It's been a while since I've done any blogging, so bear with me. I might ramble.
The purpose of this blog is for myself, mainly. I wanted to create a journal of my lifestyle changes because I've struggled with it so much over my lifetime. Its my hopes that this journal will help me through the rough days, as well as inspire others to make healthier life style changes.
Quickly, I want to give a bit of background information so ya'll know how I got to this point.
I recently gave birth to my first child, Izalea Rae. During my pregnancy, we had many complications. None were truly my fault, as every pregnancy is different and sometimes complications are part of baring a child. Thankfully, although the pregnancy was long and complicated, things could not have ended up better. Izalea was born a healthy full term baby weighing in at 6lbs 7oz and 18.5 inches long. However, the complications got me thinking that if I ever decide to have another child, I want to be sure I've done everything in my power to ensure their safe delivery into this world, as well as give them the best odds at a healthy lifestyle. I also wanted to be sure that I'm setting the best possible example for Izalea. I did make a few minor lifestyle changes when I received conformation of Izalea's existence. Simple things, like cutting out so much fast food and trying to eat smaller meals more frequently.These things did help, cutting my pregnancy weight gain down to a simple 21 pound total weight gain. But, now that I am no longer pregnant, I still have a lot of the baby weight in all the wrong places. Also, during my pregnancy, my boyfriend proposed and will will be married in October 2012.
With my up and coming wedding as well as a dreamy honeymoon vacation on the beach in South Carolina as inspiration, today I will begin a 28 day raw food challenge. This will do a few things: 1. Regulate all of my natural body systems. After my unplanned csection delivery, a lot of my natural body functions are not nearly as normal as they were previous to the surgery. I do realize, as I hope any readers also realize, that just like every other major surgery, your body will be messed up for a long time afterwords. However, a good diet and healthy lifestyle will only help your body return to its natural state. Keeping a healthy lifestyle can regulate your digestive track, boost your immune system and best of all, make you feel back up to par by providing a healthy energized body! 2. Start off my new healthy lifestyle with a BANG. I don't plan to go vegan, though I commend those who are, I will try it for 28 days. As sad as I am to say good-bye to my fiances' delicious weekly steak, it will only be temporary and hopefully well worth it. 3. Boost my energy! Because of the complications of my pregnancy, I wasn't able to do much. In fact, the less movement the better. I wasn't on complete bed-rest for to long, but for the last HALF of my pregnancy I was unable to work, lift, workout, or even vacuum. So, as you can imagine, starting an exercise routine now is basically taking every piece of energy my body is producing. Which, in this case, isn't good, since I have a 7 week old to tend to!
Each week, I will slowly add in some additional routines, such as yoga practices and dance workouts. However, to begin, I'm just going to change my eating habits. This week, my main focus is switching my burgers, frozen foods, prepackaged chemicals and fast food and turning it into 80% raw fruits, veggies, nuts and vitamins. I have allotted myself 20% to use for cooked meats for colorful salads or the occasional warm soup. This will allow me to feel healthy, while still being able to minorly indulge in some of my favorites.
As I travel through my new adventure, I'll post thoughts, recipes, ideas or anything I find helpful to hopefully be able to pass along inspiration to others who may have also struggled as I have throughout my life. I will also just post blogs as a way to hold myself accountable to this challange. I know its going to be hard, so I'm counting on you guys for any help and inspiration you could possibly give.
Quickly now, before I go, here is a few things I've learned in my research.
1. DITCH the scale. Who CARES how much you weigh! This challenge, to me, is not about what I weigh. This has to be the most freeing choice I've made. I have forever been haunted by the number on a scale. To me, this no longer matters. Muscle ways more then fat. This challenge is about being happy, healthy and energetic. I will occasionally weigh myself to help keep track of progress, I will not get hung up on this number. Please don't believe that this is the way to measure success! I have a number of super cute clothing items that are nearly brand new. I can't fit in them right now, so my goal is to be able to pack those clothes to take on my honeymoon in October. If those clothes fit, I'm healthy, happy and energetic, I will have successfully completed my lifestyle change.
2. This is NOT a "diet". Each of us has a diet. It consists of the food we eat on a daily basis. Whether it's good or bad, we all have one. What I'm doing is CHANGING my diet, making a lifestyle change. Going "on a diet" indicates that after 'x' period of time, you will be OFF your diet. Which only means regaining the weight or inches you worked so hard to lose while on the diet. It isn't enough to just get down to your goal weight or size. Its also about maintaining the weight, size or goal, which means maintaining a lifestyle conducive of this goal.
3. Green Monsters are delicious and are going to be a staple of this challenge. They provide a sweet, nutritional yet scary looking amazingly healthy and energized drink. I was skeptical and even scared to try it, but this is the recipe I used this morning, and it turned me into a believer in just one glass.
*Note: This is NOT my recipe. I found it on greenmonstermovement.com
Virgin Green Monster
Ingredients:
- 2 cups organic spinach
- 1-1.25 cups milk (your choice of cow’s milk, soy, hemp, almond, rice, etc)
- 1 tablespoon flax (optional)
- 1 banana
- ice
Directions:
Hi there, Are you a Green Monster first-timer? Have no fear! This recipe is fool proof. Even the biggest skeptic will love this one. Place the ingredients into the blender in the following order: 1) Flax, 2) spinach, 3) banana, 4) milk. The reason for this order is so the heavier ingredients weigh down the flax and spinach and keep it from flying up around the blender and sticking to the side. Blend everything on the highest setting for 1 minute or so. Finally, add ice and blend on the ice setting. Pour into a large, fancy glass. Sit back, gulp it down, and be prepared to have endless energy!
Well folks, thats all I got today. Please come back! I need your love and support to finish this challenge with a BANG!
<3 Melissa
Well, this is wonderful, and great for you to take this initiative. I then will be your first comment!
ReplyDeleteYou are right in saying you've dealt with a lot in your lifetime, and had so many conflicting influences, as many of us do in our lifetimes, however, your attitude, insight, exceptional personality as well as your courage are inspirational. You are a delightful daughter, and watching you grow into this amazing young woman has been certainly something to make any parent proud! I love and support all your efforts!
Ok, not for the diet...I read a book once by Richard Simmons --- called Never Say Diet, because he had a similar theory; it shouldn't be a diet, but rather a lifestyle change, so he said "Live-it" instead. He felt that diet as pronounced...die it... was negative and Live It was more appropriate...I don't know what he's up to these days, but I do feel his point was a good one, and the book was pretty good too, I'd like to find it again for an inspiration to me even though some of the stuff might be outdated.