There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living –
Nelson Rolihlahla
Mandela [ 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013]
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| 30 kilograms less pic |
Once you realize that it’s possible to feel good by not eating certain things and including others instead, the compulsion begins to fall away because you’ve found something better: getting your life back.
My blog sub-description at the time seemed appropriate to the cause that I intended to follow - I was unleashed in my writings, a first step to discovering the potential that I could unlock in releasing me from the shackles that have indeed bound me for what seemed like forever. In making the shift to transforming from an addictive processed carb loaded life to one now that is free of all processed foods, there was obviously a fair amount of planning that went into it. I always inform others that that's the only way it worked for me...I didn't go into this lifestyle change hoping that it would work for me, I entered the process confident that if I give it my best shot, no matter how trying the circumstances, I will achieve a fair amount of success. I am glad that I took this "lofty" approach as had I tried just jumping in without surveying and assessing what I was getting myself into, I may have been limited in how far that potential would lead me.A mere 8 or 9 months ago, I was a morose individual, lamenting my life after each physician visit, sometimes depressed as these visits required me to increase my insulin dosages or increase the statin dosages of my cholesterol medication - I just could not get my glucose levels under 7 or sometimes 9mmol even with insulin and oral medication. The feeling of sluggishness, onset of forgetfulness, the growing physical tiredness when attempting to engage with my sons in their physical activities, even attending functions became a trip in tiredness. My marriage was taking strain as some nights I retired by 7.30pm, earlier than my children! and my husband was missing out on companionship from his best friend. I used to wake up physically tired after enjoying a full 8-9 hours of sleep. The symptoms of diabetes was literally overtaking my life and I had the power to do something about it!
I had the vision to know that if conceptualized in the right manner, I could beat what I was doing to myself and imagined myself walking away from my past into a future that I could create for myself, one that would leaving me feeling rejuvenated, almost like moving house, moving into a totally new space from the former one.
For me it was easy writing about what I was planning to do, I always write, in long-hand in a regular book and diary - it's my saving grace, my opportunity to connect with me -something that I have done since childhood. This has been my special treat, sometimes, daily, and reflecting on my writings often in my quiet time, often adding to it, but never removing - as it was how I felt in that moment. This assists me greatly in my transition, makes me understand what makes me "tick" and grounds my resolve to carry on when I am deflated or unenthused.
What has also assisted me in this journey is visual effects and reminders of where I came from and where I was going to. My quiet space which is our guest room-cum-study is filled with pictures of my journey from the day I began to current. I have a wall space dedicated to the transforming me where my progress pictures are visibly obvious to remind me that I have achieve and can achieve - kind of positive reinforcement enabling change. I also have wall mounts and pictures printed off the various internet motivation sites. One of my favourites is a canvas that my husband thought appropriate about 3 months into my journey and it's a clichéd saying to live by:
I have always kept my vision as my main source of inspiration throughout the past 6 months and the day that my physician advised me to stop all meds for a trial period was the turning point in my journey....the hard work, the mini goals that I had set myself had all assisted me in reaching this point in my journey, where insulin resistance and diabetes can be reversed. In a way I also attributed goal setting as an indicator for my planned success and that I committed to them one day at a time, checking boxes as I went along, made them so achievable.
Every day, I have reflected, especially when I was feeling down or demotivated, and revisited my vision of walking towards a new me - my change in health status made me reconnect with my ability to achieve a normal blood-glucose reading.
Change is neither easy nor always smooth. Often I encounter resistance. I find that more often I don’t want to let go of habits that cause me misery. Too often I have struggled with limiting beliefs about myself that held back from trying new things. But there is one way to keep the compass pointed to this new life, even in the midst of any resistance or struggles I may encounter on my path to a newer me - each time I find myself slipping or wanting to slip into old habits—isolating myself, making excuses procrastinating, I ask myself: “What can I do in this moment to keep moving forward?” I believe that no matter how I feel in that moment, I should do something to maintain momentum, even it's a small task of reviewing my meal plan or gym schedule.
All in all, this is all about choices and at the end of the these 6 rejuvenating months, I give thanks to my strong constitution that has seen me though this transformation. May my will to continue with choosing health over bad habits, reign beyond these 6 months and more, to a new me that is indeed defined and refined by choosing to be unleashed from the shackles that have bound me forever...
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