Welcome! Today begins my 10-day challenge implementing my Soothe - Nourish - Rest tips, resources, and tools. For those who are skeptical of a plant-based way of eating or making health and lifestyle changes while managing chronic disease, and especially for any post-menopausal gals who are having a tough time managing their weight...these 10-days will educate and ideally inspire you!
My goals are to decrease weight (remember than even an extra 5 pounds adds 25 pounds of pressure to joints), decrease inches, improve the quality of my sleep, and decrease pain. I am 53 years old, 5'7" and begin this challenge at 145.6 pounds, waist = 30", hips = 37.25", right thigh - 21.5", left thigh 21.75". My ideal weight is 130 pounds; up until October of last year I was holding steady at 134 pounds until I moved away from hormone therapy and experienced a weight gain.
Check back daily to view meals, exercise log, stress and pain management techniques, and other tips. I'll share my final results on May 14th! Have questions or comments? Feel free to email me: tiffany@andersontherapeutics.com
Morning - Slept fairly late for me since I worked until 9:30pm last night. Up at 8am and started with black tea, oat milk and stevia.
Gym: Weight day, and for me a great pain & stress management tool! Exercise provides me with energy, stamina, strength, and manages pain. Began a 90-minute workout at 8:30am with 30-minutes on the treadmill, 2.6 MPH at a 10 incline. Final hour consisted of upper body weight training (used free weights to work all large muscle groups), planks for core strength, and finished with stretching. I've been lifting weights 3x per week for over 23 years - if you are new to strength training, start slow...contact me for coaching options! Basic 101 guide to strength training can be found here.
Brunch 11:00 am: Large serving of hash-browns (1/2 bag frozen store brand) pan cooked in 2 T. water served with hot sauce and dash of sea salt. Quick oats (1/2 c) with frozen dark cherries (1/4 c) topped with splash of oat milk (1/8 c.) and stevia.
Tonic 1:00 pm: I've mentioned the health benefits of apple cider vinegar in past posts - learn more about this amazing ingredient here. To 1 cup cold water I add 1 T of Bragg's ACV. Benefits I notice are decreased inflammation, aids digestion, and reduces sugar cravings.
Snack/Dinner: I work a mid-afternoon (2:30pm) to evening (9:15pm) shift today so I nibble my way through the contents of my lunch sack between client appointments. Grazing works better for me than 3 main meals, especially as my work hours vary. For the rest of the day I'll dine on a leftover rice dish (brown rice, lentils, taco seasoning, salsa, cilantro, my vegan 'cheez' sauce, and guacamole), a roasted Russet potato, raw vegetables (1 carrot, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 red pepper, 1 radish), homemade red pepper hummus (1/3 c), and a pumpernickel bagel (not pictured) that I picked up from Einstein's on the way to work.
Notice I don't count calories - that is one of the many pleasures of a plant based diet. Following The Starch Solution means I focus on starches (potatoes/rice/corn/beans/grains), plants, and most importantly...avoid oil. Eating whole foods that are nutrient dense and typically lower in calories means that I can eat until I am comfortable (not stuffed!) and feel satisfied.
Be Well! ~ Tiffany
