This week, Jill explains why the Kidney Stone Diet usually results in weight loss.
Jeff Sarris: Welcome back to the Kidney Stone Diet podcast, the show about reducing your kidney stone risk and living your best life. I’m your host and fellow student, Jeff Sarris.
Jill Harris: And I’m Jill Harris, your kidney stone prevention nurse.
Jeff Sarris: So many good things going on behind the scenes. We’re just talking about some of the things we have planned moving forward. It’s just–there’s always stuff, always something’s cooking. We were also talking a little bit about Finn. How is Finn doing?
Jill Harris: Don’t say anything too loud because we might wake him. If you’re listening to this on Spotify, please know I look very frightened. Let me just say, he keeps me very busy. Oh, my goodness! He’s 13 pounds now, so he’s getting big. He got his first haircut and he is, I’m telling you, he’s sweet, sometimes, but mostly, he’s just vim and vigor. He keeps me on my toes. He is not afraid of anything, even though he’s tiny. He loves dogs. He loves people. He’s pure joy. And also a lot of work, is what Finn is. But, you know, he’s only five months, August 1, so he’s still such a baby, but dang, I love him.
And it’s interesting–Jeff’s like, “please don’t talk about interesting. I got things to do.” Listen, wait, hold on! So you know, when Luke died, I thought there would never be another dog in my life. And, of course, he doesn’t replace Luke, but he’s so different from Luke. It’s just like, you know, I still can mourn and grieve Luke, and not feel bad about about Finn and vice versa, only because they are so different. So, Luke was just the calmest dog. This dog–that’s why he’s always in bed, he’s in his crate when we’re filming because he demands my attention when he’s up constantly. And he’s not quiet about it, shall we say. So we’re working on “quiet time.”
But otherwise, he’s just a dream puppy. He’s crate trained. He’s adorable. He’s so much fun. He’s loving. He’s, I have to say, a really great companion, for me, just like Luke was. Finn is, just in a different way. Doing all my walks, again, we meet so many different people in the neighborhood. So, socially, he’s really upped my game here, too. So I don’t know what to tell you. I know you were just saying, “how’s he doing?” And I should have said, “he’s great.” But, there you go, that’s how Finn’s doing and how I’m doing because of Finn.
Jeff Sarris: And that’s perfect! And it’s nice to have that. He’s sort of an excuse to meet new people because you lived where you are for a little bit, for a handful of time now, but when you have a pet, you’re out there all the time. When you’re walking the dog, you’re seeing people–the same people–probably a lot. And it’s a good sort of social kickstart, maybe, because maybe you wouldn’t say anything to someone otherwise.
Jill Harris: Absolutely. Well, I do anyway, but that’s a whole other story. But these people all have dogs, too. So we you know, when you see something that you have, right in common, you can bond on that. And so, you know, it’s been it’s been amazing, and I’m really happy. And, also, because I am sick a lot, it’s so nice to have–of course, my son is here part-time, I split him with my ex–but, you know, it’s just nice to have something that gets you out of your head that you have to take care of.
Listeners, let me know, for people who are suffering right now, if you have physical things you’re dealing with, but you have a pet, let me know in the comments how that makes you feel so I’m not so alone saying this. I mean he brings me so much when I’m not well and I know it makes me push myself to get out there on the walk, even if I’m not feeling so great, or it brings love to my heart when I am, otherwise, feeling a little sad. So just, you know, it’s wonderful to have that kind of companion, it really is. Even though, people, he’s a pip. So it’s all of that!
Jeff Sarris: Yeah, it’s a lot, but there’s also a lot that you get out of it, so it balances itself out.
Jill Harris: Well, just kind of like the Kidney Stone Diet! It’s a lot, but you will get so much out of it including weight loss, which is what we’re going to talk about today.
Jeff Sarris: Perfect transition.
Here’s What I Found Out About Weight Loss as a Nurse
Jill Harris: I thought so! So I’m going to tell you this, Jeff, and listeners, here’s the deal: when I first started my health coaching journey, when I was nursing, when I became a health coach, I was always interested in keeping people out of beds. I knew I wanted to be a nurse that helped people before they got into a bed. I was always super interested in helping people lose weight. Here’s what I found about weight: so, people that will just hang up a shingle and say, “Weight loss coach,” very unsatisfying work. Let me tell you why. Because, often, people who are looking to lose weight, want a quick fix. They want a quick fix because the system, A.K.A. the diet industry, has told us that’s what we should expect.
So they come out with all these fad diets, throw a book at you, and tell you to drink shakes all day. The system doesn’t teach you how to eat for you, specific for your allergies, sensitivities and medical conditions. It’s just a blanket diet. And, typically, people, like I said, want to lose weight fast. They want to lose it for, you know, their niece is having a shower, or there’s this special anniversary they’re going to. And so there’s this goal two months down the line that they want to drop 20 pounds for. That doesn’t interest me. You could say, “Well, Jill, it’s interesting to them. They could write you a check. You show them what to do.” I’m not taking people’s money for that.
What I love is teaching people how to fall in love with a healthy lifestyle. That’s what I love. And so I get on the internet, and all the social media, and I say, “Guess what, people? This is hard.” And I don’t care if people are turned off by that because the ones that stick around long enough to listen to me, they will reap the rewards. The rewards are lessening your risk of kidney stones and also losing weight if you need to. That’s the great side effect of the Kidney Stone Diet because we’re asking you to lower your sodium. Do you know how many of my patients when they first come to me are eating over 10,000 milligrams of sodium a day and I know that by looking at their urine collection. Before I look at the urine collection and go over that with them, they’ll say, “Look, Jill, my salt’s gonna be good girl because I don’t use the salt shaker.”
Listen, it’s not about using a salt shaker. It’s not. It’s about how much salt is in the food you already have bought, the out-to-eat meals you go to. Same thing with sugar; we eat too much sugar and salt. And so if you just lessen that, by doing the Kidney Stone Diet goals, you have to lower your sugar and lower your salt. You’re gonna have to lessen portion sizes, for sure, and/or make better food choices. So, what I’m so thrilled about and what I get so excited about in teaching the Kidney Stone Diet is just a healthy diet. And you can go to my website at kidneystonediet.com and look at all the testimonials.
I ain’t paying people to say those things, they just write them. Go to the Facebook page, the Kidney Stone Prevention Diet, look at how many people will say, “I lost 90 pounds.” “I lost 50 pounds.” In the Kidney Stone Prevention course, we have the accountability calls. That’s where people stay in the group and they keep compliant, and they maintain the weight loss. They just don’t lose it and then go back to their unhealthy eating because the problem with weight loss is nobody addresses how to keep it off.
It’s easy to lose weight. It’s really hard to keep it off. You have to be consistent. You have to be! Here’s how it usually goes: “Oh, I lost 20 pounds. I look good in that dress for cousin Albert’s wedding.” And then, slowly, our habits creep back in. We have a little bit of that, a little boop of that, a little bip of this, and you gain five pounds, ten pounds, 50 pounds, 10 pounds extra than what you lost, or what you had already originally weighed is what I meant to say. So that’s what happens.
Please write in the comments, how many times have you lost and gained weight, lost and gained weight, lost and gained weight? I’m repeating it because it’s many times, I bet. Let us know in the comments. We can help you with that. So with the Kidney Stone Diet, you will lose weight because we’re asking you to eat in normal portion sizes. Eat all food, expect almond products and spinach, in normal portion sizes. Do that, and you will lose weight. Lowering salt and lowering sugar, eating meat in normal amounts, okay?
You don’t have to give up carbs people to lose weight. You have to lessen calories to lose weight, typically, or move more than you’re taking in. It’s all about calories in versus calories out. It’s the law of thermodynamics. Can’t break that, okay? So that’s what it’s about. And the Kidney Stone Diet is going to force you to eat less unhealthy foods. So why I love kidney stones, there’s only one reason, they’re bad enough to teach people that they have to eat better for real, not just to look good, not just for vanity.
It’s a great side effect, you will look good. You will look good once you start losing weight, but you’re not doing it for weight loss. The reason why people gain weight back again, is the reason wasn’t good enough to begin with. When you have illness tied around weight loss, when you start getting diabetes, when you have another kidney stone, when you have chronic kidney disease, when you have heart disease, that’s when my phone starts ringing. “Jill, it’s really happened this time. I can’t go through another stone. I’m ready to make that commitment.”
So, before you call me, make sure you’re ready because what I have to say is not for the faint of heart. It’s for people that really care about their health, not how they look in a pair of dungarees. We are too old for that, for the most part, people. I know there’s some younguns on here now, too. And, of course, you want to look good. Of course everyone wants to look good, but that should be secondary to feeling good.
The Kidney Stone Diet is About Lifestyle, Not Just Diet
So why the Kidney Stone Diet is the work I have dedicated my career to, and will continue dedicating my career to, is because it will make you healthier. Because once you learn how to eat healthy, I swear to god, people, you not only will lose the stones and the weight, if you need to lose weight, you will also gain so much strength, energy, confidence, you just feel better. And when you feel better, you are happier. You’re better to be around with the people that love you. You will have more clarity, you’ll have more focus, you’ll be able to sleep better, you’ll want to go to the gym, because you don’t have the excess weight, you won’t feel embarrassed to go workout. I can’t tell you how many people say, “I don’t want to put on my workout clothes. I’m embarrassed to go to the gym.”
So, I believe, I believe, you don’t have to believe me, but I believe that nutrition comes first. Get yourself in a place where you are understanding how to eat better to prevent stones and just eat healthier, in general. You’ll lose some weight, you’ll gain some confidence, then you’ll be able to move your body, too. Many of you will say, on the phone with me, “Oh, I’m going to do this. I’m going to start working out seven days a week. I’m going to do this, this, this.” Slow your roll, people. There’s about 1% of people that can really do all that without being overwhelmed. Most of us–let’s start with one thing. What’s one thing that you can do today that can add to your health? One thing.
I’m not asking you to do all the goals of the Kidney Stone Diet, but I’m saying start with one thing. If you’re the person that wants to do all of the goals tonight, that’s great. But most of you will just be like I’m just trying to get through drinking enough water and that’s perfectly fine. Not a problem. Start where you are, but make sure that you understand that this has to be a consistent thing throughout the rest of your life. A healthy lifestyle is practicing for the rest of your life. Not being perfect. Being perfect creates a prison. Being healthy is a practice just like yoga, just like communication, just like being a great parent or a great partner. It’s practice.
I don’t expect anybody here to be perfect, but the rewards are great and weight loss will be one of them. So, in my journey, in the last 23 years, people have come to me to do the Kidney Stone Diet because kidney stones–well, that’s what brought them to me–but what they get back is lower A1C, definitely lowering their weight, lowering their risk of other diseases as well. So, it’s been a wonderful gift to me to be able to educate patients on how to eat with common sense and how to combine all the things and do it for the rest of your life. But the point to this video is, the Kidney Stone Diet, if you do it correctly, you will absolutely lose weight if you need to lose weight. And some of you will say–and there’s a video on our channel that says, “Help, I’m losing too much weight on the Kidney Stone Diet,” it’s because you’ve taken away too many foods.
And, you know, sometimes you do need to call me and have a consult or join the Kidney Stone Prevention course, so you understand the nitty gritty of what we’re asking you to do here. But go to kidneystonediet.com, go to the Facebook page, like I said, at the beginning of this, go see the testimonials and see how many people are able to lose weight once–there’s no magic here–they’re lowering salt and sugar, and eating foods within normal portion sizes. The end!
Jeff Sarris: And I just wanted to add the one thing that I always like saying, “a diet” versus “my diet” or “our diet,” where this is a lifestyle. So it’s our diet. It’s not just a diet as in on again, off again, like you mentioned before, like how many times do you go on a diet only to then revert back maybe swing the other way? And this is an approach to being healthier over the long term. I think it’s such an important, such a valuable place to be in with our health.
Jill Harris: Jeff, I love that. So, you know, I say it differently than you, but I really enjoy the way you just said that because it personalizes it and I love that. So the Kidney Stone Diet is a set of goals specific to you and everyone’s going to be a little bit different depending on what they need. So, if someone does say, because I’ll have patients say to me, people are asking me, “What am I doing? Why am I eating this way? Well, I’m on the Kidney Stone Diet.” Yeah, you can say that or you can say, “This is my diet from my health reasons.”
This is your diet. We are trying to say, “Here’s the goals, but make it your own people so you’re really satisfied and happy with the foods you’re choosing.” So, that’s right, this is my lifestyle. Jeff has his own lifestyle, and you can bet your sweet buppy, we’re both eating healthy. But but he eats a little differently than I do. So we may eat different foods, but it’s still very healthy, and they make us happy, so it’s our lifestyle. Make it your own, people. Take our goals, but make it your own. I think that’s such an important differentiation. Is that a word That’s a good point. So, it’s a great way to put it. If this is your lifestyle, it is your lifestyle. I love that.
Jeff Sarris: Yeah, we’re just trying to help improve your health as best we can and, sort of, nudge you along the way. As Jill mentioned, if you go to kidneystonediet.com, you can click “video course” right up top, and you’ll get here to the Kidney Stone Prevention course. You can find just all the details on the course which includes the accountability calls, and everything to keep you on track for the long-term. That’s all included with the videos. The videos are a one-time purchase and you own them forever. You can go back at any point in the future. The accountability calls are a subscription, so then you can stay on track for as long as you feel. You can cancel anytime, re-up, whatever works.
Jill Harris: Listen, Jeff, it’s $19 a month. I mean, listen, privately, I’m $200 something dollars an hour. So, here three to four group calls, I mean, that’s thousands of dollars for a month. So, the first month comes with the course and, then, if you want to continue on as people do to stay accountable because a lot of people fall off the lifestyle, it’s $19 a month. I mean, we are giving it away. It’s crazy. We believe we will always be the longest people doing the Kidney Stone Diet at the cheapest prices. Always. That’s our motto here.
Because, look, we understand, especially me being a patient myself, it’s expensive to be sick, people. So we always, always keep that in mind. The prices are as low as they can possibly go considering my 23 years and our experience here. So, we’re very proud of our prices. That’s very important to us. We’re respectful that people don’t have money when they’re sick. I’ve had a lot of medical bills, people, they’re coming in again because of all my hospitalization and all the things, so I’m very sensitive to that. And we believe in that as a business model period, right?
Jeff Sarris: Absolutely. And that’s why I also offer so much free content. So yeah, if you’re watching right now on YouTube, listening wherever you are, we would love it if you hit subscribe. If you’re on YouTube, hit the little bell for notifications and share this episode or another episode with a friend because it means a lot. It helps us reach more people and we want to educate and assist as many people as we possibly can, whether or not they buy something whether or not they buy the course or the meal plans. You can join the Facebook group and join in. Do you know about how many people are in there now? In the Facebook group?
Jill Harris: I don’t know. Like almost 14,000.
Jeff Sarris: So there are so many people in this community and it’s a great community of people who are all after the same thing, which is improving their lives and reducing their risk for kidney stones. So, we appreciate you being here. We want to help in any way, so any assistance you offer to help us reach more people, means the world to us. If you have a question–if you’re out there, and you haven’t had your question answered yet–definitely call us. The number is 773-789-8763. And we will feature you on a future episode and–
Jill Harris: Don’t be shy! This is not the forum to be shy, people. Look at us. Come on, get in there. Give us a call. We’re thrilled to have your questions. No question is too silly. So don’t be afraid of that and we love hearing from you, quite frankly. If you are too shy, though, you want to ask a question in the comments. We love building the community on Facebook. We won’t want one on YouTube, too, so feel free to write anything you’d like in the comments and, of course, I will answer your questions. We are privileged to have you join us, so thank you so much for watching our show.
Jeff Sarris: Yeah, so thanks again and we will see you next week.
Jill Harris: Bye, Jeff!
Jeff Sarris: See ya!
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