I have a confession to make.
I am an alarm clock hater.
Like, seriously.
In the event there was ever a sledge hammer, in my room, in the morning...I would kill it. I can develop a tolerance to it. If I don't change them out, or change the sound every once in a while (beep to radio), I can sleep through them. I am so good, I can actually hit snooze and never wake up. When I say good, I mean good. I can hit the snooze button, in my sleep, for an hour until the whole thing just shuts off!
Imagine the joy of the Man in Charge if I decide to try to get up early and he doesn't?
I do not like alarm clocks. I do not like getting up early. I am not one of those early risers, up at the crack of dawn, work all day, EE-I-EE-I-O farmers. I just can't drag myself out of bed that early. I have tried. I know it would make my life so much easier if I was. I even - sort of - believe if I could make myself do it, I could possibly get into a rhythm of it.
Still - No luck!
I remember days of old, with small, young children and an hour commute. When I was up early every day. I know I did it. I do not know how. It is frustrating though. One would think that it would be easier to get up and enjoy the life I have now. It is an awesome life, and I want to enjoy it. Plus, if you take a look at my list of things to do...I could use some extra hours.
So. You can imagine my surprise when my eyes flew open at 6:45 today. By no means do I believe 6:45 is early, but for me - shocking. Even stranger. The fact that I flew out of bed. I can have some pretty deep and meaningful conversations about the benefits of staying in bed, and I usually win. Brushed my teeth. Washed my face. Got dressed. Did my hair. Put on minimal make-up, and was ready to go.
Crazy.
The reason I am mentioning this...
The Whole30. There are some things to expect when one starts a drastic change like this. For one, you would not believe the power of addiction when it comes to food. We usually think of addiction in the terms of the uncle that's an alcoholic or the meth addicts on Breaking Bad (confession...never watched an episode, but am considering it.)...But, what about food?
Having already gone through this when I changed my diet in June of 2012, I am ready for it this time. The tricky part of food addiction. We all have to have food to live. You have to figure out a way around it. Starting with...
My name is Candi.
I am a food addict.
I love food that does not love me back.
I know it is an addiction.
It alters my mood when I abstain from *fill in the blank*...
I have cravings.
I go through withdrawals.
Sorry, guys. If it looks like a skunk. Smells like a skunk. Acts like a skunk. It's probably a skunk. If you have withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and your mood drastically changes when you go without something...that is addiction. Let's just call it like it is.
The first time I went through this, it was like someone hit me square in the forehead. I never really looked at it like an addiction. If you are addicted to, let's say sugar...You can rationalize that away until the end of time. If you are addicted to an illegal drug, or know someone who is, do you rationalize that? Or, do you wonder why someone would do something that was so destructive to their life? Their health? Even, their family? We think about food differently. If you have an addiction, is it affecting your health? Your weight? Your quality of life? Your ability to spend and enjoy time with your family? Why is that different?
Because it's legal?
The super, oober, sad thing...manufactured food is full of ingredients that alter your natural hormones and/or make you crave their product even more. Some foods can actually make you feel depressed, lethargic, achy, etc. For me, if I eat sugary food or breads, my joints ache like no body's business. So bad, that I went through a whole process of being tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Funny, because my doctor never mentioned food as an option, but when I cleaned up my diet in 2012 - my symptoms went away. The times that I have consumed those items...it always ends the same.
Achy - Swollen - Joints!
Funny side-note: After cleaning up my diet on my own, and going to the doctor for a check-up. The conversation went like this:
Him: "Wow. You've lost some weight. You look good. What have you been doing?"
Me: "I switched to a Paleo style of eating. I have lost weight and all of my joint issues are gone. No more aching."
Him: "Oh yes. All those foods you have eliminated do cause inflammation in the body."
Me: "Why did you never mention it to me before? Instead you sent me to specialist. Prescribed anti-inflammatory medication that would eat a whole in my stomach. Prescribed muscle relaxers for bed-time. Prescribed some crazy cream from a weird pharmacy. You did all this, but never mentioned food?"
Him: "Well, you know? Most people won't let go of their dinner roll."
He is a drug dealer.
A very, well paid, drug dealer.
So - knowing this was coming, when I got my headache yesterday, not surprised. Cold turkey on sugar = pounding head. The last time I did this it lasted for three days straight. They call it the Carb-Flu. Basically your body is going through a process of learning how to use fat for energy instead of all the yummy, sweet, garbage you have been eating and drinking. This process is called Fat Adaptation. It is not fun. I am a firm believer in a few things.
Nothing good is easy.
Sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better.
The great thing about your low points...only one way to go from there.
With my headache yesterday, you can imagine my surprise when I flew out of bed this morning. You see, that is another expectation of the Whole30.
More energy.
Sustained energy.
Energy that will make you get up before the crack of dawn and work the live-long-day...EE-I-EE-I-O!
The thought of all that energy.
The thought of getting back on track.
The thought of feeling bullet-proof again...
Totally worth the headache that I already have working today.
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