Hi Everyone! Hope this finds you all healthy and happy. I received a letter from Julie, indicating that some have been wondering where I am and how I'm doing. I'm very happy to report that all is well and I'm doing great. Let's see...where to start. I still Oxycise...that will never change. And I still work out every day. Shortly after the Oxycise infomercial, I went to an endocrinologist to see why I hit the plateau...don't get me wrong, I am thrilled with the amount of weight that I have lost, and I love my level of fitness, but I just wanted some answers. Blood work revealed that I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which my doctor says contributed to my weight my entire life. So there was a medical reason. Essentially, my body does not absorb insulin the way it should. My doctor said it was amazing that I lost any weight at all, let alone as much as I have. We credited three things: 1)Working out 2)Lots of soy in my diet, because I am a vegan and 3) Oxycise. Needless to say, I was happy to have a diagnosis after a lifetime of weight issues. But is was also pretty depressing to be honest. She put me on Glucophage (a medicine also used by people with diabetes) and told me that it should help me with the plateau. Nope. Made me sick. After several months, I abandoned the Glucophage, which also had an adverse reaction. The mood swings were the most fun, I think. Anyhoo~ I have sought out natural alternatives. I have just started using leaves from the Jambul fruit tree, which is indiginous to India. Parts of this plant are used by diabetics, people experiencing problems with infertility and people with PCOS. I am also using the seeds. I have also been supplementing with Marine Coral Calcium. My energy level is through the roof. It is wonderful. So ther have been some changes, but I still look the same. I look at where I was and I am just so happy to be where I am now. One of the best things Oxycise has done for me consistently is to keep me in a clear frame of mind...and the energy is great too. It does fuel the workouts.
In other parts of my life things have been very busy too. At the time of the infomercial, I was transitioning from an administrative position in a public children's services agency (I have been a social worker for 15 years) to a similar position in a private therapeutic foster care agency. I quickly realized that the administration's ethical values were not similar to mine, so I launched my own agency. We just had our one year anniversary. My husband and I run the agency and we have a wonderful staff and great foster parents who care for kids in need the way it is supposed to be done. I love working with the kids on this level, and I still get to work with my old buddies from the county agencies. The other big professional change is that I have become a professional trainer for the state of Ohio. I train social workers in Public Children's Services Agencies. I really love doing that for a change of pace.
Some of you may or may not know that I am a musician also. I play bass (my husband plays guitar) in a band called Boogie Chowder. We have been fortunate to have a lot of recording time to put our songs on cd. My husband writes the bulk of the material. We have definite funk and jazz influences. We have covered a couple of tunes...we bought the rights to Jay-Z's IZZO and lounged it all out. It doesn't sound much like the original, but it is very cool. You can check out the site at www.boogiechowder.com
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I no longer have my personal web site. I had problems with the server and changed the server. They held my sit hostage!!!!! I lost most of the contents and just got so busy by the time I got the new server straight. Time is the biggest factor. I just didn't have the time to start the entire thing over again. Oh well, such is life. As I said earlier, I hope this finds all of you safe, healthy and happy. I will check in from time to time. Thanks for wondering "what ever happened to Janie Thomas". I'm still here doin' my thing. Thank you Jill for turning me on to your great program. I tell other people aboutit all the time. Have a happy holiday season,
janie thomas

janie t

Janie,

Great update! I am really glad to hear you are doing well. Cool website!

Alicia

Start weight=292(June,2002)
Current weight=261
Inches lost=28 3/4
Goal weight=135
"When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences" (Dr. Phil)

Janie, great to hear from you! Outside of Shaun Zimmerman, yours is the first picture I show everyone that I "lead" to Oxycise! I've wished for a long time you would post or update.

Also, for diabetics, Chromium Picolinate is said to be excellent for helping the body utilize the insulin it has, but you must use a quality product. I know of a great and well-reputed company in Wisconsin called BioActive Nutrients (www.bioactivenutrients.com) that sells it and strongly recommends 1000mg (? 1000 units) of Chrom Pic per day for diabetics. The president Guy Evans says that with the use of this product (and wise eating, of course) that he has seen diabetics "healed" and living healthy lives w/o any medication. His father is a scientist and discovered the mineral form of Chromium Picolinate.

Also, you may want to go to iknowthecause.com--excellent website by a "medical scientist" who has researched the effects of fungus in humans for years. It affects/mimics myriad illnesses--diabetes being one of them. (This guy strongly believes in going the natural route when possible. He hasn't been to a doctor in 32 years.) Great idea for breaking through your plateau is to surrender or cut considerably back on simple carbs, dairy, corn and wheat products and, of course, as much sugar as possible. I have found that wheat, corn, and dairy are some of the main culprits of weight gain or weight obstacles. (Wheat and corn affect the thyroid gland which, in turn, affects our weight. Have you ever looked into the Blood Type diet? That's where this info is from. It works for me!)

Good luck to you!

Katherine

Live like there's no tomorrow
Eat like everyone's watching
Breathe like you're on a respirator!

[This message was edited by Katherine with a K on December 08, 2002 at 08:46 PM.]

[This message was edited by Katherine with a K on December 08, 2002 at 08:46 PM.]

Katherine~
Thanks for your reply. I am not diabetic, though some of aspects of PCOS mimic that. RE: Chromium Picolnate, it's not an option for me. my body has an adverse reaction. I do not consume any animal products whatsoever, as I am a vegan. My diet is rich in whole, organic foods and high in soy (tofu, soy milk etc.) I stay away from simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, the closer a food is to its natural state the better. I am consulting with an herbalist...honestly, I am really pleased with my current situation...it's a marathon, not a sprint. I have truly made a transformation in my habits over the years and I love the results. Thanks Katherine!!!
;-) janie t

janie t