HOW I LOST 12 KILOS AND BECAME HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER FOR MY SONS

Having two young, boisterous boys was exhausting for mum Jenna Flannery who regularly found herself lacking energy and sitting on the sidelines, instead of enjoying life.

“I had years feeling physically and emotionally weighed down, suffering from migraines, a range of health issues and general aches and pains,” the Sunshine Coast mum said.

“I would wake up in the night feeling like I was choking from reflux and have burns on my stomach from the hot water bottle I used to help my severe period pain.

“My mind was constantly inward, thinking about how I felt, and what was wrong inside me to make me feel so horrible. This took up so much of my attention, that I sometimes forgot to focus on the most important part of my life.”

Jenna said she’d been seeing her GP for years to try to fix her weight and hormones but just kept hitting roadblocks.

“All my blood tests would come back within range, which was frustrating,” she exclaimed.

“I went to an endocrinologist who offered me medication but couldn’t find anything wrong. Everything was going to be masked by medication, which wasn’t what I wanted to do.

“I spent a lot of money with a dietitian and when I got my program it was the opposite to what Metabolic Balance told me to eat.

It was through the school grapevine that Jenna first heard about Metabolic Balance and then her mum got on to the program.

“I wish I’d done it when I first found it instead of putting it off,” she said.

The first step was to see a practitioner and then have blood tests which are used to understand your metabolism and put together a program specifically tailored to each individual.

Then it was time for Jenna to tackle her pantry and get rid of all the rubbish.

“For two days I did a cleanse with a magnesium drink then I started the program which tells you exactly what you can eat, and you eat every five hours,” the 36-year-old said.

“It is strict, but after a couple of weeks I was in a routine, and everything was in black and white what I could and couldn’t eat.”

Knowing what she needed to, Jenna began cooking separate meals for herself and her sons. Gradually her sons, 10 and 12, decided the food looked good and wanted to try it too and were hooked.

“They have gone from not eating vegetables to loving them and reading the labels of everything they buy,” she said.

“Everything you are eating is right for your body so feel so much more energised.

I was sleeping on two or three pillows a night because I couldn’t lie flat with the reflux. However, it’s now a distant memory.”

Jenna lost 12.5kg in three months.

“I can’t even remember the last time I was this weight, and it was purely through diet,” she said.

With energy to burn now, Jenna said she no longer sits on the sidelines of life but is active and involved and keeping up with her sons and she’s a lot calmer which means less yelling and screaming at the kids.

“The changes, just in myself were evident from very early on in the program. I have always been a “firecracker” type of personality, but I feel I am much calmer, I take the time to slow down and am more aware of my emotions, than before I started my Metabolic Balance journey,” Jenna revealed.

“I feel this resonates with my boys, and they have also become calmer too, less anxious and more grounded, as they’re feeding off my improved energy.

“I am also more aware of their emotions and their needs, as I am not focusing on how horrible I am always feeling. Though, they will be the first to tell you that I haven’t lost my “spark”.

Jenna said not always looking inward now has meant she’s become more open, adventurous and willing to step outside her comfort zone.

“As a family we feel like we are more connected than ever,” she shared.

“The kids love all the new healthy whole foods that we have been trying. They even get excited to help me cook. It has been a great experience sharing the knowledge that I have learned from my coach and teaching them about healthy choices in our daily lives.”

Instead of takeaway nights the family now enjoy “fakeaway nights”, choosing their favourite meals and adjusting them to make them healthier.

“We love creating new things to cook and enjoy. I believe these experiences shared between us, help set them up for healthier lives and choices in the future,” Jenna said.

She said Metabolic balance has not just been about having a healthy diet, it covered the whole spectrum of health and has been a huge lifestyle change.

“Without a doubt, our mindsets have improved towards not only food, but life in general. Three months in and it’s been an amazing change for us all. I can’t wait to see us 6-12 months down the track and see how much better we all feel and how life has changed for the better,” she said.

Find out more about Metabolic Balance here.