Day 128: Do Your Best...

...forget the rest.

Anyone who has joined the p90x cult knows what I'm talking about. High five!

Apparently, I'm the only person in the world who has yet to see an advertisement for p90x. So I am very thankful to my wonderful beau for introducing me to the workout. Because it is incredible...and I'm only one week into it.

My problem with a lot of workouts is that I get bored sooooo easily. I'm not sure where I transitioned from someone who could run around the neighborhood for an hour until I just felt "done" into someone who runs less than a mile before becoming too attention deficit to go any further. But either way, if I get bored with a routine, it's impossible for me to continue...I crave constant excitement and change. A big reason I'm so ridiculously bored with my life most of the time...

But p90x not only gives you constant change throughout each (approx.) 1-hour workout, but also with the order of workouts...so I feel like I might actually stick to this (which is good, considering my AmFam membership is up on May 20).

So far I'm only 1 week in, and I feel amazing. Not only do all of my muscles ache, but my energy is high during the day and I have been sleeping harder than ever. And anyone who knows me or stalks me on facebook can tell you how awfully I've been sleeping for the past few years.

As for the "diet" portion of the system, I'm not even looking at it...mostly because I already eat really healthy and don't have junk food cravings but once in a blue moon. However, I have started eating more nuts and seeds to fulfill my body's protein needs.

And speaking of junk food...this weekend I forgot how much I fucking LOVE buffalo wings. It's basically the only version of chicken I find worth eating (chicken bores the shit out of me...if I'm going to indulge in meat, I'd rather have steak or lamb...cooked rare, thank you). But holy hallelujah, chicken with skin on the bone that's been deep fried and tossed in a concoction of butter and hot sauce...then dipped in fatty ranch dressing...it's like the obese woman inside of me has escaped from prison and is full of glee. I only ate one...but now that my inner fatty has had a taste, it's gonna be hard to suppress the urge. And I have a feeling that there is no vegan version out there that's going to satisfy. Damn.

Anyways, for a complete topic switch...I was thinking the other day while I was in the shower (annnnnnd now you can get that visual out of your dirty mind, thanks)...a lot of people don't buy organic because it's too expensive. And I agree that some products tend to be rather pricey...but I'm a good shopper and I know how to eat organic on a budget. I also cook, so pre-packaged process foods aren't necessary--and that's what's the most expensive anyways, organic or not. Anywho, I understand that many low-income families have this problem. But there are a lot of people out there who would rather spend tons of money on technology and up-to-date "stuff" than on their own well-being. And it's kind of sad to me. Because our bodies are the only real instrument, the only real tool that we have...and once our bodies fail, there's not really anything left of us (unless you're Stephen Hawking). That was my thought of the day, feel free to ponder.

On another note, next Thursday is my birthday! Yippy!

Day 114: Sunny Side Up

I'm writing this post with no specific motivation or topic in mind...just an inexplicable need to rant. So we'll see where it goes.

First of all, the office has smelled like dirty feet for TWO days now and I think I might lose my mind. Perhaps this is the cause of my overwhelming need to rant right now.

Um, hmmm...food...health...exercise...ohhhhh something inspire me!

Exercise. Exercise is a bitch. I can't wait until I have a yard where I can grow vegetables and herbs and get most of my physical activity from doing yard work. I hate working in the yard now, but I feel like I'll enjoy it by the time I have a yard to do it in. I mean, nobody fucking had gyms back in the day...their exercise was physical labor! Instead, my job is to sit at a desk. In a smelly office. Where half of the track lights decided not to work today so it's kinda dark. (The dark, rainy weather outside only exacerbates this issue).

That got way off track...oops! But seriously, I cannot find any motivation to go inside of a gym now that it's spring! If the weather is nice, then I either want to be outside getting physical activity or in my living room working out with the windows open and sunlight pouring in. American Family has tons of windows, but no matter what, as soon as you go inside it's like you're in this mechanical, fluorescent world where nature ceases to exist.

I'm not sure when I started becoming one with nature, but now that I've started I just can't stop. I hate working out at the gym...I want to be outside. I don't want to be in a stuffy room doing Body Combat with 75 other women, most of whom I can't help but make fun of in my mind (even though I know it's wrong.) But I'm sorry...at least have two levels of the class so that those of us who want to work our butts off don't have to trip over people who are standing there "punching" as though the invisible punching bag is just a balloon.

And while I'm ranting about AmFam classes, I swear to god I cannot even GO to Body Flow anymore without my zen being completely destroyed. Either a cell phone (or two) goes off, the class is too full to have any space to move, or the instructor won't shut up during Savasana (the final relaxation pose...where it's supposed to be fucking SILENT!). It's a shame, because I really used to love that class...mostly for the meditation and mental relaxation.

I'm not really in a bad mood today at all, even though I'm sure it sounds like I'm about to rip someone's head off. I slept better last night than I ever do (unless I'm with the boy or I'm really sick). And even better, I get to see the boy tonight and play dodgeball with some kick ass friends! Honestly, it's the fucking smell of the office that is making me go off right now. And I can't open the door to let fresh air in since it's raining. And I think I might be going slightly insane because of all of this.

On another note, I'm happy to say that my body is finally back on track after that week of dairy that ruined my insides. Oh, and the most exciting part of my week: I learned how to cook an artichoke AND I made homemade aioli (not vegan...it uses an egg). The thing is, I don't measure...so the aioli (a rich sauce, sometimes called "garlic mayonnaise") could have been a disaster, but it wasn't! And it was the perfect dipping sauce for the artichoke petals.

I really need to go to culinary school. Like now. Anybody wanna front the tuition for me? :-)

Day 112: Let's Ketchup on the Past Month

Holy guacamole, I have not written a blog in over a month. I'm so bad at this whole blog thing...I tell myself every day that I need to write and then I just don't. Oh well, I'm doing it now, right?

Okay, so in the last month or so...

I went completely vegan for Lent (well, as far as food is concerned...I'm not counting animal products in clothing, etc. that "true" vegans avoid). I cheated a tiny bit: I didn't buy all vegan wines and I took an Irish Car Bomb on St. Patty's Day. I don't feel guilty about these decisions.

I did NOT go completely gluten free for Lent, but definitely scaled down on bread and such (ie: no eating a bag of mini-bagels throughout the course of a day...)

And I did not work out nearly as much as I wanted to...but I did work out more than I usually do.

I ended Lent a week early, after running the Monument 10k. Boyfriend (gave up red meat) and I both decided that we weren't going to deprive ourselves of delicious brunch after running 6.2 miles. He had bacon, I had Nova salmon lox...yum! *Note: I hurt my hip running the 10k, and after 2.5 miles, I had to power-limp the rest. It was so painful, and embarrassing since I was crying. I was too ashamed to go through the finish line with such a horrible time (I ran it in 71 minutes last year), but I did finish.

And now, a post "Lent" catch-up:

The salmon from brunch didn't upset my stomach, thank goodness. I was worried. And I didn't work out very much that week. At least my hip is all better now...I could barely walk that night!

The weekend where Lent actually ended was another story for my tummy...

I got drunk way too quickly at the boyfriend's house when we were having a cookout (now that my body's all clean, I've lost almost all of my alcohol tolerance). I drunkenly ate cheese in the middle of the night (vague memories of this the next morning when I looked into the fridge). Felt gross on Saturday...hardly ate anything and still felt really full. Then my aunt gave me some of her amazing Pasta Salad (w/ Feta Cheese) and that was my dinner Sunday night. Felt even worse Monday than I did Sunday. So what do I eat Tuesday while I'm at a friend's house watching Lost? Some amazing habanero cheese...I can't turn down something spicy, what can I say? And if I wasn't making myself feel sick enough, I ate some artichoke and spinach dip from Crapplebees Wednesday night after dodgeball.

So basically...I had stomach aches and liquid poop all week (sorry to gross you out, but it's true). Apparently dairy all kinds of fucks up my digestive system. I thoroughly enjoy delicious cheeses, so I'm going to have to save my indulgences for special occasions. Did I mention that my favorite dessert is cheesecake?

And throughout all of this:

I've been looking into Natural Chef programs (very few, mostly in Cali or in the Mid-West). The one I've fallen in love with is in NYC...and of course, it is the most expensive.

Until I can raise $20 grand and convince my boyfriend to move to New York with me...which I feel might take a while...I've been reading and learning as much as I can on my own.

Michael Pollan has written several books on food, eating, and where our food is coming from. His philosophy is this: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He also calls the processed stuff that's on our shelves today "edible food-like substances." Love him.

Also, I received two comments last weekend that I look thinner. But not in a sickly, unhealthy way (like the comments I received when I was plummeting down to 96lbs). I apparently look more toned. And after a recent doctor appointment, I've apparently lost 6.5 pounds. The crazy thing is, I'm not dieting. I'm not depriving myself of food, I'm just eating the all-natural versions of it. Same calories. I'm not working out more (probably working out less, actually). I think either I'm getting rid of toxins or my energy is better spent now that it's digesting properly. Who knows...either way, I feel GOOD.

Anywho, that's a quick little summary of what I haven't been blogging about for the past month or so. Sorry to be so boring.

Day 49: May I Borrow Your Catholicism?

No, I am not Catholic. And that is the extent of information that I will tell you about my spiritual/religious beliefs. This blog is about health, which includes a connection between the mind, body, and soul...but that's about as much of it you're going to hear from me. K, thanks.

Moving on...I write this blog the day before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). And I write this blog, because come Ash Wednesday, a friend and I have challenged ourselves to go completely vegan and gluten free until Easter--as well as make a pact that we will be physically active (work out) at least 5 days a week. (It just so happens, that this 40-day period is also the time of year when Catholics are known to fast, called Lent).

Many people, including myself, typically associate Lent as a time to "give something up." From my understanding, the true tradition of the holiday actually comes from the fasting that Jesus took part in for 40-days in the wilderness. I have found that "Lent" can mean a lot of different things to different people...whether it is giving up a vice, giving up certain foods/beverages, or giving yourself up completely (to God).

To all Catholics and spiritual friends out there who practice this holiday with full religious intentions, please do not be offended about anything I say in this blog. In no way do I mean to show disrespect to your beliefs.

But for me, personally, Lent is a challenge. A challenge to better myself, my body, my soul, and my mind. It means making an honest change within myself when all is said and done. When I gave up my addiction with soda in high school, it became so much easier to continue giving it up. Giving up superstitions was an honest change as well (trust me). And while, yes, I could do this any time...Lent is a time where I can make my change with the support of others around me who are also making sacrifices.

This year, I am going 100% vegan. I've written in my past blogs that I want to go vegan, and I've managed to change my diet for about 85% of the food I eat in a week. However, when going out to eat or dining at someone's house, I still maintain that I do not want to be a complicated guest (not to mention, I love sushi, seafood, steak, cheesecake, chocolate...) <---See how hard this is going to be?

On top of going vegan, I will be giving up gluten. While I don't believe I necessarily have an allergy to wheat products, my partner-in-crime for this endeavor does. Not to mention, I do become very addicted to them once I start. Which means, instead of eating rice and veggies, I chow down on bread. And only bread. All. Day. Long. Not so good.

Finally, the third part of the challenge will be to work out (or take part in a physical activity, such as Dodgeball!) 5 out of 7 days a week. And that means 30 minutes+ of intense, constant exercise or 1 hour+ of mild exercise.

Writing down my goals on this blog has helped me so far. I rarely get stomach aches like I used to, I rarely feel lethargic for no reason, and most nights I have been sleeping better. Not to mention my clothing is fitting better, my energy is up, and I feel freaking GREAT!

So now, I'm kicking it up 10 notches and working my way to being even healthier, more energetic, and sexier in that little black dress!

And I'm sooooo excited that one of my closest friends will be doing the same thing right along side of me!!! (Hopefully we won't do too much damage tomorrow when we celebrate Mardi Gras and watch Lost!) And I will be even more excited if one of my favorite ladies follows through with her plan to give up all meat, and my favorite man gives up red meat (or some kind of junk food?)! The more people, the more motivation!

Are you giving up anything for Lent? Or do you need some motivation? Let me know!!!

Day 15: It's Hard to be Vegan,,,

...when I keep going out for sushi.

Day 9: In a Fat Free World.

It's been a hot minute since I've gotten to post a blog, and my god I have plenty to say! I'll save my rant on Anthem (fucking anthem...) and how the government controls our fucking lives for another post, because I only have 40 minutes or less to type this, and lord knows how long that might take me.

But for now, I'll keep this post light with some observations I've noticed in my diet the past few days since having gone vegan(ish).

You see, in a non-vegan world, you can find just about anything "reduced fat" or "fat free." And I've grown soooo accustomed to that. Mind you, "fat free" does not mean "healthy" since it contains more random chemicals and sugars than one's body should probably consume. However, if you're gonna buy Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (which is fantastic by the way), you're kind of stuck with the original, full fat version. At least, from what I've found.

But, upon tracking my food intake (and fat intake), I noticed another reason the amount of fat I consume has gone up. Prepared foods. Ellwood Thompson and Whole Foods make some kick ass prepared foods, and several of them come "vegan friendly." Favorites include Homestyle Tempeh Salad (Vegan Mock Chicken Salad) and Tokyo Buckwheat Soba--which I ate for lunch today.

Now, pre-vegan days, I almost never...never ever bought prepared foods. I typically prefer to cook or prepare my own foods, or eat simple no-work-required snacks. However, I don't really know a lot of vegan dishes to make (since my cooking almost always involves seafood), and I'm still learning what I should/shouldn't eat.

So I'm wondering, is my increased fat intake a result of switching to all-natural, no-chemical-added products? Or is it simply a result of eating prepared foods that use more oils than I'm used to?

I'm sure it's a combination of both. But now the question is, what do I do about it? Obviously, I need to start cooking more rice to keep in the fridge so that I can make quick meals. (I'm not sure why I said "obviously," you have no reason to find that statement obvious.) And I need to eat more veggies and fruits and work harder to balance what I put into my body. (Okay, that statement was the obvious one...) And I need to research the sh*t out of soy since that's almost EVERYWHERE in vegan foods, and I'm starting to worry about all of the studies that have been done. (Blog idea!)

But the good part is, it's day 9 and I'm still feeling really good. Chocolate temptations have decreased--for now, my energy is up (except for that whole morning thing...life should begin after noon), and my digestion is wonderful. So I'll keep going on this path, since my body is clearly responding positively!

Post Script: I have no idea whether or not it's related to the foods I'm eating, but my appetite has decreased severely. I'm hardly ever hungry anymore, and I'm wondering if it's because my body is actually satisfied with the foods I'm eating or if this is something that's not so good. I'm going to need to monitor that...

Like Julie and Julia, but with way less butter.

I'm not a blogger.

I didn't keep a diary as a young girl. Diaries, blogs, and typing in general tend to get me into trouble...because my fingers type a lot faster than my censoring capabilities can keep up with. The fun part of typing an e-mail, blog, or text is the ability to review and edit it before you push "send." But I'm not so good at checking my work, and like I said, I get myself into trouble.

SO...this blog will be about my journey to finding a healthier lifestyle. Because I can't hurt Big Mac's feelings by accidentally calling it fat or stupid. And a Butterfinger Blizzard probably won't go do something so scandalous that I feel the need to tell the world about it.

However, I will probably end up offending: vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, carnivores, overweight people, super skinny people, nutritionists, fast food junkies, and other bloggers. Too damn bad...get over it.

Recipes, nutrition statistics, and other commentary (especially if it's controversial) are totally welcome.