Dark Horse 2013

Dark Horse 2013

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Big Changes


"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are" 
- Morgan, John Pierpont

Six months ago I was sick. I had chronic headaches, muscle aches, joint aches, asthma, sluggishness, depression, sleepiness. Even though I was accomplishing things throughout my day, I still did not have enough energy to do all of the things that were on my mind. I had to take naps everyday to try and keep up with my schedule, a schedule I just wanted to pack more on. The more I tried to pack onto my schedule, the worse my symptoms got. 

However six months ago I had no idea that I even had these symptoms. Many of them I had lived with for so long, I just forgot that they were there. My rheumatoid arthritis pains I had associated with athletic injuries. My chronic headaches I associated with a busy schedule. My asthma I associated with me just not being fit enough (hah I know that sounds really funny).

"When you expect things to happen -- strangely enough -- they do happen." 
 - Morgan, John Pierpont

Over the past few months I have been a long and life changing journey. After being diagnosed with RA, I became very much aware that I was sick.Western medication and all the pills did absolutely nothing. 

In fact, it wasn't until my previous post at the beginning of this month that I finally saw changes in myself. The past month I have strictly adhered to my diet. Actually I am not going to call it a diet. I am going to call it a lifestyle change. The dietary change in my life has made me, at least when I strictly adhere to it, symptom free. 

I cannot even begin to explain how good it feels to not wake up without a headache. To wake up feeling like I actually got sleep. To wake up and hit the ground running with no coffee, sugar, or traditional breakfast foods. To workout and not be able to breathe because the workout is friggin hard, not because my lungs are inflamed. To be full after a meal full of green vegetables. To be able to say "no" to a piece of chocolate (that is a huge amount of will power, folks).

Now only to I feel better, but I look better. I get compliments about how my skin glows. My co-workers tell me that I smile more. My athletes realize that I actually do have eyes in the back of my head and can see them slacking off! Also, I have not taken a mid afternoon nap since the beginning of May! On top of that, I have had so much energy that I have been able to work out 5-6 days a week, up to three times a day! Not only can I workout hard, but I am injury free and have enough patience to actually stretch, practice yoga, and work on mobility almost everyday. 

This routine has been something I have wanted to accomplish for years. And in the past few weeks is the first time in my life where I finally can, and am well enough to look in the mirror and see my changes! 

Look for yourself!
January 2013

June 2013



I also have hit a bunch of new PR's in crossfit...

March:
Power Clean: 135lbs
Clean+Jerk: 125lbs
Power Snatch: 105lbs
Back Squat: 135lbs

June:
Power Clean: 160lbs
Clean+Jerk: 145lbs
Power Snatch: 125lbs
Back Squat: 155bs


I know that it might seem crazy that I love to workout as much as I do. The fact is, that it is just really fun for me. I love comparing myself, being competitive, setting goals, and feeling confident. 

Now that I have found I can do all of the things I dream about, I am just extremely excited to keep continuing with my lifestyle change and see where this new light at the end of the tunnel will take me.

"Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see farther." 
- Morgan, John Pierpont

Oh and one more thing...thank you all for your support! Since my last post, I have gotten some overwhelmingly awesome supporters. I felt a new drive to keep at it and now I have realized that I never want to turn back!













Saturday, June 8, 2013

Food For Thought

The other day I heard very disheartening but very true statement: "In the United States we have a disease management system, not a health care system" This statement made me think about the fast food, candy, soda, alcohol and the millions of dollars companies will put into advertising these products.

 These products are all hurting us. They are all causing disease. And the worst part is, no one really cares.

When it comes to not caring, I am one to blame. I have a track record of auto-immune diseases, illness, and injury; receiving my first auto-immune diagnosis when I was 16. How did I get this way? Well I am probably genetically predisposed to some of it, especially how my body reacts to food. Random food sensitivities aside, my main problem is sugar. That's right I admit it. I am addicted to sugar and it is killing me slowly.

For the most part, I would really like to be following my diet plan to a T. But sometimes it is just too hard.  Not only are the billions of dollars of food marketing weighing down on my unfulfilled stomach, so are broke college kid problems and societal pressures.

I may not go for that McDonalds burger that looks so good on the 10 billboards I just passed on the highway, but I could sure go for those skittles that are sitting right at the counter when paying for my gas.

With all of these pressures weighing down on me, it is very hard to keep a strict diet at all times. Even now that I understand the health risks and see a nutritionist, I only half-heartedly am following my diet plan. This is difficult because when I slip and eat badly, I feel badly and my symptoms come back. Then I just get frustrated because I did all of that strict diet work for nothing. THEN my friends and family think that I am frustrated at them, when really I just feel like crap again. So they will all go out without me because they feel that is the best way to go about things.

Actually as I write this, most of my friends are out at bars or eating fancy dinners. They will come home and they will tell me all about the fun that they had, wishing that I come and join them. This is the absolute worst. These people that are so close to me have no idea how badly I want to join them. I even do go out sometimes, letting my diet slip and then feeling shitty for a few days after. But no one understands how I really feel. So jokes are made about how I diet and how "I'm in good enough shape so it must just be all in my head".

Unfortunately this cycle starts and restarts over and over. It has been a constant battle of mine for the past year, and it is time for me to take a stand and stop it.

I need to somehow stop this cycle. Right now I am 20, and at the end on the summer I will be 21. I am currently taking 7 pills a day to manage my diseases. 7 pills at the age of 20......that scares the shit out of me! Where will I be at 30? 40? Will I even live to old age? Will I be well? Will I be happy??

Unfortunately these questions are ones that I feel like many of Americans are asking themselves. They have the same pressures and do not know where to turn for help.

Somehow I need to get away from this backwards health care system in the United States. I need to put my foot down and be strict with this diet stuff. Because in reality, it is the only light I can see at the end of my tunnel. If I want a drug-free life that I can live fully for years to come, I need to do this.

But in order for me to do this, I need some help. I need some self confidence in my ability to get better. In order to do that, I need to have friends and family that will fully support this change. Right now I don't feel fully supported, and it is extremely difficult for me to go about this diet without the fear of losing great relationships with people. I know that many others who have been dealt the same hand as me feel the same way.

So please, if you know someone who is trying to make a lifestyle change, give them your support. 

Even just confident statements and reassuring that you are behind them 100% are enough to keep them on the right track. I know that is all that I am looking for. No matter what it takes, I am still going to fight on. I am going to try my best to stay away from the pressures and to be fully committed to making my lifestyle health change.