Thursday, March 18, 2010

Changes

Just because I'm a sorry blogger lately doesn't mean there isn't a lot going on. Didn't want y'all to think it's all crickets over here.

I've really begun a plan to take better care of myself. I need to for me and my kids.

A few of the changes are:

1. I've given up coffee. (Actually it's coffee flavored milk but still....) no more caffeine at all. The weird thing is that now I have more energy. Can someone please explain that?

2. Lots of dietary changes including going pretty much vegetarian (except for sushi). I'm shopping the perimeter of the grocery store in fresh items only except for staples. I've never been big on processed foods but I've really cut them out now. Even tried quinoa for the first time. We made this dish yesterday and it was a big hit. Portobello burgers are a current favorite for everyone.

3. Started a vitamin regimen. I already had one for the girls but I'd left myself out mostly due to the expense. I have decided that I need them regardless of the expense and my repulsion of taking pills. Omega's, B-2, B-12, niacin, kelp, CoQ10 and magnesium in an effort to jump start my failing metabolism and for the energy boost. Click here to learn why you should be taking CoQ10. Kelp is here. You might know all this stuff but I was shocked.

4. Power walking 20 in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening.

5. Drinking 5 to 6 20 oz glasses of water daily.

6. Started drinking 4 oz of Essiac Tea daily to detox my system. It is mainly used to treat cancer homeopathically and I have several friends that are still living (many years later) from using Essiac Tea even though they had been sent home with hospice. I have taken it before for chronic constipati*n (like hospitalized for it and years on miral*x) and it cured my problem so I'm using it now as a detox. More about Essiac Tea here. I make it myself so that I know the quality and freshness cause it's a piece of cake and it's much cheaper than buying it pre-made. $20 makes about 4 gallons which lasts about 3 months. It's found here.

7. I've started taking Chant^x. Yes.... you heard me. My dirty, nasty, shameful secret is out there for all the world to see. *hanging head in shame* I smoke. (There's a saying that you're only as sick as your secrets so maybe I just got a bit healthier by admitting it.) I hate that I smoke. I hate the way it smells, hate that I'm a slave to them, just loathe the habit all together. It's nasty and disgusting. Don't hate it enough to go through the pain of quitting though. So I've resorted to chemical help. My quit day is next Tuesday. Just so y'all know....I quit before I got J. Then I got her.......and the stress went through the roof and I caved. Blech. Please pray, send energy, positive thoughts....whatever you believe in....send it my way. I could really use it. ♥ Planning on tweeting on the good, bad and ugly on quit day and after.

J had a pretty bad weekend. She was very pissed off that she didn't get to go to NYC this past weekend with G and you know that was all my fault so she showed me with her behavior. I had figured out that was the reason she was mad but since it was almost therapy day I left it to Kristy to address. Now she's not mad about that anymore but the time change is throwing things out of whack for the littles. I've noticed that the fact that I'm taking better care of myself is bizarre to the girls too. Yet I know I'm setting an example to do it for themselves when they are grown.

25 comments:

The Accidental Mommy said...

I am SO shocked you have been a secret smoker all this time! Wow! I have taken it back up a few times in the past couple years but not more than a day.
Hope J gets better. Glad you are feeling better overall!

GB's Mom said...

Good to hear from you and GREAT to hear you are taking care of yourself! You and your family have been in my prayers and will continue to. {{{Hugs}}}

Tara - SanitySrchr said...

Whew!! I thought I was the only one. I so badly want to quit, but...who am I kidding, I've used every excuse in the book to not quit. I'm mostly afraid I'll blow up like a balloon if I quit. I have though, cut WAAAAY back. I was smoking almost a pack a day and now I'm down to 7-8 per day. I only smoke at work or if I'm out and about. Unfortunately Chantix isn't an option for me as it interacts with my magic blue pill...and God help us ALL if I don't have the full effects of that!

Good for you Lisa! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I joined Curves today. I was stressing out so bad that I was eating and eating. I felt terrible!!! Jason has been off the walls lately and well..we may be doing RTC after next week. I needed to do something. I got sick 4 times in Feb and March with bad colds/tonsilitis and it was not good for morale!

stellarparenting.com said...

You are so great for doing that for you, it is a great example. I know you can quit, it will be really hard but you can do it.

matryoshka said...

Good for you Lisa. I love that you're making good choices for you!

Hope J gets back on track soon :)

Mama Drama Times Two said...

I am so happy to hear how you are doing! Good for you - vitamins and veggies and all that healthy stuff. I need to follow your lead. Thanks for being you and sharing! I too WAS a smoker (it has been 8 years) and I still smell a cigarette sometimes and I just could...but I cannot! One cig and I'd be back to a pack and a half a day. Took me several attempts - but I finally did it by taking Wellbutrin. It is so, so, so hard (understatement) to quit. I'll be thinking of you!

Diana said...

I am so proud of you, sister friend! I wouldn't have ever guessed that you're a secret smoker, but kudos to you for putting it out here and making yourself publicly accountable for quitting! I will definatley send prayers in your direction. I'm a secret (ha - not so secret - just look at my pictures!) stress eater. I'm going to have to look into Curves as someone else said they had done. I'm loving that idea! (((hugs to you)))!

Anonymous said...

I went off of processed foods, too. Food tastes SOOO much better now! You are making some great changes!

Kerrie said...

You are amazing! I started taking one lousy Zumba class a week, and I can't believe the difference, so you're going to feel fantastic! I'll be checking in on you on Thursday...

Kristina P. said...

It sounds like you are making some awesome life changes!

Unknown said...

Good for you!

Keep up the good work. Those are ALL awesome choices!

Hannah_Rae said...

Wow! When you go for it, you really go for it. Good for you, Lady! I get the feeling you are an all or nothing kind of gal. Proud of you!

Blessings!

Hannah

Tracey said...

You go, girl! Once again you've inspired me, this time to take better care of myself. It was a long, cold winter with lots of sitting on my butt eating comfort food. Time to pay the piper! But I WILL NOT give up coffee!!

I'm surprised to hear about your nicotine habit but, hey, we all have our vices. Good for you for making the commitment to quit. I know you can do it!

Rachie317 said...

Ha! I already knew your dirty secret, and I'm soooo excited for you giving it up! Can't wait for the twitter journey! Also glad to hear that the caffiene is still gone! I'm gonna work on that in my next Reiki session...

XOXO - so proud of you!

Lee said...

As a former smoker, I know how hard it is to give it up. Good for you. I smoked a pack and a half a day and it was a great stress relief with my eldest. Unfortunately (or maybe a blessing in disguise) he had breathing problems in addition to his behavior issues so for his health I stopped smoking and never started again. Essiac is interesting, mulling that over to add to my regimin. I can vouch for burdock and slippery elm infusions helping me through a bout of pneumonia one year. How gross does this all taste? LOL

Lisa said...

Lee, Essiac Tea doesn't have an unpleasant taste.

Annie said...

Sounds like an AWFUL LOT to me.....on top of grief which won't go away that soon, and dealing with challenging littles.

Give yourself a bit of a break, for heaven's sake!

BT said...

All those natural fresh foods are going to taste even better once you quit smoking, which I know you can do!!!! You can do it! You can do it! Do you have a (non-eating) behaviour to replace the action of smoking with? I've heard that will make it easier. I've also heard that the first week or two is the hardest, so do whatever you have to to get through those two weeks and then you can get back on track.

Good job good job good job. You can do it!!

Dia por Dia said...

Welcome back dear friend! Glad to hear you are taking better care of yourself. You can do this!!!! I am so proud of you for taking this step. I hear that tapping also works but I am pretty sure you are trying that already... :-)

Recovering Noah said...

Lisa! I could've written this post myself. It's actually what I've been doing this last month. Trying to exercise and eat right and take all those vitamins that I, too, let slip because of the cost. Gone back to being a vegetarian, too! Everything except the smoking. I don't smoke, but my husband was a heavy smoker when we started dating. I actually love that smell on him. No one else, just him. I've even bought him rollies and tobacco and begged him to smoke again. Isn't that awful?? LOL Not many women BEG their husbands to smoke. But that smell just takes me back to a simpler time... before RAD and bills and worries. So.. my secret is that I love the smell of smoke on my husband and would happily sit and watch him chainsmoke for hours on end. But, alas, he gave it up 13 years ago. Darn it! ;-)

Leslie :-)

Annie said...

That's funny....I was just thinking the same thing about my Ilya. He came to us smoking - it is just typical for older Russian boys (and most adults) to smoke. It is ubiquitous and there is no "moral failing" aspects attached. Anyway, I fell in love with this child, smelling a bit of the "butki" he'd pick up off the streets and smoke, and I miss that smell a bit now.

shastastevens said...

People can live without caffeine? Who knew?

Kudos on the smoking cessation. I look forward to the resulting angry blogs. ;)

Ashley said...

Lots of love, Lisa. I'm sorry I missed this blog until now, but I'm always in your corner anyway :)

Darren said...

oh, definitely agree with coq10 there. I've just recently learned about it and there's even another kind of coq10 supplement, called ubiquinol supplements. from what I've read, these ubiquinol supplements are recommended for people over the age of 25 or 30.