I'm glad that you have decided to follow me as I work towards my goal of walking in the 2006 Houston Marathon. It's not that what I am trying to do is so remarkable, as over 18,000 people completed last year's race. It's just that I have come a really long way (and still going) on my road to fitness and want to let others know that they can do the same thing. I also want to keep our friends, family and clients informed. So if you're reading this, it means you are interested, and I thank you for that! Although the official start of Marathon training began on Saturday, July 16th, I had been preparing for a month prior to that. The prelude was the FCCA 5K run/walk. It was 3.2 miles and I had been working my way up to 3 miles, 3 times a week on the treadmill at the gym. How and why I decided to do this are questions worth answering, so if you're interested in that story continue reading.
I went searching on the internet for an elimination diet and found exactly what I had been looking for: Dr. Cranton's Elimination Diet . At the height of my decline, the symptoms Dr. Cranton, the author of the diet described as being the result of food allergies - the migraines without saying, joint pain (almost as if it were arthritis), lower back pain, sluggishness and a general feeling of malaise were right on.
The diet was very strict, and I debated about being able to follow it, but I was determined to start feeling better, so I started on it. Additionally, many of the allowed items were foods that were already migraine triggers for me, so the list of allowed foods became even smaller.
I also decided to try to attack the problem on a variety of fronts. I decided to start exercising regularly; see my massage therapist on a monthly basis; visit a chiropractor that specialized in the neck and head and get a dental night guard just in case the headaches were cause by TMJ. Lastly I started taking Feverfew, an herb known to help with migraines. Once cured, I might not be able to figure out what had done it but I didn't care!
The first few days of the diet were difficult, but then it became very easy-cravings for foods that were off limits stopped. Although I didn't give up coffee and cream until after the first week, I started feeling better right away. The joint pain and headaches were gone after 2 days (although when I gave up the coffee I suffered for a few days with mild headaches). Once I was 100% on the diet, I was eating healthily and the weight started melting off. Although weight loss wasn't my original goal, a 25lb loss the first month was a welcome side benefit. It was pretty easy to figure out that it was the "white stuff" (flour, sugar, pasta, dairy, starches) that was causing a lot of my problems, so I decided I would not take those back right away when it was time to reintroduce foods.
I'm still on the diet with many foods reintroduced. And I am "cheating" once a week, on Saturdays, since that is a big training day. But I've lost 57 pounds and feeling the best I have ever felt my entire life.
If this is your first visit to my site and you are not familiar with how a blog works, just start with the July archives and work your way up. The diary is backwards, with the oldest post showing up last, and the most current showing first.
Once upon a time...
In March 2005, I went to visit my childhood friend, Robin, who now lives in Phoenix. We've known each other since we were 2 and hadn't seen each other in 16 years. The visit was great except for one thing - I had a headache everyday. It might have been the altitude, but I felt it was more related to my diet. I had been eating poorly (not unusual) and when I got home I weighed 205. I was miserable and disgusted. I decided that I had to get in shape, but first and foremost I had to get to the bottom of these headaches. Although I'd suffered from Migraines for many years and had identified over 15 foods that triggered them, I was convinced that I was missing something. This time, besides having a 6-day headache, my joints were hurting and I was the heaviest I had ever been.I went searching on the internet for an elimination diet and found exactly what I had been looking for: Dr. Cranton's Elimination Diet . At the height of my decline, the symptoms Dr. Cranton, the author of the diet described as being the result of food allergies - the migraines without saying, joint pain (almost as if it were arthritis), lower back pain, sluggishness and a general feeling of malaise were right on.
The diet was very strict, and I debated about being able to follow it, but I was determined to start feeling better, so I started on it. Additionally, many of the allowed items were foods that were already migraine triggers for me, so the list of allowed foods became even smaller.
I also decided to try to attack the problem on a variety of fronts. I decided to start exercising regularly; see my massage therapist on a monthly basis; visit a chiropractor that specialized in the neck and head and get a dental night guard just in case the headaches were cause by TMJ. Lastly I started taking Feverfew, an herb known to help with migraines. Once cured, I might not be able to figure out what had done it but I didn't care!
The first few days of the diet were difficult, but then it became very easy-cravings for foods that were off limits stopped. Although I didn't give up coffee and cream until after the first week, I started feeling better right away. The joint pain and headaches were gone after 2 days (although when I gave up the coffee I suffered for a few days with mild headaches). Once I was 100% on the diet, I was eating healthily and the weight started melting off. Although weight loss wasn't my original goal, a 25lb loss the first month was a welcome side benefit. It was pretty easy to figure out that it was the "white stuff" (flour, sugar, pasta, dairy, starches) that was causing a lot of my problems, so I decided I would not take those back right away when it was time to reintroduce foods.
I'm still on the diet with many foods reintroduced. And I am "cheating" once a week, on Saturdays, since that is a big training day. But I've lost 57 pounds and feeling the best I have ever felt my entire life.
If this is your first visit to my site and you are not familiar with how a blog works, just start with the July archives and work your way up. The diary is backwards, with the oldest post showing up last, and the most current showing first.