What have I been up to in the last 8 months or so since I last blogged??

Wow! It's been a long time since I've blogged, huh? I intend to start blogging more actively now.
My focus will still be on weight loss as I hope to drop another 20 pounds or so, but I'm also going to be talking about my vegan lifestyle somewhat.

Now, first things first......
I have to admit, I sort of 'fell off the wagon' for a while. I lost focus for a while and gained back about 20 pounds. I kept eating very healthy for the most part, but I slacked off entirely on the exercise. What a waste that was. I spent an entire year taking the weight off and getting into great shape only to go back to not working out.
I blamed it on a change in my work hours. That was partially true, but it doesn't take that long to adjust and get back in the swing of things. I just let my priorities change. I bought a condo shortly after my hours changed. Too much change at once does tend to throw me a bit. I was no longer able to fulfill my commitment to Anytime Fitness due to working evenings. Then one night I tried to go to the gym and my passkey no longer worked.
I did end up buying a Nintendo Wii with WiiFit but only used that from time to time. It's just not the same as going to the gym and using actual equipment.
I started noticing my clothes getting a little bit tighter. Not terribly, but enough to notice I'd put on some weight.
My girlfriend at the time put me on her membership at Anytime Fitness a couple of months back, but even then I only went sporadically. When I did have spare time, I tended to spend it with her rather than on myself. Again, priorities came into play. I have to learn to be selfish and treat myself first and others after that.
She broke up with me some three weeks or so ago on my birthday. After a few days of letting it sink in, I decided to start focusing on me and what's important to me. I started hitting he gym. For all intents and purposes, it had been maybe 7 or 8 months or longer since I went to the gym with any regularity. Sad considering what I had accomplished. Also, it's hard to admit. When people would ask me how I was doing with the weight loss and if I was keeping it off, I'd lie and say 'Yes'. In my mind I knew it was a lie, but I wasn't THAT far off the mark. I hadn't put a lot of the weight back on. It was a lie nonetheless.

Back in the saddle again. This time with a vengeance!
I decided to not let myself slip any further towards where I had come from: 312 pounds. I knew that JUST eating healthy wasn't going to keep me at the weight I wanted to be at. That was part of the equation. The other part of the equation is exercise.
And man have I been exercising! In the last couple of weeks I've been hitting the gym twice a day almost every day! I get up in the morning and have a small bite to eat to give myself some fuel then head to the gym. I knock out around 30-45 minutes usually (sometimes an hour) of cardio whether it be running and inclined walking, stair-stepper, or ellyptical, or a combination of all of them. After work, I'll knock out a good hour of cardio or an hour of weights and abs and stretching.
It's giving me TONS of energy. Rather than making me tired when I'm done, I'm energized! I feel amazing right now! Part of this is due to my vegan lifestyle as well......

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I'm down 10 pounds in the last couple of weeks. My clothes are much looser now as well. And I quit smoking a couple of weeks ago.

My vegan lifestyle.....
I'm trying a new vegan lifestyle. When I was losing my weight, I ate mostly lean meats such as chicken breasts and salmon along with veggies and whole grains (quinoa, bulgur wheat, lenitls, and on and on). I grew to really love whole grains and decided to start eating more of them along with veggies which I've always loved. Just that little bit of trying new things trying to be healthier led to me really enjoying them more and more, so much so that I decided to become vegan.
The difference between vegetarian and vegan is basically that vegetarians still consume cow's milk, cheese, and other such dairy products and some even eat fish and eggs. Vegans, on the other hand, don't eat anything originating from an animal. No dairy, no meat, no eggs.


Q: Where the heck do I get my protein and aren't I hungry? Isn't that food really bland?

A: I get complete proteins from whole grains and beans. I'm never hungry. The calories are nutrient-dense, so I can have more in quantity than I could of less nutrient-dense food.
There are so many amazing recipes out there for vegan food. It tastes SOOO much better than that processed garbage that's loaded with salt, sugar, and chemicals.
I didn't become vegan to save the animals or anything (not that that's a bad thing; it's a great by-product of what I'm doing). I chose a vegan lifestyle because it's a healthier choice. It's also better for the environment. Maybe later I'll go into all of the statistics about vegan lifestyles vs. meat-based lifestyles. In the meantime, do a little research for yourself. Check out Alicia Silverstone's new book 'The Kind Diet'. You'll learn a lot!

That's all I got for now! Hope to see you at the gym or at New City Market! New City Market is my FAVORITE place for whole grains, organic produce, and other great foods. Not to mention they have an awesome, friendly, knowledgeable staff! Check them out at 48th & University in Des Moines or online at www.newcitymarket.com.