On April 19, 2023, I walked into a routine doctor’s appointment and came out with a wake-up call.
I wasn’t expecting perfection from my lab work—I hadn’t exactly been living like a nutrition poster child. But I wasn’t prepared for how bad it actually was. When my doctor read the numbers out loud, I felt like I was watching someone else’s life unfold.
But no. This was me. My body. My future. And suddenly, it all felt very, very real.
My Starting Numbers
Here they are, in all their unfiltered glory:
- A1C: 10.9%
- Cholesterol (Total): 238 mg/dL
- Triglycerides: 561 mg/dL
- HDL (Good): 26 mg/dL
- LDL (Bad): 113 mg/dL
- Weight: 260 pounds
- Age: 37
The kicker? I had actually been warned a year earlier.
At that time, my A1C was hovering just below 5.9—right on the edge of prediabetes. My doctor gave me the “you should make some changes” talk. I nodded. I listened. And I did… not much.
I thought I had time. I thought it wasn’t that serious yet. Spoiler alert: it was.
Cravings, Habits, and Hard Truths
I’ll admit it—I’m a sucker for salt and savory foods. Give me chips over cake any day. Bread, cheese, takeout, anything comforting and quick… that was my go-to. I wasn’t binging on sugar daily, but I was eating like someone who didn’t think about what food was doing inside their body.
Turns out, it was doing a lot. And not the good kind.
The Shift That Started That Day
I didn’t leave the doctor’s office with a perfect plan. But I left knowing something had to change—and that I had to change it. Not later. Not “someday.” Now.
I’m not here to pretend I suddenly became a salad enthusiast or started working out six days a week. This isn’t that kind of story.
What I did do was start walking more. I started geocaching again—because it gets me outside, gets me moving, and doesn’t feel like a punishment.
I looked at my food, not with guilt, but with curiosity. What could I swap? What could I simplify? What could I eat that didn’t send my blood sugar into outer space?
And maybe most importantly, I stopped waiting to feel motivated. I just started.
The Messy Middle
Here’s the thing no one tells you: starting a health journey at 37 with numbers like mine isn’t glamorous. It’s not aesthetic. It’s not a perfectly packaged “before and after” reel.
It’s mood swings. Cravings. Slipping back into old habits. Getting back up again. Rethinking everything from how I grocery shop to how I handle stress. It’s messy—and I’m okay with that.
That’s why I started this blog. MoodyMessyHungry.com isn’t about perfect health. It’s about honest health. Real food. Real struggle. Real progress.
If you’re out there with similar numbers, feeling overwhelmed, ashamed, or just lost—I get it. I’m there. But I believe we can change. I believe we can do better for ourselves, one day at a time.
And I’m documenting it here so I don’t forget how far I’ve come—or how much farther I want to go.
What’s Next?
I’m sharing everything:
– What I eat (and what I wanted to eat instead)
– My monthly updates, numbers, and wins
– Geocaching adventures as movement
– Healthy habits that don’t involve the gym
-The mindset shifts that keep me going
This isn’t a weight loss blog. It’s a feel better blog.
Let’s see where this goes. Together.
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Have numbers that scared you into action too? I’d love to hear your story in the comments. Let’s make this a space where we root for each other without judgment.