Hello all! I'm writing at midnight, so I hope this comes out clearly! Some people have been asking why I haven't been posting. Mostly because I'm busy with TONS of stuff. Also, I have to admit that I like to post success stories. So I waited.
A lot has changed since my last post, actually. Through a series of choices and approaches to taking care of my body, I have overcome my sugar addiction. Believe it or not, I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me wants to jump for joy! It is really liberating. I keep asking myself, "Is this what normal people feel like? Like, food doesn't run their lives?" I have lost the feeling I've had all my life, which has been a really overwhelming urge to eat, most of the time.
I also have a sort of twisted sadness, like I lost a good friend. It's mostly because sweets taste good, so I miss the experience. I have turned to junk food for comfort and stress relief for most of my life. That's a psychological longing which hasn't gone away completely. But it's fading. Now, if I eat a sugary food, I get a headache within a few minutes that lasts quite a while. So that helps discourage me from eating it.
Another feeling I have is tentativeness. I don't want to let down my guard. I worry about falling back into my previous habits. It wouldn't be that hard. I'm sure you're familiar with the "slippery slope." Before I really got a handle on my eating, I thought about what a long, hard path I had ahead of me on my journey to health. I felt like it was hard to get any distance behind me. Now that I have started down the road, I want to see it through. I don't want to go back to where I was. I let me fear of falling push me on and motivate me to persevere.
So, you may have two questions. One may be, "What are you doing to be successful?" I'll tell you a little, and you can message me for more details. I have been using the Arbonne protein shakes and bars, as before. But I have really cleaned up my food consumption in addition to that. I have virtually eliminated grains from my diet. While there are some grains which may be healthier than wheat, like quinoa, for example, I am simply not eating any of them. I am eating lots of vegetables and meats, and healthy fats. I try to eat 5-10 different vegetables a day, along with some chicken or salmon. I have a big salad, always with half an avocado along with the other vegetables. I'm avoiding all processed foods or artificial foods. I eat some beef and cheese, but I have mostly eliminated those as well. The reason for that is that they don't go through me very well. Otherwise, I would probably eat more of them. So, that's what I'm doing.
Another question you might ask is, "How is this new approach affecting your body?" I'll tell you that, too! I have lost another 11 pounds or so. I'm down about 21 pounds since May. But 11 of that has come in October. I've lost about 4 inches around my waist, and about 3 inches around my hips. I've gone down a bra size and a jeans size. Eliminating grains from my diet, as making the choice to refrain from eating even a little bit of junk and processed food, has really made a difference. I think it's really allowed my body to detox and eliminate the junk. I am also exercising regularly, but not fanatically.
You may remember that I have a really big abdominal hernia that I need to have repaired. I was told I needed to lose weight before the surgery could be done. I really want to get it done by the New Year, because we already met our annual insurance deductible. :) I have an appointment in three weeks to see if they will do the surgery sooner rather than later. I need to continue to lose weight, because I haven't reached the proper weight yet. But I'm hopeful that I will continue to make progress and that I will get approval.
I had a fun time tonight looking for grain free Thanksgiving recipes on Pinterest. I found some really good ones that I am excited to try! I'd better experiment with them a bit before I break with tradition too much! I might have a mutiny on my hands!
I will post my new weight and measurements for those who are curious. If you want to hear more about my program, feel free to message me! Thank you, friends, for your support! I really do appreciate it.
