Engine 2 Day 5

Welcome to day 5 of the Engine 2 28 day challenge!

In 5 days I have lost 8 pounds and an gaining energy! I feel fantastic! 

We are taking our son to see the new Lego movie tonight which poses one small challenge... What do I snack on? 

My friends over at Plant Based Junkies were there with the save! 

If you haven't checked this group out on Facebook, I highly recommend it. 

They sent me a recipe from another Blog called Kid Tested Firefighter Approved. 

I am making their Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas. 

Here is my progress:

The finished product! Fantastic!! 

Detox?? Withdrawal??

I don't know what you want to call this... But it isn't pretty.  I kid... But only a little. 

Coming off of the processed, sugars, and oil isn't easy.  I love food. I am keeping everything simple.  

It isn't miserable, just slightly annoying.

Headaches, grouchiness, and fighting cravings isn't easy... But then I get a note like this from my son and it's all worth it! ;) 

My main struggle on day four is resisting temptation. Since my family isn't following this change there is still temptation all around me. 

I am also trying to find a good alternative to salad dressing (my poison of choice is italian). I am trying to find one that doesn't include balsamic vinegar, mustard, or hummus... Ick.  

If you have any great dressing recipes  or seasoning you use for salad drop me ain't or leave it in the comments! 

I am excited to hear your ideas! 

No matter what my body puts me through while detoxing from these chemicals I will not give up. I know it's temporary! 

Hugs, love, and health to you all! 

Wordless Wednesday

Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon

Lacked in presentation... But not in taste! 

Mushroom cap stuffed with seasoned diced tomatoes

Turning Off Autopilot

Until starting this challenge I never noticed how habitual by poor choices were. 

As I'm driving around town running errands I notice how I just gravitate towards these fast food joints without thought. McNasty's... Errr McDonalds Sweet tea was a big addiction for me. 

So, I am turning off my auto pilot and going to manual mode. 

Everything I consume must be thought about and chosen carefully. 

No more mindless eating for me. 

A good friend sent this to me this morning. Such a great reminder for today's lesson! 

Trying New Foods!

Trying new foods isn't always easy... However, I'm finding it very exciting!

I decided to make a big pot of vegetable soup. I am going to keep some in the fridge and then freeze the rest so I can have it on hand. 

The new veggies I have decided to add to my soup are cabbage, kale, and zucchini.  Along with green beans, carrots, broccoli, diced tomatoes, celery, and a few diced potatoes. 

My old SAD (standard American diet)  vegetable soup was more of a vegetable beef soup with heavy noodles...  So, this will be a change!  I can't wait to show you my creation!  

Back in a few! 

Soup and salad stuff!  Iceberg, cabbage, kale, celery, broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, no salt vegetable broth, cilantro, and zucchini. 

Wheat flour, white wine vinegar (for salad dressing), blue agave, pure Maple syrup, and old fashioned Quaker oats.

These are all new foods to me... Before, when I ate oatmeal it was always in a little packet full of flavorings and sugar. 

When we had syrup it was always the fake syrup.  I am soooo looking forward to these changes.... 

This is my home made Itailian salad dressing! All I have to do is add the white wine vinegar.  It smells wonderful!

Finally, my veggie soup!  I can't wait to eat this! I seasoned this withsome tomato   paste,garlic, thyme, a bay leaf and a dash of salt... It was fantastic! I even made nom nom nom sounds as I tasted it. ;) 

Day 1 E2 28 Day Challenge

Day One! 

I had told myself I was going to start out as a cadet. However, I feel confident enough to jump right in with both feet, full steam ahead with Firefighter level!  

Find more About challenge levels here:

http://engine2diet.com/28-day-challenge/

Today I cut out all animal based protein, refined sugar, and oils! 

I had a great day. I wasn't stressed about what I was going to eat, felt confident in my choices, and never went hungry! 

Starting weight 308.4

Height : 5'7"

BMI: 48.3 Morbidly Obese 😳

Dress size: 22

Medical Conditions:

Sleep Apnea

Migraines

Tachycardia 

Acid reflux/GERD

Thyroid Cancer

Insomnia 

Anxiety

I'm still waiting on my initial blood work, I'll update as soon as I get it. ;) 

Have a good night everyone... I'm getting ready to join in on the simulcast with Rip! 

Before I Start...

Before I begin my journey tomorrow I just wanted to tell you a little about myself and the reasons behind why I decided to take part of the Engine 2 28 day Challenge. 

My name is Charity.  I am a 34 year old mother to one very spunky 5 year old boy. 

In 2011 I was diagnosed with Stage 2 papillary Thyroid cancer.  The doctors removed my thyroid and I received I-131 radioactive iodine treatment.  I have been in remission since September 2011. 

Since my treatment my health has backslid tremendously.  Every year I have been take off my thyroid replacent medications to undergo full body scans with low doses of Radioactive iodine to ensure no cancer has returned. 

When I am taken of my medication it is brutal.  I gain massive amounts of weight. Last year I gained 50 pounds. The process of putting my back on my meds is a slow gradual process. So, during that time I am lethargic, cold, my body begins to swell, and I am downright miserable. 

Ewww! Isn't that horrid?? Lol. So glad that's over!  

Anyway, so far every year I have been put through this process, every year I gain weight and every year I feel a little worse and am always battling some new ailment. 

A couple weeks ago while I was down with the flu I curled up on the couch with my tissues, DayQuil, and my favorite quilt, turned on Netflix and watched Forks Over Knives. 

I was blown away! Researching more information about this documentary brought me to learn about Rip Esselstyn and the Engine 2 diet. 

I was also very excited to learn that in just a few short days they would be starting a national 28 day challenge. 

I met with my doctor and talked with her about starting a plant based diet and she was totally on board! Saturday I went over to the hospital and had my bloodwork done so I will be able to share with all of you how my health is changing over the next month. 

In the morning I will be checking in with you all and sharing my general stats, height, weight, and BMI. When my blood work results come back I will share those with you as well.  I will also be sharing some of my health hurdles that I am hoping to overcome and take control of. 

In the next 28 days I will hope to share with you the new foods I will be enjoying, my struggles, and victories... As well as how affordable this new diet can be. 

Please come back and join me, share in my journey to a new lifestyle! 

PS... Please bear with me as Murphy has imposed his ever popular law on me and I am temporarily blogging via iPhone while our computer is being repaired. ;)