Gettin' In the Game

I really need to ante up and kick in.

I did really well with my new food regimen until last Monday...when I sprained my other ankle.  At that point, I wanted comfort food.  I still refused all heavily dairy foods and stayed away from yeast products, but I had cheesy popcorn, chocolate, and all kinds of lesser (but sooo tasty) evils.  As such, I can't tell if my stomach gets queasy from a little milk or a lot of sugar...oops.

It's kinda hard to get stuff done when one is immobilized.  Despite this sprain not being as bad as last month's, it still took just as long for me to be able to walk on it without whimpering.  It's still bruised.  Actually, I think the joint itself is off, 'cause putting pressure on the heel in a forward direction makes my foot feel like it's coming off.  Creepy?  Why yes, yes it is!  My chiropractor will adjust it tomorrow morning when I go in...did I mention before how much that HURTS?  Part of me is shrieking, "Don't do it!  Don't do it!"  But I will.  Because it will feel better once the momentary explosion of brain-numbing pain recedes.

I've decided to give up cardio for a month.  I mean, I can do little things - go for gentle walks (in the sweltering heat...), swim (if I want to brave all the kids at the complex pool), that kind of thing.  But no jogging.  No dancing (except the kind that basically stands in one place, like hula or belly).  Nothing with "bootcamp" in the title.  My joints need more support from my muscles, and the only way that's gonna happen is with more strength in my muscles.  (Although I would like to note that the little bit of jogging I did this spring helped tighten up my knees!  They're back to sliding all over the place now, so that even standing up out of a chair can make them fall off the track.  Good grief, that hurts...)

My friend Katie put together some awesome little strength training workouts for me last winter.  I'm committing to 4 weeks of those, right here, right now.

Also, that whole "kick in" part needs to happen with regards to my food.  I've decided to start from scratch with 5 days of nothing but healthy, spinach-based smoothies (well, and anything that goes into said smoothies, a la carte).  That way, I can get used to handling fruits and veggies on a regular basis...and shopping for them.  And reaching for them when I'm hungry.  And remembering they're in the fridge (why is that so HARD?).  Shopping is problematic currently, 'cause my car trunk doesn't stay closed.  (My dad's friend tried to fix it so it wouldn't pop open on bumps...but now it doesn't stay closed unless it's motionless.)  I can drive to the store and back, no problem, but I don't like to leave the carseat in there in case some hoodlum decides to steal the car.  Silly?  Maybe.  But we also take Jeremelon's car if we go anywhere as a family, and those seats are unwieldy.  (Excuses?  Why yes, yes they are!)

5 days of smoothies, and then I'll add in chicken and salmon, rice and quinoa and oatmeal.  Maybe some hummus.  Maybe find a way to turn fruit into a salad dressing that doesn't involve vinegar.  That'll be another week or nine days, I think.  And then after that, after I've had two weeks to find recipes and whip my stupid kitchen back into shape, I'll launch our all-new menu.  Full family meals.  Full cooking, though still sans cow milk and yeast.  Unleavened bread from scratch.  Maybe homemade pita.  Desserts for the fun of making desserts.  Mmmmmm...

I might have to hold off starting until Monday, after we celebrate the Berrykin's birthday...on the food, anyway.  Tomorrow starts my strength training.  Thundercats, HO-O!