How I Did It!: Gently, Simply, Realistically and for Good! My weight loss journey from type 2 diabetes to optimal health

by Vivianne Messier

For years I avoided the scale and my doctor as I continued to live "the good life." However, the truth came out the day I finally faced both. I was on the edge of morbid obesity and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and Forestier disease. I had a I could dig a hole using self-pity as a shovel and stay there for the rest of my short existence, or jump back into life with hope and vitality. Guess which one I chose!

My first goal was to go into diabetic remission. I had to lose a lot of weight and cut back drastically on carbohydrates. Being an expert in yo-yo dieting, why would this time be different? This time, I looked at the whole picture. I dealt with my emotions and my thought processes while eating better and moving more. I faced the truth, cultivated self love, surrounded myself with the right people and got informed. I built a personal program I could stick with for good. I did that to save my quality of life.

I wrote this book so others might benefit from my experience. This book is not a weight loss program; rather, it is the story of my journey toward optimal health in mind, body and spirit.

"It wasn't just what I ate, how much food I put on my plate and how little I moved. What it really came down to was why this destructive behaviour had become a pattern in my life."

With recipes from Eric Archambault, chef and teacher in culinary arts, member of the National Technical Committee for Skills Compétences Canada and membre of Compétences Québec.

198 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2020

About the author

Vivianne Messier is a Canadian author. Her book, HOW I DID IT, is her debut release. She wrote this book to connect to people who can relate to her story, who want to learn from it and elevate themselves in body, mind and spirit.

Reviews

[Ricky Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Goodreads giveaway for me, in exchange for a honest review. And I will say I would probably not have picked it up at a bookstore, but now that I finished it, am really glad I got to read it.

As stated in the opening, and throughout the book, this isn’t a “how to” book, but more a “how I did it” book. Giving great examples and background research on diabetes. There is a lot to take away for a person to use from this book if you are considering changing your lifestyle rather than using drugs to control the disease .

Also it’s written in a personal diary style, giving us a look at what the author was going through, which makes the end results all the more poignant.

The only thing I think is missing it the nutritional information on the recipes.

[Carol Farrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in exchange for an honest review so here it is. I greatly enjoyed this book. This is NOT A HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT BOOK. If that is what you are expecting you will be sorely disappointed. The author talks about her journey to being ready to lose weight including evaluating her strengths and weaknesses and figuring out how to bolster the weaknesses to become strengths. I am also diabetic and am at the point she was in the beginning of this book so I found it highly relatable and encouraging. Mainly this is a book about learning to stop abusing yourself with bad habits and how to love yourself.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received a Kindle copy as a GoodReads giveaway. Some good information, but for me, the memoir portions were kind of overwhelming. The book is rambling and somewhat disorganized, and I wasn't as enchanted by the details of her summer trip as she was. And on a technical note, I found the many charts and tables difficult to read on my Kindle.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a nurse I found this book very interesting. If your trying
To lose weight I recommend it. I received this book free from
Goodreads.

[Joann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book.

[Paula Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was inspiring, and I applaud her on her journey. I am a sufferer of Type 2 diabetes, and I would love to get to the point that the author is, but I would need a whole different menu. Most of the items she is eating, I cannot eat. If you are already a fairly active person, then this is the book for you.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.