I fear my “observations” about myself yesterday came across a bit…desperate.  Rereading them, I notice that I clearly didn’t indicate that I wasn’t feeling “lost” with myself or life, just on the brink of change.  I’ve let some things slide since I’ve been here in TX and I’m feeling the impact of them.  I don’t like it, so I’m going to try to change it.  Simple as that - no extra emotion to it.  Very practically speaking.  I’ve noted what my body is telling me and I know what I need to do about it.  I don’t dread these changes, but I do hope that I don’t grow tired of them again because they are, in the short and long term, much healthier ways of living.  I spoke with The Man about this last night and, unbeknownst to me, he’s feeling the same way.  He’s a bit more proactive than I am, so with his help, these changes aren’t going to be difficult.  He’s great for motivation, too.

Some key points for me and a bit of a plan:

I need to eat my veggies.  I love them, and am going to plan the menu around them from now on, aiming for 60% produce on my plate.  Why I haven’t stuck to this…I have no idea.  I love steamed and raw veggies.  Not a huge fan of salads, but am trying to find ways to truly enjoy them instead of trying to convince myself they’re tasty (I think it’s the word “salad” LOL).  I have a caesar dressing that I make which I love, and a little bit goes a long way, but I don’t want to wear that one out…  Definitely looking for options here.

I need to be running again.  I loved running outside, in the cold and rain of Alaska.  Even when the ice was covered in rain and too slick for my Yaktrax, I could still get on my treadmill, located conveniently in front of my huge window overlooking the river in my backyard, open said window, turn on my treadmill fan, and get a similar outdoor running experience.  Here, I’m stuck staring at a wall, listening to music or trying to surf the internet at the same time (which is actually possible, thanks to my Surf Shelf.  I think what I need to do in order to stick with running on my treadmill is just (just?!) to find a way to make it enjoyable like it was, outdoors in Alaska.  I could definitely use some ideas as I’m at a loss with that one.

I need fiber.  I know this from past experience.  I look at my skin and can tell that I’m holding toxins like a drug addict (no joke - pasty, bumpy, and bland looking).  40 grams a day is my goal, which after reading The Full Plate Diet (it’s not really a diet, just increasing your fiber intake).  This goes hand in hand with the veggies.

I need water.  Again, from past experience, I know this.  I know what my body is like when it’s adequately hydrated.  And my endurance with running is soooo much better.  My lungs feel like they can function when I’ve had my 96 oz of water a day (FYI - 96 oz is 3 of my Nalgene bottles).  This was one of my big issues I wrote about yesterday.

I need my vitamins.  When I take them, I don’t feel I have to rely on caffeine to wake me up.  I enjoy my homemade latte’s, but do not enjoy the feeling of relying on them so I can function in the morning.  I do believe that coffee (not cows milk) is good for you in moderation, but I don’t want to have to rely on it.  Anyway, I take a whole foods vitamin at night and find that it helps me wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.  Virgin Coconut Oil was another key component to my health and overall feeling of well-being (and weight loss!) and I’m looking forward to incorporating that back into my diet.  In fact, yesterday, I made a big peach, yogurt, and stevia smoothie with an ounce of coconut oil mixed in…it was awesome.  Just enough of that fresh coconut flavor.  Anyway…vitamins and coconut oil.  Good stuff.

So, about The Full Plate Diet.  I got word that a limited number of this pre-release book was available for free for a very short amount of time.  I didn’t expect to gain any new information as I’ve been researching and preaching the benefits of a fiber rich diet for years (take your own advice, Steph…seriously!), but I applied to receive the book, was chosen, and actually have been impressed with this book!  It’s held my attention, at least!  It’s a quick read with lots of glossy, pretty pictures, and entirely about increasing your fiber to lose weight and live healthier.  They cover quite a bit of information in a short amount of page real estate (again, most of it’s taken up by photos).  They don’t stress cutting things out of your diet, but rather making sure that you’re getting all of the fiber and water that you’re supposed to in a day.  Essentially, the rest will sort itself out.  If you’d like to check it out, they’re now offering a free e-book at The Full Plate Diet.org.

So anyway, just to clarify, there is no sense of desperation here, just of change coming happily (I’m okay, Mom!).  I’m enjoying a lot of new things in my life right now and this is just another to add to the list.  This morning, I started out eating a boiled egg (obviously no fiber there, but am working out the rest of my day still) and drinking a latte.  Water’s coming next and I’m about to get on the treadmill.  Avoiding the leftover birthday cupcakes was surprisingly easy this morning and I’m planning a produce shopping trip for this afternoon.