Okay back to the weight gain over the last three years. Back to our friend Jack Pike......."you can't out exercise your fork". Okay I have my Fitness Pal app downloaded and I am tracking everything that goes into my mouth. Day after day hitting the target. So what is the deal.
Remember me talking about several issues going on the Hashimoto's disease (thyroid), testosterone, and high cholesterol. I didn't know which one to tackle, so I choose the high cholesterol. That medication made me feel horrible and I wanted off of it. Prior to this point, I was debating getting lapband surgery. I was getting to the point of doing anything, I was sick and tired. Literally sick and tired. At this point, I was doing good to make it through the day. I was using my lunch hour to take a nap under my desk at work. I was wiped out. I wanted to feel good period. Weight loss didn't matter. I was desperate and willing to do anything to feel better.
So there I was in the Doctor's office loaded with my journal of medication dosage and how my health was from my point of view. So I explain to him that my muscle hurt deep and my joints are stiff (side effect of cholesterol meds FYI). I was told that I needed to exercise. Well duh, I think....I reply with I have been trying to, but I can walk maybe 1/4 of mile and I am in pain. He simply looks at me and said you are depressed. Matter of fact you are going to die and die young. I got up grabbed my Crestor (cholesterol meds), said kiss my ass, and throw the Crestor in the trash and said I don't need those or you anymore. I was mad now!!!!!
I went to Wal~Mart and bought a juicer, vegetables, and fruit. I had didn't know what I was going to do, but I had to do something different. I had to just feel better, weight aside. That night I found the documentary of Joe Cross, it was called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. He juiced for 60 days and changed his health. I thought well I will do this for 5 days, that will give me a plan while I figure out what the flip I was going to do.
So I juiced everything from kale to cactus pads. My suggestion is to buy some mason jars and juice like a madman for 2 hours. This will give you enough juice for a few days, if you decide you want to try it. Juice, juice, juice and more juice. The second day was the hardest for sure. On the third day, I was at work and bam!!!! It hit me, so much energy that I had goose bumps. Wow! I got up from my desk and walked around the building 5 times. I knew right then, there was something to a plant based diet. So I thought I will try a vegetarian or is it a vegan diet. What is the difference I thought???? I didn't know, so I googled it. Hum a vegetarian doesn't eat meat, but still cheese and milk and a vegan eats nothing from an animal. Milk is good for you right?? (I will talk about this in a later blog) I was turned on to the book Engine 2 diet by another firefighter who had heard about it.
The Engine 2 diet is a strict vegan diet with no oils. I thought this is extreme, but so is open heart surgery right? Well at the end of the fifth day, I had dinner at Burger Life in Fayetteville. I ordered a Veggie Burger with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, lettuce. Oh my God, who is the gourmet chef who created this masterpiece. See when you haven't ate anything in 5 days, anything taste great.
After the 28 days on the Engine 2 diet, I had lost 20 lbs and my cholesterol was the lowest since I started having it checked (Age 20). More importantly, I felt alive. This felt great!!!!! Did I crave a fat juicing New York Strip Steak? Heck yeah! I still do from time to time. But honestly I wouldn't eat one for $100 and those who know me, I will do just about anything for $100.
It now has been 6 months since going vegan and I have no regrets, but I wish I would have done it before. Now I my weight loss has stopped (2 months +), however my cloths are starting to fall off of my again. This past weekend, I put on a shirt I found at a garage sale that I loved, but knew I would never fit. Coach Moe from GGP FIT NWA asked me the other day, how much weight have you lost. My answer 3 pounds since I started coming here. With that being said, I can tell I have leaned out and muscle density has increased. I will cover the coaches at GPP FIT NWA in a later blog, but a huge shout out to them. Especially Coach Mark "Moe", Coach Chip, Coach Spencer, and Coach Patty. These coaches are top notch!
Where am I today:
237 pounds (down 38 pounds)
Working out 5 days a week
Purchased a Felt Z95 road bike
Working to increase my range in both running and bicycling
Getting the courage up to tackle the swimming aspect, so I can do a Sprint Triathlon next Spring.
Next Blog.........Testosterone Grrr!
No comments:
Post a Comment