90 Days: A Journey Towards Health

Chapter 1 I Think It's Broken

I woke up and went to the bathroom. Like an idiot I stepped on the scale and I think it's broken! The numbers on the screen crushed my spirit. The joy I woke up with was gone - how could I be joyful at such a heinous weight?

Three hundred and thirty-two pounds!

How is this possible? Just five days ago I was weighed fourteen pounds less. What the hell! No seriously, what is going on?

For a week, I have eaten less - LESS, food than I normally eat. I even increased my water intake, while reducing the amount of tea and soda I drink. Plus, I have been moving more. So, I repeat, what the hell? How did I gain fourteen pounds?

Emotionally, I am devastated. Crushed. Mortified.

No wonder I have been feeling under the weather: aches and pains, bloated, blurriness, brain fog, chest pains, drained, diarrhea, emotional, headaches - migraines, heat intolerance, leg cramps, legs swelling, no enthusiasm, palpitations, and stressed.

I can barely stand to look at myself in the mirror - all I see is a round blob. Remember the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Well, that's me, just not blue. Technically, I am blue. I have been depressed for days. I feel like a failure.

Death is waiting for me around the corner, I feel it watching me. Waiting. When the right moment comes - bam! I'm a goner.

I don't want to be the one pushing myself into it's arms. Somehow. Someway. I need to fight. Fight for myself. My survival. No one else is going to do it for me.

So, I am giving myself ninety days to try and fix this mess. What's the worse that can happen? I feel healthier, slimmer, alive? I hope so.

During this time, I plan on eating more natural, less-processed foods. What does that mean? Avoiding prepared meals and fast foods, no matter how tasty they may be. Or how hungry I may feel.

I plan on filling my diet with real, whole foods, emphasizing the eating plenty of vegetables. I do love veggies. I need to eat more of them than I have been.

Increasing my fiber in intake is a must as well. Besides eating cardboard, flaxseed is an option. It is easy to use; a little sprinkle here and a little sprinkle there. Hot cereal and salads are enhanced by the flaxseeds flavor. Yum.

With the increase in fiber comes a necessary increase in fluid intake. How do I know how much water is enough water? It is advised that I calculate my body weight in pounds, and drink half that number in ounces of water per day. So, if I weigh three hundred and twenty pounds, I should drink one hundred and sixty ounces of water per day. Unbelievable. That is twenty cups of water a day. I may drown in the last cup.

During my last doctor visit, I found out I need to be drinking more water to allow my medication to work. I cannot skip drinking plenty of water.

Following this diet means limiting my intake of foods with added sugar or a high salt content. I have never been big on candy or cakes so avoiding those won't be hard to do. Salt is usually omitted when I am cooking but there are some foods that are loaded with it and I have to eliminate those from my diet. Since I do the cooking for my roommates too, I can not give in when they demand I use more salt for flavor. Ugh. Their tastebuds will adjust; just like mine.

It is suggested that I eat four to six small meals a day containing a healthy mix of carbs, protein and fat. Sounds easy. It is not. Making time for these meals will be the problem, especially since I am on the road six to nine hours a day. Plus, being a diabetic, carbs are not my friend. I have to make sure I am not eating too many of them.

Another piece of this challenge is exercise; ninety days worth. This shall be fun.

The other part of the ninety day challenge is to write it down. Everyday, I will jot down comments on different subjects.

Let the challenge begin.

If you plan on doing the 90 challenge to wellness, leave a comment.

If you are not, feel free to suggest tips that have helped you along your journey towards your better health.

Day 1
328.7