Confessional: I binged last night

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For the first time in weeks I fell off the wagon.  I don’t know what triggered it, really.  I’d had a really good couple of days with food.  Really good – lots of veggies, fruit, and water, lower sodium than usual, and less coffee.  My heartburn was nonexistent and everything.  Last night I just lost it.

The planned dinner for me was biscuits and gravy and fruit.  I wasn’t really hungry and  the rain did not help at all.  I was chilly but not cold and just not feeling much other than sick (yes, still).  The family went with a take out chicken meal complete with Cajun beans, dirty rice, and mashed potatoes with sausage gravy.  I miss the occasional take out with them, but not necessarily the carb coma that results from the meal.  We still eat together, so that isn’t the issue.   

Anyway, I ate a lot.  After dinner I had a snack and then another.  Those ‘snacks’ were each the size of a decent lunch.  I didn’t feel the binge hangover this morning and that’s a good thing.  And food so far has been good – massive hemp and fruit smoothie for breakfast, herbal tea, small sandwich and chips for lunch, and a massive salad inspired by Black Bean Company is the plan for dinner.  Out of nowhere, my stomach has decided to go nuts and nothing else is appealing to me. 

Meh.  Anyway, the binge is gone, even though I’m not sure what brought it on.  I feel icky and want to sleep but can’t.  Sigh. 

Here’s to Tuesday, February 8, 2011.  Day one without a binge. 

It’s been so long!

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Hi all.  I’ve been a naughty, naughty blogger.

I haven’t been completely ignoring the need to blog; I’ve been blogging on Spark People and am a co-leader of Charleston Sparkers.   I’m excited about it and getting a little more conversation going.  I figure the responsibility will inspire me to keep making the right choices and for the most part it is.  If only my body would cooperate.

I’ve embraced my inner klutz with a vengeance.  In January I’ve tripped, slammed into a buffet table, and stabbed myself with a steak knife.  While the stab wound  is annoying to no end, I can handle it.  The slamming and tripping are killing me.  The current pain flare up period is lasting longer than I’d like and I think I’ll be seeing the doc soon.  On the positive side, the pain has not sent me into a full on binge, and that’s huge. 

Well, now we’re all caught up. Regular posts are next, including menus, maybe some recipes, and reviews. 

The Atkins Diet Revisited – Veggie Style

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Back in the day ( actually), I started down the low carb path.  I ate more than my share of meat, greens, butter, eggs, cheese, cream, and other fatty foods the plan called for abd lost quite a few pounds.  I got down to my lowest weight in years on that plan.  And then I started cheating and fell off plan altogether.  Way off.  Back came the breads, pasta, cereals, sweets, and other carby goodness that helped me put on the weight in the first place.  It wasn’t that the plan was unreasonable, it was the way I followed it in the end. I got tired of coking and went after more convenient meals and snacks and bored myself into cheating. 

Since then I’ve followed other plans and it seems to always come down to my justification (in my mind) of off-plan goodies that sort of fit.  On Weight Watchers I’d justify high point meals by saying I’d make up the splurge with veggies and 1-2 point snacks later.  On low carb, I’d make sure I stayed under a carb count I had in mind and forget to consider fiber, sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. 

So a few weeks back I decided to mix it up.  Eating plans that is.  I’d experiment with various veggie-friendly plans and go from there.  Since the holidays are upon us, I decided to start with Atkins.  Yes, that Atkins Diet.  Back in the day, any hardcore Atkins follower would think a veggie version was impossible, but now that’s not the case.  There are several veggie and vegan menus listed in New Atkins for a New You , and complete details on net carb counts and nutrition as well as tips for dining out.  I decided to modify the plan a bit and started with a 100 net carb menu of my own design.  I cut sugar, filled the fridge and freezer with dark, leafy greens, tofu, cauliflower, cheese, eggs, and salad veggies.  I’ve left the Amy’s burgers for hubby and focused on the Boca burgers we already have.  I ground extra flax, pick up some nuts, and made sure I had enough soy protein powder and tvp on hand to make me happy.  And then it was on!

I’ve been eating really well at breakfast.  Omelettes with spinach, feta, cheddar, onions, peppers, chili, or whatever I felt like tossing in.  Scrambles – eggs or tofu – with cauliflower hash browns, veggie burgers, and greens.  Smoothies on the mornings I didn’t feel like eating and Atkins bars when I wasn’t in a cooking mood. 

Snackage rocked, too.  For the junk food cravings, soy chips, edamame with sea salt, nuts, and half an Atkins bar were the usual munchies.  One afternoon I made a pumpkin cheesecake snack with cream cheese, Splenda, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  Oh my goodness!  Celery stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese is another longtime favorite that just happened to be on-plan. 

Lunch and dinner were all over the place – soup, chili, giant salads, seitan, tofu, bunless veggie burgers, and tvp loaf entrees were complimented with sauteed greens and mashed cauliflower.   If the family went out for dinner, I ordered whatever I felt like. 

I’ve lost 9 pounds so far, and I cheated a little with French Toast for lunch one night and a pb sammy during a late night study session.  I wasn’t going to stay on this plan for too long, but I think I’ll keep it up at least until December 31 and see what happens.  It’s awesome for people who like to cook and so much healthier than the regular version.  For me, anyway.  

Peace!

Experimentation for art’s sake

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It’s more like work, but I’ll call it art.

I write about veggie and vegan life in town and have been reviewing restaurants, cookbooks, and the like with gusto for the past few months.  Some reviews are published and others I’ve been holding back on until after a repeat visit. My weight loss efforts have stalled somewhat and I blame the good eating in part.  The other part is on my lack of control.  Mindless eating has been trying to run rampant lately and I’m not sure my heart (or body) can take it much longer. 

And this experiment I speak of?  Well, I plan to spend two weeks following various vegetarian and vegan weight loss plans.  Eat to Live, Eat for Health, The Engine 2 Diet, Atkins, and other books are available at the local library and in bookstores, so I’m going to test them and see which work for me and which don’t.  The variables I’ll use include actual loss, convenience, cost, meal satisfaction, and appeal to the family.  Besides, I already cook 90% of the meals, so the family is used to getting in more veggie food than not (even when they don’t realize it). 

What I should say is two weeks on each of the plans and not two weeks period. My grammar at times I tell ya.

I figured I’d share here and let you know what I’m up to.  I’ll still be testing various recipes and will have the family taste test if something I make is off plan.  I’ve adhered to strict plans before and not been tempted by the family dinner; I can do it again.  I haven’t decided which to start with, but after hubby’s fantastic pasta dinner maybe a lower carb plan might be the best way to go.

Peace for now. 

I love Savvy Brown!

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 Seriously, peeps, this blog is a great read for anyone looking for affordable ways to go greener and even better for those with natural hair.  Before my locks I would have loved to have found this site.  And she turned me onto a bread recipe that costs less than $1 a loaf.  :sigh:

Anyway, she hosts several giveaways, and this week the goodie is a sample pack of laundry products from YoreGanics.   Have you heard of Soap Nuts? YoreGanics has them and for a decent price, too.  But that’s not all.  The facial bars have been calling to me since I first laid eyes on them.  Swing by, take a look, and tell me that you’re not tempted.

While you’re at it, take a look at Savvy Brown, too.  Tell me if you like what you see and spread the word.

It’s Blog Action Day 2010 and it’s all about Water

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It’s fitting that my first blog in a while is an activist one.  I’ve been busy offline trying to get people motivated to vote and pay more attention to what happening around them.  Being aware of what’s happening outside one’s door is not a bad thing, nor is it socialist to want to help one’s fellow man.  We should be afraid of the real problems out there and not the ones the fanatical talking heads are screaming about. 

But today is not about the upcoming midterm elections or talking heads.  It’s about water.  We all need clean water to live, but not all of us have it.  Some of us waste water by letting the faucet run while we brush our teeth or neglecting to fix a leak while others are lucky to find just enough to hydrate themselves. 

I’m not going to preach at you.  I just want you to think about something we take for granted.  I did.  We had a leaking toilet when we moved in.  It sounded like water was always running, but the dye tank test showed no leak.  I ignored it, but knew something wasn’t right.  When the water bill increased, I figured the extra loads of laundry, gardening, and dishwasher were to blame.  Until we broke the $70 mark after a few months.  I knew we had to do something quickly.  Not just because the wasted water bothered me, but hit to my wallet was a nasty one. 

I’d  purchased a new fill valve and faucet for the bath and let them sit for over a year while we concentrated on other projects.  Silly me.  It took a $72.37 water bill to send me into the bath to install that valve – two weeks after I read the bill!  It took all of 8 minutes and resulted in a $8 drop in two weeks.  That excited me and had me more excited about the next one.  I am happy to say the best $12 I’ve spent in the bath resulted in a $30 drop in the bill overall.  Yes, the money is great, but we cut the amount of water used in half!  After happy dancing, I decided we needed to do more.  Home Depot carries dual flush converters, so we spent $19 on the MJSI HYR270 HydroRight Drop-in Dual Flush Converter and spent 5 minutes installing it in a different bathroom.  I can’t wait to see what the bill and water consumption will be next month! 

Yes, I rambled a bit, but I am excited.  Maybe making this more about money than consumption will inspire some of you.  Maybe you’ll be like me, excited about the money at first, then bummed about the amount that was wasted.  Consumption down by half!  The water was just pouring in and out and could have been used elsewhere.  Sigh.  But instead of letting guilt overwhelm me, I’m going to do more!  The plans include snagging another dual flush converter for the main bath, getting a rain barrel (or making one),and  switching to low flow fixtures.

I’ve been playing with the H2O Conserve Water Calculator and am not sure how I feel about my results.  Our household average is 3, 915.93 gallons a day; 978.98 gallons each.  Yes, it’s better than it would have been a couple of months ago (and lover than the average American usage of 1190.5 gallons), but I think I can do better.  After the other changes are in place, I’ll play again.  Play with it and let me know how you did. 

I could launch into the stats on water and food production, but I’ll save that for another day.  Water conservation is not just about money, but the planet. I am very lucky to be in a place where I have access to clean water and sanitation and need to show my appreciation by not wasting it.

Peace.

My PCRM Vegan Kickstart

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Yep, I’m doing it again,  Last January I went in full force and rocked that 21 days.  Then I has eggs.  Then cheesecake.  I went back to my heavier foods ways and gained the weight back that I’d lost this year.  I figured the kickstart along with the beginning of the school year would help get me back in gear.

I’ll post my meals and snacks here just because.  I keep a food journal anyway, but posting it here will help keep me honest. 

Day 1
B) Cereal & soymilk; big bowl of mandarin oranges and pineapple; coffee, water; supplements

L) PBJ on whole wheat, cucumbers and carrots; water and lemonade

D) Cookout, y’all – Tofurkey Italian Sausage, Vegan Boca Burger, slaw, veggie kabobs (zucchini, squash, and onion), baked beans (maybe a 1/8 cup), and corn on the cob; lemonade and water

Day 2
B) Sea Biscuit Cafe on Isle of Palms, SC – small fruit plate, home fries, rye toast with orange marmalade; coffee and water (took supplements before I left the house)

L) Nirlep on Savannah Highway – Indian buffet (I asked the server which items were dairy free and she was a doll); Kingfisher beer and water

D) Big old salad with either Italian or red pepper vinaigrette (I’m going to toss some of the leftover grilled veggies in there, too); decaf and water

I might throw a pie in the oven.  I loves hearing that Marie Callender fruit pies are vegan!  Hubby can have key lime; make mine cheery or razzleberry!

I will be cooking goodies from some of my favs and will play with recipes of my own.  I’ve missed being in the kitchen, inspired, excited, just going for it.  Join me? 


See you tomorrow.

Fluctuating weight, freaky nightmares, pain, & cookbooks

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Interesting title, eh? Well, I awakened in a panic, panting, and thrilled to realize it was just a dream.  I won’t bore you with details, but I had a crazy, super-powered vertical leap and had to save the family from zombie robots. Now to better topics.

I lost another pound this week, and it seems my rate of loss has slowed.  I have an idea on one of the reasons; stress.  Stress occasionally makes me eat mindlessly, but this time it hasn’t.  It made me reach for comfort food in general.  Hey, I see not overindulging as a huge plus.  I know why I reached for those foods, I just need to make sure that they are the healthier versions of my favorite go-to dishes. Between playing with recipes online (thanks Happy Herbivore and Tess Challis), I have been tweaking goodies from cookbooks past and present.

Oh, the cookbooks!  I made a trip to the main Charleston County library and went a little crazy in the cooking session. I checked out some oldies but goodies.  Linda Mccartney’s Home Cooking,The Real Food Daily Cookbook: Really Fresh, Really Good, Really Vegetarian, and two from Dr. Neal Barnard, Foods That Fight Pain: Revolutionary New Strategies for Maximum Pain Relief and Turn Off the Fat Genes: The Revolutionary Guide to Losing Weight.  I’d originally stopped by for Eat For Health: Lose Weight, Keep It Off, Look Younger, Live Longer (2 book set), but it was already checked out. I should have requested it.  Anyway, I’ve already blown through Linda’s and have to pick up a few more ingredients for Real Food Daily before I can go nuts there.  

Oh, if you want to check out recipes before I post here, check out my Examiner column or Facebook Examiner page.  I have quite a few articles, recipes, and photos to post there. 

The reason I’m working through Banard’s books?  The insane amount of pain I have to work through a couple times a month.  If I can successfully manage the pain without the drugs that make me loopy, I can eventually heal.  Hopefully naturally.  Right now the pain has spread to my neck, and that terrifies me.  When I don’t hurt, I want to cook, move, and do all the things I need to do in order to improve my health.  But when I’m in the middle of a major flare up, just leave me in the dark corner, please. 

Wow, I just realized that it’s 1 am.  This Wahm is sleepy once more, so I think I’m going to call it a night.  Nite, all.

Thank you fallen soldiers and their families for your sacrifice.  I don;t think my appreciation for you all is deep enough at times, but it is deep.

I maintained this week

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While a loss would have been nice, I’m happy.  I usually have a monthly hormonal gain, but not this month!  Sweet!

Speaking of sweet, I haven’t been craving them. I know, I must not be feeling well, lol, and I’m not.  Allergies are working my last nerve and doing a number on my taste buds.  But I’ll survive because I have to.

This one is short and sweet, folks.  I have quite a bit of work to do – articles to write, a book to review, and housework to top it off.  A WAHM’s work is never done! 

Peace!

TV, weigh in, and injury report

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Yes, another fracking injury report.  I know how many steps I have, but every once in a while I’ll miss one.  Yesterday afternoon I missed one and felt something crack.  Nothing’s broken, but it’s swollen and oh man does it hurt!  On the bright side, I get to sit with my foot up a lot and hobble oh so sexily around the house.  Fun.

The thing that annoys me most about it is the timing.  I exercised five of seven days last week and lost a pound.  If I can’t exercise anymore this week, will I gain?  I hope not.  I can still get in some Pilates and Yoga, but cardio is out. Unless throwing the ball for the dogs counts.

Anyone watching Psych Week?  I am.  I was a psychology major briefly and continue to be fascinated with the human mind.  So far this week I’ve been heartbroken and disturbed.

Born Schizophrenic tells the story of a beautiful little girl and her family.  She was diagnosed at age five.  Five!  I hurt for the parents and little brother who love and fear her.  I hurt for January.  She can’t control what’s happening to her and I cried through most of the hour.  I’m getting teary just thinking about it.I can’t write about this anymore.  Sorry.  You should watch for yourself.  I dare you not to  be touched.

I was disturbed by Enraged.  Two people, a man and woman, discussed their anger issues while their families discussed their feelings about their loved ones.  The man flat out pissed me off.  He was completely disrespectful to his wife and sons.  He definitely had issues and anger was just one of them.  The woman’s story hit close to home.  She was angry, but I agreed with some of the things she was angry about.  Do mom’s get angry about our kids’ trashed bedrooms?  Yes.  The repeated questions?  Yes. She did go overboard, but I honestly did not see her as having anger issues.  I saw her as stressed out and  in need of a break.

Getting healthier is not just about physical health.  Becoming mentally strong is just as if not more important.  You have to deal with stress, fear, anger, excitement, and sadness in a positive way.  I’m not saying live in a world of cotton candy and rainbows, but in one grounded in reality. Learn to pick your battles.  For me, as long as the kids don’t have trash on their bedroom floors, and no food or wet towels in their rooms, I’m good.  I do expect them (and hubby) to clean up after themselves.  I’m here full time, but not the housekeeper.

Excuse the semi-ramble.  Pain meds fog is making this a little difficult.

For now, I’m out.  See you again soon.