Tomorrow is V Day. Not Valentine's Day, Vegan Day. I've been kicking this idea around for months and it's finally here. Why now?
Why not?
Will I stop the melting of the polar ice cap by declining meat for a month? No, but it's a start.
Will I suddenly be able to do an unassisted pull up? Not sure, but I bet I'll be a lot closer if I don't have to pull as much body weight.
Will my skin clear up? Will my sleep improve? Will I have increased stamina? Will I be able to lift more weight? Who knows?
I say I've been kicking it around for months but there have been a few triggers that convinced me to start now.
Trigger 1:
I had some lab work done March 13 of this year. I'd been feeling sluggish and my weight wasn't dropping despite 4-5 times/week CrossFit workouts. I requested a test to check my thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). I was secretly hoping my doctor would find a lazy thyroid and I could place the blame squarely on a gland in my neck. (I'm a Physician Assistant. It's not like I wasn't fooling myself on this one. I was.) My TSH is normal. My Hemoglobin A1C, however, is not. At 5.7, I can be classified as pre-diabetic. HgbA1C is an indicator of blood sugar levels over a period of weeks versus Blood Glucose which tells us where we are today - this minute of this hour. Having an elevated A1C tells me I'm headed for territory I don't want any part of.
Trigger 2:
A close friend set a quit date for alcohol. He realized he had a problem and needed to stop drinking. Now. He did an inventory of his current situation and of his support network (including his Physician). He came up with a plan and he stopped drinking. I've been super-inspired by his attack on his addiction and the matter-of-fact way he is handling his issue. Watching him has helped me see that I've been hiding my head in the sand for way too long. Not to make light of addiction...my name is Michelle and I have a problem with food. Is it addiction? Could be. I certainly use a substance to find escape, comfort, and (occasionally) self-loathing.
Trigger 3:
My knees are not my friends. I spent years running long distance and I'm paying for those miles with osteoarthritis. It's affecting my daily life. Although I'm happy to scale workouts at CrossFit, I'm sure I can do more with less pain if I'm at a lower body weight.
So here's my plan. After researching scientific literature, reading blogs until my eyes are bleary, and reaching out to those I trust for guidance and support, I'm starting a vegan diet tomorrow. I've been to the grocery store. I'll do some food prep tonight. My "people" know who they are and they tell me they're going to support my efforts. I intend to eat only plant-based foods for the next 30 days. I have an annual physical appointment on June 7, so we'll see what happens to my blood work. This blog is the accountability segment of my plan. Even if no one reads this, I'm putting my efforts out for the universe through writing. Wish me luck. Wish me strength. I'm excited but I think I can use all the positive energy I can gather. Here's to the adventure.
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