I did the lemon thing as part of a "raw/vegan cleanse" -- I mixture of an actual cleanse and just cleaning up the way I eat. I'm not even a real vegetarian, but I tend to eat vegetarian if I have to cook for myself. It overhauled the way I eat and I actually think the lemon was part of that. I think the smell, flavor, and the "clean" feeling in your body puts you in the mindset to make healthier decisions overall. My new thing is the VB6 thing, which is a new Mark Bittman book. The idea is to eat vegan before six and then eat what you want for dinner. I bring my lunch to work so it's not that bad, just fruit and veggie based until dinner.
This year I also discovered biking. A lot of friends had gotten into it and it looked intriguing. Luckily the baby loves it! We -- me DD2 and DS13 -- ride all over this side of town, going to the library, getting ice cream, and she rides in a little cart that I pull on the back. It's been great fun for us and not terribly expensive to get started. I found all the biking gear minus the helmets on Craigslist and learned how to fix/manage my bike online.
The new plan is to try running again. I've tried on and off for some time. I got a jogging stroller on Craigslist and some decent running shoes, so I don't have any excuses left. Maybe tonight? Help!
I'm not a skinny minnie by any means. I'm a big Midwestern girl and always have been. But I love the way I feel when I'm healthy, active, and DOING things. For so long my body was the site of trauma, a place of abuse and a target for abusers. When I deal with depression my body feels so heavy and cumbersome. I used to be a partier and a VERY heavy smoker. I struggle with the smoking, but I'm mostly happy without it in my life. Today I look for ways to find joy in my body that have nothing to do with other people or how I look. I want to fly! It's liberating.