How 4 weeks of Healthy Eating changed me! « Reflections of David

I knew it was important to eat the right things and stay healthy, but I never fully understood the effects it could have on my body, so quickly, by changing my eating habits.

After spending about 4 weeks turning down offers for little treats – which is hard to do when you work in an elementary school – drinking water or diet soda, staying away from sugary drinks (even orange juice), eating brown rice instead of white, eating apples and carrot sticks when I wanted a snack instead of chips or cookies, eating more vegetables and fish for dinner, and eating more salad, my triglycerides went from a whopping 442 down to 186 (normal should be 150 or less).  Not only this, but I lost 7 lbs!

I wish I could say that going to the gym helped me lose the weight, but I went only twice during my healthy-eating binge.   I had also quit smoking for about two weeks, which probably helped a great deal, even though I have relapsed since then (end of the semester stress…).

I mean, you hear it all the time; eat healthy, exercise rigorously for at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week.  I really did not expect to get the results I did.  This inspires me to keep on with this diet, or rather, start again.  After my blood was taken, I went to Burger King to have a delicious chicken burger and fries that I missed so much, and it was only 11am!  So, that and smoking!

Just to clarify, because people often confuse triglycerides with cholesterol… Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can cause unfortunate blockages in your arteries.  Triglycerides is the actual fat content in your blood.  Nasty, ugly FAT.  Thankfully, my cholesterol levels were great, and so were my glucose levels.  Not thankfully, though, is that one of my liver enzymes is out of whack, a tad on the high side.  The doctor said it could be the effects of a condition called Fatty Liver Syndrome, which supposedly is not a big deal if I continue to eat the right things and lose more weight, probably losing the belly fat would be the most helpful.  So, the next step is getting an abdominal Ultrasonography to check out the condition of my liver.  It should not be so bad, though I am slightly worried since my mother has a liver disease, Hepatitis C.

I am so fortunate to no longer be one of the millions of United Statesians who do not have health coverage.  Once you go without it for so long, you really appreciate it and take advantage of it.

Next steps… Ultrasound, blood-work in 6 weeks, and QUIT SMOKING: PHASE 2!