Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Seven Weeks!
...Fell off the wagon this week, with tech rehearsal for a show I'm directing, and just grabbing grabbing grabbing. HOWEVER, I am going to do a detox on Monday/Tuesday after the show ends and then go off of dairy except for once a week, and completely off of other animal products. So stay tuned, because the eight week mark should be epic!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Six Week Mark
Tomorrow, or 'today' as most of you reading will refer to it, marks the six week anniversary of The Great Cheese Cutback/My Vegan Transformation/The Latest Crazy Thing I'm Doing. It has been slightly tumultous, but not nearly like I thought it would be. I did a form-type thing again, but I added some grocery list samples to lighten the mood a bit.
Biggest Change I Consciously Made:
~Probably cutting out soda cold-turkey. This isn't even a vegan thing, but I'm really secure in this decision as part of my overall goal to be healthier and happier.
Biggest Change I Subconsciously Made:
~After I cut back on cheese, it made more sense to me to start cutting back on all dairy and introducing substitutes already. I also completely stopped using dairy or eggs in my own cooking, only when others cook for me or I go out to eat have I consumed them. I never set out to reach levels of this journey that I have so quickly, but I am glad that it's happening.
Things I Need Improvement On:
~Remembering how little coffee it takes to actually boost my energy now; cutting back on refined sugar; reading ingredient lists to avoid accidental ingestion; talking about it less and driving non-dieting/non-vegan people less crazy; keeping fruits and veggies stocked so I'm not tempted to backslide; adding an exercise plan (to go into effect immediately upon my show closing).
Old List of Grocery Staples:
~Milk, eggs, coffee creamer, coffee, three different kinds of cheese (at least), pasta, pasta sauce, bananas, fake meat, bread, a certain soda.
New List of Grocery Staples:
~Nuts, Rice milk, bananas, blood oranges, coffee, chocolate rice milk (as opposed to creamer), pasta, pasta sauce, brown rice, more veggies than I feel like taking the time to list, whole-grain bread or whole-grain tortillas, real juice.
How I Feel:
~Pretty great, actually! I've said before that the results of eating healthy and sticking to my guns far outweigh the instant gratification that I used too (and occasionally still do, it just has a different form) seek from food, and it still rings true. Additionally, I do have a good bit of energy that I'm not used too. I get out of bed at a decent hour (according to my lifestyle) naturally, and even after a draining rehearsal I still have energy to hang out with people/get a little more work done/attempt some late-night yoga/etc. This is a huge and amazing change in my life.
Things I'm Still Not Happy About:
~Some substitutes are a little pricey; eating out is a little tricky (although I'm getting my footing pretty well); figuring out the balance of nutrients is a bit time-consuming; I am utterly terrified to travel out of the Twin Cities and see what happens, restaurant-wise. This is a major issue for someone who gets as wanderlusty as me, but I am hoping around mid-March to be able to force myself to face it; I am trying to fix a mental issue (dependance on food for comfort/reward/punishment) physically (cutting out problem foods), which can be done by sheer force of willpower. It's not a perfect method, however. I still struggle not to let me old demons rear their nasty head, and It's made for some pretty emotional nights. However, the end result of nights that I DO resist is a surge of self-esteem and empowerment, and that almost makes it worth it.
I think that just about covers everything. I bared my soul a little towards the end there, but don't be too sad for me! I'm doing pretty good and feeling pretty good-who could ask for more?
Peace, passion, and love.
Biggest Change I Consciously Made:
~Probably cutting out soda cold-turkey. This isn't even a vegan thing, but I'm really secure in this decision as part of my overall goal to be healthier and happier.
Biggest Change I Subconsciously Made:
~After I cut back on cheese, it made more sense to me to start cutting back on all dairy and introducing substitutes already. I also completely stopped using dairy or eggs in my own cooking, only when others cook for me or I go out to eat have I consumed them. I never set out to reach levels of this journey that I have so quickly, but I am glad that it's happening.
Things I Need Improvement On:
~Remembering how little coffee it takes to actually boost my energy now; cutting back on refined sugar; reading ingredient lists to avoid accidental ingestion; talking about it less and driving non-dieting/non-vegan people less crazy; keeping fruits and veggies stocked so I'm not tempted to backslide; adding an exercise plan (to go into effect immediately upon my show closing).
Old List of Grocery Staples:
~Milk, eggs, coffee creamer, coffee, three different kinds of cheese (at least), pasta, pasta sauce, bananas, fake meat, bread, a certain soda.
New List of Grocery Staples:
~Nuts, Rice milk, bananas, blood oranges, coffee, chocolate rice milk (as opposed to creamer), pasta, pasta sauce, brown rice, more veggies than I feel like taking the time to list, whole-grain bread or whole-grain tortillas, real juice.
How I Feel:
~Pretty great, actually! I've said before that the results of eating healthy and sticking to my guns far outweigh the instant gratification that I used too (and occasionally still do, it just has a different form) seek from food, and it still rings true. Additionally, I do have a good bit of energy that I'm not used too. I get out of bed at a decent hour (according to my lifestyle) naturally, and even after a draining rehearsal I still have energy to hang out with people/get a little more work done/attempt some late-night yoga/etc. This is a huge and amazing change in my life.
Things I'm Still Not Happy About:
~Some substitutes are a little pricey; eating out is a little tricky (although I'm getting my footing pretty well); figuring out the balance of nutrients is a bit time-consuming; I am utterly terrified to travel out of the Twin Cities and see what happens, restaurant-wise. This is a major issue for someone who gets as wanderlusty as me, but I am hoping around mid-March to be able to force myself to face it; I am trying to fix a mental issue (dependance on food for comfort/reward/punishment) physically (cutting out problem foods), which can be done by sheer force of willpower. It's not a perfect method, however. I still struggle not to let me old demons rear their nasty head, and It's made for some pretty emotional nights. However, the end result of nights that I DO resist is a surge of self-esteem and empowerment, and that almost makes it worth it.
I think that just about covers everything. I bared my soul a little towards the end there, but don't be too sad for me! I'm doing pretty good and feeling pretty good-who could ask for more?
Peace, passion, and love.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Healthy Tips!
Here are some of my favorite tips to aid you in any dietary journey you may be on...or just for general health and wellness!
-Use miso paste instead of soy sauce on anything you would normally put soy sauce on. It'll be just as delicious, but is jammed packed with nutrients.
-"An apple a day..." doesn't have to be an apple, but I try to pack at least one fruit into my diet every day (usually more). It sounds kind of "duh" but fruit gets so overlooked. It's not meal food, most people don't want it for desert...but if you can remember to snack on it, you'll be in good shape.
-Cook lots of food at once, refrigerate and have fast meals for a few days.
-Ban "Canola" or other comparable oils from being in your house. Focus on olive oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, etc. Healthier oil helps you absorb vitamins better and is lower in fat.
-Sneak spinach into everything. Not a huge fan of greens? I have to be in the mood for them, so I DO understand. However, I like to chop up spinach really fine and throw it into everything I possibly can. It's essentially tasteless and textureless this way but gives you iron and other essentials that you might be missing out on.
-Throw away everything you know about meal composition. As a child we are taught that dinner is something very specific: A vegetable, a meat, a starch, and bread. Instead think of it as : a serving or two of healthy protein, as many vegetable and whole grains as your little heart desires. The end. Or mix it all together. Or, best yet (even though I never practice what I preach here) don't eat three meals a day. Eat as many SMALL meals as you can.
-Raw nuts are better for you than peanut butter or something comparable. Truth.
-Don't avoid healthy fat! Chickpeas, avocados, and certain oils should be your best friend if you're trying to be healthy.
-Try new things. I don't think any diet can be successful if you only cut things out. You must introduce new, healthy foods to your diet! If you know something is good for you but have never tried it, then do. This goes double for cooking methods and spices.
-GREEN TEA SHOULD BE YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Cold or hot. It jump starts your metabolism, fend off sickness, and soothes any existing sickness. I like mine plain, but adding a teensy bit of honey, agave nectar, or sweetened rice milk isn't the worst thing you could do.
-Remember that you love yourself. Why is this a health tip? Because what would you feed your child, your best friend, or your mother if their health were your primary concern? The same thing should go for yourself.
Some of these I've spoken of before, but repeat tips often help me really get them engrained, so I thought it might help you too!
-Use miso paste instead of soy sauce on anything you would normally put soy sauce on. It'll be just as delicious, but is jammed packed with nutrients.
-"An apple a day..." doesn't have to be an apple, but I try to pack at least one fruit into my diet every day (usually more). It sounds kind of "duh" but fruit gets so overlooked. It's not meal food, most people don't want it for desert...but if you can remember to snack on it, you'll be in good shape.
-Cook lots of food at once, refrigerate and have fast meals for a few days.
-Ban "Canola" or other comparable oils from being in your house. Focus on olive oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, etc. Healthier oil helps you absorb vitamins better and is lower in fat.
-Sneak spinach into everything. Not a huge fan of greens? I have to be in the mood for them, so I DO understand. However, I like to chop up spinach really fine and throw it into everything I possibly can. It's essentially tasteless and textureless this way but gives you iron and other essentials that you might be missing out on.
-Throw away everything you know about meal composition. As a child we are taught that dinner is something very specific: A vegetable, a meat, a starch, and bread. Instead think of it as : a serving or two of healthy protein, as many vegetable and whole grains as your little heart desires. The end. Or mix it all together. Or, best yet (even though I never practice what I preach here) don't eat three meals a day. Eat as many SMALL meals as you can.
-Raw nuts are better for you than peanut butter or something comparable. Truth.
-Don't avoid healthy fat! Chickpeas, avocados, and certain oils should be your best friend if you're trying to be healthy.
-Try new things. I don't think any diet can be successful if you only cut things out. You must introduce new, healthy foods to your diet! If you know something is good for you but have never tried it, then do. This goes double for cooking methods and spices.
-GREEN TEA SHOULD BE YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Cold or hot. It jump starts your metabolism, fend off sickness, and soothes any existing sickness. I like mine plain, but adding a teensy bit of honey, agave nectar, or sweetened rice milk isn't the worst thing you could do.
-Remember that you love yourself. Why is this a health tip? Because what would you feed your child, your best friend, or your mother if their health were your primary concern? The same thing should go for yourself.
Some of these I've spoken of before, but repeat tips often help me really get them engrained, so I thought it might help you too!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Off the Wagon
Yesterday was a really emotional day for me, for a lot of reasons that I refuse to get in to in a public forum. The end result was that I ended up binging that evening on popcorn shrimp and parmesan & garlic chips. I felt physically terrible afterwards, and it only made me more emotional. I've been exploring myself a lot lately, discovering what it really means to love yourself, and I know that I shouldn't have allowed that to happen. Food is a means I've used to punish and reward myself in turn for years and years, and it's time to be done with that now. A good friend said to me last night "Tomorrow's a fresh start. Things always seem brighter in the light of day." and she's exactly right. Food is intended to nourish our bodies. It's okay if you enjoy it, but nourishment should be the key. I don't feel nourished when I'm eating animals or animal products, and it's time to stop punishing my body when my heart or mind get a little down.
Still, I know it was ONE night of a setback, and I debated not even blogging about it. However, I feel that it's important for anyone following my journey to know that screw ups happen, but I have every intention of rebounding back with pride!
Still, I know it was ONE night of a setback, and I debated not even blogging about it. However, I feel that it's important for anyone following my journey to know that screw ups happen, but I have every intention of rebounding back with pride!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
One Month and One Week
...and a day. But who's counting? However, this blog entry will be brief because while I did very well this week...there were about five days where I didn't eat anything due to illness. So how much credit do I really deserve? Next to none. So, more later. I am currently enjoying a veggie burger with corn salsa and avocados and a soy chai at one of my favorite coffee shops. Ciao.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Great Cheese Cutback Comes to an End...
No, I am not giving up on my veganism. I am, however, moving from The Great Cheese Cutback to the Great Dairy Cutback. Those of you who have been following know that I'm already doing this a bit, of my own accord, before even in this stage. Now comes the time for strictness, and I will not eat more than one bit of dairy a day, regardless of form. In this stage I am still not being extremely picky about how bread/restaurant food, etc. is prepared but I am becoming more aware of it.
The past month has been really eye-opening to me. I have seen the potential to be cost-effective and vegan, and I have learned a lot about myself and my own capabilities. The great cheese cutback reinforced what I always knew about myself-that anytime I say 'I could never do it,' I am wrong. Additionally, I've learned a lot about food and my body; how it works, how it should work, what exactly a 'superfood' is, and why I should make the move towards them comprising the bulk of my diet. I've always been self-aware, almost to the point of being self-centered. The connection between my mind and my body now feels completely different, and even better. It's like I don't need to constantly be aware of myself, I just am by default. I can have a craving, and know what I should eat instead if that food isn't good for me or available. I know if I've been cramped up too long and need to exercise, I know if I've not had enough water even before the thirst kicks in. The list goes on and on, and I am as surprised as anybody else at how much better I feel. I haven't reached my weight loss goals, and I haven't officially dropped a size, but I know I will. And even if I don't...the way I feel right now makes it all worth it.
I almost can not wait to go 100% vegan, but I know that to commit to it, to do it for the rest of my life, I need to take these baby steps.
As for soda, I don't even miss it anymore. Staying healthily hydrated has given me more energy than the caffeine buzz and sugar high from soda ever did. I have only been tempted a couple of times, and even then, when I thought about it actually giving in I found myself turning my nose up a little and changing my mind. I love how I feel right now, and I know it can only get better.
Thanks for bearing with me this far.
Peace, passion, and love.
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