Fruit Up

I am not satisfied with my health. I am not a sickly person. I don’t have skin, organ nor bone issues. However I am extremely overweight. I am roughly 50 pounds overweight and it shows. Pictures of myself have now made me cringe. I can no longer ignore the belly that makes me look pregnant or worse, like I have a permanent tire wrapped around me. Because the front, top, half of me is so heavy, I have been suffering sciatic pains and lower back aches for nearly 2 years. I have been a little chubby since I ended puberty years ago. I have lost 10 pounds and then gained 12. This popular yo-yo life has hopefully ended. Hubby has lost over 100 pounds being gluten free for the past 2.5 years. I have barely seen 10 pounds shed in that same time. I have been so frustrated with myself that my weight probably hung around just to listen to me cry. I have gained nearly 20 pounds in the past four years. Every negative pregnancy test was soothed with ice cream and cuddles. That combination resulted in weight gain.

On a sad note, I not only have increased my weight but I have changed emotionally. I am really down on myself. I hate trying on clothes and cringe when I had to. I try not to look at the tags when I shop, but I knew that my mind and body were hitting a new low. Back in January when Hubby was preparing for his surgery, the doctor told him to bulk up on protein, fruit and veggies. We ate more meat and incorporated fruit and veggie smoothies every morning.  It was not my doctor, nor my surgery, yet I increased my meat intake. I love food! Well, I saw the pounds increase within 2-3 months. It was April 1, 2016 and I was standing at a whopping 214 pounds!! I was devastated and heartbroken at what I had become. 

I began to cut back on my meat intake and drank more water. I saw a small change that has given me inspiration to try my best at something new. I’m glad to say that I am 204 pounds at the start of this new journey. I do not consume enough fruit and vegetables. I ate a piece at lunch and that was about it. I knew that I needed to eat more, but I couldn't quite get a grasp on how much more. So I hit Youtube and started searching for poeple that were vegetarians and vegans.


Changes Made
If you have been following me for a while, you know that August is my birth-month and this is the month that I try new things. I am not a New Year’s Resolution kind of gal. I like to kick things off in the month I entered the world. So starting the last week of August, I kicked all meat to the curb. For one whole week (yes, I’m started small) I consumed nothing but fruit, veggies and grains. I stuck to gluten free, dairy free and nightshade free because of hubby’s health. I have read books, cookbooks, and blog posts and also listened to Youtube videos throughout the summer to learn about vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. I “interviewed” a co-worker and checked-in with my vegan side of the family (father’s side).  I was a mission to figure out much fruit and vegetables they are consuming in one day. The amount was mind blowing. I watched one lady eat about 12 mini bananas and a mango for breakfast. Her mid morning snack was a 20oz homemade smoothie and then more fruit a hour after that. I was dumb founded. Wasn't she full? She seemed to be eating a lot of food. It is recommended that we eat at least 5 servings of fruit a day, but I never knew what it was like to eat that much.

With a picture in mind and that week's grocery list, I headed to the grocery store. I stood in the produce section and looked like a deer in headlights. I always ate fruit at lunch and a veggie at dinner, but all of a sudden that section looked overwhelming and expensive. I pushed through and began to put a bunch of bananas, a carton of strawberries, a head of lettuce, and a half dozen of apples, just to name a few, in the cart. I felt proud of myself as I drove home.

Picture shows roughly $30 worth of fruit and veggies for two people that still consume meat and rice.

Fast forward three and a half months and Hubby and I drastically increased the amount of fruit and veggies in our diet. Each week we eat more and more fruit and veggies and consume less and less meat. Each morning we enjoy a smoothie with 3-4 servings of fruit. We sometimes finish off the meal with scrambled eggs or a slice of gluten free quick break and coffee. Lunch has increased to two servings of fruit, a serving of dried fruit and a veggie or two. Dinner still has meat, but we consume 2-3 servings of two different veggies and even fruit. I am happy to report that Hubby and I have had one or two, non-dairy smoothies a day since then. It is such a great feeling knowing that the first thing into my mouth each morning is fresh fruit. Sometimes it’s organic and other times it’s not. But my focus over the past 4 years has been ‘Small Changes Equal Permanent Changes.” My hope was that this will be a permanent change.

I feel so much better. I have seen my body do some weird things. For example, the first month I was always in the bathroom. Then I had a few pimples. I hardly ever get pimples and in month two, I got two on my face. Now, I am losing weight. Hubby said I was losing inches a month ago. I just keep in mind that whatever I put in will ultimately change what I am. I pledged to myself to keep good food coming in. I wont keep up with my weight weekly, but monthly.

I just want to be healthy, since I am already happy.