So a month has gone by since my last blog post. No surprise really as I often start projects, then drop them when distracted by something else, sometimes never to return or return years later, so really a month is not bad. A lot can happen in a month. I'm not saying a lot has happened in the past month just that a lot CAN happen in a month. Okay actually a lot has happened.
I am indeed running for village council, may even get elected. I have been trying to come up with a platform but as I have no real axes to grind. I will have to run on the promise of doing my best to ensure honesty, transparency and being a voice for my constituents. I have no idea what it will be like and am trying not to prejudge. I am honest to a fault so I am not sure that I will be able to fill the typical politician boots. I hope I have enough self-awareness to not be swayed by anything to change or severely challenge my honesty. Anyway, I guess I will continue working on a platform. Gonna need some ammo for the All Candidates Forum, assuming there is one.
My youngest daughter has been accepted to Blanch McDonald for their Global Makeup program and offered a $2000 scholarship if she starts November 30th. Yep that's right! Next month! An entire 3 months or so sooner than I anticipated her moving. She is actually moving November 7th as we had already purchased her flight to go visit her sister and take her to a concert...so now she won't be home till Xmas. She is getting ready and will undoubtedly be far more ready than I will. So on November 7th John and I will officially be empty nesters. I will have to take the 'nearly' out of my blog name. Boo.
As of 3 days ago I have lost exactly 45 lbs since February. How? First I stopped eating anything with wheat and/or gluten in it, then I got braces so have been doing smoothies alot (not Visalus, will get to that in a sec). At first these were yogurt, milk fruit and hemp seed hearts. We used homemade yogurt for the most part. Then we chose to cut milk (skim, 1%, etc. not dairy as we still eat cheese and greek yogurt which is made from whole milk and is low in lactose. Milk for drinking particularly homogenized milk is very high in lactose.) and substitute almond milk, not soy, in our cereal and for drinking. True Almond by Silk is the best so far and is even passable as coffee creamer. Although I use cream and generally only have one mug of coffee per day in the am. Anyway I digress. John has joined me, actually he is the one I primarily wanted off milk as I have never been a big milk drinker. We have also cut out almost all carbohydrates and only have rice pasta occasionally. Meals generally consist of protein and vegetables. We make sure every meal contains fats, saturated from meats, dairy, butter, olive oil, ground flax in smoothies, and grape seed oil, our own variation of the ketogenic diet. Since starting this John no longer has intense swelling of his ankles and feet in the evenings or at anytime for that matter, even though he has been on them, or off them as the case used to be. This is a huge improvement that we think comes from cutting out the milk he used to drink daily. As well, his energy level and motivation are much, much higher and he can no longer sit still idly for long. Anyway, these dietary changes are turning into permanent ones and John continues to feel better and look better. He no longer eats wheat and gluten, except for every once in awhile. No white rice or potatoes and all pastas etc are from brown rice or quinoa. Permanent changes. I feel great and now weigh 147lbs or so, thinner than when John and I married. I would like to lose 10 more lbs or so and then clothes shopping as I got rid of all my size 8 stuff long ago and my size 10 stuff is beginning to hang a little too loosely. (Not bragging just stating a new and proud fact.)
As for Visalus, my biggest issue is that it is an MLM which I find distasteful. I have seen what MLMs (also known as Network Marketing and often indistinguishable from pyramid schemes) have done to members of my family. So admittedly this already biases me against the product. Next it is a shake mix...pure and simple. Add other ingredients such as fruit, milk, juice and in one item I read, even coffee (hmmm) etc. to a packet of vitamins, minerals and protein. That it is sold as a 90 day challenge is a good way to kick start wieghtloss and I seriously considered starting John on it to help him with his weightloss, but I have no desire to try to sell it to anyone else. And it is pricey when I can buy enough protein whey mix for $50 to last a month and know that vitamins and minerals are generally best absorbed through whole foods. So there is my issue. I am sure some nurses and doctors will say otherwise and yes, I am sure it has helped lots of people and I guess, if I still had the 45 lbs to lose I may look at it much differently. I also try not to do artificial anything to the best of my ability and minus the occasional bag of cheetos ( no gluten!! and bad for you but taste oh so good!) because, well it just is not good for you. Meat and vegetables have been tested over a millenia...artificial sweeteners, (sucralose for example, made from chlorinating sugar by the way) have not been. So going with tried, true and natural whole foods, because dammit, we know they are good for a body and is THE BEST way for your body to absorb nutrients. Am I gonna have to provide references for these claims?? Let me know or if in doubt google it...thoroughly.
Okay so obviously I have had a few things on my mind...gotta go get my daughter enrolled in college. I am sure I am not quite done so I'll be back...after another round of Conspiracy Theory Facebook Battle.
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