ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

I thought I would get a head start on the post for my one year anniversary and in preparation I was re-reading posts from the first week. I always thought I started on Sept 15, but I actually started on Sept 8. So today is my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of healthy eating. I can't believe it has been one whole year.

I set some goals for myself and here is a rundown on them:
1. Exercise 6 days a week - I did this on a regular basis. I did miss a few days here and there, but I have been pretty consistent overall. I started out walking, then added some running. When it got too cold outside I jogged on the mini tramp, then bought the Cellerciser and have stuck with that for the past 7 months. I absolutely love it. It is the best exercise for me.

2.Eat 60% raw - I have also done this on a pretty consistent basis. It is more challenging in the winter, but not un-do-able. For the most part I have green smoothies in the morning for breakfast, which is 100% raw. For lunch I have a green salad pretty much every day, again 100% raw. For dinner, I try to have at least one raw and one lightly steamed veggie. In the summer I eat raw fruit and veggies as much as I can stand, but don't stuff myself silly.

3. No dairy - I have cut out all milk and ice cream. The hard part comes in the fact that my favorite dessert is with yogurt and I like butter on my veggies. Rarely I will have sour cream on a baked potato. If only yogurt made from other sources of milk were not so darn expensive. I also like cheese on several things, but am trying to not eat as much.

4. No white flour - This one is probably the hardest goal. When I eat at home, it is not very hard at all. The difficulty arises when I eat away from home. People (nor too many restaurants) serve food with wheat flour or made from whole grains. I do the best I can when eating away from home.

5. No soda - this one was only difficult in the beginning. I don't crave it nor any other junk food anymore.

6. No white sugar - This one is easier that no white flour. I just don't eat desserts anywhere. Whenever desserts are served away from home, I just don't eat them, but then go home and have my favorite: blueberries and granola in yogurt and I am satisfied. I have made healthy desserts several times over the past year, but this one is still my favorite.

7. Eat oat bran daily to help lower my cholesterol - I put oat bran in my muffins and eat one pretty much every morning, except for the few times this year when I didn't get more made for several weeks.

8. Lower my cholesterol -
Total: before 255, 6 months later 240
Triglycerides: before 374, 6 months later 139
HDL: before 38, 6 months later 36
LDL: before 142, 6 months later 179 (I know really weird that it went up huh?
VDL: before 75, 6 months later 28
I am due to have another test done, but keep putting it off because I am just too darn busy during canning season

9. Eat meat sparingly (I didn't start out with this goal, but changed to it sometime in the spring). It has been the hardest one of them all. Not because I crave meat, but because it is a whole new mindset to cook without meat. It seems to be in everything. Most days I just cook Dennis a steak or piece of chicken and then I just eat the "side" dishes - such as wild rice or baked potato, or whole grain pasta, and veggies. I had a hard time getting plenty of protein in the beginning and seemed to always crave nuts. Now I don't crave them like before, and haven't hardly touched the nut container from Costco in over a month, so I must be getting plenty of protein. I just love beans and wild or brown rice mixed up in several different ways.

10. Loose weight & Feel Great -
I started out weighing 220 pounds, now I weight 155.
I have lost 8" in my bust,
9" in my waist,
9.5 inches in my hips,
2 inches in my arms: I can no longer wear my wedding ring as it falls off, and my watch that was once extremely tight, I now have removed 2links and it is still very loose,
and 5.25 inches in my thighs.
And I have never felt better.

I attribute my success to several things:
1. Exercising 6 days a week
2. Green smoothies
3. Eating 60-80% raw foods (fruits and vegetables)
4. Gaining knowledge all along the way as to what things are good for me and why vs what things are bad and why.
5. Eating whole foods (grains, rice, beans, pasta, etc)
6. Drinking LOTS of water

It has not been hard, and has been so worth it. If you have been contemplating getting healthy, just make the commitment and do it. I will be happy to help you and give you all the moral support you need. You are worth it.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME..............., HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

Way to go girl, I did it!