So, it has been a while since I posted an update on my progress. For the most part, I've done really well with not eating any meat or fried foods, and eating more fruits and vegetables. However, I've run into a few problems. The first issue is the craving of meat. Anytime someone eats meat around me, the aroma starts my saliva going, and here I am swallowing gobs of saliva trying to eat my fruit in peace.

From a physiological standpoint, I understand the craving. You've all heard the phrase "you're probably craving meat because you need more protein/iron/whatever the nutrient." Well, there's another reason. Our bodies crave endorphins. Certain foods, sweets, meat, etc contain chemicals (natural or otherwise) that promote endorphin release. When you eat meat, for instance, your body releases endorphins into the blood stream, and you get a lovely feeling. Eat meat a couple of times, and get that release, and now you've created a kind of "fingerprint," and your body now understands that you get endorphins from eating meat. So when you go without meat for a while, and you aren't getting your endorphins elsewhere, your body starts saying to itself, "hmm, I am craving some endorphins. I gotta have 'em. Where can I get 'em? OOO... I know!!! Meat gives me endorphins." Then it begins hollering in a way you can understand (you all know what I mean, especially if you happen to be pregnant, or have ever been pregnant in the past) "HEY, YOU!!!! GIMMIE SOME MEAT!!!!!!" It's not the iron or protein or whatever you're craving, it's the endorphin rush given by eating the meat.

So, now that I know my body is out to get me by making me fat with all the cravings it pushes on me, the trick is to change the endorphin fingerprint changed onto another kind of food. I just have to figure out what food will do the trick.

I haven't been completely faithful with staying away from meat. The day before Thanksgiving, I ate some chicken. Then, on Thanksgiving, I had one piece of turkey. The results? On Thanksgiving, I had a bit of a stomach ache, and the day after I had diarrhea. Well, that's it for me... back to no more meat. See what happens when I pay attention to what my body says after the endorphins have worn off? Back to feeling good.

So... as far as exercise goes, I got a job as a nanny recently that makes it difficult to exercise on a regular basis. I do still put in the occasional belly dancing video and get my sweat on, accompanied by a certain 2 1/2 year old who still thinks it's great fun to emulate Mommy. I'm going to have to get a video of him to post here. I also have been picking up the manure after the cow and horse at nights, which is always a sure way to get a little sweat drip down the middle of my back.

As far as weight goes, I started out around 134 pounds, and have gone back up to 140, and then back down to 138. I'm not entirely sure why the weight gain, unless it's muscle building from all that manure shoveling.

Well, it's time for Luke to go to bed. His schedule has been off lately, to where he's sleepy some nights and not others, sleeps in one day and wakes up early the next. It would be fine if he was staying up late then sleeping in late, but it never seems to work out that way. Typically, he'll stay up late, wake up early, go to bed late. Or, go to bed early, wake up late, go to bed early. I don't get it, but whatever. Hopefully he'll end this stage soon, along with the terrible twos... but that's a topic for a different venue. This is about diet and exercise! How did Luke come into it? Oh wait... that's right... it's cuz the cutie is my life!

Day 3

There's nothing cuter than a two year old who tries to do mommy's exercise routine with her! My little one sits there and claps along to the music in the bellydancing routine, and then lunges (sort of) and lifts his leg in the air, although his is more straight out at the hip than bent at the knee!

So. Exercise updates. Yesterday I did the belly dance routine twice. It's really starting to come to me. I sway more than I was, with less jerking than when I started. I'm also getting the steps pretty good as well. Today I only did the routine once, because of errands in the morning. My goal is to do it once in the morning, and once before bed. So far, I'm doing pretty good. I may do the routine again before I go to bed.

Today is day four of my new exericse regimen.

So. Dietary updates. I ate chicken again today, which is fine, since I only swore off all other meat this week. Next week, I need to swear off chicken AND fried food. That fried food really gets to me. In fact, I think I'll swear off that stuff as of this moment. No more fried food!

Yesterday I did really well. I ate fruit for breakfast, nuts and mushrooms dipped in ranch dip for a snack, and a vegetarian yakisoba for dinner. That was really yummy! And good for me. Nothing fried. Lots of veggies.

Today is day three of my new dietary lifestyle.

Day 1

I have decided that for health reasons, I am going to change my diet, and in the process take up much of the practices of vegetarians. I am giving up all sodas, most dairy products (not yogurt), all meat products and meat byproducts (maybe not eggs), and any additives that are not natural (yes, that means I'm giving up cheetos and corn chips! Ugh). In order to change my diet, I will be giving things up one at a time, one week at a time. This week I started with giving up all meat except chicken. I would have added chicken to the list, but I didn't order my food this afternoon, and there wasn't anything else available. It was either eat why my big manly husband provided me with, or selfishly go hungry. I chose to eat it, and give up all meat except chicken this week. I probably won't eat chicken anymore this week, but it may happen.

So. This is day one of my new diet.

Oh yes. I will not be just changing my diet, I will also be changing my exercise level as well. Yesterday, my very good, health conscious friend gave me a set of four DVDs, that use bellydancing to help lose weight. Hmm, I thought. Bellydancing could be fun, but I bet it is a TON of work. But, I figured I'd give it a try. So, I went home, put in the DVD, and to the great amusement of aforementioned big manly husband, began attempting to follow the on-screen dancers. Yes, I say attempted, because it was not easy learning the steps. But, I perservered, I rewound parts I needed to retry, and, with commentary from the easy chair, figured out the steps; step, twist, step, twist, arms in, arms out, thrust hips back, thrust hips forward, cross behind, step, cross front, step. You get the picture. Throw in a few plies (pronounced plee-aze) and there I was, bellydancing in a wierd, robotic sort of way. I really need to get more bend and sway in those hips of mine. I am not a dancer. When my hips thrust forward, they do not gyrate, they jerk. There's nothing smooth about it! That's okay, I'm sure I'll pick it up eventually. Hopefully.

Anyway, towards the end of my DVD (which had probably been strung out to a good 45 minutes when it was supposed to be 20), my husband had to go put our son to bed. By the time he came back into the room, I had collapsed on the couch trying to regain some sense of aliveness, due to the total lack of oxygen. Apparently, you're supposed to breathe while exercising. Someone should have mentioned this to me. Might have saved my husband the effort of having to perform mouth to mouth. Okay, he might have done that for the fun of it rather than the necessity.

As if that torture wasn't enough, I decided to repeat it, not an hour later. My husband headed to bed, and on went the DVD again. At least this time I got most of the steps right. I decided I didn't need to offend my husband with the stench of my sweat, so I took a brief (very brief) shower, and collapsed into bed.

Today we did this pumpkin shoot thing, or as my husband likes to call it "exercising our 2nd amendment rights." Good thing too, it might be our last one if Obama makes it in, but that's a post for another blog. The funniest thing of the whole day was when I took the pistol, and hit 4 out of 6 shots, and then my husband picked it up and missed all 6 times! HAHA. The joke was on me though. My rightfully named big manly husband is a much better shot than me. Turns out that first one was a fluke. I did however do pretty well with the shotgun, hitting several pidgeons (relax, not real ones, they're clay plates), which I have never before been able to do, not for lack of trying.

When we got home, my husband had some outdoor chores to attend to, and with our son asleep in the truck, I figured this would be a good time for some more belly dancing! Ouch! Apparently, you aren't supposed to exercise so much all at once in the beginning of a new life style. Someone might have mentioned that to me. Might have saved my husband the trouble of rubbing my calves for me. Wait... maybe he did that just for fun too. Hmm...

So. Today was day 2 of my new exercise regimen.