From Caitlin: Last April, I decided to become a vegetarian. My decision was the culmination of a lot of factors, but it reading the book Skinny Bitch was the final straw. Although I think the book has some pro's and con's, it was still a very eye-opening read. The more I thought about the ethical reasons for going vegetarian, the more committed I became to the idea. I realized my desire to eat meat - because it "tasted good" - was so small in my desire to do something that was bigger than myself and my taste buds. Vegetarians are not defined by what they won't eat, they are defined by how much they are willing to give up. The sacrifice of backyard BBQs in the summer, Thanksgiving turkey, and hotdogs at baseball games seemed small to me.When I said I was going vegetarian, my husband didn't freak out - in fact, he was interested in my reasons why. We had a big discussion about the differences between a pig and a dog. "How can you hug our dog at night and then wake up and eat a pig?" I asked tearfully. He said he'd think about it, and within a month, he went vegetarian, too.At first, he struggled with the diet and lost a little weight (he didn't have weight to lose). But he figured out how to eat a healthy, filling, "manly" vegetarian diet, and he even put on 10 pounds of muscle weight because he started to lift more at the gym. He looks fantastic and sexy!I'm glad that my husband decided to go vegetarian on his own. If I had "forced" him to do it, I would've felt bad about it. And I think he would've resented me for it. Now, we've had fun on the journey together, eating at new veggie restaurants and trying new foods. I think it made our relationship stronger because we've discussed and debated a lot of ethical and environmental issues.I think there is a need for education in our country about the food system and how it impacts our planet, our bodies, and animals. Our country needs to be better educated about nutrition in general. I think its possible to raise animals in a sustainable way; but we cannot do that with our current level of meat consumption. Perhaps more people would eat less meat-based meals, and we wouldn't have factory farming issues like we do today. We don't judge people who eat meat; it's OK to eat whatever you want to eat. I just wish more people would think about what's on their plate. Even reducing your meat intake a little bit helps a whole lot.
- Caitlin, Healthy Tipping Point
Last night I decided to blow my to-do list off, throw the girls in the car and head over to my friend Janna’s house. I haven’t seen Janna in a looooong time and I couldn’t wait any longer!
The girls had a great time playing with their boyfriend Charlie while Janna made me “vean food.” We munched on yummy strawberries, bananas, hummus, pita and pepper while sipping on homemade sweet tea.
We may have sat on her couch and watched a DVR-ed marathon of 16 and Pregnant. Yes, we are just that cool! 
Lunch today was improvised from an almost-bare kitchen! I’m leaving for New Jersey early Friday morning, so I’ve been rationing my produce and letting certain perishables run dry.
I love my spring roll wrappers because they stay fresh for so long. I topped five with a smear of lentil-based hummus, spinach, bean sprouts, tomatoes and a few hunks of avocado. They were delicious!
Trying to Tri
I can’t end this post without telling you about my at-home-tri workout I did yesterday morning. With a little bit of pre-planning, here’s what went down:
- 3 mi. bike to the gym
- 500 m. swim
- 7 mi. bike home
-4 mi. run
It was so much fun! I was happy when my legs were fresh for my run instead of tired from the other sports. Not only was this workout fun, but it gave me confidence for my half Ironman coming up next month!
What You Eat Why
When I started out to eat healthier (or I guess better), I was already not eating red meat. I had stop eating red meat as a dare in high school during my freshmen year. I won, however it made me nausea every time I smelled red meat or tried to eat it.
Now lets come to present day. About a year ago I stumbled upon a magazine called Oxygen that preached about the CLEAN EATING DIET...you basically are staying away from process foods. I worked as hard as I could to follow this way of life and literally lost 51lb.s of fat all while gaining muscle. I believe that this has truly helped me and will continue to live this way.
-Shevanne
I have to make this quick. I just got home from work and need to get to bed so I can do an at-home-triathlon in the morning!
With a full 40 hours at lululemon and the expo on the weekend, my week was packed. Still, I had to fit a long run in (I’m running the New Jersey Marathon next weekend!) and Saturday morning was the best time.
I worked a long day at the expo Friday and set my alarm for 4:45 a.m. (after going to bed after 11:00 p.m.) to get in at least 18 miles before working the second day of the expo at 9:30 a.m. My attitude was to do whatever it takes, but my body said otherwise when my alarm went off at an ungodly time the next morning. Needless to say, the oversized king bed with freshly laundered linens sucked me in and I didn’t get out of bed until 6:00 a.m.
I began my run much later than planned. I was on a time schedule so I knew I’d have to cut my planned mileage in half, which left me disappointed. I feel like my training lately has been so compromised, even though I make it a priority. Still, I headed out excited to run the streets of a different city.
To cut to the point, the run was terrible. I didn’t have any pre-run fuel other than one Clif shot gel. My left Achilles has been bugging me since the trail ultra and it really hurt on this run. To top it all off I haven’t been able to do yoga for a while or stretch so my body was so tight. I tried to run hard and fast, but it felt like I had a wall pushing against me the whole way. I walked quite a bit and wanted to just quit.
My mind was so into it but my body wasn’t having any part of it. Discouraged I managed to run back to the hotel, making my “run” 9.8 miles total. I felt defeated by running.
Today I told David about my run. I said I was under-fueled, tired and my body didn’t want to run that day.
Then something clicked.
It was just an off day. They happen.
Sure, I’ve had off days plenty of times to know they are a part of training. But when you’re in the moment of a training workout that should be so good and it is so so bad, it is hard to look at the picture. I easily judge my body and stamina by how I am performing right then and there when I need to look outside that box.
When I look at the whole picture I remember I have plenty of days when my body is strong and fast and can run forever. I see that I need to get more sleep than 6 hours a night. I take note of how yoga and stretching help me. I remember I am a good runner, even if this precious long run ended up being a disaster.
The rest of the expo was great!
What You Eat Why
From Julie: I think of eating as a personal journey, not as a destination. My diet is always evolving as I learn more about myself and about food. Currently, I am an omnivore who focuses on vegetables as the main dish and animal products on the side (or not at all). Some days, I eat a full vegetarian diet and some days, I'll incorporate meat.
When I buy animal products, I always do my best to buy organic. With produce, I'm a little more flexible but I try to stick to an organic diet because it's better for my body and for the environment. I have a say in what goes in my body and as Michael Pollan says, every time I buy something, I am "voting" for that particular food. When I buy food, I look at the ingredient list instead of the advertising. I examine it to see how many ingredients a particular food has and if they are all necessary.
Ironically, as many vegetarian's and vegan's will tell you, ever since my diet has evolved to eating more plants, I feel like I've opened up a door to food I never tried before. My diet typically doesn't effect my relationships except by making them stronger. I learn from others and they learn from me. Food is an adventure! Ever since I started eating this way, my body feels great. I have a ton more energy and feel overall healthier.
- Julie from Wearing Mascara
How do you keep motivated through tough workouts?
I am in St. Petersburg, Fl. for today and tomorrow to work the Bondi Band booth at the St. Anthony's Triathlon expo. I used to live very close to this area so it is nice to come back and visit. I made the 2 hour plus drive this morning.
I started the morning with an extra big breakfast since I wasn't sure what/when I'd be able to eat during the expo. I had a ww English muffin with smart balance and an extra large cherry/banana/spinach smoothie with flax and brown rice protein powder.
The expo was outdoors right near the Peir. I was thrilled to get so much fresh air, but that excitement faded a bit when I realized I'd be spending allllll day in the humid heat. It was hot today!!
Can you see the booths in the photo above?
My fridge is running low, so packing food for this trip was a matter of grabbing anything and everything I might possibly eat! There was no planning ;)
Part of my "lunch" was a spinach salad with ginger dressing in a bag. Hey, it worked!
I had an apple and another banana for snacks throughout the expo.
The expo was slower today, so I really had time to chat with the triathletes that visited the booth. Man, triathletes are intense! The tri expo was so much different from a running expo.
I ended up purchasing a Chocolate Chip Clif Bar later in the afternoon. This was a sweet treat that filled me up!
I walked around downtown for a few minutes after the expo. St. Pete is such an interesting city!
After a long day in the sun I about jumped for joy when I saw the plush king-sized bed in my hotel room. Ahhh, I love hotels. I watched some Glee on hulu, blogged and am about to head to bed. I'm waking up super early to get my long run in before expo day 2!
I made dinner right when I got into the room. I improvised with 3/4 c. oats and a banana I had brought along. I used the cup from this morning and a microwave in the hallway to make my oats. The end result was delicious.
I couldn't help but post a few Operation Beautiful notes :)
When I was a baby, I'd spit out my Gerber meat. By the time I entered middle school, I was tossing that stack of circular turkey cuts in my Lunchables and the chicken salad my mom lovingly placed in my sandwiches. I never liked the taste or texture of the stuff, and I honestly have no idea why. I do remember thinking it's gross to eat dead animals. So, at age 12, I became a vegetarian, though I didn't really know much about what that word meant. And though my parents weren't surprised, they weren't exactly happy or supportive either.It was at this point when I first realized that diet -- my own diet, in particular -- can be such a huge issue. I remember my mom actually CRYING about dinners. When we'd go out to eat, the servers would look at me strangely and ask questions like, "So you can eat chicken, right?" In my small hometown, the word "vegetarian" just wasn't part of the vocabulary. My mom didn't want to make me an entirely different meal from the rest of the family. To her, it was simple: I am her child. I should just eat what she and my dad provide for me. Not only that, she also had no idea that just eating veggies can provide enough nutrition -- and choosing to drastically change what I consume at such an important age (yeah, puberty) was not only silly, in her words, but also dangerous.Regardless, night after night, I'd skip the meat. I'd scream. I'd refuse. I'd chew and spit out when no one was looking.Fast forward almost fifteen years . . . to my diet now. I've been through various forms of vegetarianism (eating fish and not). I was vegan for two steady years in college. And now I consider myself a work-week vegan, though I try to stay away from labels because I'd really just prefer to eat what makes me feel healthiest. What works best for my body. For example, when I was totally vegan, I was only just getting into running. When I increased my long run distances beyond 10 miles, I found I was hungry and tired. I know there are vegan ways to eat to respond to this feeling, but adding some dairy and an occasional egg really helped me. So, I changed.But I bet you're wondering "why work-week vegan?" Really, it just helps me make sure I'm eating my fruits and veggies. Otherwise, I tend to eat a ton of bread and cheese. I also enjoy crafting meals and utilizing alternatives so my foods are low in fact, full of nutrients, and easy on my stomach.
I could go on about food for days, but the overall theme is this: I keep my personal definition of diet fluid -- it changes as the demands in my life change. And here's the thing. For me, it's never been about eating a certain way for reasons outside of myself. After all, I am my body. My body is me. And despite if I agree or disagree with the moral, ethical, and environmental implications of my diet, I ultimately eat what makes me feel alive, full, and energized. And I respect the choices of my friends and family for this reason, too. Of course, a healthy, balanced diet is best -- in whatever form that may be -- but, I don't worry about what others think.
Be sure to check out Ashley's blog- love!
Today was closer to the ideal. Everything I took in made me feel delicious. I began the day with a chocolate cherry smoothie with spinach a la Ryan.
About two hours later I had a banana before work.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch purple kale
- 1-2 avocados
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 cucumber (optional)
- lemon juice, pepper and sea salt
Directions:
- Wash all veggies and chop into small pieces.
- In a bowl literally massage everything (particularly the avocado and lemon juice) into the kale. Massage, massage, massage! Your hands will get dirty… or yummy ;)
- Let sit. Everything gets better as it soaks everything in!
- Enjoy!
I couldn’t believe a salad with so few ingredients could be so satisfying! I literally felt healthier as I was eating it. You can’t see any f the toppings in my photo from lunch, but I enjoyed a big bowl on my break.
A kale salad isn’t for the veggie-hater, but it is a delicious nutrition-packed meal for anyone else! The other ingredients being massaged into the kale definitely makes it less bitter.
I also had a KIND bar. The almond and cashew flavor is incredible!!
I swam 1,000 meters and ran 4 miles. I felt strong!
I came home and had six very un-photogenic dates with almond butter. Delicious!!
What You Eat Why
This conversation sparked some interesting thoughts about different diets and the reasons behind them. So, I’ll be showcasing various diets so we can learn more about the way people eat and why. Here’s #1!
Hi, I'm Evan from Food Makes Fun Fuel. On my blog, I describe my diet as "100% natural". But what on earth does that mean? I only eat food with what I would call "natural" ingredients: no artificial sugars, colors, preservatives, or flavors. I do eat meat, but only meat raised without the use of hormones. And I make an effort to eat local, organic, and ethically raised food. I also eat gluten-free as of February 2010 due to a suspected intolerance.
My general food philosophy is to eat the foods I feel comfortable eating. Right now, that's "natural", but I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere soon down the road my definition of comfort food changes. I came to this mindset because I had been eating very artificially(think Fiber One bars and aspartame-laden yogurts all the time) and needed a drastic change. For the past 10 months, this has been letting me fuel happily and healthfully.
When it comes to dealing with others, I have to say "eat and let eat!". I can not control anyone else's preferences, nor do I expect them to control mine. I have no problem with someone enjoying a raw vegan tuna salad so long as they let me cook my grass-fed, hormone-free hamburger(I often do cook all my own meat). That's not to say I don't enjoy influencing people; I've imbued upon my family a love for lentils. If 1 night a week they can enjoy lentils in place of processed pizza from a greasy pizza joint, I take all the pleasure in that. But I have no desire to force them away from pizza if that's what they love.
My favorite thing about my diet is I don't feel artificial--literally; taking in only natural ingredients gives me a sense of wholesomeness and health. But, like I hinted, it might not be my definition of a good diet forever. I do not think red dye #40 or vanillin will kill anyone, even if I haven't had any in 10 months. And there are certainly some natural foods that do not leave me feeling whole and healthy(organic thin mints, anyone?). So a change might be in order. But so long as I always feel comfortable with what I'm eating, I assume I can fuel well (and fun!).
This post on diets and relationships sparked some great discussion today! Make sure to check it out and add your own thoughts in case you missed it. I also added my response toward the end.
The discussion has me thinking about how we all have such different diets and reasons behind them. For some added perspective I’ll be showcasing small pieces written by different people with different diets and their own personal reasons for the way they eat and the way they live. It should be really interesting!!
I rushed around like a mad woman today. A full day of work, a late dinner with Ryan and a ton of little to-do’s and I somehow forget to photograph all my food. Oh well, at least I got the good stuff :)
This morning began with a banana and an English muffin with homemade almond butter.
Lunch was at work- the last of my Sweet Shepherd’s Pie. I froze two servings when I made the recipe to enjoy later. This dish was amazing and I will definitely make it again soon!
Are you interested in reading about other’s diets and their personal reasons behind them?
