Here we go!

Well, I've started a few blogs in the past that I ended up deleting. This is probably because I'm an okay "business" writer, but definitely lack when it comes to writing attention-grabbing, super detailed accounts of my own life. :) Anyway, this blog is going to be dedicated solely to health and wellness. I plan to record yummy recipes that we discover, articles that I think are beneficial to share, and anything else health-related that can help folks better their well-being. By the way, I currently work in Human Resources, specifically in Benefits and Wellness - this is where I discovered my passion for wellness. When I say wellness, I'm not talking entirely about weight, BMI, cholesterol, etc. That's a large part of it, but wellness encompasses so much more than physical health. Mental and spiritual health are equally as important. If one's not right, the other two won't function at 100%.

So, here's the spark behind me starting this blog: finally, we [Matt and I] have decided to get serious about our health. We're starting to really put thought into what we feed our bodies. Since my sophomore year in high school, I've said "I'm going to lose weight this year"...and it hasn't happened yet. Yes, I've developed some good habits over the past few years (drinking mainly water, snacking on almonds, trading white for wheat bread, etc.), but I haven't kicked enough of the bad ones. Until recently, we probably cooked at home an average of 4 nights per week. That's 3 nights of going out to eat at a restaurant or fast food. Yikes.

Anyway, long story short - we're slowly transitioning our diets to be mainly plant-based. No, we're not trying to be 100% vegetarian or 100% vegan, but mainly plant-based. This means less processed foods, dairy, and meat and more fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and legumes (beans). It seems pretty simple, and I feel better already. I'll elaborate more later, but here's what we had for dinner tonight: brown rice (not instant), black beans, pinto beans, onions and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil and water, guacamole and salsa with pita bread. The only seasonings I added to the rice, beans and veggies was black pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of cajun seasoning. And, it was delicious!! More later... :)

Oops - almost forgot: here's the (embarrassing) biometric results as of my last physical in October. I haven't changed much about my diet since then, so my numbers are roughly the same.
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 150 lbs
BMI: 26
Total cholesterol: 240
HDL: 72
LDL: 147