Caroveggie's Journal

[Caroveggie]

this is one of my very favorite lectures about vegan eating simply. He talks about strips of zucchini saute'd in water as an actual dish. It was an eye opener.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV6dpDwYKvo

It really is an eye opener. However, I do intend to cook more when I get my instant pot. I also saw a recipe for no-cheese sauce that uses oats as its base and it looked and sounded really good. So that's probably in my future also. That said, I had simple food for most of the day.

Breakfast - Grapenuts, oatmilk, raspberries
Lunch - baked Brussels sprouts, baked sweet potato wedges, hummus
Dinner - no cheese quesadilla (hummus & nutritional yeast) with mushroom, and a McDougall soup cup (the black beans) with salsa and nutritional yeast added
Dessert - strawberries

It was a long day, and I drove today, but I'm happy I ate on plan.

[Caroveggie]

Saw a friend today and we went to a sushi restaurant where I had a veggie soba noodles dish and kappa sushi (cucumber). So I did well. For dinner I had part of a yellow potato, some chickpeas & tomatoes, and another bowl of grapenuts with raspberries. Light on veggies but I didn't want whatever I have in the fridge and didn't want to do any elaborate cooking. I have frozen cauliflower but I like it best in aloo gobi. Also got 20598 steps today!

And what's more, I've lost 5 pounds! Since when I started up again, from my highest weight.

Woo hoo!

[Idgie]

Woo-hoo, good job!

[Caroveggie]

Thanks Idgie!

Today I have 2 birthday parties to attend. One was in a restaurant, a burger/diner place that has 2 veggie options, but I don't know if they're oil free and suspect they're not. So instead I brought my thermoses with quinoa and broccoli. My friends took it all right and I survived their ribbing, but it wasn't about the thermoses, it was about the no oil. One thinks oil is brain food. Ay yi yi. Anyway, not easy to set them straight so I let it pass. I'm just glad I stayed on plan! Yay me!

Tonight I have my twin nephews' bday party at my sister's house. I'm bringing Chipotle for my own meal and I'll just explain that I didn't want them to have to cook for me separately or have to figure it out. I'm not sure what she's intending to serve but this way I'm covered no matter what. I'll also bring strawberries to share for dessert time, because they are usually pretty decadent with deserts and for the first time in a while, I won't be partaking, but I can have strawberries. I'll just explain how I'm doing McDougall and don't want to ruin my streak.

I have 11180 steps so far and not likely to get too much more in.

I've realized this journal has really kept me focused with sticking to the plan. Or maybe I am just super focused on living the McDougall program lifestyle and the journal is just documenting, but it seems to be working for me.

I was also thinking recently that habit change includes all the new behaviors of making sure I have on-plan food in the house and preparing ahead for the next meal (or few). I'm not winging it as much as I used to in the past but that's ok. I'm getting good results right now.

[Idgie]

You are rocking this. I'm finding a lot of the same things you are -- life is less spontaneous for me, food-wise, but it's working, and people are getting used to my "weird" diet and how I bring my own food. At first there was a lot more push-back -- now, after 6 months of saying "no," people don't even offer me off-plan stuff anymore.

[Caroveggie]

You are rocking this. I'm finding a lot of the same things you are -- life is less spontaneous for me, food-wise, but it's working, and people are getting used to my "weird" diet and how I bring my own food. At first there was a lot more push-back -- now, after 6 months of saying "no," people don't even offer me off-plan stuff anymore.

Yep. I declined cheese ravioli in pesto sauce last night. It looked really yummy but also really greasy (blech!). Instead I had a veggie bowl from Chipotle, completely on plan. Filling but also light feeling. This morning I woke up early so I went to the gym. I was a bit lazy there and didn't really exert myself too much, but I managed to work out on the aerobic-type machines for around 45 minutes before I had to leave. I then went home and showered and cooked my Brussels sprouts and made my hummus for my lunch. Making sure I have the food I need is a priority and seems to be key in being successful McDougalling. I'm not at a point where I can wing it, it's just too difficult and I risk the food not being tasty or filling enough. I'd much rather put my efforts into always making sure I have my meals ready or a plan for my dinner, because then my food is delicious and I'm happy eating this way and don't feel deprived.

I just had my usual breakfast. I found out Safeway sells a cereal called Nutty Nuggets which is just like Grapenuts but cheaper! I also found a recipe on this forum for a cheese sauce but the lady made a ton of it with a Vitamix. When I have some time I'm going to hunt down Mary's recipe for it which has oats and can be done in a blender I heard. (I only have a blender...and don't want a ton of it.) Nevertheless, I've already purchased some of the ingredients for it. Just have to rewatch the video and see if I can find the recipe and then I'll try what I've got in mind. Maybe next time I have a free weekend.

I'm remembering recipes I used to make a while ago when I first began McDougalling. I just haven't gotten around to making them yet.

[Caroveggie]

I had another Chipotle veggie bowl. It was very good.

I had a rough day but didn't feel like indulging in junk food. I've listened to various versions of Titanium and it makes me feel better. It's such a pretty song.

I wonder how many steps I should be getting each day. I only got 9528 today. I drove and will be driving tomorrow also.

[Caroveggie]

I lost another pound!! It feels like I'm hardly exercising. I'm just tired when I get home at night and making dinner is about all the energy I can exert. I would've gone to the gym this morning but didn't have time. I'll try to get some walks in during my day, but even that isn't easy depending on my work load. Anyway, glad I'm still losing. I'm going to start tracking my weight loss properly so I won't freak out if it goes up a little because I'll see the general downward trend, if all goes well.

EDIT: I found my old, very colorful weight loss spreadsheet so I modified it a little and began plugging in numbers. Starting today, I'll start tracking properly. I'll be tracking a number of things using my scale and my fitbit, but also including my McDougall streak, my exercise, and additional notes. I'm excited because it will start to really show my progress!

[Caroveggie]

I've decided I'll weigh myself every morning and track it in my spreadsheet along with my steps, which I'll record at night. I know there will be fluctuations (there already have been) but this way I can see a general trend downward. What I'm really waiting for is for my clothes to start feeling looser.

For dinner last night I had no cheese quesadillas (hummus + nutritional yeast) with mushrooms, greens, and salsa. They were very good although not terribly filling. So I also had Dr. McDougall's sesame chicken soup cup.

I ran out of fresh veggies so this morning I made aloo gobi veg mix out of frozen cauliflower and frozen peas and chard. It looks yummy. I'll have it for lunch with quinoa.

Breakfast was the same as always. I really would make steel cut oats but they take a while to cook and are messy. Grapenuts are faster.

I listened to Hidden Brain's sleep episode about how the ideal number of hours to sleep is 8. I hardly ever get 8. Last night I think I got 7 1/2, but still woke up groggy. My body always wants to sleep at the time I have to get up but around 3 or 4 am I'm wide awake sometimes. That's why I cooked the aloo gobi. I seem to be doing most of my cooking for my work lunches early in the morning.

[bunsofaluminum]

Oh! Quesadilla Style! One of my faves...delicious with corn tortillas, cooked until crisp on a cast iron skillet. Yummy! I usually put green chili peppers on there, too. And refried beans but I'd love to try them with hummus! slurp!

Have fun with your spreadsheet it's always better when the numbers go down

[Caroveggie]

Yes, that's how I cook them, except I use a non-stick flat skillet to heat up the tortillas. Then you spread a thin layer of hummus on one side, sprinkle on nutritional yeast, and I add mushrooms, greens, and salsa but I might try peppers...maybe a little. I like a little spice sometimes.

Thanks for visiting. I'm obsessed with my colorful spreadsheet but it's only day 2 so need more time to see the trend. I'm hopeful it will be downward as I'm sticking to McDougalling and trying, trying to get some steps in. My life got very sedentary but when I'm awake enough and have the time, I do like walking or biking and walking to work when I can.

I'm trying to decide what I'll have for dinner. I might just be lazy and get Chipotle again. It is a favorite of mine.

[Caroveggie]

Today

B - Grapenuts, oat milk, raspberries
L - aloo gobi and quinoa
S - McDougall Chicken Ramen cup, very small apple
D - Chipotle veggie bowl

Yesterday

same except snacks yesterday were part of a banana and a small apple

I biked and walked yesterday (and Barted, of course), and today I just walked. I'm so sleepy mentally right now. It's a shame being so sedentary makes me exhausted when I do get exercise, but there it is. Hopefully I'll sleep well tonight.

[Caroveggie]

I hit snooze 4 times this morning so I only had time to grab a quick lunch - 2 McDougall soups. I also have an Amy's Chunky Vegetable soup (no fat, no oil) and I'm hoping between the soups and honey nut cheerios I have here, I'll be fine. (I finished off the GrapeNuts and raspberries this morning.)

There's usually a farmer's market downtown on Fridays so I'll walk over if I'm still hungry and try to find a small potato or something if I need to. I think I'll be OK. I just had the black bean soup and I made it thick so it's pretty filling. I'm glad I stocked up on those soups!

[Idgie]

I'm glad I stocked up on those soups!

They're pretty handy! I have some in a drawer at work. The Whole Foods had a ton of different flavors, so I got several of them, and I'm trying them each. They'll never be super-delicious to me, which is probably a good thing, but they're great in a pinch.

One of my co-workers says her five-year-old loves ramen, but she doesn't like feeding it to her because it's so high in fat and salt, so I showed her the cups and she's going to seek them out.

[Caroveggie]

Yes, they are definitely handy! They are becoming one of my quick, go-to meals when I don't have anything else prepared and I'm hungry. I also like chickpeas for a quick meal. Usually I chop up a tasty tomato and sprinkle them with garlic salt and I'm good to go.

I have food at home but dare I admit, I'm getting addicted to the Chipotle veggie bowls. I need to stop though, just to start saving money. I have rice, chard, corn, beans, and salsa at home so I can make essentially the same thing but why do I want to go out to Chipotle and spend money on it?

I'm glad it's Friday and the weekend is near. I'm looking forward to maybe going kayaking with a friend. And also having time to cook!