So as I mentioned in my last post my weight loss stalled when I got my puppy and essentially started to stray a bit off plan with my eating habits.  Prior to February I had given up caffeine and had been off of it for several months but lack of sleep with a young puppy had me right back at the coffee shop.

My normal breakfasts of oatmeal or whole grain cereal were replaced with a bagel sandwich from a local bakery, granted a vegetarian bagel(onion bagel with cucumbers, onion, tomato and dijon mustard).  Still though the bagel a day added up.  No to mention I would on occasion get a banana walnut muffin which I know was not 100% vegan and there were even a few times I ate a strawberry filled croissant which was definitely no vegan.  My morning drink became an ice blended soy mocha from the coffee shop.  Although made with soy milk I have no idea what is in the mocha powder.

So slight but significant slippages.  A few more things to add.  Although my lunches stayed the same a bowl of steamed veggies and brown rice, dinners ended up being take out more then once or twice a week.  Sure I would get a veggie burrito or something from Veggie Grill , never eating meat or cheese but still not eating the healthier options that could have been created in my own kitchen.

As a result of this and my tendency to eat too many raw onions, tomatoes, salsa, and jalapeño peppers I started to experience acid reflux.  I believe I’ve had this condition for many years.  I’ve had trouble swallowing in the past and have felt the acid rush up my throat in the middle of the night.  I have not really had heart burn but I have had issues with being hoarse and constant sore throats over the years.  These had all disappeared when I started eating plant strong last year but last week they came back in full force.

It was the worst attack yet and at first I was not sure what was happening.  I had trouble swallowing one day at lunch and then a few days later I found myself short of breath and scared I needed to go to the emergency room. The shortness of breath was triggered by me consuming several dark chocolate peanut butter cups.  After that night I just did not feel right and then the belching started.  There were times when I felt like I was belching non-stop.  Scared of what was going on with me I started doing a lot of research about my symptoms and what the treatments would be.

I learned about trigger foods and the fact that this condition also causes people to have issues absorbing B12, something I have not been religious about in supplementing.  So as a result I’ve made some drastic changes.  First I have started daily B12 supplements.  As some of my symptoms could also be related to a low level of B12.  Second I’ve cut out caffeine.  Third I’ve got back on track with my eating, no more trips to the coffee shop or bakery in the morning.

The belching that lasted several days was finally cured when I started drinking ginger tea and obviously laid off the spicy food and chocolate.  I still do no feel like I am back at 100% but I am getting there.  There is something definitely off in my gut but I am hoping that by eating right and staying on plan my body will be able to heal itself.

For years I have not been one to go to a doctor unless it was an emergency.  I think I’ve been to one less then 5 x’s in the last 20 years.  Before I was just afraid of what they would tell me I had.  Especially when I got heavy and started having health problems.  Now I am just not interested in being prescribed drugs that simply treat symptoms and do not treat the underlying cause.  Bottom line is I am still sick.  I still have too much fat in my body and my body weight still puts me in the obese category.  Even though losing 50 lbs was a huge accomplishment it was literally only half of the journey.  I started to lose my way again but my body has given me the wake up call I needed.

My goal for this year was to get down to my ideal body weight.  Given that my weight loss stalled for nearly 6 months I don’t think I will get there this year.  I have started losing again, in fact in the last two weeks I think I lost too much because I was not eating much.  I’m down to 200lbs which is 58lbs gone.  I need to get to 155 to be within my normal weight range and I’d like to go lower then that so I am not carrying excess fat.  I am confident I’ll get there I just need to continue to make this a lifestyle change and change my life to make this happen.

Takoda and I are walking 2-4 miles a day now which definitely helps.  Now that I am eating better once again I am hoping I’ll see a steady weight loss again and get closer to healing my body.  I know right now my organs are drowning in fat and I need to get it off my body.  I am hoping that the acid reflux will cure itself when I get down to a lower body weight so I can again enjoy my salsa and onions but I’ll make sure I don’t have them every darn day again!