New Years Resolutions 2013

Well it's been a while. I meant to do this right away after new years, but to be honest, I couldn't decide on what my resolutions were.

Most everything has to do with health. After quitting wheat last year and having the awesome results, I'm sort of addicted to big lifestyle changes.

I've tossed and turned over trying to go vegan vs cutting out certain foods. I've also tossed and turned over exercise - should I set a small goal or a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal, as my boss would say).

My conclusion is, to do both!

So here are my 2013 New Years Resolutions!

1. Making Vegan choices when available. This includes almond milk instead of regular milk, vegan cheese, no meat meals if possible, if there is a vegan alternate of a makeup product - get that instead, etc.
2. Cutting out red meat as much as possible. Yes there are times I crave a good steak, but honestly with the family history of cancer now and my above decision to make as many vegan choices as possible, this one just needs to go. I still love chicken, but I will try and limit it. Maybe twice a week max? Maybe as a "treat" when we go out for date night? 
3. A long juicing detox? Yeah I don't think that's for me, but I have started using my juicer daily and would like to continue using it, even if it is just as a breakfast, or even a juice to go along with a meal. I love the benefit of all these nutrients I am getting - and let's be honest, I never get this much veggies in my diet otherwise!
4. Get into the habit of not only working out daily, or at the very least once every 2 days (including weekends), but to have a more active lifestyle. I would love to try Archery, Salsa, Swimming more, Going paint-balling more in the summer, etc. Just generally doing things that are fun, that make me get up and move!
5. My BHAG for exercise is to, by the end of the year, be fit enough to do the Queen Gorgo's workout challenge. For those who do not know, this is a female version of the 300 workout. This will take a lot of working up to, for me. And of course, in the end the challenge is to have the best time at doing this. I'll record my time and maybe post at the end of the year to see how well I've done. 
6. Money. Oooo this one is always hard. I want to have a steadfast amount of money that is saved every month. 
7. Vacation at least once this year, in a different country.
8. Save up for a decent down payment on a house. This ties in with number 6. The market out here is booming, and I want to catch it on the way up!
9. Become closer with the friends and family I want to be closer to. 
10. Make more friends.
11. Try more creative activities. As mentioned above, a salsa class, maybe painting, pottery, whatever strikes my fancy! 

Generally, as everyone  does, I want a better life. My husband and I moved up to Grande Prairie, AB and now is the opportunity for me to accomplish the things I have wanted to. To be a true success story with my health, and to learn those important life skills not everyone gets the opportunity to learn!

So what's your new years resolutions?!

#Wheatfree

2 weeks ago my boss bought me a book, Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD.

My boss has been following a gluton free lifestyle since her daughter was young, so well over 20 years. Over the past 2 years I have worked for her, she's told me more and more why and what caused the change (I think her daughter is a Cyliac).

Well after reading the book, (which pretty much makes it's point in the introduction) I decided to try this wheat free thing out.

I started the day Andrew left for training, so that would be Sunday, July 15, 2012. It has been 9 days now. I am down 4 lbs and (at last check on the weekend) 3 inches.

But that's not the greatest part, well it is, sort of. The greatest part is that I got past my plateau, I passed the banner that was my short term goal.

I am officially (as of this morning) 198 lbs! Now for most people that's not something to be boastful about, but my short term goal was to get under 200 lbs, from then under 190 lbs, then 180 lbs, and so on until I was hovering back around 130-140 (what I view as a healthy and attractive weight for me).

Now, even before I started my wheat free diet I was on a wheat free mission. I knew so many people who could use this (just like when I read Napoleon Hill's Interview with the Devil [is it reading if it's an audio book?]). One of my lucky moments was finding out I had a friend who already went Gluten free, and that's fellow blogger, Hello Little Deer. She's been giving me tips and tricks to help me along my way, plus a good dose of support! But I, because of my pre-diabetic nature and high insulin levels wanted to go totally wheat free.

I won't lie, in the beginning it was hard, I did have wheat on the brain, much like when I quit smoking nearly 2 years ago and couldn't think of anything but that seductive smoke. I fought against it, like I did with smoking (and won, by the way, with smoking at least), and only had meat, veggies, and dairy. Most of my meals consisting of a large salad and chicken breast. That gets tired real quick, in case you were wondering. The same meal (ok different salad dressing, big whoop!) day in day out. I was finding it hard to avoid the pasta, and bread, and oh the pizza and stuff crazy bread I loved so much. So I gave in and half of one of those mini ice cream sundays with cookies in it (cookies that have wheat). I immediately felt like crap, couldn't even finish the tiny cup of ice cream, and discovered what it means to be ignorant of the poison you were taking. I had, at that point, only been wheat free for half a week, and already my body was being affected by the reintroduction of wheat in such a way!

Since the weekend has passed and my aunt brought over some rice pasta, which though the consistency is a bit weird at first, is remarkably similar (and I checked the ingredients, wheat free and gluten free). I have found it alot easier to cope. One because I then took a better look around my local grocery store and found more gluten and wheat free alternatives. Because I am going wheat free as well as gluten free, i have a little bit less options. I am still avoiding any bread substitute because I don't want to tease myself, or rather feed the urge for bread, much like how I couldn't have a "fake" smoke while quitting smoking. Finding (not just being told) Wheat Free and Gluten free alternatives to my favorite foods (like perogies!!!!) was a godsend. It has made this whole change 10 times easier.

Now I will point out that it doesn't necessarily change my "boring" meal plan, these substitutes. My reason for that is simple, these substitutes are still (or can be) high in carbs, which is what I need to keep low for my PCOS and insulin levels. So once in a while they are good for curbing a craving, or a little "reward" for my good eating habits, hell even as a consolation "junk" meal for my husband when he's sick of salad and chicken... but it's not what every day meals should be made of, not if I want to keep up this true health kick.

So now that I'm well on my way to having a wheat free lifestyle, it's time to think about what I need to add to my life. I have talked, on and on, about adding exercise. yes I know I need to do it, and yeah, i always end up not doing it... so my solution, to do both. to add and not add. I've got a nifty little kettle weight I'm going to stick on my coffee table. If I'm watching TV, well every commercial I'll do some sets as I'm sitting or standing, watching the ads go past. Or if I'm playing video games, well the intermissions become my work out time. It's not exactly a vigorous work out, but I'm still doing more then I was before, and I can (theoretically) relax and work out at nearly the same time. Of course this doesn't work if I start watching only movies, or suddenly have to pee every commercial break - but I'll try and keep myself honest.