Improvements on the Inside

First I want to thank everyone who reads this blog. I have passed the 10,000 page view mark.  It's pretty incredible considering I started this blog to keep me accountable and keep me on track. Thank you for reading, being so interested and so supportive of my journey.

Often I post photos so you can see the changes that have taken place on the outside. Huge changes, over 50lbs worth of change.  It's what you notice when you see me and it shows success very clearly. What it doesn't show you though are the improvements on the inside, the other parts of me that have become healthy in the process too so I figure after such dramatic loss photos this weekend, the internal health and changes should be shared as well.

The first thing people ask me now is "Do you feel different?" and for a long time I said "No, I just look different" but the more I think about it, it's just not true. I do feel different, in a few ways.

Back Pain
I didn't even notice this one, Jeff did.  He mentioned a month or so ago "Do you realize you don't complain about your back anymore?"  To be honest, I hadn't really thought much about it but after he said it, I realized my chronic back and neck pain had practically disappeared.  Sure, I have a flare up every once in awhile but it isn't happening on such a consistent basis anymore.

Digestive Problems
I've pretty much had issues with my stomach and acid reflux for as long as I can remember. It however got 100x worse around the age of 22.  After a years worth of tests and feeling absolutely awful, I was put on some medication for it which changed my life for the better. A year after that I saw a specialist and he told me that the key to solving some of my problems would be reducing my stress levels and losing weight - something I didn't make any changes to for 2 years after that piece of advice.  For the last 4ish years I've taken medication for it everyday. In November, my doctor and I discussed trying to get me off of it or at least taking it less often. If some of it was related to weight, maybe I could come off of it? Well, now I only take it one or two times a week to control my acid reflux but that's it.  I'm shocked!  I actually managed to go over a week once without taking it. Food and drinks that would trigger attacks like coffee, apples and garlic, I can now have in moderation.

Headaches
I've had chronic headaches since 7th grade.  Horrible pounding in the back of my head. Sometimes so bad I'd get dizzy spells and nausea from it. I'd have a headache at least 4 days a week by the time I turned 20. Well you know what? I barely get headaches now. Maybe once or twice a month and it's usually directly related to not being hydrated when I get them now.  

Energy Levels
A year ago, it wouldn't take much for me to get a little bit winded, or need to catch my breath after walking up a flight of stairs during my commute home on the subway. I didn't realize how bad it was at the time and I didn't really notice the difference as time went on, I felt I had the same energy level.  Reality is, I have a lot more energy now, I have the stamina to do a lot more and the stairs in the subway don't leave me even slightly out of breath when I reach the top.

These are just a few of the obvious differences that have made my insides healthier along with my outside.  My body fat percentage has also dropped about 15-20% which is really good for my overall health and my organs. I've rewired my brain to want exercise, to eat healthy foods, and I've created new ways of resiting the urge to scarf down a dessert table during the holidays.  The only small bit is that when I look in the mirror I don't always see the dramatic difference. It takes looking at old photos to really see how far I've come.  My mind just needs a little time to catch up and see what everyone else sees but overall, I'm really happy about how far I've come over the last 11 months.