I love to shop for obscure things. Most women love to shop for clothes, but I love a good health food store expedition. Yesterday I visited Vitamin City in San Dimas for the first time in years. My dad introduced me to the tiny store in high school and I quickly became a fan. They carry all organic products and a lot of vegan friendly foods.
Things have really changed from the last time I have been there. The store was a bit bigger since they took over the business space next to them. They have also reorganized, with taller, better stocked shelves. It was great fun shopping for the different foods you can't find in a regular grocery store, and it smells so good in there. They sell fragrant organic soaps and oils which lightly scent the small market.
I picked up some quinoa, which I have yet to try. Other items in my brown bag where Almond milk, vegan protein powder, organic black beans, frozen berries, and Berts Bees lip balm (the minty one).
I plan on taking some pictures of myself and posting them soon. I am pretty nervous about that, even though nobody is reading my blog, because they will be out there for the theoretical people to see. But I'm pretty proud of how far I've come.
PS. I can almost do a pull-up again. Gosh I remember having to do 4 sets of 20 as a gymnast!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
background
I have been wanting to loose weight since the birth of my first son almost 6 years ago. I thought my body would just bounce back since I had always been athletic and never had trouble shedding any extra pounds whenever necessary. The weight never came off and I packed on even more pounds with my second pregnancy. With this weight came the depression that looking in the mirror created. I felt thin and young, but the reflection showed me something different. I couldn't believe the way I looked. Not to mention the way the foods I was eating made me feel. I rarely went to bed without taking tums to help my upset stomach from over-eating and choosing the wrong foods. Chronically tired, I napped during the few hours I had with my children. I did not want to leave the house because I did not like the way I looked and felt. My poor husband, who loves the outdoors, tried every weekend to get me out of the house, with very little success.
So, a few month ago, I decided to loose the weight. I knew the way that I was going to do it was the same way I had done it before; healthy eating and exercise. It was slow going, but at least I was going. I lost a few pounds and people started to notice, which felt great. That motivated me to continue. One night, my husband bought me an Oxygen Magazine from the market. On the cover was a very muscular woman; a little too muscular for me. However, when I opened and read the magazine, I discovered some really great material. Most importantly, I came across a woman named Tosca Reno, during my reading, and her books about Clean Eating. I was curious. I learned that 80% of weight loss comes from a healthy diet. This was news to me. This curiosity would lead me to buy two of her books on my next trip to the market. I poured through the pages every chance I got. I became so excited to be learning so much about this Clean Eating and decided that I would give it a try. However, I was skeptical.
Not skeptical that it would work, but that I could stick with it. I had never enjoyed fruits and vegetables before (ironically I ate a strict non-animal diet before I was married in 2002). The recipes in Tosca's recipe book looked great, but could I really eat carrots without ranch dressing or broccoli without smothering it in cheese. Additionally, 5-6 meals a day was going to mean a heck of a lot of prep time in the kitchen. Here is what happened when I tried eating clean...I felt great. I was loving eating every 2-3 hours because that is when my body seemed to want to eat anyway. I could not believe how amazing the fruits and vegetables actually tasted clean. I no longer went to bed feeling sick to my stomach. I was no longer driven by the monster cravings to eat sugar or fatty foods. I lost weight and felt great. My energy levels increased.
I am here today, 18 pounds lighter and loving it. I am motivated to spend every day doing things that make me a better and happier person. I am nowhere near my goal, but I can see it getting closer every day. This is what I would like to share with you.
So, a few month ago, I decided to loose the weight. I knew the way that I was going to do it was the same way I had done it before; healthy eating and exercise. It was slow going, but at least I was going. I lost a few pounds and people started to notice, which felt great. That motivated me to continue. One night, my husband bought me an Oxygen Magazine from the market. On the cover was a very muscular woman; a little too muscular for me. However, when I opened and read the magazine, I discovered some really great material. Most importantly, I came across a woman named Tosca Reno, during my reading, and her books about Clean Eating. I was curious. I learned that 80% of weight loss comes from a healthy diet. This was news to me. This curiosity would lead me to buy two of her books on my next trip to the market. I poured through the pages every chance I got. I became so excited to be learning so much about this Clean Eating and decided that I would give it a try. However, I was skeptical.
Not skeptical that it would work, but that I could stick with it. I had never enjoyed fruits and vegetables before (ironically I ate a strict non-animal diet before I was married in 2002). The recipes in Tosca's recipe book looked great, but could I really eat carrots without ranch dressing or broccoli without smothering it in cheese. Additionally, 5-6 meals a day was going to mean a heck of a lot of prep time in the kitchen. Here is what happened when I tried eating clean...I felt great. I was loving eating every 2-3 hours because that is when my body seemed to want to eat anyway. I could not believe how amazing the fruits and vegetables actually tasted clean. I no longer went to bed feeling sick to my stomach. I was no longer driven by the monster cravings to eat sugar or fatty foods. I lost weight and felt great. My energy levels increased.
I am here today, 18 pounds lighter and loving it. I am motivated to spend every day doing things that make me a better and happier person. I am nowhere near my goal, but I can see it getting closer every day. This is what I would like to share with you.
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