Friday, July 27, 2012

Gearing up.....

.....to begin this new way of eating.  I'm reading recipes, visiting some amazing vegan/vegetarian blogs, writing down things to remember and slowly cleaning up my pantry.  So much will need to go from my pantry; basically, just about all of it eventually.  I'm feeling confident and nervous all at the same time about my doctor visit and getting my numbers from him.  I am curious as to what he will say when i tell him what i'm planning on doing.  Dr. Smith is really fantastic and he actually takes time to listen so i value what he has to say.  I imagine he'll want to keep an eye on me as i'm pretty sure that my numbers will be horrible.  That doesn't bother me as checking in with him will be a sort of accountability thing....besides, i'm curious to see what effect eating this way will have on my numbers.

Summer is still here and it is H.O.T.  As in "miserable" hot.  It really sucks being overweight and being in weather that is hot and humid.  I sometimes feel like i'm moving an un-moveable mass as i try to do anything outside.  I'm not like most women and perspire....i sweat and i sweat a lot.  It's not a pretty sight!  There's no glow about me, just a wet mess.  I wonder what it's like to be a healthy weight and be in this kind of weather.  While i understand that being at a healthy weight won't make life a super-terrific, i do know that it will make life better.  I think that when you feel better, well, things work better.  Not to mention that i hope to stop scanning the location of where ever i am at to see if i am the largest woman there!  Really, these are the kind of things i worry about.  I wonder what i could fill my head up with if i didn't concern myself with stupid things like that!

I am getting excited about the soup recipes that i'm finding.  I've always loved soups....and i'm finding that there are lots of amazing looking vegan/vegetarian soup recipes out there.  I especially love lentils....how funny that i am excited about these sort of things!  I have found some recipes for kale in soup and i'm curious about kale as i've always considered it a decoration and not a veggie!  ;0)

Off to do more reading and searching....

Saturday, July 14, 2012

What?

This weekend, my bunch and i took a weekend trip to Tennessee Aquarium to celebrate our fifth year together as a family. Five years ago, we had just come how with our daughter.  Truly, the best day ever of my life.  Nothing in my life has compared to becoming a mother....i thank God often for my husband and my daughter.  I am forever grateful that these two are in my life...

I love coming to this town....such a pretty town, lots to see and lots of walking to be done.  Granted, this isn't a huge city, but it is a city and i love how you are able to walk to where you want to go, or take a shuttle to get there. The hotel we are staying at is the Chattanoogan and i love staying here.  They have the most amazing rocking chairs.  Needless to say, i've been looking forward to this trip for a while.

The Aquarium was really busy, even for a Saturday.  I did what i do best and what is one of my favorite things to do: people watch.  As much fun as that usually is (i love seeing how many people are here from other countries!), today, people watching wasn't as much fun.  Today i noticed something that i've noticed before while people watching.....there are many, many overweight families. And just not a little overweight, either.  What was really sad was noticing that not only were the parents overweight, but the little children were overweight, too.

It was sad, watching how out of breath many folks were and how much they were sweating. Little children with round, red faces from running, out of breath.  Please understand that i'm not bashing or making fun of anyone.  After all, i am one of those overweight people that i'm talking about.  It's just that i am noticing just how many of us there really are. We are not 10, 15 pounds overweight.  We are more along the lines of 65 pounds and higher overweight.  I am noticing just how many of us need to stop eating the junk we eat and start taking better care of ourselves and our families.  Maybe one day, i can somehow help others to eat a plant based diet by what i'm now learning....i think that if parents eat this way and offer children very limited choices (healthy choices!), we would have a good chance of beating this unhealthy kind of lifestyle we currently have.  But it has to start with the parents, i think.....i think that parents have to lead by example.  Parents can't say one thing and do another.  It just won't work.

Yep, i would say that i'm learning a lot, wouldn't you?  ;0)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Missing the beach....


.....so much this morning.  I'm not sure what it is about the beach that makes me feel so much at peace.  Perhaps it's the air, the waves or maybe just to be able to listen to the waves at night as i relax.  Whatever it is, i'm missing it very much this morning.

I have found some amazing veggie-bloggers and sites!  I'm totally thrilled as i will be following and learning from these sites.  One of my favorite is Veggie Belly.  Beautiful photos, yummy recipes....the kind of things i love.  There is a bean burger recipe on there that looks amazing and that i'm anxious to try.  I also have found a few lentil recipes; lentils are one of my favorite things to eat.  My mother use to make a simply delicious lentil soup for me....it was my comfort soup as was her split pea soup.  There is also Dr. Fuhrman's Famous Anti-Cancer Soup that looks like a good place for me to start with my soup cooking.  I'm so thankful that i've found so many great vegan/vegetarian sites as it's nice to have a road map to follow!

My sweet husband is a bit concerned about us eating this way.  I think that for the time being, i'll do the 6-week program and if he decides to follow, that's fine.  I don't want to push anyone, not even my sweet husband, to follow this 6-week plan if it doesn't feel right.  I'm not going to make a big deal about this, i'm just going to do this.

My complete physical is on August 7 at 8am.  My doctor's office rescheduled it when i spoke to the nurse and told her what i was planning.  She said that the blood work that i need to have done is best done in the morning and being first appointment will allow my doctor time to sit and chat a bit.  I'm lucky in that i totally love my doctor and am thankful that he is a straight-shooter.  He will tell me exactly the truth, explain the how's and why's and give me an honest opinion.  I'll be slated to go back to his office after my first 6-week program to get my numbers re-done....

A busy day today....i better get to it.

Monday, July 9, 2012

The Long Road


Since coming home from our beach vacation, i've been in a bit of a contemplating mode.

Thoughts sometimes rush though my head as i read recipes or learn even more about being a vegan/vegetarian.  It literally means a complete overhaul of the way i eat and live. It means a commitment to eating and living in a way that require disciplined and finding new ways to eat.

It really comes down to "Eating to Live".  At my age, i finally see the importance of what i put into my body.  What you put into your body is what your body fuels itself with.  If you put good stuff into your body, your body then fuels itself with good fuel.  If you choose to put bad stuff into your body, your body then fuels itself with bad fuel.  Your body can only use what you choose to put into it; nothing more, nothing less.  I only wish that it hadn't taken me so long to figure this simple, yet important, concept out.

"Empty calories are empty calories.  Cookies, jams, and other processed foods
 (even those from a health-food store) sweetened with 'fruit juice' sound healthier 
but are just as bad as white-sugar products."  
~Eat to Live

Yes, i had to read that paragraph a few times as i truly believed that things sweetened with fruit juice were on the 'good' list of foods to eat.  I have eaten an enormous amount of food sweetened with fruit juice thinking that i was doing a good thing....

As raw as one can eat seems to be the best way to eat.

I have a my doctor's appointment coming up soon.  I'm getting a complete physical with blood work done to get my numbers.  The thought of doing this makes me want to hurl, but i need a starting place to document.  I will tell you that every time i've ever stepped on a scale at a doctor's office, i've wanted to literally kick his scale through the wall.  I tell myself, "It's just a number, it's just a number, it's just a number' in a chant but that number has always meant so much more.  The number has always been an indication to me of my level of health.  Too high a number means i fail horribly....stunning what power i give a scale, something i STEP on, so much power, eh?

I'm off to the store for some much needed items and to get some items that i've never heard of to make what looks like amazing food.  I'm going to try a new recipe tomorrow night; i'll be sure to post the recipe and thoughts about it.  I have so many new recipes to try that i'm excited about cooking....which really hasn't happened in a long time, lol....

Off i go....