When I returned to Canada 10 years ago, I was 17 years old. I went from eating a healthy Mediterranean diet, to working with youth and eating fast food 3+ times a week. Needless to say, I gained quite a bit of weight at that time. Then I did weight watchers and I feel I reached a healthy goal weight.
Skip over a couple of years where I was pretty much the same, a little on the heavier side, but nothing to worry over.
Two years ago I went to visit my doctor for an annual medical. I asked him if he'd check my thyroid levels and told him about my frustration with weight gain. He did check, and then told me that my levels were a little "Higher then normal", but nothing to be treated with medication.
Two years went by, I got married, bought a house and tried to cook healthy meals and work out regularly. I even went back to weight watchers. I struggled. I lost maybe 5 lbs and then nothing much more than that. I even was going to a personal trainer once a week to motivate my activity level. I loved the training sessions, but I was not seeing any changes to my body weight.
A couple months ago I went back to my doctor for a medical and we were chatting and basically I bawled my eyes out at the office. I sat there as I told my doctor that I did not know what else to do to change. I also told him I was feeling down emotionally, always crying and feeling exhausted, and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. He told me he would check my blood levels again and then asked me if I had ever considered Bariatric surgery - because I might just qualify for the provincially funded one.
I gasped.
"What?" "Isn't there something else we can do before that ?" "would you support me if I tried a diet like Ideal Protein or Dr. B's?"
My doctor to my surprise said that he definitely would support me if I chose to try one of those methods first before the surgery. I booked a follow up appointment and walked out in a daze to tell my husband the news.
My husband was not a fan of the surgery at all. Almost daily since we got married he has always said to me, "I love you, just the way you are." After a few long conversations, some tears, and some much needed hugs, we decided that we could afford to try something new. I decided that I wanted to wait until I found the results of the blood tests before starting anything new.
Couple weeks later I was back at the doctors office, reading Reader's Digest, and swinging my legs under the chair, playing Candy Crush on my phone. The nurse called me into a room where I waited some more.
The doctor checked my blood work when he came in after I asked him if he had the results. He told me that my blood pressure was too high, and that also my thyroid levels had spiked. He moved on to another conversation, and at the end of the 5 minute appointment I did not know what had happened. I asked him if he was going to treat it, and he said , "yup, I already printed the prescription, make sure to take it in the morning before food with a large glass of water"
I'm not blaming the thyroid. Yes it probably didn't help, but I also think I haven't treated my body in the kindest way. It seems my body is more sensitive to what I eat then it may be for others. My do I love good food. I'm kinda a foodie that way. I love to create new dishes, and try creating alternate cultural dishes...come over some time for a butter chicken and Naan. Or my Red or Green Chicken Curry dish.
See what I mean?
My creativity has meant I inhale more calories then I should. Now is the time to reclaim the body God made for me and to treat it with respect. I won't give up creating new foods, but I need to be more aware what my body needs as fuel, instead of just feeding it delicious flavours!
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