Starting September 9

[HealthyPhD]

I was planning to start today (September 8) but I was on the road and decided it would be easier to just wait one more day. I've been mostly paleo/primal for two years now but what started out as 100% compliance slid to 90/10 which became 80/20...you get the picture. I initially lost 50 pounds and was down to a pretty comfortable size for me (still about 20-30 lb overweight but felt like myself and had lots of energy and strength), but quickly regained 20 starting around this time last year and leveling off at about 195 (I'm 5'4'') around January. I managed to stabilize, which is amazing, and I focused on maintaining my weight and getting comfortable in my body, but my joint pain and irregular menstrual cycle tells me that while weight maintenance and body positivity is all fine and well, there is still work to be done on the inside no matter how comfortable I get in my size 14-16 frame. 

The next six months are going to be tough because I have officially passed my dissertation proposal defense and I am in the final intensive writing phase of my degree program. The stress level is high and I need to be 100% on top of my game all the time. I know that eating right and eliminating alcohol can help me concentrate and work better and faster, but the amount of time spent on food prep can sometimes feel prohibitive. I want to commit to this now, while I'm just setting out, to solidify my routine moving forward as the pressure mounts. I also have the added motivation of trying to inspire my boyfriend, who is fifteen years my senior, to take better care of himself after a major hypertension scare last week. 

 

I'll post starting weight and measurements in the morning and then hide the scale and tape measure for the next month. Wish me luck!