BEANO might be needed!

Why does the New Year always help me get back into the groove?  I don't have the answer to that, I'm just glad it DOES.

I feel overweight, soft, fat and gross!  Just being honest here!

I'm not going to step on the scale, I will judge it by me jeans and how they feel!  I hate tight jeans!

A major change I started in July was eating more of a whole foods/plant based diet. My friend always told me I could be a vegetarian.  I like a good steak sometime, but most of the time I could leave it!  So when I made this change I thought it would be SO HARD, but shockingly it was the easiest thing I have ever done.  I loved ALL the food and found new ones to LOVE.  What's even CRAZIER is that it brought out a whole creative side with food that I have never had!

*Plant-based diet is a general term that refers to an eating pattern dominated by fresh or minimally processed plant foods and decreased consumption of meat, eggs and dairy products.

I don't know, maybe this looks boring to you?  But I love it!

I followed it really well during July & August and felt better than I have in a long time.  I felt lighter and didn't crave bad foods, which is a HUGE deal for me.  If you struggle with craving and addiction to things like sugar...you know what I'm talking about.  I went on vacation and did pretty well until the end and kind of stopped thinking about what I was eating and never got back on track when I got home (and then the weight gain happens), until now.  Oh and I took a break from working out...uh, not good! Amazing how we have the tools to make good choices, but we choose not to practice them.  It's like having a treadmill, but not using it.  

BEST Veggie sandwich ever!
Whats funny is I ordered this months before
I even started eating a plant based diet

The first thing people ask about is Protein, especially for athletes.  You would be shocked, as I was that there is PLENTY of protein in a whole food/plant based diet.  (*Warning/CAUTION: Beano might be required for eating like this since it's a high fiber diet.)  

It's amazing how your taste buds start to change and you do crave healthy food and not the processed stuff that never satisfies or fills you up.  Also the benefit of eating food your body needs and how it actually satisfies you, example a 5-bean salad and Quinoa will always fill you up and make you feel good, but it takes 3-pieces of pizza to make you feel full and then you don't feel good...hmmm!  

Oh and what made me make this change?  I watched a documentary called, "Forks Over Knives".  Have you seen it?

Coming from a family that deals with a history of health issues relating to heart and cholesterol, this documentary spoke to me.  I had high cholesterol most of my life, until I started training for my marathon.  I have realized over the last few years that my heart health is significant, it's not just about the number on the scale.  Of course this is not new news, but it is hard to change your thought process on that!  This way of eating really helps with heart issues!  PERFECT!  Happy to see healthy results so quickly.

I have not forced my family into this way of eating, but the are pretty open to what I make and have enjoyed most of the dishes!  Kids seem more open to trying new things over my husband.  Seems that adults have a hard time trying new things!  Funny how that is?  Making dishes for everyone can be a challenge, but we're making it work.

If you haven't tried one, an ALMOND MILK LATTE is amazing, but only if it's made correctly.  Truly AMAZING!

I'm anxious to see how this way of eating will work with 70.3 training?  I will keep you updated!