I have an auto immune disease, a type of rheumatism called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Exactly what it means is not what this blog is about, but essentially it means I’m in constant pain and I’m battling chronic fatigue and mood swings.
Four years ago, my doctor wanted to put me on scary pills to stop the progression. They came with a long list of side effects none of which I felt like dealing with. The doc gave me a choice – start taking the scary pills or try a low carb diet for six months and let’s see what happens. I chose the diet and spent some time learning more about different low carb diets. In the end I decided to try Atkins because it is the easiest option, and my doc showed me the site www.fitday.com where you can log everything you eat and see exactly how many carbs, calories etc you get. You can also monitor your exercise, your mood, your weight, your measurements, keep a journal and print off reports of all kinds of changes you’re going through. And all of this for free.
When I was out walking this morning I remembered the site and how useful I found it back in 2004, so after breakfast I logged back on and my profile was still there! It was fantastic to look back at what happened back then, and it also inspired me to start using it again during this phase in my New Life Regime. And here are my measurements for today:
I don’t know how much I weigh. Years of weightwatching with weekly weigh-ins taught me that weight, especially in a woman, is a fickle thing not to be trusted or depended upon. My weight fluctuates over the span of a month and can actually change by almost a stone around the time of my period. A positive result at the scales would always throw me off the bandwagon for a day or a week or… My doctor suggested using a measuring tape instead as, after all, you can lose fat and still gain weight as you build muscle. So a measuring tape it is. For me. You should of course do whatever suits you best.
Putting my measurements on display like this makes me feel very exposed. I don’t really like the idea of people checking out my size, but I’ll do it because I said this blog would be a multifaceted journey. My health problems have been a constant struggle in my life, so when working towards a better future we need to include our personal health and fitness too.
If you’re thinking of taking control of your weight and/or your health now is the perfect time to start. Get on the train and let’s do it together!
3 Comments
June 22, 2009 at 11:15 pm
May I ask if you found the low carb diet helpful for your AS symptoms?
Thanks so much,
Stacey
June 25, 2009 at 7:34 am
Hi Stacey, Yes I find that low carb is the only way I can handle my AS without (or with very little) medical management. I noticed a little change after the first three weeks but it took about six months before it was evident. These days (it’s five years down the line now) I can tell right away when I’ve been overdoing it – too many carbs and I get all stiff and achey and I also get headaches and other problems.
June 29, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Thank you for this information. I really (really!) appreciate it.