Finishing what I started here and continued here and here with vintage photos for people who don't like reading. For really good info, go visit Robin's blog, Lean To the Sun.
Gross but allowable food.
Ashley said:
What about the convenience factor?
I take a couple of hours once a week and cut up a bunch of vegetables so that I have them ready to go when I need to grab something. I make dishes that save well so I can reheat them when I need to. Finally, I try to always have a pizza ready in the fridge. I make it with whole wheat dough that I purchase, sauce, and seasoned vegetables. I cut it into fourths, wrap them in foil, and then I can grab one when I'm in a hurry.
I also precut stuff like pineapple because I like to store it in the fridge and snack on it. A baggie of frozen fruit is also refreshing.
Oreos. Off plan.
What about when you are out running errands and you get hungry?
Since I'm not as hungry as I used to be, hunger doesn't happen as much as it used to. I keep a can of almonds in my car for emergencies, and I can always buy an overpriced and underripe apple at the gas station.
Beer (not really). Off plan.
How do you deal with the social factor?
Good question. First of all, if people don't know about my plant based food thing, they don't usually notice what I eat or don't eat. If they do know, then it makes me accountable. If there is social pressure to partake, then I have a bite or two and it is fine. I do decide in advance if I'm going to eat a special meal, and then I do it with no regrets. Tomorrow I'm going to a restaurant in Sonoma called Bistro Don Giovanni and if there's something there I can't live without, then c'est la vie.
Clam Chowder. Off plan.
Isn't preparing veggies hard and time consuming?
Yes to both. I've spent some time researching vegetable prep on wikipedia and you tube. I bought myself a new knife as a prize.
Chinese food from China. On plan. I'm supposed to read the China Study book but I haven't yet. Someone please summarize for me.
When you say it makes you feel better, what exactly do you mean?
It's hard to describe. Claire noticed that I had more energy at the end of the day. I really felt the effects more when I went off of the diet when I was traveling in October. I felt sluggish and super moody when I was hungry.
One thing I've noticed is that I'm not obsessed with where my next meal is coming from anymore. My husband sometimes forgets to eat and I could never imagine such a thing. Now sometimes I have to force feed myself so that I won't be out of control hungry later.
Pomegranate. On plan.
Cheese. I miss the tangy, melty mouthfeel. I tried putting nutritional yeast on some stuff for added bite, but it wasn't that great. I also tried soy cheese, but I'm over it. I have a brick of goat cheese in my fridge that calls my name. I should get rid of it.
Thrifty ice cream. Off plan.
Gabi said... Have you lost any friends along with the weight? I've heard that happens.
I don't think so.... My friends have been really supportive and they have been patient with all of my weight loss idiosyncrasies. I think they are happy for me. Maybe I've lost friends, but it's been a long and slow process and they've had time to weed themselves out!
Lays. Off plan.
Sally said....
What does your husband think about it? Your siblings and parents? Kids?
My husband is completely in favor of the plant-based diet. For years he has struggled with the fact that we followed some of guidelines in D&C 89, but not these parts:
12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
Carl would be fully on board if I wasn't cooking meat for the kids. Frankly, I'm too lazy to fix him a different dinner than everyone else. He likes having the produce around. His only complaint is the excess of dishes I produce now.
My kids think a lot of my food is disgusting. Especially the spinach shakes. They are really picky. Maybe they will learn by osmosis.
My extended family is sort of interested. They've suffered and jumped on the bandwagon with other diets but this one requires a giant leap. It's really hard for me to stay on track when I'm at my parents house. Especially with baked goods.
Corn dog. Off plan.
Have you met other people IRL who eat this way? New friends?
No, no new people. I'm a little wary of the animal loving vegan community. I would like to know some people that I could share info with, though. I do have one friend who is following a similar diet and it is nice to compare notes. And then I have a couple who are just starting, which is very exciting.
Watermelon. On plan.
Sample menus, please. That is always very interesting.
Do you think you'll stick with this for life?
I will stick with this until January. I hope I can do it the rest of my life but I can't predict longer than that. At first, six weeks seemed like an eternity.
Cigarette and flask. Off plan.
What are your top three favorite vegetables and how do you prepare/eat them?
- Sugar snap peas, raw. I like sugar even in vegetable form.
- Zucchini. It is good at soaking up marinades and it grills well.
- Raw celery and red peppers. I like dipping them in hummus or refried beans and salsa heated up.
One more menu:
Breakfast: quinoa, berries, nuts, and almond milk.
Lunch: whole wheat tortilla, refried beans heated with mango salsa. Avocado and cilantro added. Small salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, cilantro dressing.
Snacks: 1/8 cup wasabi peas, spinach shake, raw veg and hummus, apple. I graze all afternoon.
Dinner: Small bowl of leftover roasted vegetables warmed up with tofu. Broccoli. 2 squares of dark chocolate because I can't cure myself.
This concludes the question and answer portion of Blogging About Food and Weight Loss. Please proceed with your usual programming. I plan on putting this series on my sidebar if I can figure out how. The posts are all labeled "where's the beef."
I am considering starting an email group for people who are starting or are doing the Eat to Live program. It would be like a forum where everyone could contribute. I'm nervous about doing it, though because it would be One More Thing. If you are interested, email me or leave a comment on this post.
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I also need to know what food you miss the most...