Let me introduce myself....

Hello there !

My name is Karen and I need to lose some weight.... Please don't feel bad for me because I am about to do something about that .. and I am starting right now.

First things first, I am not a Kardashian with a personal chef or personal trainer. (although I sometimes really wished I was, minus the camera of course). I am a real girl who struggles to wake up in the morning so I can get to work and spend up to 8-9 hrs in front of a computer ( that is on a good day ).

Every day I start my day with every intention to make healthy choices but that pretty much goes out the window every night at about 8pm when I am stuffing my mouth with just about anything that is in my path.

I have a husband who lives a very healthy life full of exercise and self control so unfortunately he just does not understand why I just have to have that last piece of bread.

I have been on almost every self defecating crash diet. I have starved myself and lost weight but like most women out there, I gained every pound right back. I have had a love hate relationship with food for most of my life and I am ready to make peace. I am ready to just do it... I don't expect to be perfect and become a tri-athlete in 6 months, but then again you never know what can happen in a few years ( wink wink )

Currently I am in my 35th year of life ( 5 months into it to be exact ) and it took me this all this time finally arrive to the place I find myself in now. In 2012 I got slapped with an array of health problems, from thyroid issues, insulin intolerance and the Pièce de résistance.. Infertility.

I don't think you are ever prepared for someone to tell you that you can't have kids. Most important I don't think you are ever prepared to actually think that your eating habits might have something to do with it. Now to be clear , my doctor has NOT told me my eating habits have caused my premature ovarian failure BUT I have come across a lot of information that leads me to believe that I might be able to do something to give me ( even if it's a 5% chance ) an opportunity to heal my body and get pregnant.

My priority here is not to just get pregnant. My goal here is to HEAL my body. mind, soul and spirit. There is no time like the present right.

A few weeks back I came across some PBS presentation about the VIRGIN DIET by JJ Virgin. Don't let the title mislead you, this book is not about getting on a diet. It's about a life style with includes eliminating 7 foods that are tied with food sensitivities:

Soy
Corn
Gluten
Dairy
Sugar and artificial sweeteners
Eggs
Peanuts

This is how the process is defined online:

What to do: Eliminate these items from your diet for 3 weeks and watch the weight melt off, perhaps one pound per day or more. Then, add back one of these foods at a time and notice your body's reaction. If you develop any symptom - headache, fatigue, digestive upset, congestion, mood changes, or others - you'll know you are sensitive and should continue avoiding such food. Even if you are not sensitive, items 1-5 should always be kept to a minimum in a healthy diet. source

Now it may sound extreme but then again it really is not. This is not the first time I have heard that these foods cause negative reactions in your body and after reading a book called " Inconceivable: Winning the Fertility Game by Julia Indichova " ( where the writer achieved getting pregnant by making lifestyle changes even when every doctor told her it was not possible ) This diet just makes sense to me at this point in my life.

Being that I have to deal with controlling my insulin levels, I don't think I can go wrong eliminating most of these foods.. and to be honest I have pretty much been doing a version of something similar on and off for quite a while.. now it's just time to put it all together and get serious.

So today in addition to opening this new blog, I have decided to make a plan and seeing how far I can get. Also if at anytime I can motivate or inspire anyone with my story.. it would be the icing on the cake.

Well that is all for now. I will be back tomorrow to talk about some of my plans for the week including my prepare ahead meals and menu.



Until then.. Karen