'I Lost 40 Pounds So I Could Donate My Kidney to My Friend'

I hadn't heard from my friend Chris in over three years when a post from him showed up in my Facebook feed last autumn: he needed a new kidney to live.

I could hardly believe it. When we worked together as restaurant servers 10 years ago outside of Pittsburgh, Chris played softball and volleyball. In his late 20s then, he was the picture of good health. Since that time, his health had gone downhill due to a potentially fatal condition called chronic kidney disease—which causes the kidneys to stop filtering blood as efficiently as they should. The only cure is a transplant.

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I messaged Chris right back. He replied that he was trying to stay positive, but ti was a challenge trying to find a donor who shares his Type O blood, which is the least common type. I happen to have Type O blood as well. So without even thinking, I wrote, “I have two kidneys. Both work. You’re more than happy to have one.”

When he read my offer, Chris broke down and started crying, I found out later. His message to me in return said, “you have no idea the encouragement you just gave me.” Donating my kidney was not a hard decision for me. My thinking was, his life is as important as mine.

Becoming a donor

Soon after our conversation, I started the process of becoming a kidney donor. I got on the phone with Chris’s transplant coordinator, who took my medical history. That was followed by an entire day of testing at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a visit with a psychologist. Everyone wanted to make sure I was physically and mentally prepared to give up one of my kidneys, which I was.

The final step two months later involved speaking with the two surgeons scheduled to perform the operation. “It’s great that you want to do this,” both told me, “but you’re too heavy.” At 5 feet 7 inches tall, I weighed 218 pounds—but I needed to weigh less than 200 pounds to be approved as a donor, they said. 

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My first reaction was shock. I’m too fat to save someone’s life? I thought. The doctors explained that they made the call because being overweight put me at risk of having health problems down the road.

I was upset and felt terrible for Chris. But as hard is this was to hear, I had to admit that the doctors made a good point. The truth was, I had not taken good care of myself since my son, now 3, was born. I’d gained a lot of weight, but I didn’t have the motivation to start working out or change my eating habits. Yet now, I did have that motivation: Chris’s life depended on it.

Motivated to make changes

As a restaurant manager, I have access to plenty of healthy foods, but I was more prone to eating a plate of fried cheese sticks. So the first thing I did was give up all fried foods. Instead, I ate salads, grilled chicken, cottage cheese, and fresh fruit.

Next, I put an emphasis on getting active. My company happened to be holding a 5K a few weeks after I began my weight loss journey. How hard could it be? I thought as I signed up. Well, it was the worst thing ever. I was out of breath, my muscles ached, my knees hurt, and I was soaked in sweat. But I made it to the finish line. Afterward, I hung the medal in my car and vowed I would keep running until I could run 5K every day.

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As a working mom, my time is limited. But I made a point to get in a run, or at the very least a walk, every single day. I set my alarm clock for 30 minutes earlier than usual to do it in the morning, or I forced myself to be active late at night while my ex-husband watched our son. By the end of 2016, I was able to run 3 miles, no problem.

40 pounds later

My drive to lose weight started out as a temporary thing; I just wanted to get under that 200 pound cutoff and be able to donate my kidney to Chris. But every day, I woke up feeling better and better, and soon, my new eating and exercise habits were a regular part of my life. This spring, I joined two local running groups and even finished a half-marathon. Instead of dropping just 18 pounds, I’ve lost 40. I feel so much healthier and can’t imagine going back to how I used to be.

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I didn’t want to worry Chris, so I only told him recently that his doctors gave me the okay to donate my kidney. The transplant surgery is likely to happen this fall (doctors are trying to hold out until Chris' kidney functioning becomes truly critical). I’m not frightened by the surgery, which is generally considered pretty safe for donors. In fact, I’m less scared about that then I was running the half-marathon this spring!

The amazing thing about this story is that I went into it hoping to save a friend’s life—and in a way, he ended up saving mine.

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Lena Dunham's Trainer Tracy Anderson Says She Wanted to 'Feel Better' and Not Make Her Body 'Look Different'

This article originally appeared on People.com. 

When it comes to telling the truth about health, trainer and fitness entrepreneur Tracy Anderson doesn’t have much faith in Hollywood. But there are a few celebrities she does have faith in, and one of them is Lena Dunham.

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“That’s what I love about her — because she speaks straight and speaks her mind and she puts it out there,” Anderson told PEOPLE at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Hot Pink Party in New York City on Friday. “She’s telling the truth, and no one tells the truth.”

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Anderson is referring to the reason behind Dunham’s recent interest in fitness. “She had significant health issues,” Anderson confirmed, referencing the actress’ struggles with endometriosis and OCD. “She was open and transparent about her health issues, but our convoluted f-ed up celebrity culture was like, ‘What diet is Lena doing? Lena lost weight,’ and Lena was like, ‘I was freaking sick!’ Like, it’s just crazy,” Anderson said. “And by the way, I think she’s making that statement.”

Dunham kicked up her fitness in the last few years, after she learned that working out helps her manage her anxiety, and started doing yoga and taking classes with Tracy Anderson.

“She didn’t come to me to make her body look different, she came to me to feel better,” Anderson explained. “And I think that she’s our most important influencer of our time. She came to me and when she was so vocal about how my program helped her with her OCD … for me, when people come to me from the vanity thread, I know that they have a lot of balance work to do in their bodies. So when somebody comes to me with, ‘My health matters first, I just want to feel good in my skin, I want to be healthy,’ that’s where it needs to come from. Because there’s not one specific definition of beauty and we really have to move the needle in the other direction for that.”

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Anderson, who also recently wrote a book aimed at teens, thinks that “someone like Lena, who is beautiful and articulate and smart and heartful, she’s someone that can help us do that. And I think she’s doing it, a damn good job of it.”

In honor of Dunham’s 31st birthday on Saturday, Anderson shared her love for the writer and actress on Instagram. “Happy Birthday to the most important influencer of our time!!! Trust me ladies in 10 years you will not have enough ways to say thank you in your vocabulary for the roadblocks this incredible woman will have unblocked for us. I stand beside you in all of your efforts my darling! I hope you relax your advocating voice today and @jackantonoff makes you pancakes in bed! Love you forever and always! ”

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Dunham isn’t the only celebrity Anderson admires. She has a soft spot for Jennifer Lopez, which is why she trained her last week even though she isn’t technically available for hire for personal training anymore. And of course, she loves Gwyneth Paltrow, who is her business partner. But Anderson explains that the reason she admires the two stars and continues to work with them because of the way they approach fitness.

“My biggest complaint [when training celebrities] was always, they needed to be more like Jennifer Lopez, where it’s like, ‘No no no, I work out always, I’m smart about how I work out. I want to be comfortable and healthy in my own skin.’ And it’s not this, ‘Can you please get me ready for this sex scene I have to do in two weeks?’ or ‘I have to shoot a video in two weeks…’ and I’m just like, that’s not the mentality,” she said. Anderson revealed that it is extremely common for celebrities to contact her for reasons like that — 911s, as she calls them. “And then to see those kinds of people go out and be on the cover of a wellness magazine, especially as much as I know about them, I’m like, ‘Oh gosh, wow, that’s shocking.’ ”

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So Anderson put her foot down. “I don’t work with the 911. I’ll work with the 911 if the 911 comes in and is like, ‘I’m committing to…’ that’s how Gwyneth and I started,” she recalled. “Gwyneth was like, ‘I have a 911, I can’t get my baby weight off after Moses, I’ve gotta film something.’ But she was like, ‘I will do everything that you say and I am in it, and I am a really good student.’ And she was willing to take all the steps to really actually invest in what I do,” Anderson said.

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The Healthiest Way to Do Intermittent Fasting, According to a Nutritionist

You've probably been hearing some buzz about intermittent fasting–the weight loss method that alternates fasting days and non-fasting days–especially since there's been more and more research on its potential to help people slim down.

For example, in a new study published in JAMA, researchers divided obese men and women into two groups: One followed a traditional calorie-restricted eating plan, and the other group practiced intermittent fasting. After one year, the participants in both groups experienced similar results in terms of total weight loss, blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, insulin resistance, and markers for inflammation.

The researchers noted, however, that the participants in the intermittent fasting group had a higher dropout rate (38% compared to 29%), which suggests that the eating plan may be less sustainable over time. In my practice I find that the approach isn't for everyone. That said, if you’re interested in trying it—or you’ve already started—here are six strategies I recommend to maximize your results, and help you stick it out.

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Make every calorie count

There isn't one standard protocol for intermittent fasting. But many plans limit total calories to just 500 on fasting days—which is why it's important to make food quality a priority, and squeeze the most nutrition possible out of your meals and snacks. That means nixing processed foods, and focusing on fresh, healthy fare. Yes, you can technically afford to eat a 100-calorie snack pack of mini-chocolate chips cookies. But spending those same 100 calories on veggies and an organic egg delivers a broad spectrum of nutrients your body needs for energy, immunity, and digestive health. Bottom line: A calorie isn’t just a calorie, and quality is king.

Don’t fast on active days

It’s crucial to make sure you’re giving your body enough food to fuel upcoming activities. So if you’re going to fast Mondays and Wednesdays, don’t put more demands on your body with an intense spin class, or other serious workout. Make fasting days your rest days. Or at the very most, plan to do some stretching or light yoga.

In other words, timing matters. Think of your body like a car: You need to fill the gas tank before you go for a long drive, not the next day. The difference between a car and your body, however, is a car with no fuel will stop, while you can push your under-nourished body to keep moving. But slogging through workouts will only wear your body out, and up your risk of injury.

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Focus on satiating foods

Certain foods tend to keep us feeling full longer than others. Generally, satiating nutrients include protein, good fat, and fiber. Think pulses (the umbrella term for beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas), eggs, poultry and seafood, nuts and seeds, avocado, and extra virgin olive oil.

Be sure to eat these foods on fasting days. Yes, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil packs 120 calories out of your 500. But using it to sauté or dress veggies will significantly boost how full you feel after a meal–and prevent lingering, gnawing hunger.

Up your volume

Larger portions don’t always mean more calories. It depends on what you’re eating. For example, three cups of popped popcorn (about the size of three baseballs) counts as a serving of whole grain; but it’s a much larger volume than a half cup of brown rice, which also counts as one serving of whole grain. Bonus: You can eat the popcorn one piece at a time, which makes it seem like even more food.

Raw veggies are another way to fill up your plate without blowing your calorie budget. One medium zucchini provides just 35 calories. And when shredded with a box grater, it becomes a generously sized “bed” for a serving of protein. Other veggies with low calorie counts per serving–which is one cup, or about the size of a tennis ball–include red bell peppers (45 calories), grape tomatoes and broccoli (30), spinach (7), and white button mushrooms (5).

Start to compare the calorie content of foods within the same group that differ in portion size. For example, a dozen steamed or boiled shrimp contains about the same number of calories as a single egg–with significantly more volume and more protein.

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Use herbs and spices generously

Natural seasonings offer several advantages on fasting days. They’re virtually calorie-free, but make meals and snacks more flavorful, aromatic, and visually appealing. They’ve also been shown to boost satiety, and rev up metabolism. Plus they’re chock full of antioxidants and help reduce inflammation in the body, which is tied to healthy metabolism and chronic disease prevention.

Simply adding roasted garlic, fresh basil, and a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar can transform a vine-ripened tomato. Rosemary compliments nearly any oven-roasted veggie. And a combo of lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro can jazz up anything from avocado to cauliflower.

If you aren’t super familiar with using culinary herbs, there are tons of online resources you can check out for guidance. But I also recommend experimenting on your own—I bet you’ll you have fun discovering some new favorite combinations.

Be mindful

On fasting days make a conscious effort to slow your eating pace. One tool that may help is to listen to a guided meditation once a day, even for just five minutes. Short daily meditations help improve mindfulness and slow your pace overall, including during meals and snacks. Eating slower, taking smaller bites, and removing mealtime distractions (including the TV and phone) have all been shown to boost satiety, and naturally curb calorie intake. This strategy is especially effective for helping you stick to your healthy regime—whether it's intermittent fasting or another balanced plan.

Cynthia Sass is Health’s contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and consultant for the New York Yankees. See her full bio here.

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