Or, what else can you do when you wake up at five o'clock in the morning
This is the problem with going to bed at 8:15 pm, you wake up before dawn and you wonder why you can't get back to sleep.
After rain
I was so tired from working out yesterday at koko. They are doing this new challenge where you do pushups, planks, and those jumping squat things and you get points and whoever gets the most points will win a bottle of wine. Well, I can't do pushups. I don't have enough upper body strength and a long body to be all jelly like while I'm trying, so I stuck with the other two. I did the plank for 14 seconds. Not bad for having never done it before. Then I did 17 of the jump squats. They aren't as bad as ok thought they would be, I just think I'm super sore because I want warmed up when I did them. I then did my normal two cardio sessions and one strength session. I'm trying really hard to be ready to hike this summer.
Climb the oak tree
Hiking is one of those things I have done my whole life. I didn't start enjoying it until I was older for several reasons. The first was that I fell down a lot as a child. I think my body constantly growing messed up my center of gravity so much that I would lose my balance and footing easily and fall down. I am a master at falling down. I do it with grace and finesse. All joking aside, I did fall down a lot and scraped my knees up and had dirt and mud all over me. I didn't really enjoy hiking that much then. Another reason I didn't like it was that my calf muscles would cramp really badly after about twenty minutes of hiking. Now I know how to deal with it because it is normal for my legs to do this, but then it was just a painful experience and I would want to cry and sit down (which doesn't work when the rest of your family wants to keep going). My best way for working out the muscles when they start cramping now is to walk backwards up the hill. Don't do this if you are near a cliff or on treacherous footing. But a nice wide, relatively smooth trail will be fine. This will really stretch your calves and hamstrings. The third reason I didn't really like hiking: bugs. I'm not saying I'm afraid of bugs. I'm actually the one who is usually catching them to bring them back outside. I'm talking about gnats, mosquitoes, and bees. Gnats somehow always go up my nose and into my eyes. Really bad if you are wearing contacts. Mosquitoes bite me. If there is a mosquito within a half mile of my location, it will find me and bite me. I'm not kidding. And bees think my blonde hair is a giant flower and dive bomb it over and over again. The best thing to do for all of these: wear a hat, wear unscented deodorant and shampoo, and eat garlic. Garlic will keep the small bugs away, the hat will keep them away from your head and face, and boring deodorant and shampoo will not attract them in the first place.
Pasta with Vegan Pesto and Daiya
Recently, hiking has become much more fun for me. I usually don't fall down (and when I do I'm wearing boots with high ankle support so I don't sprain them again) and I can keep up with my dad and brother most of the time. I'm planning to do lots of fun hikes this summer!
Angel Hair with Vegan Pesto and Tomato Paste
I've included some pictures of foods I've eaten recently. Do you like it when I add these to posts? Let me know in the comments below.
Sushi Rice with Eggplant Punjab
In a few weeks I'm going to be traveling more, so you will see both fewer posts and more pictures. I hope you enjoy my travel posts because there will be lots of fun happening in them.
Watermelon and Pineapple with Orange Juice
Peter Rabbit Garden Salad Wrap with veggie sticks and a green juice from Nutrition Company
I wanted to get something off my chest that's been bothering me for a little while. I have been eating vegan exclusively since last July and on and off since last February.
One of the biggest questions that I get is: are you getting enough protein?
This is one of the most frustrating questions that I have to deal with on a nearly daily basis. It really frustrates me and angers me that almost everyone I come into contact with decides that they become a nutritional expert as soon as I tell them that I am vegan. Before I became vegan, I never had people commenting on my food or how much food I ate besides my mom and my dad. As soon as I became vegan, people decided that i'm either not eating enough food, I'm eating too much food, or I'm not getting the proper nutrients to live.
I got really angry today when my therapist asked me if I was eating enough protein. I really don't like feeling angry. It makes me want to lash out and do rash things. I am a control freak and I don't like feeling like I'm not in control of my emotions. Therefore, constantly being asked if I'm getting enough protein makes me feel very out of control. I'm eating enough. I track my calories, my protein intake, my fat intake, my carbohydrate intake, my water intake, my exercise output, and how much sleep I get every night. I don't need someone else telling me that I'm not eating correctly and that I'm harming myself because I choose not to eat animal flesh or other animal products. It frustrates me because the people who are asking me this have seen what happens to me when I accidentally eat these foods. My body has grown used to not eating them and when I do, I feel horribly ill, I break out in pimples, and I have horrible nightmares. When I was in college the last 2 years I had horrible nightmares almost every night. I would only get three to four hours of true sleep a night because I would wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning after having had nightmares. I'm talking about the ones that leave your heart racing and your skin clammy for half an hour. I have only had 3 nightmares since I stopped eating dairy. The only times I have any sort of digesting issues are when I eat out at restaurants and the food is very salty and full of grease. I feel much happier, I feel stronger, and I enjoy eating more than I have in a long time.
Part of the reason my therapist was commenting on my protein intake was because of a bruise I have on my leg. I bruise easily... I always have. Ever since I was a small child. I'm also rather clumsy. I walk into walls and tables and beds and bathtubs and exercise equipment at the gym. If you repeatedly run into the same piece of equipment 3 times a week you will develop a bruise eventually. I am also very pale. therefore, my bruises show up vividly and last a long time. I remember I got this epic bruise on my shoulder and upper arm from carrying a bookcase up the stairs into my dorm at school . It lasted for a month. This is when I was eating a diet that consisted of eggs, cheese, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, and a lot of processed food. I ate out a lot at restaurants but served typical "well balanced" meals like pasta with salad and bread or barbeque with fries and coleslaw. I was unhappy, depressed, anxious, and constantly tired. I kept gaining weight no matter how much exercise I did or how many times I tried to go on a diet. I even went through a week were all I ate were mandarin oranges, bananas, and celery. I was not in a healthy state of mind.
I have not gained weight since I went vegan. I haven't lost weight either. I just stay floating around the 270 mark, sometimes a little over and sometimes a little under. I am eating more fruits and vegetables now than I've ever had. I'm trying new foods and experimenting in the kitchen. My acne is better. I have more energy throughout the day. I feel so much better. So why is everyone ganging up on me to tell me that I'm going to get sick if I don't eat eggs and meat?
The thought of eating meat or eggs again makes me feel so sick. I don't want to and if I am forced to I would probably throw it up involuntarily. The last time I accidentally ate dairy my stomach was upset all night long and I broke out in pimples for several days. How is this supposed to be making me healthier? I'm obviously gaining muscle from my strength training, as you can literally see my muscles growing and strengthening and changing over time. I don't go around commenting on what people eat. I don't tell people I'm eating with that their food is making them sick. I even have to repeatedly turn down offers to try other people's food when they say, "a little bit won't hurt" or "it's just a taste". Whenever I offer my food to people they like it and say how tasty it is, but they go on to say how much better it would be with some hamburger in it.
WTF
I'm done with putting up with this constant bullying (because that is what it is when you feel threatened and constantly on the defensive) and I am tired of constantly defending myself to others. I eat what I eat because I want to eat it. End of story.
Yes I am seriously overweight. I know. I'm working on it. Yes I know that I'm not as healthy as I could be. I'm working on it. But I take three 1.5 hour minimum ballet classes a week. I go to the gym at least twice a week and sometimes more. I have set goals for myself and I will achieve them.
So yes, to answer the question: I do get enough protein.
I try to eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, and fats. I eat tofu two to four meals a week. I LOVE beans. Red beans, black beans, Lima beans, pinto beans, lentils, field peas, and more. I eat them all the time. I had lentils yesterday for lunch and red beans for breakfast. Because red beans and rice is my favorite Louisiana food so I eat it all the time. News flash: proteins can be found in many plants, not just animal muscles.
Constantly harping on someone about what they eat, how much they eat, and why they eat it is a great way to help someone develop an eating disorder. So, shut up, eat you own damn food, and don't worry about my protein intake. I have got it covered.
So it is nearly one in the morning and I can't sleep, so you are getting a new blog post!
One of the more interesting ideas about living a healthy lifestyle is the idea of eating raw foods to live a vibrant life. Many people have different reasons for eating only or mainly raw foods:
1. They believe that raw fruits and vegetables are essential to maintain a general wellbeing.
2. They think that eating living plants ensures that the plant's life force will flow into their bodies.
3. They think fruits and veggies are yummy and it is mostly what they want to eat.
I'm not sure I agree with the second one (it is a philosophical question that should be pondered at some time in the near future), but no one on the planet will tell you that eating fruits and veggies is bad for you. Actually, doctors would probably be really happy if people ate more fruits and veggies and didn't get sick as much.
There are different viewpoints out there in cyberspace about the LFRV diet. Most people push fruits as comprising the largest segment of food for the basis of the diet. Others push vegetables. I think it is easier to follow this lifestyle with fruits as the main caloric intake, just because fruits are more calorie dense than leafy greens.
Above is a great video by Freelee the Banana Girl about weight loss tips for a raw vegan diet.
FullyRawKristina also has some amazing videos. This one is about raw mistakes.
Both of these YouTube gurus base their lifestyles off of the idea that if you eat a majority of your calories from fruit carbs, you will be healthy. This idea comes from a book called 80/10/10.
A quick summary of the ideas:
1. Fruit is good for you and you should eat as much as you want everyday, all day.
2. Veggies are good for you too. Eat a salad!
3. Eating too much fat will be detrimental to your health, so don't overdo it on the raw nuts and avocados.
4. Eating grains can be detrimental to your health. Same with cooked foods. The cooking process leaches out nutritional value.
5. Eating animal products will clog your arteries and you will die.
6. Water is good for you. Drink it!
7. 80% carbs 10% fat 10% protein everyday.
8. Exercise is super important! Do it!
This is a fantastic book and I recommend that you read it if you are interested in living a Low Fat Raw Vegan lifestyle. Unlike some books on vegan lifestyles (Skinny Bitch Diet books come to mind), it is very positive and encouraging.
If you want to see the book 80/10/10 by Dr. Graham, you can find it Here.
I do not personally live this lifestyle, but I try to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into my diet as possible. Is it possible to live solely on fruit? I think so. If people can subsist on Top Ramen and Diet Coke I think people can thrive on fruits. Also I don't know anyone who ever complained about feeling bad from eating too many fruits and veggies. (Pizza, beer, cheese balls, hot dogs- yes. Apples- no. Unless you are allergic to apples, then that is a different story).
Many people get really emotional when talking about eating raw because it is a very different way of living compared to the typical steak and potatoes lifestyle that America has embraced. It is really hard to go to a restaurant and find raw foods. This is one of the main reasons (in my humble opinion) people have problems with this lifestyle. We socialize around food. We eat out a lot! It is hard to explain to people that a salad the size of a plate will leave you hungry in about an hour when all you are eating are fruits and veggies. You have to eat A LOT of food on this diet. About twice as much food as you normally would on a Standard American Diet (SAD). If you don't eat enough you will get the most horrible cravings (see above videos for tips on how to avoid this!) and you will end up at your neighborhood fast food joint at 2:00 am ordering cheeseburgers with extra orders of fries because you are RAVENOUS. (This is from experience... not what you want to be doing).
So the pros and cons of LFRV versus Cooked Vegan Diet
Pros-
You get to eat as much as you want.
You get to eat lots of water rich foods so you won't be thirsty at all.
The health benefits are amazing.
Very little time is spent preparing food.
Harder to get sick from ill-prepared food.
Discovering new fruits is exciting and strange.
More energy and restful sleep.
Cons-
You have to eat huge amounts of food.
You spend a lot of time eating.
You don't get to cook (some people would consider this a positive, but I love stirring red beans for hours over a hot stove)
You don't get to eat foods like beans and rice (two of my favorite foods)
Hard to eat out at restaurants.
You have to explain to everyone why you won't eat the (insert random food here) that they made for you.
If you are looking to incorporate some of these ideas into your already vegan diet, try this:
Instead of a sandwich for lunch, have a really big salad.
Drink some carrot juice when you first wake up and it will jumpstart your day (I love carrot juice btw!)
Instead of pasta for dinner, julienne some zucchini and squash to make your carbs veggie carbs instead of grain carbs.
Eat fruit for snacks instead of chips (they may be vegan, but they are not healthy)
Don't drink coffee or caffeinated tea. Drink juice instead, or herbal teas.
Don't be heavy handed with the oils, nuts, coconut butters, avocados, and seeds. Add more carrots, celery, tomatoes, and cabbage to salads and wraps to get that satisfying crunch.
Make frozen banana smoothies. BEST DESERT EVER!
I hope this has peaked your interest. Here are some other resources on the LFRV lifestyle:
