Self improvement journey

I am not going to call this weight loss, or dieting, because I feel negatively about those words. I'm going to call this my self improvement journey. I am working on making myself healthier, and that includes eating better, healthier, whole foods. I cut out practically all processed foods. I eat lots of veggies, beans and whole grains. I love black beans. So so good! I have a blog that has vegan (and non-vegan) recipes on it, and I will be updating that soon, too. I exercise almost daily, with a day of rest sometimes, but I feel better on days when I have a workout.

I will share my journey here, all my details. Weight, food, exercising, ups and downs. I hope it can inspire others to improve things in their lives, as well. Here goes.





Date: July 30, 2010
Starting weight: 150 lbs
Waist:
Hips:
Goal weight: 135 lbs by September 10.


Breakfast:
3/4 cup Fruity French lentils on top of 1/2 cup oatmeal
1 orange

Workout:
30 Day Shred, level 1


Snack:
Fudgy protein shake
(1 scoop chocolate rice protein powder, 1 tbsp cocoa, 1 tsp agave syrup, 1/2 cup silken tofu, 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk, 1 frozen banana, sliced. Blend & drink!)


Lunch:

1 Black bean veggie patty
1/3 cup avocado salsa
3/4 cup brown & wild rice mix
I was going to eat a salad with this, but I was too full!





I use caloriecount.about.com to keep track of my recipes and the nutrition in the foods I eat. I LOVE that site...I can put in any recipe and see all the nutritional information in it. And, near dinner time, I can see what nutrition I'm lacking and find foods that will help me get the amounts I need. Yesterday I was lacking enough calcium and vitamin A, so to my dinner I added some sesame seeds for calcium, and a sweet potato for the vitamin A. Isn't that awesome? They also have a recipe database, and an exercise database. You can find healthy foods to make, and you can add all your exercises in to see how many calories you're burning each day. There are a lot of random ones, like "sitting on couch, watching TV". Just go try it out!

For my workout, I am doing Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD. I have been doing that since I got to Utah, about 10 days ago. I am moving on to Level 2 tomorrow. The thing that sucks, I can put that workout into the site I mentioned above. I just count it as a calisthenics/aerobics exercise. It's only 20 minutes long, though, but you're working hard the entire time. I really like it. I also try to walk with my kids for about a mile, or ride my bike, too.

My Kentucky Summer

This summer, I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I am strong, that I can accomplish goals if I work hard enough. This will be known as My Kentucky Summer, and it has only begun to change my life.
I have stopped eating meat, eggs and dairy. I am vegan. I don't live the full lifestyle, cutting all animal products out of my life. That's tough, but you have to start somewhere, and I'm on my way.
I was in Kentucky for about 2 months, with my husband while he was working there, and now we are almost on different sides of the country. I am home in Utah, he is 2500 miles away from me! How sad. Only until mid September, though.
I have started to really work out! I have tried a few bouts and spurts of exercising, but I have gone 10 straight days of exercising, and I don't plan on stopping. When I'm done with my workout, I think of more things I can do! I have so much energy, I just want to keep going. I have lost 5 lbs since being home, and I notice my body changing. How amazing is that? My self esteem is getting better, and I feel happier (except for missing my hubby).
I am goign to try to blog at least once a week from now on. For myself, to get things out and to share my journey.