Vegan with a vengeance....

I am back, I am vegan, and I am ready to roll! Since my last post, I have FINALLY completed my degree (yay!) and I am now free from the hectic schedule of student life. I can now focus on giving up cheese for good and getting back to being a true vegan! Let me tell you, cheese did a number on my system. Just by eating dairy products again, I went from 242 to 264 lbs in only 2 months! Dammit Janet! There is so much yucky stuff in cheese, it is unbelievable. I am now back on track and in just 4 days I am down 6 lbs already! I feel better, I worked out today (for the first time in months. i am so lame.) and I am in a pretty great mood. Consider me a very happy Libra! As for the workout, all I can say is GOOD LORD I AM OUT OF SHAPE. I didn't realize how badly my muscles had atrophied until I started moving. It is really pathetic! I mean, I used to be atheletic! I used to run circles around people in softball, and I could dance my ass off at national competitions! Today I did a beginners "walk at home" workout that seemed to be set at almost a geriatric pace. I almost didn't make it to the end. Seriously. I know I have a long way to go, but I am finally ON my way and that is a big step! There is a skinny me in here somewhere....

Weakened, but not shamed....

Ok...I will just up and admit it: I eat cheese. Yes, I am weak. I was vegan. Now I am just vegetarian. I still do not consume any other dairy, but cheese was a weakness. True, there are vegan brands, but I live in a pretty backwards country area, so I had to drive an hour one way just to get the good vegan cheese. I can't afford to buy it online. So, I decided that until I am financially or locationally able to obtain vegan cheese, I will just eat the real stuff. So one day, I will again be 100% vegan. Until then, why deprive myself? I have enough stress. So, I will eat cheese. There. I said it. And when I feel I have more to say, (which will hopefully be very soon) I will be back. Until then....

Gone for a while, but not forever....

I haven't blogged in so long. School took over my life throughout November and December. I am back now, and in my final semester. (Yay!) I am still vegan, but my weight loss has stalled due to being so busy. I fell into the rut of eating vegan junk food more often than I should have out of sheer convenience. But today is a new day. I am cutting down on sodium again, and trying to steer clear of breads and starchy foods and junk. I had brown rice with vegetable broth, broccoli, and salt substitute for lunch. I will try to have veggies and rice for dinner, too. I want to get healthy again and cleanse my system. I am listing my measurements so I can be held accountable.

Weight: 246
Waist: 45.75in
Chest: 49in
Butt/Hips: 49.5in
Thighs: 30.5in
Neck: 15.25in
Arms: 15in

Let's hope these numbers start to decrease really soon!

Still kicking.....literally.....

I am still vegan. Never felt better! I began a new workout tonight. It is the Turbo Jam thing I tried a few months back. It is 20 minutes of cardio, then about 20 minutes of fat burning/strength training. It hurts already. All those kicks made my glutes sore! But it felt great to sweat and be healthy! I am now down to 244 lbs! That is 24 lbs lost from my heaviest of 268! All this came off after I went vegan. (yes, I had gained back what I lost previously. sue me.) Perhaps we should all give up meat and dairy! By the way, today begins World Vegan Month! Go to WorldVeganDay.org to learn more! I am off to shower. No matter where you are reading this from, I bet you can smell me. Ugh. Time to go wash. Until next time....

Just a quickie....

Just a short blurb to let you know I am doing great! I am still vegan, and I am now down 13 pounds without starving, depriving, or even exercising! (I do intend to exercise, though) Oh, remember that dreaded old belt of mine that wouldn't even meet around my huge gut? It fits now. I can't buckle it, but it fits all the way around me! Isn't that awesome? I told you I would get back into it! I've been rereading my copy of Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. It has a lot of great info in it for veggies and vegans. Anyway, I am happy as hell, I eat like a pig (seriously!) and I am losing weight! I mean, I totally hogged out on a vegan burrito tonight. No lard or goop, just beans, brown rice, vegan sour cream, red enchilada sauce, and seasoning. Very awesome and actually healthy. I'm liking this vegan thing. And by the way, vegetables totally rock! Especially spinach. Mmmmm!

This ain't no diet....

OK, sorry to have been MIA for so long. I have made a lifestyle change that I am very pleased with: I am now a vegan. Before you start, no I don't throw red paint on fur wearers and no this isn't just an animal rights thing. I did this for my own health. I have learned a lot lately about what meat and dairy does to your body. It is actually quite disgusting! I don't want animal fats, excess proteins or mineral, or any other gross thing in my body. I have been vegan for one week now and I feel great! I'm not bloated, I have dropped 6 pounds without even trying, I am eating delicious healthy food, my acid reflux is gone, I am sleeping better....the benefits are truly amazing! Am I trying to convert the world? No. (well, maybe my hubby. the rest of you can do what you like.) I just feel like my eyes have been opened for the first time ever. We consume meat and dairy because we are taught to from birth. It is all we know. It never occurred to any of us that it may not be the right thing to do. Do yourself a favor: watch two documentaries entitled "Food, Inc." and "Change Your Food, Change Your Life" and see what I am talking about! Anyway, I am not on a diet. I am eating what any human should. I do not need, nor do I want, meat or dairy or any other animal product. I feel great! I look great! This is awesome!

I ain't dead yet....

Ok, so I'm a real shit blogger as of late. I had finals. Forgive me. (of course I passed. who do you think you're talking to?) Anyway, my mom got onto me today about not keeping up the blog, and she is right. I need to catch you guys up on my adventure. So far I am down about 14 pounds. I have lowered my sodium intake and significantly lowered my blood pressure. Yay me! Now my focus is going to be on maintaining the low sodium and also losing more weight. You know, lower calories, less fat, more exercise. Lately the weather here has been hotter than the 10th level of hell, so I am working out indoors. I like that. Air conditioning rocks! I am starting slow and working my way up to the fast paced stuff. I feel good right now, with my weight loss and improving health. I am also impressed with myself. My recent stress over finals did not result in a massive gain, as it has in the past. Also, I attended my family reunion today and got comments on my weight loss! I even managed to skip the dessert table entirely! That is a first for me! I didn't even eat a whole plate of food. I ate about half, and felt full. No more gorging myself like I used to. I really felt good today. Not great, but good. For now I am satisfied with good. Great will come when I am under the 200 mark. Until then, I am keeping with my new regimen and I am reaping the benefits! Sorry I was absent for a spell. I am back now and ready to tackle this weight thing! Come on, let's get to it! I survived my family reunion. I can do anything! LOL!