By Jasmine Elizabeth
Angela Brown, author of "How to Get the Healthy Back in Your Hair," has published a new book in October 2012, "Loving the Foods I Use to Hate," and she has a testimony that supports weight loss and living a happier healthy life.
When Brown, the owner of Eye Con Hair Solutions Hair Salon located at 2600 Poplar Ave., was motivated to journal about her weight, she was over 200 pounds, borderline diabetic and suffering from mild depression. She lived in denial, avoiding shopping for clothes that fit and often wearing painfully uncomfortable undergarments, designed to camouflage obesity.
“I used to wear the popular advertised body shapers designed to make you look two sizes smaller, and I would often have red marks on my skin because the garment was too tight,” Brown said.
In many cases, Brown found that her weight prevented her from completing a simple task such as tying her shoes.
“If my husband wasn't around to tie or strap up my shoes, I would find myself settling for flip flop shoes,” she said.
Angela Brown, author of "How to Get the Healthy Back in Your Hair," has published a new book in October 2012, "Loving the Foods I Use to Hate," and she has a testimony that supports weight loss and living a happier healthy life.
When Brown, the owner of Eye Con Hair Solutions Hair Salon located at 2600 Poplar Ave., was motivated to journal about her weight, she was over 200 pounds, borderline diabetic and suffering from mild depression. She lived in denial, avoiding shopping for clothes that fit and often wearing painfully uncomfortable undergarments, designed to camouflage obesity.
“I used to wear the popular advertised body shapers designed to make you look two sizes smaller, and I would often have red marks on my skin because the garment was too tight,” Brown said.
In many cases, Brown found that her weight prevented her from completing a simple task such as tying her shoes.
“If my husband wasn't around to tie or strap up my shoes, I would find myself settling for flip flop shoes,” she said.
Brown went for a regular check up with her doctor and was advised of her need to exercise and change her diet. She immediately began to journal everything she ate and create a game plan to substitute greasy fatty foods for healthier choices.
She went shopping at the grocery store and purchased fruits and vegetables, lean meats, beans, whole grain cereals, yogurt and other fat free healthy choices and found that she was more depressed than ever. Vegetables cooked in water without pork to season and fruit without sugar to sweeten, was simply gross.
She didn't enjoy eating bland food, and had to find a way to love the food that the doctor recommended.
“I wanted to be around to spend time with my family and enjoy life, not just exist, so I began to research and try other ways to season and sweeten my food," she said. "I wanted my food to taste good for me and my family, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle."
In her new book, Brown provides information on how to use honey in place of sugar and why it is important to avoid artificial sweeteners.
“Many sweeteners have side effects that are much worse than natural sugar,” she said.
Brown also is a natural herb guru and uses them not only to season her food but as a method of healing the body.
“Garlic has been proven to reduce cholesterol and is a great herb to use in cooking. I would much rather use natural herbs to heal the body and avoid medications,” she added.
Brown began to use natural herbs in place of salt and pork. In addition, she began to grill and bake, rather than fry her foods in oil. As a result, she lost over 60 pounds in two years and her decision to eat better also improved her husband’s health.
“Eating healthy never hurt anyone; therefore, my goal was never to lose weight but to adopt a healthier way of eating. I feel better and my clothes look much better," she said. "Friends and family would ask me, 'what are you doing to lose weight?' so I decided to put it in a book, to not only help my love ones, but to inspire others to eat and live better."
Brown admits that fast food restaurants are a thing of the past and fine dining is only on special occasions.
“I would much rather cook at home because I know what I’m putting in my body, when I’m the chef,” she laughed.
She went shopping at the grocery store and purchased fruits and vegetables, lean meats, beans, whole grain cereals, yogurt and other fat free healthy choices and found that she was more depressed than ever. Vegetables cooked in water without pork to season and fruit without sugar to sweeten, was simply gross.
She didn't enjoy eating bland food, and had to find a way to love the food that the doctor recommended.
“I wanted to be around to spend time with my family and enjoy life, not just exist, so I began to research and try other ways to season and sweeten my food," she said. "I wanted my food to taste good for me and my family, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle."
In her new book, Brown provides information on how to use honey in place of sugar and why it is important to avoid artificial sweeteners.
“Many sweeteners have side effects that are much worse than natural sugar,” she said.
Brown also is a natural herb guru and uses them not only to season her food but as a method of healing the body.
“Garlic has been proven to reduce cholesterol and is a great herb to use in cooking. I would much rather use natural herbs to heal the body and avoid medications,” she added.
Brown began to use natural herbs in place of salt and pork. In addition, she began to grill and bake, rather than fry her foods in oil. As a result, she lost over 60 pounds in two years and her decision to eat better also improved her husband’s health.
“Eating healthy never hurt anyone; therefore, my goal was never to lose weight but to adopt a healthier way of eating. I feel better and my clothes look much better," she said. "Friends and family would ask me, 'what are you doing to lose weight?' so I decided to put it in a book, to not only help my love ones, but to inspire others to eat and live better."
Brown admits that fast food restaurants are a thing of the past and fine dining is only on special occasions.
“I would much rather cook at home because I know what I’m putting in my body, when I’m the chef,” she laughed.
RSS Feed