The year of being beautiful and celebrating me

As 2017 comes to a close, I am opening a new chapter in my life.  I am done with averting my eyes when I walk past mirrors.  Not looking at my body because I am embarrassed by what I will see.  Hating that my thighs rub together.  The double chin from hell.  Cyst zits that come in bad places.  I won't have any of that be a concern any longer, because I am going 100% vegan and as fat free as possible.  I will be following the McDougall plan and continuing to do weight training.

My goals are:

• Stay on the plan for the next 4 months (starting today, December 26, 2017).
• Do weight training at least 3 times per week, every week.
• Do something nice for me that makes me feel good about myself each week.
• See the beautiful person that I am in the mirror any time I see myself.
• Change the language I use in my head when I talk about me.

I know it will be hard. I have tried before.  This needs to be a permanent lifestyle change.

What is different now, you ask?  

Well, I am on the precipice of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and additional joint injuries.  I am taking way too much medication for the asthma and allergies that plague me. I don't want to be that old lady who carries around bags of pills with her, and I don't want to be wheelchair bound.  I don't want an oxygen machine.  I want to be active, happy, and engaged with life.  I want to stay alive through at least my 90's.

As a 43 year old woman, now is the time to take control.  I have been eating crap since Thanksgiving and it has to stop now.  Every time I ate fruitcake, I broke out. Every time I had something with butter in it, I had severe indigestion.  I am gassy and constipated.  I know we never talk about BMs but they are so important.  My GERD is acting up.  I have chronic post nasal drip, and it feels like a touch of bronchitis.  I am so done.  I deserve a better life than this. I want to spend my money on something other than drugs.

Why a lowfat vegan diet?

It is a good question... Many people think it sounds extreme - including my husband and family.  However, when I did it in the past, my allergies and asthma were better. My chronic headache was gone. I was regular.  I lost weight.  It is the healthiest diet on the planet.  It has the least environmental impact.  I am hoping to reduce the arthritis in my knees and hands.  I feel good when I eat that way. Usually my immune system is unbelievably good when I stop eating the animals and their byproducts.  People who go on a lowfat vegan diet do not get heart disease or type 2 diabetes.  

Why weight lifting?

I love being strong. I have a strong mind, and I want the strong body that goes with it. I feel immense satisfaction lifting heavy things with good form. I love breaking my personal records and competing with myself.  I found a group class that is working for me, and I am looking forward to blowing away all my personal records.  Over the last 2 months while I have been working out, I have PRd in so many exercises.  I track it all using an awesome app called Fitocracy.  It gives me points for doing a workout, connects me with like minded people, and gives me encouragement when I am down.  Also, there is a cool robot named Fred who always makes me giggle.

How was today?

So, today was the first day of my lifestyle change.  I ate the Kashi Cinnamon wheats cereal with almond/coconut milk (my husband bought the wrong one... it is ok).  I also had some toast with raspberry jelly.  I had a baked potato (salt & pepper).  We had a bunch of fresh longan fruit (from China - amazing), and then for dinner I had rice with stir fried veggies.  I avoided Christmas cookies, fruitcake, chocolate, beef stew, and butter on my toast.  There was probably some fat in the stir fry because we did fast food today, but I stayed as close to plan as possible, and I call it a win.

How about a workout?

It was leg day. I didn't slay any records but I did get up to 200 lbs for my leg press & I can squat holding 15 pound weights now.  It is a big deal for me, because I broke both of my ankles in the last 3 years, and I have had numerous knee surgeries.  Also, I have been perfecting my lunges, which I never thought I could do again.

Gratitude?

Yeah. So this blogging about food/lifestyle is new, and I am going to try to capture my happy thoughts each day.

• I am grateful that I can walk and do lunges.  
• I am grateful that I had the willpower to make it through the day.
• I am grateful my husband supported me today.