WINEspiration Wednesday: Going Green

As most of you know, I have tried every single diet known to man. And none of them have worked (at least not in the long run). Images of overweight middle-aged women who have posters of cats with inspirational quotes on the walls of their Jenny Craig "personal coaching" offices scorch my brain, and I can recite off the point value of nearly ANY edible food item on the planet. Even some inedible things. Weight Watcher "twinkies"anyone? 2 points each, for the record.

So for those reasons, among others, I don't diet. I just eat well. It's led me down the road of being a healthier and happier person. I avoid processed shit, I don't like meat, but I am a self-proclaimed cheese and bread FREAK. In fact, I could probably live off cheese, wine and endless loaves of crisp Italian bread dotted with sesame seeds for the rest of my live and be perfectly content (but unable to zip my jeans).

As healthy as I do eat, the winter always seems to put me off course a bit. I tend to board the carb train quite often in the colder months, and I ride it all season long. I forget about fruit sometimes. I'm human. So when it comes time to put on the Spring jacket, it's almost always a bit snug. I typically seek inspiration in new recipes and new food items to add to my menu, and always get back on track. This time, I found my inspiration in vegetables.

Oh, hello, you hunky vegetarian fireman.

Plant-based diets are nothing new. People have been vegetarians since the beginning of time (well, maybe not, I'm making this up - I've never been good at history). I personally don't like meat, for my own reasons, but never before have I really researched just how bad red meat can be for you. My husband came across the trailer for Forks Over Knives a few days ago, and since then my obsessive, fact-hoarding brain has been having a field day with all the information out there supporting a vegetarian diet. You must watch it. It will change your life.

In addiction to FOK (heh heh, say that outloud), I have been taking a good hard look at what goes into most of the food we consume. Unless you are eating USDA certified organic antibiotic free meat, you are basically eating complete garbage. Actually, it's worse than garbage. And if you're eating shit that comes out of a box (cookies, frozen Lean Cuisine dinners, etc) you're really doing some damage to yourself. Just watch this video about what your body does with processed food.

I really truly hope I'm not coming off as some holier-than-thou psychopath, but I feel strongly about this stuff. I have re-adopted my vegetarian, organic regimen and I can't even begin to tell you how much better I feel. And 5 lbs are gone. Just like that. Really try to think about what you are putting in your system on a regular basis, as opposed to how many calories it takes to lose a few pounds. If you can view this as a way to live a healthier, happier, and longer life, then you are golden.

Cheers ladies!

Stumped on how to get started? Check out this guide.