The last entry I did was Day Five: Surprise. Knowing me, it is quite possible that I just quit after day five, right? Well I didn’t. I have been sharing my progress over on Instagram through my stories! Every single day, I talk about what I eat – every meal – and how I exercise. I have managed to make some real progress!
I have wanted to write about my different experiences with being a temporary (I think) vegan daily, but I haven’t really had the time. I figured that if I had to choose something to commit to, then maybe it would be using my Samsung Health app to track my nutrition, calories, and steps and use my Instagram stories for accountability.
Related: Day One: Occupied.
I had an “event” one day and ended up in the hospital. My heart rate was crazy, I had chest and back pain, and after some tests, the doctors said I tested positive for PE, a pulmonary embolism. I had a CT scan that came back clear, but they still had me follow up with a cardiologist. I have a stress test tomorrow, but he thinks that my high heart rate is more likely related to my anemia than a heart problem. He was very impressed with the accuracy of my Samsung Health app when it came to checking my SpO2 and my heart rate.
Related: Day Two: Reality.
While I was there, the cardiologist gave me the results of my most recent blood work… NO DIABETES! Not even pre-diabetes… The results must have been some sort of fluke or something, but whatever it was, my A1C is in the normal range and I am telling you – I am over the moon. The A1C measures your blood sugar over a 3 month period, so it is more likely that the change is because the results were off than my 3 months of not being a complete idiot with my food choices.
Related: Day Three: Improvise.
Between December and March, I tried to keep it together, but I had a few weeks that I fell completely off the wagon. I was off the wagon, the wagon rolled over me, and then backed up to roll over me again. My primary care physician didn’t talk to me about my A1C levels until my March visit, but I knew I had to lose at least 15 lbs to get my blood pressure under control. At that mid-March visit, I had lost 7 lbs since December. By my visit to the Cardiologist a couple of days ago – 2 weeks after starting the 21 day vegan plan – I had lost another 10 lbs!
Related: Day Four: Groove.
To recap, I probably was never diabetic in the first place, I am still anemic, but my iron levels are MUCH better than they were, I have lost a total of 17 lbs since December, and we might have a blood clot to find somewhere in my body, I guess. The doctor doesn’t think so, and I am inclined to agree.
Related: 42
My daily routine:
I have been using Leslie Sansone Youtube videos to get my steps in every day. My goal is 6000 steps, but if I do 30 minutes after lunch and 30 minutes after dinner, I get all my steps in AND I don’t feel bloated and gross after I eat.
I take my iron and Vitamin D in the morning.
I have a goal of drinking 10 glasses of water a day – I usually get about 6, 8 on a good day.
I struggle through 5 sit-ups (ya’ll – I am OUT OF SHAPE) and five push ups each morning. Today I did 10 push ups… because I’m a beast.
I have either a smoothie or oatmeal for breakfast.
I log my food on my Samsung Health app.
I share my progress on my Instagram stories.
I do 10 minutes of Headspace meditation at night after my 30 minute Leslie Sansone walking video. The kids do it with me too. The hubby thinks it is weird, so he opts out.
That’s the update! I don’t have to continue beyond the 21 days, which technically will be up this Sunday, but I plan to keep going with healthy vegan meals. I am having a lot of fun trying new foods and my husband is doing it with me. Of course, as a guy, he is going to lose weight much faster than me, but I am just glad that he is committed to helping me get healthy and getting himself on track in the process.
Even if I’m not diabetic, I am definitely at least 50 lbs overweight, even after having lost those 17 lbs! So I’m gonna keep pushing with the healthy vegan eating. I say “healthy vegan” because you really can be vegan and eat garbage. I mean… french fries are technically vegan too, right? So is white bread, and fried okra, and a whole bunch of other stuff that tastes amazing, but will definitely not be great for your cholesterol, blood pressure, or waistline.
I’ll still be keeping up my Instastories, so you can follow along with me there. My handle is @socamom. I am following the 21 day vegan kickstart plan by Dr. Barnard at the recommendation of my physician.
I’m not ready for before and after pics because… well… I can’t see any difference yet. BUT THEY ARE COMING! The kids say they can see it, but the biggest difference I see is in my skin. My acne has gone Make sure you are following me on Instagram so that you will be there for the big reveal…
If you missed them, check out my posts: Day One: Occupied, Day Two: Reality, Day Three: Improvise, Day Four: Groove, and Day Five: Surprise.
