Interesting...

So folks... let's clear the air. First of all, if you have something to say about my blogs, please, by all means say it. I like to hear what others' opinions are. However, I will not publish any comments that do not have a name attached to them. Growing up people attacked my family and my father constantly through the form of words... which are the most hurtful. And there was never a name attached to those hurtful words. When I have something to say, I say it out loud and I am not ashamed to let people know who I am and what I stand for. I can have an adult conversation about my lifestyle, beliefs and anything else you want to talk about. So yes, this is in response to a comment I received on my last blog. So for whomever that person was... I will respond just this one time to an anonymous comment.

"I dont think wanting to be skinny or lose weight is a reason to go vegan... there are other ways to lose weight and still eat healthy. There are many different lifestyles that are classified as healthy."

Whoever had the nerve to send this comment to me must be insane or have never met me. I am the first person to suggest Weight Watchers to someone who wants to lose weight. I struggled for years with weight issues and Weight Watchers helped me to get into a healthy weight range and stay there. For those of you who know me well, you know that I would tell you to try Weight Watchers online first. Incorporating vegetarian or vegan meals into your lifestyle obviously can't hurt either. Plus, studies have been shown that eating meat one less time per week highly improves your overall health and decreases your chances of many diseases including cancer.

However, by NO means would I ever suggest someone go vegan to lose weight. That's asking for a person to have an excuse to go anorexic and blame it on me or on veganism. That is ridiculous. Before making a huge life change a person has to learn how to gain self control over their eating habits and their thoughts. Being vegan is definitely not for everyone because not everyone has the patience or will power to take the time to know what they are ingesting every single meal. I applaud those of you who are willing to take the steps to live a healthy lifestyle. I hope that you will inspire others to do the same. My last blog was not focused on people who are not vegan. It was in response to people who have been attacking me. For those people who want to sit around and criticize me and my family while doing nothing in their own lives to be healthy. I have no sympathy for those people. Once a person is ready to change their lives and choose to be healthy and happy... however they choose to do that, I am happy and willing to encourage them with tips I have learned along the way, recipes, dinners at my place and whatever else.

So, to "anonymous", please feel free to leave a comment to this or any other posting. But you'll have to add you name next time. If no name is attached, I won't even respond one little bit to it. Like my mom always said, you can't give people power in your life if they aren't even willing to say who they are. She was right, as usual.

Wow. I sound a little mean.

It's been far too long since I blogged last. Life has taken over and I have been BUSY! I increased my school load to 19 credits. It has been a lot of fun... learning again. I am a bit of an overachiever but enjoy a challenge. Other than that, I have been doing some consulting through my very own marketing firm. If you need help with marketing, let me know! That has been fun too. I am getting back into the swing of thinking like a marketing professional and remember how obsessive I used to be.

Other than that, just trying out new Vegan recipes and living life as a wife and a mom. It has come to my attention lately some very unhealthy eating habits that people I know partake in. And no, I am not even going to touch the meat, dairy, animal by-product portion of my opinions... however, I will say this much... don't complain about "being fat" if you are not willing to take responsibilities for your own actions. No one makes you fat. The extra calories you consume without burning off by exercise, that makes you fat. I know. Because I did it to myself. My meal of choice when I first got married and wanted to be Abby Home Maker: White Pasta with butter-drenched, cheese-laden, homemade alfredo sauce. As if that wasn't enough, I would sprinkle chicken on top of it along with 2 cups of cheese and bake it until the cheese got crusty. This served alongside Ceasar Salad and Garlic Bread... hmmm.... I wonder why I gained over 30 pounds in that first year. And let me tell you, it is no fun trying to take off that 30 pounds or more. So don't sit there and call me a Skinny Bitch unless you mean it in the form that the book calls it... I worked hard to get to where I am. I started out 3 years ago, literally THREE YEARS FROM TODAY, I was 50 pounds heavier than I am today. I have been up and down and up again and down again... but now that I truly live a healthy lifestyle, I don't have to worry. I eat whole foods, gets lots of protein (yes, really, vegans get enough protein to not whither away) and I enjoy eating so much more than I used to. I love to eat. I love food. And yet I always used it as a form of punishment on myself. So today, I enjoy the act of sharing a meal with friends and family without thinking in my head "This is going straight to my thighs". So you want to lose weight? You want to be healthy? I dare you... try having 2 vegan meals a day. See how much better you feel after those meals. See what happens with your body. You will probably be amazed. Or even once in a while try to go a WHOLE day. The proof is in the non-gelatin pudding and it is that our bodies were not meant to process all that junk. And stop skipping meals you idiots. Not eating freaks your body out and it starts to work against itself. And protein shakes twice a day don't count as two meals... I don't care who you ask. Drink water, eat healthy, whole foods and stop crying about how fat you are. That's all I have to say about that. Man, I sound a bit bitchy tonight. I guess you can call me a Skinny Bitch after that blog. Good night. I am off to bed to enjoy not feeling my stomach hang over my pajama pants as I lay on my side and drift off to sleep to dream about warm, sunny days on a beach in Maui. Ahhh....