Well, the last few months I have been feeling like crap. I am exhausted ALL THE TIME. I can't make it through a day without sleeping. My moods have been off the charts... more than normal. I started getting a little paranoid. I had a cousin pass away from cancer recently and it scared me enough to take some action. So I decided it was time to go to the doctor and see what the deal is. They ran every blood test imaginable. I figured it was probably Epstein Barr again - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I had it in high school and every few years it will manifest itself again - especially if I am not eating right or excercising. I had gained a lot of weight - which could also be why I am not sleeping. Anyway, saw the doctor and then waited a week for the results.
Now this may all be boring to you - but I feel it is very important to write (or type) this down as a constant reminder and to be able to chart my progress. So if you are bored with this, I apologize. Feel free to go to another post. :) Or read on...
When the results came back, they were FRIGHTENING. My doctor called while I was out Christmas shopping with my dad - "Melissa, we need to have a talk. Do you have about 20 minutes?". I was so scared.
My Epstein Barr is back. (Not a big surprise) I was on the top part of the "down swing" which means about another month or so and I should be back to feeling myself again.
My cholesterol is 204! My good cholesterol is 37 - it should be over 50. My bad cholesterol is 149 - it should be under 100. My triglycerides are at 249! (Should be under 150). I have NEVER had bad cholesterol. Not even high blood pressure. I was shocked.
My sugars were "borderline". I am now "pre-diabetic". What does that mean really? Isn't everyone "pre" something? After all, I have heard friends parents say they are "pre" things - aren't we all "pre" death? :) So my smart alec side says to my doctor "So I am guessing the Dr. Pepper I am drinking isn't good for me". And her reply was "Melissa, this is serious." Okay, joking aside.
"Your body is now going into menopause." Um, excuse me? I am 36 years old. I am in menopause? That can't be right! I am pre-peri-menopausal. Again, not really sure what that even means other than my hormones have been so bad in the past, I have irregular periods - and so I am heading into early menopause. Since, I am done having babies I think to myself that can't be all bad. But at least my hormones have "leveled out" since my last hormone test. My testosterone levels are good. I shouldn't have any "male hair growth" - but I do. Another sign of diabetes and heart disease.
I am officially "obese". Um, not what any girl wants to hear.
My doctor then says "At your weight, your heart is working much harder than it needs to. With your high cholesterol, your family history of heart disease and being borderline diabetic you have got to get this under control... before you kill yourself". Wow. If she was meaning to scare me, it worked.
So she puts me on a special diet. Now keep in mind - this is 2 weeks before Christmas! Special diet this time of year? You have got to be kidding. My diet consists of daily intake of Benefiber and Fish Oil. Now I know my "younger" friends are dying of laughter right now. Yes, Benefiber can be taken by those that aren't elderly. 10 almonds a day. Protein at every meal. No sugar. What the?? No sugar??!! No white anything. No white bread, pasta, rice or potatoes of any kind. No sweets. Okay, that makes sense with the no sugar thing. Got it. No life. So she suggested I check out The South Beach Diet. It's a heart healthy diet. It's written by a cardiologist. He created the diet for his patients. It is backed up by medical reasearch. How bad could it be? And I felt much better that it was a medically derived diet. And highly suggested by my doctor. I have 3 months to get it under control. If I can't do it on my own, I will have to take meds to bring my cholesterol down. She tells me I need to lose 30 lbs in 3 months. Is that even possible?
I remembered that Scott (my hubby) had the book. He did this diet when he had high cholesterol before Haylee was born. So I knew it was possible. So I went home, found the book and started reading it. REALITY CHECK. I read the book start to finish in 2 days. The thing I love about this book is that I can actually eat normal foods. The first 2 weeks, you are cleaning out your blood. This is the worst phase. Reading this book helped me realized many things but a couple things really stood out. 1) My heart, my body, my life - was in real trouble. And it was up to me to get it where it needs to be. No one, no one pill, nothing but ME can fix this. and 2) everything I put into my body affects my heart.
I have learned so much about myself and my eating habits. I'll be honest - the first 2 weeks SUCKED. No sugars especially this time of year was REALLY hard for me. I did much better than I thought I would. Yes, I had goodies on Christmas and New Years. But other than that, I have been really good. I was in the mind-set that if I did eat something that wasn't good for my heart, I would have to start all over. I read somewhere on their website that anyone that has tryglicerides over 250 (remember mine are 249!) is a "stroke waiting to happen".
So here I am - vulnerable. Sharing this with everyone that reads this. Admitting that yes, I am an unhealthy, fat - mother and wife. Or should I say... I was. In the last few weeks I have lost 15 lbs! I started at 175. 175! At 5'3" - that is a lot of fat, my friends! But as of this morning, I am now 160! I have lost 4 inches on my stomach alone. 2 on each thigh. 2 on each upper arm. 3 on my hips! I am actually doing this! I have gone down a full dress size. Set all of that aside. Most importantly, I feel better. I have a little more energy. I am not working out every day yet. But at least doing something active every day. Hopefully my energy will increase more and more every week.
I HIGHLY recommend the South Beach Diet. I have tried just about everything. And it has been the easiest diet I have ever done. Like I said, the first 2 weeks suck - they are really hard. But I actually don't even miss some of the stuff I was constantly eating like white bread, pasta and rice. I am not starving. And every other diet I have ever been on I am constantly feeling deprived or hungry all day long.
I guess all I can say is it was a good wake-up call. And I am very thankful it came when it did.
I have found a new addiction. Yes my friends, I have entered the world of no return. 80's HAIR bands. Guitar battles with Tom Morello and Slash. Metallica. Heart. Even a little Foghat. Welcome to the Jungle. GAME ON!!! 
