This blog has been sadly neglected this past month. We have strayed far from our healthy eating goals recently, and I decided to just take a break from the blog and kept hoping that I'd snap back, and once again focus on healthy eating. Never happened.
But this week, we found out that my husband, Chuck, has improved his health and I think it's at least in part due to the plant-based diet. Chuck hasn't been exercising, he hasn't changed anything other than his diet and yes, he does occasionally eat foods not on our plant-based plan. So we were not sure if the changes were helping us or not.
His employer this past week provided a health check right at the office. They had the same program one year ago, and at that time, we saw a lot of room for improvement in Chuck's health. This year, there actually has been improvement! We are extremely encouraged about the effectiveness of the plant-based diet, which we based on the Forks Over Knives program.
Chuck weighed 235 pounds this time last year and, according to the results of this week's testing, he's down to 194 pounds. And that's about all he needs to lose, really, now he just wants to firm up and to do that, he needs to exercise. But he's not planning on giving up on the plant-based diet, either.
His body mass index decreased 2.6 points, from 29 to 26.5. The health care worker doing the check up told him the ideal is 25 or lower, so he hopes to change that. His cholesterol reading went from 160 down to 150, and his waist went from 43 inches down to 40 inches. His glucose (blood sugar) reading showed significant change, down to 73 this year from 142 last year. But Chuck said that immediately before testing last year, he had downed a big piece of sugary birthday cake, so he doesn't get too excited by this change.
The only area that showed no change was his blood pressure. However, his doctor has recently halved the amount of blood pressure medication that Chuck is taking, so I'm taking it as a win -- with half the meds, he's still keeping a healthy blood pressure!
Okay, so that's all well and good and I'm proud of Chuck for sticking with the plant-based diet and seeing real results. But, like I said, this past month, we have pretty much given into our old patterns of fast food and just eating whatever we find in front of us, without thinking about our health.
These great results have encouraged us both to get back on track. We are putting together a grocery list today and we're going to get back to eating healthy. I had actually gained back five pounds (I have lost 25 pounds since changing my diet) but I've lost two of those little devils, so overall, I've gained three pounds. I want to lose those back, of course, and keep my eye on the 50-pound loss I had set as a goal previously. Chuck, as I said, really doesn't need to lose more weight, but he needs to decrease his BMI and he needs to keep everything else under control.
We're trying to set small goals for now, because honestly, baby steps work best for us, but in addition to getting our diet back in shape, we both want to start exercising more (in my case, that would be exercising AT ALL). So I'm gonna hop back on my treadmill, which I just realized last night has been sitting idle for nearly a year!!! When I was walking everyday, I felt better, I was happier, and I could walk with far less back pain. All of that has reversed to the same levels I was at before I started walking. Not good. And Chuck has a very sedentary job in computers, so he doesn't get much exercise either. I'm not sure what he's going to do, but he's also planning to change that, so he can tone up and firm up and regain some strength.
And I'm recommitted to keeping this blog updated. I have some new foods to try, even a new cookbook I'm planning to check out, and I am going to try to develop a better grocery-shopping plan, too. I'll let you know how we're doing on all fronts as the weeks go by. Wish us luck!
Showing posts with label plant-based eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plant-based eating. Show all posts
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Tough times
The past week has been rather hectic and we have slid right back into some of the bad eating habits we had before starting the Forks Over Knives diet plan. We have had fast food twice, restaurant food three or four times and generally struggled to eat well. Not the kind of news I enjoy reporting on this blog, but I can't lie to you all, we are having a tough time being vegans.
All is not lost, of course, because we can just get right back on track at the next meal. One burger from McDonald's has not undone all the good we're doing by eating a plant-based diet. And most of the restaurant food we've eaten has come from restaurants that provide vegan menus. Like I said a couple of weeks ago, we are doing SO much better than we were two or three months ago, I refuse to be discouraged.
Yes, I am a little frustrated that we didn't stick with it, but I'm not ready to give up.
One thing I do that helps me see what I need to work on and where my weaknesses are, as well as what things I'm doing RIGHT, is keeping a food log. It's just a notebook where I list everything I eat, not calories or anything else, just a list of food. And I try to keep track of my emotions and physical symptoms, just to see how those factors are affected by diet.
I also make a quick note of any exercise I do. Because of ongoing back problems, I am starting over, doing a series of stretches every day to get me to the point of walking on a treadmill every day. I need a lot more exercise than I'm getting.
I believe a food log is a good idea for anyone, on a diet, needing to diet or whatever. We do not realize how much food we eat in a day, and some days, we've found that we didn't eat much at all! And surely not enough to get all the nutrients we need. Try it for a week, or even a couple days, write down absolutely everything you eat, then you'll see why it helps us so much.
Basically, with this lifestyle change, I have three goals: First, get healthy enough to be able to reduce the amount of medication I need; second, feel better, physically and emotionally; and third, lose weight. And that is in order of importance. I know I am healthier -- I just feel better for one thing, but I've also been tracking my blood sugar levels and they're significantly lower than they were six months ago.
I've lost over 20 pounds since starting FOK, but I've lost 32 pounds since when I was at my heaviest. That's great, but I do have a long ways to go to feel fit. I have promised myself a little treat (not food!) when I have lost 50 pounds, and I plan to keep those little treats going right until I reach my goal weight.
I will admit that some of my "slips" were more in the form of "little rewards" because I've been so good about watching my diet. Dumb! It's not a reward, it's allowing myself to veer off a path I have set for myself. And I will also admit that every time I've eaten fast food, I ended up with an upset stomach. It is so completely not worth it!
I have managed to resist one thing -- Pepsi. I love Pepsi. Nothing better on a hot day than an ice cold Pepsi. And I haven't had one since I started the FOK plan. It's been incredibly tough at times, because everyone in my family drinks Pepsi. I am drinking a lot of water and iced tea, but it ain't Pepsi. I'm hoping that if I ever do succumb to Pepsi's siren call, it will taste terrible to me. I'm afraid it won't though, so I'm doing my best to just stick to water.
On the positive side of the last week's insanity, we did find a couple new dishes we can make quite easily. We've started using a meat substitute from Yves Veggie Cuisine (available at Whole Foods). It looks and tastes like ground beef that has been browned. It's made of soy and a serving provides 10 grams of protein, which is very important.
Getting enough protein is essential and to eat vegan, one must keep track of their protein intake, even though it's quite simple to get protein from beans and other foods. This week, we used the Yves meatless ground product to make tacos. I could not tell the difference between these tacos and traditional hamburger tacos.
My two nieces were at our house when we cooked these and they both ate two tacos. A sure sign of approval! We also use the meat replacement in our pasta sauce. My husband said it was nice to eat something that was familiar, even though we've enjoyed the tofu dishes and other meatless dishes. We were meat eaters a long time, and we still enjoy at least pretending we're eating meat. That's probably silly, but, hey, it works!
The biggest lesson we've had from this lifestyle is not giving up. Some days I'd really like to just eat a freaking candy bar, and some fries, and a pepsi, then some pizza . . . . and on and on. But I know that what I really want, in the long run, is to reach my three goals: get off the meds, feel healthier, and lose weight.
Reaching my goals is going to be far more rewarding than any candy bar or pizza. Still, if I indulge, I'm not giving up. I'm committed to this lifestyle plan and, along with my husband, I'm sticking to it!
All is not lost, of course, because we can just get right back on track at the next meal. One burger from McDonald's has not undone all the good we're doing by eating a plant-based diet. And most of the restaurant food we've eaten has come from restaurants that provide vegan menus. Like I said a couple of weeks ago, we are doing SO much better than we were two or three months ago, I refuse to be discouraged.
Yes, I am a little frustrated that we didn't stick with it, but I'm not ready to give up.
One thing I do that helps me see what I need to work on and where my weaknesses are, as well as what things I'm doing RIGHT, is keeping a food log. It's just a notebook where I list everything I eat, not calories or anything else, just a list of food. And I try to keep track of my emotions and physical symptoms, just to see how those factors are affected by diet.
I also make a quick note of any exercise I do. Because of ongoing back problems, I am starting over, doing a series of stretches every day to get me to the point of walking on a treadmill every day. I need a lot more exercise than I'm getting.
I believe a food log is a good idea for anyone, on a diet, needing to diet or whatever. We do not realize how much food we eat in a day, and some days, we've found that we didn't eat much at all! And surely not enough to get all the nutrients we need. Try it for a week, or even a couple days, write down absolutely everything you eat, then you'll see why it helps us so much.
Basically, with this lifestyle change, I have three goals: First, get healthy enough to be able to reduce the amount of medication I need; second, feel better, physically and emotionally; and third, lose weight. And that is in order of importance. I know I am healthier -- I just feel better for one thing, but I've also been tracking my blood sugar levels and they're significantly lower than they were six months ago.
I've lost over 20 pounds since starting FOK, but I've lost 32 pounds since when I was at my heaviest. That's great, but I do have a long ways to go to feel fit. I have promised myself a little treat (not food!) when I have lost 50 pounds, and I plan to keep those little treats going right until I reach my goal weight.
I will admit that some of my "slips" were more in the form of "little rewards" because I've been so good about watching my diet. Dumb! It's not a reward, it's allowing myself to veer off a path I have set for myself. And I will also admit that every time I've eaten fast food, I ended up with an upset stomach. It is so completely not worth it!
I have managed to resist one thing -- Pepsi. I love Pepsi. Nothing better on a hot day than an ice cold Pepsi. And I haven't had one since I started the FOK plan. It's been incredibly tough at times, because everyone in my family drinks Pepsi. I am drinking a lot of water and iced tea, but it ain't Pepsi. I'm hoping that if I ever do succumb to Pepsi's siren call, it will taste terrible to me. I'm afraid it won't though, so I'm doing my best to just stick to water.
On the positive side of the last week's insanity, we did find a couple new dishes we can make quite easily. We've started using a meat substitute from Yves Veggie Cuisine (available at Whole Foods). It looks and tastes like ground beef that has been browned. It's made of soy and a serving provides 10 grams of protein, which is very important.
Getting enough protein is essential and to eat vegan, one must keep track of their protein intake, even though it's quite simple to get protein from beans and other foods. This week, we used the Yves meatless ground product to make tacos. I could not tell the difference between these tacos and traditional hamburger tacos.
My two nieces were at our house when we cooked these and they both ate two tacos. A sure sign of approval! We also use the meat replacement in our pasta sauce. My husband said it was nice to eat something that was familiar, even though we've enjoyed the tofu dishes and other meatless dishes. We were meat eaters a long time, and we still enjoy at least pretending we're eating meat. That's probably silly, but, hey, it works!
The biggest lesson we've had from this lifestyle is not giving up. Some days I'd really like to just eat a freaking candy bar, and some fries, and a pepsi, then some pizza . . . . and on and on. But I know that what I really want, in the long run, is to reach my three goals: get off the meds, feel healthier, and lose weight.
Reaching my goals is going to be far more rewarding than any candy bar or pizza. Still, if I indulge, I'm not giving up. I'm committed to this lifestyle plan and, along with my husband, I'm sticking to it!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Vitamix Value
I'm not a cheapskate, really. I like expensive things, like really nice handbags, good shoes, a wonderful restaurant meal. All kinds of spendy things. But when it comes to my kitchen, I get all 1950's housewife-ish and start worrying about my "pin money". I've always bought those $10 mixers at Kmart, $30 blenders at Wally World, stuff like that. Even when I was a Pampered Chef representative, I bought only because I got a discount. Without the discount, I would have been buying their wonderful carrot peelers for $5.
Then, my dad bought a really nice Mixmaster at a garage sale and it was fabulous! I was so jealous! But the odds of me finding a nice Mixmaster at another garage sale were slim. That Christmas, my hubby bought me a brand new Mixmaster! Woot! Woot! It was worth every penny.
So when I started preparing for my new vegan lifestyle, I knew I needed a new blender (I used mine so little that I had given it away!). We wanted smoothies and we did have a nice smoothie machine. But it couldn't handle veggies and denser fruits. Not if you want a really smooth smoothie. My friend Chance, who has been my mentor in all this healthy living, told me his family had a Vitamix and loved it.
I checked it out on the Internet and nearly lost my mind. A Vitamix, brand new, is about $400. That's $400, yes. Wow. And that's just a basic version. There are more expensive versions.
My little 50s housewife thought "Oh, dear! this will eat up all the money I've been saving for a new pair of kitchen curtains!" And then some!
But my husband did some more research and he dug into it and, ultimately, he determined the Vitamix was the way to go. OKAY, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? He really is a cheapskate so this amazed me. He then showed me all the positive reviews the machine got from users, showed me all the capabilities it had, assured me we could afford it, and before long, convinced me we indeed needed a Vitamix.
He found one on Vitamix's website, vitamix.com, that had been reconditioned and check this out -- it was RED! I love red! It cost about $350 but we were determined by then.
When the Vitamix arrived, we were like little kids getting a puppy on Christmas. We praised it's attractiveness, we pored over every detail, we took it for a little test run and then praised it for being so darn smart! One of the first things Chuck made was peanut butter. Just roasted unsalted peanuts, whirled around in the Vitamix then slathered on your toast! We keep it in a jar in our fridge and it is so good!
And of course we make smoothies. Fruit smoothies, fruit and veggie smoothies, green smoothies and even a chocolate smoothie. One night Chuck made orange sorbet and it rocked! In other words, the Vitamix has met every expectation we had and was totally worth the money. It also juices, shreds veggies, blends, does all sorts of handy things.
Please go to the website to check out all the facts and features, but they really are great. And we use it at least once a day, sometimes more. It comes with a great cookbook that you can find on ebay for a whole lotta money. The cookbook tells you how to make soups, sauces, juices, smoothies and many other healthful dishes.
The machine itself is amazing. It's really a simple machine, easy to use, not a bunch of crazy settings. It's easy to clean up, easy to use, just very useful. Of course, a Vitamix isn't just for vegans, it would be a huge asset in any kitchen.
Here's our favorite Vitamix smoothie recipe (pictured above):
Banana, Orange and Carrot Smoothie
1/2 banana, peeled
1 orange, peeled and halved
1 baby carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 cup ice cubes
Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.
See? Really simple! If you're trying this recipe in another blender, you need to chop up your fruit into smaller pieces. You might have to blend it longer, as well.
Then, my dad bought a really nice Mixmaster at a garage sale and it was fabulous! I was so jealous! But the odds of me finding a nice Mixmaster at another garage sale were slim. That Christmas, my hubby bought me a brand new Mixmaster! Woot! Woot! It was worth every penny.
So when I started preparing for my new vegan lifestyle, I knew I needed a new blender (I used mine so little that I had given it away!). We wanted smoothies and we did have a nice smoothie machine. But it couldn't handle veggies and denser fruits. Not if you want a really smooth smoothie. My friend Chance, who has been my mentor in all this healthy living, told me his family had a Vitamix and loved it.
I checked it out on the Internet and nearly lost my mind. A Vitamix, brand new, is about $400. That's $400, yes. Wow. And that's just a basic version. There are more expensive versions.
My little 50s housewife thought "Oh, dear! this will eat up all the money I've been saving for a new pair of kitchen curtains!" And then some!
But my husband did some more research and he dug into it and, ultimately, he determined the Vitamix was the way to go. OKAY, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? He really is a cheapskate so this amazed me. He then showed me all the positive reviews the machine got from users, showed me all the capabilities it had, assured me we could afford it, and before long, convinced me we indeed needed a Vitamix.
He found one on Vitamix's website, vitamix.com, that had been reconditioned and check this out -- it was RED! I love red! It cost about $350 but we were determined by then.
When the Vitamix arrived, we were like little kids getting a puppy on Christmas. We praised it's attractiveness, we pored over every detail, we took it for a little test run and then praised it for being so darn smart! One of the first things Chuck made was peanut butter. Just roasted unsalted peanuts, whirled around in the Vitamix then slathered on your toast! We keep it in a jar in our fridge and it is so good!
And of course we make smoothies. Fruit smoothies, fruit and veggie smoothies, green smoothies and even a chocolate smoothie. One night Chuck made orange sorbet and it rocked! In other words, the Vitamix has met every expectation we had and was totally worth the money. It also juices, shreds veggies, blends, does all sorts of handy things.
Please go to the website to check out all the facts and features, but they really are great. And we use it at least once a day, sometimes more. It comes with a great cookbook that you can find on ebay for a whole lotta money. The cookbook tells you how to make soups, sauces, juices, smoothies and many other healthful dishes.
The machine itself is amazing. It's really a simple machine, easy to use, not a bunch of crazy settings. It's easy to clean up, easy to use, just very useful. Of course, a Vitamix isn't just for vegans, it would be a huge asset in any kitchen.
Here's our favorite Vitamix smoothie recipe (pictured above):
Banana, Orange and Carrot Smoothie
1/2 banana, peeled
1 orange, peeled and halved
1 baby carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 cup ice cubes
Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.
See? Really simple! If you're trying this recipe in another blender, you need to chop up your fruit into smaller pieces. You might have to blend it longer, as well.
Friday, June 15, 2012
A New Leaf
Here’s an idea: Take every thing you know about cooking, about food and set it aside. Then empty your fridge of all non-healthy foods. Then clean out your pantry. Replace those foods with nice, healthy foods. Okay, start cooking.
Could you do it? It sounds pretty simple, actually it sounds exciting! I thought it would be a snap myself, but guess what, I don’t know beans about eating healthy or cooking healthy. I am learning a new language (and Rosetta Stone doesn’t have tapes for this one!), I’m learning new cooking methods, I’m reading labels all the time and, sometimes, I’m making such a mess, I’d kick me out of the kitchen if it didn’t mean we’d go hungry. Because the hubby has no idea what I’m doing either. Nothing new there, I’m rather quirky. But hey, quirky ain’t cute when you’re hungry.
Where did this all begin? It began with my health issues. I’ve been overweight for a long time. It frustrated me at first but after a while, I just thought “Who cares? I have better things to do than diet. I’ll worry about the weight later.”
The thing is, I didn’t really see that extra weight as a health issue. Being fat didn’t feel unhealthy. I didn’t have any health issues. I knew I was having a terrible time finding cute clothes, but I wasn’t worried. My health was still okay. And I was younger - age plays a role here too.
Then, I went through a tough time in my life and had to quit working and stay home. I wasn’t happy about it, but it was necessary. Unhappiness and self-doubt led me to just completely lose interest in cooking.
Well, if I wasn’t cooking, and my hubby has little experience cooking, something was bound to go wrong, right? It did. We became junk food junkies. We ate hamburgers, french fries, tacos, pizza, any junk food, sometimes eating fast food for every meal of the day. And almost no vegetables or fruit.
Of course I gained weight. I packed on 50 more pounds in a pretty short time. And I got older. I started having some health problems. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar. Then I developed a bulging disk in my back, not a weight problem, but it left me with a very sore back and limited my already limited exercise. And the pounds just packed on.
And the doctors prescribed a lot of medication. At last count, I take about 16 pills a day. So, with all those health issues, plus some emotional issues, that’s a lot of medication going into my 50-year-old, not too great body. What would I be like in 10 years? 20 years? The thought scared me, honestly.
Then my friend Chance told me to watch a documentary called “Forks Over Knives”. The documentary promotes the idea that the best way to be healthy is to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet. Even before watching the documentary, Chance had me half-convinced that this was a great idea, because after seeing the movie, his family’s dietary changes resulted in lowering his cholesterol level by 100 points. 100 points! And that happened in about six weeks.
Forks Over Knives showed people who were even more medicated than I am who were able to discontinue all medications just by eating a healthy, whole foods, plant-based diet. Hmm, 16 pills a day or give up meat? A bellyful of pharmaceuticals or a belly full of delicious vegetables?
So we watched the video and listened to Chance and even read a couple books. Then we took the plunge and here we are, eating a (mostly) whole-food, plant-based diet. We have turned over a new leaf (a lettuce leaf, it turns out, but whatever works!)
It’s not all been smooth-sailing and I can guarantee I’ll have more adventures. But two weeks later, I’ve had some success, lost 5 pounds, feel better in general and just knowing I’m eating better makes me happier. But there are some questions: How long can I do this? Will my life-long love of beef derail my plans? Will my husband get sick of legumes, leafy greens and smoothies? Or will we stick with it, and end up healthy, happy and ready to live a nice long life together?
Stick around and find out. Maybe I can help you get through your own switch to a healthier eating style, or maybe I can just make you laugh -- laughter is the best medicine, right? Either way, check out this blog from time to time for updates on my new lifestyle.
Could you do it? It sounds pretty simple, actually it sounds exciting! I thought it would be a snap myself, but guess what, I don’t know beans about eating healthy or cooking healthy. I am learning a new language (and Rosetta Stone doesn’t have tapes for this one!), I’m learning new cooking methods, I’m reading labels all the time and, sometimes, I’m making such a mess, I’d kick me out of the kitchen if it didn’t mean we’d go hungry. Because the hubby has no idea what I’m doing either. Nothing new there, I’m rather quirky. But hey, quirky ain’t cute when you’re hungry.
Where did this all begin? It began with my health issues. I’ve been overweight for a long time. It frustrated me at first but after a while, I just thought “Who cares? I have better things to do than diet. I’ll worry about the weight later.”
The thing is, I didn’t really see that extra weight as a health issue. Being fat didn’t feel unhealthy. I didn’t have any health issues. I knew I was having a terrible time finding cute clothes, but I wasn’t worried. My health was still okay. And I was younger - age plays a role here too.
Then, I went through a tough time in my life and had to quit working and stay home. I wasn’t happy about it, but it was necessary. Unhappiness and self-doubt led me to just completely lose interest in cooking.
Well, if I wasn’t cooking, and my hubby has little experience cooking, something was bound to go wrong, right? It did. We became junk food junkies. We ate hamburgers, french fries, tacos, pizza, any junk food, sometimes eating fast food for every meal of the day. And almost no vegetables or fruit.
Of course I gained weight. I packed on 50 more pounds in a pretty short time. And I got older. I started having some health problems. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar. Then I developed a bulging disk in my back, not a weight problem, but it left me with a very sore back and limited my already limited exercise. And the pounds just packed on.
And the doctors prescribed a lot of medication. At last count, I take about 16 pills a day. So, with all those health issues, plus some emotional issues, that’s a lot of medication going into my 50-year-old, not too great body. What would I be like in 10 years? 20 years? The thought scared me, honestly.
Then my friend Chance told me to watch a documentary called “Forks Over Knives”. The documentary promotes the idea that the best way to be healthy is to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet. Even before watching the documentary, Chance had me half-convinced that this was a great idea, because after seeing the movie, his family’s dietary changes resulted in lowering his cholesterol level by 100 points. 100 points! And that happened in about six weeks.
Forks Over Knives showed people who were even more medicated than I am who were able to discontinue all medications just by eating a healthy, whole foods, plant-based diet. Hmm, 16 pills a day or give up meat? A bellyful of pharmaceuticals or a belly full of delicious vegetables?
So we watched the video and listened to Chance and even read a couple books. Then we took the plunge and here we are, eating a (mostly) whole-food, plant-based diet. We have turned over a new leaf (a lettuce leaf, it turns out, but whatever works!)
It’s not all been smooth-sailing and I can guarantee I’ll have more adventures. But two weeks later, I’ve had some success, lost 5 pounds, feel better in general and just knowing I’m eating better makes me happier. But there are some questions: How long can I do this? Will my life-long love of beef derail my plans? Will my husband get sick of legumes, leafy greens and smoothies? Or will we stick with it, and end up healthy, happy and ready to live a nice long life together?
Stick around and find out. Maybe I can help you get through your own switch to a healthier eating style, or maybe I can just make you laugh -- laughter is the best medicine, right? Either way, check out this blog from time to time for updates on my new lifestyle.
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