Sensory overload + my meals + weight loss update

I've been battling a horrendous head cold for the past week and am on the downhill slide now.  Thank goodness!  I haven't had a spring cold in several years and I don't miss them!  I've continued on my vegan diet, though, and despite my head feeling like a bowling ball all week I've discovered other amazing changes in my body.

For the past year or so, I've been suffering from a couple of different ailments.  One, I've had severe pain in my knees for a while now, especially when I go up or down stairs.  It's been so bad a few times, that we had to get the crutches out so I could hobble over to the stairs.  The second ailment was my foot.  Every time I stood up or walked on it for too long, it would hurt something fierce!  I finally went to the doctor who took x-rays of both my knees and foot.  No arthritis!  Yay.  She wasn't sure what was going on with my knees but said that my foot pain could be plantar fasciitis.  She gave me some exercises to do, which I did sporadically. 

It's been about four weeks since my doctor visit (I did the exercises for about the first two weeks, off and on) and about six weeks since I started this vegan lifestyle change.  I noticed this week that, while my head was pounding, I had no pain in my knees or my foot!  <<Happy dance!!!>>  I don't know if this has anything to do with my new diet, but it's the only thing I've changed in my life up to this point.  I will keep on....

Sensory Overload

I've been doing a LOT of research this past week on the vegan diet and lifestyle.  What else did I have to do while dealing with my bowling ball head?  I went to YouTube and found a LOT of information about veganism and the different ways you should do it.  It seems that everyone has a different opinion about this (probably a good topic for another post).   I discovered there are many different ways to "do" veganism....

• High Carb Low Fat
• Raw Till Four
• Fully Raw
• 80/10/10
• Fruitarian
• Junk Food vegan
• Plant-based

Wow! Who knew?!!

I'm just a simple girl who likes simple things.  I've been trying to compute all of this information to figure out what is best for me.  And then, it hit me.

"Everything in moderation!"

Over the last few weeks, I've discovered (or just re-affirmed) that I DO love food!  However, I am completely fine with eating healthy foods!  I really enjoy the plant-based diet and the high carb low fat.  I'm still learning this second one.  So, taking a little bit of advice from several of these, I think this is my plan:

• Eat low fat
• Eat whole food, plant based foods
• Cut out refined sugars, oils, and processed foods
• Drink more lemon water (to help with my digestion)
• Move more - simple exercise

That's it!  That's all!  At least for now.

My Meals

So, I've been trying some new recipes to see how I like them.  I'm definitely discovering what I like and don't like. 

I love bowls!!!

I love one dish meals where I can mix everything together. 

Lunch

But.... here's a dish I made yesterday - eggplant pizzas.

 



May I just say - I don't like eggplant!!!  While this may look delish..... I threw out most of it. 

But, in case you want to try it.....   I found the recipe on Cherie Tu's YouTube channel but modified it slightly by adding mushrooms and eliminating the bell pepper (only because I didn't have it).  I'm sure her version tasted absolutely yummy!!

Dinner

Now, this was good!  I got this recipe from Anja's website (I love her!).  You can't see the dressing in this photo (I'm not a professional foodie photographer!  I just take my pics with my cell phone!) but it's on there and it was GOOD!  I could have bathed in it. 

The dressing literally took 2 minutes to make.  I steamed the broccoli and put everything on a bed of mixed greens with some kale microgreens that I got from Whole Foods.  This is what they look like:

 

 

This will probably become one of my staple dishes!

Weight Loss Update

I've been doing some research on losing weight with this lifestyle change.  I'm the type of person that wants what I want yesterday and not a minute later!  So, it's difficult for me to slow down and do it right.  Like most people, I want quick results.  But, I DO want to do it right, so..... I am consciously and deliberately being ok with only seeing small drops in weight.

That said... over the last couple of weeks I've seen a drop of about 2 pounds.  I think this is on track.  As long as I don't see the scale going up....

During this time, I haven't been exercising much.  We are typically so busy we have a hard time fitting it in.   We went walking once or twice and that's about it.


Thanks for sticking with me - long post, I know!

Till next time, Happy (Vegan) Eating!

Research and Planning

Although we're siblings, David and I have very different personalities.  He is much more analytical and cautious than I am.  He takes after our mother in that respect.  I, on the other hand, tend to jump in with both feet before testing the waters.  When David and I agreed to do this together, I was ready to get started!  Let's do this thing!  Let's get a-move on!

Whoa, Nelly!!

I forced myself to put the breaks on.  First, I want to do this the right way and be methodical about it.  I want it to last, after all.  This is not simply a jump on/jump off the band wagon deal.  This is a life change not just for me but for my brother, too.  This is our lives...and it's important.

So, before getting started there are two orders of business:

1. Planning

2. Health assessments

We're already in the planning stages.  David has been checking out juicers and smoothie machines.  I already have both but he needs to find what will work for him.  

I am very structured and like to have my days planned out if possible.  In that regard, I want to make sure we have good juice recipes.  I need to know where to get our produce in bulk.  I need a daily plan.  For that, I plan to use Joe Cross's daily plan suggestions until I get comfortable enough to plan it out myself.

One of my requests was that we both have a physical.  I want to know exactly where I stand in that regard so I have some very concrete measurements.  David is not so thrilled.  Like our father, he doesn't like doctors.  But, both Mom and I are encouraging him.

My only snag there is that I just started a new job and health insurance won't kick in till July.  I'll have to wait till then to get checked out.  In the meantime, planning it is!

When all I want to do charge ahead!  This is going to kill me!!

On to the planning.....