The Diet

It's funny when you mention to people "I'm going on a diet" because of how people think that diet's work. Most people will think a diet is something you do for a short period of time to lose weight... and the true facts show... while yes, some will work, a proper diet should be life long.

This all started for me a while back. I wanted to lose weight and so went onto fruit juice drinks (pure 100% fruit juice, as in, no added sugar, no crap, just, the fruit). During a visit to my doctors I mentioned about my weight and about a discolouration of the skin around my eyes and wondered what could be the cause of this. He arranged for me to have some blood samples taken and tested and a few weeks later I called the doctors to check the results were ok.

"You're going to have to come in" said the receptionist, instantly turning my knickers brown because I knew if everything was fine, I wouldn't be called in. An appointment was made for the same week and in I went. I saw the GP's health and diet lady who went through the results with me. They'd checked my cholesterol levels and while the overall mark was good, one part had spiked, showing that something had to change, we went through the results.

All the good cholesterol levels were either where they should be, or below the limits, so that's fine. However, the 1 that had spiked was the bad one. It was a whole 1 point over what it should be according to the dr's standards. This was also the bad cholesterol, the one known for clogging up your heart and leading to heart attacks and further health problems.

She explained about how my diet needed to change and that actually, while yes, fat in my food did play a part, it was more sugar that was known to cause these sorts of spikes in the results, so of course my idea of going on to fruit juice was a bad one.

She reffered me on to a health programme at my request (free access to a gym for 10 weeks.... ITS FREE, OF COURSE YOU CAN SIGN ME UP!!!!) and that is who I heard from today. They went through with me about how I want to create the change, what I would do to create it and of course wanting to know that I would commit to the changes they help me make, including diet and of course exercise.

I funnily enough had a food shop delivered today, the first one of the new year. While this time last year my freezer would have been full of frozen meals and crap, it's my fridge this time around that is full of stuff, all fresh and of course can now be made now I have an oven to cook stuff in! I can't wait to begin my new diet. It has less meat in it, more fresh produce and hopefully with a bit more exercise, will ensure that I am healthy for the future.

But where does this change in my life differ from others?

These changes I make are not just going to be a temp thing. Sure, there'll be foods i'll try over the next few months that I won't like, but, all in all, it should be good and LONG TERM. This isn't a fad diet, it won't be stopped once I've dropped a dress size, this is the way it has to be.

It is the first time I've made this sort of change in my life and i'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited and nervous about the future. I know the initial weight loss will be hard work, but being able to go back in 11 months time to the doctors and having them say I am in perfect health, will be the reward I want and i'm sure will make me feel a lot better about myself other than people saying "oooh, you've lost weight".