Welcome to those interested in following my progress, and perhaps offering me your advice, support and/or guidance. I am keeping this journal as a way to motivate myself, hold myself accountable, and make this process as interesting and fun as possible. Maybe this journal will be helpful to someone else too, which would be great!
About me:
I am a thirty-nine-year-old woman. Married with two lovely children, and living in the Great White North.
I have been a vegetarian for 14 years, and 97% plant-based for the past 5 or so. Yet, I am overweight. Not drastically so, but I could certainly benefit from losing 15 lbs. at 5’9” and 150 lbs. I walk about 1 - 1 1/2 hours 4 times per week. As I start to feel more energetic, I would like to exercise more. I am going for a physical next week, so I will have actual numbers like blood pressure and whatnot to put up. The only medication I take is for hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's, something that was diagnosed when I was 20, and has a genetic component. Fortunately, it appears to be under control.
A couple of years ago a doctor confirm something I had always suspected - that I have ADHD. It explained a lot!
It has been a helpful diagnosis overall because I finally understand myself and I have found, and continue to find, ways to better navigate my life. The thing is, ADHD actually interferes with my healthy eating more than one would think because I struggle with routine, being impulsive, and staying interested and motivated when making changes in my life. My M.O. is to become extremely excited about something, talk about nothing else for a while (driving everyone around me crazy) only to struggle to keep my focus and energy there, finally getting distracted and abandoning it completely. Then comes a visit from my old friends, guilt and anxiety. I know this is a cycle even non-ADHD people are familiar with. I should also mention that my ADHD is unmedicated, and I plan to keep it that way. I do hope that diet will have a positive impact on my symptoms. Habit is something I need to develop when it comes to food, plus generate some ideas to deal with situations where I might otherwise be impulsive.
Having tried again and again to make this commitment stick, only to find myself bingeing on off-plan junk foods, I have consequently lost faith in myself. I do hope to regain that faith along the way. So, my first baby step forward and toward success is signing up to this forum.