On Tuesday night, I had my first "I CAN'T DO THIS 'VEGAN THING'!!!" moment. It all began when I tried a package of "Chicken-less strips" from Trader Joe's with one of my favorite recipes, Chicken and Broccoli. I figured it would be a perfect medium to inaugurate my new vegan friends. Barf! They were GROSS! They were made of soy, and thus, tasted like biting into pure soy. It was gross, nasty, barf, ick. I ended up throwing it all out. And as someone who feels a large sense of guilt (and disgust) in throwing away food, I was highly concerned. I threw up my hands and wanted to give up entirely. Then I remembered my high cholesterol. "Sure," I told myself, "you can go back to eating meat, no problem. But your cholesterol will go back up again, too. Is that worth it?" I decided not, and that learning to like things will take a certain amount of trial-and-error, and that I'm okay with that.
On to a more positive note: everyone around me seems to be getting sick. The flu is going around COCC like the plague (although I probably shouldn't joke about the plague, seeing as though we had it here in Prineville last year...). I, however, feel great, and I owe it to my new diet, which is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. I get so much Vitamin C in a day that I wonder if I'll even get sick this year. I certainly hope not!! I'm also remembering to keep myself warm and get plenty to sleep at night. The latter is something I struggle with, since I'd rather stay up late watching TV -- but I know that I need to have enough sleep in order to be well. So I'm trying to curtail my TV watching at 9 pm. I think that's helping!
More later!
Weight: 180 lbs.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Moment of Frustration: Venting
Today I'm feeling a bit frustrated, and it comes with a mix of emotions. On the one hand, I feel really good for the first time in a long, long while. My body actually feels "light" most of the time. I have energy (before, I was taking naps during most afternoons of the week, and felt sluggish when I was awake). But I'm not gonna lie: I thought I would have lost a lot more weight by now. Truth be told, I'm only down 5-6 pounds, and it's taken me a month to get there. Yes, I know this is healthy, and I keep trying to tell myself that 1-2 pounds per week is the ideal weight loss. 20 pounds in two weeks is NOT healthy. Still, I think about the changes that I have made in my diet, and I wonder how I haven't dropped a ton of weight from saying "sayonara" to sugar alone! When I think about it, I've gone from eating a TON of starchy carbs all day every day (not to mention the disturbing amounts of refined sugar that I ate on a daily basis) to eating mostly fruits and vegetables. How in the world has my body not shed pounds like crazy? I have no idea.
The upside is this: I AM losing weight, and I do feel better. I really need to focus on that, and know that becoming healthy is not something that will happen overnight. I will need to work on it.
In addition to eating better, I'm adding in regular exercise. This is surprisingly difficult for a couch potato like me. So I've cut some corners, too. I watch a documentary or TV show while I'm on my stationary bike, and when I'm in front of the TV or eating dinner, I sit on my exercise ball. Some mornings I do yoga.
Yoga leads me to another vent: I love it, even though it is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be (my picture of yoga was sitting, stretching, and saying "Om" a lot). In fact, it could be my favorite type of exercise ever! So why the venting? Because when I do stupid freaking down dog poses, my stupid freaking head starts to hurt, and I end up with a migraine. How do I rectify this? How can I do a Salute to the Sun pose without regretting it later when I'm on the couch with an ice pack? Gah!
Even though this is a downer post, I just needed a minute to vent. I'm still feeling so much better, emotionally and psychologically speaking, than I have in...well...I don't even know how long. I find myself smiling for no apparent reason. I'm just...content. That's the best side effect of my dietary changes. I feel GOOD, even optimistic, which is very uncharacteristic of me. But you know what? I think it's something that I will adopt for good. Being down all the time does nothing for my self-esteem or my health.
These changes are good.
The upside is this: I AM losing weight, and I do feel better. I really need to focus on that, and know that becoming healthy is not something that will happen overnight. I will need to work on it.
In addition to eating better, I'm adding in regular exercise. This is surprisingly difficult for a couch potato like me. So I've cut some corners, too. I watch a documentary or TV show while I'm on my stationary bike, and when I'm in front of the TV or eating dinner, I sit on my exercise ball. Some mornings I do yoga.
Yoga leads me to another vent: I love it, even though it is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be (my picture of yoga was sitting, stretching, and saying "Om" a lot). In fact, it could be my favorite type of exercise ever! So why the venting? Because when I do stupid freaking down dog poses, my stupid freaking head starts to hurt, and I end up with a migraine. How do I rectify this? How can I do a Salute to the Sun pose without regretting it later when I'm on the couch with an ice pack? Gah!
Even though this is a downer post, I just needed a minute to vent. I'm still feeling so much better, emotionally and psychologically speaking, than I have in...well...I don't even know how long. I find myself smiling for no apparent reason. I'm just...content. That's the best side effect of my dietary changes. I feel GOOD, even optimistic, which is very uncharacteristic of me. But you know what? I think it's something that I will adopt for good. Being down all the time does nothing for my self-esteem or my health.
These changes are good.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
What 400 Calories Looks Like
I love this graphic. This is one of the first images I saw after I made the decision (however subconscious) of going vegan.
And I've said it before, but I will say it again: I am so surprised that the amount of food I'm eating fills me up. I make a daily log of what I'm eating. This is what it looks like:
BREAKFAST: One glass of smoothie (a veggie-fruit concoction)
LUNCH: Second glass of smoothie
DINNER: Acorn squash + quinoa
That's it! Most days, I don't even snack. If I need to, I'll have a pear or a small handful of almonds, but other than that, I've only been eating what's listed above. Other things I will include are the following:
BREAKFAST: Carrot juice, cereal + coconut milk
LUNCH: Acorn squash
DINNER: Salmon and broccoli
Before I went vegan, I ate constantly throughout the day. My body was crying out for nourishment, and I finally feel like it is getting what it needs. I'll be glad when the headaches subside, but other than that, I feel better than I ever have before. I'm happier, I'm more energetic, and my body feels so good.
I'm loving being vegan!
And I've said it before, but I will say it again: I am so surprised that the amount of food I'm eating fills me up. I make a daily log of what I'm eating. This is what it looks like:
BREAKFAST: One glass of smoothie (a veggie-fruit concoction)
LUNCH: Second glass of smoothie
DINNER: Acorn squash + quinoa
That's it! Most days, I don't even snack. If I need to, I'll have a pear or a small handful of almonds, but other than that, I've only been eating what's listed above. Other things I will include are the following:
BREAKFAST: Carrot juice, cereal + coconut milk
LUNCH: Acorn squash
DINNER: Salmon and broccoli
Before I went vegan, I ate constantly throughout the day. My body was crying out for nourishment, and I finally feel like it is getting what it needs. I'll be glad when the headaches subside, but other than that, I feel better than I ever have before. I'm happier, I'm more energetic, and my body feels so good.
I'm loving being vegan!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Consequences of Bad Eating
I have been a sugar addict for most of my life. While chocolate wasn't one of my favorite indulgences, I usually didn't say no. A tradition in my family is for my mom to buy both my dad and me cordial cherries for Christmas. That was passed down from my dad's mother, and so Mom has carried it on through the years. That evolved into me creating my own Christmas tradition: eating the entire box of cordial cherries by the end of the day. For the past few years, I've said that I wouldn't do it anymore, but I've succumbed to the power of the sugar addiction. This year, I FINALLY broke that habit! In fact, I didn't even open the box of cordials until New Year's Eve. At that point, knowing the effect that sugar has on me, I allowed myself only ONE cordial at a time. I failed. I ate three. Augh. So I put the box of cordials in the freezer, out of sight. That has really helped a lot. Since then, I've only had one cordial, and guess what? I got an instant headache.
In fact, I've been getting instant headaches every time I consume refined sugar. I feel horrible, but it really is a good thing! If I know that I will feel terrible afterward, hopefully that will deter me from eating the crap in the first place!
Today I found a "cupcake in a mug" mix that my aunt gave me for Christmas. It didn't require eggs (which is good now that I have gone vegan), and when I started eating it, I immediately didn't really like it. It was chocolate with chocolate chips at the bottom. But it was spongy, too, which wasn't very appealing, either. I ate it, and then a few minutes later...you guessed it...I got a headache.
Our bodies do not want this extra stuff that our brains (and society) have taught us that we need. What's more, now that I am eating primarily fruits and vegetables, I find that I don't snack or even think about snacking during the day. I think that's because before I changed my diet, my body was crying out for nutrients (and to be nourished), which I translated as hunger. That's why I was constantly eating. Now that it is nourished with plenty of vitamins (I could still use some more fiber), I don't even think about eating between meals. It's amazing!
By the way...I'm down to 180 lbs now. I still have a long way to go, but it feels so nice to be seeing progress already!
In fact, I've been getting instant headaches every time I consume refined sugar. I feel horrible, but it really is a good thing! If I know that I will feel terrible afterward, hopefully that will deter me from eating the crap in the first place!
Today I found a "cupcake in a mug" mix that my aunt gave me for Christmas. It didn't require eggs (which is good now that I have gone vegan), and when I started eating it, I immediately didn't really like it. It was chocolate with chocolate chips at the bottom. But it was spongy, too, which wasn't very appealing, either. I ate it, and then a few minutes later...you guessed it...I got a headache.
Our bodies do not want this extra stuff that our brains (and society) have taught us that we need. What's more, now that I am eating primarily fruits and vegetables, I find that I don't snack or even think about snacking during the day. I think that's because before I changed my diet, my body was crying out for nutrients (and to be nourished), which I translated as hunger. That's why I was constantly eating. Now that it is nourished with plenty of vitamins (I could still use some more fiber), I don't even think about eating between meals. It's amazing!
By the way...I'm down to 180 lbs now. I still have a long way to go, but it feels so nice to be seeing progress already!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
How I Lost Weight By...
I just did a Google search a minute ago for "how I lost weight by...," and the endings I got to that search were horrific. Ten options immediately came up, and of those ten, five of them were a derivative of "starving myself." As a culture, we have got to change our mentality of weight loss as something that is only achievable if we deny ourselves food and nutrients. That is certainly not a healthy way to approach this! Ask any nutritionist!!
For years, I've been a victim of this mentality. I've tried fasting all day on Tuesdays (followed by binge-eating Wednesdays), drinking 160 oz. of water a day (my bladder was never more angry at me), and only eating rice cakes (the diet of the 90s). While there is nothing wrong with fasting for spiritual reasons or drinking plenty of water or occasionally eating rice cakes, we have got to end this idea that starving ourselves for a time produces long-term results. Well, I suppose it does: we (literally) will become a skeleton!
Our bodies need -- crave! -- adequate nourishment. I love food. I really, really do. Among my favorite restaurants is Olive Garden, with its buttery, herby breadsticks and amazingly cheesy pasta dishes. Given the choice between the Five Cheese Ziti and a bowl of spinach, I'd take the Olive Garden route any day. Unfortunately, my brain and my body crave two different things. My mind says, "cheeeeeeeeeese" (in a super creepy tone), while my body says, "Vitamin A! Iron! Protein!"
The good news about a lifestyle change involving new foods is this: if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. If I had to live the rest of my days eating only rice cakes and onions, I wouldn't be a happy camper. I'd be a very depressed and malnourished camper. Fortunately, I'm learning ways to love the new foods that I'm trying and to avoid the things that I don't like. For instance, I found a great idea on Pinterest that involved making raw Apple Cider Vinegar more palatable. The site listed all the benefits of drinking Apple Cider Vinegar, and I was sold on the idea. Unfortunately, the drink tasted terrible. Nothing could mask the fermented taste of the drink. Barf, barf, barf!! So instead of forcing myself to drink it (as I may have done in the past), I poured it down the drain, guilt-free. I found my own recipe for drinking the stuff (which included 1 part water, 1 part apple-grape juice, and 1 tsp. of ACV). That worked. Learning to make accommodations -- rather than giving up entirely on something -- is how this is going to work from here on out.
Let's just not starve ourselves. That is the most unhealthy route of all.
For years, I've been a victim of this mentality. I've tried fasting all day on Tuesdays (followed by binge-eating Wednesdays), drinking 160 oz. of water a day (my bladder was never more angry at me), and only eating rice cakes (the diet of the 90s). While there is nothing wrong with fasting for spiritual reasons or drinking plenty of water or occasionally eating rice cakes, we have got to end this idea that starving ourselves for a time produces long-term results. Well, I suppose it does: we (literally) will become a skeleton!
Our bodies need -- crave! -- adequate nourishment. I love food. I really, really do. Among my favorite restaurants is Olive Garden, with its buttery, herby breadsticks and amazingly cheesy pasta dishes. Given the choice between the Five Cheese Ziti and a bowl of spinach, I'd take the Olive Garden route any day. Unfortunately, my brain and my body crave two different things. My mind says, "cheeeeeeeeeese" (in a super creepy tone), while my body says, "Vitamin A! Iron! Protein!"
The good news about a lifestyle change involving new foods is this: if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. If I had to live the rest of my days eating only rice cakes and onions, I wouldn't be a happy camper. I'd be a very depressed and malnourished camper. Fortunately, I'm learning ways to love the new foods that I'm trying and to avoid the things that I don't like. For instance, I found a great idea on Pinterest that involved making raw Apple Cider Vinegar more palatable. The site listed all the benefits of drinking Apple Cider Vinegar, and I was sold on the idea. Unfortunately, the drink tasted terrible. Nothing could mask the fermented taste of the drink. Barf, barf, barf!! So instead of forcing myself to drink it (as I may have done in the past), I poured it down the drain, guilt-free. I found my own recipe for drinking the stuff (which included 1 part water, 1 part apple-grape juice, and 1 tsp. of ACV). That worked. Learning to make accommodations -- rather than giving up entirely on something -- is how this is going to work from here on out.
Let's just not starve ourselves. That is the most unhealthy route of all.
Life Without Red Meat or Dairy
After my initial diagnosis with absurdly high cholesterol, I have made some significant changes. The first being that I need to add (and have added) more fruits and vegetables into my diet. Already, I have lost three pounds without even trying. That's a great start, but it's not the end.
In addition to adding more to my diet, I have also decided to cut out red meat entirely. That's actually not a huge sacrifice for me because I don't eat it a lot anyway, and usually it makes me feel like crap, sooooo...problem solved. Much more difficult for me to give up is chicken and fish. I loooooove fish in particular. Being the daughter of a fisherman and all, that would be the biggest hindrance to me going entirely vegan.
I also love dairy, but I recognize the dangers/consequences of eating too much of it. Cheese, which I adore, is high in fat -- and not the good kind of fat. Cow's milk is often full of crap like rBST and whatnot. Ice cream (the love of my life) is high in cholesterol. In all honesty, I don't think I could give up on dairy entirely -- I really, really don't -- so I have resolved to merely cut down on it when possible. I think that's reasonable. I bought coconut milk and almond milk today for the first time -- I've never even tried it. The verdict: LOOOOOOVE!!!! I'm pretty sure I love coconut more than life itself, so that was an easy alternative for me. It is high in saturated fat, but, being coconut, it's a "good" type of fat. The almond milk was surprisingly rich and creamy, very thick, but it was good. Very nutty, of course. I liked it less, but I still liked it. Double-win!
Other things I have added to my new lifestyle: a daily multivitamin and a 3x daily dose of "Hair, Skin, & Nails" vitamin. The latter I have chosen for several reasons: 1) each of the body parts mentioned in the name are brittle, dry, and damaged on me; 2) the vitamin contains 25 mg (or 125% DV) of niacin, a natural cholesterol-lowering element; and 3) it contains 3 mg (or 1,000% DV) of biotin, an element that has weight-regulating properties in addition to its aesthetic qualities (of making hair glossy, clearing up skin problems, and strengthening nails). Overall, I see this combo as yet another win!
To be frank, I thought I would have a much more difficult time with this transition that I have had. The hardest part has been not eating bread. At some point, I think I'll add bread back in, but I have found that most grainy foods give me severe heartburn. I mean, get-me-some-milk-now, put out the flames type of heartburn. So I'll forgo it for now, until I figure out what the issue is. For the time being, I'm loving my array of broccoli and fruit that I have piled up in the refrigerator.
To boot: I feel my depression lessening. I have felt a lot less anxiety and worries over the past few weeks (could also be that I'm on vacation from work...), but I am encouraged by the changes that I see. Here's to a healthier, happier 2013!!
Weight: 183
Cholesterol: (In transition...going down)
In addition to adding more to my diet, I have also decided to cut out red meat entirely. That's actually not a huge sacrifice for me because I don't eat it a lot anyway, and usually it makes me feel like crap, sooooo...problem solved. Much more difficult for me to give up is chicken and fish. I loooooove fish in particular. Being the daughter of a fisherman and all, that would be the biggest hindrance to me going entirely vegan.
I also love dairy, but I recognize the dangers/consequences of eating too much of it. Cheese, which I adore, is high in fat -- and not the good kind of fat. Cow's milk is often full of crap like rBST and whatnot. Ice cream (the love of my life) is high in cholesterol. In all honesty, I don't think I could give up on dairy entirely -- I really, really don't -- so I have resolved to merely cut down on it when possible. I think that's reasonable. I bought coconut milk and almond milk today for the first time -- I've never even tried it. The verdict: LOOOOOOVE!!!! I'm pretty sure I love coconut more than life itself, so that was an easy alternative for me. It is high in saturated fat, but, being coconut, it's a "good" type of fat. The almond milk was surprisingly rich and creamy, very thick, but it was good. Very nutty, of course. I liked it less, but I still liked it. Double-win!
Other things I have added to my new lifestyle: a daily multivitamin and a 3x daily dose of "Hair, Skin, & Nails" vitamin. The latter I have chosen for several reasons: 1) each of the body parts mentioned in the name are brittle, dry, and damaged on me; 2) the vitamin contains 25 mg (or 125% DV) of niacin, a natural cholesterol-lowering element; and 3) it contains 3 mg (or 1,000% DV) of biotin, an element that has weight-regulating properties in addition to its aesthetic qualities (of making hair glossy, clearing up skin problems, and strengthening nails). Overall, I see this combo as yet another win!
To be frank, I thought I would have a much more difficult time with this transition that I have had. The hardest part has been not eating bread. At some point, I think I'll add bread back in, but I have found that most grainy foods give me severe heartburn. I mean, get-me-some-milk-now, put out the flames type of heartburn. So I'll forgo it for now, until I figure out what the issue is. For the time being, I'm loving my array of broccoli and fruit that I have piled up in the refrigerator.
To boot: I feel my depression lessening. I have felt a lot less anxiety and worries over the past few weeks (could also be that I'm on vacation from work...), but I am encouraged by the changes that I see. Here's to a healthier, happier 2013!!
Weight: 183
Cholesterol: (In transition...going down)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Military Weight: Now and Then
I just learned this from the film "Food Fight," by Chris Taylor: in WWII, many soldiers were unable to fight because they suffered from malnourishment. This makes sense, since many of them were born and raised during the Great Depression. If you think of it, 1929 was "only" 83 years ago -- the end of WWII was "only" 67 years ago. And from that time till now, the human body seems to have "evolved" in an extremely grotesque way due to industrialization of the food market. Have a look at this article for a historical view of the malnourishment of WWII soldiers:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/underpants/146
Today, however, military.com tells us that 20% of male recruits and a whopping 40% of female recruits are overweight. We've moved so drastically from being malnourished to being overly nourished to the point of illness. Read on:
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/weight-loss/troops-too-fat-to-fight
This is ridiculous. We are a culture that is now defined by the way we eat. We are a culture that is now dying because of the way we eat. I refuse to die from an all-too-preventable disease.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/underpants/146
Today, however, military.com tells us that 20% of male recruits and a whopping 40% of female recruits are overweight. We've moved so drastically from being malnourished to being overly nourished to the point of illness. Read on:
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/weight-loss/troops-too-fat-to-fight
This is ridiculous. We are a culture that is now defined by the way we eat. We are a culture that is now dying because of the way we eat. I refuse to die from an all-too-preventable disease.
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