I’m a mess. It’s January 30th, and I’m standing on frozen White Bear
Lake with my husband, Kyle, and his friends, who are about to jump into
the frigid water for the Special Olympics’ Polar Plunge. But I can’t
jump — not because I’m afraid (although I’m not expecting to like
jumping into a frozen lake), but because I’ve been fighting a horrible
cold for two weeks and I’m positive this will just exacerbate my
condition. And when it comes to a head-and-chest cold, especially when
it strikes during a dark and cloudy Minnesota winter, the faster one
can heal, the better.
I registered for this fundraising dip into arctic waters with
the full intention to dive right in as a celebration of my husband’s
30th birthday. But as I watch the plungers line up, myself now a
coughing and sniffling bystander, I realize this persistent illness
symbolizes the damage I’ve done to myself over the past three years:
overworked, overextended, overweight. Since my wedding in 2006, when I
was at what I now conclude as my “happy weight,” I’ve gained 65 pounds.
Although that’s the most daunting and obvious side effect of
my unchecked lifestyle, it’s not the only aspect that troubles me: my
home never feels clean, the chores seeming endless and unmanageable —
organization, something I pride myself on at work, is lacking in my
home office and closets; my dog, a quirky basenji named Ladybird, can
be a terror, naughty because her mom doesn’t walk her or train her
consistently; my workouts are sparse, maybe once or twice a month over
the past few years; and my diet is crap — too much fast food, fried
and comfort food at restaurants and for take-out, diet sodas daily,
lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, and, yes, too much alcohol.
Why am I telling you this? Why be so honest about my
indiscretions? Because I don’t think I’m alone. I’m an intelligent
woman with a blossoming career and a happy, loving marriage and
wonderful support system. But I, like many, have misplaced my
priorities. I’ve let work rule my life, I’ve let stress take me down,
and I’ve let easy yet poor food choices dominate my diet — for all of
which I am responsible. I’m sharing this with you, dear readers of my
blog, because I feel that these problems, sadly, have become universal
in America today.
Since I joined the Experience Life team in January,
I’ve discovered a plethora of information and resources to help me
change my ways. Nutrition questions? Ask senior editor Anjula Razdan.
Fitness challenges? Senior editor Jen Sinkler
can help. While poring through health studies for fact-checking our
stories, I have learned things that shocked and surprised me —
information that has already prompted changes in my lifestyle. I’ll be
using the advice in the magazine, as well as the upcoming Take Action Challenge, to institute a lasting impact, one you’ll be able to read about here in Coming Clean.
I know that I can take control of this downward spiral and I
believe wholeheartedly that I can choose to clean up my act. I
challenge you to follow me and do the same.
i believe you are good at writing. a good writter need many good topics
Way to go, Courtney! We’re here for you, all the way!
It’s not easy to come clean, but it is totally the first step to gaining control. Congrats Courtney for taking this difficult step! I struggle with the same things you have described, but have now decided it’s time for a lifestyle change. I look forward to reading about your journey as I continue on my own path. Thanks for sharing your story!
It’s true, Karen: Change can only happen if you desire it. Thanks for reading!
Thanks, Robin! I have done Ann Gittleman’s Fast Track Detox Diet that you mentioned, and recently attempted Mark Hyman’s UltraSimple Diet (a seven-day detox, essentially an elimination diet of all inflammatory foods) and was really pleased with the results. (For the UltraSimple, I say attempted because I only made it to day 5, but think I’ll have better luck next time if I include the preparation week, where you cut back on all sugars, fats, alcohol, and caffeine.) Both really made me more aware of how my body responds to certain foods. Not having caffeine for a few days when you’re hooked on it can be a shock to the system! Look for my detox posts in the new few weeks.
Way to go Courtney, for coming clean! Not easy. But it’s the first step. I want to join you in your efforts because I too, need to work on getting healthy to improve all the aspects in my life that are affected by unhealthy behaviors. Today, I just started the Liver Detox program as explained in Experience’s October 2009 issue. I’ve done this before and LOVED it!! It’s a great way to get back on the healthy track. I look forward to your blog, Courtney and your help in my quest for better health!
I think we can all relate to some if not all of the same problems you are struggling with in your life. Some of us have been struggling for so long we have resigned ourselves that we will live with these unhealthy lifestyle CHOICES for the rest of our lives. Ah, there’s the heart of the problem, and the solution isn’t it – the choices we make! I solute you in your effort to start fresh and will look forward to being a part of and learning from your coming clean!