Changes

 

My last four weeks have been some of the most eventful of my entire life. Two and a half weeks ago, I started this blog, and with the help of each of you that are reading this, I consider it a success. Three weeks ago, I completed my first major project after 15 months of blood, sweat and tears, and put my stamp on a piece of the construction industry that no one will ever be able to take from me. One month ago tomorrow, I quit my two-pack-per-day habit cold turkey after waking up in the middle of the night craving a cigarette. The same day I decided to quit smoking is the same day I made the commitment to change my eating habits and to begin, ‘Going Blue’.

Sitting here on the cusp of what I’ll consider a milestone (one month), I’m taking some time to reflect on where I am and what I’ve done. While I will spare you all of the daily miscellaneous victories and defeats, one thing I do need to say is this: without a shadow of a doubt, it has been harder for me to change my eating habits by eating healthier foods as well of less food in general, than it has been for me to quit smoking. 

Even today, I got angry (hangry) on the way home from work, because all I wanted to do was drive straight to the corner pizza joint and eat half of a Sicilian pizza with pepperoni (extra grease), and an order of two-dozen wings. I was more angry at the fact that I was not going to have that food as I ever was at not having a cigarette. Also, the smoking-related cravings have already stopped as of about a week ago.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a relatively tall guy. Growing up, I was always able to rationalize eating as much as I wanted of whatever food I wanted because my weight never caught up to my height. In addition, I was an athlete, so I burned calories at a high rate. Then once my athletic career ended, I worked in construction and spent six to eight hours a day on my feet. All of those things allowed me to eat what I wanted with no consequences. It wasnt until twelve months ago that the issues I outline in my “About” page showed up. Then, it wasn’t until four weeks ago that I really started to take my health seriously. Twenty-seven years of stuffing one’s face is hard thing to quit!

The benefits I’ve felt are really the only thing that stopped me from getting that pizza on the way home today. My energy level really is much higher with the increased servings of fruits and vegetable. On the day following a low fruit / veg day, I feel symptoms I can only equate to a food hangover. I feel tired, full, and mentally dull. Also, I’ve cut my coffee intake town to 0-2 cups per day, and have begun drinking 2-3 cups of green tea daily. This has eased my morning headaches and given me energy coffee never did. I laugh more, I sleep better, I enjoy small things that I never lent any weight to before… It really is amazing. Changing your diet opens you up to a new perspective of yourself. If you don’t believe me, try this. Go to your local market. Buy a handful of limes. Now, every morning for one week, sqeeze the juice of 1/2 of a lime into a glass of water each morning and have that as part of your morning routine before you reach for the coffee. Even the small addition of this shot of Vitamin C and a glass of water first thing in the morning made me feel more energetic and mentally sharper.

The challenges I have undertaken have all been well worth it, even with the stress, frustration and agrivation that have gone along with them. If I wasn’t before, I am now certain that my wife is a saint for putting up with my through the last month.

I understand that all of this is self imposed, and that any bitching about hunger that I may do can all be silenced with a trip down to Main Street.  However, I am certain that with the help of my friends and family, I’ll be able to continue discovering a part of life that I was never interested (enlightened) enough to explore before.

Thank you all for visiting my page and following my journey! It means more than you know.

ENJOY!