Okay, I have a plan.
When I did my Live’r Up Talent Show for the Canadian Liver Foundation in September, 2008, I met a wonderful man named Jeff Hill, who owns a company called Fit Start. Obviously, I have quite the debacle to figure out here, so I emailed Jeff and asked if he remembered me, and asked if he could help. He told me that many women come to him with a similar story, and there is definitely hope for me.
I enrolled in his twelve week program, which consists mostly of diet, but also incorporates exercise as well. What I liked about the program, is that it is very educational based, and it teaches you a lot about food, and how our bodies react when we ingest certain foods.
The program is definitely focused on health, as opposed to weight loss. However, he is clear that if weight loss is a goal, that will happen automatically with this program. I’m holding him to it.
When my package arrived, there were a lot of vitamins. Lots. I don’t usually take vitamins, but it has been a strong suggestion from my doctor at every annual physical, so I got on board with the vitamin thing.
The first two weeks seem to be focused on learning and creating new habits, of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two snacks, and eating every 2.5 – 3 hours. All five times a day, your meals and snacks should have 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.
Now here’s the crappy part. No sugar and no caffeine. I am okay with the caffeine part, as I am not a coffee drinker. I do get quite a bit of caffeine from chocolate, but I am not addicted to Starbucks, Tim Hortons, or any of their counterparts.
However, sugar, there is definitely an addition there. Definitely. I’m a bit of a sugar-a-holic and a carb-a-holic, so this will definitely be a journey, getting over the fact that I am depriving myself for a higher cause, being my own health, and my long retired size six jeans.
Day 2, I have eaten 5 of my six meals so far, which have consisted of protein shakes and power bars, salads and chicken and lots of vitamins and supplements. So far, no gastrointestinal upset of any kind, but my urine is bright green for some reason. I’ve got radioactive pee! I will be sure to get an explanation from Jeff and report on the “green pee” phenomenon.
So far, my “pig-headed determination” continues, and in two days, I am down three and a half pounds, which I am sure is just the initial water retention and such when starting a new diet. My cheeks are round and my jeans are tight, so I still have a ways to go. What is keeping me motivated, is if you go to the Fit Start website at http://www.fitstart.net and click on Fitness Camps on the top right hand side and scroll down, I am hoping that I will eventually be able to replace my head with Elizabeth Deleavey’s body. Now that is a girl that does not eat too many Big Macs and she does not look unhappy. What an inspiration! With some pig-headed determination, that will be me!