At 289 pounds, my life included:
-- Insomnia, poor sleep, too little sleep due to going to bed too late, difficulty being comfortable in bed, being constantly woken by my husband's sleep apnea and snoring, many nights when my husband and I couldn't be in the same bed due to him keeping me awake
-- Aches and pains all over, my whole body hurt when I got up in the morning, my knees hurt when I went up or down stairs, I had terrible "tension" headaches several times per week
-- Recurrent infections and many illnesses - swimmer's ear, catching every cold or flu my kids brought home
-- Pre-diabetes / insulin resistance, pre-hypertension
-- Constant, terrible adult acne, poor skin, hair falling out, hair growing quickly where I didn't want it
-- Lethargy, lack of energy, being too sleepy to safely commute, having a hard time staying awake at work
-- Definite addiction to sugar. I had to HAVE it, all the time.
-- Lack of enjoyment and ability to have satisfying sex
Then I quit sugar, two years ago. I started losing weight and within two to four weeks ALL of the above was beginning to reverse.
Today looks like:
-- I jump out of bed at 6 am (and I am a NIGHT PERSON, people) and go enthusiastically to do my workout of strength training or biking to work.
-- I stand up at home and work a total of about eight hours per day. If I sit down for more than about 30 minutes I start to feel like my body just wants to GET UP already.
-- I sleep deeply and restfully, 7 to 8 hours each night. My husband has also lost 80+ pounds, no longer has sleep apnea, no longer snores. He is in bed with me EVERY night and I love that.
-- Sex is way better. Stuff we couldn't do before, we can do now. And it feels better, too.
-- My skin is bright and clear and rosy and beautiful. My hair is thick and healthy. My nails grow now, which they never did before.
-- I am really rarely sick. My kids' colds and flus don't affect me. When I do take sick time, it's not because I'm sick--it's because someone needs to go to a dentist's appointment, or I'm taking care of my mom. I no longer have recurrent infections.
-- I have amazing energy. I am easily awake all day long--I don't need naps, though I still love them! I am strong and capable.
-- Emotionally, I am far more resilient. I am calmer and stronger for my husband, kids, and mom (who is ill with pancreatic cancer). I have worked to cultivate relationships I'd neglected with family and friends. I can handle what I need to handle without flipping out...which in the last few weeks has included my mom being hospitalized, my kids getting a lice infestation, our car breaking down and me not being able to get to work, financial difficulties, etc.
-- No more aches and pains. Any I do have are the result of the work I do in my strength training sessions! Those "tension" headaches were 100% the work of all the sugar I was eating, and I haven't had a one in two years now. My right knee is still a little twingy sometimes, but it's responding to my strength training very nicely.
-- I am no longer pre-diabetic or pre-hypertensive. Fasting blood sugar is 81, A1C around 4.6, blood pressure 104/62. Perfect results.
-- I do not have cravings for sugar. Sugar is a total non-issue in my life.
I am 41, by the way. So, not a youngster by any means