The food changes I have made will stay with me for life. 

If you know of anyone with health challenges, I urge you to send them to Debbie.  She will encourage them, kick their butts if needed, and be a forever friend.  I am so glad that I decided that “good enough is not good enough”.  -Thank you Debbie, for helping me change my life.