ready for change....

Share a great recipe or restaurant, ask a question about how to cook something, or mention a good ingredient substitute or packaged food.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

ready for change....

Postby veganlady » Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:35 pm

Hello all, thank you for sharing your journies on this forum - reading them has helped me get focused and inspired.

I have eaten vegetarian for periods of years at a time over the course of my life, and more recently eaten what I called "vegan plus cheese". No meats, eggs, milk/yogurt/ice cream, or fish. But I could not let go of the cheese, and that along with some bad vegan junk food habits (Oreo cookies are vegan!), my weight and health has not fared well.

I have about 40 pounds to lose; as an adult I have never had cholesterol lower than 200, so I have overall health issues to improve, but arthritis is probably my biggest health concern.

I have struggled with osteoarthritis for almost 10 years, and have found some relief by avoiding animal proteins. I turn 50 next month, and have already have had a hip replacement due to degenerated joint from arthritis. As the arthritis in my other hip progresses, I want to lose my excess weight as quickly as possible to take pressure off my joints, thus delaying having to replace that one as well. So, I am hoping to follow to most careful MWL approach.

I have never journaled or posted online, so I'm looking forward to this experience - here I go!!
Image
veganlady
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: ready for change....

Postby giddyupgin » Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:45 pm

Welcome veganlady...look forward to your journey on this WOE.....
Have a great ride as we ride through life...
from giddy up gin <^__~~ Wooo....hooo...
Image

http://www.windowpanearts.blogspot.com
http://www.giddyupgin.blogspot.com
User avatar
giddyupgin
 
Posts: 643
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Montana

Re: ready for change....

Postby veganlady » Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:06 pm

Weird day today - I felt like I was soooo hungry, but each time I actually ate, I could only finish a half to 2/3 of what I thought I should be having. I just stopped when I was full. I've been in the habit of weighing myself daily, and I probably should stop that, but again, a bit of a compulsion.

Today's meals:

B: 3/4 cup brown basmati heated with a little rice milk and a banana
L: miso soup (w/mushroom, green onion, diced potato, no fat)
D: steamed spinach and onion with brown rice, sweet potato, veggie and greens salad with no oil vinaigrette (only finished half of this)

E: short walk (1.25 miles) with the dog - I have a bad cold, and that was about it for today.

* was not remotely interested in the cheesecake my husband ate - one of our girls made it.

I'm loving reading everyone's posts - so helpful and motivating! Thank you!
Image
veganlady
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: ready for change....

Postby veganlady » Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:58 pm

I think today went pretty well, I had a great weight loss on the scale this morning, so it motivated me a lot! I needed to see that this WOE actually is working for me.

E: 3 walks, 1.25 miles each - it was SUPER windy here, so nothing like a little uphill against the wind for a good workout.

B: brown rice; a little rice milk, cinnamon, banana
L: about a cup of McDougall black bean soup with carrots and half a sweet potato added
S: raw veggie salad (onion, peppers, carrots, lettuce) w/vinaigrette
D: sauteed (in veg broth) onion, zucchini, red peppers, corn, about a cup of brown rice w salsa mixed in.

This feels like soooo much food, but I think it all works with the MWL plan.

I'm trying to have an "ah-hah" moment every day, at least for a while. Today's was that I always thought "I'm not a breakfast person", but I think that was because I ate too much too late at night, so didn't feel great in the morning. With just a few days in of good eating, I kind of like going to bed not exactly hungry, but not full either, so in the morning I wake up hungry and it's okay.

Have a good evening everyone!
Image
veganlady
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: ready for change....

Postby Maer » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:45 pm

Hi, just wanted to encourage you along here. even not doing this "perfectly" 100% I have seen a huge improvement in osteoarthritis. Staying away from animal products (and too much sugar, that's the hard one for me) I think has been key.

Maer
Maer
 
Posts: 236
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 7:09 pm

Re: ready for change....

Postby veganlady » Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:45 pm

Maer - Thanks so much for your encouragement - well timed today, I'm very joint achy. I have had a few people tell me that dairy, cheese in particular, is the worst culprit for causing inflammation for arthritic joints. I'm guessing something to do with the protein configuration - but definitely not my area of expertise!


This was not a stellar day, everything's achy (arthritis), esp my hips and it's been hard to sit at my desk. I did get my 3 walks in and that helped, but I still have a lot of work to do yet tonight at my desk.

I didn't eat terribly, but I did have some slips - my ahah for today is that I much more often eat out of boredom or procrastination than out of stress. I had a project I didn't really want to do, so I was "procrasti-eating". Any ideas on getting past that?

Here's my day:

E: 3 walks, 3.75 miles total
B: brown rice w/rice milk and cinnamon; 1/4 cup no sugar added applesauce
S: apple
L: rest of yesterday's black bean soup w/ sweet potato and carrot
S: miso soup and 4 or 5 RyKrisp (not bad, but way too much salt)
D: 5 small vegan meatballs (not good - only 130 calories, but made with oil, soy flour, and other overly processed stuff)

So now my problem is that I'm hungry again, never ate what I thought I should for dinner - I was going to make a very veggie tomato sauce with spinach, bell pepper, onion, mushroom and put it over brown rice pasta. I feel like I should just stop now, but since I'm hungry, maybe I haven't had enough? I also haven't had enough fresh veggies today - all cooked.

So, less than great day, but tomorrow is another day. I hope y'all are having a good Wednesday!
Image
veganlady
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: ready for change....

Postby carollynne » Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:54 pm

Welcome and sounds you are doing it all right, and seeing good results.
I know my arthritis really eased up after I went all vegan, and for me it was the knees and OA. It is not a state secret, but it sure seems like it.

Let us know how you are doing!
I have lost about 60 lbs and never thought I'd be in the 150s ever again. cured my NAFLD!! Feel great!! Wt loss is so good for the knees and back, ankle, that I know I will never start back to the SAD way of eating again.
carollynne
 
Posts: 1492
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:42 am

Re: ready for change....

Postby veganlady » Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:06 pm

It was a better day today, got all three walks in, and loved my food choices. I had a good talk with my husband about my weight ups and downs. We just got married last June, but we were high school sweethearts 30 years ago...we went different directions for college, and re-found each other two years ago. He thought I was too thin in high school, whereas I always thought I was on a diet. He missed all my other ups and downs in the 30 years in between, so it was a good talk. I think I've always had a lousy body image regardless of what I actually weighed. I guess I have a lot to think about.

E: 3 walks, total of 3.75 miles
B: oatmeal, cinnamon, no sugar applesauce
L: Sweet potato/black beans/salsa mix - Yum!
D: mixed greens and cucumbers in balsamic vinaigrett; very veggie spaghetti - sauce was packed with veggies, used 1 cup brown rice noodles.

Oops: I did have a slip and had some animal protein today...a bug flew in my mouth while I was walking :lol:
Image
veganlady
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Minnesota


Return to Food, Recipes & Meal Planning

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.