I’m not a vegetarian, but I eat like one…

This is the answer I give to most who ask me the question…

On January 18th, I started eating to live instead of eating to lose weight and I can honestly say that it was the best decision I have made.

The details may shock some and most of my friends have given me their defensive rebuttals but I understand why.  Everything we know about food in this country has been “spoon fed” to us by a corrupt government and the mis-informed media.
Why do I love the way I eat?  Here’s why:

• It’s inexpensive
• I feel fulfilled most of the time
• I forgive myself if I slip (aka eat meat or processed food)
• I have a lot more energy
• I bond with my kid (the vegetarian) through food
• I look great!

The last bullet wasn’t meant to brag.  Realistically, I’ve lost a few pounds, but the combination of having more energy, more freedom, and more “glow”, gives me a certain level of confidence no scale ever could.

I’ll keep you posted in future posts; revealing more and more, but first let me make the following food reading recommendations:

Eat to Live (thank you Jackie!)
Food Politics
Vegetarian Perspectives: Is Something Really Missing?

Soulfood Junkies - Dangerously in Love

Soulfood Junkies Teaser from Byron Hurt on Vimeo.

I am eagerly anticipating the release of this indie film that finally addresses the issues surrounding food choices and how these choices impact the health of the Black community.  I just watched the trailer for Soulfood Junkies.  As most of you know, this is a topic very near and dear to my heart as I continue on my challenging quest to keep it healthy.

Food advocacy is critical in the battle to educate our people about how they are being manipulated by the diabolic relationship between food processors and the USDA.

Please visit the Facebook page for this movie and "like it" in show of your support.

To be continued...

Vitamin D May Help Prevent Macular Degeneration

Saw this brief story on the news (thanks to Locohama!!) last night and was please to see what the doctors are prescribing to help eradicate this disease...VEGGIES! 




Here are some online sources regarding Vitamin D deficiency:
Dr. Weil
Web MD
Mayo Clinic

Just Salad...Yeah Right

I had some time to spare between appointments in the City today.  I was, in my opinion, in the worst part of town; the garment district...UGH.  The choices are dismal for someone looking to find just a salad.  After almost fainting from hunger in Lord and Taylor, I decided to just zig zag my way to my next stop until I found some place that was "nude foodie" friendly. 

As destiny would have it, I spotted from half a block away a sign that read "Just Salad".  I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.  Being the jaded New Yorker that I am, I was slightly skeptical as I neared the entrance thinking, "Please God don't let it be a dump."  He was listening (cue the angelic voiced singers...).

OK so let's skip to the reality of what this place is...it's a salad bar; the kind where the servers throw everything you want into a container and toss or chop the salad, toppings and dressings for you...the end.  I have worked in Soho for the past 11 years so this is nothing new to me, BUT....
Here's the Facebook (via Twitter) exchange that ensued while eating my delicious "greens and beans":

Me: Why would u name a place Just Salads??? U know ur gonna add soup and wraps to the menu!
AJ: Jedi mind trick
Me: The Jedi Mind Trick should have been to name the place "Just Steaks"
AJ: LMAO

It is funny isn't it??  Is it just shortsightedness or wishful thinking to name a place with the word "Just" at the beginning?

All in all, the salad was great and I pretended not to be tempted by the wraps, soups and chips.  Thank God they didn't sell cookies and cakes to accompany the "just" salad. 

Hmmm maybe the word "just" is being used as an adjective!! That must be it!

The Jinx and Reverse Engineered Excuses

I haven't posted to this particular blog in a long time.  Not because I haven't been doing well. As a matter of fact, I'm doing great!  Lately, my resistance to blogging about my healthy living journey, stems from a superstitious belief that I like to call "The Jinx".

I don't need to explain The Jinx (Just because I put it in a proper noun format, doesn't make it any different than a normal one.  I do so here only to make it appear more dramatic), but I did want to clarify that this particular jinx is a self-afflicting one; I do it to myself.

Every single change in diet I've had for the past 30 years, has been met with a certain level of success right up until the point that someone says, "Wow! You look great! Have you lost weight?  Your skin is glowing! Keep up the good work! Yadda Yadda Yadda!".  Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate the feedback BUT my ego??? Hunny!  Homegirl loses her mind!  She starts telling me it's OK to "cheat" and not exercise "just this once".  After a few days of this, the progress begins to wane and the word  "plateau" becomes part of my vernacular (along with a ton of four letter words) at the daily weigh in.

So I've convinced myself  that blogging only makes matters worse.  It jinxes me.  It makes the outside world more aware of my journey, thereby creating this positive energy of encouragement and well wishes from my family and friends (the only ones that read this blog anyway lol), which in turn feeds my ego that then convinces me that I don't need to stay on target, and the weight starts to creep back...again.
Does anyone need a diagram?

I am, of course, totally off base here. The way that I need to visualize things is this way...

1. I blog about my weight loss journey.
2. I am accountable for my actions.
3. I stay focused.
4. I stay positive.
5. I continue to blog about my weight loss journey.

THE END

Day 202 - Emotional Setbacks

This specific entry is in the form of personal journaling. Please read it with that in mind...

Spoke to Hank on Sunday, he remarked that I was behind on my blog posts and silly absent-minded me had to actually ask him for the date of my last post..."June 17th," he replied. Wow, I couldn't believe it. What could have happened that would have distracted me from posting to my most favorite blog? Oh I remember! I got fired on June 24th; that's what happened...
So yeah I got canned, and while I will try to refrain from getting lost in the details, what I can say is that I have been dealing with the situation in a positive way on the outside but possibly internalizing negative emotions at the same time. The manifestation of these repressed emotions come in the form of eating; eating food that I know good and well, is bad for me.
So now that I have an awareness of this emotion, this feeling, this impact, how do I make an adjustment? Well, I've taken the first step and that is where awareness comes in. It's almost like when they say to alcoholics "The first step towards recovery, is admitting you have a problem." or something like that...
So now, I gotta check myself...before I wreck myself (I'm ole skool). For those who are wondering about what my plans are for the future may be, my answer will be something along the line of "I am open to what the universe has to offer."
I can speak more tangibly however about my future eating plans. I will forgive my recent transgressions and not feel guilty about the past few weeks. I've also learned a lot about my role as a "clean eating role model", a job I'm apprehensive about but willing to undertake, but I refuse to bear some heavy load of responsibility to the people that read this blog (or don't for that matter). It is not, quite frankly, the purpose of my wellness mission. I would like for those folks to please allow me to inspire them without the purpose of impressing them. This will make me happy.

Day 258 - F^$*% the Hair. Time to Exercise

OK...OK....OK
In a previous post, I wrote about how much more my hair mattered to me than exercise did. As usual, I've finally come back to reality and started moving my "bod" in a way that actually produces sweat. If there's only one single thing you'll learn about me in these posts, it's that I absolutely hate the gym. I don't really mind classes, and some of the machines. I just really hate the commitment part. I'm a bona fide flake which means that I can't commit to anything that requires repetition. I'm "membership-phobic".
My solution for this was to find indoor activities where I could go anytime I wanted without having to commit to a damn thing.
First I chose spin classes at 3sixty cycling studio in my lovely town of Montclair, NJ. This place is co-owned by make-up artist Bobby Brown by the way (not that it matters. just an interesting side-bar). The first class was free, lasted 45 minutes, and I liked it a lot. I was sweating like crazy! There was only one little, itsy, bitsy problem. The seats hurt like HELL. OH...MY...GOD!!! I even brought an extra cushion with me and even though it was over two weeks ago, my butt cheeks still clench in fear at the thought of going back to that place...
I'm not going to give up though. I'm currently researching padded biking shorts...
Second on the line up...hot (Bikram) yoga at Be Evolution Hot Yoga; again in my lovely town. Now people! Let me tell you something...I researched this shit down to the bone. Even got feedback from my Facebook friends. I was scared to death of going because I could not even imagine what it would be like to do yoga in a hot-as-hell ass room (over 100 degrees) for 90 whole minutes. Regular yoga is challenging enough (I know this from my past life as a yogi of course), but this shit right here??? Kicked my ass! And the craziest thing of all?? I LOVED IT! I wanted to run (make that crawl) screaming from the room after 30 minutes, but when it was all over, and I walked (make that staggered) out into the 80 degree corridor, you couldn't tell me I wasn't Kwai Chang Caine (RIP David Carradine)!!! I felt cool. I felt...high. And I'll take a legal get-high any chance I can get. I've been back again and this time better equipped; lighter clothing, and a change of clothing because when you're done, you are absolutely soaking wet. There are folks in the class with no shame in their game and now I know why. I highly recommend hot yoga but warning...it is no joke!
So what about my hair? Let's just say, I try not to look at my reflection from the hair line up when passing store windows, but the view below is much better. My stylist is gonna hook it up tomorrow and even though I'm going to ruin it again in a few days when I hit my hot yoga class, I'm ok with that. I'm making sweat my ally instead of my enemy.