I used to be a vegitarian. I have actually taken up vegitarianism like most people give up smoking, to be completely honest. I do it for a while then SOMETHING happens and i fall off the perverbail salad cart.
My last fall from veggie grace happened a few weeks (sadly it was only weeks *hangs head in shame*) after i started working at Arby's. It was so hard because i was working 10 - 16 hours a day (it's along story) and all there was to eat was BEEF! I tried having salads..that lasted a week, then i moved onto salad and poppers or motzerella sticks...then i added in a little grilled chicken (for my anemia), then some bacon..someone save me form the carniverous demon on my shoulder chanting "Roast beef, roast beef, roats beef." in my ear! Alas no hero came to my aid, and i fell.
That was a year and a half ago.
Since then i have gone whole hog. (Daddy is the King of Bad Puns, it rubs off just like the aarogance i guess *winks*) The problem with this is that a veggie lifestyle for me isn't about "do no harm" or an issue with cruelty to animals (i do have issues with cruelty to animals, but it's not a reason to give up meat, just lipstick and my dream of owning an ermine coat!). It's all about my blood chemistry. My body FEELS better when i eat little to no meat at all. I am happier, feel stronger and my mind is clearer, i don't get naseous often. It's just all around good for me. So every now and then, like a smoker struggles to create a plan and follow through to quit putting into their body what will eventually encourage the finger of death to point coldly at them, (great visual huh?) i do the same with meat.
Having been just 2 courses away from getting my certification as a personal trainer and nutrition consultant (not a nutritionist, i didn't want to study that hard), i do have a clue of how to go about "getting healthy". I do have mild anemia and hypoglycemia, and i know how to control/adjust my diet to accomodate these issues. But until now i haven't really had a motivational partner. Someone or something i could jog up along side of (i don't actually jog..but bellydance just doesn't sound right) and say, hey, "that looks fabulous, can i tag allong?". Now i do!!
So, here's the plan. I am going to go veggie may - sept. I do realize that this is only 4 months. I know it may sound like a cop out to those of you who have made this decision and stuck to it. But please hear me out here. I'm a bonafide wimp! I love food. I adore cooking. It's something that gives me alot of personal joy and eating what i cook is almost as satisfying! This is my way of making one choice, one small step towards a healthier me. And who knows, at the end of the 4 months maybe i will not want to go back. But because of how my mind works i need to have an ending point, an out, to make the commitment stick.
The someone or something (in this case something) is the square fot garden. It's a way to garden without pesticides and inorganic plant foods. It's method of growing your own in a compact and organized space. I have looked at the plans over and over for about 20 years, and some how, something just clicked today. I did my research and i am going to be a square foot gardening fool! This will enable me to grow much of what i will be eating. The reason this is important is that we have a huge family and limited resources. Not everyone is going to be eating what i am eating if i become a vegetarian and that will be a burden on my family. This way, much of what i will be eating i will also be growing. Gardening this way has very little financial startup and it is healthy to boot. I have my motivation! Now to implement!
Have you ever wanted to make a life change and just felt like it was an unacheivable goal? Have you over come it? If so what did it for you? and if not what are you going to do about it?
Be well and enjoy your weekend
winter
