New Adventures!

Ok, so remember how I needed some inspiration in my life? Well, found it!!

I'm trying two new things at the moment, one pretty big life style change and another smaller, easier change. I'll post them seperate.

First and biggest.

I read Skinny Bitch. I realize this book was written in 2005 so I'm a little late to the party, but I always thought it was just about being skinny.  It's so not. There is so much more.  Ok, sure it's about being skinny a little, but more so about being HEALTHY! And that's my goal. 

Those of you that know me know that I haven't always had the best eating habits, ok ok, NEVER had even remotely good eating habits, ever.  I much prefer junk food over anything, except chocolate.  Some of my favorite "meals" include crutons dipped in ranch, chips and guacamole, saltines dipped in ranch (more of a snack if I don't have crutons), fries dipped in ranch (ok, ANYTHING dipped in ranch), pancakes with powdered sugar and berry syrup, nachos..you get the idea.  AND MILK.  People are pretty sure that I'm only alive due to the fact that I drink an enormous amount of milk. I've never really had a thing for meat, I'd eat on occasion if it was cooked for me, but  I never craved it.  I'm kind of obsessed with cheese, any cheese (except blue, ew, rotten cheese?).  If there's cheese, count on me to eat it.  Then there is chocolate. Chocolate anything.  Candy. Cookies. Pie. Really sugar in general too.  But who doesn't love all of these processed foods?  They are all sooo yummy! 

If you know me well, you also know that I have headaches on a pretty regular basis.  I am also tired for the majority of the day.  I don't cook. I want to cook, but I don't have the energy or the know how.  I don't like to clean, therefore, I don't do it often.  I am sick quite a bit too, if there is a sickness within 10 miles of me, I get it. And it lasts for a long time.  In general, I don't feel good.  I don't feel like conquering the world (or my laundry/cleaning/cooking).  I have always wanted this to change, but I've never really done much about it.  I've tried a thing here and there, but never stuck to it. So now you have my medical/food history.

The seed was planted a while ago when Alicia Silverstone was on Oprah.  They were also talking about the documentary Food Inc.  Alicia was talking about her cookbook and being completely vegan.  She talked about how she used feel crappy all the time, have no energy, trouble sleeping, bad skin, ect.  Then she tried cutting out all animal by product (meat, dairy, eggs, anything containing any part of any animal) and she could not believe the way her body and everything else changed.  The whites of her eyes were white, she had boundless energy and her skin was glowing like a pregnant lady.  Then there is the poop.  Yep, I'm going to talk about poop for a minute, skip if you please.  I poop 2or 3 times a week and like a rabbit.  Not the correct way to poop, so I've heard.  Alicia talked about how she poops 2, sometimes 3 times a day and they are always easy and shaped like an s, sometimes a c.  Wow, that would be neat.  I thought, well gee, that sounds pretty great! But how in the heck do you cut out EVERYTHING with animal anything in it? That's a lot of stuff!!  I couldn't possibly give up cheese (turns out, one of the worst things for your insides), or chocolate (don't have to, just MILK chocolate) and if nothing else, MILK! I can't live without milk!  Milk does a body good, right?  Or does it..... Anyway, time went by and then I was somewhere and someone started talking about reading Skinny Bitch and about becoming vegan.  They said some facts from the book and it all made a lot of sense.  So I ran out and got the book.  I started reading.

First of all, it's funny and no nonsense.  The first line is "Are you sick and tired of being fat?".  Healthy=skinny.  It talks about giving up your vices.  Drinking: "Of course it's easier to socialize after you've had a few drinks.  But being a fat pig will hinder you, sober or drunk."  So funny and true!  They tell it like it is.  "Soda is liquid Satan." 

As I went throught the chapters, I began giving things up.  I officially started eating COMPLETELY vegan on Tuesday March 30th.  Meat was not a hard thing to give up.  And as I go along, the other things are all replaceable and I'll let you know how they taste and turn out as I go.  The book is a lot about the treatment of animals on factory farms.  It's all very horrible and I don't like it, but it's not my main reason for doing this.  The way they describe how we are not meant to eat/digest meat and animal products makes total sense! 

I'll explain in another post, I should've done this one a while ago.  It's getting to long!

So, this is my new adventure and I'll share it with you as time goes on!  Tell you what I like, don't like and love! How I feel (already 100 times better), when I slip up (I will! already have, darn Easter and it's yummy candy!) and how I do getting the kids to try these things.  Jack already has to be a partial vegan due to his allergies (I say partial because he can't live without his chicken nuggets...oops).  Av will be harder, but I don't plan on forcing them to eat this way and only this way.  Just giving healthier options in general and setting a good example. 

Wish me luch!