Learning the Hard Way

This time last year I dealt with swollen feet and hands on a regular basis. It had been going on for a while, and I had a suspicion that it may have been related to my Dr. Pepper consumption. I just didn't want to give it up, though. I think there were more food items that contributed to the problems I having. I knew something had to change, but I didn't know how to start.
In January, I started participating in self reliance classes through the Church. Chad and I decided that we would stop going out to eat and work on paying our debt with the money we would have spent in drive-thrus. I started feeling better fairly quickly. When we would cave and buy fast food, I would be sicker than I had been prior to trying to give it up. I still get fast food, and I deal with the consequences. I have, however, figured out that what I can eat at what restaurants that won't make me as sick.
Today, for the first time in months, my hands and feet swelled up to the point that it hurt to walk for a little while. What had changed? I have had a lot of salt and soda over the last few days.
I am in the process of learning what does and does not make me feel well. One of these days my diet will be to the point that I will feel as good as I can. I don't think I can ever completely give up fast food or soda, but I can have it less.

Win...Maybe

I added exercise to my morning routine Monday through Friday last month. It has been great to wake up, put on workout clothes, turn on a video, and workout for 20 to 30 minutes before work every morning.
Two days ago, I finally did a workout with weights because I found my weights. Not only did I use weight, the video had a lot of squats. It felt good to be working muscles I hadn't used in a while. It was sad to hear how much my knees creaked. It does not feel good today. I hurt, but I am not letting it get me down.
Today, I got up. Got my clothes out of the dryer, and exercised with a video. It was not as intense as some of the videos I have been doing lately. There are two reasons this is exciting. First, I was in pain, so it was not easy to do. Second, I am off of work today because it is my daughter's birthday. This means that I not only worked through the pain with something less intense, I kept this part of my morning routine even though I was not getting ready for work.

To me, the is a win!

The Jeans

Honestly, I have not lost any weight for a few weeks, but I have been able to notice a difference in how my clothes are fitting. I bought a pair of jeans at a thrift store at the beginning of the summer without trying them on. I was sure I knew what size I was. I would not accept the idea that I was larger than that size. I was wrong. the jeans were too small. My stomach hurt by the end of the work day. I took them off and put on sweats as soon as I would get home. A few times I unbuttoned them in the car since I knew I no one would see me and the kids aren't usually home when I get home on Fridays. I had one other pair of jeans that fit, but they disappeared somehow. I continued to wear them every Friday and started considering how uncomfortable they were as motivation to keep working on my health. I am happy to report that, as of yesterday, I can now wear them without sucking in my gut to button them and without being uncomfortable by the end of the day. Also, they are a bit loose on my legs and rear end. So, the weight may not be dropping as quick as I want, but I am making a difference with each early morning workout and planned meal.

This is Hard Work

First of all, the nutrition class that I am taking is really hard. For some reason, I am just not really understanding the science of digestion (science has never been my best subject). It is so frustrating. I am hoping that I can get the hang of the class soon. I am past the halfway point, and I have to get a good grade because I am on advisement at school. I did learn more about the need for water this week. I drink a lot of water on a daily basis, so it made me feel better about that decision.
So far, the changes that I have made are: I added some supplements that I feel I needed in my life right now; I am doing an exercise video five days a week when I wake up; and I am making and mostly following a meal plan. It is hard to be the one person in the house trying to make these changes. Sometimes it feels a bit lonely. Luckily, I have a friend that is trying to make positive changes at the same time. I just wish she lived closer.