Vegan in Review

In place of my regular post about today’s eats, I’d like to talk about what veganism has been like for me so far.

Almost three weeks ago I decided to go vegan (after being a vegetarian for 9 years) after a good talk with Ryan. The week after my decision I saw Food, Inc. which really made going vegan so much more important to me.

I don’t have any doctor’s results to share, and it has only been three weeks, so here is my casual review of what veganism has done to me so far.

Stomach- One of the main reasons I changed my diet was the horrible stomach pains I had been experiencing. All stomach pains went away within a few days of eliminating animal products.

 

Food- My food has been so much more fresh, healthy and whole. I’ve tried amazing  vegan dishes in my own home and out that I would have never tried otherwise.

Cooking- Before I had a few dishes I would rotate. Now, I am using cookbooks and my own creativity to come up with yummy meals and snacks. I don’t think I’ve had the same meal twice!

Freedom- This  might seem contrary to what veganism is, but by removing all animal products from my diet, I actually feel more free. I feel empowered when I cook and eat food and I’m getting more excited about it now than ever before.

Energy- Before I was so tired all the time. Now, I have much more energy and have no problem staying awake in the evening. I sleep better, too.

 Skin- My skin seems brighter and more even-toned.

Complexity- Eating vegan has been unbelievably simple. The transition was definitely easier for me since I was already a vegetarian

Cost- Vegans win :) A can  or bag of beans will always be cheaper than yogurt, cheese or meat! Although I have been spending more on quality produce, so I think it evens out.

David- David has been eating so many vegan and vegetarian dinners. The food is whole and filling and he seems to like it.

 

Weight- My weight has not changed.

Cravings- I have no cravings for animal products. A while ago I did eat some cheese (and my stomach hated me for it) and it was out of habit, not craving.

Overall- Veganism has been great. I feel better, I am eating better and my actions are good to animals and the environment. I am most surprised at how easy it has been. I plan on continuing eating a vegan diet.

Finding the Culprint

My belly has not been happy lately. Painful cramps, uneasiness ...and a slew of fun things that we are just going to skip over ;)... I've had to resort to medicines more often than I should.

I know this is not how I was created to live life although I can't seem to pinpoint the cause of all the stomach upset. I suspect a few causes but have no proof.

So I am thinking of spending the next several weeks after I am officially moved in playing around with my diet to find the culprit.
It would go something like this:

Each week I will maintain my normal diet while eliminating one aspect. If that week is pain-free, I'll be closer to figuring out what is causing my problems. Easy enough.

I currently follow a vegetarian diet.

Week 1: Dairy

Week 2: Soy

Week 3: Added sugar

Week 4: Gluten

Week 5: Artificial sweeteners

Week 6: Processed foods

I'm open to suggestions- do you have nay ideas? Do you have any food allergies or food aversions? How did you find out about them?

When Maintaining is Not Enough

I shouldn't be writing this. I am frustrated and severely lacking motivation. But I work hard to make this blog real- all of my ups and downs in striving to be "healthy ashley." So I write tonight to represent women who are frustrated when their hard work just doesn't pay off.

Tonight I used the LifeCenter at my gym (a small booth that measures and tracks weight, cholesterol, heart rate, body fat, etc.) before my appointment with my personal trainer. End result: the numbers are the same as two months ago. All the numbers are the same. Even body fat- so it's not like I've just "gained muscle."
I feel great. I'm happy and strong and feel tight all over (woohoo!). But I am over the weight I should be. I don't fit into my normal jeans-- and I really don't fit into my skinny jeans.

So I get new workouts from a personal trainer every week, exercise as much as I can, limit my calories and eat mostly whole foods. Yet I maintain. It pisses me off.

Really I know I need to hit the calorie range 1400-1500 each day and I will lose, but right now I'm really upset that the things I'm doing already should be working... yet nothing changes at all.

So tonight I cut my workout short, ate a bowl of cereal and am going to bed without cleaning the house.

So when you're fed up and need to quit for the day, it's okay. You're not alone. Tomorrow I will think of my half marathon in January, how strong I am from my new workouts and the nutrients I consciously put into my body each day. But tonight I am pissed that every stupid number stayed the same. And my jeans still won't fit.

I promise

...to be a more consistent blogger.

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It seems I either have plenty of time and nothing to say or no time at all and tons to talk about!!! (We're in the no time phase right now!)

I finally joined a new gym in my area. I left the YMCA last month when I moved into my apartment. I've really been missing my strength training and group fitness classes.

I thought I was a YMCA fan, but now I'm ashamed to say I've been anywhere other than Lifestyles!

-classes up the ying yang
-cardio.. gosh, 3x the amount of the Y
-Strength!! Three sections! The two sections with machines include 4
different brands. You use your favorite!
-Flat screen TVs with full cable in front of cardio machines (I go just to catch the cable!)
-TVs EVERYWHERE!
-Awesome friendly personal trainers- just about all of them have at
least a BA in fitness
-Personal dressing rooms
-SAUNAS in the mens and women's bathrooms!!!!
-3 free personal training sessions
-(This is awesome!!)*** This little booth (there are a few of them in
the facility) that takes your weight, body fat percentage and other
stats and keeps track of the numbers (you swipe your card so it knows
who you are). You can them log online and view all of your progress! Here you can also set goals and sign up for classes.
-Complete unlimited access to ANY other Lifestyles.

Tomorrow I am going to a 6 a.m. spinning class because 1. if I don't start classes now, I'll put it off forever and 2. that's the only time I can do it! 6 a.m. is really early, but I can do it!

I park in a parking garage and work out next to Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor and Anthropologie. Seriously, could this get any better?! I am loving living in South Tampa!

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Motivation/Intimidation:

South Tampa is this really cool, trendy area right next to the city. Most of the people in this area are wealthy. Yesterday I parked between a Bentley and a Porsche when running into Publix. Also, these people are gorgeous. They go grocery shopping in outfits straight from Glamour. Just about everyone is a size 4. I swear. I know these people work for their shape because the streets are constantly flooded with runners and the gyms are plentiful. To give you an even better idea of what I'm talking about, the Tampa Bay Bucs Cheerleaders rehearse at my new gym.

While having people at their very best all around me all the time is often quite encouraging (go for that extra 10 minutes on the stair climber!), it is also quite intimidating. Usually I'm all about the "I think it's cool if I don't look just like everyone else" attitude... but sometimes I want to be an insecure girl. But really, what better motivation is there than standing next to women with these bodies on the gym room floor?

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I'm not completely "back" yet. I weigh 5 pounds more than I am comfortable with and 13 pounds more than my goal. Too much jiggle in my wiggle.

But I am back in the exercise swing- I love this. Exercise is such a stress-reliever and mood-booster... and I'm addicted! (Cheesy, I know!) The eating is beyond bad. My increase in exercise has shot my appetite up. There was a binge. I have made very unhealthy choices. Bad, bad, bad.

But tomorrow (seriously- in 2 hours), I am starting new. David is going to hold me accountable and I'm doing 9 days of clean food. Tomorrow I might be grouchy because of this, but I will feel so much better in a few days. I'll report back!!

Better Than Ice Cream?

It's officially summer. Here in Tampa we are hitting the high 90's on an everyday basis. Every afternoon I crave something creamy and refreshing. I just need something to hit the spot. You know- something cool, creamy, sweet, refreshing.. and healthy?

Here is a (growing!) list of some healthy options to turn to when the heat is on! I've combined a few reviews of products I've tried recently in the list.

- Frozen banana w/ smear of PB and cinnamon (peel, slice in half and places bananas in plastic bag in freezer- great pre-workout snack!)
- Club soda with a slice of lime/orange/lemon
- Fage/Oikos w/ blob of fruit preserves
- Fruit smoothie w/ peach, yogurt, ice and splash of milk or juice! (Speaking of smoothies...Just tried Smoothie King's Angel Food today! Perfect!)
- Blended iced coffee w/ 1/2 frozen banana
- 100 cal. Slim-A-Bear Ice Cream Bars (I just tried a box of these. They are a good size and taste exactly like the regular sandwiches! Yum!)
- Handful of frozen peas (seriously addicting)

Please leave your yummy heat-relievers in the comments! Enjoy!

Hola!

I've been tagged to share a few things about me.. and I promise I will! I'll try for tonight.

Right now I am consumed with work, classes and looking for a place to live! Also, my computer broke and had to be sent away. It just cracked all of the sudden. Weird!

BUT, I had to fill you in on my 20 day challenge.

1. I am doing my clean eating/slight detox plan. I've put myself down for 20 days to rid myself of processed and junk foods. Yesterday was Day 1. I slipped a few times (hello, habits!), but today is 100% on so far! The key is planning.

2. I've fallen off the exercise wagon and can't get back on! When I'm exercising, I LOVE it. I make it a priority everyday because I know how good it makes me feel. But when I don't get one good exercise in for 3 days, I have a lot of trouble getting back into it. Right now I am not into it. As a result, I am lethargic and moody. I'm going to try to hit the gym for a good session tonight, but I also want to create a structured plan to go along with my eating challenge. I'd like to incorporate strength (upper, lower and abs), running, a bit of other cardio and Pilates once or twice a week.

So that's where I am. YAY on food, NOOOO on exercise. Maybe I'll devise an exercise plan by tonight and post it along with my response to the tags!

Goodness

I got a raise!

With the extra funds from my raise + money saved from gas, I can now afford to comfortably move near my work. This would end my 3-hours each day commute. I will be within a mile from work (and gyms, awesome restaurants, movie theaters, the Florida Aquarium, historic districts, SOHO and more!) and about 10 minutes from my school. I am so excited about this.

1.I will be able to walk more places and leave my car behind.
2. I will have an extra 3 hours! each day. (Hello, morning workouts and afternoon runs!)
3. Living solo will make me more accountable for my sleep, activity and eating habits. Everything I put into that kitchen and eat will be my choice. Hello, Whole Foods (5 minutes down the road!)!!

I don't have an exact place yet, but 'll keep you posted! =)

This is Bayshore, .5 miles from my work. I love running this!

About The Plan. I'm giving it 2 weeks hardcore to start. Monday May 26- Sunday June 8. It will be clean eating, a set bedtime and a guideline for exercise. This isn't about limitations- it's about treating my body to what makes it feel great! More to come!

Addicting!

Stop the madness!

Yes, this is madness. I have fallen into this cycle. Headstrong and going great for a few days, when X happens (family stress, money, old habits, big event, pressure) and Boom! I mess up. And I mess up baaaaadddd. So I mess up a bit more, skip my exercise and go to bed. I wake up and woah! I feel like crap. My clothes fit even less and the scale is giving me an ugly number (I will ready my scale every morning. I am obsessive- don't even challenge me on this!). So I plan on letting it not defeat me.. but a tiny temptation/pressure/stress comes and goodbye! Downward spiral. So I do that for a few days, regain my burst of motivation and I'm back on track. For a few days.

You see, I am fantastic when it comes to setting goals, crunching numbers, talking about it and even great when it comes to getting to the gym. But when one ounce of stress/pressure/an event comes into my life, I crumble.

I believe we program our bodies with the way we eat. I plan on doing a month of clean eating/light detox to reset my habits, but that will have to be after my picnic on Saturday. (I'm being realistic here.) But tomorrow... TOMORROW... "I'm craving this!".. "But we're all going out to eat!"... "It is my favorite food!" .. "But the container is open!"... "One bite won't hurt."... "Nobody will ever know" ..and.. "I don't have to tell the bloggers!" will not work.

100% clean tomorrow. THAT'S IT! Pressure me here, people. Tell me to cut the crap. To stand up for what I want. Tell me that I do not have to have 2 pieces of that cake just because it is there!

Detailed plan and take-no-excuses tactic to come.

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Feelin' Good!

This is my lovely puppy last night. I can not get enough of her! The tongue sticking out? Yeah, that's how she usually sleeps!


Of course I took advantage of Dunkin Donuts' Free Iced Coffee Day! I quickly stopped in after work and before class. I don't like the service much at DD. They move me along so quickly and I never understand what I've just ordered. Sometimes I'd rather give a few extra dollars to Starbucks and be treated special. I am all about customer service. (But the coffee was goood!) Make sure to get your Iced Coffee before 10 p.m.!

And thank you everyone again for your comments a few days ago when I was feeling down. I have since hit the gym and planned my diet with mostly clean foods. My mood perked up right away and I'm feeling in control, healthy and psyched to reach my goals! I've also joined SparkPeople to aid me a bit. I've found that the more involved I can get, and the more obsessive about something I can be, the better I do. Weird, but that's how I am. Some people need to not think about it (weight, calories, etc.), but thinking and planning and number-crunching and imagining is what makes me tick. Yay!

I hope you all are having a fantastic Thursday. Friday is right around the corner!