For some of you, it MIGHT come as a surprise just how HARD of a challenge this clean eating for 90 days is for me. You might look at me and think, “Pshha, you’re already skinny, not like this will be a challenge for you…” The thing is I will admit, I was blessed with a fast metabolism and good genes. And you’re damn right I took advantage of that gift most of my life and ate AS MUCH crappy food as my body could handle, the same way I’m sure most of you would have done.
Just because I got the blessing of a fast metabolism, doesn’t mean I haven’t been riddled with other health complications throughout my life. Some of you might remember from the years 2006-2010, I underwent 5 separate surgeries (3 of them were in a 5 month span) in order to correct what we now know was endometriosis (that got outside of the uterine wall). This disease caused my left ovary to attach to my sigmoid colon, it then traveled further up and wrapped around my gallbladder and strangled it, and it also caused a deep ventral hernia in my lower right quadrant. Not to mention (but I will), I also had at that time a quarter of my cervix removed due to cervical cancer (most likely unrelated).
Sorry to get all gross on ya with about the above mentioned medical stuff. When I was going through all of that, I was barely able to eat anything and got down to 92 lbs (from my “normal” weight of 105 lbs). The way the endometriosis was eventually “corrected” was through lurpon injections. Those injections were horrendous! They basically fool your body to go into full blown menopause, and I had to take them for 6 months. Needless to say, I gained a ton of weight. I went from being 92 lbs to 140 lbs during that time frame. I’d say that the majority of the weight was water, but it felt horrible nonetheless. During that time, I was able to eat more normally, but quickly realized that when on lupron, air made me gain weight. So, I stuck to a strict 1200 calorie a day diet and worked out 5 days a week (in order to not gain too much weight). I got into great shape and eventually was able to stabilize my weight at a healthy 115 lbs. I felt good! I no longer looked like a skeleton and people stopped accusing me of anorexia and bulimia.
During the time I was sick and we didn’t know what was going on, doctors had me on all kinds of different diets in order to see if allergies were playing a role. I did a celiac disease diet, a vegan diet, a vegetarian diet, pescatarian, etc. You name it, I tried it! I was hell bent on getting better no matter what the cost. However, once I started to feel better after having the lupron injections and not being able to eat whatever I wanted for about 3 years, I went nuts! The way I looked at it, I wasn’t able to indulge on the yummy foods for so long, I had some making up to do! I’d gotten so sick of the fad dieting and just wanted hot dogs, pizza (which is still always the case) and burgers! When I ate like a truck driver, it didn’t really pose too many complications for me…. That was until I turned 38 yo. My old-lady-internal-metabolism kicked in and things started to slow waaaaaay dowwwn.
I’d begun noticing, aside from pants starting to tighten, burgers and fries seemed to go straight to my saddle bags. And those amazing craft beers I oh so love… they’d begun to hang out around my waist line like an inner tube. I’d kept telling myself that it wasn’t THAT bad yet, and ignored my body’s obvious pleas for me to STOP overindulging. Fast forward to turning 40… One day my good friend and old neighbor (whom does crossfit—>B Train!), posted a photo of a delicious plate of baked chicken, steamed broccoli and sweet potatoes. It wasn’t the photo of food that motivated me, it was the caption that went with it, “Let’s not eat like assholes every day, people!”
It was at THAT moment I realized, I was an asshole… at least this time towards my body. She was right. It was so plain and simple. She’s not someone that never indulges on an amazing meal every once in while, but her message resonated with me very loudly. And she has an awesome body to show, she doesn’t eat like an asshole every day. She puts in HARD work and dedication. If you want it, you have to WORK for it. No excuses.
Little by little, the dinners I made started to have less salt, less saturated fats and more rainbow color looking plates with leaner meats. I knew Christine enjoyed eating healthier meals when we first met, but my bad habits rubbed off. She’d grown accustom to the overindulgent eating life, and I’d felt responsible for not only my health but hers as well. I knew if I started to make healthier meals, she’d be on board… mainly because I’m not making two separate meals, and she was going to eat what I made. 😉
At some point during the beginning of this clean eating journey, someone asked me if I’d gotten rid of any unhealthy food in my house. I let them know that it would take a truck to complete that process. I also added, that I felt it was more of a challenge to keep the bad food in my home in order for me to practice self control. The world outside my home has much yummier temptations. If I can pass up all the awesome bad food in my house, it will be even easier to walk past a favorite fast food joint.
Have a look at just how much temptation is around me that I actively (not always so easily) but successfully pass up. Mind you, this is just SOME of it. I don’t need to show you our freezer with the bags of mozzarella sticks, Morning Star Buffalo Wings, the Trader Joe’s Pastry Pups, the frozen spinach artichoke dip, and etc., you get the point.
If you too have been noticing in the mirror lately some body changes you’re not so comfortable with, it might be time to stop kidding yourself. The only way things will get better is if you’re honest with yourself, and more importantly, when you “stop eating like an asshole every day.”
Take care of yourselves family and friends!
Best,
Star
Star's Elated Sob Story 
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