checking in

March 7, 2017

I watched Big Little Lies on HBO last night.  I loved the novel and by some miracle the kids were in bed by the time I got home (had some later engagements) at 8:15 pm.  And Josh was home, having orchestrated said bedtime!  I was grateful and impressed.  (And admittedly a bit surprised.)

We sat watching together, drank a glass of red, and I felt engaged and genuinely content.  It was a feeling that I haven’t had for quite some time, and it was really REALLY nice.  I hesitate to proclaim that I feel normal again, but I feel 9 zillion times better than I did a week ago.  As I mentioned previously there is a strong (STRONG) hormonal component.  So hopefully I will learn — with time — how to ride out the storm.  

Thank you to those of you who offered support and shared your experiences (either on or off the blog) after my last post.  It really meant a lot to me, and hearing how many of you have benefited from some support in the mental health realm was really helpful.  
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IN OTHER NEWS

RUNNING.  I ran the Miami Beach Half on Saturday.  I was not terribly pumped for this race, as the last few weeks of my training were . . suboptimal (think: missed long runs, missed speed workouts, etc).  It was very windy on race day and the second half of the race was entirely against the wind.  My time was (for me) meh — 1:59:39, but honestly under the conditions I was fairly proud of myself.  Many people were walking or seemed to give up in the last several miles, and my worst split (against winds and up a hill to go over the causeway) was 9:38/mi.  So things were steadier than they appear in these splits.  I almost didn’t even run the race . . . but was 100% glad I did.  

 

Not sure what my next fitness venture will be but I am really loving running and I think I will work on just keeping up my base the next few months over the summer.  I thought about trying a more strength-based program (BBG) but . . . I just don’t want to.  It sounds so boring and torturous, honestly.  And I would rather just be kind to myself and do what I love right now, and what brings me joy.  I do think maybe I will try to incorporate some yoga or barre back in.
FOOD/LIFE.  I attended a vegan event last night and agh, I seem to be drinking the Kool-Aid.  Mostly for environmental reasons.  I have nightmares about climate change, and while I know it is controversial I feel fairly convinced that the way we consume animal products is adding significantly to the atmospheric burden.  I feel really really torn about trying this because honestly I DON’T WANT TO ELIMINATE the 8 million foods that I love and have warm fuzzy feelings about.  And I felt great while paleo (except for running which never quite felt amazing) and this is basically the polar opposite (so many carbs . . .).  If anyone has tips or stories about successfully transitioning to a more plant-based diet, I would appreciate them.  
UNRELATED:  Annabel has her first loose tooth.  I honestly can’t even believe it.

5 Comments

  • Reply shellychlan March 10, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    I have had to experiment more with vegan meals when I found out it was all dairy products causing me all sorts of digestive issues (everything including cheese and yogurt agh!). I am not a huge meat eater to begin with just from taste preference.

  • Reply Marissa March 10, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    I eat mostly paleo, & feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life. Just a word of caution…I went vegetarian about 8 years ago for 6 months. It was not right for me at all. It caused all kinds of nutritional deficiencies. I felt horrible & looked horrible. I know lots of people thrive on these kinds of diets, but I think it just depends on what your body wants/needs. I think you’ll see quickly if the vegan lifestyle is not for you.

  • Reply Ida March 10, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    congrats on the half marathon! wind is the worst element to deal with, kudos to you for pushing through.
    As for the vegan stuff, i would recommend looking for easy ways to reduce your animal product consumption rather than totally eliminate(at least to start.). Things like using plant based coffee creamer, or starting off with one vegan meal a day. Also look into a CSA or buying local produce at a farmers’ market. You could get eggs and/or meat from there too, and it’s at least a more sustainable product. Every little bit helps!

  • Reply Liz March 10, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    I don’t think it has to be all or nothing regarding veganism. I would say 95% of my meals are vegan but I do occasionally eat meat or cheese and I am totally okay with that. It has been a slow transition over time (I only recently gave up cream in my coffee!) I think starting to slowly incorporate more vegan meals into your diet is a great way to start. A couple favorite blogs are minimalistbaker.com and mywholefoodlife.com

  • Reply EAS March 10, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    Glad you had a good and enjoyable night! And congrats on finishing the half!

    To echo the other commentators – yes to cutting back on meat consumption!
    I totally agree also that it doesn’t have to be about "giving up" things you love, but being much more conscientious about having plant focused meals. When I decided to eat less meat for environmental reasons about 15 years ago I just decided not to cook meat at home, but I would still have it out at restaurants or at friends houses. I did that for a year or so and then just stopped wanting it, but I wouldn’t have felt bad if it continued to be an occasional thing. Now my husband is kind of the same, he eats veggie at home because he likes it and doesn’t care enough to cook separate stuff for himself, but he has meat out when he wants it.

    I also was pretty lost at first about what to eat, having grown up in the "meat/potatoes/starch mindset." What works for me is mostly eating food based on the traditions of other countries that are more naturally vegetarian/vegan, as opposed to trying to make meaty things veggie, which is often disappointing, weird or requires a bunch of odd/or expensive ingredients. Some of our go tos: Indian style lentils or chickpeas and veggies, burritos/tacos with beans and any number of veggies and Asian style stirfry with tofu.

    For recipe ideas: loveandlemons.com has some nice and pretty simple things, also Thug Kitchen which has some major cultural appropriation issues, but their recipes are so good!

    Best of luck with whatever you decide!

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