Day 196 - Monday, March 23

Cellercised for 20 minutes. I did not look forward to exercising this morning as I have been so sore the last 2 days. I worked out in the yard all afternoon and into the evening on Thursday and Friday pruning grapes, cleaning leaves and debris from flower beds, digging up grass, hauling grass, broken up concrete (which I broke up with a sledge hammer), moving paving stones, creating new flower beds and hauling rocks to fill it. Then on Saturday Dennis power raked the lawns and I raked up 3/4 of the back lawn myself and 1/2 the front lawn. That was a real workout. Then I sprayed down the front of the house, windows, shutters, brick, garage door, all of it. We get so much dust in our area and everything looked so dirty. Then I sprayed off the driveway and sidewalk from all the dirt, and grass that was left from the power raking (and aerating the Scouts did right after we finished power raking). I am so sore. But I finished all my exercising today and feel a little better, still sore though.

Have you ever had those moments when studying the scriptures that you just know you need to be doing something or changing a habit. Well I had one of those last week. I felt like I needed to study the word of wisdom again (I read it when I first started this new eating lifestyle last September), but this time I needed to do it real slowly, do the cross referencing and all. When I got to verses 12 & 13 this is what I read:
12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
It just jumped out at me, that it is pleasing unto the Lord that they (meat) should not be used except..... and I had one of those moments, the Lord does not command me not to eat meat, He just says it is pleasing unto Him. I WANT TO PLEASE HIM, and I can do that by not eating meat. So I guess I am becoming a vegetarian. It has not been too difficult of an adjustment since I had already cut out my favorite meat (pork) last September and I cut out most beef to help lower my cholesterol (lean cuts allowed only), so that pretty much left fish and chicken, and I only ate that at dinner time. I went to the library and found some Vegetarian recipe books and have already found lots of recipes I want to try. My goal is to have at least 30 recipes (that I really like) that I can rotate through each month and add new ones as I find them. Just to clear the record, because I know someone will ask me eventually here are some answers to the questions I expect to get:
1- How will you get protein if you don't eat meat?
Protein comes in other sources like beans (pinto, red, black, soy, etc.) peanuts (peanut butter) and smaller amounts of protein are in vegetables.
2- Will you eat/drink dairy? (Vegetarians eat dairy, Vegans do not)
The jury is still out on this one. I quit drinking milk years ago, because I didn't like the taste of 1% and that is all that is allowed on most diets. I still eat some yogurt because it has good qualities in it (acidophiles)and butter (on veggies and toast). I don't eat ice cream anymore from dairy, but on a rare occasion I will eat soy or rice ice cream.
3- How do you get calcium in you don't drink dairy?
Dark green vegetables, especially leafy veggies are higher in calcium that milk and are assimilated into the body much better than milk. (The dairy industry has really brain washed us to think that we can only get calcium from drinking milk where as in reality very little calcium from milk is assimilated into our bodies.
4- How does Dennis feel about your becoming a vegetarian?
He is struggling with it. Last September when I first started he said he would try and eat what I eat and be supportive, but he has struggled with it. So now I feel like I am always cooking 2 separate meals. Wild rice and white rice, wheat noodles and white noodles, meat and no meat. I have to respect that he doesn't feel the need to change, as I hope he respects me for the need to. When I first started this, I had no idea that I would get to this point, but I have prayed, fasted and done a lot of studying on health, nutrition, and diets and this is what I feel is right for me.

I have never felt so good in my life as I do right now. The best part is I feel satisfied. I don't have the constant feeling that I am hungry and always stuffing food in my face to try and fill that unsatisfied feeling. I have succeeded in lowering my cholesterol and am working on lowering it further. I have very few dizzy episodes and no longer have depressive moods. Best of all, I don't have to rely on medicine from drug companies to try and combat all these things that went away with a simple diet change. I LOVE LIFE!!!

Breakfast:
Green smoothie
1 slice oatflour toast

Snack:
1 orange
Mixed nuts

Lunch:
Lettuce salad
flax seed chips w/ mango salsa

Snack:
Nectarine

Dinner:
Wild rice & onions
Baked sweet potato
Steamed broccoli