The idea of a cleanse with the changing of seasons appeals to me. The more I synchronize my own rhythms with nature, the more aligned and centered I feel. Today marks the end of my first 4-day Ayurvedic cleanse, so I thought I’d give a little update. It’s been a decade since I started exercising on a regular basis. I’ve been everything from pushing myself hard 100% of the time and chasing mountain bike podium spots to simply walking in nature. Exercise might help shape my body, but I find it benefits my mind more. I am still recovering from a tear incurred during an obstacle course race this past summer, so recently I’ve been doing mostly yoga with some walking and run intervals. A little mountain biking for fun. I think of it as recess :0). Also, I meditate almost every day for about 10 minutes.
As a reminder of where I came from, this is me in 2000. Postpartum, gaining weight, and miserable in my body. See, I know where a lot of you are at. I’m 5’1″ tall and I think I was about 170# here. P.S. Can you believe that little baby towers over me now? He’s going to be an adult soon!
I did, at one point around 2009, starve myself down to 109#. I was skinny but still not happy. Funny how that works. I just had no boobs any more and my hair was falling out in clumps. I was on hormones and antidepressants. No pics of that.
In 2010 I “went Paleo” and like most things I do, I was all in. I’m either in or out with very little in between 🙂 I like that about myself now. Aaaanyway. I struggled with my weight and cholesterol the entire time. I tried to convince myself that horrid blood lipid panels were fine for all manner of reasons. I ate a shit ton of animal products.
There’s a story about why I went plant-based here, but I’ll get down to recent changes.
Also can I say, I frigging hate when people use beauty filters?? Ok I’m wearing some makeup. I have to go to work. But no, I’m not using a filter. Cripes. They make people look like porcelain and then you see them in real life and your like WTH?!? 😀 Ok I feel better.
January 2017 141#38″ lower belly 32″ waist 36″ hips |
September 2017 123.8#34.25″ lower belly 29″ waist 36.5″ hips |
Oh – you’ll maybe ask what I’m eating in a day. The cleanse I was on got me down to 3 meals per day. Lunch is pretty huge and I do love to eat. I don’t count calories or restrict myself in that way any more. Breakfast – steel cut oats with cinnamon and a cut up apple, drizzled with maple syrup. Lunch will be wild rice and split mung beans with seasonings and a slice of the thick sourdough rye from my local health food store. Ingredients are sourdough starter, rye flour, water and salt. Supper will be light and will be sweet potato soup. It’s chilly here today so I’ll sip tea and decaf coffee. I’m down from 4 cups of coffee or so to just one with half decaf, and then a cup of decaf later. I do love coffee.
It just goes to show what when we let go of the things and ideas that no longer serve us, and give our amazing bodies what they need…. love, whole foods, nourishment, and *time*, beautiful changes can happen.
And it’s so much more than physical looks. I feel pretty awesome. I feel good in my body and in my mind. Without pills, powders or potions 😉
Namaste.
RESOURCES:
Life Spa’s Ayurvedic Short Home Cleanse
Yoga With Adriene
