I decided to start something instead of writing about it. It's started, it's rolling down the hill and I don't think I can (nor do I want to) stop it.
(Just to let you all know, GF = Gluten Free and DF = Dairy Free)
Where to really start? Lots of changes came about in the last few years and there were reasons for making this huge decisions, so I'll start when I decided to stop eating dairy two years ago. I don't have the normal symptoms like lactose intolerant people do, but instead I feel like Chuck Norris round-house kicked me in the ribs when I eat most dairy products. I think I have a pretty high pain threshold but it is NOT fun to wake up in the middle of the night and feel like you shouldn't breath because of how badly it makes your side hurt. Milk was not worth that bullet and now I don't miss it at all. I have been bad and have cheated here and there, like Braum's ice cream doesn't bother me and I'll have a few bites, but now I know I shouldn't be eating it at all, it's not worth the risk and it's full of sugar, something else I am avoiding.
However, breaking up with cheese had just not been cutting it (no pun intended), I knew it wasn't enough and that I still didn't feel as good as I needed to. In May I tried an experiment and stopped eating all gluten. I accidentally had a little bit twice and the results were catastrophic. Before the experiment I was getting migraines quite often that generally came with dizzy spells and a foggy feeling for a half a day or so after. Then it got to the point where the dizzy spells and fogginess were nearly everyday occurrences. That stopped in the first week after going GF.
After being GF for a few weeks, I wasn't careful at a Mexican restaurant and ate about half of a flour tortilla before realizing it wasn't corn. It was hard and crispy and slathered with beans and guac! I wish it hadn't taken me that long to notice! For three days I was having those dizzy spells and the foggy brain. Although the first morning gave me a pretty painful headache, thankfully after that it was mild for a few days. Three days of my life in a gluten-induced stupor over half of a flour tortilla. I've been vigilantly gluten free ever since.
I cannot explain the difference it has made in my life. For as long as I can remember I've suffered from back and joint problems and all around unexplained pain. I was never able to lose weight and although my PCOS is to blame for a lot of that, I always hid behind that excuse. I didn't eat terribly, but not great. I was always so tired and in some kind of pain so I didn't exercise nearly as much as I should.
Now I have to plan my meals and make sure I have a backup. This is forcing me to eat healthier than I have probably ever eaten before. I think about food so differently. Before my trip to Orlando this summer I called every park we were going to and made sure there was SOMETHING I could eat in the parks. There isn't anything I can eat at Six Flags Over Texas so I was very nervous. I had no problems finding several restaurants with amazing food. We ate at the Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and I got to enjoy a wonderful meal there. Most of the menus signified what was GF/DF. They were so awesome. But, I have to plan these things. Anytime we go out to eat, we have to plan. I end up making much better choices when I plan.
Also in May, I was involved in a completely lame car accident. The post before this one chronicles it a little better, but I was pulling out of a parking lot onto a highway and decided not to go because there was a car speeding by. The guy behind me was busy doing something on his phone and gunned his van to go as well, knocking into me. I ended up seeing a chiropractor and my back was nice and messed up. Thanks to four months of treatment, my back feels so much happier than it did even before the accident. Taking care of a 50 pound child who doesn't walk will mess with your back apparently.
I'm back in school now, I just finished my first week. I am taking 3 classes 4 days a week. I've been waking up at 5:30 every morning and I never thought my body would be fine with that. I've been doing strength training and cardio 6 days a week. Tonight I actually RAN almost a half of a mile and it felt great. I'm starting slow of course but we'll see how that goes in the next few weeks. I have no idea how much I weigh right now, I need to get out my Wii Fit I think. Then I'll update on the side, because I know it's under 285 just from my very first doctor visit after my accident.
It's 11 pm (past my bedtime!) and I'm exhausted. Thankfully I don't have school tomorrow but I am gearing up for a very very fun weekend...but I'll talk about that some other time...
