Crisis Averted... Somewhat.

Last week, I had been put against a very harsh ultimatum: I lose 3lbs in one week or I was out of the Navy’s Delayed Entry Program.  I sought the council of my friends and was suggested a rather frighteningly unhealthy diet for the next week: magnesium citrate, OTC diuretics, along with juiced meals and vigorous walking.  Given my plan, I assembled the items needed at CVS and began my mission.

Immediately, after walking through the door of my house, I cracked open the bottle of magnesium citrate and began to guzzle.  The taste was a lot better than I thought it was and I’m no stranger to foul tasting laxatives (Epsom salt has got to be the worst tasting I’ve had so far).  It was a lot gentler too than what I was expecting; again, quite akin to laxatives that induced cramps and turn your insides into knots.  It was so gentle, I almost doubted that it would be any way close to being effective for me.  Yet, I was quite wrong.  The next day, the purge began.  I’ll spare you all the messy details, though, I’ll just say, all in all, it was the best experience I had with a laxative… ever.  And that’s probably not a phrase you hear very often.  The diuretic I took Saturday since the pharmacist my mother and I had talked to said taking them both simultaneously would ruin my kidneys.
While, I’ll admit, I did not stick to the liquid diet that was proposed to me, from Friday to Wednesday (excluding Saturday and Sunday), three times a day, I walked for thirty minutes; 1 minute at a normal pace, 3 minutes at a brisk pace.  I did religiously, though, forgoing walking outside in the rain and doing some intense step cardio on Tuesday.  I made sure to keep myself hydrated and fed, though, of course, making sure not overeat.  I noticed that I did trim down a little bit, especially around my hips.  I’m definitely gonna chalk it up to the walking.

Yet, this morning, around 2 or 3, I woke up to go to the bathroom and I stepped onto the scale.  I had actually gained two pounds.  Desperate and full of panic, I rushed to the cabinet where we kept the vitamins and reached for a really, really strong laxative.  My mother stopped me just in time before I did anything that could have done some serious damage.
Again, like she did a few weeks ago, she sat me down and prayed with me.  She told me that not joining the Navy was not the end of the world and that if it didn’t happen this time around, there may be a next time, or even a better opportunity waiting.  I, of course, did not want to hear that.  I was at a point where I was tired of giving my everything into something and not getting what it was that I ultimately wanted because of someone else.  Whether it be because I gave into their pressure or, in this case, because someone didn’t think I was trying enough.
After we finished praying, I went to bed, still rather glum.  I crawled into bed and pulled the sheets up over my head.  And I sobbed.  I boohooed, cried, and wept.  I sniffled to God and asked why he would bring me up so far, only for me to be turned away, just like that?  If this were the case, then there was no point in waking me up in the morning, because just to go and weigh myself only to be humiliated was pointless.  I pleaded with him for a while until I went back to sleep, not waking up until late in the morning.

I was awake, so apparently he was going to fix this problem.  Yet I weight myself and I was back down to 167lbs.  I wasn’t 170lbs, yet the 167 didn’t show any progress.  I trudged onto PT, ready to get my expulsion over with.  Yet, when I saluted myself in, I noticed the my LPO was no where in sight!  He’s the guy I made the deal with and the only guy that can sign my “get lost” papers.  This was awesome!  I still had time!
I tried my hardest during PT (we played football), just to show them that just because I was “overweight” did not mean I could not keep up.  I put my all in with no complaints.  I was so grateful to God that he had managed to buy me more time.  I had all of Christmas break to do it the right way and show some actual progress and I think he’s showing me that, because using shortcuts would not put me in the right kind of shape to do any sort of physical activity while in RTC.

In addition to running (which, unfortunately, is an absolute bore), I’m going to try to do some HIIT workout videos, as well as the walking, so as to mix up my routine.  I want to mix up my routine, get my weight down, increase my endurance, and just get in shape all around.

This is my dream and I’m in charge of the scenes!