Lora's Story

Each of us begin our journeys of self discovery at the times and places in our lives when it feels right. We all take the first steps for different reasons. As I began my first step of this journey I started reading about other people's methods and means of achieving optimum health and a more satisfying lifestyle.

My own questions and the questions I know people like me will have as they contemplate their own lives is the main reason I'm doing this blog. This is two people's chronicles of what happens when they finally get fed up (literally) with feeling fat, out of shape, lethargic, and in my case, riddled with allergies, full of aches and pains, and feeling constantly fatigued. Something's gotta give. It's either resign oneself to the downward spiral of taking pills and medications to alleviate symptoms or to make significant lifestyle changes.  I chose the latter because the idea of never ever feeling better without the temporary mask of medication was too depressing to bear.

One of the reasons I found myself an unfit couch potato in the first place is that I possibly spent too much time on the internet reading about other people's adventures and watching movies that carried my mind far far away from focusing on my own intertia and lack of motivation to change. However, as I undergo positive changes, and what I hope is personal growth, it helps me tremendously to read about similar experiences. How does one feel after the first week of being vegan? The first week of Weight Watchers? And the second and third weeks and so on? How much does a person miss consuming animal products? What are some withdrawal symptoms in giving up dairy? Could vegans actually be totally full of crap? What are varying perspectives on the vegan lifestyle?

There were some catalysts to my joining Weight Watchers and then choosing a vegan path. WW was an easy choice. Michelle and I both had a lot of success on the WW Core Plan about 5 years ago, but somehow found ourselves back to gaining weight without ever reaching our goal weights. We are now on the Momentum Plan. The Core Plan no longer exists so we are doing our own sort of underground core plan. It's fairly intuitive eating. Eat whole grains, vegetables and fruits in abundance, and stay away from processed crap, fat and sugar. Most people have a basic understanding that this is the proper way to eat, but going to a meeting each week and being held accountable helps a lot.

As for going vegan, well...I wish I could say it was all about care of living creatures and leading a kinder existence. That's part of it, but the main reason is utterly selfish. I've been plagued by miserable allergies, asthma and severe sinus problems for most of my adult life. I've always been a "mouth breather." I heard giving up dairy could clear up some of my allergy and sinus symptoms. I'd been hooked on Q-Var, Claritin and Benedryl for years. Couldn't get by without it and still I was slowly running out of relief even on medication.

And then, perhaps this time around I have a certain drive I haven't felt before. I have often dreamed of hiking on great backpacking trips, of riding my bicycle for miles down beautiful trails, and, oddly I think for a woman my age (42), riding a longboard. I saw some You Tube footage of a 72 year old man riding a longboard. He was a lifelong cyclist and took great care of himself. My mental picture of myself at 42 looked more like my own mother and her mother before her -- a fat, shapeless blob of laziness and dependency on others. Aaaagh! Am I at the point in my life when I have fewer days ahead than behind? Possibly, and I have the power to make them better years.

I got this sweet longboard, the Loaded Dervish, and could make about 3 blocks before my lungs were burning and my legs felt like rubbery jello. But this is the most awesome board I have ever ridden and I deserve to have great rides on this longboard. Before starting my lifestyle changes in full, I had been taking my board to work with me where I would get dropped off in the morning then ride this at least part of the 20 blocks across downtown Sacramento to meet my ride. Sometimes it takes a passion like this to really fuel change, and though it may seem odd to many people, this is mine.