A friend of mine posted a before and after photo on his FaceBook page a few days ago (the picture was not of him, but of a lady who had switched to "clean eating" )....the caption was "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". Even as I chuckled, it spoke to me. These last 4 years have been brutal on my body. Comfort eating, worry eating, stress eating...you name it - I have been guilty of it.....I was Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.
About four weeks ago, I went shopping for an outfit for my nieces wedding...all day..... encompassing two cities....nothing. I fell in love with two things, but one wouldn't even button, and the other - well, it's best not to even think about it, it looked so hideous. At the end of the day, I was exhausted. My knees and hips hurt so badly I limped from the car to the house, and barely made it to the sofa. As I laid on the sofa, a calm voice inside my head whispered, "This. must. stop." Three little words....so quiet...so simple. And in that moment, I took a raw, honest inventory of my person. I had constant pain, my energy level was non-existent. I was constantly covered in a blanket of malaise. My mind felt foggy - all the time.....muddy and so very sad. In the deepest recesses of my heart, I feared that the best of my life was behind me, and that nothing was before me.....Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead........."This. must. stop."
The day after the shopping fiasco, I started the Atkins Diet. Many years ago, I had great success with Atkins - it was familiar, so I decided what the heck, let's go with that. Let me say, that the first week was much rougher this go round. I had terrible sugar withdrawals. On day 3 and 4 I was in such rough shape I didn't even leave the house. My family gave me a wide, yet supportive berth. On day five, I woke up a different person. My mind was crystal clear...I had energy to spare! My knees didn't hurt - no pain in my back or hip. At the risk of sounding hokey, it was nothing short of miraculous.
It is now three weeks and 4 days since I started my diet, and I have lost 20 pounds. Both of the catalyst outfits are hanging in my closet - two sizes smaller than I wore on that fateful day of shopping....one for the rehearsal - one for the wedding. I bound out of bed in the morning, not dreading the day, but embracing it. I can now take the steps foot over foot, instead of the Grandma way of both feet on each step..... I. have. no. pain. My skin looks five years younger. All of my clothes are indecently big....I can bend over and pick things up off of the floor. I have discovered a love of home made Kale Chips, roasted broccoli, and water. Do you know how many good "no carb" recipes you can find on Pinterest?
For me.....sugar is poison. I know I have a long way to go, but I am now a quarter of the way there, and I already feel like a different person. I am praying, every day, for the strength and commitment to make a permanent lifestyle change. Maybe one day, I will be able to eat sugar in moderation, like normal people... but if not, I will gladly swap the Cokes and all the rest for the ability to feel like I do now....clear headed and hopeful....a much better alternative to Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment