Eating to LIVE

I would like to preface my first blog post by saying this; my blog is a work in progress and will take some time for me to figure out the technical aspects of blogging. I have been so excited to get going, so I thought I'd go ahead anyway. SO, consider this site "under construction"!

Most of you that will read here, I am sure, are probably here because I commanded you to do so in an effort to hold me accountable. Whatever your reason for reading, I am glad you are. I need this journey to be documented, again, for mostly my accountability, but also in hope that I can reach out to someone who has found their self in my shoes at the point I made the decision to Eat to Live.

I was recommended Eat to Live, by Joel Fuhrman by my mom. She is a vegan, and I consider her a valuable resource for nutrition. Initially my primary reason for my want to make changes in my diet is the realization that to be fit, truly fit, I would have to face my greatest addiction head on and make some real life changes. I love food. I love eating it. I love the social aspect of eating with someone else, or I can do it all alone. I've always heard that "you cant eat that way forever, it will catch up with you," phrase that I thought would never come true; it did. Back to the book. I have been reading, for some time now, about the benefits of "clean eating" and the correlation between diet and disease. I also recently read a book about the paleo diet and seriously considered this route as well. Dr. Fuhrman's book is so well written and so many legitimate studies are cited throughout the book. The evidence clearly states that if you eat whole, healthy foods you WILL lose weight (quickly) and protect your body as well as possible from certain cancers as well as diseases of the heart. Sounds pretty appealing? It does to me! Id love to stay here on this earth with my family as long as possible, and pass on as much knowledge of healthy lifestyle to my girls as I can!  So, the breakdown of my diet and what I will be doing the next 6 weeks; goal of 1 pound of raw veggies per day, 1 pound of cooked veggies per day, at least 1 cup of beans/legumes per day, flaxseed, at least 4 fresh fruits per day, 1 serving of 100% whole grains per day, as well. Oh, and no snacking between meals, and of course my supplements. Sounds easy enough, right? HA!
Today, Saturday is my 3rd full day of eating on the plan. So Thursday was my first day, and I thought I was going to starve. Literally thought I would starve to death come 2pm. I made it, though. Friday morning I was proud of myself for having made it through the previous day, so I was ready to hit it hard. By 3pm I was detoxing so hard from all the sugars and processed stuff I'm so terribly addicted to I thought, "I CANT DO THIS"!!! So I cheated and ate a banana before dinner. OOPS! Again, though, I made it. Today was day 3, and a good bit easier. I actually realize, i think, that will not die if I dont have a candy bar or a slice of pizza. Yes, the food doesn't taste as amazing as a cheeseburger would, but it will keep my heart healthy and with commitment, provide longevity!  I am eating "green smoothies" for breakfast, which consist of spinach, kale, frozen fruits (strawberries, blueberries, bananas), flaxseed, and water all blended up. They are actually my favorite meal of the day. I am eating a lot of salads too. Garbanzo beans are really delish on a salad! My mom gave me some recipes for some legal dressings that include lemon juice and unsweetened almond milk as well as tahini, that make the salads and veggies edible! So, tomorrow I will keep pressing on!
Now, I would like to say this; I am doing a workout plan found on http://www.bodybuilding.com/. My compadre Lorie and I are currently in our 6th week of strength training and cardio. Im hoping that combing the eating plan with my current workout plan I will see some amazing changes in my body over the next months. Id love to be able to proudly wear a bikini again! I suppose this novel will suffice for my first entry. I really have so much more Id like to say, but I'm getting evil looks from the hubs over there in the recliner. Until, tomorrow......