The challenge for the month of April has seen some success. I've been able to stay on track with taking vitamins and supplements on a daily basis. I've also had some success with focusing on a plant-based diet.
Let's talk about eating plants only...
There are lots of 'ups' and a handful of 'downs' while following a plant-based diet.
I don't think anyone will argue that it's a good idea to get in a few extra servings a day of vegetables and fruit.
One of the challenges I've found is that although there are some reasonably healthy snacks out there - it's important to monitor the sugar.
I'm looking at you granola bars.
If you can help it, it's best to avoid snacks with added sugar. I unknowingly put myself in a challenging position before this bonus challenge even began.
I picked up a package of what I can only describe as deconstructed granola-type bars as an alternative and healthful snack to keep around during the work day.
It was delicious. I went back the next day to purchase several packages in bulk. I saw the picture on the front, considered the ingredients from the image and decided that the contents of seeds, nuts, honey and dried fruit was acceptable to me.
WHY didn't I turn the package over and read the ingredients?!
The danger word was listed there as the second ingredient...sugar.
I keep these snacks at work "in case of emergencies" and I've been decent at only reaching for them in trying times, but still - sugar in processed foods isn't on the acceptable foods list.
Although they're not the worst choice, they're not the best choice. Mostly, they are the convenient choice...
I'm certain I'll be paying that convenience fee.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Finally, it Clicked
I have a different perspective when it comes to food than I used to have.
After reading so many books about nutrition and diet and the benefits of being a plant-based eater, finally - I got it.
The more I think about it, it took more than that; it took my research on consumerism also to bring me around.
In America, there's lots we know about 1) food and 2) consumerism. Both of these things combined make for a powerful, powerful trance-like state of mind.
Food here - as the notion is sold to us is supposed to be any or all of the following words: fun, entertaining, mesmerizing, sexy, life-transforming, dream fulfilling, compassionate, romantic, etc.
Food in other countries is seen as simply, food. It's to be consumed when you're hungry a few times during the day in order to keep you going.
Yes, it should be tasty to you - otherwise, you wouldn't eat it. But, it's not marketed to other nations as the thing that brings you comfort, joy, erotic feelings or anything else.
It's fuel. Period.
I still enjoy discussing favorite foods with friends, but something clicked for me this week in that I no longer romanticize food. It no longer brings me excitement when I know it's near. Yah, I like food - healthy food, junk food, etc. But at the end of the day - it's simply fuel. Why give it more influence over my life than it actually deserves?
It's not the food's fault. It's part of the problem of our society. We bit the bait, hook, line and sinker; therefore, generations have fallen victim to the effects over time of assigning too much importance to food.
Knock the food off the pedestal. Hopefully, one day it'll all click for you also.
After reading so many books about nutrition and diet and the benefits of being a plant-based eater, finally - I got it.
The more I think about it, it took more than that; it took my research on consumerism also to bring me around.
In America, there's lots we know about 1) food and 2) consumerism. Both of these things combined make for a powerful, powerful trance-like state of mind.
Food here - as the notion is sold to us is supposed to be any or all of the following words: fun, entertaining, mesmerizing, sexy, life-transforming, dream fulfilling, compassionate, romantic, etc.
Food in other countries is seen as simply, food. It's to be consumed when you're hungry a few times during the day in order to keep you going.
Yes, it should be tasty to you - otherwise, you wouldn't eat it. But, it's not marketed to other nations as the thing that brings you comfort, joy, erotic feelings or anything else.
It's fuel. Period.
I still enjoy discussing favorite foods with friends, but something clicked for me this week in that I no longer romanticize food. It no longer brings me excitement when I know it's near. Yah, I like food - healthy food, junk food, etc. But at the end of the day - it's simply fuel. Why give it more influence over my life than it actually deserves?
It's not the food's fault. It's part of the problem of our society. We bit the bait, hook, line and sinker; therefore, generations have fallen victim to the effects over time of assigning too much importance to food.
Knock the food off the pedestal. Hopefully, one day it'll all click for you also.
Monday, April 24, 2017
What-If Scenarios
Time is ticking and I'm counting down the day that I pack up and travel. I'm not necessarily excited, but I've found myself in an if-then state of mind.
I guess it's crisis control from my end.
Travelling undoubtedly throws a cog in the systems we put in place to help keep our nutrition on track.
The days are longer or shorter.
The places we acquire our usual foods aren't around.
We have limited access to our kitchen equipment.
With less than 4 days to go, today's the day I started really contemplating my game plan.
I think boxer Mike Tyson was credited with saying, "Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the face."
So, I'm trying to dodge all chances of being hit in the face so-to-speak with an abundance of food all while cornered by hunger.
As we all know...fierce hunger can bring anybody to their knees.
That's another thing I'd like to avoid.
Heaven forbid I end up face down into a platter of donuts simply because I didn't prepare for a long travel day.
Okay, fine. There are worse things but, you know what I mean.
Today I did a little online research to determine the distance between where I'll be staying and the nearest health food store. Of course, I'll get on the plane with healthy snacks but I'll be gone for nearly a week and I'll need to know how to support my goals by getting the healthy foods in!
What IF... I get hungry and I've run out of my travel snack supply?
THEN... I'll take a trip to the market in town and get enough to stock my hotel room for the duration.
What other if-then scenarios should I be planning for?
I guess it's crisis control from my end.
Travelling undoubtedly throws a cog in the systems we put in place to help keep our nutrition on track.
The days are longer or shorter.
The places we acquire our usual foods aren't around.
We have limited access to our kitchen equipment.
With less than 4 days to go, today's the day I started really contemplating my game plan.
I think boxer Mike Tyson was credited with saying, "Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the face."
So, I'm trying to dodge all chances of being hit in the face so-to-speak with an abundance of food all while cornered by hunger.
As we all know...fierce hunger can bring anybody to their knees.
That's another thing I'd like to avoid.
Heaven forbid I end up face down into a platter of donuts simply because I didn't prepare for a long travel day.
Okay, fine. There are worse things but, you know what I mean.
Today I did a little online research to determine the distance between where I'll be staying and the nearest health food store. Of course, I'll get on the plane with healthy snacks but I'll be gone for nearly a week and I'll need to know how to support my goals by getting the healthy foods in!
What IF... I get hungry and I've run out of my travel snack supply?
THEN... I'll take a trip to the market in town and get enough to stock my hotel room for the duration.
What other if-then scenarios should I be planning for?
Friday, April 21, 2017
Reasons Behind the Burdens
Several blog posts ago, I talked a little about the challenges I give myself. In sum, it's because I think by constantly challenging myself in certain aspects of my life, it helps me stretch and grow in a positive way.
For example, I switched over to veganism because it seemed like a great challenge. It all started with a fast, but I realized after the fast concluded, that it was not only doable, but that it was also very sustainable.
Of course, I visualized and day dreamt about the foods I'd no longer be eating - which included lots of my favorite things...like pastries and baked goods. After all, baked goods generally include the trifecta, butter, cream, and eggs.
But, I told myself back then that delicious desserts weren't really supposed to be consumed anyhow, at least not on the regular. So, the decisions I made were always intended to be the healthier choices - the better choices.
Heck of a challenge, huh?
It's actually the challenge of a lifetime and yet somehow, I don't think that I'll go back.
In fact, I'll say that I'm working on moving forward even more - which is how I arrived at this months challenge.
Eat all the plants!
But only plants, though. And avoid all the sugars if possible.
It's been tough. I've allowed myself a couple of things to ease the burden, like brown bread. I've allowed this because eating out is super tough and sometimes I'd rather have my salad as a sandwich.
At any rate, yes - there are ups and most certainly, there are downs. But, eight days into this - I'm finally starting to get the hang of it!
This is the importance of challenging ourselves. We just never know how we can transform.
For example, I switched over to veganism because it seemed like a great challenge. It all started with a fast, but I realized after the fast concluded, that it was not only doable, but that it was also very sustainable.
Of course, I visualized and day dreamt about the foods I'd no longer be eating - which included lots of my favorite things...like pastries and baked goods. After all, baked goods generally include the trifecta, butter, cream, and eggs.
But, I told myself back then that delicious desserts weren't really supposed to be consumed anyhow, at least not on the regular. So, the decisions I made were always intended to be the healthier choices - the better choices.
Heck of a challenge, huh?
It's actually the challenge of a lifetime and yet somehow, I don't think that I'll go back.
In fact, I'll say that I'm working on moving forward even more - which is how I arrived at this months challenge.
Eat all the plants!
But only plants, though. And avoid all the sugars if possible.
It's been tough. I've allowed myself a couple of things to ease the burden, like brown bread. I've allowed this because eating out is super tough and sometimes I'd rather have my salad as a sandwich.
At any rate, yes - there are ups and most certainly, there are downs. But, eight days into this - I'm finally starting to get the hang of it!
This is the importance of challenging ourselves. We just never know how we can transform.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Our Internal Decision Bullets
Change your mind, change your life.
When we take the time to actively listen to our quiet inner voice, that's the time we can make the most rational decisions.
For me, I've always been a quick decision maker. I know what I want, when I want it, how I want it, why I want it and certainly what I absolutely don't want. No waffling here.
But, sometimes, even with being the most sure of ourselves and our decisions, we get caught in a situation that requires us to take a little more time to consider the other options in more depth.
Maybe it requires us to take a lot more time. It all depends.
When it comes to changing habits, we have plenty of opportunities to practice listening to our quiet inner voice.
I like analogies, so I'll use one here...
Imagine that our decision-making process is like a gun and that we can fire decision bullets from either the magazine or from the chamber.
Our current habits are so solidified that it takes little to no time to make decisions. They're instant. We'll call those decisions the bullets in the chamber. They're there, ready to go and the quickest ones out.
Then, there are the decision bullets in the magazine...
They're there on reserve simply waiting to fire in case the instinctual decision bullet didn't do the trick. It takes longer (although not by much) to get to the ones in the reserves.
Our current habits are the bullets in the chamber. They almost fire themselves. But, in order to change our habits - sometimes we need just enough time to consider the other decisions on reserve. It's quite possible that those are the difference-makers and the change agents.
When we take the time to actively listen to our quiet inner voice, that's the time we can make the most rational decisions.
For me, I've always been a quick decision maker. I know what I want, when I want it, how I want it, why I want it and certainly what I absolutely don't want. No waffling here.
But, sometimes, even with being the most sure of ourselves and our decisions, we get caught in a situation that requires us to take a little more time to consider the other options in more depth.
Maybe it requires us to take a lot more time. It all depends.
When it comes to changing habits, we have plenty of opportunities to practice listening to our quiet inner voice.
I like analogies, so I'll use one here...
Imagine that our decision-making process is like a gun and that we can fire decision bullets from either the magazine or from the chamber.
Our current habits are so solidified that it takes little to no time to make decisions. They're instant. We'll call those decisions the bullets in the chamber. They're there, ready to go and the quickest ones out.
Then, there are the decision bullets in the magazine...
They're there on reserve simply waiting to fire in case the instinctual decision bullet didn't do the trick. It takes longer (although not by much) to get to the ones in the reserves.
Our current habits are the bullets in the chamber. They almost fire themselves. But, in order to change our habits - sometimes we need just enough time to consider the other decisions on reserve. It's quite possible that those are the difference-makers and the change agents.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Your Tiny Inner Food Voice
Regarding the daily supplements I'm taking, you should be glad to know that it's all going just fine. I've gotten extremely good at taking that last dose at the right time of night - which helps me avoid having to slay dragons in my dreams...
Today I had the perfect opportunity to throw all of my cares and goals out the window over one meal.
Let's start from the top...
This morning I blended up this lackluster salad I picked up from a restaurant over the weekend and drank it down with the rest of my smoothie ingredients.
Breakfast came and went and with a few servings of nuts in between, it was time for lunch.
I think a lot of folks eat meals simply because it's that certain time of day that they've become accustomed to that habit without taking into consideration whether or not they're even hungry.
Today I silently asked myself if I was preparing to eat because I was hungry or because it was 'time.' It took more thought than I'd envisioned.
What I wanted was Chinese food. Nothing too fancy - just some vegetable fried rice. It's not that big of a deal, or is it? I can think of plenty of worse things...
I sat for a while rationalizing why getting Chinese food would be okay.
In the end, I discovered that no - I wasn't actually hungry. I also reminded myself that Chinese food was not currently on my acceptable foods list. At least, not for now.
So, I bypassed the fried food and opted for a better choice later on. Still, I'm learning how to actually listen to the sounds of my "food voice." It's pretty amazing how that tiny voice generally gets shouted down by the grumblings of my stomach or the trickery of my mind.
Today I had the perfect opportunity to throw all of my cares and goals out the window over one meal.
Let's start from the top...
This morning I blended up this lackluster salad I picked up from a restaurant over the weekend and drank it down with the rest of my smoothie ingredients.
Breakfast came and went and with a few servings of nuts in between, it was time for lunch.
I think a lot of folks eat meals simply because it's that certain time of day that they've become accustomed to that habit without taking into consideration whether or not they're even hungry.
Today I silently asked myself if I was preparing to eat because I was hungry or because it was 'time.' It took more thought than I'd envisioned.
What I wanted was Chinese food. Nothing too fancy - just some vegetable fried rice. It's not that big of a deal, or is it? I can think of plenty of worse things...
I sat for a while rationalizing why getting Chinese food would be okay.
In the end, I discovered that no - I wasn't actually hungry. I also reminded myself that Chinese food was not currently on my acceptable foods list. At least, not for now.
So, I bypassed the fried food and opted for a better choice later on. Still, I'm learning how to actually listen to the sounds of my "food voice." It's pretty amazing how that tiny voice generally gets shouted down by the grumblings of my stomach or the trickery of my mind.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Travel Can Derail Your Train
Each day I'm in this dual challenge, I think about the challenges ahead of me and I envision how I'll either succeed or fail when the temptations really get in my face.
Already, I'm planning my failure points and tactics.
I'm not sure why I'm doing this. I think it's partially due to the fear of failing when my travels take me out of my normal daily routine.
Routines are safe and predictable. When it comes to changing habits, once you find yourself in a stable routine, that's when you can safely say that you've started on the right path and each day from that point on gets a little easier.
But travel...
Whether it's travel for work or you're going on vacation, the change of pace can seriously derail your intentions and send your plans right out the door.
So, maybe it's good I'm thinking about this, because hey - even the weekends can sometimes catch me off guard.
At this point, I have a few ideas about travel and trying to keep to my plant-based diet plans. Mostly, the biggest plan is to do just that - plan. I think we always feel more comfortable when we have acceptable food/snack options at hand so we're not stuck in an all out battle with our hunger with absolutely no place to turn other than what's in front of us - which of course is never the acceptable stuff.
My plan is to stockpile. I want to be sure that I'm stockpiling the right food choices each day so that I always have options and never feel hungry or deprived.
Yep. Stockpile the fuel foods with reckless abandon. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.
No matter the challenges we set for ourselves, the number one failure or success point is the planning. We can't escape it so we need to simply embrace it.
Already, I'm planning my failure points and tactics.
I'm not sure why I'm doing this. I think it's partially due to the fear of failing when my travels take me out of my normal daily routine.
Routines are safe and predictable. When it comes to changing habits, once you find yourself in a stable routine, that's when you can safely say that you've started on the right path and each day from that point on gets a little easier.
But travel...
Whether it's travel for work or you're going on vacation, the change of pace can seriously derail your intentions and send your plans right out the door.
So, maybe it's good I'm thinking about this, because hey - even the weekends can sometimes catch me off guard.
At this point, I have a few ideas about travel and trying to keep to my plant-based diet plans. Mostly, the biggest plan is to do just that - plan. I think we always feel more comfortable when we have acceptable food/snack options at hand so we're not stuck in an all out battle with our hunger with absolutely no place to turn other than what's in front of us - which of course is never the acceptable stuff.
My plan is to stockpile. I want to be sure that I'm stockpiling the right food choices each day so that I always have options and never feel hungry or deprived.
Yep. Stockpile the fuel foods with reckless abandon. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.
No matter the challenges we set for ourselves, the number one failure or success point is the planning. We can't escape it so we need to simply embrace it.
Monday, April 17, 2017
Plant-Based Failure Points
Following a plant-based diet is tough when you don't take the time to prepare.
Today was one of those days.
I failed to have protein with my breakfast smoothie today, so mere hours later, my stomach started to growl. I should've known better.
Before my plant-based challenge, it wasn't uncommon for me to drink a green smoothie for breakfast alongside some crackers and peanut butter. But, crackers and peanut butter are not on the acceptable foods list. So, I drank down the smoothie and headed out the door.
Armed with what I planned to eat for lunch, once I got to work I couldn't ignore the fact that my stomach was playing the sounds of a very ready drumline.
Ignore it. That's what I told myself.
Maybe it'll go away...
But, it didn't. I knew I'd have to eat something, so I did. I ate my lunch - plants and grains.
What stipulations this would have during the actual lunch hour when I had nothing else to eat crossed my mind, but simply put - I didn't care. I was hungry now - so I ate.
Hours later - I felt exhausted and ended up reaching for something not plant-based. Sugar was one of the central ingredients.
I reasoned that it would give me the energy to push through. Would I consider it a horrible choice? No. It was mostly a snack of nuts, seeds, and dried berries.
Though I'm not beating myself up about it - the point is that I didn't want to fall into this circumstance. I see it as a failure point.
Moral of the story? Though you may at some point bend, it doesn't mean you must fully break. Make the best choices you can and immediately get back in the game.
Today was one of those days.
I failed to have protein with my breakfast smoothie today, so mere hours later, my stomach started to growl. I should've known better.
Before my plant-based challenge, it wasn't uncommon for me to drink a green smoothie for breakfast alongside some crackers and peanut butter. But, crackers and peanut butter are not on the acceptable foods list. So, I drank down the smoothie and headed out the door.
Armed with what I planned to eat for lunch, once I got to work I couldn't ignore the fact that my stomach was playing the sounds of a very ready drumline.
Ignore it. That's what I told myself.
Maybe it'll go away...
But, it didn't. I knew I'd have to eat something, so I did. I ate my lunch - plants and grains.
What stipulations this would have during the actual lunch hour when I had nothing else to eat crossed my mind, but simply put - I didn't care. I was hungry now - so I ate.
Hours later - I felt exhausted and ended up reaching for something not plant-based. Sugar was one of the central ingredients.
I reasoned that it would give me the energy to push through. Would I consider it a horrible choice? No. It was mostly a snack of nuts, seeds, and dried berries.
Though I'm not beating myself up about it - the point is that I didn't want to fall into this circumstance. I see it as a failure point.
Moral of the story? Though you may at some point bend, it doesn't mean you must fully break. Make the best choices you can and immediately get back in the game.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Brain Chain of Command
My brain knows what's up.
I've always believed that where the mind goes, the body follows. That's why our physical bodies adapt to change at impressive speeds, when we get our brains to commit to the changes first.
Our bodies are so miraculous. Even when we screw things up and take our bodies for granted, it knows how to compensate.
Eat too much sugar for dessert? There's an internal purification system for that. Scrape your knee on your outdoor excursion? Don't worry, your skin will replenish to the point of creating protective scab and will commence healing itself.
Truly, we are miraculous human beings.
Today began the first day of my double-down challenge and although I had a small rough patch, all-in-all I think my conviction is what helped push me through.
When the time of the day came that I'd normally have a non-plant-based snack, (popcorn or pre-packaged granola snacks, for example) my stomach started growling and my mind started to race.
As I ran down the list of why I'm following a plant-based diet for the next 30 days, my brain seemed to slow down those 'feed me now!' messages.
Right then and there - in that very moment, I instilled a chain of command. I didn't allow the irrational part of my brain, (which seems to be best friends with my hunger pangs) to call the shots. Instead, I flipped the switch and let the rational part of my mind do the negotiating.
Do you know what happened? My stomach quieted.
Hmph.
As it turns out, the rational part of my brain is pretty dang convincing. Just like that I was able to let my sensibilities give corrective guidance.
Where the mind goes, the body follows. Take your mind and body somewhere they'll never regret.
I've always believed that where the mind goes, the body follows. That's why our physical bodies adapt to change at impressive speeds, when we get our brains to commit to the changes first.
Our bodies are so miraculous. Even when we screw things up and take our bodies for granted, it knows how to compensate.
Eat too much sugar for dessert? There's an internal purification system for that. Scrape your knee on your outdoor excursion? Don't worry, your skin will replenish to the point of creating protective scab and will commence healing itself.
Truly, we are miraculous human beings.
Today began the first day of my double-down challenge and although I had a small rough patch, all-in-all I think my conviction is what helped push me through.
When the time of the day came that I'd normally have a non-plant-based snack, (popcorn or pre-packaged granola snacks, for example) my stomach started growling and my mind started to race.
As I ran down the list of why I'm following a plant-based diet for the next 30 days, my brain seemed to slow down those 'feed me now!' messages.
Right then and there - in that very moment, I instilled a chain of command. I didn't allow the irrational part of my brain, (which seems to be best friends with my hunger pangs) to call the shots. Instead, I flipped the switch and let the rational part of my mind do the negotiating.
Do you know what happened? My stomach quieted.
Hmph.
As it turns out, the rational part of my brain is pretty dang convincing. Just like that I was able to let my sensibilities give corrective guidance.
Where the mind goes, the body follows. Take your mind and body somewhere they'll never regret.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Friends or Foes
I'm surrounded by allies.
In my group of friends and associates I have a few who've offered to help me cheat on my 30-day plant-based diet and keep it a secret.
I know they mean well, but at the same time, that sounds like a seriously sabotaging, setup for a setback.
What is it about these folks who call themselves our friends?
On one hand, I see that they're willing to compromise the truth and lie to others on our behalf - it's a very loyal characteristic.
On the other hand - they're our biggest enablers.
All in all - they are our friends, but there is something deep down in us that isn't excited about change and wants to "protect" others from change too - whether we feel that we're being helpful or not.
There's a part of us that doesn't want them to change into something we weren't able to successfully transform into ourselves - or didn't have to courage to try for fear of failure.
Whether or not we recognize it - it's there, buried deep within us. I bet it's not even part of our natural habit, but maybe there's something to be said for that Survival of the Fittest concept.
I consider myself a "people cheerleader" to the max. But when someone accomplishes something that I haven't had success in accomplishing, something way down deep in me feels slightly saddened.
Thankfully, my slight sadness does not diminish my absolute joy for the other person.
Whew! Hashtag, still a cheerleader!
At any rate, tomorrow's the big day - but I'm not treating it as such. I don't want to build it up to be anymore than it is and stress out about it. I'm merely working on changing my mind which will hopefully lead to changing my habits.
In my group of friends and associates I have a few who've offered to help me cheat on my 30-day plant-based diet and keep it a secret.
I know they mean well, but at the same time, that sounds like a seriously sabotaging, setup for a setback.
What is it about these folks who call themselves our friends?
On one hand, I see that they're willing to compromise the truth and lie to others on our behalf - it's a very loyal characteristic.
On the other hand - they're our biggest enablers.
All in all - they are our friends, but there is something deep down in us that isn't excited about change and wants to "protect" others from change too - whether we feel that we're being helpful or not.
There's a part of us that doesn't want them to change into something we weren't able to successfully transform into ourselves - or didn't have to courage to try for fear of failure.
Whether or not we recognize it - it's there, buried deep within us. I bet it's not even part of our natural habit, but maybe there's something to be said for that Survival of the Fittest concept.
I consider myself a "people cheerleader" to the max. But when someone accomplishes something that I haven't had success in accomplishing, something way down deep in me feels slightly saddened.
Thankfully, my slight sadness does not diminish my absolute joy for the other person.
Whew! Hashtag, still a cheerleader!
At any rate, tomorrow's the big day - but I'm not treating it as such. I don't want to build it up to be anymore than it is and stress out about it. I'm merely working on changing my mind which will hopefully lead to changing my habits.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Those Dang Dirty Ditches
My April double-down challenge is a road paved with booby-traps, potholes and dirty ditches.
I don't really know what I was thinking. Well, actually, that's not true. I knew exactly what my intentions were - but I didn't really consider the dirty ditches and booby-traps...
My plant-based diet from April 14th to May 14th is an admirable feat - and for me, it's sort of personal.
The first day of my plant-based diet is my mom's birthday and May 14th is Mother's Day. Those dates seemed like perfect bookends to me.
She has no idea - and now that I think about it, I should probably invite her to join me.
Now, about those dirty ditches...
A plant-based diet is a perfect way to welcome spring. The skies are blue, the grass is green, the trees are blooming. It's all picture perfect.
But...
I have some work travel coming up. Not only will my schedule be in flux, but the foods I usually eat may not be around. That could be good. That could be bad...
The hardest part though - is having access to the never ending, delicious-looking, sea of available food.
Generally, I do an okay job at holding my own - but with the restrictions of this particular challenge, what I'm actually envisioning my day looking like is closer to what a raw vegan would eat.
Because I won't know how the food is prepared, I'll stick to things I can easily recognize, raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and maybe something warm if I get lucky.
I'm traveling for 6 days - and towards the middle of the challenge, so hopefully I'll ease right into change.
I don't really know what I was thinking. Well, actually, that's not true. I knew exactly what my intentions were - but I didn't really consider the dirty ditches and booby-traps...
My plant-based diet from April 14th to May 14th is an admirable feat - and for me, it's sort of personal.
The first day of my plant-based diet is my mom's birthday and May 14th is Mother's Day. Those dates seemed like perfect bookends to me.
She has no idea - and now that I think about it, I should probably invite her to join me.
Now, about those dirty ditches...
A plant-based diet is a perfect way to welcome spring. The skies are blue, the grass is green, the trees are blooming. It's all picture perfect.
But...
I have some work travel coming up. Not only will my schedule be in flux, but the foods I usually eat may not be around. That could be good. That could be bad...
The hardest part though - is having access to the never ending, delicious-looking, sea of available food.
Generally, I do an okay job at holding my own - but with the restrictions of this particular challenge, what I'm actually envisioning my day looking like is closer to what a raw vegan would eat.
Because I won't know how the food is prepared, I'll stick to things I can easily recognize, raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and maybe something warm if I get lucky.
I'm traveling for 6 days - and towards the middle of the challenge, so hopefully I'll ease right into change.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Doubling Down for April
I'm hanging in there with the daily supplements challenge, although I've had a couple of close calls - as recently as tonight.
And for that - I'll be staying up a bit later than usual... If you hadn't read a recent post of mine yet, you'll know that this is Nightmare Avoidance Strategy.
A couple of days from now, I'll start a Bonus Challenge.
It's an additional challenge that I'm adding to my current challenge.
As if one challenge wasn't challenging enough...
Starting on the 14th of April through the 14th of May, I'll be following a plant-based diet.
I can think of LOTS of ways I could fail on this one. I can think of LOTS of foods I'll miss eating, including my staple of microwave popcorn and brothy noodle soup, BUT, I can also think of how (hopefully) I will have made positive lifetime changes once it's all said and done.
My attempts to live a healthful life includes practicing veganism, toning down the amount of heavily processed foods I consume and increasing the number of times I take my bike out for a spin during the spring and summer months.
In the long run, I'd like to decrease my carbon footprint by focusing more on eating foods that don't come in packages. This one is clearly a double-benefit. Less packaged foods equals less trash and less consumption of processed foods.
This sounds like good practice to me.
So, as the 14th approaches, I'm not inclined just yet to run out and eat all of the chips and salsa or Oreo cookies or Twizzlers, but I am taking some things into consideration, like a hot bowl of brothy noodle soup. Maybe at the conclusion, I'll have that hot soup.
And for that - I'll be staying up a bit later than usual... If you hadn't read a recent post of mine yet, you'll know that this is Nightmare Avoidance Strategy.
A couple of days from now, I'll start a Bonus Challenge.
It's an additional challenge that I'm adding to my current challenge.
As if one challenge wasn't challenging enough...
Starting on the 14th of April through the 14th of May, I'll be following a plant-based diet.
I can think of LOTS of ways I could fail on this one. I can think of LOTS of foods I'll miss eating, including my staple of microwave popcorn and brothy noodle soup, BUT, I can also think of how (hopefully) I will have made positive lifetime changes once it's all said and done.
My attempts to live a healthful life includes practicing veganism, toning down the amount of heavily processed foods I consume and increasing the number of times I take my bike out for a spin during the spring and summer months.
In the long run, I'd like to decrease my carbon footprint by focusing more on eating foods that don't come in packages. This one is clearly a double-benefit. Less packaged foods equals less trash and less consumption of processed foods.
This sounds like good practice to me.
So, as the 14th approaches, I'm not inclined just yet to run out and eat all of the chips and salsa or Oreo cookies or Twizzlers, but I am taking some things into consideration, like a hot bowl of brothy noodle soup. Maybe at the conclusion, I'll have that hot soup.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Routes We Try to Avoid
Had a nightmare last night. Yep, you guessed it - I must not have giving enough time between that last dose and actually going to bed.
The weekends can be tough on you when you're trying to follow a pill regimen. The work week is structured, predictable. It allows you to schedule taking vitamins on time.
This past weekend was one of the more beautiful ones. I got my bike out and went for a ride on Saturday. I'm looking forward to doing a lot more of that this summer and even this spring. Sunday was more beautiful than Saturday and clearly, I enjoyed it so much, that I missed my timeline for supplements.
Eh. Such is life...
A day or so ago - I looked back at my cycling history from last summer. I was shocked to see how little I actually got out to ride. But then, I remembered how ridiculous of a summer it was. So, I am challenging myself to surpass that amount this summer.
While I was on the ride over the weekend, I knew it'd be tough since I haven't truly done any measurable amount of aerobic exercise in quite some time.
There is a highway overpass that I was particularly not interested in climbing this time around. I looked online before I even got started to find optional routes that didn't involve climbing this monster hill.
There were none.
The last time I rode up this incline was three bikes ago for me. I remember it being brutal.
I don't know if it's the supplements I've been taking or what, but the hill this time around seemed much more manageable.
Maybe these pills are having an effect after all!
The weekends can be tough on you when you're trying to follow a pill regimen. The work week is structured, predictable. It allows you to schedule taking vitamins on time.
This past weekend was one of the more beautiful ones. I got my bike out and went for a ride on Saturday. I'm looking forward to doing a lot more of that this summer and even this spring. Sunday was more beautiful than Saturday and clearly, I enjoyed it so much, that I missed my timeline for supplements.
Eh. Such is life...
A day or so ago - I looked back at my cycling history from last summer. I was shocked to see how little I actually got out to ride. But then, I remembered how ridiculous of a summer it was. So, I am challenging myself to surpass that amount this summer.
While I was on the ride over the weekend, I knew it'd be tough since I haven't truly done any measurable amount of aerobic exercise in quite some time.
There is a highway overpass that I was particularly not interested in climbing this time around. I looked online before I even got started to find optional routes that didn't involve climbing this monster hill.
There were none.
The last time I rode up this incline was three bikes ago for me. I remember it being brutal.
I don't know if it's the supplements I've been taking or what, but the hill this time around seemed much more manageable.
Maybe these pills are having an effect after all!
Friday, April 7, 2017
Supplements it Is
Routines can be so boring - and yet, I find comfort in their predictability. I'm good at rule following at least, and I've had to set a few rules for myself that simply didn't apply when I was much younger.
To start, I've been trying to be diligent about taking dietary supplements on time each day. I never felt the need to do this as a younger adult. I probably didn't actually need them. Oh, who knows? I'm 99% sure that my diet back then was 10 times worse than it is now. It was no big deal to make a meal out of cheese fries at the cafeteria on my college campus.
The 'build your own pasta' bar? That was probably my favorite. And the beauty of it all is that I could have that for a dinner, wash it down with a fruit juice drink and just kick back and relax.
Easy breezy...
Oh but that was then...
If I even tried to eat a bowl of pasta for dinner and then proceeded to lay back and relax, it'd take me HOURS to digest that meal.
H.O.U.R.S. before I could shake that bloated feeling of fullness. And, don't even think I'd consider eating such a meal past a certain time of night nowadays. Oh heck no! I'm just too ahem, mature for that nonsense.
Now that I've regulated my supplements, I feel a bit more balanced. It's like everything is finally starting to click.
The longer daylight hours are affording me more vitamin D and I'm thankful to get that in naturally. For the other vitamins, I work on getting those in through foods - but of course, sometimes life gets in the way and I can't always eat the rainbow - so to speak. Until I can, supplements it is!
To start, I've been trying to be diligent about taking dietary supplements on time each day. I never felt the need to do this as a younger adult. I probably didn't actually need them. Oh, who knows? I'm 99% sure that my diet back then was 10 times worse than it is now. It was no big deal to make a meal out of cheese fries at the cafeteria on my college campus.
The 'build your own pasta' bar? That was probably my favorite. And the beauty of it all is that I could have that for a dinner, wash it down with a fruit juice drink and just kick back and relax.
Easy breezy...
Oh but that was then...
If I even tried to eat a bowl of pasta for dinner and then proceeded to lay back and relax, it'd take me HOURS to digest that meal.
H.O.U.R.S. before I could shake that bloated feeling of fullness. And, don't even think I'd consider eating such a meal past a certain time of night nowadays. Oh heck no! I'm just too ahem, mature for that nonsense.
Now that I've regulated my supplements, I feel a bit more balanced. It's like everything is finally starting to click.
The longer daylight hours are affording me more vitamin D and I'm thankful to get that in naturally. For the other vitamins, I work on getting those in through foods - but of course, sometimes life gets in the way and I can't always eat the rainbow - so to speak. Until I can, supplements it is!
Thursday, April 6, 2017
The Challenges Are Challenging
I'm solidly in the groove. The challenge I gave myself this month was to take my vitamins regularly.
Once I wrote out a schedule, I was bound for success.
I'm not much of a futurist, but I tend to look ahead quite often at my own goals. After I've gotten into the swing of things with whatever challenge I'm currently in - I feel pretty confident daydreaming about the future.
In an old movie, there's a scene between a man and a woman trying to solve a horrific crime. The woman had a mentor for much of her life who always challenged her to think problems all the way through and to examine all of the possibilities. In this particular scene, she explains to the gentleman how her mentor would often challenge her to think about the problems from a different perspective by asking, "What's the next step?"
For me? My next step is slowly showing itself.
The body is a very tricky and miraculous thing... It questions our choices and responds either in agreement - or it responds in disagreement.
Getting past the disagreement part is never fun. I can at least identify what may have caused my vitamin "disagreement" interactions. Once I figured it out - it was easy to fix.
I suppose the moral of this story is two-fold.
1) Take the time to find your groove.
2) Stay with the challenge long enough to move past the hurdles.
Since we all move at our own pace, just because it was a breeze for someone else, does not mean that it will take you the same amount of time - and of course, vice versa. Stay the course.
Once I wrote out a schedule, I was bound for success.
I'm not much of a futurist, but I tend to look ahead quite often at my own goals. After I've gotten into the swing of things with whatever challenge I'm currently in - I feel pretty confident daydreaming about the future.
In an old movie, there's a scene between a man and a woman trying to solve a horrific crime. The woman had a mentor for much of her life who always challenged her to think problems all the way through and to examine all of the possibilities. In this particular scene, she explains to the gentleman how her mentor would often challenge her to think about the problems from a different perspective by asking, "What's the next step?"
For me? My next step is slowly showing itself.
The body is a very tricky and miraculous thing... It questions our choices and responds either in agreement - or it responds in disagreement.
Getting past the disagreement part is never fun. I can at least identify what may have caused my vitamin "disagreement" interactions. Once I figured it out - it was easy to fix.
I suppose the moral of this story is two-fold.
1) Take the time to find your groove.
2) Stay with the challenge long enough to move past the hurdles.
Since we all move at our own pace, just because it was a breeze for someone else, does not mean that it will take you the same amount of time - and of course, vice versa. Stay the course.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Nightmares, Go Away
Good thing I wrote up a schedule for myself for taking supplements and such, because let me tell you, last night - I cut it a little too close by taking the last dose on my way to bed.
As a result, I'm definitely blaming my dual nightmares on the pills.
Of course, I'm not sure that actually had anything to do with my dreams - but hey, that's what I'm attributing them to for now.
So, from this point forward, I'm starting the day off with the meds regimen nice and early so I can go ahead and get 'em in my system more than an hour before lights out.
It's one day down, and I think I've got a good thing going so far.
I wonder what effects the supplements are having on my system. I feel pretty good. Actually, I feel like I'm finally starting to get a handle on things with my nutrition, etc. I think there's something to be said about starting your day off with a few good habits...
For a long time, I've been waking up early each morning to blend a spinach smoothie. While I sit to enjoy an easy breakfast, I take the opportunity to read something light and generally inspirational.
I'm a firm believer that what we choose to consume, whether it's food, news, consumer ads, or any of the like, has a direct affect on us. Most of all, the first consumptions of the day can set the standard for the remainder of the day.
With that being said, starting the day off with a little breakfast, a little positivity, a vitamin and just a few moments to breathe before the day pulls me in a variety of directions is definitely just what the doctor ordered.
As a result, I'm definitely blaming my dual nightmares on the pills.
Of course, I'm not sure that actually had anything to do with my dreams - but hey, that's what I'm attributing them to for now.
So, from this point forward, I'm starting the day off with the meds regimen nice and early so I can go ahead and get 'em in my system more than an hour before lights out.
It's one day down, and I think I've got a good thing going so far.
I wonder what effects the supplements are having on my system. I feel pretty good. Actually, I feel like I'm finally starting to get a handle on things with my nutrition, etc. I think there's something to be said about starting your day off with a few good habits...
For a long time, I've been waking up early each morning to blend a spinach smoothie. While I sit to enjoy an easy breakfast, I take the opportunity to read something light and generally inspirational.
I'm a firm believer that what we choose to consume, whether it's food, news, consumer ads, or any of the like, has a direct affect on us. Most of all, the first consumptions of the day can set the standard for the remainder of the day.
With that being said, starting the day off with a little breakfast, a little positivity, a vitamin and just a few moments to breathe before the day pulls me in a variety of directions is definitely just what the doctor ordered.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Making Better Intentions
Even though I'm on the fourth day of taking my pills and supplements consistently - in all honesty, this is the first day that I've written out a regimen.
I've come to the conclusion that vitamins and supplements should probably be taken at the exact same time each day.
Genius, I know.
I might have been a late bloomer on this one. But in actuality, I knew this deep down in my consciousness somewhere. Usually, when doctors prescribe medicines, they advise you to take them on a particular schedule. It makes total sense.
What I've got going on over here however, aren't "meds," there mostly just vitamins. Will something drastic happen to me if I don't take them at the same exact time every day? Meh, probably not.
Will my system benefit from me taking them at the same time each day? Yeah, okay probably. And that's the whole point!
That's why I sat down to write out a schedule for myself today.
You see, it's not just about good intentions...
I'm 100% certain that most folks on planet Earth have good intentions of doing this, that, or the other. The intentions fall short most times though, because there's no plan behind it to back it up.
How many times have you either said, "Oh, I've been meaning to do that," but you still continued to forget about it?
Or, maybe you've changed into your workout clothes, got in the car to head off to the gym only to decide on the journey that you'd much rather do XYZ instead -- and then as a result, you drove right on past the gym!
By putting ourselves in the best possible position to succeed, in every instance and on every occasion, we have a solid chance of living out our intentions.
I've come to the conclusion that vitamins and supplements should probably be taken at the exact same time each day.
Genius, I know.
I might have been a late bloomer on this one. But in actuality, I knew this deep down in my consciousness somewhere. Usually, when doctors prescribe medicines, they advise you to take them on a particular schedule. It makes total sense.
What I've got going on over here however, aren't "meds," there mostly just vitamins. Will something drastic happen to me if I don't take them at the same exact time every day? Meh, probably not.
Will my system benefit from me taking them at the same time each day? Yeah, okay probably. And that's the whole point!
That's why I sat down to write out a schedule for myself today.
You see, it's not just about good intentions...
I'm 100% certain that most folks on planet Earth have good intentions of doing this, that, or the other. The intentions fall short most times though, because there's no plan behind it to back it up.
How many times have you either said, "Oh, I've been meaning to do that," but you still continued to forget about it?
Or, maybe you've changed into your workout clothes, got in the car to head off to the gym only to decide on the journey that you'd much rather do XYZ instead -- and then as a result, you drove right on past the gym!
By putting ourselves in the best possible position to succeed, in every instance and on every occasion, we have a solid chance of living out our intentions.
Monday, April 3, 2017
Half the Effort, Half the Results
I remember one of my good friends telling me that as you age, the same things you used to do to stay healthy and fit didn't have nearly the same effect on the older you.
Back then, sure - I believed her. Today? I can actually relate to her and I'm not very happy about it.
My first few days of the April challenge have been successful, but I can't exactly say that they've gone without a hitch.
Pills, pills, pills. Morning, noon, and night.
Although I can't necessarily feel a change from getting all of the supplements down each day, I can only assume that they're providing positive results.
The trouble is - 99% of the pills I'm taking are simply supplemental to my current diet and won't actually show their benefits. At least, I don't think they will.
Magnesium, b12, yadda, yadda, yadda.
I almost feel as if I need to get a better plan together with these things. I need to get more specific with when I take these. Maybe then, (and possibly only then) will I ever notice a difference in my health.
After my fun-filled weekend, I'm pretty sure I've confused the hell out of my body. It probably doesn't know if it should continue to party or if it should actually get serious about better health.
Ugh. It's all my fault. How can it ever possibly get serious if I'm only serious part of the time?
Exactly. This sadly includes weekends.
Here's the good part - it only took me a few days to realize this. The bad part? It will take lots more practice and many more days to create more good habits to overcome the bad.
Back then, sure - I believed her. Today? I can actually relate to her and I'm not very happy about it.
My first few days of the April challenge have been successful, but I can't exactly say that they've gone without a hitch.
Pills, pills, pills. Morning, noon, and night.
Although I can't necessarily feel a change from getting all of the supplements down each day, I can only assume that they're providing positive results.
The trouble is - 99% of the pills I'm taking are simply supplemental to my current diet and won't actually show their benefits. At least, I don't think they will.
Magnesium, b12, yadda, yadda, yadda.
I almost feel as if I need to get a better plan together with these things. I need to get more specific with when I take these. Maybe then, (and possibly only then) will I ever notice a difference in my health.
After my fun-filled weekend, I'm pretty sure I've confused the hell out of my body. It probably doesn't know if it should continue to party or if it should actually get serious about better health.
Ugh. It's all my fault. How can it ever possibly get serious if I'm only serious part of the time?
Exactly. This sadly includes weekends.
Here's the good part - it only took me a few days to realize this. The bad part? It will take lots more practice and many more days to create more good habits to overcome the bad.
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