I’ve tried my fair share of “diets”. Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Ketogenic. I found that cutting Gluten & Dairy was the easiest way for me to lose weight, 5-6 years ago. Here’s the thing… I would like to lose weight. There is a number on the scale, that when I hit it, I start to notice I don’t feel the greatest… Let me preface this by saying… I’m large by any means, no I don’t have body dysmorphia, I’m not trying to lose 20-30 lbs… I mostly would like to tone up and feel better about myself.
Now at the ripe old age of 38… I’m realizing that losing weight is not as easy as it once was. For the past 2 months, I’ve been trying to do some form of intermittent fasting, and just being more aware of what I’m eating. Not so much snacking, waiting to eat, cutting out a lot of extra sugar. And the scale? It’s gone UP.
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL HELL? It’s almost like the harder I try, the more the weight hangs on. I’ve started riding my Peloton more, trying to do more strength training, getting good sleep, no alcohol, upping my water intake. Nothing. I know people try to tell you to trust the process, you’ll gain muscle and that might make the scale go up… The common lie is that “muscle weighs more than fat”. That’s not true. They weigh the same, but muscle is denser, so don’t worry about the scale, go off of measurements. I keep repeating this to myself… BUT I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE SCALE CHANGE!!!
In December, I asked Ryan for a HUME scale. Being the smart man he is, he told me he would not be buying me that for Christmas, because he would feel like a horrible husband. (He’s bought me a peloton bike for our anniversary in 2020, and the Peloton tread for my birthday in 2024. I promise I asked for both)
Not thinking that I was ridiculously out of shape, I stepped on the Hume scale a few weeks before Christmas and was sucker punched in the gut. If you’re unfamiliar with this scale, it sends electro pulses through your body measuring bone density, muscle mass, BMI, fat percentages, metabolic health, metabolic age and more, thus calculating out an “overall health score”. The number I saw was jarring. Metabolic age was way older than my actual age, all of my numbers were considered “HIGH”. It basically told me I was fat and ugly and sucked all the joy out of life. Clearly, this is not an ad for the scale… because I’m not quite 100% happy with it. Even though it does give good information.
Meanwhile, my husband, who is in the BEST SHAPE OF HIS LIFE, had the BMI and metabolic age of a MUCH YOUNGER MAN. Just call me a cougar, because I’m married to a 19 year old apparently.
All this to say, I want to lose weight, but I’m not willing to give up my reason for living. And that reason is bread and cheese. Gluten & Dairy. I don’t know how to function without it. It’s just so good.
I was going through an old sketch book from 2018 and this one made me laugh. I used to be able to grate cheese and not eat it. HOW? I just love cheese too much to give it up. I know it’s easier these days with all the “dairy free alternatives” but sooo much of that is processed beyond belief and makes you go… hmmm… should I really be eating this?
I can’t confirm this was the cause, but in 2023 I had an upper endoscopy that discovered stomach polyps and bleeding. Once I cut out the oat milk creamer and coffee, then added fermented foods I notice a difference and actually HEAL my stomach. So what’s worse? Dairy or fake dairy products.
I think I’m just trying to convince myself now that I can eat dairy and gluten, just in moderation. Everything in moderation. I’m praying that once this bathroom renovation is done, I’ll chill out a little, my cortisol will lower and maybe I’ll start seeing some changes.
Okay, until next time.