March 10, 2015- This is the date my journey actually began, so let's start there. Those who know and love me may not realize it, but I am 5'4 and 250 lbs. (Technically I was 241 when I started, but I was 250 a short time ago).
It was on the 10th that I decided to take a challenge recommended by my doctor a long time ago and rechallenged by my boss. I was challenged to cut out certain inflammatory foods for 6 weeks and see how I felt. Then I could add back in foods and see if they were causing my problems. (Those of you who know me know that I have Fibromyalgia, PCOS, and not all of you know but I just suffered an extreme loss which caused me a great deal of pain and anguish.) You know that I have struggled with obesity my entire life. Even from a young age I was always bigger. I've tried and failed so many times that my body had just become accustomed to being FAT. Actually I was diagnosed as MORBIDLY OBESE. After losing a little and gaining back a lot, I really just got used to being a failure. It didn't help that I work as a receptionist at a great office that serves food (mainly desserts) ALL THE TIME! The only good I was doing before this was walking a mile home everyday and taking my dog out.
But, I digress.
The challenge, and if you know me you know it's a HUGE challenge, is to cut out certain foods that could be causing allergic like reactions. I was challenged to remove:
White Sugar
Processed Foods
Processed Meats
Gluten
White Flour
Fried Foods
Eggs
Dairy (I am still eating goat cheese but only on occasion)
Alcohol (lol, not really a problem for me)
Corn (THAT WAS HUGE!)
Salt (I only use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt if I need it)
SO WHAT IS LEFT???????
Believe it or not, quite a lot. And like I said, I have managed to survive a week. So....what has happened in a week?
Days 1-7 - On the first day I had a green apple and almonds for breakfast. Chicken with vegetables sauteed in coconut oil, carrots, and 4 strawberries for lunch. (FYI I don't count calories. I just couldn't fit more than that many in my container), and turkey burgers with goat cheese and homemade red potato french fries for dinner. Lol, actually these were my go to meals for the first 4 days last week. I switched the apples a few times for nectarines. On Friday I was going to buy a salad because I ran out of food. That day my boss bought pizza, sodas, and desserts for the office but luckily she knew about my restrictions. She offered to buy me a salad and I gladly accepted.
On Saturday I slept in and had the "WITHDRAWAL FLU". The next 24 hours were a nightmare. But...I made it through and felt much better on Sunday. I had some nice grass fed steak and asparagus. I started a pot roast and let it cook all day. It turned out a bit dry but worked perfectly for what i used it for. Yesterday I had a nectarine and almonds for breakfast, shredded beef and sauteed vegetables, carrots and strawberries for lunch. Then came home and made black beans (mashed), quinoa and black rice with tumeric, avocado, and goat cheese, and shredded roast beef. (I took the avocado and goat cheese and made like a guacamole type dip and then added it because the goat cheese is quite dry by itself.) SOOOO YUMMY!!!! I had leftovers with red peppers and carrots. My favorite go to snack is ROASTED SEAWEED. I get the Sea Snax brand and it's simply divine! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
Food is good, but what about how I feel?
Well....In the first 7 days I have lost almost 3 lbs. Some of you might say, yeah, big deal. It's just water weight. Call me when you've done it for longer. Etc. Let me start by saying I'm doing this for myself and my husband. No one else. Do you weigh 241 lbs? If you have, then you know what it feels like to have 3 lbs come off without even trying! Yes, I walk a minimum of 1 mile a day, but that is routine for me. The only thing I have changed is what I am eating. I've noticed quite a few improvements in just a week. My portions sizes are smaller now because I'm eating food that is real and not highly processed. My blood sugar seems to be more balanced. I can tell when I need to eat again. I haven't really craved bad food like before. When I cut out just sugar I went crazy with cravings. I think because my meals are so filling and delicious, I'm not super concerned about getting that emotional fix that comes with eating junk food. I had a bag of fruit snacks in my back pack and half a KitKat all week and wasn't tempted. I finally gave them away so they wouldn't go bad. But one of the biggest things I've noticed is my energy levels and my pain.
Let's start with energy levels.
Those of you who know me know that I was exhausted all the time. I'm not going to say I've been a fountain of energy all week. I wasn't. In fact I really struggled the first week. But then by Sunday, something had changed. I felt more energized even though I was physically tired. Yesterday even though we went to bed very late and got up VERY early I had energy. So much so that after I went home, cooked dinner, and ate it, I decided I wanted to take the dog for a walk. Granted, it was only 15 minutes or so, but it was MY choice. Today at lunch I accepted the challenge to race a 6 year old skipping!!!! I haven't SKIPPED since high school. I lost of course because I am not 6 years old. I'm almost 30. But I did it twice! Equaling a block. Did I look like a fool? Probably. I don't really care because I felt great during and afterwards.
Pain-
Believe it or not by the second day of cutting out the garbage there was a noticeable difference in my pain. For those who know me well because of my Fibro my body OVER EXAGGERATES pain. So much so that even pricking my finger to test my sugar hurt immensely. Ridiculous I know. But that's the way it was. By the second day I knew I was improving because I fell. That's right. I fell, hit both shins and my right toe on the bus step, and DIDN'T DIE. Seriously. Within a few minutes I felt better. And by the time I got to work I couldn't even tell where I'd hit. Yes, that's a big deal. When I hit my shin in Mexico at Christmas it hurt and was bruised for a week.
So what is my goal? My goal is to be healthy. I don't ever want to go through what I went through again. Being healthy can help prevent that. I have over 100 lbs to lose to do it. I am not going to begin any hard core exercising until I have lost 50 or 60 lbs. I don't want to overstress my body. But I am remaining active. However, something tells me that I can make it this time. I have my husbands' love and support. I know that he still loves me no matter what I look like. I want to look my best for him. My boss and I talk about what we brought for lunch each morning which helps keep me accountable. I also show a friend on the bus. Lol. I also let her sample everything I bring and we sometimes split a thing of Roasted Seaweed. :) That's Really Fun. We both struggle with weight and it's nice to have someone to talk to about what i'm doing. My boss is helpful but she doesn't have the weight issue. We're still each others' support at work though and that's nice.
Alright, that's all I'm going to say for now. If you took the time to read this and thought it was neat, follow me and I'll keep posting. If you couldn't even get through half without being bored to tears you don't have to follow me. I won't be mad. Also, feel free to comment and share recipes as you find them. I love to try new things. BYE! ;)
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