To give some background, this is my fourth or fifth time around the block. In 2013, when I was about 24-years old, I lost 100 pounds in 5 months and got down to 242. Over the proceeding years, I would gain the weight back, lose some of it, gain it back again. I tried everything, from the initial extreme CICO approach, to keto, which reeked havoc on digestive system despite me trying to compensate for the problem I was having, to a more balanced approach. Every time, I failed and never made it past that 5 month mark I hit back in 2013. Each subsequent attempt, I asked myself, "what went wrong last time? What went right? What can I use and what should I avoid?"
I hit 5 months last Saturday. I've lost 140 pounds since last fall, and 106 pounds in 5 months, beating the total from my 2013 attempt. This time, I've been tested even more than I was when I quit keto and was forced to have an appointment with a colorectal surgeon.
About 3 weeks ago, I vomited five times within one week. I almost fainted multiple time. I could stand without getting lightheaded. My health was horrible and I was feeling miserable almost every month of the day. It wasn't just that week. It had all been building and getting worse and worse. I should have called the doctor. I didn't. I kept putting it off. That week, I decided, I need to put off vigorous exercise. Holding vomit that was spewing out of my mouth before I could run outside the gym doors was enough of an embarrassment for me to take a break. Instead, I decided to walk 4 miles a day at the park. It was still very cold at this time, but I'd put on my hoodie and walk the 4.4 mile loop at a local park.
After a week and a half, I hadn't vomited for a day or two, so I signed up for Orangetheory, not knowing exactly what I was getting into. At work the night before my first class, I vomited again. I decided it was a bad idea to go and texted the person to tell them I couldn't make it. They responded, obviously eager to get a potential member, "oh no, when can we get you in?" I thought about it. I didn't want to quit. What's more, I sprained the top of my foot a day earlier and was struggling to walk. I told her, "how about six days from now," thinking it would give me enough time for my foot to mostly heal and maybe my health would improve. When the day came, I was very nervous, with the voice in my head saying, just stay home. I sucked it up and went, and though being the biggest guy there, it went very well and I felt very good!
Fast forward to now, I've been consistently exercising again, only taking slightly more than a week off from running (but still walking). I ran my best 5K time today, ran one yesterday, and went to Orangetheory on Saturday and got the most splat points I've had thus far.
Today, my doctor called me and told me my blood work from last Friday came in and asked me how I've been feeling. It turns out my A1C is very, very low. I was prediabetic in the fall, and now my levels are low. Despite that, I was taking the medication she prescribed with my lunch, and then as I began to feel even worse in the day, exercised after than, making my blood sugar plummet even more. I was coming home from exercise and being forced to stand up incredibly slow and stand there for about a minute before I walked anywhere. My wife even commented that at one time, my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I was gone that day, and lost a small chunk of time. I seriously cannot believe I never fainted, even remembering times on the treadmill where I was disoriented, grabbing the sides but not stopping, even though I was seconds from collapsing and feeling my consciousness slip away.
It is over 5 months now and I've been tested. Luckily, I naturally had an appointment with my doctor for routine bloodwork or else I would have continued to take the medication and exercise harder and harder. I am optimistic that my energy levels will improve and these problems I was having will go away, making my life so much easier. I had every reason to quit and I didn't.
Why? What changed? Did I figure out the key and get the right balance in my life? Mindful eating? Not going crazy, signing up for tons of races, go backing to jiu jitsu, playing pickup basketball for 4 games on the same day, while probably working out that day, too, for like 4 hours of exercise? No. I don't think so. Balance has helped, but none of those things that burned me out felt as miserable as what I've faced these last few months on a day to day basis. I have a hard of hearing daughter that is turning 2-years old in August. She is what changed, what changed me. I can't rob her of a father. I grew up without a mom, schizophrenic and addicted to drugs. She died about 3 months before my daughter was born. I hadn't talked to her in over 10 years when she died. I was very hurt and I gained over 100 pounds after that, even breaking my diet as we drove to her funeral and never turning back, drinking my first soda in over a year. I have a reason to live, to not quit, and it's greater than myself and my own personal happiness. I remind myself of why I am doing this every time it's gotten hard. That little girl has made me finally grow into adulthood, to be a man and to follow the tattoo I got on my right arm in 2013 when I lost 100 pound--ironically quitting after a party was thrown for hitting my goal with my friend--"Don't Ever Give Up."
If you read all of this, I appreciate you. I don't give myself my pats on the back. I am just proud to be where I am, glad I found out what was wrong, and impressed that I battled though it, whereas I never would have in the past.
TL;DR: My health was in shambles and getting worse over the last two monthish. Despite that, I kept exercising and eating right. I lost 106 pounds in the last 5 months, 140 total. Today, I got a call from my doctor and found out my A1C was incredibly low, explaining likely why I was in such misery. MY resolve has been tested and I passed the test and am still going.
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/nkhk9p/my_resolve_has_been_tested/
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