My week and update on CRB 10k

The week really started off well.  I have been sticking firmly to this new lifestyle and really, really loving it.  I can't tell you how wonderful I feel.

Anywho, I went for my scheduled walk/run training on Monday.  2 min walk and 4 min run for 36 minutes total.  I did it!  I am feeling better each time, like I'm not going to need a new lung anyway.  The thing that sucked was about 45 minutes after I finished when I was home walking down the stairs it felt like someone was shoving  nail behind my right kneecap.  I then noticed that both of my knees were swollen.  Crrrrraaaaaaaap.  Ok, no problem.  I sat my hiney down and iced them for twenty minutes and started to take Ibuprofen to alleviate the swelling.  It seemed to work a little, but still had some pain only when walking down the stairs.  Called my physical therapy friend for some knee strengthening exercises (maybe a tad too late, but...) and she gave me some great advice as well.  Called the trainer told her I prob would take off Tues from running just to be safe.  I don't want to put myself out for good!  Went walking on Tues to the Christmas parade downtown, not far, but I paid for it when I got home.  Bring on more ice.  Got a  text back from the trainer lady and she said no running/walking until Monday and to ice it 3x day 20 min at a time with Ibuprofen too.  Great. Now I'm two weeks behind everyone else.  They all started a week before me.  I'm not very happy with my self right now.  Not that I could foresee this one, but that I let myself get to the point where this would be an issue.  It's totally preventative at this point, I get that, I am not overreacting.  I am just being safe so that I can continue to get healthy.  I just tend to beat myself up about my current weight and past weight a little too much, it's the dramatic diva in me.  God will work that one out too.  Diva exorcism.  Nothing humbles an out of shape diva like running in front of construction workers and the whole of downtown while sucking all of the oxygen out of the air and breathing like you're gonna die any minute and in those oh-so-flattering workout clothes - NOT.

All of this icing/down time has given me time to do some more research on my new eating lifestyle.  Now I want this for Christmas:

.........and I think I will have to suck it up and go sit on Santa's lap at the mall, cuz it's not in my budget at the low, low price of $2395.00!  He owes me anyway, I haven't seen a freeking gift from him in years and I'm due!

I must say though, this vegan style of eating made it so nice yesterday.  While everyone was miserable after dinner I was feeling quite chipper!  It's amazing the difference.  My mother was so sweet to fix stuff I could eat, but it was also stuff everyone could indulge in as well.  And a happy turkey for all those meat eaters was wonderful according to their tryptophan comas later!  She's the best!  I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine!  Of course, mine is on-going with another family dinner tonight with those who just arrived from out of town!  Bring on the veggies!  I made Wild Rice Salad, Sweet Potato crock pot casserole and crock pot green beans - all vegan and gluten free!  My niece is vegetarian, so we will have plenty to choose from!

Have a great week and bring on the Christmas season!!!

God bless!

Thursday thoughts as misguided as they may be

Today.

1.  Ran/Walked for 20+ minutes.  Learned I could do it on my own when I need to.  Also, learned that I need to go earlier for less interruptions from shocked neighbors who want to talk about how they've NEVER seen me exercise, in the neighborhood, yea, that's it.  Thanks.

2.  Bought batteries for my bathroom scale.  Big mistake.  Haven't weighed myself since spring.  Should've left it that way.  That number should only be used for ...well, when I googled that number and put "is a good number for" I got.... swan fungus.  There ya go.

3.  I'm frustrated at my narcissistic behavior in the last couple weeks.  Although its a good place to be when blogging it doesn't make for good relationships with, say, people.  I have been the offender and I don't know how to fix it.  Prayer and lots of yummy delicacies wrapped up in a bow as a gift.  Or a new featherbed.  Random, I know.

4.  I decided the only thing that could pick me up was a green monster and Christmas music blaring out of my computer speakers.  Yea, it kinda works.  I love Christmas music but my kiddos, um, the jury is still out.  One came in and said, "What?!  It's not even Thanksgiving yet!"

5.  God and I have lots of work to do.  I need to be on my knees more with my mouth SHUT this time.

6.  I want to be at the beach right now.  No, really.  Right now.  Closing my eyes.  Clicking my heels.  There's no place like the beach, there's no place like the beach.  Hmmmmm.... didn't work.

7.  Thought I'd share a powerful video of Random Acts of Culture!  Hope you like it as much as I did!

May God bless you deeply.  Deeper than you thought possible.  A deep level you never knew existed.  My prayer for you.  God bless.

CRB10k - week one second edition

So, I've already changed the titles to weeks instead of parts one and beyond.  Such is my life.  Constant change. It's no wonder I'm always confused!

Well, today was hard.  I woke up with a bad attitude and told my hubby I didn't want to go.  I cried, even.  My blisters hurt (insert sarcastic crybaby noise here), my legs were still sore, my butt was still big.  I was discouraged.  I had changed my eating lifestyle to a place of heaven for me (really, I absolutely love it) and added in some exercising (only two episodes thus far) and wondered why I didn't already have the energy of Jillian, the trainer from The Big Loser.  Maybe my expectations were a little high at this juncture.  Ya think?  But I was still wanting to do anything but run today.  The dogs needed washing!  The baseboards needed dusting!  I need to clean out the fridge!!  Whatever.  I knew I needed to go.  I had every intention of going.  I just didn't want to go.  Like a toddler trying to manipulate the system for desert before dinner.  Heels dug in all the way there.  Intervals were walk two and run three.  What?!  The first day was run two walk one.  Great.  I put on my big girl you-know-whats-its and choked down my tears and turned up my mp3 player as loud as I could so I didn't have to hear that stupid timer go off telling me to run.  David Crowder Band, Switchfoot, Flyleaf and the BeeGees (you guessed it, "Stayin' Alive) ran along side keeping my mind off of the pain.  I did it! I actually did it.  All of it.  I ran 3 minutes at a time.  What?!  I was whining so bad on Monday for two minutes and couldn't even finish them for some sets.  Ok, today no hills.  Monday, lots of them.  So, yea, ok I get it.  I can run on flat ground without passing out!  Yay, me.

I have really been behaving myself on the food front.  I am so nervous that I may relapse into a binge eating process that will again last for years and shorten my life span.  I called my friend today to ask some advice, "what can I eat after a run?"  I don't want to fall of the wagon.  I really don't want to take two steps back.  She was so sweet and gentle with me.  "You're doing fine.  Keep doing what you're doing!  You don't need to worry about that nearly as much now, wait til your hair starts falling out then you may need to rethink your habits."  She always makes me smile!  Love you girl!  I feel like I'm on the right track for once!  Thanks to all of you for your encouragement.  

My McDougall cookbook has arrived and I salivate over its contents!  Granted, it's not the "new" one, but later I will make that investment.  My family is being rather supportive, even when there's no meat on their plate!  I'm excited to find recipes that we can all enjoy together.  We'll see how long it lasts before they start to put their foot down.  That's when my kids learn how to shop and cook their own food.  Until then, if I'm in charge of shopping and cooking then I guess they'll eat if they're hungry, right?

I really do want to pray for you.  No, really.  Even if its to lift up praises in your awesome lives of no struggles, let me know how to pray for you.  This thing called life consists of you and me.  While we're here together we might as well act like we like each other, right?  

John 15:7 (New International Version)

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.




P.S.
And a little music for those of you who know you have this stuck in your head now!  You can thank me later!

Cooper River Bridge 10k - Part 1

I was sharing my new lifestyle with a friend of mine recently and she encouraged me to join in on the challenge to walk/run the Cooper River Bridge 10k.  I'm taking her up on it!  Now, I am realistic that the training will be rigorous for me, but I do honestly believe that I am ready.  I will be joining a team of ladies who are from the very experienced to the novices, like myself, to train for 18 weeks.  I started today with one of my dearest friends by my side as my trainer with her group.  My results:  I did not die.  I know, shocking, huh?  I actually feel really well and on the ride home was ready to do it again, but I knew that it was just adrenaline talkin'.  I walked 5 miles this weekend with my bestie at the park and she kicked my butt, but it was so good to get out again!  I have the blisters to prove it, but blisters are not going to scare me away!

I'm starting out my week with two weeks under my belt of this vegan lifestyle and I am totally in love with it.  First of all, I feel so good!  I feel very energized!  Within 48  hours of quitting the animal based diet I have been on for all my life I felt like a new person.  No. Kidding.  Really, no kidding.  I won't josh you here, because I just won't.  No more fuzzy brain stuff either.  Gone.  Ya'll that's big.

So today started off with apples and a green monster drink..... what's for lunch?  Hmmmmm.... better hit the grocery store!

Have a blessed day!

I'd like to thank Flyleaf and Toby Mac for the encouragement I received this a.m. through my workout.  Ya'll rock!

God bless your every breath today!

Enjoy what I enjoyed this a.m. with these:

Clear skies ahead

I am really liking this new lifestyle so far!  I have been privileged to find some really amazing recipes that everyone (except Matt) has loved!  Last night's dinner?  Carol's Goulash, veggie patties w/ pineapple salsa and great friends!  What a blessed person I am.  Poor Matt didn't care for the Goulash recipe but I didn't mind, because he did try it and was honest about it.  He is my one child who tries anything and usually loves it all, but Goulash, not so much!

My favorite energy drink is a version of the Green Monster.  But she doesn't really give you amounts and such here so I like this one and this one, too.  I absolutely love this drink, but will have to splurge on almond or rice milk instead of soy because its a tad on the sweet side.  Anyway, it's a great morning drink for energy with a side of sprouted wheat toast.  Or as an afternoon snack, yummo!  

So, I have really done well so far at staying within the realms of my new lifestyle and not "compromising" as I do so often in other things.  Justifying my actions with, "well, it's all they had or maybe just one."  Even Lays potato chips knows you can't eat just one!  I know that right now it has to be all or nothing with me, cause that's my personality and I'm retraining my brain and must stay the course for now and I will work on how I can splurge later when my will power is in check.  

I have sooooo much more energy than before.  This is so huge for me.  Think of your worst down day and multiply that by three and then you'll be close to what I usually feel everyday pre-veganese.  I'm telling you that I feel so much better so far that when I really get going on this I plan to be extremely annoying on here with all of my pent up energy releasing itself cyberly!  Yea, I know, not a word, but I think it should be.  

The other thing that has really got me baffled is my thought process has begun to come back on track.  I have suffered from this really fuzzy brain feeling for a long while now and I'm trying to homeschool my kids which doesn't make for a good mix.  But over the last week it's been amazing how each day brings new clarity to my synopsis up there!  I think this is what was adding to my depression more than anything.  I'm used to being a multi-tasker and thoughts were categorized in neat little packages up there and I could pull from them when I needed to, but it was like they all got dumped out and were jumbled together.  It does bring it's own little oddities to the playing field when you start to re-organize.  This a.m. I woke up remembering EVERYTHING I needed to do today and I freaked out thinking, "wow, is that right?"  Almost like I didn't trust my thoughts.  Well, here we go, back to the road of recovery.  I feel like an addict must feel.  Makes me wonder if there is a direct correlation between dementia or Alzheimer's and our high fat animal diet.  Hmmmm.....may have to research that one.

My next step towards this new change is to get back into my exercise routine, which frankly will be new because I've never had a routine with exercise.  Who am I kidding?  Anyway, now that my energy is returning to a place where I actually feel like I can do something. An exercise routine will be next!

I see from my last post that none of you have any ways for me to pray for you so you must be living so perfectly, I'm jealous!  I will pray for you anyway, just in a general sense til I hear otherwise.  Please continue to pray for me because I really do feel the support from your prayers is helping to firm the foundation for me.  I appreciate your support!  Now I sound like a Bartles and James commercial!  

Thank goodness my God loves me, little ole me.  I couldn't do this any other way!  And he continues to remind me of what he has in store:

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Say it isn't so.....oh, yea, it is!

So, I eluded to my new venture in my last post and some of you already caught on to my mysterious ways!  Cheeky little devils!  

Yes, I'm goin' vegan.  Food-wise, not in my closet.  I will still drive my car with leather seats and wear my furry coat to church (kidding, I don't have a fur coat).  It has now been about a week (with the exception of my hubby making me a grilled cheese sandwich, which I felt obligated to eat) since I went dairy free.  Then a day later, no meat or meat bi-products.  Please don't call me crazy or throw a fit like my husband does when I say "no meat". He doesn't even know I've made this change anyway, so shhhhhh, don't tell.  It's not hard for him not to notice little things like what I am shoveling in my mouth or whether or not I got a haircut or bought a new shirt or went out of town.  Ok, that last one is a bit of an exag, but you get the point.  

Why?  Why, or why would someone give up the peppered bacon that resides in a cheesy tortilla melt, and forgo the cheese, too?  What up?  Everyday.  Not once in a while.  Everyday, I wake up tired, sore, fuzzy thoughts and depressed.  There are other issues that are much too personal to post here, but it's putting a relationship in jeopardy, and it's probably one of the top two MOST important reasons I am making the change.  Too bad you'll never know what it is.  The other is this, God has ordained in me the piece that is supposed to be active.  Not go to the gym or run a 5k, but to be active in His body of believers and reach out to those who don't know him.  Well, you know what, I don't feel like it 98.9% of the time.  I love God.  I like hanging out with his peeps and one day hope to actually go on a mission trip, local or far, far away.  But I have hindered the process of purposeful living by filling myself full of junk.  I am an emotional eater, I'm a procrastinator, as well.  Somedays I forget to eat until 2 p.m. or get busy and don't have time to eat til then.  Other days, I wake up depressed and start eating everything in sight until I go to bed which depresses me, so there you go again.  I have tried so many different things in the past to help me out, but never been able to follow through.  Hence my last post.  Now, I really need this to be my lifestyle.  Pray for me, because it won't work for me for too long if I can't have the support of my family, and right now the men are all ravenous carnivores.  I have done some research found some recipes and sites with pre-made shopping lists (yes, I'm that lazy).  I have actually found several recipes that I have already made for the fam and dinner guests, without their knowledge, that was both dairy free and meat free and they liked them.  Go figure.  Anywho.  I am already seeing the difference in my headaches going away and not waking up with them.  I am not depressed in the a.m. like I was before a week ago.  I am still sore, but not nearly as much, but that just means I need to go see my favorite chiropractor.  My brain is still fuzzy, but not nearly as much as it has been.  I know it sounds weird, but it was so bad.  

I do not feel like I am depriving myself of anything.  It hasn't been that hard so far.  I actually can't wait to put this whole part of my life behind me and get on with living!  My bad behavior in this area was out-of-hand and needed repair.  No more letting my bad habits control my walk with Christ, on the path, off the path, on the path, etc.  THIS particular area will no longer be the issue, clearing the way for other more bad habits I've been hiding maybe....oh, I hope not!

I want to live fully in God's will, but I find myself shirking away from duties I know I am to do, because of my fatigue and my health in general.  If I am to be a productive Christian I need to get myself in gear and stop letting my body and my lifestyle get in the way.  It really is to take the emphasis OFF of food and weight issues for me and free me up to be completely and utterly distracted with Jesus!

I am not suggesting that by reading this you will automatically need to do the same, by no means!  We are all different in our journeys with Christ and it is up to us to identify those areas that keep us from doing His work in our lives that He calls us to do.  Is there an area that you can improve in your life that will free you up to do God's work more?  Let me know and I will pray for you in that journey as well.  Please, please, please keep me in your prayers to follow through and change my lifestyle.  I will need all the help I can get!  God bless your journey!

1 Peter 4:11

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Lifestyle changes and what-not

So, with some prodding from my daughter and the voice in my head that's been playing this tune for months now, I have decided to venture into new territory for me.  However, in doing so I will cause a rift between the males and females in the house, but maybe they'll be game enough to change later.  I'm scared to actually type it because I suck at follow through.  I know it needs to happen, I have no other choice.  I will get no support from my husband, I'll just tell ya that right now.  Don't get me wrong, he'll nod and say, "Whatever you want to do, honey, is great!  I just won't do it.  I can't do it.  I can't imagine even thinking that.  But whatever you want is great!"

I'm tired ALL the time.  I'm sore ALL the time.  I wake up feeling horrible.  I need this to change.  I need to know that I am investing in my future and my kids futures.  We have no health insurance and won't.  I need this to be my health insurance for now.  

I'm looking forward to it.  I'm actually excited about it!  If you see me out, don't call me on the carpet if I'm not doing it right, cause I'm just getting started and I have LOTS to learn!

It's.......well.......UH!....I just can't say.  Maybe later, if I actually follow through with it, I'll confess.  Maybe.

God bless!