You Are What You Eat

Wow. This book is intense. I had heard buzz about it before, but this past week one of my vegetarian co-workers suggested I read it, considering my recent jump into the veg world. I knew I was making my personal choice based on my specific health concerns, but now since reading it, I'm so glad I did! The amount of crap we are pumping into our bodies through animal products is just astounding. It's not so much the animal meat itself that I have a problem with, it's the absurd conditions in which these animals live (and die). And we end up eating them and shoving any antibiotics or hormones they ingested or were treated with into our bodies. Gross. It gets much worse than that, but I won't go into detail. I understand that people have varying viewpoints on this issue, and I just know now where I stand. Obviously for 26 years I was wandering along aimlessly, shoving McDonald's burgers and Chi-fil-A sandwiches in my mouth without a care in the world. We don't have to "see" what happens to our food, so it makes us ignorantly (and possibly blissfully) unaware.

I found an interesting part in the book though that reinforced the other research I had done about diet affecting women's health issues. The book dedicates a section to talking about PMS, mood swings, cravings, and cramps. This correlates with my problem because my pain would become the most intense during this time. I knew it had to do with hormone levels (which my doctor, of course, wanted to correct with hormone therapy) and I knew there had to be a more natural way to remedy the situation. The book explains:

"Every month, our bodies produce extra estrogen in case of pregnancy. When we don't become preggers, estrogen levels plunge, triggering bloating, irritability, and cravings. The trick to avoiding these heinous feelings is maintaining balanced estrogen levels throughout the month. Like everything else, this can be done through diet. Fatty foods increase estrogen levels, and fibrous foods help reduce estrogen production. The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology conducted a study exploring the effects of diet on menstrual symptoms. Women who eliminated animal fats from their diets experienced dramatic decreases of bloating and cravings. On average, menstrual cramps were reduced from four days to about two and a half days."

Now since my pain is not from menstrual cramps, but from Endometriosis, I'm not sure if the affects will be the same. But I definitely feel like this points to a possibility!

*Side Note: I went to the gym to do yoga this morning and weighed myself before starting. I weighed 144 lbs WITH my clothes and shoes on! That's 2 lbs lost in a week! The beauty of it is that I worked out moderately, but I don't feel like I killed myself at the gym. This diet is definitely helping me find a balance in my life where I don't feel dependent on caffeine to wake up, sweets to cheer up, or the neurotic need to count calories. I know that what I'm putting into my body is wholesome and clean and it just feels good!

Ode to the squat

This my friend, is a kettlebell. A miniature wonder of the fitness world. I love and loathe it equally. Now mind you, I do not lift, swing, snatch, or press anywhere close to 32kg, but I do look pretty badass with my 10lb version. It's black, so that makes it convincing. Tonight I returned to my kettlebell class at the gym after a short hiatus, and let me tell you, the kettlebell does not forgive you when you ignore it for weeks on end. After 20 minutes of repeated squats in combination with lifting, swinging, and pulling this little beast, I thought I might have a heart attack. I was sweating from places I didn't know I could. At one point, projectile sweat was flying from my forehead. I kept going because everyone in that class is ridiculously hardcore and I didn't want to look like a chump. In my head though, I was secretly wishing this little, stupid, weighted ball could just fall on me and put me out of my misery. Why do I do this to myself? Because it's hands-down the best exercise I can think of. It makes all parts of my body sore, which means it has to be doing something, and it makes me sweat out at least 3 lbs per class. Plus, my fiance always observes that my butt looks tighter after I've been kettlebelling. That right there is my motivation. Summer is coming quick, and I want to flaunt my tight booty in a little bikini without a care in the world. I'm not there yet, but the kettlebell will be my loyal friend who will help me control the junk in my trunk.

More squats anyone?

Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue

OMG! It needs to be summer now before I flip out and lose my job!!!

*End Screaming*

Now, on to a more pleasant topic. This weekend is the wonderful, 3-day-long Memorial Day celebration. I love any holiday that:

A. Gets me out of work for a day

B. Involves delicious cookout food

C. Features outdoor games and has a patriotic theme

I'm also very excited that my college roommate is coming to visit. We're planning to head to the beach on Saturday, block party it up on Saturday night, and probably go to church and grab lunch on Sunday. She can't stay as long as I would like (some boy is stealing her away on Monday) but I'll take any time I can get.

The only bad thing about holidays like this is that they make me a bit sad. I miss my family back at home. I miss my loved ones who served their country and have passed away. My mind always wanders back to my uncle's funeral 2 years ago. It was one of the toughest memorial services I ever sat through. He served in the Army and a traditional military service was held in his honor. Anytime I hear "Taps" being played I just break down. It's a reminder for not only me, but so many others, that this country we might take for granted is not free by accident. We may have our struggles and problems as a nation, and I'll be the first to admit I don't always agree with our leaders, but we are incredibly blessed compared to many nations around the world.

So here's my tribute to those who have served, and a huge thank you to those that continue to do so. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, even if it does feel that way at times. Our country still needs you, and we appreciate your sacrifices.

A day in the life of a vegetable nut...

So I thought I would share what I've been eating on a typical day.  I've always been curious about how vegetarian/vegan people eat so here goes my share time...

Breakfast:

- Whole Wheat English Muffin w/ 2 Tablespoons of Smart Balance Peanut Butter (It has extra Omega 3s)

- Banana

Lunch:

- Either a salad full of tomatoes, cucumbers, and garbanzo beans w/ Asian Peanut Vinaigrette OR Trader Joe's Vegan Black Bean or Lentil Soup

- Cooked Broccoli (which has tons of protein) or fresh broccoli with hummus

- Strawberries or apple

Afternoon Snack:

- Handful of almonds (with our without dried fruit)

Dinner:

- Seafood with rice or baked potatoes and mixed vegetables OR pasta with marinara sauce and mixed vegetables  (I plan to get more creative with my dinner options once I get a better handle on this plan)

Evening Snack:

- Lowfat Granola w/ mixed berries (frozen or fresh)

So far, so good.  I only caved once yesterday when I was giving my students Poptarts and broke down and ate one myself.  I'm supposed to stay away from refined sugars....but they were calling my name!  I know that each day will have its own temptations, and I'll just have to learn to choose better options instead.  Honestly though, I'm just proud of myself for sticking with it this long!  hahaha

Vegan...with a side of fish

I can not believe I'm actually doing this.  I'm going pseudo-Vegan.  For about 6 years now I've been dealing with a condition called endometriosis.  I'll spare the gross details, but basically for about one week out of each month I'm in extreme pain to the point where I can't function. I've tried different pain meds, but those were a waste.  The next step was birth control pills, which helped with the pain but caused other side effects.  Next, my doctor wants me to do hormone therapy, which would send me into early menopause.  Um, hello?  I'm a bit too young for that. The final step would be a hysterectomy, which at this point is out of the questions since I want babies someday.  I was beginning to lose hope, until I started doing some research and found that many women had relief from their symptoms after following a very rigid diet.  I was skeptical at first, but I figure if this can help me avoid surgery, I'll give it a try.  The plan focuses on natural and plant-based foods with no red meat, chicken, eggs, or dairy.  They also recommend cutting out refined sugars, most salt and sodium, alcohol, and caffeine.  At first I thought, "What in the world am I going to eat?!"  Then I started researching vegetarian and vegan options for protein and other nutrients and found that lots of vegetables, beans, nuts, and fish can supplement my usual choices.  Of course, I can also eat lots of fruits and whole grains.  I used my favorite healthy website, Sparkpeople, and tracked my food for the past 2 days to make sure I was getting enough fat, carbs, and protein.  It's been much easier than I thought.  I found a lot of great options at Trader Joe's, and it's amazing how much better I already feel. Last night I slept well and only had minor pain.  I also have so much more energy!  I woke up this morning BEFORE my alarm and actually didn't need coffee!!  Amazing!  I'm also curious to see how this affects my weight and blood pressure (which is one of the nasty side-effects I mentioned earlier).  

Here's to my healthy eating adventure!  Updates to follow...

Give me liberty, or give me a Corona!

OMG, I might seriously lose my mind. This is the point in the school year where most teachers look like Ms. Frizzle. I have to give myself a pep talk just to get out of bed in the morning, and don't even dare talk to me until I've had my Starbucks.

On a lighter note, I made THE COVER of my kickball league's weekly newsletter. Cheesy? You bet. Am I pumped? Of course! I'm in my kickball gear, Cupid shuffling in a redneck bar, throwing up the peace sign with the most ridiculous look on my face. It's priceless. See the fantastic-ness below:

Never Never Land

Picture this:

It's a beautiful Saturday morning.  The sun is streaming across the water, the birds are singing, and it's a breezy 65 degrees.  Where am I?  In bed with 3 of my friends, one of which is snoring obnoxiously.  We're passed out after a crazy night together, and pretty soon one more of our friends comes running in to join us.  The 5 of us proceed to talk and giggle like school girls for the next two hours....discussing boys, stupid things we said last night, fashion, body woes, and ofcourse, more boys.  You might think from this story that I'm 16 years old.  No, no.  I'm 26.  I love the fact that my friends and I just don't care when it comes to social "norms".  We act mature and professional when we have to, but for the most part we're just looking to have the best time ever.  We're loud, we're silly, we dance like fools, and sometimes we drink a bit too much.  But when it comes down to it, we are probably the best group of friends a girl could ask for.  We support each other, we tell the truth (even if it hurts), we mend each other's broken hearts, and we never take anything for granted.  We are going to squeeze every bit of fun possible into each day of our lives, and we won't let "age" be a factor in our schedule or decisions.  I still believe that in 10 or 20 years, we'll be the loud group of crazy ladies sitting on the beach, drinking a nice cold one and telling old stories.  And guaranteed we will still be talking about boys.