Day 2

I made it through day one! 

Day two was substantially easier. I think it was because I successfully made it through the first day. I KNEW that I could do it. A funny thing happened..I didn't even want gluten or dairy today. In fact, I didn't even want meat today. 

For breakfast, I had some pistachios and a green apple. I was satisfied before I had eaten all of the pistachios, so I had a lovely little snack for mid morning. When I was preparing lunch today, the thought of eating the gluten free bread turned my stomach to the point that I chose to have carrots and hummus for lunch...I will need to figure out lunch options because this is typically the part of my day when i struggle the most. Once again, I was surprisingly satisfied and didn't get hungry until after 6:00.

Cammie laid out chicken for dinner. However, because of the crazy food system we have in the US, the chicken breasts didn't thaw sitting out all day. There is something DRASTICALLY wrong when chicken breasts are so large that they can't thaw on a summer day. I believe this journey is going to take us down an unexpected path of really acquiring quality food from natural sources. We did great with this when we lived in South Dakota and have really struggled finding good food sources that we can afford on our budget now. So...dinner ended up being a salad at Pizza Shack. Probably not perfect, but it was quite tasty and was MUCH better than I would've eaten in the past.

I am feeling quite encouraged going into day 3. I really feel like if I can get through the first week (weekend included) I can get through the entire journey. I know there will be times where I get down, but I believe this is do-able. And that is a good place to be as I walk on the journey to health!

Day 1

Well...I made it through day 1. It seems that no matter what the reason for changing my eating habits, day one is very difficult. It is very easy for me to "start tomorrow" on day one. For many, day one is exciting. It is the beginning of the journey. For me, though, day one is a bit scary and an easy exit point. 

One of my goals is to cut out all beverages but water. I was able to successfully undertake this task last summer and fully anticipate to do it again....

I must make a confession...I am an addict...I am addicted to aspartame and Diet Coke. I have withdrawal symptoms when I don't drink a Diet Coke for more than a day...I must overcome this for long term...

Anyway...now back at the camp...I drank 228 oz of water today. Drinking large volumes of water helps me control hunger to push through the first few weeks. It is amazing how dependent on CRAP our bodies become and how difficult it is to overcome the dependency. Processed "food" is a major issue.

I am heading to bed soon and am looking forward to tomorrow...

The first step has been taken as I walk the road to health.

Day 0

Several years ago I decided it was time to lose weight. I have struggled with this area of my life from the time I was young. I was 29 years old, had a kindergarten-aged daughter and wanted to be a better example of what discipline and health looked like for my daughter.

Fast forward a little over 9 months. I had lost nearly 100 lbs and was looking and feeling better than I had in a long time. I was in a size of clothing that I hadn't been able to wear since my freshman year of High School and promised to NEVER "go back."

4 years, a life journey with some unexpected turns and a nearly impossible-to-imagine desination and over 100 lbs later, I am beginning the journey to health again.

When I was 29, I lost weight because I wanted to look better, I wanted to be "cooler" and I wanted to be a little healthier. It was mostly because of the exterior. I have realized though, that this journey really has to be about more than just outside looks. I need to feel better about myself and I need to feel better.

I am nearly 35 now and am starting to feel the consequences of a life lived very obese. I fortunately have no "real" health problems yet and would like to keep it that way...and maybe ward them off completely.

So...here is my journey to health that I will be walking...

I have not felt well for awhile. Not sick...not really symptomatic...simply not felt well...

I do need to mention my wife is taking this journey with me...

Because I have not felt well, I have been doing some research and have decided to cut two "foods" out of my diet. I will be embarking on a journey of eating a gluten free and dairy free diet.

I am not going "on a diet" to lose weight. I am changing my diet because I believe it will be better for me and I will be a healthier version of me. I want to get to a point where I am mentally making the choices that are best for me because they the are the best for me and not because I don't want to cheat on this relationship I have called a diet.

I am planning to chronicle at least the first 60-days of this journey. I may or may write about my specific meals for the day. I may or may not write about my weight/weight loss. I will definitely discuss the emotions I encounter during this journey and will discuss my victories and struggles.

My goal after 60 days is for this to truly become a lifestyle change for me. That I won't just be losing weight and dieting, but truly making decisions based on the health of my body and truly managing and stewarding what I have been given to manage for the time I am alive.

And so I begin walking the journey to health...