I know, you're so excited.
Well, frankly, I am.
This blog is to be about becoming more healthy, and my strive to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight/transform my body. I'm not getting any younger and feel the effects of the things I do daily.
I've really cut down on the active things I used to do, for a more sedentary lifestyle, which I dislike. My knees won't take a lot of things anymore due to years of volleyball abuse, and I hate that. I was always a very active, a tomboy if you will, and it is strange to me to be so limited now. I've stopped wearing heels for the most part to help. I have begun walking more in the past few weeks with my old walking buddy or on my own, but not nearly enough as the past week I worked on other outside things when it was nice out, or it rained. I feel it though, and part of that is the extra weight I'm carrying; that I've carried around for way too long again now. I know that once things change, I will regain some of my flexibility and stamina, along with the ability to be more active and experience less pain than I am now.
Over the past year or so, I have eaten much healthier; quitting sodas (except for maybe 1-2x a year I'll have a root beer with pizza), more fresh/organic grocery/co-op/Farmer's Market fruits and veggies, growing some of my own, cutting out breads unless they're really grainy or natural/healthy breads - then often using one slice as two, using more spices to enhance my foods - not condiments, switching to almond milk, eliminating nearly all GMOs out of my diet, and more. I quit fast food years ago - like at least 2004? Looking now more toward paleo.
This is not to say I'm a purist, because if my boss treats me to a lunch somewhere tasty, or my Census pals wanna go for pizza buffet once a month - I'm there! I will never give up pizza. Once a week, I have some sort of pizza, home or out. I LOVE PIZZA. But in my home you won't find snack foods, chips, breads, candy (except for 100% dark chocolate and some licorice now and again), etc., and when I am out, I try to make the best choices of what I eat and how much for the most part. My menu choices and snacks are very healthy, and I'm finding often more filling, and fulfilling.
I've learned to be more creative with my meal and snack choices, often just experimenting or due to recipes online, or from others - frequently even modifying those as well, to make them healthier.
I also need to cut down on alcohol. I love beer and wine. I love bourbon. Sometimes vodka and tequila too. I like to have a drink or two at night, always after 7p. Frequently it's wine, and all that added sugar I feel is what keeps me from dropping the weight, even though I eat pretty healthy overall. LIKE DUH, right. I'll never fully quit drinking. I don't feel as though I need to, nor do I want to, but moreover, just limit it more than I have in the past. So many new brews and brew pubs (luckily my income does not support me going out very often, if ever) and I like trying new wines, albeit the cheaper ones. I've researched the healthier wines (Reds) and only drink beers worth the taste and calories. Long ago I stopped drinking drinks made with sodas, and switched to water or on the rocks, bourbon or vodka mixed in hot tea (when it's cold), and more recently to warm or cold ginger tea - mixed with 3 Gingers Irish Whiskey (and ginger tea ice cubes!), or vodka with my own veggie soup-made-into-juice. Just add spices - the good spices (cayenne, chili, tumeric) and you've got a healthier Bloody Mary! So there are ways to indulge, without over-indulging. I never drink to get drunk; I prefer the tastes and just really enjoy my evening beverage or Sunday night wine.
I hope to use this blog for accountability for my daily exercise and healthy eating, as well as tips and recipes I make or find online - a place to archive it all - mainly for myself. If others find help, inspiration or something tasty - great! Either way, for the next 50 years (or the second half of my life, as I like to call it) I plan to make up for and hopefully try to erase some of the unhealthy things I've done to my body, and while I know some things can never be changed, at least I'll be trying - and living better too.
The 11 days is about a cleanse/fast I've read about. I have 11-12 days until I leave for a trip, so it's a good time to hopefully shed a few pounds and just become that little bit more healthy before I have less control away from home, and because I know that I will be indulging on the trip as well - cuz, well, it's a trip.
Anyway, here's to 11 Days, and Then Some, on into the next fifty years!
Cheers!
(raises glass of ginger tea)
To Health!
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