Trust the process. 3 super scary words for someone that's a bit of a control freak- raise your hand if you can relate!
I am entering week 4 of my hormone balancing protocol and wasn't sure I would make it. The first 3 weeks of no caffeine(OK, I had 2 caffeinated lattes the first 12 days) I was stuggling! I mean really wiped out. I always swore that caffeine didnt affect me, didn't change my energy levels, didn't impact my sleep, etc but man was I wrong. I dragged myself home after work and was in bed at 7:30 a couple of nights. I continued to get up at 4:30 and do my 30 minute workouts, even though my strength and my heart were not in it. Toward the end of this week I seemed to turn a corner- thank goodness. I had been in touch with my Functional Medicine Provider and she increased my adrenal support and I bought a glucose monitor and started tracking my blood sugar. As it turns out, the times I was most fatigued during the day were the times that I was very close to hypoglycemia.
Being someone who likes to follow the rules, I have tried to just eat 3 meals and no snacks because that's what all the "experts" say. They say that a well balanced meal should keep you satiated and full of energy for 4-6 hours and if you snack you are not able to burn through your stored fat because your body uses the calories you are continously taking in. However this does not take into account my adrenal issues and hormone imbalances. Guess who is the expert of your body..... YOU! I started tracking my food again(insert sigh here), which I hate, but it's data. It made me realize that I am not eating nearly enough protein so have added an extra protein shake as an afternoon snack when my blood glucose crashes around 2:30. Imagine my surprise that with that additional afternoon snack on board, when I get home from work I am not acting like a mad woman shoving food in my face ASAP(which is usually a recipe for overeating and not wanting my healthy dinner that I had planned!).
Another pleasant surprise this week is that I am sleeping better. I am still sleeping the exact same number of hours that I was prior to this protocol, but am waking up actually feeling rested. I can't tell you when I last woke up actually feeling like I had slept, it is amazing.
So I am trusting the process and using the data. I am experimenting some more with what is working for me right now in this phase of my healing journey because it looks different from how it was 6 months or a year ago. We are dynamic beings and change is inevitable, so trust the process but don't be afraid to tweak as needed. If we listen closely enough, our bodies are telling us what they need.
Let's see what life hands me this week, and may I have the energy and presence of mind to forge ahead.
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