You are what you eat?

If that’s true, then all of y’all better stay far away from me because I’m a loaf of bread and a jug of cola.

It’s really no secret that I don’t eat healthy. I’m a mess. I have been ever since I can remember being “on my own”…choosing most times when I was a teen to not eat at all rather than have to take the time and decide what to eat. (Wasn’t necessarily anorexic, just didn’t really have time to eat. In college, I didn’t have the $$ to eat.)

Now that I’m a “grownup”, I have not gotten any better. Only after having 2 kids, I am no longer eating not enough.

I’m eating far far far too much. And all crap.

Plus I’m smoking. Don’t judge, I know, it’s horrible. I didn’t smoke while I was pregnant. Try not to hate me too much.

So! For those of you following along at home, here’s what I’m trying to fight:

1. Weight. Lots of it. I weigh almost 30 pounds more today than I did the day I had Chuck. BEFORE I gave birth.
2. Smoking. It sucks, I hate it and I want to quit. With 3 other smokers in the house (and PLEASE don’t lecture me on the dangers of secondhand smoke and babies, I know. I’m taking measures.) and NONE of them being serious about quitting, it’s  hard for me. Especially with the constantly rotating cast of characters coming in and out of our house, who all smoke.
3. Shape. As in “potato”. I used to run and skate and I was whippet thin. I can barely walk up the hill from my car to the house now without being out of shape. I can’t be this fat and chase after Chuck anymore, and I’m getting to the point where I NEED to chase her.
4. Caffeine. If it’s not soda, it’s coffee. If it’s not coffee, it’s tea. I get a raging headache when I don’t have any. It’s hard to deal with a screeching baby when I have a headache. See my dilemma?
5. Bread. I don’t know that I can live without bread. I eat it with 2 out of 3 meals. I love it. Almost as much as my children. HOWEVER. I have lots of indications that I am gluten-sensitive. Which makes me want to weep and wear ashcloth and tear at my hair and grieve like only really dramatic people can. With lots of wailing.
6. Fast food. You know it’s bad when the people at Jack in the Box drive-thru recognize you at the order menu. It’s even worse when they remember your order. It’s so much easier for those with tiny people to get fast food. However, when you don’t exercise (see #3), that crap just sits in your stomach.

I’m tired of all of it. But I’ve tried to quit all of the above at the same time, and that didn’t work. SO! I’ve been reading.

I read this book.

Then I read this book. And this book. And this book. And this website.

Now I’m reading this book, which is actually written by some people who live near me.

We have one of the best farmer’s markets around, we have the greatest co-op I’ve ever seen, we have passionate vegans living EVERYWHERE, we have a great collection of veggie-friendly and vegan-friendly restaurants.

I’m going vegan, bitches.

I was vegan about 5 years ago for almost a year, (stopped when I started dating a man who ate beef with every meal), and I have never felt better. Meat has always made me feel like crap, and I hardly ever eat it anymore. It’s just a small step for me to go to full vegan.

SO! I’m kick-starting it with this elimination diet (which, for those of you who have been paying attention, I have started and stopped twice 😦 ).  And I am SO THRILLED (seriously, I am super excited) to be making this switch. I vaguely remember what I felt like when I was vegan, and I want to get back there.

I’m tired of living in a french-fry-induced haze.

SO! I AM DONE. There are no more excuses for me not to do this.

I’ve got books. I’ve got people to help support me. Chef is on board to experiment cooking with vegan foods. (he might even quit smoking here in a minute…) This is it, kiddos.

If you’d like to read more about what an elimination diet is and how it works, read this article 🙂

**DISCLAIMER: I don’t know what Amazon Partnerships are, so those links above are just me picking a link for the books. I don’t get paid if you click on them or buy them. I just love the books and wanted to share. 🙂

ALSO! If anyone has any vegan foods/recipes they’d like to pass along, I will love you forever.