What I eat

I've become more adventurous this go round with my plant based lifestyle.  Here's a little of what I have been eating (just in the last week). 

Roasted Chickpea and Broccoli Burritos

Whole wheat tortillas and wholly guacamole

Recipe from Thug Kitchen

Brussels Sprout and Quinoa Salad

{I don't want to hear you don't like Brussels sprouts until you've tried them sauted with garlic}

Recipe here

Sloppy Joe

with delish gluten free hamburger buns by Canyons Bakehouse

{Made with TVP}

Recipe from Vegan Stoner

I've also made a few things I don't have pictures of {shocking I know that I don't have photos of my food}

Chickpea Curry from Vegan Stoner

Mac and Squash from Vegan Stoner

I highly recommend ALL these recipes!

Plant Based Update

I know my 5 blog readers have been dying to know how plant based living has been going.  Well I'll be honest with you, it hasn't.

I had to go on a work trip to Mammoth Mountain, CA for 10 days.  I got sick about three days before we left and couldn't stop feeling nauseated.  If any of my 5 readers are in the sports industry, you'll know that "work trip" is code for working nearly 24/7 and tending to people's needs.  At least most of my work trips are.  So while in Mammoth I stayed mostly plant based, and there was no meat involved, just dairy.  When I got home I struggled to get back on the wagon because, you guys, these foods are addictive, toxic, and hard to get out of your body once they are there.  I was still busy with another event happening in Park City the week after Mammoth.  So I felt like crap, not surprisingly.

For the last two weeks I have been working on weaning myself back off dairy and some meat, I am not going to lie, its been hard, but so worth it.  By today I am back to whole foods and plant based eating.

On another note, I finally watched Forks Over Knives last night.  If you haven't seen it and you are a meat eater, you probably should watch it for your own edification.  Most of the people in my life are meat eaters and this worries me a little bit.  By all means I am not suggesting you all go vegan (all 5 of my readers), but it is something to consider, if not going all the way, maybe reduce your consumption a little.  Forks Over Knives is on Netflix, if your interested!

I was babysitting all week so I am one run behind in C25K so I am off to do that now, before I got to Yoga in the Park sponsored by Lululemon.  Have I mentioned how happy I am to be living in Park City?

Plant Based Living

It's been about two weeks since I decided to go plant based, so I thought I'd give you all an update.  I didn't really eat much meat or drink regular cows milk before this decision so that wasn't hard.  The thing I thought would be the hardest, cheese.  I used to eat cheese on everything and normally at every meal.  But honestly, it hasn't been that hard.  Mostly because of how I feel.  I have more energy and overall I feel better.

I am going to preface the results with the fact that I haven't really been able to work out as much as I would like.  I got a cold the week I started my plant-based diet from running myself down in Squaw.  Then I went to Orlando for Josh's graduation, so my immune system was running on empty.  I am over the cold, at this point, but work this week and hanging out with co-workers that are normally not in town kept me from the gym.  I am excited to start Half-Marathon training on Saturday.

Results:
(1) More energy
(2) Not waking up tired
(3) Better mood
(4) Lost 8 lbs since I last went to the doctor (March 8)

I am trying my best but honestly you would be surprised how many things have milk in them!  It's completely unnecessary to have milk in potato chips, but they use it in the flavoring.  Reading labels is key.  The thing that I have found the easiest to do, is just not buy packaged food!  I know that the salad I am having for lunch or the berries that I ate for breakfast are safe because they are whole, unprocessed, foods. 

The other thing I discovered is that I really have to plan what I am going to eat because there are not very many calories in these whole foods-with the exception of nuts and avocados.  The first day I was plant-based I barely broke 1000 calories, which I know is bad for me.  I am trying not to be a crazy person about it but keeping track definitely helps me to make sure I eat enough (never said that on a diet before).

I'll give you all another update two weeks into half marathon training.  I am also planning on a post about what I actually eat in a day, with pictures :)

No meat, no dairy, no eggs

I have tried many things over the years to lose weight.  No carbs--which worked until it didn't.  Calorie counting, because as most of us that have struggled with weight know, the golden rule of dieting is to take in fewer calories that you use in a day.  I have done that for more times than I can count just to get frustrated, quit, and quickly spiral back into bad eating habits.  I have been mostly vegetarian lately, with the occasional meal with meat.

So I have been looking into different lifestyles, not just diets.  I am a firm believer that if you are dieting just for the weight loss, it won't get you anywhere.  Changing your lifestyle is what has to happen if real change is going to work.  I have read a lot about different diets and ways of eating, this is my latest read:

I am not close to finished with it, but I have finished enough of it to know that it makes enough sense to me to give it a go and see what happens...  For those of you that don't know--and didn't get it from the title, being vegan means no meat, dairy (milk/cheese), or eggs.  Anything that had a mother or comes from an animal.  I'll keep you all posted on how it goes.