Throughout
my own journey as a Naturopath I have met some interesting people and
have listened to some amazing transformation stories. This is without a
doubt one of them. When I met Thomas last summer, before he started offering massage therapy in Barrie, I was very surprised
to hear about his journey, and how nutrition and exercise 'saved him'. I have asked that he share his story with you, as I'm sure
many of you will see yourselves in Thomas. I hope you find it motivating
and inspiring! Thomas, take it away!
My life changing moment - A Story of health and happiness
Yes I
am aware of the cliché saying “eating healthy changed my life” It is right up
there with “one step at a time” or “today is the first day of the rest of your
life”. I am as big of a sceptic as anyone else out there, but this is a true
story. A story of how a single decision changed my life in ways I never
realized ever could of happened. Thinking about telling this story I feel like
I need to go way back (like childhood way back), besides that’s where all of
our problems start! Right?
First of all, I’m not going off
on some huge tangent of how bad I had it growing up, because there are people
out there that really did have it bad, and that wasn’t me. With that being said,
I wasn’t the happiest of kids, I always seemed to surround myself with people
that didn’t make me feel good. Which brings me to my first point of my story.
You know that amazing felling you get when you order that cheese cake with
strawberry sauce, or heaven forbid that deep dish double pepperoni extra cheese
pizza. Ya, you know what I’m talking about; you ask your server for those
nachos and beer and just wait, like happiness is coming, and then it arrives.
And you start to eat that hamburger or slice of chocolate cake like nothing
else in the world matters, happiness and euphoria passes over you one bite at a
time and love is happening in your mouth. Sound familiar? Let me put that
thought on hold and jump into the future a bit.
I have
always enjoyed making people happy, even if I wasn’t getting it return (don’t
worry I figured this part out too) I had this joy at a young age for cooking,
and if you haven’t realized, eating as well. When I was an 18 years old I was
searching for meaning and a job, and I stumbled into a kitchen, and immediately
fell in love with the life. It was fast, creative, and loud. For the first time
in my life swearing was not only accepted, but encouraged! It was like you
would try to one up the cook next to you, with who could try and drop more F
bombs in one sentence, but mixed in with the fun hard hours, and the late
starts (which for a teenager can be very appealing) was this satisfaction
through creativity, and even better was that feeling you get when you brighten another
person’s day. Every person that has made turkey dinner or a birthday cake knows
what it feels like when you please another person through their mouth (no pun
intended). I spent a lot of time in this atmosphere, and so many amazing things
happened to me. I learned what work ethic really was, I learned how to speak a
second language, and best of all I met my wife who is my person and the most
amazing beautiful women in the world, and from that 2 of the most special
little children.
So,
back to my childhood (hold on tight this may get a little deep). I always have
had trouble keeping friends, so I’d end up being around people for convenience
instead of joy. This obviously left a very empty feeling inside. I remember
being sad a lot, or just not being happy (yes, there is a difference) and my
mother being the loving person that she was always wanted to see me smile and
would do so in any way possible. The easiest way to put that smile on my face
was to eat that pizza, or go to Swiss Chalet and get all the Chalet sauce I
wanted. Of course on the way home, I would shine my big blue eyes at my mother
and ask for some pre bedtime chips, because that short term happiness was
wearing off, and I was beginning to think of the friends that I didn’t have.
These trends went through stages all the way through my childhood and awkward
teenage years.
So we
have a young, stupid, know it all who is desperate to grow up kid who relates
dealing with stress and feeling happy with food, working in high stress
kitchens. What could go wrong right? Well. Just like any adult knows, life has
highs and lows, but I wasn’t ever trained as a young person on how to deal with
lows. I don’t remember any specific point when I lost myself, but at the
beginning of 2007 it began. I didn’t care what I was eating and exercise was
such an afterthought. The year passed by and my wife (then girlfriend) and I
made a big change in scenery. We made a move to Montreal, what a perfect place
for someone that has trouble with coping with life choices. Have you ever had a
smoked meat sandwich, or poutine? And I’m not talking about English poutine.
I’m talking about a good old 3AM Montreal poutine with real poutine sauce and
cheese curds (OK, I know I’m getting off topic). The spiral downward continued,
of eating to excess. I began to think it was cool to be overweight and out of
shape “ever see a skinny chef?” is what I would say. 2011 brought upon a rude
awakening.
I was
doing my regular thing and eating a poutine and hot dog when I had this huge
pain in my chest (wow did it hurt) I shook it off. 2 weeks later it happened
again and my wife took me to the emergency room. After ruling out heart issues
the doctor came to the conclusion that my Gall bladder had to come out. The
doctor explained the surgery saying “it is not the end of the world”. He had
done hundreds of these and I will be in and out in a day he said. He had a
rather stern warning. He said in all of the hundreds of times he had done this
surgery I was by far the youngest (25) “this was my first warning” he said
“Next will be diabetes, then you will die of a heart attack at a young age, if
you do not change your ways”. I remember thinking that I had to stop. I was
well over 400 LBS (I was an athlete is high school) and no clue how I had gotten
there. I left the hospital a new person. I had the operation and a few months
later I was back in Ontario thirsty for change.
I was
so motivated to change my ways, but I couldn’t do it alone. I was on google looking
for help, and I came across this cutting edge “new” type off workout - CrossFit
(I know for all the CrossFit haters out there. I probably agree. But this is
not a CrossFit story. So get off my back). I remember watching the YouTube
video of people lifting weights and running and climbing ropes and thinking why
not me? Why can’t I be one of those fit happy people? So my journey began, and
jumped in head first - I drank that CrossFit Kool-Aid and went back for more.
In 2012 came a gym challenge that was called “the best shape of your life
challenge” a 3 month strict paleo and 4 workout a week challenge, I flourished.
I dropped over 100 LBS and won the challenge.
I was
still cooking at this time, and I remember trying to talk to my colleagues
about fitness and healthy eating and they would laugh at me. I was becoming an
outsider, but for the first time in my life, I had found a way to prolong that
feeling you get when you order that pizza. I was looking good, sleeping well,
and happy for once in my life. These unmotivated, unhealthy fools that I worked
with weren’t going to take this away from me. I had to change the environment
that I was in. I looked at my future, and family was in it. So my wife and I
had the most beautiful little girl that I have ever laid eyes on.
I
needed to provide for this family, but I needed to stay fit and happy as well -
if only for my daughter’s sake. There was no way that I was going to pass this
terrible trend to my daughter. She is going to be happy for long periods of times.
I was on a community college website looking at courses and I came across
Massage Therapy. It was like the good in my past flashed by my eyes. When I was
at my best as an athlete, I had always worked with a massage therapist to rehab
injuries. I have always loved sport, and what would keep me on track better
then helping people to stay at their healthiest. So I decided to change my
career in that moment.
Fitness,
nutrition and health really did change my life. I went from a severely overweight,
lazy, immature cook into a Father who is driven by health and fitness with a
passion for manual therapy. I will always be working on myself now, I am now
proud to say I am at a steady 270LBS (from 450). I’ve done this by regular
exercise and eating real food. What is real food? No wheat, dairy or processed
sugar, if you can’t eat it in its raw natural state then it doesn’t belong in
your body. People often ask me what my goal is. The answer is simple: I just
want to be happy, like double pepperoni and extra cheese happy!!
Thomas Rae, RMT, SMT is now the Massage Therapist at Vitality for Life Health Center, and is accepting new patients!
Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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I have heard your concerns over the years (and have experienced the dilemma first hand!) and am now offering MEAL PLANNING as a Naturopathic service - no appointment required! 
