Sorry for the non-tech related blog, but I wanted to share something to the intrepid few who read my blog:
It wasn’t too long ago that I said that in response to something Sheri had said in regards to me losing weight and getting back into some pants that I’ve not worn in awhile. I was convinced that we lacked the discipline and determination to fix ourselves, even though I’ve been in great shape many times before. Mainly, I just didn’t think we could change.
Life likes make liars out of us sometimes, it seems.
Sheri finally coaxed me into changing. Truth be told, I was tired of being out of shape and weak. My weight was at a record high, and I felt horrible all of the time. I was having horrific sleep issues (snoring myself awake), acid reflux, IBS, the list goes on and on. Overall, I was just feeling terrible. Coaxing me wasn’t as hard as it might seem.
The other thing that helped me was thinking about the two of us having a baby. We’re determined to have one, and I am very excited about it. However, it also got me to thinking about my age and health. It occurred to me that by the time the kid wants to go to Disney world, I am likely to be in my 50s. It further occurred to me that if this was going to happen, then I needed to look at this the right way. Having a child isn’t simply a donation of biological material. Once you have created that child, you have signed yourself up to be the child’s father. I have two children (who I love dearly) to whom I haven’t been a good a father as I would have liked. Oh, there were many reasons why and some of them are even sensible, but mostly, I just wasn’t willing to make it work as well as I could, maybe. Whatever else might have held me back, I should have done all I could no matter what. Some of the decisions I made (relationships, etc.) also compounded my ability to participate in their lives. Not good. My experience with my other children has made me want to be good, attentive father. I refuse to be absent for any reason...even if effectively absent due to being in bad shape.
So, I was at a point where a lifestyle change was inevitable.
Sheri and I have started eating very healthy, and the most amazing thing about it is that it is a sustainable way to live. We eat well, and I love what I am eating. My daily health problems have gone away, and I feel much better all the time. I have lost 20 pounds, and I expect I’ll lose more. We’ve started mountain biking as a way to spend time together since we don’t go out to eat all the time. It’s a far cheaper lifestyle, even with the fresh fruit and veggies. We eat together at the dinner table, rather than eat a burger and fries in front of the TV.
I don’t really eat much red meat anymore and I used to think I’d miss that. I used to absoutely love rare, bleedy beef and a nice glass of a strong red wine. Two wonderful flavours that are meant for each other. Recently, in celebration of a positive event in our lives, we went to dinner and I had rare beef and wine. You know, the beef was ok, but it wasn’t great. Being completely honest, I liked the roasted red peppers on Sheri’s plate much better...and I think she did, too. The wine, however, was great. :-) It’s hard for me to believe that my taste buds have adjusted as much as they have, but clearly that’s what’s going on. I also believe that my improved gastro-intestinal health has been a major contributor to this as well. Do I still crave things like burgers and fries? Yes and no. Sometimes I think I am in the mood for that sort of thing, but I realize how ill it will make me feel and the craving subsides.
Will we stick to it? I don’t know. I sure hope so, and I expect that we will....and that thought makes me very happy.
posted @ Sunday, March 30, 2008 10:08 AM