A Personal Success Story: Meet Leah Ohrberg
The 21-Day Belly Fix – Leah’s Story
Meet Leah Ohrberg! She is a 30-something stay-at-home working mom of three who had extreme digestive issues for well over a decade. Her gut was the source of discomfort, pain and a very high toilet paper bill. While she was on The 21-Day Belly Fix diet, she says she experienced a miracle. Today she is sharing her incredibly inspiring story with you!
1. Can you tell us a little about your digestive problems before you started The Belly Fix? How were these issues impacting your life?
Prior to starting The Belly Fix, my gut felt like a digestive wreck. At age 17, I had graduated and moved out and clearly I didn’t get enough of my mom’s healthy tofu stir fry or something ;) I mostly ate junk food for a couple of years. That’s when I remember my digestive system starting to decline.
Little by little more and more foods became sensitive to my stomach, producing lots of embarrassing symptoms for me as a young adult. And sadly, they became a way of life for me. I would constantly have to run to the bathroom with sudden urges. I always felt bloated and had lots of painful gas in my belly.
Early on, I did go to the doctor, but never seemed to get a straight answer on what I had or how to fix it. I was told to take Mucinex. Well that clearly did not fix what I had going on. Sometimes when it was so bad, it would keep me from doing certain things or going places with friends. I was so embarrassed it actually took many years for me to even tell my husband all of my digestive health problems. I was so embarrassed about all the toilet paper I would use.
I was not healthy. I didn’t feel healthy. I had absolutely no energy. Even when I got sleep at night, I would wake up feeling unrested. In the last few years, it seemed like no matter what I would eat my body didn’t want to process it. Many times I wouldn’t eat much only because of how bad food made me feel.
I tried increasing my water intake, taking vitamins, drinking tea, detox diets such as the Master Cleanse…and many other things but I could never find anything that really seemed to make me feel better. I felt like it would be something I would have to live with probably forever.
2. How long after you started Belly Fix did you to begin see changes in your digestion?
After starting The 21 Day Belly Fix, I remember clearly that it was on Day 4 that I felt like I had experienced a miracle!
The first 3 days, I still had felt some bloating and discomfort even some of the same diarrhea/constipation issues I had had before (I was told this was probably from all the increase of fruits/veggies that my body was getting adjusted to).
But as of Day 4, I don’t know how else to say it other than I felt like I was a new person. I had the first completely normal and perfectly easy bowel movement I had ever had in many years. It was very exciting for me! ( I know, I know, lame for excitement in a 34 year olds life but when you’ve learned to live with the type of digestive problems I had you’d be pretty excited too ;)
In the first week I also saw dramatic results in how my clothes fit better by the pounds and inches I had lost also as a side benefit.
3. Did you face any challenges during the 21 days? (In other words – how hard is this diet?)
As far as challenges during the 21 days, in the beginning it felt a little labor/time intensive. I remember having to always keep my book opened and think to myself “now what day am I on” and “what can I eat today”?
But after experiencing such great results by Day 4, I was highly motivated to keep on it and not cheat!
Going from feeling severely bad with no energy to feeling literally like a new person with energy and drive and motivation..no pain..no bloating..no constipation..no diarrhea…I wanted to do whatever I had to to stay feeling great. After that, the only challenge I feel like I had was always making sure my house was stocked with the foods/ingredients I needed. I am a stay at home/working mom so that did help to be able to freshly make all my drinks and meals and not have to prep much ahead of time.
4. How did you feel in the end? How has your life been impacted?
In the past whenever I’ve tried fad diets or fasts it always feels like the days linger on and on and I’m always starving and wanting to eat things that I shouldn’t.
This food plan was different than anything I had tried. The 21 Days went by so fast and my cravings for unhealthy/processed junk went away. I’ve felt really satisfied on this eating plan.
I am so glad that I did the 21 Day Belly Fix. My life and my families life is forever changed in so many ways. Not only is our toilet paper bill like cut in half ;) but health wise, I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life. And it was done all naturally and I feel so good inside my body.
It feels like my body is working how God made it to. It feels like my body is in the healing process and I can actually feel the benefits of the good food I’m putting in my body.
5. Have you continued any of your Belly Fix habits? If so, how have you integrated them into your lifestyle and family meals?
With all the positive results I’ve felt and seen in my own body, I am definitely staying on the 21 Day Belly Fix plan indefinitely. I feel like I made some really good habits and disciplines over the 21 days that I plan to keep. I’ve come to really enjoy my morning rituals of the ACV and ginger tea.
I did have some reactions to some of the foods such as dairy and gluten that I tried to re-introduce during the 21 days, so I’ll try them again in another 6 weeks or so and see how by body does with them again.
Until then, I LOVE my mid-morning protein shakes and green juices. And kitchari! Actually my kids really like the kitchari also. So, I’ve started incorporating the plan into what foods I buy and how I cook for my family too. I want my children to grow up with healthy little bodies and get the best start possible and not have to deal with all the digestive health problems I’ve had to. They’re doing better with eating more variety of veggies. I keep trying new things with them and my hope is that they will come to enjoy it like I have. The plan has given me many ideas on what new things I can even make for the kids.
6. Do you have any words of encouragement for those who are experiencing serious digestive issues?
My 3 words of encouragement for anyone dealing with serious digestive issues are…
THERE IS HOPE!
Initially I wouldn’t have thought there was. But after being willing to try this plan wholeheartedly, I can honestly say there is hope and it is possible to get your body healed. Don’t give up or think it won’t work for you. I had problems I’d probably even be too embarrassed to share with the public and this plan has and is healing me. I am forever grateful for Dr. Taz and sharing this plan with us.