I Did It!: Acquire Skills to Change Your Life and Body

© 2016 Salam S. Hachem.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

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ISBN: 978-1-5043-4924-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-4926-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-4925-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016902055

Balboa Press rev. date: 06/14/2016

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1 About You

2 Defining a Successful Dieter

3 How to Use This Book

4 Your Action, Your Change

5 The ABCs of Behavior

6 Strategies

7 Nutrition 101

8 Checklist

9 Helpful Hints

10 Meal Plans

11 Recipes

Take your time to respond to the questions asked in this book. Be objective and most importantly be fair to yourself. In most situations, getting emotional will keep you further from results and your genuine intentions

I have known Salam for all my life and had the pleasure to work beside her and view her care towards health. This book comes at a time that is very much needed to go back to the basics and reevaluate our behavior and learning towards health.

Salam has over 25 years in the Health and fitness industry and has effected many lives and given hope to many people to find it with in themselves to be healthy and fit.

Faye Sibai, Personal Trainer

To my amazing daughter, Hala, for her constant support, love, and unending belief in me. What you have given me is immeasurable. Hala, I thank you sincerely.

To my husband, who accepts me for who I am and never attempts to put an end to my dreams.

To my sons, who make me proud of what and who they have become due to the journey we have shared.

Last but not least, to my mom, who relentlessly encouraged me throughout my life, every step of the way.

Preface

I have been blessed to touch many lives in many different, positive ways. My inspiration comes from my personal and professional experiences. My gratification is the ongoing success my clients and health club members continue to experience as we learn and experiment in this ongoing process. Hence, I am included in this journey.

A nutritional, physical, and emotional state of mind has always intrigued me and has played a major part in my life on many levels. A year after I graduated in Dietetics and Nutrition from the university, my son, who was eighteen months at the time, was diagnosed with type I diabetes. He is now twenty-seven years old. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and required a complete thyroid removal. Two days prior to his thyroid surgery, he had his wisdom teeth removed. When the dental assistant informed me the procedure was complete, and my son was ready to go home, I remember his confused and worried look. Apparently, the dental assistant had shared her experience with him regarding her thyroid cancer. She mentioned how it caused her weight gain, lack of energy, and depression due to hormone imbalance.

As we stepped into the parking lot, my son said, Mom, I am so scared I am going to be like her.

This is a choice you make, I replied. You need to recognize that it will be difficult until your body adjusts, but do not allow yourself to rationalize laziness or change of your eating habits because of removal of your thyroid.

Since then, he has competed in over fifty Spartan races, in addition to twice running fifty miles through Nicaragua’s volcano.

About seven years ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. Hashimoto’s often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), which leads to weight gain, lethargy, hair loss, and brittle nails. Like my son, I must take Synthroid—a replacement for a hormone normally produced by your thyroid gland—every day for the rest of my life. My son and I chose not to use the disease as a reason to be overweight and unhealthy.

I have heard about the thirty, forty, or more pounds women put on postpartum. When I ask how old their children are, they often respond that their kids are in college. Women sometimes feel entitled to gain weight during pregnancy but then keep it on postpartum. My four kids are a blessing, and I never felt the need to put on excess pounds during or after pregnancy.

There seems to be so much talk about not eating past a certain time in the evening. It is not ideal to continue to eat late in the evening in addition to your dinner. If you have a reasonable dinner, it’s best not to then gorge on comfort food laden with carbohydrates, sugar, and fat before going to bed.

Snacking before you sleep can help keep your metabolism working and stabilize blood sugar levels during the night, but the recommended pre-bedtime snack is around 200–300 calories, mainly protein and no simple carbohydrates. At one point in my career, I worked the evening shift at the hospital and got home at ten o’clock at night. I can assure you I did not