This blog is dedicated to my efforts at adopting a healthier lifestyle: weight loss and a transition to veganism, something I’ve been courting for several months at this point.
Highest Weight: 212.0 lbs
Current Weight: 173.0 lbs
Goal Weight: 130.0 lbs
You can view my pound-by-pound progress at My Weight Loss Progress Page!
You can also view my miles travelled at the exceptionally nerdy page My Miles, which should be running in the near future.
For an alphabetical listing of all the recipes I’ve tried and blogged about, you can visit my Recipe Reviews page!
A Disclaimer About Veganism
All of the hardcore vegans out there may kick me all around the playground for the type of veganism I see myself settling into. Well, let them. I’m not doing this for any of them. I’m doing it primarily for myself–and if I save a few animals along the way and do what I can to help the environment? Fringe benefits.
I will say this very instant and stick to it: I am keeping my wool yarns. I’m an avid knitter and I knit with wools, alpacas and silk every now and then. I don’t plan on changing that. I may avoid leather in the future, but doing so is not my cross to bear. I am not going to throw out the leather boots I have now and if I go over to a friend’s place and he or she has a leather sofa, I will not refuse to sit on it!
I will eat the occasional bit of honey–harvested locally by a bee keeping friend of mine.
I’m not looking to fit into your definition of veganism. If you want to call me a “dietary vegan” or a “strict vegetarian” or even a “fraud” you may go right ahead. I’m looking for my own peace and that will settle where it will settle. I’m looking to take a few steps and make a few changes but my identity will not be “VEGAN” before it is “Sara!” I don’t let sexuality, gender or nationality define me as a human being, and I am not going to let veganism be the end all of my being.
The beauty of veganism, however one chooses to apply it to him or herself is that it is a positive change, however large it may be. It is in some way a protest of what is normal and standard and it is a rebellion. We shouldn’t squabble over to what extent one must create this change, protest and rebel. We shouldn’t assume “holier-than-thou” attitudes because we are all in this together, and every pair of opened eyes, every carton of soy milk we get our omni friends to buy and every damn cow that lives because we didn’t have steak for dinner is important.
A Disclaimer About Dieting
If you hadn’t already gleened my views on dieting from other bits and bobs about this site, I’ll spell it out clearly in this wee About section. I am foremost about being healthy. You will never see me starve myself or binge/purge. It’s just not my style. I love food way too much and absolutely hate vomiting.
I believe in: fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts and seeds. I believe in drinking freakish amounts of water.
The plan I follow is relatively simple. I (try to) log my foods at SparkPeople.com, a FREE online food and fitness tracker. I aim to eat between 1,200-1,600 calories a day and try to eat a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. You will never catch me cutting carbs or omitting fats from my diet (healthy fats are necessary for vitamin absorption! Hello!). I will never consume LESS than 1,200 calories in a day unless I am horrifically sick.
I will never grasp at a fad diet or “miracle fat loss tool” because I think they’re rubbish, by and large, and am looking to acquire a healthy lifestyle, not just lose the weight. I’ve dieted and eaten nothing but sugar free Jello chocolate pudding. Did I lose weight? You bet I did. Was I healthy? Um…NO (for those curious, you can eat anywhere from ten to twelve of those buggers and still remain in your Weight Watchers Points range. I do not condone this practice).
I’m not going to become a steroid-injecting gym rat. I probably will start going to the gym, but I doubt you will ever catch me working out more that five hours a week. My goal is to lead a more active lifestyle by biking and walking more. As a city dweller, I think this should be pretty easy and convenient.
The one zany, new age whatsit I plan on buying into? YOGA! I would love to start practicing Bikram (hot) yoga because it sounds so relaxing and, let’s face it, limber ladies are sexy. 
