Going all the way with Change.

Well while going Gluten Free was great for my stomach it did little to nothing in helping me to get some weight off.

So as of a few weeks ago I decided to go all the way.  YEP... changed my eating habits and I am finally getting some real advantages.

I would have never believed going Vegan would have made my life better, easier, and happier; but in fact that is exactly what has happened.

Better... I look at veggie side dishes all the time.  This if nothing else will help to expand my cooking routine for entertaining.  People really never know WHAT they are eating at someone else's home, they try and just see if they like it!   I have found some really good dishes and enjoyed the changes made to some of my old favorites.

Easier...  Well not worrying about meat, how clean, how fresh, how tainted... I don't know about you but I LOVE meat and growing up literally on a farm I enjoyed the bounty of real animals, real meat, and knowing what was fed to them.  My grandfather didn't afford "purchased animal feeds" he grew food for his family and his animals.  So before grass fed was "the thing" it was all I had!  It is a tougher leaner but more tasty meat, BUT I don't have any idea where anything I eat even comes from, how it was raised, fed, treated ... Freaking AAAAAA I have no idea and that in it self FREAKS me out when I bring raw meat into my own kitchen.  Bleach, Cooked well done, and side dishes were my only way of dealing with it.

Happier... OMG, I never EVER expected to feel better, be happier, sleep better, and for heaven's sake I never expected to have more energy!   1. I have cut my sleeping aids down to 1/2 of what they were and sticking to my routine like all the professionals say is working NOW!   Why now? The only thing I can guess is I am dealing with only MY OWN hormones; not all the added crap they give to animals to help them grow larger now! I'm not dealing with the chemicals in all the animals meats, arsenic, cyanide, and only a higher power really knows what else they LEGALLY can give animals today.   My mind doesn't race as much, but I am always 3 steps ahead of most (with a clear idea, questions and plans in the works) but not off the rails from subject to subject like I used to be.  You know the "Squirrel" mentality.   At any rate if you don't get the reference it's likely you don't have the problem. 

Yes I eat a ton of protein! Hemp is my main stay of easy, good protein!   I mean really only 3 table spoons is a days ration of clean protein.  How easy can that be.  

It is fall so I am eating a lot of cold frame veggies!  Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, Kale, turnips, carrots, acorn squash, pumpkin, and the seeds cranberries etc... too many to name everything here. 

While I am VERY tempted with the bullet phase of eating and I LOVE smoothies etc... until I  hit a plateau and can't loose any more weight I believe I'll stay the course of where I am. 

Where am I you ask... WELL... I started out at 155lbs yep... I'm 5' 7" and was at the limit my body could handle with out sever restrictions on its ability.  Don't get me wrong I was in PAIN, real pain, about to go back to the MD's and ask for more pain killers.  At my physical limits and barely able to function on my normal routines with animals, chores, and working I decided to go deeper into controlling my own world a little better.    THUS the GF< Vegan move!

Life is good... I have already lost 10lbs and I can only hope to loose another 10.  BUT the last ten are always the hardest to get off they say, so we shall see how the slow steps of weight loss effect my daily life from this point on. 

Oh yea... somehow the MD's say I need to loose another 20... Right THAT is NOT going to happen... I never looked good at 125 as an adult, a twiggy 20 year old maybe but not as a woman in the REAL world.  Just remember as I type out my life about weight loss... TO ME it is more about being able to function in my life style, not about my looks. 

I have never been a very vain woman, I'll be the last to get a pair of shoes, get my nails done, have my hair professionally colored, and never had a pedicure!   SO ... this is about the kricks , cracks, pops and function of my right leg that has forever been a pain in my body sense the age of 10.  being a GOOD 35 years older than that... I have to get a grip on it before I end up in a wheel chair, leg brace forever, or on crutches, cane, or what ever else would hinder my days.

My love to you all...
Amber

still here and still working at it.

While I am not riding my bike as I had hoped... my leg is in pain when I do.  So I have altered my plan and doing only my PT exercises 17 of them twice a day. 

I am also riding my horses for two days each week and more if I can get the time.

Which is also to say I have gone back to work part time and working about three to four days a week.

Life is FULL, Crazy, and barely in control which is to say my house is a mess because I am at the barn most of the time I have off.

I will at least try to get one post in a week.

I am still eating mostly salads...
veggies...
nuts...
and have gone GF all the way!
I have not cheated on the GF at all which makes my stomach happy.

I have gone from 156 down to about  142,,, ... now if I can just get rid of the next ten I'll be better off!

We shall see as time continues.  But I'm still here, still working on me!


Hope life out there is full and wonderful !
my love to the world.

AegF

WOW... still at it!

Yep... I'm still at it! and I am doing OK! NOT PERFECT! but I am doing all I can.

Life here the past week was hard.
Hard because of all the snow.  Thus making the worry for my outside animals that much more pressing, and taking up more of my time.    In doing so it also made me want to ride my horses that much more, of which I just said what the heck and got on my horses.

I am still at it with my bike riding.  So much so I now feel the burn in my thighs each time I ride now.  I know that sounds strange but I think my quads are finally starting to wake up.  I am still doing the 15 exercises from PT each day and like an athlete in training... with my sets and reps of each ... YES it takes SO much of my time, but it is starting to pay off and go a little more smoothly each day as well.  To the point I will need to add weight any day now.

Lets not forget with all the snow I have also been walking up the mountain ...

I have to say though... Yesterday was the best day yet!  I got to ride my wild and crazy horse off my property and out in the woods but the footing was so bad we had to cut the ride short so not to stress my horses legs too much.  They are as out of shape as I am with my not being able to ride all last year.

I did CHEAT!... yep... when I finally got to back into work there was a coke with my name on it from Christmas... I drank 1/2 one day and the last of it TODAY!...
I also had an apple with caramel one day... So I got sugar this last week!

I am still good on the gluten free and the non GMO thing I put on myself.

I feel good and my knee is GREAT!

I am sorry I didn't get the computer in everyday much less I didn't realize it had been a week sense last I wrote.... But you can all say what you will  I am doing ok... but will make sure to cut out even the slightest bit of sugar once again.    It is important to me, so back to it I go.  Besides I loose weight better and faster with no sugar in the diet.  but like a drug addict I crave and so badly see it everywhere!

To life!
To living life!
To living life to its fullest!

My love to the world
AegF

 

YES i have been riding! everyday!

Ok...
So while I wanted to ride LOTS I have had to cut back again to only once a day... sometimes longer than others but always at least 10 minutes


I have also been able to get to work a few hours last week and again today!


Not only working, riding, but the weather makes me walk up the mountain more so than not these days...
Tomorrow will be one of those days.... 
While I have tried on several occasions to post a silly phone video something continues to go wrong.

So I'll just tell you that it is a BEAUTIFUL snow my way... thus my hike tomorrow morning with be FUN!

over did it!

With my tiny 15 minutes on the bike yesterday I really over did it.
My leg was shaking all of yesterday and the pain in great still late into today.

I am going to get back on the bike tonight before I go to sleep, but I can assure you it will NOT be at the tension I used yesterday morning only!   and it will not be for 15 minutes.

Having to take a step back as I took too large a step forward yesterday.

Life is slightly grey today due to over doing it yesterday.

LIFE... it happens and I did this to myself feeling too good about it, and going forward too fast.

Day four

While it is only day 4 my leg is really screaming!

I got on the bike this morning and stayed on it 15 minutes.  I know it doesn't sound like much at all but this is a leg that could not do 4 minutes the first day.

Yes it hurts, and I feel nothing in the good leg, so we are doing something!

Doing this much made my leg very weak for walking into the barn to feed the horses, so I can only think I will have to stick to this time/length of a ride for a while.

Yes I plan to do this twice more today.
The plan...
15 minutes early morning... Done...
15 minutes mid day...
and 15 before I go to bed!

Doing what I can, as I can, however I can witch what I have.

third day!

ok... got on the bike again today!
I not only rode the thing for the same time as yesterday but added to it which is really my plan.

I go without Gluten about 99% of the time.  I do have my down days and I pay for it, but my real addiction is SUGAR.

I have also cut out SUGAR! OMG....
I think this is the hardest thing I have done in years.
I do not like any replacements so at this point the only sugar I am using is HONEY and VERY very sparingly xmpl... two (measured) tablespoons of honey to a gallon of berry tea.  I keep non caffeine so I can drink it during the day and it not keep me up at night.

I drink COFFEE first thing in the morning but black with nothing in it.

yes I eat meat but I rarely crave it! I do better with no meat and enjoy eggs, cream, cheese, and love fish but good fish is hard to come by! I eat it all but only if I crave it... I do however always have meat on hand for the hubby! He loves and craves meat on a regular basis.

I have for months been trying to get away from soda.  I have an addiction to Coke Cola NOT Pepsi... Pepsi had me till Coke stopped making "the real thing" and tried to change their receipt.  Even at that point it was that coldest of cokes on a hot day that burned the back of my throat that I craved.   As I type this my husband has a TWO litter bottle of COKE on our kitchen counter.  I have thus far not touched the darn thing but I crave it so dearly it is CRAZY!

Sugar has been my saving grace on a hard day.

Fat is my next big kick! But hear me NOW I am NOT ready to give up my fat!
I use real cheese, real sour cream, real everything including HEAVY CREAM which I love!!!!!!

I cut out the sugar because of what it REALLY does to the body!  It creates inflammation and my leg is so bad I had to give it help with all the healing I am expecting of it.  Not to forget that my wonderful Blue Cross Blue Shield Platinum plan has required a PRE-APPROVAL for a freaking anti-inflammatory medication that has been around for 20 years!~  

The doctors here blew me off.  released me with only a prescription as needed but never got rid of the issues or even 1/2 way addressed them as it was.

So I have still NOT gotten my meds so I had to address the issues alone.   Diet and teas have been my thing to get back on my feet.

I am enjoying the bike but the muscles are painful at night.  It makes going to sleep harder, but it has to be done.


I will be getting back on the bike later again today although I have already surpassed yesterdays time.
I can only do what I can do, but I am going to give it all I have.

Walter Mitty!

OK... you have to understand I love movies but I gave up going to the movie house when I gave up the first husband.


My now (second)  husband also LOVES the movies!
And on occasion I choose to go with him, this was one of those rare days!


A date day... not a night... life is cheaper at lunch, matinee, and fewer kids to deal with at a movie!


We saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty!
I realized I have always been a Walter Mitty!
I was the kid that had day dreams, while I didn't zone out, my mind rushed ahead of every conversation and created its own version of what ever was going on. It was a pain (for me and I am sure others) as a kid, I'm sure it's only one of the many reasons I was an outsider as a kid... (besides the glasses, a forehead the size of most kids entire head, the orthopedic shoes (they were SO nasty) and the inability to read as fast as everyone else.) Thank GOD I didn't have braces too!





I dreamed of travel. I wanted, I needed to see how the rest of the world lived.
I lived in a world where my every move was critiqued each day, where I wasn't just me; I was THE example for those behind (younger) me.  I was suppose to be good, only do the right thing, and my day dreaming became my only escape.   While Joelton is a place that owns my heart and I would move back in a minute given a good reason and the right chance to do so.  I love the people, I love the area, I love community, and my heritage there. But I knew life outside of my little home town had to be exciting! It had to be incredible!  It was going to be life changing if and when I ever got out. My small world was SO basic and the life I choose now is very basic. BUT I love my dreams and I love to travel.  I have always day dreamed. 


I was not good in school!
My brain was horribly divided between science and art. I couldn't just concentrate on one thing and quickly switch to the other... So depending on what side of the brain I used the other subjects suffered.






Back in the day when money was abundant and the economy flowed like water; my husband and I could travel twice a year one new place once a year and one repeat place for new adventures really learning a place and its culture.


I am a small town girl who never thought she would ever do anything.  And while in the outside world I have done little; but for a town that was a population of about 2000 I have done more than I ever dreamed I would.


In REALITY...
I have ridden horses I will never be able to afford.
I have traveled a few tourist places Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cusco, Lima, Quito, Tikal, Copan, Athens Greece, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Lake Titicaca, Panajachel, Peten, Belize, Cozumel, Chicen itza , Tulum, and some others.
I have traveled more off beat places... Copper Canyon, Divisadero Barrancas,  Batopilas, Antigua, Ischiguan ; actually too many off beat places to list as we normally get our own car and drive around and go and do what ever we want.  Rarely do we get a group trip, guided trip, or anything of the sort.




In my mind... that are in the word of my dreams...
I have ridden Grand Pre Level horses worth more than I will make in my life time.
I have seen peace.  I have seen places that purified my mind.
I have seen the thumb print of our higher power on the earth.
I have traveled places that were so Jurassic park I expected animals long gone to come from the bush.
I have traveled places that almost not humanly possible for their time.
I have roasted marshmallows over running lava.
I have walked down a mountain as the earth glowed below my feet.
I have walked the earth referenced in biblical times.
I have walked the halls of ancient gods


I am amazed at simple solutions
I am amazed at the survival instincts of humans
I am amazed with ART being a way of life for everything some have.
I am amazed with how cultures evolve.
I am amazed with how fast paced we live in the US
I long for the simplicity of other countries


The simplicity of life
The simplicity of how things work
The real foods cooked over an open fire.
The real family unit that congregates in the park every night.

I dream
I dream all the time.
Just like the frozen ground and the lava rock sounds
Much like lighting my candles in the water box, but when I did I was using matched I got in Greece so ... it carried me back to a time of incredible architecture, ,fresh sardines, Greek yogurt with nuts and honey. 


I will never be able to skate board down a mountain side.
I will never be in a shark fight (although I have swam with several types of sharks I'm not THAT stupid)


We each have our own way of doing things.
But now I know mine is Walter Mitty Style... Do it; don't think about it too much just DO IT! 
If you really worry about the money you'll never go any where.
If you really worry about the security you'll never experience what few others do.
If you think about it too much you will not live it only survive it.
Do you want to LIVE LIFE...
like it or not you will never SURVIVE LIFE...

ok... yep

Life is good...
I got back on the bike first thing this morning.  I'm not sure if it was the bike OR the horseback riding yesterday, but my butt is killing me.  Not to forget the muscles in my right leg are very sensitive! I can feel each move and it has not registered as normal with my brain yet.  Muscles I have not used in years are incredibly upset!

I've been on the bike twice today thus far. Short commercial spurts but getting hot and sweaty all the same.

I do plan to get on the bike at least once more today thus I will have been on the bike once more than yesterday.

My truck is still out of service, my car is steel being worked on, so my trips to the barn are still in my husbands SUV that I hate to get dirty.  When my life is all about stinking and smelling like a horse this is so hard to avoid with a perfectly kept vehicle to drive.

At any rate... life is good and my second bike day is as planned.

Well I got started...

Trying to make big changes is HARD to do...


I have had my knee worked on as of late and need to work on my muscles in order to get more done.


Today I started getting on my bicycle.  


I said getting onto the bike... I have only ridden it for minutes but hope to add to it daily.


I guess we will see how this goes!