Going Vegetarian

One of the things people do in an attempt to move on from a break up is to change their appearance- get a new haircut, new clothes (this explains the sudden urge to shop after a nasty separation), or even a new body. Perhaps the change gives them a sense of newness- a clean slate to start over. All remnants of who they once were, all the baggage from the past is thrown away.

This New Year, I feel the need to do just that. No, I haven’t ended a relationship, but I just want to leave everything that has been weighing me down- frustrations, apprehensions and all that. Oh, I’ve also meant to leave some adipose tissue behind.

That’s right, I’ve seriously been thinking of losing weight- both for health’s and vanity’s sake (I admit it). Going to the gym hasn’t really worked for me for two reasons: first, my hectic schedule can’t allow me to really linger and do workouts like crazy; second, the first thing I usually crave after a workout is ice cream, soda, and lots of carbohydrates, which in turn puts me right back to square one.

Maybe the sudden surge in muscle activity sent messages to my brain to stock up on fuel. Unfortunately, this happens after the workout itself, and I usually eat like there’s no tomorrow. I need a new approach, and I’m starting with what I eat.

I’ve observed that people who eat veggies most of the time have good bodies and good complexion. I’ve tried that once actually- for about a week I ate nothing but lettuce, apples, raisins, and carrots. My tastes changed after that- soda seemed too sweet for me, and chips too salty. But then, I got stressed with school stuff and I turned to my comfort foods (which included cake, chicken, lechon- you name it) and I was back to square one. Fatty foods are just too damn flavorful!

I’ll start slow- adding more veggies to my diet while not completely eliminating the meat. I don’t think I can go vegan (sorry Mark, I still love my pork humba, seafoods, and chicken in tomato sauce!) but I can cut down on the meat. I’ll do more push ups and home exercises (something I can do daily at home) and swimming (which I enjoy) to increase muscle activity without cramping my schedule.

Wish me luck! My inner critic bets that my resolve will last three days tops!