About Me...

So… Why start this blog? 
Hello World!  I am Shawn.  I’m 27 years old and am a first grade teacher.
For most of my life,  I have had crazy sinus issues where I was always on some sort of medicine or antibiotic for some sinus related issue.  These issues started to get really bad when I moved for a teaching job and was taking way to many sick days… so 3 years ago I started going to an ENT who wanted to do surgery.  Like most people I did not want to have surgery and so my mom and I started looking for other options…one of which was to go dairy free.  I LOVE cheese and ice cream!  I was not very excited about this option and actually laughed hysterically over the phone while my mom talked me into trying it for a week.  WELL… after the week was up I learned that I have a dairy sensitivity that affects my sinuses.  Whenever I eat dairy I get seasonal allergy symptoms that usually accompany an annoying headache and the feeling that I’m drunk because I get so dizzy.  I’ve now been dairy free for a little over 2 years and have only needed an antibiotic once, compared with the numerous times a year I was on them before.  I have also lowered the amount and frequency of allergy meds and headache meds I take!
Going dairy free has caused me to become much healthier and really think about everything I eat and how it affects my body.  I never thought that I would learn to love this new life style and the ways I can “trick” myself into thinking that I am eating dairy (think of cashew cream and tofutti cream cheese).  I used to HATE “health” foods and organic things seemed silly and over priced.  Now I LOVE to wander around whole foods to see what new and exciting dairy free and vegan foods I can find that will make my dairy loving friends jealous (the amazing vegan cowgirl cookies from Whole Foods make even dairy lovers a huge fan!)!
About a year ago, I decided that I would actually put my gym membership to really good use.  I was already going 2-3 times a week and mostly just spinning my life away.  I had lost a little bit of weight but nothing substantial.  I have always had a dream of doing a sprint triathlon and decided to get a trainer to get me to this goal.  I completed my first mini-sprint triathlon in April 2011 (FREEZING, Rainy day), and I am so proud that I did it!  My goal for this summer is to do that one, plus a 5K and a larger triathlon.  I love to swim (was on the swim team in high school) and love to bike…but I am not a runner and am trying to get myself to be a runner (not an easy task, but I love a challenge!).  I did not go into this “training” thinking that I would emerge as someone who spends hours at the gym every day but that is what it has turned into, and becusae of that-it has cauesd me to eat MUCH healthier as well!
 I’ve lost 14 pounds and over 14 inches total so far!!  I’ve never lost this much weight and am loving it, but I feel that I could still be doing better.   So, I have always wanted to keep a “journal” of what is working, what is not, which workouts I love, which ones I HATE, how I feel, etc. to help me keep to my goals.  My goal for this blog is to keep track of what I’m doing, good recipes and ideas I find, awesome products that are helping me with my goals and pictures of my life.