Four gallons of water

On October 29th of this year, I had my annual checkup with my doctor. Before the appointment, I was asked to have blood drawn so we could see how my health was. It wasn't pretty. As I had anticipated, my cholesterol was off the charts, my glucose was in the diabetic range, and my blood pressure, already being controlled by meds, was increasing. In short, I my health was that of an "average American" these days. I left the appointment that day with two new prescriptions, and a healthy scare.

I realized I needed to make some changes in my lifestyle to try to rein in these health issues. Technically, I have been losing weight steadily for the last 5 years or so- about 20 pounds to be exact. But it wasn't good enough to prevent these other health issues from popping up. With this scare motivating me, I decided to jump on the low-carb wagon again and stick to it seriously. For several weeks, I ate pretty much protein, green vegetables, and cheese; I've been familiar with this method of eating for many years now, but never measured the results. In addition, I started long walks with the dog three times a week. One month after I started, I went back to see my doctor, and both she and I were amazed at the results.

All the high results in my blood panels had dropped- specifically, in the case of the cholesterol, a drop of a hundredfold. My glucose was measured at almost half of what it was the previous appointment, my blood pressure had dropped, and I had lost 10 pounds. Additional related effects have included my clothes fitting better- to the point of having to buy new jeans, and an increased energy level. All due to a magic combination of diet and exercise.

It's been three weeks since that last appointment, and I've increased my exercise to a 3.5 mile daily walk, and lost an additional 5 pounds. I test my glucose levels and blood pressure regularly, and both have dropped even more. The tangible feedback is a huge motivator. My next appointment is January 8, and I'm determined to be 10 pounds lighter than my last appointment. I'm halfway there.

So what's the four gallons of water referring to in the title of this post? Today, I carried a 3 gallon jug of water. In the last 5 years, I've lost the equivalent weight of about 4 gallons of water. Ever carry 4 gallons of water? Everywhere you went? Yeah, I don't carry that anymore; and it feels good. Just more tangible, real world feedback...