Day 7: Decisions

Agency is a great thing.  I can't blame anyone else for the choices I make.  And I can choose to change!  It's beautiful.  Today I chose to Eat to Live.  And of course I felt much better.  So I think I'll try it again tomorrow! :)

Healthy:
S: 7.5 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 148
11:30 greens, chili, salsa, banana
4:00 Indian Cauliflower Stew (from carrieonvegan.com...delicious soup!), and apple

Debt-free/minimalist:  Sticking with the budget! Susie is trying to do her wedding for $500!  Inspiring!

Day 6: One of those days

I over ate today.  A lot.  But stayed plant-based.  So that's an accomplishment.

Healthy:
S: 6-7 hours
E: n/a
W: 147.2
11:40 3 banana, walnuts
5:30 salad with fiesta mix, banana
7:00 lots of coconut curry (yay!  I make food that helps people enjoy eating veggies!), chips and salsa

Debt-free/Minimalist:  Simple non-spending day of church, family, and friends.

Day 5: enough

I have a hard time saying "no," or "enough is enough."  But I've had enough.  I don't need to stay up this late watching movies.  I don't need to keep procrastinating my thesis.  And all I can do is enough, if I'm depending on God to make up the rest.

Healthy:
S: 6ish
E: pm yoga, kid wrangling
W: 143
10:40 banana and walnuts
1:00 tomatoes, mixed greens, fiesta mix with lime and cilantro tomatoes...delicious! green apple
6:00 India Palace veggie coconut korma
9-2:00 grapes, bananas and walnuts, chips and salsa

Debt-free/minimalist:
Need to say "no" to things I don't need/want.

Day 4: Enduring

I was/am super tired today, but I didn't give in to eating non-ETL food.  I wasn't really even tempted.  Blessed.


Healthy:
S: about 6 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 145.4
7:30 banana
11:30 mixed greens, tomatoes, palta, chili, banana
4:00 broccoli, 2 apples

Debt-free/Minimalist:
It feels good to not spend money when I don't need to.

Day 3: Expect Miracles (and revised goals)

I was going to title this "Unexpected Blessings," but in the temple this evening, I felt inspired to "expect miracles."  They truly are everywhere!  One of mine today was my weight loss.  I'd been expecting some, and thought I would weigh about 145 when I got on the scale.  For some reason, I was thinking that yesterday I had weighed 147.2, so when I weighed in at 146.2 this morning, I thought I'd lost 1lb.  Nope!  I lost 3! I know that it will slow down as I get closer to my goal weight, but I'm feeling great too, and am loving it!

This go 'round of my ETL challenge, I added a goal.  Usually, I have a goal about doing essentrics, and sometimes cardio, and often a sleep goal, in addition to my Eating to Live.  This time, as I was writing my blog post about my goals, the thought came to add gratitude, or "give thanks," to the list.  I am so grateful that I did and that I was blessed to be inspired to add it.  I think it's making a huge difference in my outlook.  I'm seeing the good that's happening now, instead of focusing on not being where I want to be eventually.

I'm simplifying my goals...I would love to do cardio and essentrics every day, but it's not going to happen right now, with baby Xander coming tomorrow, and thesis-writing to be done.


My revised goals:
1) Eat to Live
2) Move daily (essentrics and cardio optimally; pm yoga por lo menos)
3) Give thanks.


Healthy:
S: 4.5
E: pm yoga
W: 146.2 (-3 pounds!)
8:15 banana
11:45 lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions, cilantro, dal; grapes.
3:50 broccoli, grapes, apple, banana

Debt-free:
Didn't buy the crates I was considering.  Don't need them.

Minimalist:  Simplified goals! :)

Day 2: Victory Jar

As I was cleaning out my peanut butter jar a few days ago  (done with the jar, done with peanut butter for a while!),  a thought came to make it a Victory Jar.  I've never heard of one of those before, but here's what I think I will do with mine.  Every day, I  put a sticky note in my victory jar with the day's date, and a blessing that being plant-based or making another healthy decision gave me that day.  (I may also make a companion jar, a Motivation Jar, with quotes and other reminders to help me on days that may be hard to remember why I'm doing this).  It may be more energy, it may be the courage to stand up for something that I know is right for me...any thing that has made me victorious, and one step closer to being the healthiest I can be.  I just realized, too, that having a Victory Jar will help me with my goal to Give Thanks!  :)

I haven't decided exactly what I will do when my jar gets full...go get a massage, or put some $ towards a kitchen gadget that I would like...or just get a bigger jar!  :)  Stay tuned!

Healthy:
S: 6 hours
E: a little pm yoga
W: 149.2
7:30 banana
11:30 greens, mushrooms and onions, cilantro, tomatoes, palta, dal; grapes
4:00-6:00  banana, broccoli, carrots, apple, pumpkin with almond milk and honey
7:00 few bites of dal (to avoid having to put those few bites in a container), and a banana.

Debt-free:
Check in the mail from insurance company=the last little bit of my emergency fund!  Super blessed.

Minimalist:
Beth's moved out of my room again.  I'm loving the empty space!  AND I threw more things away, and have two DI boxes.  Hooray for getting rid of things I don't love or need!

Day 1: Battle for Freedom

Here's why I keep trying:

God's Greatest Creation


And here is my latest plan: 45 days for freedom

October 15-November 28

1) ETL 100%
2) daily essentrics
3) 20 minutes of cardio daily
4) Sleep 7 hours as many nights as possible.
5) Give thanks.


Healthy:
S: 5 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 153.4
7:30 banana, walnuts
11:30 greens, tomatoes, cilantro, dal, grapes
3:45 broccoli, apple, pineapple


Debt-free:
Budgeted today...it feels good to tell my money where to go! :)


Minimalist:
Organized school pictures.

Day 3: Stress

I wanted to stress eat all day long. But I didn't.  At least not as much as I wanted to.  And it was all plant-based, even though pizza and ice cream sounded like good-way-to-get-out-of-my-head food.  So I did better than Tuesday or Wednesday.  And all of the peanut butter is gone.  So tomorrow should be easier.

Healthy:

S: 10 hours +

E: n/a

W: 147.6

8:00 banana

10:00 banana, 3 dates, an apple with peanut butter
1:30 greens, apples, pears, tomatoes, chili
7:00 lo mein with veggies, extra veggies, fortune cookies, 1 date
10:00 vegan peanut butter cookie dough

Debt-free:
Got paid today! :)

Minimalist:
Day of work and play.  Super excited to have a schedule to write again!

Day 2: Detox?

I have had an impending head-ache this afternoon and evening...don't know if it's stress related, or if I'm just detoxing after my over-dose of sugar, fat, meat and dairy on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Either way, I managed to stay plant-based today, and didn't even over do the India Palace food.  (The hug that Kulwinder gave Beth was awesome! And she was so excited to meet Mother! :)  And I lost 3+ pounds since yesterday.  ETL is the best.

Healthy:
S: 6.75 hours
E: n/a
W: 148.2
8:20 2 bananas, 2 pears, a tomato, a few pieces of apple
12:00 lettuce, mixed greens, grape tomatoes, black beans, sliced apples and pears...HUGE salad.
6:30 rice, mutter mushroom, veggie coconut korma, and bindi aloo (sharing is fun!:), a banana, 3 dates

Debt-free:
Excited for payday!

Minimalist:
Day of helping.

Day 1: Day of Decision

Tuesday and Wednesday, Beth and I jumped (we didn't fall, it was very intentional) off the plant-based wagon with a vengeance.  On Tuesday, we ate Chinese food including pork-filled dumplings and orange chicken (even though I liked my veggie lo mein best).  Then we went to Maverick and stocked up on all the junk food we wanted to eat...candy bars, doughnuts, and chips.  We watched a movie while we snacked.  By bed-time, (even though I wanted to get pizza too!) we were both regretting our decision.  But on Wednesday, we did it again.  I stayed plant-based until dinner again, and then ate pizza.  We went out for sushi and had ice cream to boot.

Today, though, I intentionally climbed back on the wagon and hereby commit to the following:

7 weeks of pure Eat to Live eating!

I know that I've started this so many times.  And I don't know if I will be 100% successful this time.  But I'm going to give it my all!

In conference on Sunday, Elder Nelson talked about how our decisions affect eternity.  He said, "Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple.  That truth---refreshed gratefully each day---can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body, and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny. How could this be?  Because your body is the temple for your spirit.  And how you use your body affects your spirit."

I'm doing this so that I can be a better steward of this amazing gift of a body that my loving Heavenly Father has given me.  Bendiciones!


Healthy:
S: 7 plus hours
E: n/a
W: 151.4
12:00 zucchini, a banana
5:00 a couple of plums, another banana?
9:30 lettuce, chili, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, another banana

Debt-free:
Used some savings today. :(  At least I'm not going into debt for things!

Minimalist:
Spent the day helping.  Love my family.

Plant-based Binge Day.

Healthy:
S: 6.5
E: essentrics a/a
W: 144.6
8:00 apple
11:30 lettuce, grape tomatoes, rainbow chili, an apple
4:00 2 peaches, zucchini
6:00 3 dates, refried beans, few bites of chili, a dehydrated tomato, couple of grape tomatoes
7:00 vegan peanut butter cookie dough.  Finally found what I was craving.
7:20 chili


Debt-free:
Still within my budget.

Minimalist:
Trying to keep almost all of my study stuff in one place.

Keep going.

How many times have I listed this as the title for a post?  Many, I'm sure.  It's a common theme.  I have been wanting to eat the world lately, but it doesn't solve anything.  But I keep wanting to try.  Thankfully, I've been blessed to not to.  I have eaten more than usual, and some things that aren't strictly Eat to Live (corn chips, anyone?) but I have stayed on the vegan train as far as I'm aware (I did have the awful thought the other day that the rice at India Palace might not be vegan...but it hasn't caused any adverse stomach reactions, so I think that we're good....hopefully).

I am always wanting to have 100% ETL for 6 weeks or longer.  And when I eat something non-ETL, I immediately want cookie dough and pizza to compensate for my weakness.  I may make it the entire 6 weeks this time (starting anew on President and Sister Monson's wedding anniversary seems like a good start!), and I may not.  But I know that I need to keep going with this.  And I'm excited to read Elder Nelson's talk again.  I think it will help.  Bendiciones!

Healthy:
S: 7 :)
E: n/a
W: 144.8
11:00 banana, apple, left-over mutter mushroom and rice
1:00 3 dates, raisins, bite of rainbow chili
5:30 2 servings of rainbow chili, corn chips, lettuce, delicious garden tomatoes.

Debt-free:
No spending today! Super easy on a Sunday.

Minimalist:
Down-sized my medicine box.  I don't get colds often anymore anyway.  Now it all fits nicely in own shoe box, and that shoe box has a nice new home.  No more jumping off shelves during conference!

Conference! :)

I ate more than I needed to today, and rested lots...don't love being sick.  But conference was AMAZING.  Watch it.  It will make your life happier and better and more hopeful.

Healthy:
S: 8 plus hours
E: essentrics l/b (this is becoming habit to just do it every morning...sure love it!)
W: 145.4
11:30 green smoothie
12:15 roast cauliflower, can of black beans, banana
4:00 2 bananas, a confetti cornmeal muffin, several grape tomatoes
10:00 mutter mushroom and rice, banana, several servings of raisins

Debt-free:
No spending today! :)

Minimalist:
Sleep and conference and a little organizing and family time.  Simple, beautiful day.

Day 25: Subject to Change

Last night a lady commented on how the chair I was sitting in had moved from location to another.  She said, "We're all subject to change."  For some reason, that was something I needed to be reminded of.  We're HERE to change, to become better, to become like our Heavenly Father.  I thought of two ways to take her comment...If something is subject to change, it's liable to change, it can change, it has the ability to change.  You can also think of it as being subject to something, under the rule of change.  While I think both are true, I prefer to focus on the former.  I AM changing.  I change every day.  And I love that I can choose many of those changes based on my daily, hourly and momently :)  choices.  So blessed.  This week I'm going to focus on getting 7 hours of sleep a night.  6 is nice, but it's not enough.  I think it will be a change for the better! :)


Healthy:
S: 5.5 hours
E: essentrics a/a
W: 143.6?
8:00 2 bananas
11:30 2 cups of split pea soup, greens with grapes, and a diced apple.  Yummy!
2:00 rest of my greens, apple chunks and grapes
4:00 fruit roll-up (Thanks, Amy!)
6:00 grapes, chips and salsa
9:00 LOTS of veggie coconut korma (Thanks, Bethie!), poora, and veggie samosas.  Delicious.

Debt-free:  Called to get a refund on a product I don't use.  Wasn't as painful as I thought it would be! :)

Minimalist:  Giving back lots of papers to my students...many of them I'd already graded...I just hold onto things sometimes.  Also, family is not coming into town until Sunday night, which gives me a pretty minimalist day with just Conference and Thesis to worry about...nice!

Day 24: Peace

I loved listening to this talk this morning.  One of my favorite truths from it is, "When our only desire is to please Him, we will be blessed with a deep inner peace."

I don't think that Heavenly Father cares so much about how much we weigh, or what we look like, as what we do with what we have.  We've been commanded to be good stewards.  And while my decision to eat a dozen (ish) cornmeal muffins last night was not the wisest, I know that, in general, I'm on the right track towards being a good steward of my body.  It doesn't matter so much that I gained almost 2 pounds, as that I'm trying to be healthier than I was before, and that I'm trying again today.  There have definitely been times that I've been down on myself for gaining weight, and although I've still got a ways to go before I reach my goal, I'm trying each day, I'm moving forward, and I am at peace.

Healthy:
S: 6 hours
E: essentrics l/b
W: 145
7:50 banana
11:30 greens, rainbow chili, extra peppers and tomatoes, banana
3:30 squash
10:00 few bites of soup and fruit during lunch prep for tomorrow.


Debt-free:
No money spent today.  (Confession:  When I write this, sometimes I have Dory in my head saying,  "No eating here tonight, no eating here tonight...you on a diet!")


Minimalist:  Didn't change from pjs to workout clothes...one less step.

Day 23: Cansada

I am so tired.  Getting up this early is going to take some adjustment time...just hope my body gets used to it soon! :)

Healthy:
S: 6 hours
E: essentrics a/a
W: 143.2 or. 4
8:00 1 cup of steamed squash, 5 mints to stay awake (totally not healthy).
11:30 greens, 2 white flesh peaches, 1 cup steamed squash
6:00-10:00 LOTS of confetti cornbread muffins (thanks Susan at fatfreevegan.com for the great recipe!), 2 plain cornbread muffins with honey and 2 servings of black bean rainbow chili.  WAY too much food, but delicious, and still feeling MUCH better than I did after my last girls' night...in which I binged on sugar and dairy and was sick for two days!

Debt-free:
No money spent today.

Minimalist:
Getting things organized and more stream-lined at work.

Day 22: Keeping on keeping on.

Healthy:
S: 5 hours
E: essentrics l/b
W: 143.6  I gained a little bit from yesterday, which isn't surprising, considering I only had 1 meal on Sunday, and had 3 filling meals yesterday.  But I am feeling so toned!  Daily essentrics has me feeling like I'm getting more toned now than where I was at 135 lbs!  And I know that I'm doing good things for my body when I eat plant-based, regardless of how much I weigh.  And I'm still down 12 pounds from where I was 22 days ago!  So, yes, smaller numbers every day would be nice, but I'm not worried.
7:50 2 bananas, a mint (sugar-filled)
11:30 mixed greens (non baby, but just fine), couple of cherry tomatoes, a chopped apple; 2 cups of split pea soup.
3:45 can of pineapple

Debt-free:
No money spent today!

Minimalist:
Another day of work, eating and thesizing.

Day 21: Let the craziness begin! :)

I woke up at 4 this morning to get everything done so that I could study.  I AM going to get my thesis done this semester!!!  I will still be blogging daily, but my entries will often be short for the next 8-12 weeks.   Wish me luck!  In the strength of the Lord, I can do ALL things, including finishing my thesis!

Healthy:
S: 6 hours
E: essentrics a/a
W: 143 :)
7:00 oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon
11:30 spinach, tomatoes, grapes, corn, onion, 2 cups of split pea soup
3:45 buffalo cauliflower (with homemade buffalo sauce!) and a banana
10:00 few bites of apple during lunch packing.

Debt-free:
Spent less than $20 on groceries...think I can make it the week without buying more.

Minimalist:
Just studied, worked, and shopped today.

Day 20: Hope

Our lesson in RS today was about hope.  I loved it.  I keep doing what I'm doing because I have hope (a SURE thing, we were taught today) that I'm becoming healthier and stronger, more independent financially and less cluttered as I stick to my goals of Eating to Live, and becoming debt-free and minimalist.

Healthy:
S: 8+hours
E: n/a
W: 143.6
4:00 1 cup split pea soup, spinach, few grape tomatoes, apple, corn cut off the cob...delicious! 2-3 bites of Amy's yummy pumpkin stuff...it had no added milk or eggs, but I realized afterwards that there may have been milk in the cake mix itself...
7ish 2 grape tomatoes fresh from the garden! :)

Debt-free:
Made a CC payment and paid extra principal on the mortgage, as usual.  Beth's plan for us to go to Alaska next summer sounds great financially...I can't imagine being able to pay off $10,000 on the house in one fell swoop, but then I don't know how much I could make not driving, and I am not sure if Alaska is the right choice for me.  Vamos a ver.

Minimalist:
Didn't eat more than one meal...didn't need more than what I ate after fasting.

Day 19: Moderation

Today I ate too much...cansansia, stress, whatever.  But I stopped because of it being fast Sunday tomorrow.  And in just a few hours, I was feeling better and lighter, which is yet another blessing of being plant-based...food hangovers don't happen.  Even when I eat a ton, I'm comfortable again within a few hours.  Super blessed.
I have had a goal to get down to 140 by the end of September.  I don't think I'm quite going to do it. I'll keep at it, and be there by conference, instead.

Healthy:
S: 7 hours
E: n/a
W: 144.4
10:00-2:00 2-3 bananas, 2 cups of peaches, 1 cob of corn with lime, 2 bowls of split pea soup, spring mix with nuts, grapes, raisins, and tomatoes.

Debt-free: Spent $2 on milk for Erin.  No other spending.  It's going to take some stretching to make it through the next couple of weeks, but I can do it!

Minimalist: I'm loving living with less in my room! :)