I'm trying to get over you...

...but in the meantime...

"So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do
He said you can’t go hatin’ others who have done wrong to you
Sometimes we get angry, but we must not condemn
Let the good Lord do His job and you just pray for them

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill
And knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know whereever you are honey, I pray for you

I pray your tire blows out at 110
I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend
and wake up with his and her tattoos"

<3 Ahh, the single life. I genuinely love it!

Today...

...is going to be a beautiful, wonderful day! It's the official start of spring break &I have lots planned.

In an attempt to remain positive &proactive about my life, I have planned activities &neat things for my house. I refuse to be a bump on a log. This week promises to be productive, satisfying &indulgent.

On the horizon for the next 9 days:

+indulge - mani/pedi, drink wine, plant some new flowers on my patio

+homework - getting caught up will keep the stress at bay &allow for peaceful final weeks of the semester.

+spring cleaning - clean my bedroom closet, purge my kitchen &fridge (again!), &organize my storage unit

+create - create picture frames of my little sister &her 2 best friends

Goals:

+read like crazy! read for pleasure &to collect recipes as well as become more educated about becoming GFCF.

+work out every day &drink 64-96 ounces of water each day.

What are your plans for spring break?!

Day 6

Just discovered some new information on the gluten-free diet, which I am ambivalent about. The gluten-free diet is going well &is easier than I thought. I haven't run into too many obstacles and I'm not missing or craving anything just yet. Gluten-free bread (smothered in peanut butter &honey) is delicious!

I discovered that part of my symptoms are also coming from my intolerance to casein, a protein found in milk and dairy products. It's not the same as lactose intolerance (casein is found in non-dairy items as well as dairy items, unlike lactose). Tomorrow morning will mark the first day of my new &improved GFCF (gluten free, casein free) diet! Hopefully this is the last step in my diet modification process and the first step to feeling better!

Now I have to discover how to nourish myself. Tonight I will say goodbye to cheese, butter, milk (even some soy milks!), ice cream &CHOCOLATE (good thing I like dark chocolate). I am saddened. Believe me.

Weight-loss update: -2.4 pounds. I am not discounting that this could be a fluke or just water weight, but it's progress none the less &since it's part of my journey, I'm writing about it. :D Keep 'em coming! Dare I say it won't be too difficult to lose weight considering I can only eat MEAT &VEGGIES.

I love &appreciate all the support from you guys! My work out routine will commence as soon as my diet is stable &I'm not so sick all the time. I can't wait for my tax return as I have a bright &shiny new pair of running shoes in my future! Possibly a new bicycle even!

Love!

PS- Gala Darling. This is a wonderful lady from whom I am gathering so much body-love &inspiration. Visit her, you will love her.

Simply beautiful.

Today was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping &the world was in my favor. I love these days, don't you?

I had my very last Panda Express (orange chicken) lunch today as the gluten-free diet starts first thing in the morning. It couldn't come sooner, I am sick &tired of being sick &tired. In my fortune cookie I received this fortune:

"Your good nature will bring you much happiness."

For those of you who don't know, fortunes (the ones in cookie form) are a large source of happiness for me as well as the sole reason I eat Chinese food. This fortune was even sweeter than dessert, &I love dessert.

In addition to that, I walked into work this morning &a woman I work with turned to me and said, "I think you are so much cuter than his new girlfriend." (she had recently met both of them). If this doesn't turn your spirits around, I don't know what will. This was fantastic to hear! It felt even better than I had ever imagined it would, although I never imaged I'd hear it from anyone other than myself. Did my fortune come true, or what?! Cue the music!

"I'm walking on sunshine, whooooaaaaaa! And don't it feel gooooood! I feel the love, I feel the love, I feel the love..."

I couldn't have had a better day if I had hand picked it myself. I'll be the first to say, my life doesn't usually work out this way, but today must have been my lucky day. What a fantastic start to my new life. More days like today are on the horizon, my friends.

C'est la vie!

Day xx

Ah, the joys of being a gluten/lactose intolerant! The results from an extensive taste test declare that SOY MILK is the winner for overall best taste.

I tried rice milk (heavy earthy flavor and tastes nothing like milk), lactose-free milk (most similar in taste and consistency to milk, but is more expensive and tastes slightly sweet which is not great for cooking as it makes everything you cook taste sweet), almond milk (delicious but thicker consistency and slightly earthy flavor) and soy milk (second to the least expensive, widely available, delicious tasting and a milk-like consistency). Plus, soy gives you bigger boobs. :D

Anyone want some rice milk? :P

Day x (the unofficial beginning)

Today was my first gluten free &Whole Foods shopping experience. It was excruciatingly intimidating. I realized upon entering the store I knew NOTHING about food, but a very nice lady was more than helpful. My breakfasts are now 100% gluten free!

Over the last few days I have emptied my kitchen of all gluten laden products I can't have &now my cupboards are bare! I have peanut butter &vanilla extract &that's about it. It's amazing how much my diet consisted of foods that were making me sick. It felt wonderful to get rid of it all &it will feel even better to fill it with healthy foods.

Empty cupboard #1.

Yeah, that's peanut butter &tea.

FYI - The first two shelves do not contain anything edible.

Cheers to a new beginning. Farmer's market, anyone?

I wish to:

Read more
Create
Pursue knowledge
Heal
Enjoy the simple things
Meditate
Be happy often
Say yes more often
Dance more often
Expand my horizons
Create a legacy
Make the best of things
Join the Peace Corps.
Improve my friendships and relationships
Graduate college
Teach and inspire someone
Deliver a baby
Worship my body
Expand my vocabulary
Improve my posture
Stress less
Give more
Cherish my friends and family
Cherish my mother
Live life to the fullest
Never give up
Travel the world

Today marks the day.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. This is my journey of changing my life to become the woman I've always wanted to be. Welcome to day one.

My goals are to lose 130 pounds; live a healthy and active life; become the sister, daughter, aunt and friend my loved ones deserve; become the partner I seek and become the best version of me I can possibly be.

I have recently discovered I am gluten intolerant and part of my healthy lifestyle will be to remain on a 100% gluten free diet. Eeep!

To accomplish these goals I will eat healthy and be active, improve my self image and self esteem, be inspiring, be thoughtful and knowledgeable, learn to be patient and fair, learn to forgive and forget, learn to let go, pursue my goals and fulfill my dreams, love to the fullest, laugh often and live an amazing life.