The Culprit and The Cure

OK, so here I am bringing myself to the brink of cardiac arrest 3 out of 4 days but I had made little other changes. When I lost so much weight in my college years, I did it through serious workouts and a restrictive diet. I must have eaten two Iowa counties of corn and peas, and I’m certain Tyson named a chicken house in my honor. So I knew how to do it, but didn’t want to.

About the same time, I saw a Facebook status from a friend referencing a book. A book that would take my dedication to another level and have another profound impact on me like CF. I ordered it and within the first 100 pages, I made significant changes to my life. Not the kind from false inspiration, the kind from a deep down shift in belief.  A permanent shift.

The book is called “The Culprit and the Cure”  and it exposed my failings so clearly. It scared me even though the author clearly didn’t intend to. Within the first few pages, I determined that my lifestyle choices put me at HIGH RISK for DYING 20 years early. You heard correctly... 20 YEARS EARLY. That means I would only be 10 years removed from a cubicle before I wound up in an even smaller box. I knew that I was killing myself with my habits, but I assumed it was just a couple of years AND “surely medicine will have solutions by then”. HA. Try 20 years you dumbass. That meant my life was already 62% complete.  Let's break it down:

Overweight – 11y

Lack of Normal BP – 3.7y (only slightly high now but sure to rise)

Doesn't eat nuts 5x per week – 2.5y

Doesn't exercise regularly – 2.4y

Total for me = 19.6y

The book is by a doctor who took a 2 year sabbatical to pour through all the respectable fitness and dietary research available. He was not attempting to definitely study any aspect of health on his own. Instead, he was trying determine what ALL the research would suggest as the best way to maintain a healthy body. He acknowledges ALL studies in his research even if they conflict with common sense. He basically gave it all a fair shake and plotted out the most likely conclusion based on what the majority of studies show. Then he created some really simple rules to maximize your life:

Eating:

5+ fruits and pure form veggies a day

whole grains only (every meal)

poultry/dairy/fish: 0 – 2 times per day

red meat 1 /week or less

nuts 1/day

no refined sugars, fat solids, refined flour

little to no alcohol (more on this later)

Exercise:

30 mins per day of moderate intensity mixing cardio and strength training

That’s it. I started immediately and have been doing it for 4 weeks. The changes came quick: 

Anyone that knows me, knows I sweat… a LOT. I don’t wear a jacket unless it gets below 25 degrees. My wife and I fight over the thermostat. My "hot naturedness" was really bad. My buddies nicknamed me CastleDew because my dew point is so damn low (I sweat at 65 degrees). After starting this diet, it COMPLETELY switched my thermostat within a week. I suddenly realized I was COLD in the house.  I surprised my wife by turning the heat up instead of down.  Something was definitely wrong with me before but I’m too scared to try and find out what it was LOL.

My energy is incredible. It is constant from the moment I rise until the moment I sleep…. no more 3 o’clock sleepiness. And of course, I am dropping weight faster than Toyota is shedding customers.  The cool thing about this way of eating is that if I'm hungry, I eat.   Seriously, I eat as much as I want as long as I don't violate the restrictions.

I thought the hardest change would be alcohol.... I've been drinking for a long time.  But choices must be made :D