What am I doing here?
Well, I'll tell you. I recently went through some life changes. I lost my job of 3.5 years, had carpal tunnel surgery, which led to a health issue, and then to another health issue being discovered.
I'm overweight, and overwrought.
My doctor stated that if I didn't do something drastic, and immediately, that I was at certain risk of having A) a stroke, and/or B) a heart attack. I was not thrilled at those options, so I went with the drastic life change.
A little more backstory on me; I'm 44 years old, and the mother of 2 grown, beautiful daughters, age 23 and 25. I was just married a little over 2 years ago, to a wonderful man that I love with all of my heart. During the maelstrom that interjects the day to days of my life, I have lost and gained weight, but mostly kept on an extra 40 lbs or so, at any given time.
Like many women, I have struggled. I have been at a 'good weight,' although that period didn't last, I am always thinking of that time, that weight, the clothes I was wearing and how I looked, and idealizing it in my mind. Hoping that one day, I'd get back there. I was 125 lbs., wearing a size 6/8 - and it was only 15 years ago. Only. Sigh.
And then there was the smoking. Eesh. I have been smoking most of my adult life. I started at age 12, sneaking cigarettes now and then, to fully blown smoke-a-holic by age 17. I was married at 19, and began having my kids, so I did spend about 3 years smoke free. I picked up and put down the cigarettes MANY times over the years, maintaining the habit until just two months ago, certain that it was 'helping' me to control my anxiety. And my eating. But who was I kidding? I was still anxious, and still overweight, so it was doing neither of those things. Plus, it was killing me.
Exercise? No thank you. I walked my dogs (there are 3 of them) but not very often. I let my husband be in charge of that unless he had an early shift, or he was sick. Not that I hadn't tried. I tried to be motivated. Whatever that means. My husband and I jointly joined a gym. We went a few times, and then I just gave up. He is a healthy weight, but he is very sweet, and always wants to support me in my endeavors.
I had carpal tunnel surgery a few months ago, and afterwards, took some steroids for the pain in the tissue, and promptly aggravated a uterine issue I had, and began hemorrhaging. I had to go for blood tests, and a lipid profile, and was told that my triglycerides were phenomenally high. Normal range is 100-150, however mine were hovering around 1000. I was told that I could stroke out or have a heart attack at any moment. That is very, very sobering news.
Needless to say, I put down the cigarettes that day. I also did some research on how to lower my triglycerides, and found that a vegan diet was my best bet. Of course, my hormonal issues, and the steroids for my carpal tunnel were also to blame for the high number, but my penchant for cooking anything that The Barefoot Contessa cooks, was also to blame. I had just made a pot of Spring Green Risotto with a half stick of butter, 4 ounces of Mascarpone cheese, and a half cup of Grana Padano grated romano. I routinely made dry rubbed bacon, free range eggs and creamy Vermont maple smoked cheddar on sourdough bread for breakfast. I knew what I had been doing, and I knew what I had to do. I love to cook, and I love to eat what I cook. I had to make an absolute and total change in everything I had been doing.
I wasn't ready to die of a heart attack. I wasn't ready to have a stroke.
Being vegan is not something completely new to me. I had been vegan for a number of years somewhere around age 28 when I worked at a Vegan cafe, as the prep cook and dessert chef. At that time, I was more concerned with the Animal Rights aspect, and less with the health and well being aspects of the Vegan lifestyle. Eventually, that stint ended, but the experience stayed with my young daughters, and now at age 23 and 25, they are both Vegan. This all made the decision that much easier. With my daughters as sounding boards and support, and my husband as my fierce ally, I was ready to roll.
