In March of this year, I knew our health was in crisis-mode. My husband Erich and I, and our 18-year-old son Tim, were EACH more than 100 pounds overweight. Erich was 241 pounds (5’8”), Tim was 303 pounds (5’10”), and I was 222 pounds (4’11”). My son is planning to enlist in the military, but was devastated when told by the recruiter that he would have to lose a considerable amount of weight (at least 80 lbs.) before they would let him enlist.
What was more alarming was the state of our health. Besides weight, we all three had incredibly high blood pressure (mine was 168/108); we had blood sugar issues; we had issues sleeping at night and staying awake during the day; we had headaches and pains; we had skin problems; and we had mood/mental problems like irritability and lack of concentration.
We had financial problems since the recession, so when I sat down at the computer last March to find something, anything to help us, budget was a key. I prayed:
“God, you know all of these issues. Please help us find the right program for us.”
Out of all the gyms, food plans, fitness programs, supplements, shakes, and more that we researched, The Daniel Plan was the one thing we kept coming back to, so we ordered the book and on April 4, 2016, we started The Daniel Plan. We began with the 10-Day Detox. I have to admit, we were definitely skeptical.
We used to joke in our family that “You can eat cheap or you can eat healthy; you can’t do both.” That was before we found The Daniel Plan.
From the first day, we were full! Within three days, we lost the “high-sodium brain fog hangover” that we had lived with for our entire lives! What freedom! Within a week we were free from sugar and carb addiction! Praise God!
One thing that we noticed right away was that we lost that ALWAYS HUNGRY feeling.
Before Daniel Plan, we could go out to eat at a fast-food restaurant, each of us eat enough for two (or three) people, AND then be hungry again in another hour! With Daniel Plan, we learned to eat good food that kept us full, so we ate less than we’ve ever eaten in our lives.
After about six days on the Detox, we noticed our palate changing. My husband and son always liked vegetables, but now, we LOVED them. I couldn’t imagine living without bread and pasta, but I feel so good now that I RARELY have white bread or pasta just because I don’t want to give up feeling this good.
And what we used to joke about eating healthy or eating cheap? Now that fast food and convenience store food doesn’t appeal to us (at all) we realized that we were spending as a family close to $1000 PER MONTH on those kinds of food. We still go out to eat, but we only want to go to restaurants that have REAL food. Our old restaurants that specialized in four flavors — fat flavor, salt flavor, sugar flavor and no flavor — those places don’t sound good at all. New restaurants that we like specialize in REAL flavor like crunchy vegetables, tangy/sweet fruits, real meat, and nutritious/nutty whole grains.
Erich and I started with “The Daniel Plan in Action Accelerated DVDs.” We followed the 40-Day Plan nearly exactly. Erich and I love those people. When we started the videos, we struggled to do one push up. Erich can now do more than 200 in a single day.
We slowly added in the treadmill. Then… we ventured outside! Now we love that. Erich and I walk together each day around our neighborhood and at local parks. At this moment, writing this testimony, my Fitbit says I have a 7-day step number of 121 THOUSAND STEPS, or 48+ miles!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT A MIRACLE THIS IS???!!!!
Right now, our blood pressure is normal, our thinking is clear, and our weight? Well, I have lost 43 pounds, Erich has lost 76 pounds and our son Tim has lost 112 pounds!!!
Have there been hard times? You know there has. Every battle worth fighting is an uphill one.
In July, some folks at our church asked us to start a Daniel Plan group. We’ve done it the 6-week class three times now and as a group, we have lost more than 300 pounds, and I believe it is almost 400. But, like us, our group has seen other, exciting results like lower blood pressure, blood-sugar balance, clearer thinking, and more movement. One woman was in tears as she told me she no longer needed her teenage son to help her put on her shoes. That is freedom.
I will close with this one thing – Thank you. Thank you so much, Pastor Rick, Dee Eastman, Dr. Amen, Dr. Hyman – and every other person, whether they be doctor, minister, assistant or volunteer. This is a workable plan. This is a victorious plan. Sometimes we have had to, as my son Tim says, “Just keep fighting for it” and sometimes it comes easy. Regardless, we have found the way we want to live the rest of our lives. You put us on that path and with tears in my eyes as I type, we are so grateful to you.
In His love,
Georgianna Schuttauf, Kissimmee, Florida
