Before/After

Before plant based diet (January 1, 2011)

After 1 year of being plant strong (December 12, 2011)

Enough said. What are you waiting for?

Wait a minute. Enough has not been said. I thought this would be an inspirational post for my family and friends but I was a little embarrassed at the thought of being boastful, and so I let it sit for a bit. And I kept coming back to the pictures and then...

Back in that January 2011 picture I was feeling really great. That smile on my face, in my bright orange shirt, was a smile of HEALTH! I was willing myself to good health through walking! I was ecstatic that I could walk 3 whole miles in an hour. I was on a roll! I truly believed that the walking would CHANGE MY LIFE! I was certain of it. I was planning to do a 365 miles in 2011 challenge and I was asking others to join me. And I was certain that the people who signed up for the challenge with me would experience the same life changes that I would. LETʻS GO PEOPLE! As a matter of fact, I got 50 people to commit to joining me on this resolution of sorts.

Wow. So much has changed since that picture was taken. It was a year ago. I walked just about everyday and a minimum of 1 mile a day. Usually 3. But the weight stayed pretty much the same. On February 1st, though, I changed my diet completely to a plant strong diet. My mantra became "fruits, veggies, beans, and nuts...and some whole grains". I had no idea then (after reading Eat to Live) that my life would change so dramatically. I kept on walking and started challenging others to eat plant strong. When I do something in my life I love to have company. As I tell others, why should I suffer alone? But the fact of the matter is, I am far from suffering. I am thriving and I like to think that others who are following a plant strong diet are thriving with me.

Here is what I have learned:
1. It's easy to cook/bake delicious food if it has salt, sugar and oil in it. Those are addictive foods. Scientifically proven. The evil trio. Restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and Chili's hire scientists to figure out the perfect combo of this trio in their dishes. Think about it. What are your favorite dishes. Bet they contain a combination of sugar, salt, and fat.
2. Walking is easy and enjoyable. And getting someone to walk with you makes it even more enjoyable. And listening to audiobooks helps me when I have no company. Books make perfect company.
3. The longer you eat a plant strong diet the easier it becomes. Except for the cooking. That is a challenge for me, even months later. But it gets better and better every month. I won't let the difficulty stop me. That would be taking the easy way out. Use my lack of skills to eat crap? No deal.
4. Health = nutrients/calories. Simple enough. I have never been or felt healthier.
5. Everything is connected to food. How you look. How you feel. It is truly my answer to everything. Need more energy? Eat better. Tired all the time? Take a look at your diet. Bad complexion? Watch what you eat. Lots of sinus issues or allergies? Guess. I believe this with my heart and soul.
6. Even if you don't think you can do it, you can do it. It's just a matter of how bad you want it. Or need it.