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Day 1

I lost count long ago of how many times I have started some sort of "thing," in hopes it would be "the thing," that led me to loose all the weigh that I need to. But here I am, again. Starting at day one. Starting over. Again. I wish I could look back on my life and the numerous times I've started something and have a feeling of being proud that I accomplished something. I conquered. I achieved. I hit the target. I met the goal. The reality is that I look back on my life and this journey and realize I am in the same place; I haven't traveled very far. That can be pretty discouraging and ironically, it can be the catalyst that can keep me in the same place even longer.

I have decided that this depressing thought isn't going to be my reality though. Now, hear me out before you think I am crazy. Counselors do this thing called "reframing," and it's a wonderful little trick. It is the process by which one takes a thought and looks at it in a different way, from a different perspective.

The reality of this journey that I have been on is that it has been one continuous journey; not a stopping and starting sprint race event. And, despite my lack of meeting goals I have learned a lot about my body, about food, and about my mental and emotional state (It's a mess by the way). I think these realities of my journey are in fact major accomplishments.

I have come to the realization that there is a pretty high chance I am insulin resistant. I feel this term is thrown around a lot, but that no one really understands it much, including myself.

I'm not a doctor, just in case you were wondering. So this is just my thoughts, a little bit of research, dusting off the biology books from when I wanted to be a doctor, and my own experience thus far in my life. Basically, insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. The job of insulin is grab glucose or sugar out of the bloodstream and put it in all your amazing cells to be used as fuel to work properly. If someone is insulin resistant, all your amazing cells don't respond normally to insulin, so the glucose can't enter the cells and this hormone and sugar hangs out in the blood, as it has no where it can go. High levels of sugar in the blood = diabetes.

The typical medical professional would have you believe that these conditions: insulin resistance which can turn into diabetes is not reversible, and once you have it, your only option is to manage your sugar levels with drugs and more insulin put into the body. If you'd like to read more about it, Dr. Mark Hyman has a great article

that you may find interesting, here.

One of the things that I have definitely learned in this journey is that food can harm or heal you. What you eat determines which outcome you will receive.

So, here I am. Day one of the elemental diet to figure out what the heck is going on in my body. I am doing an experiment for the next 30 days, possibly 60, to see if we can get my body to reset. I've struggled with my weight for the majority of my life, and I've literally tried everything:

  • Points and meetings

  • Low Carb, High Protein

  • Low Fat, High Protein

  • Working Out

  • Meeting with a nutritionist

  • Weight training

  • Cardio

  • Cabbage Soup Diet

  • Meeting with a naturopathic doctor (he actually set me on the path I am now)

  • Cayenne lemonade detox drink of death

  • Diet drinks

  • Diet foods

  • Low glycemic diets

  • Fasting/Intentional starving of myself

  • Putting nothing but coffee into my body

  • Meeting with a personal trainer

  • Measuring macros and weighing out food

  • Not eating anything enjoyable

  • And the list goes on.....you get the idea.

So, after spending years of finding out what does not work for my body, I am trying something crazy and extreme to see what happens.

An elemental diet is eliminating anything from your food intake that can cause stress to your digestive system. A list of those would be:

  • Common allergens

  • Grains

  • Tree nuts

  • Shell fish

  • Citrus fruits

  • Cow's milk

  • Eggs

  • Soy

  • Corn

  • Flour

  • Hydrogenated fats

  • Sugar

  • Synthetic ingredients

  • Artificial sweeteners

  • Caffeine

  • Alcohol

So, for the next thirty days, I get to eat meat, green veggies, and water. I know. You're super jealous. If you want more info, I like Dr. Axe's explanation and recommendations, here.

God designed our bodies to be perfect machines, and they were designed to last forever (until humans messed that up). So I am a believer that the body can heal itself if given the opportunity. This is my opportunity. This is my day one.

Megan's Messy Memoirs

This is me, this morning, attempting to drink pure espresso. I thought if I put it in a Disneyland mug it would make me happier and it would taste better. It didn't.

Points to Ponder

  • Has there ever been anything you've started but had difficulty finishing?

  • What keeps you from meetings your goals?

  • What is one thing you can change to be a little more disciplined?

  • Share with a friend a journey you've been on that took longer than you thought, but the learning experience was worth it. It could be a literal trip you took, or a figurative life journey.

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