I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!

Monday, February 27, 2012

I had a really great weekend. I spent a lot of it at my parents’ house, helping get the HUGE AMOUNTS OF FOOD ready for my brother’s 24th birthday party on Sunday. I love cooking, and it was fun to make all sorts of things that other people can eat. ;) We made a big ol’ roast turkey, two kinds of stuffing, mashed potatoes (with and without garlic), mashed rutabega, corn, (vegetarian, low sodium) collard greens, and rolls. I was a good girl and had garlic mashed taters, a little mashed rutabaga, collard greens, corn, and a wheat roll. I was sorely tempted by the wild rice and mushroom stuffing, but it’s got hot sausage in it, so no pig for me!

I’m really excited about the leftovers I’ve got for lunch today – collard greens, chickpea & peppers salad, curried veggie stir-fry, and roasted root vegetables (a SparkPeople/Chef Meg recipe). It’s going to be more leftovers and a chorizo Smart Sausage for dinner, I think. Mmmmmmmm.

I’m SO EXCITED! I have a friend who just “mastered the art of cooking tofu” (her words) and she’s going to teach me all she knows about tofu. =) And for her new cooking challenge, she wants to master the art of preparing seafood, and we’re going to learn TOGETHER!

Which reminds me – in answer to my pescatarian vs. flexatarian decision, I’ve decided to go pescatarian. I’ve a friend who’s been a pescatarian for three years, and she finds it very easy to do. And there’s such a wide, delicious variety of seafood to try! The three of us (the tofu-master, the 3-year-pescatarian and myself) are going to master the art of seafood together, and I can’t wait to start!

Daily affirmation: I love life, I love my body, and I feel great!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KURTBAMF 2/27/2012 2:43PM

Awesome! My sister is a pescatarian and she's pretty happy with it. Fish is supposed to be very healthy for you too. Glad you did so well this weekend at your brother's Thanks-birth-giving Day! Kick butt this week, girl! Report Inappropriate Comment

DR1939 2/27/2012 12:04PM

Good for you! Report Inappropriate Comment

Pescatarian vs. Flexatarian

Saturday, February 25, 2012

I guess now that I've learned some more about vegetariansim, I'm trying to figure out if I am/want to be a pescatarian or a flexatarian.

Pescatarian
The word “pescatarian” is occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.

Flexitarian
You don’t have to be vegetarian to love vegetarian food! “Flexitarian” is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat.

I think my original intent was to eat a flexitarian diet, limiting my meat consumption to 1-3 servings a week. Now I'm thinking I might go the pescatarian route, and just eat fish - and still try to limit my fish intake to 1-3 servings a week. We'll see what I decide to do when we have "Thanksgiving dinner" for my brother's birthday tomorrow - whether the turkey calls to me, haha. Right now, though, I'm leading towards a pescatarain diet (and counting seafood in general as "fish").

I want to chronicle my experiences with non-animal protein alternatives, and today was my first adventure into the world of fake-meat! Now, I don't generally want to rely on fake-meat to make up for the meat "missing" from my meals, but instead create meals based around a variety of vegetables, legumes, grains, etc. But I feel like I need to use SOME fake-meat/soy products to help boost my protein intake.

Today's new fake-meat: Smart Sausages Chorizo Style veggie protein sausages.
At 150 calories and 14g of protein per link, this was a decent meat alternative. It's higher in sodium than I'd like (500mg) and rather high in fat (9g, 1.5g saturated fat, no trans fat). I cooked per the skillet preparation instructions on the package (8 minutes) and this was actually VERY good. The texture was a tiny bit dry, but I could really taste the chorizo heat, and the outside of the sausage fried up to a consistency much like that of a real sausage. These came in a package just like regular hot dogs, so to preserve the rest of the sausages (4 to a pack) I just tossed the whole thing into a ziplock baggie.
Taste: *****
Texture: ****
Packaging/Storage: *****
My rating: *****

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

NINJA_SMOO 2/25/2012 3:39PM

I know terminology doesn't really matter, but it bothers me when people use the term 'flexitarian'. Omnivore. If you're not vegetarian or vegan, you eat meat sometimes so you're an omnivore. It always seemed to me like 'flexitarians' were just trying to ride the ethical coat-tails of vegetarians and lord it over us lower class and unwashed heathens that eat meat. Anyway, arguing semantics doesn't do anything. If eating less meat makes you feel more healthy and/or helps you meet your goals, go for it and we're behind you 100%. I just can't not have my little anti-flexitarian rant every time I read it. Report Inappropriate Comment

HAKAPES 2/25/2012 3:31PM

I love fish! I can eat every day, all sorts. Just here in Austria it's not part of the daily offerings, it's more like a speciality. Way to go! Report Inappropriate Comment

Positive Affirmations

Friday, February 24, 2012

I actually got up this morning and did a mile of a Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds video! Guess I'm going to have to work my way back up to 4 miles - it will be fun pushing myself a little further each day!

This whole positive thinking thing is really working well for me. I even caught myself in a negative thought this morning "I only did 1 mile" and changed it around to "I actually woke up and got a whole mile in before work!" And right there, I got the day off on the right foot.

GONE are the days of never being good enough for my perfectionist self. I will continue to repeat these positive affirmations to myself every morning and night, and at odd times in between.

Here's the affirmations I put up in my bathroom mirror at home. Believe it or not, this is actually the narrowed down list - I had a lot more I liked to start with, LOL. I mad emy husband help me put up towel racks and move all my stuff to the downstairs bathroom last night so I have my own space in which to do my affirmations (and get prettified!) I love having my own bathroom. =)

I am strong, confident, and beautiful.
I choose to make positive, healthy choices for myself.
I am healthy and full of energy.
I like to get up and exercise in the morning.

I have non-stop daily determination to reach my healthy weight.
I am focused and committed to my goals.
I deserve to have a slim, healthy, attractive body.
I am a good person and I deserve good things.

I eat like a thin person.
I do not overeat. I leave food on my plate when I am full.
I build lean muscle, and body fat falls off me fast.
I effortlessly stay on track.
I am getting stronger and slimmer every day.
Weight loss is easy and effortless for me.

I have a positive attitude about what I eat, how I eat, and when I eat.
I think before I eat.
I lose weight systematically and keep it off permanently.
Developing healthy eating habits becomes easier each day.

I say only positive things about myself to myself.
I am motivated by both successes and failures.
I forgive myself for my mistakes, and learn from them.
I accept and love my body as it is, and work to make it better.
I deserve to be at my ideal weight.

I fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night.
My sleep is restful and rejuvenating.
I am an early riser and a deep sleeper.
I wake up each and every morning refreshed, renewed, and alert.

I feel fulfilled and joyful.
I am becoming better every day.
I have the power to change my life.
I love life, I love my body, and I feel great!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PUNKIN175 2/24/2012 9:15PM

This is a great list!!!! I would have a hard time choosing just one too. ; P Full of great reminders. Thanks for sharing it!!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

KURTBAMF 2/24/2012 3:08PM

I LOVE these! They're so helpful, positive, and true! We could all use a little more of THIS in our lives! Report Inappropriate Comment

ELLEYKAT 2/24/2012 2:21PM

SEAJESS - If I could pick only one, I wouldn't have such a big list! Either "I choose to make positive, healthy choices for myself." or "I love life, I love my body, and I feel great!" Comment edited on: 2/24/2012 2:22:07 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

SEAJESS 2/24/2012 1:01PM

If you could pick only one affirmation, which would it be? Report Inappropriate Comment

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Things my nutritionist told me:

Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. For lunch, dinner, and snacks wait until the first signs of hunger. Eat only until not-hungry or pleasantly full. (She gave me a hunger-scale chart with the areas in which to start and stop eating shaded in.)

Exercise doesn’t greatly affect weight loss; it is more important to be eating a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean not to exercise, and exercise is very important for weight maintenance, but exercise alone won’t make you lose weight.

People are overly concerned with getting enough protein, and our bodies don’t really need THAT much protein. There used to be a lot of concern about getting enough protein and amino acids, but since I’m still eating dairy, eggs, and fish I should be just fine without any extra effort.

I have a very healthy base on which to build – I love vegetables and fruits, and I like to exercise and do it regularly. My problem is that I get inside my own head and psych myself out, and I have too much negative-self talk.

My goals for March/April to build healthy habits:

Track food with new food diary, which includes a hunger scale and a section on mood/stress/what I’m thinking. Identify unhealthy thoughts linked with food (i.e. “I already screwed today up so I may as well keep eating.”) and work on creating positive internal dialogue (i.e. “I ate one cookie, which is OK. I can still make more healthy choices today.”)

Exercise 1 hour a day (P90 with Dad, walk the dog, do a dance video game, ANYTHING as long as I’m moving. Doesn’t need to be high-intensity, and I don’t need to kill myself.)

Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up in the morning.

Only eat when I’m hungry.

Limit meat to 1-3 servings weekly. (I’m counting fish as a “meat” portion, which should help limit cow/pig/poultry to 1 or less servings weekly.)

Create 3 affirmations to tell myself daily. Tell myself these affirmations when I wake up and before bed. (i.e. “My body is beautiful, and it is more beautiful each day.”)

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KURTBAMF 2/24/2012 2:44PM

This nutritionist sounds wise indeed! What amazing plans you have! You can do it! You're gonna ROCK THIS YEAR, LADY!!!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

HAKAPES 2/24/2012 1:14AM

This hunger scale sounds very interesting. Do you have a photo of it? Report Inappropriate Comment

NINJA_SMOO 2/23/2012 2:17PM

Michstate, I believe eating within a short time after waking is supposed to help jump start your metabolism for the day. Or it could be that I am completely misremembering something I heard ages ago :) Of course, I just can't handle eating too early in the morning either. I get up at 5 or 5:30 and normally don't eat until 9 or so. Elley - nutritionists are super handy, eh? I want to go talk to mine again soon. PS: I lost ~65lbs in highschool by stopping eating when 'not hungry' vs full, so it totally does work. I only wish I had kept it up! Darn college and tight schedules and having to scarf down all my meals! Eat too fast and there's not enough time for your body to realize it's satisfied, right? Report Inappropriate Comment

MICHSTATE 2/23/2012 1:02PM

I think that sound like a good plan!!! I am wondering about the eat within an hour of waking up though, I have heard that before, but never can do it myself. I usually wake up around 4 am, do a class at the gym, then run or use the elliptical, getting home from the gym around 7am, showering, and usually having to nurse my son before I can get my breakfast usually around 7:30 or 8 am. I wonder why they recommend that, did she say? Report Inappropriate Comment

OHKOLA 2/23/2012 10:41AM

I'm printing this and doing it with you...well, in spirit. Are you feeling good about this new plan? Report Inappropriate Comment

ANASONIC 2/23/2012 10:33AM

Great Plan! You know what you need to do. Stay positive and just do it! Report Inappropriate Comment

REVIVED 2/23/2012 10:24AM

I'm trying to limit meat and dairy too and I'm finding it difficult because I DONT like vegetables that much. But I'm hoping my tastes will change as i cut out more of the junk. "fake it till you make it". I already tolerate these new healthy foods way more than i used to so im moving in the right direction. it really is true that small changes over time help you be successful. Report Inappropriate Comment

We will, we will, ROCK YOU.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Starting my new vegetarian, organic, clean-eating lifestyle March 1st, which gives me time to consult with a nutritionist and to use up a some of the meat and other “crap” food we have in the cupboards and freezer. Also did a grocery shopping trip yesterday and am excited about the variety of beans and veggies I bought. =)

Dinner tonight is going to be roasted root vegetables (beets, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes) and garbanzo bean salad (with bell peppers and lemon juice). I’ll also throw a steak on the grill for John. This will be a good change from breakfast today, which was a can of spaghetti-o’s. XP I got my tongue pierced on Wednesday, and it’s been pretty hugely swollen all weekend and today. It’s supposed to be the most swollen days 2-5, and today is day 5, so I’m hoping my tongue will go back to normal proportions really soon, LOL.

I checked a couple of vegetarian cookbooks out of the library, and I’m excited to try some new recipes. I feel like the meat entrée has always been the main focus of my dinners, and I’m looking forward to shaking that up. Later today I’m going to go through and bookmark a couple of new recipes on SparkPeople to try, too. =)

Doing P90 with my Dad after work today. I didn’t work out at all last week, but now my seasonal depression funk seems to have passed for the year. THANK GOODNESS.

SO! I’m looking forward to better, brighter days, and I’m approaching some new changes in my life with excitement and enthusiasm!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LESLIE_2B_LESS 2/22/2012 1:47AM

Good luck with your new food choice - I think I could be a vegetarian if I didn't have a husband and kids. I do put in a lot of vegies with our meals - but I think meat lovers pizza is always going to win for them! I too, think it is wonderful that you work out with your Dad - I sure wish I could do that, but my Dad's health is way to bad for that. Cherish these moments you have with him - that so awesome! The MOM in me... is wanting to say something about piercing your tongue... but LOL I'm gonna refrain! Report Inappropriate Comment

HAKAPES 2/21/2012 6:30PM

I love the way you get prepared for it, not just jump start, but organize resources. This is already half success! One of my favourite articles, maybe can give you a few tips. http://the99percent.com/ti ps/7040/Fix-Bad-Habits-Insights -from-a-7-Year-Obsession Report Inappropriate Comment

NINJA_SMOO 2/21/2012 10:53AM

Cook books at the library! What a thought! I completely under utilize our public libraries - I haven't even got a new library card since I moved cities in September! Thanks for the great idea! (I am absurdly excited by this - I just LOVE cook books!) Although, I do have a tonne I haven't used at all yet... perhaps I should work on those! Heh. You'd think with how much I read I would be at the library all the time... Also, I've been wanting to say for a while, it is so cool that you exercise with your dad. I was walking up the hill from the train to my home one day last week, thinking about how I'm pretty sure my dad couldn't walk it and you popped into my head. We live too far apart to make a regularly scheduled plan out of it like you do, but I think next time he's in town I'll have to instigate a walk. There's a super funky little market with some riverfront paths very close to my home, so going to the market is a good excuse :) Report Inappropriate Comment

KURTBAMF 2/20/2012 4:03PM

So excited for you!!!!!!! I've been a vegetarian the majority of my life and it's a lot easier than you think! It's also way healthier (especially if you're a smart vegetarian unlike I was for the first 6 years and limit vegetarian junk food too. Just cause corn chips are vegetarian doesn't mean you should eat the entire bag, past self). I definitely think organic, vegan/vegetarian is the way to go! It just makes sense that our bodies would be able to process what nature INTENDED it too! If you want more back-up for your decision, rent "Forks Over Knives" or "Food Inc". They're terrifying but super informative. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about being vegetarian! I'd be happy to help! :D Report Inappropriate Comment