My heart is so full from reading each and every Intermittent Fasting Challenge story. I read about journeys where after just three weeks, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms were gone, plateaus were broken, acne was cleared, IBS significantly decreased, bloating GONE, energy levels SPIKED, and anxiety reduced.
While sitting down and reading these stories, my mind went back to why I originally decided to become a Clinical Nutritionist and dedicate my life to helping others become their healthiest, most thriving selves. I have personally experienced how life changing Nutrition can be (I'll be sharing a video on my story soon), and I want everyone to feel GOOD! That's what it all ultimately comes down to, right? We all want to feel good. We want to have energy, we want to be clear of anxious feelings, we want to achieve the fitness and wellness goals we've dreamed of, we want to have clear skin, we want to be able to be around for our families... we want to just feel GOOD. Is that so much to ask for?!
NO! It's absolutely not! So many of us have forgotten what feeling good even feels like, that we can't comprehend the meaning of it. I know for a long time I was in that same boat. But once you DO feel good, you never want the feeling to end. And it doesn't have to!
So while reading the stories of how everyones lives have changed because they finally feel GOOD, I couldn't help but reflect back to my own beginning. It's extremely humbling to be part of your journey and I'm so happy that my life path has lead me to each and every one of you. Thank you for this adventure and all future adventures to come!
Okay, okay, enough of my rant - now let's get down to the WINNER of the Intermittent Fasting Challenge!
*The winner was chosen at random ~ Thank you to everyone who submitted their story! I can't wait to share each of your stories in the future!*
Drum roll please...
*The winner of the #Whatifjourney Intermittent Fasting Challenge will receive a FREE Nutrition Consultation with me to further their wellness dreams*
CONGRATULATIONS...
Xiomara!!!🎉🎉🎉
I'm so proud of how far you've come - following your journey and the changes you've experienced in such a short amount of time has been amazing! Thank you for your light, your smiles, and ALLLLL those Keto Coffee + Smoothie Bowl IG stories!!!
Check out Xiomara's story below!! It's SUCH an inspiration!
Tell us about yourself!!
My name is Xiomara Dost. I am Puerto Rican & have been living in Michigan for the last 15 years. Currently, I'm an engineer in the automotive industry!
How did you hear about the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge?
On Instagram. I've been following you since you were still part of the TIU HQ and have read nearly every blog post since you started Autumn Elle Nutrition.
What was your goal with the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge?
My goal with the 21 day IF challenge was to find hormonal balance, eliminate the bloat, stop having mid afternoon crashes and foggy mornings, and to lose weight.
Did you have any hesitations before starting?
I did. The mere idea of fasting sounded scary and the thought of purposefully not eating for hours after waking up made me nervous. After all, it's been engraved in my head that I should eat within 90 minutes of waking up to rev up the metabolism. My foodie, snacker self didn't think I could make it without eating every couple of hours all day long.
What's the most important thing you learned about yourself during the journey?
Nutrient timing DOES matter for me! I do not need that many carbs at breakfast. Fat is a key component to stabilize my glucose. I do not need to cut out crazy amounts of calories in order to feel light and energized.
What were the biggest changes you experienced?
🔹There is so much energy that I've been missing out on! I even told someone the day I started the program that I probably wouldn't experience a whole lot of energy increase because I was already an energetic person. I was so very wrong.
🔹No mental fog or mid afternoon crashes. A nearly daily occurrence, specially on work days. I assumed this was just part of life.
🔹No bloating. I used to get so bloated all the time and it was very painful & embarrassing. I don't remember the last time I went 3 weeks without getting bloated.
🔹My mom & husband both have told me that I look & feel thinner. Major non scale victories, specially from my mother.
🔹Regular, normal bowel movement. This was unexpected but certainly welcomed. Being regular is something that isn't normal for me so I was pretty excited to see this happen.
🔹A good menstrual cycle finally. FINALLY. After getting my cycle back, I've been experiencing the most painful cramps. This cycle was pain free for the first time in 16 months!
🔹I lost 4lbs. Thanks to my hormonal imbalance, I have not been able to lose weight at all in over one year. Due to the low testosterone, my weight has been steadily on the rise since 2016.
🔹I lost almost 4" all over total, 1 inch being directly from my waist!
🔹My sex drive is perking back up. 🔹My skin is looking brighter than ever! My acne is clearing up slowly but it is amazing how much radiant my skin looks.
What was your favorite meal?
All of them! All so good, hard to pick one. The Blueberry Hemp Smoothie and the Chinese Chicken Salad were my go-to meals.
Did you have a #nutritionnerd moment while reading the Program? (or is that just me?!)
Haha, yes!!! I appreciate science backed structures so much. I am so glad you not only told us what to do but you told us why we needed to do it this way. Our bodies are amazing, complex creations and you've helped me understand it better... I was amazed to learn about growth hormones and mitochondria's important role. Also cortisol levels. I cannot believe how much stress impacts our bodies. This is something that needs to be talked about more. Thanks to your guidance earlier this year, I have been meditating almost every day using headspace for 10-15 minutes a day and it has allowed me to truly clear my mind and relax.
Are you a Keto Coffee or Keto Matcha lover?
Keto coffee runs through my veins 😉
Is there anything else you want to share about yourself or your experience?
I just want to say thank you one more time. I know I've told you this via Instagram several times but these 3 weeks were life changing. It literally feels like a switch was flipped and my body is beginning to run normal again. I plan on continuing with this program and see where it takes me.
What's your Instagram handle?
Congratulations Xiomara!! I can't wait for our Nutrition Consultation so that we can discuss your next level steps!!
It's not too late to achieve your wellness dreams! What have you always wanted for yourself? More energy? Less mood swings? Mental clarity? No more breakouts? Join hundreds of people from around the world in the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program to help you achieve your goals!
You'll also gain access to the Autumn Elle Nutrition Facebook group with support and accountability from everyone else using the Program too!
Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition