Changes, Updates and sense of a new beginning

I am here, sitting in the dark at 3:22 am hearing only the sound of water droplets splashing into a bucket.  It's kind of relaxing, but a story for another day. 

 

I have been sick for the last week and when I lie down to sleep I get these coughing fits.  Since I didn't want to disturb Rob's sleep I came into the living room.   I haven't read any of my favorite blogs since maybe November? So since I could not sleep I thought it was a good time to catch up on my reading.  I see a lot of people are still struggling with their weight loss journey and others have done well at keeping it off. .   I applauded all of you for trying and being present in your journey. 

 

It got me thinking about my own journey.   My last post was really last May .   A lot of things have changed some for the good, some for the worse.  

 

-I have been smoke free for just under 16 months

 

- Learning about my spirituality

 

-I have made plans to change careers

 

-I have really focus a lot of time and energy finding an answer to my sleep issues and fatigue

 

I have had numerous  tests done to narrow down the answer: thyroid, sugar, b12, Lyme disease, kidney's, vitamin D, iron,  and the list goes on and on.  I was normal in everything accept iron and vitamin D but since last year have increase those levels to normal ranges.  I had a sleep studies done and have been diagnosed with  moderate sleep apnea. Which basically means I stop breathing 30 times in an hour. I was so excited to finally have an answer to why I was so tired!!  This was back in October. I am a bit better but not 100% like I was hoping.   I do sleep with a CPAP machine every night which was a big adjustment but now I am pretty much use to it. 

 

So I have been working with my sleep doctor, my chiropractor and GP to still find the answer.  I have slowly made positive adjustments to my everyday health.   I have been taking vitamins everyday for probably a year now hoping that would help boast my energy. (I deserve a medal for doing that!  I really hate taking vitamins)  I have drastically cut back on my Diet Coke consumption.  One a day now.  I used to have probably 5 to 6 a day.  That's the only caffeine I get.  I have never been a coffee or tea person.   That was recommended by my sleep doctor, I didn't realize that  caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours!

 

This past January when I was getting blood work done.  I saw a sign for food sensitivities that listed all the symptoms that comes with it. . I had most of the symptoms so  I thought it wouldn't hurt to get it done.  What do I have to lose?   I asked my GP and got the blood work done.  It turns out I have a sensitive to a several foods.  Here's the list

 

Agar (it's found in some yogurt and Asian foods)

Egg white

Pea

Cola nut

Wheat

Amaranth

Pistachio

sunflower seed

yeast (brewer's)

crab

bean (red kidney)

Mussel

Mushroom

Malt

Milk (sheep)

Milk (goat)

 

It's a lot eh?  So basically you are suppose to eliminate all these foods for 3 months and then slowly reintroduce the foods to see if you have any changes in symptoms.  It has been about 2 months now and I have noticed some changes.   I am not as sleepy, my face is not swollen and I don't get the bloating feeling anymore.   Some food were pretty easy to eliminated.  The hardest would be egg white, wheat and red kidney beans.   I have lost a bit of weight around 10 pounds.   I have not been tracking my food intake but I think that is going to change in the foreseeable future.   I am trying to make small changes that become  healthy habits. 

 

I also learned how to cook yummy healthy meals from scratch!!  I even sometimes like cooking now.   I joined a new program back in August to lose weight  but instead of losing weight I learned to cook instead !  ha ha at least it wasn't a complete loss. (I didn't lose weight because I wasn't following the program properly)

 

 

My workouts in the past year has been spotty but since February I have gotten into more of routine.   Which is a step in the right direction. 

 

Now for the bad :(    I am the heaviest I have ever been.  In February I weighed 292,  that number is so defeating.   I am currently 281 and hoping to reach 270's soon.   I am trying  not to be to discouraged by the scale but sometimes it is so embarrassing.  Sometimes I don't want to  even hangout with friends and family for the fear of being judged. It's a really struggle sometimes. 

 

So since my last post I have learned a lot about myself, changed things for the better and now hoping to get this weight off for good!   I don't want another fad diet.  I want an eating plan that I can do for life.