Everyone who got where he is, began where he was

Photo by Ryan Bruce from Burst

Before I started doing Weight Watchers in 2006, my eating habits were terrible. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. This included take out and restaurant food multiple times each week, baked goods and sweets, and eating whatever my father prepared for dinner (often meat and potatoes or pasta with few veggies) I never deprived myself of anything.

When I joined WW my eating habits eventually changed dramatically. It was a challenge, but they did. I started monitoring my portions, eating more fruits and veggies, packing my lunch, eating breakfast - among other things. If you had told me in early 2006 that I would be eating this way I would have laughed in your face. But my desire to be thinner and have a healthy BMI and feel good about my body outweighed the part of me that wanted to go back to my old ways. Have a relapsed from time to time and made not-so-great choices? Of course. But I've never gone back to the way I used to eat.

On Saturday one of my members sent me my title quote after the meeting. She saw it on a billboard for a real estate office as she was leaving the meeting. It really resonated with her and motivated her to begin a new week. Today I passed the same billboard on my way to dance class and it was a great reminder for me.

This afternoon I visited my naturopath and received the results of my food sensitivity testing. This is the list of foods that I am sensitive to:

Beans (green, kidney, Lima, pinto and yellow)
Cheese
Cherries
Coffee
Crab
Cranberry
Egg (whites only)
Eggplant
Lobster
Cow's Milk (Casein and one of the whey proteins)
Mung bean
Mushrooms
Pepper (black & white)
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Quinoa
Radish
Rape Seed (Canola)
Shrimp
Tomato
Wheat
Yeast (Baker's and Brewer's)

The test also showed that I have candida and a high sensitivity to gluten.

My blood did not react to the other 88 foods they tested for, which means there's an even longer list of foods that I can eat.

Seeing the list today was pretty overwhelming. It confirmed some of the suspicions that my naturopath and I had, but the list also presented a number of sensitivities that surprised me and made me a little bit sad.

I didn't do this test to be sad about it.

It was a big decision to have this test administered. Not only was it rather expensive but it also meant that I would have to do it. I did it because I want to help my body heal itself as much as I can. I did it because I want to avoid surgery as much as possible. I want to be in control of my disease, I don't want it to control me. By finding out the foods that my body is sensitive to, I don't need to follow a one-size-fits-all diet and eliminate foods that are okay for me.

I started WW eating terribly. I now eat healthy, balanced meals each week, which follow my weekly meal plan. Things have changed so much since August 2006, so I know I can do this. The quote on the real estate office reminded me that I have already come so far. This is only another challenge.

So now I prepare. I will be learning about where these foods hide and focus on what I can eat. Beginning this weekend, I will work to eliminate these foods for the next three months. I will keep a (more extensive) journal to monitor the foods I'm eating and how I'm feeling physically. After the three months I will be able to begin slowly bringing some of these foods back into my life. And if they still don't agree with me, I won't eat them. I am going to listen to my body and do what is best for it. It's going to be hard but I'm going to keep a positive attitude (rather than focus on the fact that I'm no longer allowed to eat cheese, Cherry Pie larabars, pineapple, quinoa or oatmeal)

Dearest readers - if any of you have any words of wisdom, advice, suggestions, resources, or food finds to share with me as I undergo this elimination diet please comment! I can use all the help I can get and I thank you in advance.

Everyone who got where he is, began where he was.

I'm ready to do this and give it my all.