Nov. 21: Volunteering at the Austin Humane Society

Those of you that have been following my blog for a while know these things about me:

~ I suffer from chronic depression
~ I am a complete animal lover
~ I'm a big fan of Lyle McDonald's work

I'd like to link you to a very special series that he has written.

Volunteering at the Austin Humane Society

This series touched my heart for so many reasons, particularly the ones listed above.

If you have ever suffered from mental illness or know someone who has, read this series.

If you love our furry friends, read this series.

If you use Lyle's site and forum and benefit from his writings, read this series.

Lyle gives away so much knowledge for free.  It's payback time, my friends.

Nov. 21: These Boots Were Made for Walkin'.....

I feel amazing.  I took a looooonnnnggg walk with the dog today.  My back didn't hurt, my leg didn't hurt, and the cold crisp air felt fabulous against my cheeks.

Ever since I moved, at the beginning of October, my back has steadily gotten worse.  Exercise has gone done the toilet.  I've been seeing a chiropractor and the improvement is nothing short of miraculous.  Before this treatment, after about 10 minutes I was dragging my numb, tingling right leg behind me like Quasimodo.  Today, I felt really good and did some stretching.  I took a short walk to the store and when I cam back, I decided to leash up the pup and go for it.  We wound through all sorts of little streets in our new neighborhood (I say new because we haven't really seen that much of it so far."

Now the pooch is laying on her favorite chair, pooped out, and I'm here typing, feeling inspired about health and fitness again!

(I couldn't get rid of the freaky eyes - I promise, she is a normal brown-eyed doggy!)

Every week, it seems like there is a challenge, standing in the way of healthy eating.  Sometimes it's my schedule, sometimes it is roadblocks and temptations thrown in the way by others.

This week, it's "brokeness."

I've got very little money for groceries this week.  We won't starve to death or anything, but fat seems to be the world's cheapest ingredient.  Everything inexpensive seems to be quite high in fat and carbs.

I have tomorrow off, so I will be looking for some bargains, and I will adapt my menu around them.  My veggie intake has not been what it should be lately either, something else I need to rectify.  This week you can expect a lot of stir fries.  I'm also going to be looking for some less expensive protein options - I'm very partial to skinless boneless chicken but it may not be in the budget right now.  I may also make a beef and cabbage soup.  We've really been enjoying a nice bowl of soup at the end of a long day - and it's another effective way to get the veggies in.

I'll be back after grocery shopping tomorrow to post the menu!