I hope to look back at this by the end of the year and think, “My God! That was me? I feel so great now that I’ve nearly forgotten how bad it was.” This post may not be of interest to anyone but one but myself, as it goes deeply into the minutia of my current health, stats, complaints, goals and initial successes. I wanted to write it all out because sometimes when I make positive changes I don’t realize how much better I’m doing than I was before. If I forget what sort of difference the positive changes are making, I’m more likely to ease back into bad habits.   

Starting weight:

248 with a BMI of 38.8 (obese)

This was my weight exactly one week ago today. I’m happy to say that the changes I’ve made over the last week have dropped this number to 242! It’s nice to be able to start this blog with a successful weigh-in.

Goal weight:

145

A week ago that meant that I needed to lose 103 pounds. Now it’s 97 pounds away—double digits don’t seem as bad J

Mini goal weights:

In order to celebrate my progress along the way, I’ve decided on some mini goals. My first goal is to reach 225. After that: 200, 190, 175, 160, and 150.

Since this is about so much more than just a number on a scale, I’ll continue…

Medical conditions:

Hypothyroidism, endometriosis, cluster headaches, migraine headaches, allergies, MR/TR (mitral valve regurgitation/tricuspid valve regurgitation), SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia), HS (Hidradenitis Suppurativa ), GERD, and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Also, I experience near-constant itching for which we haven’t found a cause.

Note: I’ve tested positive with a speckled pattern on an ANA test, but I haven’t yet had further testing to identify the autoimmune disease.

Medications:

Synthroid

Verapamil  (just starting due to SVT)

I’ve also been prescribed an antidepressant for my PTSD but I’m not going to start taking it if I see positive results from diet and exercise. I’ve already eliminated the use of antacids, various painkillers, a diuretic, allergy meds and Xanax.

Out-of-range Lab Results from last week:

TSH: 11.419 (Very hypo—thyroid med has been increased and I’ll be tested again in one month.)

Urine pH: 8

Triglycerides: 171 (I believe my dietary changes will fix this. I’ll be tested again in two months.)

LDL cholesterol: 107 (Again, I believe my dietary changes will fix this. I’ll be tested again in two months.)

Chart of chronic pain:

Now to the business of improving things…

My first changes have been to eat more whole foods and drink plenty of juice. This part hasn’t been hard for me. I gave up beef, pork, and all the other “mammal meats” when I was just ten years old. I love my veggies and have been juicing for a while. The biggest problem with my diet has been cheeses, sweets, and processed foods. In order to clean up my act I’ve purged dairy, refined sugars and all that processed crap. I’m juicing more frequently and with more variety, too. I’ve also discovered I have a taste for MC lemonade. It takes care of so many taste cravings at once—sweet, tart and hot! Water has always been my constant companion, so I’m still consuming plenty of that.

Another change I’ve made is to cut my smoking in half. Yep, I’m a smoker. I know, I know. I’d love to say that I’ve quit—and I will say it soon, but I’m taking steps instead of leaps. I’m honestly afraid I’d fail if I tried to quit all at once. I’ve tried so many smoking cessation plans in the past to no avail. Now I’ve gone from two packs a day to just the one in only a week. In another week or so I plan to cut it in half again. And so on until I’m done with it entirely.

My plan is to incorporate more improvements each week. This upcoming week I plan on tackling exercise. With my thyroid so out of whack it’s hard to get moving, but I must do it. I think I’ll be purchasing a rebounder/trampette tomorrow.

 Week one successes:

• As I’ve mentioned above, I’ve lost 6 pounds—that brings my BMI down to 37.9.
• Smoking less has reduced my chest congestion and virtually ended my coughing spells.
• Eliminating dairy products has led to thinner mucus and less bloating.
• Brain fog is lifting.
• I have slightly more energy
• I have no swelling in my legs and ankles—until recently I had pitting edema.

All that in one week! Just think where I’ll be in a few months.

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