It’s not a diet, dude.
A friend texted yesterday. Asked if I was “still doing the whole diet thing I bought into for my birthday last month.”
Tone belongs to the reader, but I know him and I sensed his eye roll.
It’s not a diet, dude. I rolled mine too, as I texted back.
“Sure it is. One of those trending fads on Facebook sucked you in. Never saw you as someone who’d get sucked in to something like that.”
Heh. Sucked in. Sure.
“That’s why you did it, right? A friend posted a photo and you got sucked in and now you’re blahbity blahbity healthy shakes. How long do you think you’ll stay on this diet?”
*sigh* It’s not a diet. It’s a great nutrition program… it’s a lifestyle change. How long?
I understand his skepticism. I tried a shake program a few years ago that promised me a beach body. And it left me kinda bloated and shaky. I’ve done extreme whole food only challenges and felt good after the initial paleo flu and lost a few pounds. The the weight came back once I stopped eating like a neanderthal. I didn’t say that, though. I wrote back:
Consider this, dude. I gave up sugar, dairy and carbs for New Years. I was at the gym (two gyms, actually. Not cheap gyms, either) 4-5 days a week and saw no change in the numbers.
And then 40 days ago I said yes.
I shed 22 pounds. (12.5 lbs in the first 14 days)
I lost 19 inches.
I haven’t had a single headache. TBI headaches gone.
Daily handfuls of Tylenol, gone. Destroying my liver? Gone.
I haven’t had any awkward explosive bathroom… episodes. IBS gone.
My energy is better than its been in years.
I stopped drinking coffee and don’t miss it. $tarbuck$ misses me, though.
I sleep well, wake up rested and don’t feel sluggish midday. I yawned as I typed that line but it’s almost midnight…
I’m wearing jeans that haven’t fit in a few years, my extra large t-shirts are all too big and I’m still about 30 pounds from the goal weight I set for myself. How long?
Dude. I’m all in. Yeah. A friend posted a photo on Facebook and I got sucked in. I’m eternally grateful she had the courage to lead by example. And share.*
“Can you afford it if you keep freelancing or are you gonna get a 9-5 job again?” Funny thing? My friend spends more on alcohol, cigarettes and his blood pressure meds in a month than I spend on great nutrition.
Dude. It’s $13 a day. That’s just a smidge less than my $tarbuck$ habit was. I can’t afford not to stick with it. And not to brag but I feel so good I’d be a jerk if I didn’t tell people about it. Friends joined me on this path for their own reasons: diabetes, weight loss, marathon training, dropping baby weight and wanting in on feeling and looking better. If I didn’t feel great, I wouldn’t talk about it.
How long? It’s a lifestyle change, dude. I’m not looking back.
If me mentioning it on Facebook annoys you? Hide me from your timeline. I hid you months ago because your political posts annoy the hell out of me. Still love you though, dude.
“Don’t lose all your curves, Jenn. Some of us like ’em.
This is about what I like, dude. And what I want. Thanks though. I think.
*I’ve been sending my 14 day progress photos to friends when they ask. Since I wasn’t wearing much in the before photos, I’m not posting it here. o.O
#teamanchored #teamtorch #OGMeatballs #enfuego