This is Kerri, who will be sharing her amazing experience of transformation in this post! :)
Welcome back to another installment of our weekly Beauty Detox Transformation Story!
This week, we have the lovely Kerri Romeo and I’m super excited to share her experience. Let’s get right into it…
How long have you been following the Beauty Detox philosophy? Was it easy to incorporate it into your lifestyle?
I read The Beauty Detox Solution when it was first released in 2011. I had taken an interest in health and nutrition and the vegetarian lifestyle in my late teens, but at that time it was very uncommon (and considered somewhat radical). I found the information out there confusing, overly complex and conflicting. Years later, when I came across Kimberly’s book I felt like someone finally was able to explain what I knew in my soul, but didn’t have the knowledge and understanding to put into practice myself. It was an ah-ha moment!
Was it easy to incorporate? Yes and no. From the time I was a teenager and still into adulthood I have struggled with an eating disorder. I “recovered” from near-death anorexia by binge eating because I still didn’t have a handle on how to eat. Treatment was focused on calories rather than re-learning how to eat intuitively or to actually fix the cause. The frustration of not being heard or understood created more damage. I believe eating disorders are both psychologically and biologically based so the see-saw between the two and trying to identify which is taking reign in the moment or what developed as bad habit is a battle. 20+ years of that takes some undoing and I had a slow start. When I met Kimberly at a book-signing in March 2013 is when I started taking my baby steps. My steps are getting bigger now! : )
What I love about the Beauty Detox philosophy is that it brings you back to the basics of what our bodies and minds truly need. That is what makes it easy. The rules don’t change based on the current fad. My head doesn’t spin trying to understand it. When I have a question I can consult the book or Kimberly’s blog and find answers that are supported by both facts AND Kimberly’s personal experience.
When I follow the principles I experience noticeable positive changes, which motivates me to keep doing them. I am already so hard on myself so I don’t respond well to high pressure when it comes to food and exercise and the gentle, non-judgmental approach of Kimberly and the Beauty Detox philosophy really helps me. What also makes it easy is that it isn’t about incorporating strange ingredients that you need to source from some far off land…everyone can find fruits and greens and other vegetables in a local market or when eating out at a restaurant.
This is Kerri before — she was still lovely, of course, but she made many inner/outer health improvements as a result of Beauty Detox!
What is your daily regimen? Give us an example of a typical meal plan and exercise routines.
I start my day with lemon water; a half hour later I have a lower sugar version of the Glowing Green Smoothie (GGS) made with green apple plus ginger (I usually make 2 days worth the day before so I don’t have any excuse if I don’t have time in the morning to make it); another half hour later I have raw oats and almond butter to keep low blood sugar levels from clinical hypoglycemia and insulin resistance stabilized.
For lunch I like to have a BIG salad with greens and whatever veggies I have in the house, ½ avocado mashed into the greens with apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt and seasonings. Sometimes I will mix in sweet potato too to make it heartier (especially now with fall!)
I get hungry in the afternoon and have an apple or a banana (since I don’t have banana in my morning GGS). Or if I am really hungry I will have a smoothie with almond milk and fruit and sometimes vegan protein powder.
For dinner I have brown rice, lightly steamed veggies and I do still have some chicken or eggs. I have recently started to increase the veggies and have less of the chicken/eggs as I aim to omit animal protein completely. I find myself more and more turned off by animal protein again (as when I was a teen).
On mornings I don’t have to be at work I love to go for a walk. Those mornings I enjoy a 45 minute walk and 15 minutes of stretching after the GGS. On days I do have work and don’t get to go for a walk in the morning, I try to work out later using a system called Kinesis for strength/cardio. Once a week I take a Hatha yoga class too.
I am not perfect…I am still struggling with the binge eating, I still have an unusually big appetite for a petite person (even though my meals in front of people always provoke the cliché comment “you eat like a bird”); I go in phases where I am not as active as I need to be; I still have stove-top popcorn as an evening snack; and I still retreat to a glass of milk as a “quick-fix” if I am having a hard time managing a low blood sugar reaction. For some that may all sound horrific, but for me it is still progress from where I was. I take comfort in returning to my base Beauty Detox meals daily, especially the GGS which has been a life-saver.
Interestingly enough as I answer these questions I can see how the small changes have built up over the past year and by this time next year (if not sooner!) I will be a full-fledged Beauty Detox-er. That is pretty exciting to foresee!
How do you feel after adopting the Beauty Detox lifestyle? What changes have you experienced?
My perspective of food has changed from it being an enemy to life-giving.
For years I struggled with bloodshot and glassy eyes, cystic acne from hormonal imbalance, oily scalp with straw-like hair, frequent bacterial infections, sluggish digestive issues, a puffy face, no muscle tone, waking up feeling like a truck ran me over in the night, and an awful drowsy feeling by the afternoon. All of these symptoms have disappeared!
I am also very aware of the cause and effect when I don’t follow the principles. It really helps to know what is causing a symptom so I know what step to really focus on next to make a change.
Oh and this is something really fascinating to experience first-hand: Kimberly talks about “How Our Face Reveals Inner Health” on Page 138 of The Beauty Detox Solution. She outlines what may cause premature wrinkles and other issues. Well, I have been drinking the GGS regularly for about 10 months now and I am amazed that I even have less fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes!
How has this impacted your outlook on life?
When I started to take better care of my health it seemed to be a catalyst for other improvements in my life. I stepped back from situations that were toxic to me and away from people who were holding me back or who didn’t support positivity in my life. Funny how one change can ignite a chain reaction of better experiences, opportunities and interactions with more like-minded people.
I feel there is a light at the end of the tunnel with my eating struggles. That is not something I could ever see long-term before. When I have hit rock bottom more times than I can count, this feeling of hope is not something to be taken for granted.
This journey has re-awakened some of the passion within me that has been dormant. As a teen I was called an old soul, but as I have gotten older I started to feel more like Benjamin Button going though an age-reversal process of my soul. Since Beauty Detox I have returned to yoga; meditation, and an appreciation for the earth and nature. I am more conscious of negative thoughts I have about myself and how to turn them around.
Dreams are re-surfacing related to helping others. I have always wanted to make a difference in this lifetime, but was overwhelmed by the idea as well. I can now appreciate that every choice we make has a ripple effect. So if I need to start an endeavor on a small scale that is ok. If it stays small scale that is ok too, because it still has the power to generate improvement.
Favorite Recipe and Why?
I feel the GGS is such a staple so that being a favorite goes without saying. But another recipe I really love is the Quinoa Ten-Veggie “Fried Rice.” I chose this one because it is not only delicious, but it also is a great one to share with others. If someone in your life is skeptical about vegan food and wary of trying anything too adventurous this is a great go-to recipe. It is also great for families who have a mix of vegetarians and non-vegetarians because you can easily add a side of animal protein without having to cook an entirely separate meal. I think even those whose taste buds have been spoiled by Americanized fast-food Chinese meals will be impressed with the flavors in this recipe. Not to mention the nutrients everyone gets from TEN veggies!!
I made this a few times and anyone who tried it loved it! AND I even had leftovers to last me a few meals which is a bonus when life gets busy.
What words of encouragement do you have for others in the Beauty Detox Community?
For anyone who feels that aren’t doing enough, give yourself credit for what steps you have already taken. You are one step further than you were yesterday and one step closer to your goals. Set-backs are not failure; they are an opportunity to learn how to stand taller next time.
From the bottom of my heart I am SO grateful for Kimberly, Katelyn and the Beauty Detox Community!! xoxo
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you’re loving these stories as much as we are — they are so inspiring!
If you have a story to share, please email Katelyn @ mysolluna.com and put “Transformation Story” in the subject line.
We can’t wait to hear from you.
Have an amazing weekend!
Love,
Kimberly
Thank you for sharing your inspirational story, Kerri!!
Have not made the recipe yet and look forward to trying it!
Thank you for your honesty, Kerri. I wish you well!
So touching….It is really incredible how we share the same life experience with food…..By reading your story, i understand myself better…and i give you thanks for your advice on not being too hard on oneself but to aknowledge that we do better than yesterday and that we are closer to the goal everyday…..Thanks for sharing……Love!
That’s me too a T I feel like crap all the time despite daily exercise
HELP
What a beautiful and inspiring post. Thank you Kerri for being so open, I’m sure this will help many people. And as always, Kimberly… you are amazing!! Just bought Beauty Detox Foods and I can’t put it down. Love everything about it.
Loved this transformation testimony! I connected with it on so many levels. There’s some things we feel inside but never put into words or say out loud. This has helped me see things about myself a little clearer. I am grateful for Kerri’s heart and willingness to share her story.
Thank you & God bless you.
Thank you so so much for sharing your story Kerri ! This really spoke to me since I also have some issues with food, including binging. And I also would want to thank Kimberly for helping me getting healthier and happier ! :)
This is very inspiring! I struggle too with clinical hypoglycaemia and it is so tough to deal with! Be kind to yourself! I find that eating more fats helps to balance it out, and to leave fruits until the end of the day. Kim’s diet is awesome, it has great fundamentals but we are all different. I struggle being hypoglycaemic and having crashes by eating light to heavy, I seem to feel best sometimes on days with no fruits at all and just veggies, fats and proteins. You have a great story to tell! congrats!