And I'm off!

Okay, like I mentioned before I have decided to embark on a huge lifestyle change and become vegan...at least for awhile...based on the Eat to Live book.  After I wrote my last post, I ordered the book and waited sooooo eagerly for it to come. When I say "eagerly" I mean I checked the mail about 500 times a day to make sure that the second it came, even if by UPS or FedEx, I would know.  It took a little while, but it did finally come and I spared no time in ripping that thing out of the cute little Amazon box (I like the smiley face. I feel like it makes getting a package even more exciting.) and starting to read it.  Now, reading a book is quite challenging with a nearly 7 month old who has started rolling all over and is seconds away from crawling, but I did read it. It all made sense.  It also made me feel incredibly guilty and frankly disgusted with myself for what I have done to my body.  I couldn't wait to start, and I thought about going straight to the sample menu/recipe section and never reading the justification behind it all, but I stuck it out. I decided this week would be the week it starts.  I need to come clean and admit that knowing this week is the week for starting the strict Six Week Challenge, which basically involves becoming an incredibly strict vegan, I did eat like complete crap last week.  Especially yesterday--a cheesesteak, a sub loaded with mayo, a pecan pie tart...oh baby baby. Today I started.

I just need to start out by saying that I have never, even when I considered myself healthy and skinny by my standards, have had so much produce in my cart at one time. Crazy. I felt pretty proud of myself.  So, here's how "day 1a" went.

I am calling this "Day 1 a" because I wasn't completely vegan today. I'm easing into it.

I have never actually done this before, and after I lost so much weight on Weight Watchers I regreted it, but I took a picture of myself on day 1 for comparrison.  I have no idea why I'm posting this online for the whole world to see, but I'm a visual person.  So, here we go. Here is what I look like today:

I have no idea how to flip this around. Sorry! Look at the belly...

Ummm, yeah. Thrilled out of my mind by how awesome I look. Not really. Anyway, while I'm not happy to look at that and I'm even less happy to admit that I've really let myself go (already at 25...) it had to be done.  Anyway, I plan on doing this often to document my progress.  Also important to note:
Today's weight: 195 (Thanks, week of crap eating!)
Today's size: 16/XL

So, after drinking one of the two premade frappucinnos that I have left and do not want to waste--which I'm aware is a dairy product and that's why I say I'm easing into this over the next couple days--I planned out a menu and a grocery list. Then armed with my list and a ton of motivation which has honestly been quite lacking lately, I went to Whole Foods and loaded up on some great organic produce (organic is also extremely important to me and has been for years) That was expensive.  Not that it was more than I thought it would be, but still...lots of money, however it did also involve high ticket items that I won't have to buy again for awhile--cashews, walnuts, flaxseed, good balsalmic vinegar, good Tamari soy sauce, a nice premade dressing....Anyway, I digress. Here is a picture of my fridge loaded and ready to go with more produce than it has ever seen:

And  here are some of the more high ticket items on my table:

This morning I had nothing but an orange for breakfast because it was the only non-spoiled piece of fruit I had in my house.  For lunch, I met my parents out and I had a veggie burger. For dinner I attempted to make some Cauliflower soup. Here are some pics of it:

Tons of veggies ready to go!

Get in my belly!

 Overall, I think it was a pretty good day.  I think this way of eating will definitely take some getting used to, but I do believe that I will be successful.