Day Twenty-Seven: New Jeans!

I had another terrible night of sleep last night - so terrible that as soon as I woke up, I started looking forward to a 3:15 pm nap. As the day wore on, I managed to get by (I reintroduced coffee into my morning routine) and the need to do laundry began to nag at me. How could I nap and do laundry? Should I attempt to do laundry in the basement of my building, where it's cheap but there are only 2 machines, or should I go to the expensive, aggravating laundromat that doesn't require hauling things down precarious stairs? (I'd have to go there anyway to use their change machine - something that I do more often than I'm proud to admit). 

On my way home, I had an even better idea - since I had 2 items to return in my car and the receipts, I would...GO TO THE MALL! Yeah! Buying new clothes is always so much more satisfying than washing old ones (even though, admittedly, I often go so long between laundry days/dry cleaning pickups that I forget what's in there and I'm sometimes surprised). So on my way I'm all like

I can finally buy actual jeans now that I'm back to my normal-ish size. I happened to be wearing the fat jeans I bought recently and they were all like 

so I got some new jeans (and luckily I never wore the other fat jeans so I can take them back). Yeah,

...new phone on the way, Schoolboy Q tickets purchased, easy work day. I'm going out with Jen in a few, but here's a recap of the day so far (since I will be falling into bed when I get home).

For breakfast I had a banana, coffee, and almond milk.

For lunch I had a Boca chik'n patty with Tofutti cheese and fresh salsa on a TJ's multigrain sandwich thin.

For a snack I had 4 reduced fat Triscuits because my vitamin made me nauseous as hell, as usual. My stomach started growling on my way home from the mall and it was nice to tell myself that no, I could not stop at the McDonald's drive-thru for an early $7 dinner that would leave me wanting something more in an hour (and feeling ill). I had some more salsa and a few blue corn chips when I got home...tried to nap...had a 100 calorie pack of almonds and now...

I guess it's smoothie time and a shower. Then I'm off to Moore's Tavern to creep on our new favorite cover band, The Night Out (second only to The McClures, of course). 

Day Twenty-Six: The Post-Taco Fiesta Continues

On Thursdays, I wear Spanx

I always wear Spanx the day after a taco night. 

I did not let myself eat breakfast today; not even coffee.

For lunch, I had taco salad. It was too embarrassing to take a picture of because it was clearly a bunch of crap I threw together late last night: Romaine lettuce (and I always say, who needs lettuce for taco night?), Spanish rice, vegan burger bits, black olives, guac, fresh salsa, and a little bit of that nasty "cheese" I should just throw away.

I really wanted a snack and I tried to eat my 3 celery stalks plain, but I had to add some peanut butter. I also had a cup of green tea and actually remembered to take my vitamin for once.

My fiesta didn't end there...I ended up at Casa Comida for dinner (and my third Mexican meal in a row). Again, I can only guess at the nutritional content (or lack thereof) of what I ate, but I was surprised at what I ended up being able to eat (both in menu items and amount). 

Of course I had a margarita. I haven't had a marg in ages! Now I'm ready for bed...seriously, I'm typing like someone has a gun to my head because I just want to put on pajama pants and veg (pun intended) out with Daria & Jane. 

I had a little bit of chips and salsa, and I decided to order a full enchilada because I planned to take half of it to work for lunch tomorrow (quatro comidas mexicanas en una fila!). Relax: I omitted the cheese and chose the green sauce and I even told my server that I was vegan, which was the first time I've said that to a server and maybe even the first time I said it out loud without saying something like "I'm on a vegan diet." I had half of a bean and rice enchilada and half of a vegetable enchilada and it came with (safe) refried beans and Spanish rice on the side. And guac, of course. It all tasted too good to be truly safe, but what can I do besides trust my server? It also all tasted too good to save any for lunch tomorrow so now I have taco babies and enchilada babies marinating in my stomach and my body is crying for some kale and exercise. 

Thanks to Jen for coming to the rescue with her camera!

I think this is about right. Back on the horse tomorrow-ish.

Totals	1,372	178	42	40	3,812	20
Your Daily Goal	1,200	150	40	60	2,300	45
Remaining	-172	-28	-2	20	-1,512	25
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Day Twenty-Five: Part Two - Blogging Live from Taco Night! (sort of)

Apparently that new Bad NFL Lip Reading video can motivate me to do anything...I did go to the gym before work today. I did my usual: start out at a half hour, then I upped it to 40 minutes, then I upped it to 60...then I realized that if I stayed for an hour, I'd never be ready for work on time (is there a way to workout without getting my hair so sweaty?!) so I downgraded to 50 minutes with a 5 minute cool down. I burned 426 calories and "ran" 5 miles. I had also hoped there would be some cute guys at the gym before work, but it was all old people who woke up at 4:30, drank their Sanka, and had nothing better to do. 

Today's inspirations:

When I got home, I still had to rush to get ready for work in time (two hour delays always screw me up with time). After a quick shower, I made a smoothie for breakfast: protein powder, greens (which are everywhere in my kitchen, by the way), almond milk, ice, and this time, a teaspoon of vanilla, 3/4 cup sliced strawberries, a banana, and a cup of kale. I basically had to chug it and choke down my supplements as I ran out the door - no coffee today.

Even though I worked out, I knew that today was going to be a total gorge-fest, so I had an apple around lunch time. I didn't even put peanut butter on it! My phone hasn't been working so I wasn't sure what was going on with the pizza plan but I wanted pizzaaaaaa. I finally got ahold of Briele via Facebook and we met at Earth Pizza in Red Bank. 

This is one of those times when I wish I lived in New York, or at least that every place in New Jersey posted nutrition facts. I can only guess what I consumed as I shoved an entire personal pizza in my face (side note: there have been many times when I wished New York did not post nutrition facts, such as when I ate an entire bag of popcorn or guzzled big cup after big cup of Presidente at Yankee Stadium). 

I had a personal pizza with multigrain crust, organic vine-ripened tomato sauce, kalamata olives, roasted red onion, daiya cheese, and vegan meatballs. I could only guess how much of each ingredient was on the pizza and when I put it into My Fitness Pal, it came out to 705 calories and about a gajillion mg of sodium. 

Around dinner time, I stopped "live blogging" and started "gorging incessantly." Taco Night is taken way too seriously to allow for typing time. I kid you not that I wore taco party underwear and spent my day listening to a Spotify playlist called "Taco Cloud."

I don't get it, either

Anyway, I made my standard guac, which I'm pretty proud of. I don't really measure anything out, but this time went something like this: I put 4 cloves of garlic through the garlic press (I could have used more) and chopped up (about?) 1/4 cup of cilantro. Then, I mash together the minced garlic and chopped cilantro into a paste. It helps to sprinkle this with some sea salt and also to crush it with the side of the knife. 

Then, I scooped out four perfectly ripe avocadoes (kudos to Briele) and added them to the cilantro-garlic paste and then mashed that even further with a potato masher. Also into the mix: a chopped tomato, about 1/2 a chopped onion, and lime juice. 

I also prepared Zatarain's Spanish rice, since this is vegan, unlike the Goya Mexican rice that Steve always buys (he just has to have  that chicken fat).

Then, I sprinkled my homemade vegan burgers with some taco seasoning and pan-fried (?) them with cooking spray. I broke them up into smaller pieces so it was kind of like ground meat. 

Vegan vs. turkey

I assembled my first 2 tacos in their standard shells with Go Veggie! Mexican shredded cheese (gross), vegan burger bits, guacamole, black olives, and sides of Spanish rice and fresh salsa from Stop & Shop. My third taco was shell-less. 

I kind of thought about presentation this time

After eating the requirement amount of tacos ("too many"), it was dessert time. Luckily, we picked up some vegan brownies from Earth Pizza, and they were to. die. for. In place of Krispy Kreme apple fritters, I had also picked up some dehydrated Fuji apples. It was exactly the same as eating a donut! (not). Other snacks included a glass of red wine and a glass of champagne, because.

I unwrapped before eating

After consuming 

Totals	2,288	290	75	80	6,016	76
Your Daily Goal	1,626	203	54	81	2,300	61
Remaining	-662	-87	-21	1	-3,716	-15
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

all I have left to ask is

Day Twenty-Five: Part One

Soooooo it snowed last night. Yesterday, we were warned that we may have a two-hour delay and to expect a call/text between 5:00 and 5:30 AM if that was the case. I slept like crap, as per usual, and when I woke up at 5, I figured I would just stay up and take my time getting ready for work. I could hear cars going by at normal speed and when I looked out the window, I saw minimal snow on the ground and none on the roads. 

Luckily Jen texted me to say we got an e-mail that we have a two-hour delay. I posted it on Facebook because...who wakes up and checks work e-mail before Facebook? I never would have checked it at all.

Steve texted me, "It snowed?" and I complained about my early wake-up for no reason. He said "take your roids and come lift." 

I really do have time to go to the gym. I really should go to the gym. It's Taco Night and Briele also wants to go for (vegan) pizza after my PT. But I'd soooooo much rather sit here for 3 hours watching this:

Day Twenty-Four...Bring on More!

This post should be short and sweet, as nothing particularly interesting happened today except I'm either getting that stomach bug or the prednisone is giving me bubble guts. I'm exhausted so as soon as I finish getting my stuff together for tomorrow, I'm going to bed (tomorrow is Taco Night, so I have a lot to get together).

For breakfast I had my Rawjuvenate smoothie, this time with 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, 3/4 cup sliced strawberries, a teaspoon each of vanilla and almond extract, and the usual other stuff. I actually bought K cups yesterday and made a Kona coffee but then I didn't drink most of it. 

For a snack I had a 100-calorie pack of almonds. The 100-calorie packs are for people who are too lazy to portion servings out themselves. Therefore, you pay twice the price for extra packaging/for someone else to portion for you. Yes, I am that lazy person.

For lunch I had leftover vegetable stir fry. I think/hope it was the last container because I'm tired of it. I still have all of that confetti couscous salad to throw out (ugh and some kind of chicken dish I literally made before Christmas. I want to just throw away my whole fridge and start over).

For dinner, I had a vegan burger, which I was dreaming about all day. I made it almost exactly the same way as yesterday, except this time I seasoned it with cumin and used Smart Balance cooking spray instead of EVOO. Sure saved me a lot of calories. 

Sorry for such a ho-hum post today. This is just becoming second nature, so it's no longer interesting. I'm sure I'll eat about 2,000 things tomorrow so that should be a longer post. :)

Totals	1,082	166	29	49	2,710	36
Your Daily Goal	1,200	150	40	60	2,300	45
Remaining	118	-16	11	11	-410	9
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Oh, and one of these days when it's above 15 degrees, I'll make it back to the gym.

Sign this petition!

https://www.change.org/petitions/mcdonald-s-it-s-time-for-a-healthy-meatless-option

My name is Kathy Freston. I'm an author of books like Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness, and some of you may have seen me talking about healthy living and conscious eating with Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Oz, or others on television or in print. I've been fortunate enough to reach millions of people with a positive message, and with this petition I’m hoping to bring a positive change to America with a mainstream meatless option at McDonald’s!

Adding plant-based protein options at McDonald's will appeal to workers out for a quick lunch, families with health-conscious members out to dinner, children on field trips, and anyone looking for something different than the current menu at McDonald’s where even the french fries contain beef flavoring (they don't in Europe, incidentally)! According to a recent survey, more than one-third of Americans already buy meat substitutes for reasons that range from health to ethics! So why not make a meatless option available at one of America’s favorite restaurant chains for everyone to enjoy? Healthy living should be about progress, not perfection, and this is an easy step that McDonald’s could be taking.

Sales of meat substitutes in the U.S. bring in over $553 million a year and visionaries like Bill Gates of Microsoft and Evan Williams and Biz Stone of Twitter are helping fund some of the many meatless options in development for mass markets. Meanwhile competitors like Chipotle have new braised tofu Sofritas, Tropical Smoothie added vegan chicken strips, and Burger King has a veggie burger! That's not even getting into the fact that KFC has vegan chicken in Canada (really, try it!), Subway already has a veggie patty, and McDonald's Canada has veggie wraps!  We Americans love a protein center to our meal, so veggies and salads alone (or even in a wrap) won’t do the trick; we want something hearty and protein-centric just like the burgers and sandwiches you already have, only with something plant-based instead.

In September, McDonald's partnered with President Bill Clinton (who improved his own health by eating plant-based foods) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to make some youth marketing improvements, but still left me and many members of the public wondering about people of all ages looking to lower cholesterol, reduce saturated fat intake, and cut calories. Offering an option that is completely without animal products is ideal, not only for those who don’t eat animal products for ethical reasons, but for those who are lactose intolerant or have egg allergies.

Like many Americans, I’m over this "all or nothing" way of thinking by powerful decision makers in the government and in the corporate world. We need to work together to find positive ways to work towards common goals like eating healthier, farming sustainably, and treating animals with respect. In that spirit, one very simple step can come from fast food giant McDonald's adding a healthy, plant-based item to the menu in the United States. Truly, there can be something for everyone!

Please sign my petition to support adding a healthy, meatless option at McDonald's.

Days Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three

Guys, I'm in love. We'll get to that later. First, let me recap my hellish Sunday.

Sunday was one of those days where I just couldn't eat. THANKS BEERFEST! (On the plus side, this means I lost any of the beer/illicit andouille sausage weight that I gained on Saturday). 

I ended up driving home around 4 AM because I knew it was going to be a rough morning and I wanted to spend that rough morning in my own bed. I steamed myself in a hot shower for 2 hours (I'm not even kidding. Drinking can after can of ice cold seltzer in a scalding shower really helps). Around 7:00, I decided to heat up a slice of Tofutti pizza for breakfast. I was not patient enough to cook it in the toaster oven for 20 minutes as per the instructions, so I microwaved it and ate it all soggy and weird-like. 

Throughout the day, I drank at least 9 waters (including seltzer) and noshed on some Wheat Thins in bed during my Daria marathon (I mostly kept watching the same episode over and over because I kept falling asleep).

I woke up around 9:00 PM and took all of my supplements, then heated up a cup of TJ's low sodium vegetable broth with 1/2 cup of whole wheat couscous in it. I sprinkled some garlic on top, but it was still pretty bland. But that's exactly what I needed. I am leaning very heavily toward total teetotalism because even though I skipped my dose of Cymbalta on Saturday, beer is still not jiving with me. 

Then My Fitness Pal gave me this warning:

Totals	470	83	16	11	808	17
Your Daily Goal	1,200	150	40	60	2,300	45
Remaining	730	67	24	49	1,492	28
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Don't encourage me to go into starvation mode, My Fitness Pal. That weight is basically my goal! Now that I'm toying with the idea of going to the Dominican Republic with Stacey for Easter, I really need to get more vigilant. But I still have 11 weeks to go :)

Now for today!

I had several doctor's appointments, including one with an orthopedist that I had to wait weeks for, so I took off work. I only had time for coffee + almond milk for breakfast before I left. Oh, I did slather my lips with this, too:

Don't look at my gross nails; I just peeled off my gel manicure

Yes, I'm the vegan in the angora sweater with the bacon lip balm.

The appointment took forever. Diagnosis: Hip bursitis (which I could have predicted in November when the pain started) and radiculopathy, which is going to require an MRI and I am terrified. I have to say, I was very impressed with the doctor and the other staff members, though. If anyone needs an ortho in the Central Jersey/Jersey Shore area, hit me up! He and his technician were wonderful. I did have to remove my daith piercing for MORE x-rays and I have yet to get it back in my ear. First world problems grumble grumble grumble. I also turned down a cortisone shot in my hip since I also had to go get 5 shots at the allergist. That was enough.

After the allergist, I barely had time to eat, but I headed to Starbucks. Guess what? Starbucks does not offer any truly vegan products! I got a grande iced coffee with soy milk (since it was a balmy 45 degrees outside) and a Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice salad bowl, which contains honey in its lemon tahini dressing. Oh well. I'm not going to get all bent out of shape about honey. I can't believe I eat this stuff with kale and beets in it. 

Oh wait, I just realized why I had no time to really eat - I wasted a very long time at Target. I had just been thinking about how much happier and cheerful I've been since I went vegan. Typically, I'm the kind of person to scream, kick, and throw things when I'm by myself and pissed off (particularly if I'm driving). However, now that I'm not pumped full of gross meat hormones, I've been very calm. Nevertheless, when I came out of Target and saw that someone had slammed her shopping cart into the side of my (pretty new) car rather than walking three feet to the cart return on the other side of my car, you can bet that I let some F-bombs fly in the parking lot.

Now on to the most amazing meal of today: Dinner. I had been dying to make these vegan burgers for ages and now I just want to live on them. No, I want to live in them. I used a recipe from Vegetarian Times to make 4 burgers. 

Look at the pretty layers!

Into the Ninja went 1/2 cup of cannellini beans, 1/2 cup of black beans, 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots, a cup of coarsely chopped onion, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 3 chopped cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of chili powder, salt, and pepper. I pulsed the mixture until everything was mixed together but not pureed. I checked to see if it was ready to be molded into patties, but the mixture didn't seem quite sticky enough, so I added some of the liquid from the beans (make sure you reserve this liquid when you drain your beans). 

All mixed up

I let this sit (and set) in the fridge for about 30 minutes and then I formed the mixture into 4 1" patties. I preheated a skillet with a tablespoon of EVOO and then heat the patty for 3 minutes on one side, 3 minutes on the other side, 2 minutes on the first side again, and 2 more minutes on the other side - 5 minutes total per side, if you're worse at math than I am.

I put this on top of a slice of Tofutti American cheese on a TJ's multigrain sandwich thin. It got nice and melty. On the other side of the bun, I put a thick tomato slice, some pickle slices, and a healthy portion of Dijon mustard. I put both sides together and holy (non) cow, I went to heaven. 

The patty getting all oily and steamy

Garnishing this heavenly burger

Meet the new love of my life

Today's totals:

Totals	993	117	46	28	2,473	21
Your Daily Goal	1,200	150	40	60	2,300	45
Remaining	207	33	-6	32	-173	24
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Did I mention that I've lost 8 lbs already? (probably). Today when I was getting dressed, I actually looked at myself in the mirror and said out loud, "I love my body." It looks like I can take my fat jeans back to the store since I never even wore them!

Anyway, I've fallen off the smoothie game for the past 3 days, but I've continued with (and upped) the supplements. Time to go wash the Ninja so I can have a smoothie breakfast tomorrow!