I know, I know... usually when people say that, they are lying. But I swear, my disappearance in August after making a post about losing weight to win a prize just one short month after switching to a plant-based diet does not mean I disappeared to go snarf bacon and balloon up to 300 lbs. Quite the opposite, for once.
You see, my history is that I throw myself full force at things I am passionate about for as long as they are new and shiny, and when the shine wears off and I become habitual in those efforts, I kind of glaze over, lose focus and need to find a new reason to be passionate about that thing, or an entirely new thing to be passionate about. I get bored, complacent, lazy, and that leads to bad places. In the past it has led me to start fights with my significant others, to overeating, to depression. I has led me to just feeling resentful and miserable for no good reason.
In August, I had a goal to lose 10-15 lbs while Kevin was in the Arctic. I worked my ass off, literally, to get to that goal. I spent those 5 weeks tracking every morsel I ate, exercising 5 times a week, and I surpassed my goal by 2 lbs and had lost 17 lbs by the time Kevin returned from sea. In September, he and I went to the gym together a lot, and I continued to track my intake, the entire time sticking with my diet. I got my coveted Ninja blender (OMG it is incredible), and I felt fantastic. In October I bought a box of milk chocolate Nestle bars for the trick-or-treaters because I no longer eat dairy, so I knew I wouldn't break down and devour them. And I was right! In fact, they made it to our Christmas party and I threw out the few leftover Aero bars just last week because Kevin mentioned they don't taste as good as he remembered, so bye bye!
I had one minor slip at my friend Allison's birthday party where I drank ALL the wine and ate a piece of cake with eggs in it to soak up the booze, but I am fine with that. It was necessary to prevent future projectile vomiting. Plus, it was birthday cake. I am only human, guys... what human can say no to cake when they are intoxicated?
Anyway, here we are in January, and I am kind of gob-smacked to realize that I am still passionate about something that isn't my husband or some cute animal. I am also impressed that I made it through Thanksgiving and Christmas without breaking my diet or gaining any weight. I feel that switching to plant-based is the best thing I have ever done for myself. My body feels great, my mind feels clear and balanced for the first time in any January that I can remember as an adult. I haven't needed my Happy Light to make me get out of bed in the morning, or keep me from crawling back into it mid-afternoon. I still track my food intake, though I am not as regimental on caloric intake as I used to be because most of my food is all natural, filling in one serving and relatively guilt free.
In addition to all that stuff, without actively trying (because I have not been as physically active as I should be since I am still a hibernator by nature this time of year), my weight continues to slowly fall. Overall, since July, I am down 36 lbs and have gone from a size 18 to a size 14. I am not in a rush to get to a certain size, I am just happy with the results as they come. The feeling of contentment in my own skin is unprecedented.
Happy New Year.
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