Don't call it a comeback, or The Last Three Weeks of My Life

I had in my head that I was going to take an indefinite break from blogging because I felt that I had really have nothing to say and, besides, who reads blogs anyway? With some encouragement from my friend, Amie*, this weekend, I'm back blogging.

Much has happened in the past few weeks. First off, I've done a lot of crafting. I used to crochet all the time, but I found that I burned out on it. I've since been doing embroidery. I think I like embroidery better because I have to focus on it more. There are pics of recent projects on my Instagram. My proudest recent project is the polar bear I stitched for my cousin in the UK.

Second, I found out that the dojo where Charlie and I go for karate is closing its Brighton location at the end of the month. I credit karate with my change in attitude (I'm much more positive then I've ever been) and my change in fitness. When we received the letter, both Charlie and I were very upset. We are now trying to plan out what our next steps are. I don't want to give up exercising. I actually enjoy it!**

Third, and this is a minor point, our cats have colds. I mention this because cats do not have good hygiene, so they don't cover their noses when they sneeze. I've caught them sneezing into the communal food bowl. One sneezed in my face. This circles back to the Tabby Lobby, I'm sure, in some way. Anyhow, two of the three cats have colds and sneeze all the time and have runny noses.

Fourth, I went to a used book store this past weekend. That will be a story for another day.

Thanks, dear reader, for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate it.

*Thanks for your encouragement, Amie. I appreciate it.

**I never thought I would type that sentence. It's true, though.

My Wellness Journey, Part the First

I really see my lifestyle changes as a wellness journey, instead of weight loss. However, weight loss is a tangible result of wellness. This is why I am referring to weight loss in this post.

It's official as of today--I am down 20.5 lbs. from where I was at this time last year.

Now, I know that I'm not going to be called up for any weight-loss endorsement deals. It's no shocking or quick weight loss regiment, but the way I see it, I did it! Granted, I would like to lose 30 to 40 lbs. more, but I'm happy with my results.

So, you are probably wondering how I did it. I made small changes to my diet over time and have been incorporating exercise on a regular basis.

The most significant change to my diet is that I eat vegan most of the time, at least 2 meals a day. I follow Mark Bittman's blog and read his VB6 book. It changed the way I think of food. I didn't start out eating vegan or if I did, I took the all-or-nothing approach. The all-or-nothing approach set me up for terrible migraines and made me ugly to be around (just ask my husband). What worked for me was eating more vegetables and fruit--say, replacing a side of chips with my sandwich with cut-up red peppers or cukes. I also try to make one of my snacks a fruit or vegetable. This is how I got more veggies in my diet. My meals became based around veggies, rather than meat or starch.

 I don't go hungry. I eat when I am hungry. This has made a huge difference, as I don't starve myself and binge at the next meal. I also am not too strict with myself, so if I'm out with friends, I will eat and have a good time.

I feel that what has helped me lose weight the most is that I started taking karate and kickboxing classes. I have to exercise at least three times a week now. I needed structure because it was too easy to blow off going to the gym. I really like the people and program at United Martial Arts Center.

The most important aspect of my weight-loss journey thus far is this: I haven't really been focusing on the pounds lost (in fact, I only started weighing myself weekly about a month ago). I've been focusing on how I feel: Do I have energy? Do I feel strong? Am I happy?

And, yes, I am definitely happier than I was a year ago.

Many thanks to those who have been supportive of my wellness journey, especially my husband, Mark, who is willing to try new food; my best friend, Amy, who is my kickboxing buddy; and my friend, Colleen, who is my cheerleader. You guys totally rock!