so it's a snowy morning in maryland and my second born is currently eating baby carrots with a side of fruit loops for breakfast. as i sit here and sip my coffee, i can't believe we are almost a year (a whole year) into this pandemic, people. since last march, we (as a whole) have questioned so many things about what is going on, but i have realized that much of it is out of our control. once you realize a lot of it is out of your control, you tend to relax a little...but it did make me realize that there are some things i am in control of...that i have (admittedly) let get a little OUT of control. starting with my health. as i near the 40 year old mark (what the hell?), i realize my body is changing in crazy ways. for example, i can't eat a cheeseburger and fries five days a week and abstain from growing a second set of ass cheeks overnight (who knew?) also, i can't wash it down with a half a box of wine or 6 pack of beer and feel like a normal human anymore. i will say this...7 years ago i made a commitment to my health, but about two years ago, i had a very (very) difficult school year. a school year with students and situations that i hadn't experienced in my entire career (it was super rough). that summer i used food and wine to feel better, but it backfired because it snowballed into feeling a lot worse for many months to come.
right before march last year, i looked in the mirror (literally and figuratively) and realized i needed to make some changes...but then suddenly school closed, everything was shut down, i couldn't even see my family, and life as i knew it went on hold. we stayed home for 3 months and as we tried to wrap our brains around what was going on...we also ate and drank like we were on a well-stocked deserted island. then summer came and things continued to be weird, so same thing. then, the holidays (enough said)...now here we are. almost february! i decided to join the other million people that choose to make changes on january 1st. the whole30 (do the google if you don't know) seemed to be a good option for me because it entailed eating real food and cutting all the things i struggle with cutting...sugar, carbs, dairy, and god's sweet nectar (wine). for 30 days. the first couple days of january were ROUGH. along with not sleeping well (at ALL), i felt like total garbage. i almost gave up a handful of times, but took it one day at a time. my husband decided to cut out alcohol as well and followed along with MOST of the food choices. he would throw a carb (or five) in there every once in a while, however.
the hardest part of the whole thing was meal planning and making sure everything was compliant. however...the good old inter web has about 23,948 recipes (give or take) which did make it slightly easier. after week 2 i was hooked because i was consistently sleeping, i started running or incorporating exercise into my routine again (hello endorphins)...and in general i didn't feel like a huge pile of crap. a lot of the anxiety i was having about ALL THE THINGS also was put at bay (this was a huge plus). i will say we didn't see anyone, like, the whole month...which wasn't too hard cause jack frost is nipping at our chins (and other extremities) and also, a pandemic. i'm writing this to say that if you are on the fence about making a change, DO IT. your body and mental health will be better for it. BUT, i will ALSO make this clear...i am not here to judge AT ALL. if food and alcohol are getting you through at this point, you do you boo! as february blows in with a blizzard, i will start reincorporating things like CHEESE (man i miss cheese) back into my routine. however, this past month definitely has created a good diving board for a healthier year. i'm feel 97% better than i did in december (both mentally and physically), i've restored a healthier relationship with both food and alcohol...and i also lost 10 pounds. if you are already on this journey...keep going! however, if you you need a kick in the pants...here it is. throwing fist pounds and good vibes your way, people.
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