I am going to do 21 days of daily yoga practice for February-just 15 minutes a day. I've incorporated a lot of what I discovered in my vegan experience into daily living and shopping habits. I want to continue to explore new ways of being each month.
Actually, I've tried vegan before-and I've done yoga. I guess the new part is a 21 day trial....or something-I don't know.
We are ass deep in snow and some of the critters love it-some don't. This time last year I was laid up unable to walk, snowed in with no working toilet-so this year it is pretty much smooth sailing. You spend a week with no working toilet and a leg injury that does allow you to walk or bend over-THEN you come griping to me about a little snow. I grin from ear to ear each time I sit on the toilet with no pain and feel like shouting woo hoo when I get a good flush-yeah-it's the little things.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Day 20, 21 and beyond
Vegan is tough-I suppose being hard core rigid ANYTHING is tough. It wasn't tough from the standpoint of not having things to eat-it was tough having the appropriate stuff available.
I really do see a difference in aches and pains from less dairy and NO Splenda. I will be taking artifical sweeteners off the menu permanently.
I watched Food Inc. and have downloaded Earthlings. Control of our food supplies is scary, and something we'd all be better off thinking about. The solution is simple-vote with your dollars. I will pay more attention to my own garden this year-try to produce more things I will eat vs. things I just like to watch grow (aka-SAGE).
I will purchase more vegan product and rely less on dairy. I joined a food coop and will be eating free range eggs and focus on locally grown produce. I think that will make me a healthier person and make the economy healthier as well-again-voting with dollars for the kind of world I would like to have.
I really do see a difference in aches and pains from less dairy and NO Splenda. I will be taking artifical sweeteners off the menu permanently.
I watched Food Inc. and have downloaded Earthlings. Control of our food supplies is scary, and something we'd all be better off thinking about. The solution is simple-vote with your dollars. I will pay more attention to my own garden this year-try to produce more things I will eat vs. things I just like to watch grow (aka-SAGE).
I will purchase more vegan product and rely less on dairy. I joined a food coop and will be eating free range eggs and focus on locally grown produce. I think that will make me a healthier person and make the economy healthier as well-again-voting with dollars for the kind of world I would like to have.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Day 16, 17, 18 and 19 of 21
I've made some tasty stuff this week. Caramelized cabbage and soy crumble tacos, a butternut squash soup.
Vegan is easy at home and harder than hell at a sit down restaurant. I'm trying to decide what I want to incorporate on an ongoing basis. I have no interest in always being the deciding vote about where we go eat. I read an article that said vegans and vegetarians often influence the choices for groups. Pfffft. I don't want to be the pain in the ass EVERY TIME.
I am sure I will rely less on dairy and more on soy cheese, almond cheese etc. I'm going to give up my butter habit-that was freaking TOUGH but I see benefit from doing so.
Someone asked me what the point was if I was going to do 21 days and not make LASTING change. I think people are far too rigid-which is why they never ever try anything new. They walk out and declare "I AM A VEGAN" or "I AM A whatever" and then don't talk about it if they change their mind.
I've been cautioned against being thought of as a person who tries too many things-I find that laughable. The key word here is TRY. I hate labels. LOATHE them. I am not any of the things I do. I am not any of the things I try. I continue to do what I enjoy-until I don't enjoy it any longer.
There was once upon a time when I actually loved accounting. Then I loved compliance work-yes it fascinated me. Now I pretty much love hanging out with my dogs and OTP and the cats. It doesn't pay as well, and that is somewhat of a problem but there are trade offs in most things.
Someone this week told me they were "afraid" to try a food. Really=afraid? Cause if you are truly fearful of having a taste you don't like in your mouth for a few seconds then I think you might have bigger problems. It just goes to show how emotional we all are about food. Because honestly-why should I care if so and so is afraid to try a food-yet I did care. See-I can turn those laser eyes on myself too.
I guess the over riding answer for all of this is I don't know any answers-I'm just trying things to see what works and keeping what does and tossing away the rest. If I were planning to have a tombstone-it wouldn't read "She ate meat" or "She ate no living thing".
I won't have a tomb stone-so I took a great deal of thought in preparing Uncle John's. His reads "I Y'am what I Y'am". I don't think he'd mind sharing it with me since I won't have one of my own.
However, after day 21 I might put a little cheese or butter (just a drop)on my yams.
Vegan is easy at home and harder than hell at a sit down restaurant. I'm trying to decide what I want to incorporate on an ongoing basis. I have no interest in always being the deciding vote about where we go eat. I read an article that said vegans and vegetarians often influence the choices for groups. Pfffft. I don't want to be the pain in the ass EVERY TIME.
I am sure I will rely less on dairy and more on soy cheese, almond cheese etc. I'm going to give up my butter habit-that was freaking TOUGH but I see benefit from doing so.
Someone asked me what the point was if I was going to do 21 days and not make LASTING change. I think people are far too rigid-which is why they never ever try anything new. They walk out and declare "I AM A VEGAN" or "I AM A whatever" and then don't talk about it if they change their mind.
I've been cautioned against being thought of as a person who tries too many things-I find that laughable. The key word here is TRY. I hate labels. LOATHE them. I am not any of the things I do. I am not any of the things I try. I continue to do what I enjoy-until I don't enjoy it any longer.
There was once upon a time when I actually loved accounting. Then I loved compliance work-yes it fascinated me. Now I pretty much love hanging out with my dogs and OTP and the cats. It doesn't pay as well, and that is somewhat of a problem but there are trade offs in most things.
Someone this week told me they were "afraid" to try a food. Really=afraid? Cause if you are truly fearful of having a taste you don't like in your mouth for a few seconds then I think you might have bigger problems. It just goes to show how emotional we all are about food. Because honestly-why should I care if so and so is afraid to try a food-yet I did care. See-I can turn those laser eyes on myself too.
I guess the over riding answer for all of this is I don't know any answers-I'm just trying things to see what works and keeping what does and tossing away the rest. If I were planning to have a tombstone-it wouldn't read "She ate meat" or "She ate no living thing".
I won't have a tomb stone-so I took a great deal of thought in preparing Uncle John's. His reads "I Y'am what I Y'am". I don't think he'd mind sharing it with me since I won't have one of my own.
However, after day 21 I might put a little cheese or butter (just a drop)on my yams.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Day11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of 21
Day 14 was vegetarian not vegan-I had some cheese. There might have been something vegan on the menu, but it was late, I was tired, cold and hungry-so damn me, I ate cheese......and I LIKED IT.
But then I just went mad and had a frapucino with whipped cream-and I loved it.....dear cows forgive me-I loved the whipped cream.
Today I just went back to vegan I am going to finish this out, probably eat less dairy because I do feel better and then just take the rest of it as it comes. I don't like labels of any sort and I really find the different types of vegetarians (oh I'm ovo-lacto, I am a ovo-pescetairain-no dairy for me) a little off putting. I honestly don't give a shit what anyone else eats, unless I am preparing a menu-then I care for one meal-that meal.
That probably makes me the cranky gluten free vegetarian type if you want to put a label on it.
One thing I have to think about some more is my Splenda habit. I ditched splenda and went to plain old sugar during this time-and well, I don't eat through a quarter cup of Sugar a day-I easly went through that much Splenda just in my coffee. And, I drink less coffee too.
My thought is that the energy provided by the sugar some how satiates me-so I get by on less coffee. Less coffee means less soy creamer-so the calories might just even out. Or not. I don't know and I'm too lazy to think about it further right now.
But then I just went mad and had a frapucino with whipped cream-and I loved it.....dear cows forgive me-I loved the whipped cream.
Today I just went back to vegan I am going to finish this out, probably eat less dairy because I do feel better and then just take the rest of it as it comes. I don't like labels of any sort and I really find the different types of vegetarians (oh I'm ovo-lacto, I am a ovo-pescetairain-no dairy for me) a little off putting. I honestly don't give a shit what anyone else eats, unless I am preparing a menu-then I care for one meal-that meal.
That probably makes me the cranky gluten free vegetarian type if you want to put a label on it.
One thing I have to think about some more is my Splenda habit. I ditched splenda and went to plain old sugar during this time-and well, I don't eat through a quarter cup of Sugar a day-I easly went through that much Splenda just in my coffee. And, I drink less coffee too.
My thought is that the energy provided by the sugar some how satiates me-so I get by on less coffee. Less coffee means less soy creamer-so the calories might just even out. Or not. I don't know and I'm too lazy to think about it further right now.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Day 9 and 10 of 21
I don't feel right about complaining about the weather when we are just cold and I know people buried in snow-but DANG-it's cold.
I brought home 3 project dogs-2 young male pups and an older female-chihuahuas-and potty training in 14 degrees is not fun. Pancho, Lefty and Dixie are handling it better than I think. It does make them appreciate a cuddle when I go to bring them in-bonding assistance. Silver lining I suppose.
Marilu Henner called and left a recorded message for me as part of the vegan kickstart. Yeah, I know it was a recordng and I know it was more to plug her book-but you know what-I LIKED it. I was at staples and I got to turn to a stranger and say "Wow, Marilu Henner just called."
I know some pretty accomplished peopled-but they are usually people known within a small circle of people-not folks that the lady in the Staples aisle would know. So, I was chuffed. I even remembered to post it on Facebook.
Today I am making fuzzy melon soup and will contemplate cooking next week as opposed to my current strategy of buying healthy vegan fast food. It's still cheaper than a trip through the drive through, and much healthier-but how hard can it be to cook a pot of rice? EGADS-does this mean I am contemplating giving up my precooked rice too?
Yeah-I know I'm lazy in the kitchen-the best strategy for me has been to make easy to heat healthy food available-and that's been a good start. But I think I could do better.
I brought home 3 project dogs-2 young male pups and an older female-chihuahuas-and potty training in 14 degrees is not fun. Pancho, Lefty and Dixie are handling it better than I think. It does make them appreciate a cuddle when I go to bring them in-bonding assistance. Silver lining I suppose.
Marilu Henner called and left a recorded message for me as part of the vegan kickstart. Yeah, I know it was a recordng and I know it was more to plug her book-but you know what-I LIKED it. I was at staples and I got to turn to a stranger and say "Wow, Marilu Henner just called."
I know some pretty accomplished peopled-but they are usually people known within a small circle of people-not folks that the lady in the Staples aisle would know. So, I was chuffed. I even remembered to post it on Facebook.
Today I am making fuzzy melon soup and will contemplate cooking next week as opposed to my current strategy of buying healthy vegan fast food. It's still cheaper than a trip through the drive through, and much healthier-but how hard can it be to cook a pot of rice? EGADS-does this mean I am contemplating giving up my precooked rice too?
Yeah-I know I'm lazy in the kitchen-the best strategy for me has been to make easy to heat healthy food available-and that's been a good start. But I think I could do better.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Day 7 and 8 of 21
Day 7 involved the flu that came on the latter part of day 6. I first thought it was the cold front making me achy-but then the sore throat started and even my eyes began to hurt. Oh yeah houston, we have a flu.
I took the shots but something always slips by them it seems. In spite of all my caterwalling it was most likely Flu Light-I was really achy and cranky and then I slept for most of Sunday. Today I feel like I have HAD the flu vs I HAVE the flu-so that's a good sign too.
The Tofu/Eggplant I got from Dot Wo's was my snack project for the weekend-that stuff is better cold than it is hot-and it gets better each day that passes.
My stomach still feels "odd" which I think is from the lack of dairy. I really do eat more dairy than a person ought to-and I will try to be more mindful of using substitutes. Tofu cream cheese really is just as tasty as cream cheese.
I wonder if some of my vitamin absorption problems don't stem from having a colon covered with -OH_KJ_STOP RIGHT NOW PLEASE.........Never mind. I am not going to finish that thought-just restate that I eat too much dairy and need to work on that.
Oliver the parrot does NOT like tofu-it looks like cheese cheese cheese but is not-and he isn't fooled and he has spoken. NO tofu for OTP. He does like hummus chips and pappadums (lentil chips)-but does not like soy chips-he's just not a soy fan I guess.
He's started his January molt so I'm giving him more nuts and of course his favorite remains CASHEWS...you wanna CASHEW? HUH? YES? CASHEW CASHEW CASHEW. He pretty much approves of the 7 day vegan thing-except, of course, for the soy.
I took the shots but something always slips by them it seems. In spite of all my caterwalling it was most likely Flu Light-I was really achy and cranky and then I slept for most of Sunday. Today I feel like I have HAD the flu vs I HAVE the flu-so that's a good sign too.
The Tofu/Eggplant I got from Dot Wo's was my snack project for the weekend-that stuff is better cold than it is hot-and it gets better each day that passes.
My stomach still feels "odd" which I think is from the lack of dairy. I really do eat more dairy than a person ought to-and I will try to be more mindful of using substitutes. Tofu cream cheese really is just as tasty as cream cheese.
I wonder if some of my vitamin absorption problems don't stem from having a colon covered with -OH_KJ_STOP RIGHT NOW PLEASE.........Never mind. I am not going to finish that thought-just restate that I eat too much dairy and need to work on that.
Oliver the parrot does NOT like tofu-it looks like cheese cheese cheese but is not-and he isn't fooled and he has spoken. NO tofu for OTP. He does like hummus chips and pappadums (lentil chips)-but does not like soy chips-he's just not a soy fan I guess.
He's started his January molt so I'm giving him more nuts and of course his favorite remains CASHEWS...you wanna CASHEW? HUH? YES? CASHEW CASHEW CASHEW. He pretty much approves of the 7 day vegan thing-except, of course, for the soy.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Day 5 and 6 of 21
Not sure where yesterday went-I was busy and meant to post and never did. Ah well. My favorite Chinese place, Dot Wo, worked up a tofu dish for me that was awesome and I've been eating on it for two days now.
I seem to be a little more acid sensitive since I am not pounding down the dairy. I can't say that I am cranky because I haven't cut out sugar or carbs (that always makes me really cranky) but I do not feel like accepting a bunch of foolishness either.
It's a bizarre feeling-I can't say that I get mad easily-but I do speak up more easily about things. I have no idea what, if anything that has to do with meat or animal products. Maybe it has more to do with turning 50.
I also seem less likely to try to explain my point of view. If I need to, I can and well, but if it's something that ultimately I have to decide I'm ok with just deciding and saying "ok I hear you" if someone disagrees. People seem to spend an awful lot of time espousing their points of view and very little time acting on them.
I'm trying to talk less/do more which is great because it turn that gives me something to write about. I write better about what I just DID than what I'd like to do.
Today I went with Bandit (a chihuahua pup) to pick up our raw meat order. At the meat truck I bartered some chicken hearts for some ground chicken (a lady needed the hearts and I had the only bag, which I did not need). I felt like a modern day cave woman-and it was a weird thing to do during my 21 vegan days.
I don't mind being a little odd. My dots will connect eventually.
I seem to be a little more acid sensitive since I am not pounding down the dairy. I can't say that I am cranky because I haven't cut out sugar or carbs (that always makes me really cranky) but I do not feel like accepting a bunch of foolishness either.
It's a bizarre feeling-I can't say that I get mad easily-but I do speak up more easily about things. I have no idea what, if anything that has to do with meat or animal products. Maybe it has more to do with turning 50.
I also seem less likely to try to explain my point of view. If I need to, I can and well, but if it's something that ultimately I have to decide I'm ok with just deciding and saying "ok I hear you" if someone disagrees. People seem to spend an awful lot of time espousing their points of view and very little time acting on them.
I'm trying to talk less/do more which is great because it turn that gives me something to write about. I write better about what I just DID than what I'd like to do.
Today I went with Bandit (a chihuahua pup) to pick up our raw meat order. At the meat truck I bartered some chicken hearts for some ground chicken (a lady needed the hearts and I had the only bag, which I did not need). I felt like a modern day cave woman-and it was a weird thing to do during my 21 vegan days.
I don't mind being a little odd. My dots will connect eventually.
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