2020 has been a rough year in many ways for many people. I came back to the US from Vietnam in December 2019 to care for my Mom, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Mom passed away at the end of January 2020 and just went I was ready to head back overseas the coronavirus pandemic hit and I was unable to get back to Vietnam to start my job and new career. After months of battling depression, which resulted in weight gain, I’ve slowly been getting my life back on track. A couple of months ago, I started working out again and doing some really basic yoga, but I need to be more consistent. My eating habits have been completely out of whack since December. My sleep pattern is messed up and I can’t figure out if its related to all this or that I’m in the beginning stages of menopause or a combination. I have a really strange body odor that I’m positive is related to the mounds of cheese I’ve been consuming. My sciatic nerve has flared up causing it to spread across my tailbone area making it very uncomfortable to sit; and occasionally the arch and heel of my foot hurt. I’m having almost daily migraines and sinus issues.
With a family history of pancreatic cancer and diabetes, it’s time to make some changes. I was diagnosed with diabetes about 10 years ago and have been able to keep it under control through diet and exercise. So far, my sugar levels are in the normal range but I want to keep it that way. I set some goals and enlisted accountability support from 3 friends and am ready to start this journey.
GOALS
*21 Day Vegan Kickstart (I did this several years ago and it really helped me lose weight. Plus, I’m allergic to dairy and eggs.)
*Intermittent Fasting (I’ve done this casually for over 25 years – way before it became mainstream) …. My times will be 10 am – 6 pm
*Exercise 5 days a week and start doing ‘regular yoga’ again. This will be cardio and strength training, as well as starting back following Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube
*Bonus goal: French lessons on Duolingo for 30 minutes every day
*I also have some professional goals in mind and will discuss them as I implement them
Preparation
While I may be allergic to cheese and eggs, it doesn’t stop me from eating them. I’m not sure I can be a full time forever and ever vegan, but I know that I need to cut back and right now I need to cut them out completely. So, in preparation, I ate only cheese and eggs yesterday to get my final fill (and I’m paying for it this morning). I also went to the grocery and stocked up on all the things I need. I use FitBit to track my exercise, water and sleep. I have weighed myself to get a baseline – but I’m more interested in how I feel and how my clothes fit.
Over the next 21 days I plan to journal my experience. I haven’t decided if I’ll blog weekly or wait until the end. Here’s to a better me in 21 days!
alicrain 
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