Thank you for tuning into to my blog. Being new to this writing world, I want to make sure I do not come off sounding like some sort of an expert or worse a disgraced televangelist looking for a new flock of suckers to fleece!
So who am I and why might someone be interested in what I have to say?
For starters, I am just a regular guy, white picket fence, two kids, one dog, two cats living in a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house. I make my living as a freelance mechanical engineer while simultaneously running a custom manufacturing business and an online store; All of which I refer to as starving to death on the installment plan!
In truth, most of my work life has been uninspiring, like a dog eating the same kibble everyday for 35 years (5 dog years). I have always wanted to do something to make a difference in the lives of others. Something meaningful and something real.
I found out I like to write, so after my gallbladder attack, I decided to share my experiences, insights, thoughts and ideas with a group of people facing some of the same health and diet issues associated with no longer having that magical green little bile sack tucked under thier liver!
Since joining several of the Gallbladder Facebook groups and reading through multiple posts, I feel compelled to write this post about shedding the "victim mentality" and gaining a different perspective on the new hand Mother Nature just dealt each of us.
Note: Each of our situations is unique, and some are truly suffering with a host of comorbid issues to go along with a failed gallbladder. Issues so intense that it may not be possible to see things in any light other than fighting for your life. There is no such thing as a shift in perspective or a silver lining when your life is in peril!
Let's have some fun with this but please know that if you are in a survival mode situation, this post is not really targeted at you.
In a previous post I mentioned that prior to gallbladder surgery, I had tried Weight Watchers, Noom, Dr. Oz and these magical cure all Apple Cider gummies to clean up my eating habits and shed that extra 1, 2 or rounding up, call it 18 extra pounds.
What I did not disclose was the reason why I was trying to lose the weight pre-gallbladder attack?
A 15 year old and a 12 year old pair of sons sired by a now 57 year old father is pretty much the reason I do everything. Just protecting the egg!
Sidebar: Last sentence will only make sense if you watch "March of the Penguins", this movie is the definitive guide on the role of parents and our life's purpose!
Doing a little math, there is a reasonable chance that should I still be here to experience grandkids, I may not live long enough for them to have a memorable relationship with thier to be ancient grandpa.
Despite this motivation, it wasn't enough to keep me from hitting the Chips Ahoy like a red headed step child or stopping in a few times a week to purchase that Jack-in-the-Box "Engineered Oreo Cookie Milkshake", the one I still have dreams about since stopping this little habit 6 years ago! No way can anything taste that good and actually have negative food value!
The reality of my situation wasn't food addiction in the traditional sense. I just did not understand how our bodies operate in relation to food? Consuming a low palate fatigue and largely simple carbohydrate diet, specifically engineered by the food industry to hit every dopamine receptor in my brain, was keeping me fat, dumb and happy.
Eating healthy food never crossed my mind because it wasn't inspiring and nothing could compete with the fast, fun, and awesome taste of modern day snack foods, pastries and ice-cream!
I wondered if my pre-gallbladder surgery diet caused gallbladder failure? After a bit of research, the data seems to be inconclusive regarding a high simple carbohydrate diet and gallbladder failure.
Doesn't really matter at this point; like the Hall & Oats song says; She's Gone, Outa my Life, Oh She's Gone!
With my gallbladder as the stakes, Mother Nature was sitting on a pair of pocket rockets (aces) as I chose to go all-in with a duece seven off-suit. In a head to head matchup a pair of bullets wins about 85% of the time and so it was with my gallbladder, I lost! Or did I?
Losing this little organ forced me to do something I could not seem to achieve on my own. Let's call all of the nasty digestive issues post gallbladder removal "just the right amount of negative reinforcement" to get me off of my overweight rearend and force the change that needed to happen anyway! When one door closes the next one opening can nearly break your nose if your are not paying attention.
Here is what has happened since cutting out all of the processed engineered food and adopting a fairly strict Paleo type diet:
Healthiest I have been in years - down the 18 lbs .
Annual physical lab results all solidly in the normal range vs. previous years where they were not quite as good.
No more bloating or digestion issues.
Food I would not even eat pre-surgery tastes amazing. Strawberries - just Wow!
I have learned to cook and prepare my food just the way I like it.
I look forward to finding new and interesting ways to prepare different foods.
I can actually play basketball with my kids again, and as a youth coach, can be more active with all of the athletes.
No more fad diets, supplements or any other diet pills or gummies.
My body actually burns fat for energy vs. storing fat from all of the excess carbs.
I am never hungry. The type of foods I eat stay with me for hours.
Best of all, no scales or worrying about food choices. All of choices have been made, I just eat good food when I am hungry and stop when I am full.
If my situation resonates with your own and you are ready to ditch the poor me, victim routine, embrace the new normal and change!
I encourage you to buy a copy of this book to help you on your journey:
I cannot cover in 50 blog posts the ground Robb Wolf covers in his book.
Good Luck on your Adventure......Paul
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