Before I started this blog I was always getting texts, messages and phone calls, being stopped at public places and in my neighborhood about the Hows and Whys of what I was doing to better my health. I still am not sure why some people even asked because as soon as I started to tell them I would get the chuckles, eye rolls and statements similar to, "Well, I wouldn't want to live my life like that!" I wrote this after coming home from a week long trip where my resolve was clarified. It happened to be a year since I had borrowed my first juicer. I thought I would share here.
Today is one year ago so, in order to answer the dozens of messages, posts, texts and emails I get asking me what I have done and why, here is my blanket answer. Warning ... long post ahead! Happy new year everyone! I just wanted to share a little lesson I learned the hard way. Almost a year ago to the day today I started juicing and eating better. I cut out dairy, coffee and most grains... Most! Not all. At the time I weighed almost 50 pounds more than I do now, (I had previously lost 25 pounds in a year) had high blood pressure, took meds for type 2 diabetes and I hurt and ached in every joint. There was talk of fibromyalgia but I, like a good nurse, ignored it thinking I couldn't take one more pill! There were mornings that I literally could not move my hips and legs and needed help to get out of bed. Besides my husband, I never told anyone that until now. I would start my day in tears of pain and already feel defeated before the day began. I was 46 years old with 3 young kids and had already had an abnormal EKG. Anyway, I was doing great, feeling good with my new nutritional and exercise regimen and on my life went. I began dancing and running, got off most of the meds fairly quickly and lost most of the weight that wouldn't budge previously. Happy day! Then last week my family went away for the holidays. For over a week I ate the "normal American diet". Carbs, carbs and more carbs covered in sauces and gravies with a bunch of dairy thrown in the mix! There were very few choices but I figured, what harm would it do for a week?! I felt like crap almost immediately. I found I was sluggish, I couldn't run a simple 3 mile run even in beautiful weather conditions and I eventually caved and had coffee to get me moving in the morning. My belly bloated and that achy feeling returned. It was on the last day that I woke up and found I couldn't roll over and my hips were frozen in pain. It had been almost a year since I had that sensation and I honestly forgot it had ever been a problem. Isn't the mind a fabulous thing?! I was well aware that the only change had been my recent diet. Though I didn't have the same stamina, I was still walking miles a day (we were at the House of Mouse btw) so it wasn't lack of movement. What an aha moment for me. I finally had a clear picture of cause and effect. The weight loss had been what I started focusing on when I didn't feel pain but after a brief reintroduction to that old hell, I know this is and has to be a lifetime change. I am happier to feel good than to just look good. So if you ask me how I did it and then tell me you can't do that or live like that then please know I am thinking the same of your lifestyle. I DID do that and lived like that and I PROMISE I don't ever want to do that to myself again!
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