Welcome

Welcome to the first post of the Healthy Flamingo!

The goal for this blog is to keep track of recipes I have tried and liked or want to try, a way to follow other blogs with similar interests and themes and hopefully get feedback, tips & advice from others and have all my healthy eating references is one place (I have things bookmarked on 2 computers and my phone), it's getting ridiculous.

Why Healthy? My goal is to get healthy now, so I when grow old I will be able to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. I have this fear of growing old and not being healthy. Considering I am already technically old (41 - eeeeeek) I need to get going!

The healthy eating "lifestyle" (or diet) I choose to follow is Paleo. I first learned of Paleo back in '08. I was recovering from my 3rd (but not last) foot surgery and had gained a lot of weight. I was  planning a wedding and knew I wanted to lose the weight so I hired a personal trainer (and let me say it was the best investment ever, it was an investment in me!). I love working out and being pushed to my limits so I did very well as far as the work outs go. After just a few sessions he introduced me to Crossfit and things just got better and better. The problem was, although I was getting stronger every day, after a month the weight was just not coming off as I/we had hoped. After reviewing my (meticulous) food diary, he told me the ins and outs of the Paleo diet and had me start right away. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and did just that. At the next weigh in, I was down! yippee! I was seeing results and found it easy to follow. I had tried other diet programs before but found as I was aging I was less and less successful and more and more frustrated. I started to think (believe) my body just cound't lose weight anymore.

But was I wrong! I lost about 35lbs in just a few short months, I was back to my old self, stronger than ever, and felt great! (and I have beautiful wedding photos to prove it).

........

...Fast forward to 2013
I have changed jobs, am happily married, moved to a new state, had yet another foot surgery, learned I have arthritis in both knee caps, and gained a ton of weight back... Crap.

This is where my journey begins (again). This time I have the tools and knowledge I need to get back on my healthy living track and back to eating a Paleo diet. This time I won't get sidetracked. This time, I am ready to get healthy and stay healthy. This time I will stick to it!

My big hurdle in all this is my "addiction" to diet pop!! More specifically, Pepsi Max.  I know I need to stop drinking it. I know what it does to the body. I know it inhibits me from losing weight. But I also know it makes me feel better, like a an old friend....

That said, as I write this post I am enjoying and saying good bye to my old friend; my vice, my addiction...Pepsi Max.

So here I go. Feel free to tag along with me on my journey, share your comments, pass on great recipes of your own, ask questions (share flamingo photos) and get healthy!

Stop back soon, I have some great recipes (and photos) to share already.

oh yeah, why Flamingo? I love flamingos. Simple as that.
-Hilary

p.s. I am working on a design and logo, they are not done but I didn't want that to stop me.