Wednesday, October 12, 2011

What the Hell is She Eating?

This was posted by my new dumbsainted friend recently and made me want to do a post about it.
http://dumbsainthood.wordpress.com/

I'm going to tell you what I'm eating, because I get this question ALL THE TIME.  I'm not here to preach or anything other than to tell you what I eat.  Feel free to NOT READ any of this if you like.  If you are interested, carry on.

I recently went full on vegan, and while I know many vegans who are the dearest, coolest people (I've made amazing friends through online chat rooms about grasseaters as well), there are plenty out there who love to be dicks.  And I also know the rep vegans have and it's a stereotype for a reason.  Holier than thou, skinny, PETA preaching dickholes.  NOT TRUE MY FRIENDS.  Do I come off that way?  You're damn right I don't.  And PETA sucks.  There are many great animal organizations, PETA is not one of them.  Here - definition of Vegan.  And y'all know how to google. 
There are all different reasons why people go vegan, some religious, some ethical, some dietary -- Mine is moral and ethical and dietary.  I have been vegetarian for 20 years, and my sole reason has always been I love animals so much I cannot eat them. HOWEVER, health had nothing to do with it. I ate like crap. And in the past couple years happiness and marriage has led me to gain weight.


This is the VERY first time I have not taken a pill to lose weight.  I have not stopped eating.  I'm actually feeling like I eat all the time.  But to have lost weight naturally is a first for me.  I've been a yo-yo girl my whole life.

This summer I joined a gym which I rarely use, but my dear friend HOUSE OF PAIN is there and teaches spinning on Mondays, which I love.  (See: Gym Post ) and I walk more and just try to move off my arse more.


I've lost 20 pounds in about 3 months and my clothes fit better and I feel better, blah blah blah, all the stuff that goes with losing weight, which is awesome.  With changing how I eat and exercising more, it's just working.  So, eliminating dairy and sugar seemed the logical way for me to do it.   (See ***disclaimer*** at the bottom of post)


Typical day right now, as I'm still working the vegan thing, and can't see why I would ever go back to just being vegetarian.  Honestly, cheese is what I miss the most, but I know that's also what has taken 20 pounds off, the not eating of the cheese. I wish I could tell you there is a good alternative, but there just isn't.  I've tried everything.  Ok, here we go!

Breakfast (still gag every time I put anything solid in my stomach before noon, but I'm doing it): 
  • BLACK COFFEE (I've had coffee this way since college, any other way is a tragedy)
  • Whole grain toast, one piece with buttery yumminess (that's not really butter)
  • Some kind of fruit, apple or peach usually.

    The perfect combo for any good vegan trying to get knocked up.
    Lunch:
  • Leftovers usually - today for example, I have tofu stirfry with veggies and brown rice I made last night.
  • OR, the old standby of Hummus (ALL HAIL THE CHICKPEA!)  Check it.  I LOVE CHICKPEAS  Rarely a day goes by that I have not ingested the glorious Chickpea in some way, shape or form.  Hummus and carrots and whole wheat pita chips is a winner for lunch every time. 
  • Spinach salad from the salad bar downstairs.  With chick peas, and balsalmic drizzle.  Then I throw some sesame seeds and dried cranberries and voila!  healthy yum yum.
Afternoon or evening Snack:
  • Roasted Almonds and Dried Cranberries.  Boom.  Sounds boring, but it's delicious.  And tons of energy.  Better than candy.  Speaking of candy - I ate TONS of candy.  Ever since I got sober, I've had a raging sweet tooth.  I gave up the processed refined sugar a few months ago too.  Now if I do eat processed sugar, I feel like crap. 
  • Baked Kale.  Buy Kale, wash and dry and break into pieces.  Arrange on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Like potato chips, but way better.  and I happen to love Kale. 
  • Popcorn, on the stove in the Whirly pop.  Tiny bit of oil and salt does the trick.  If you want to get really ridiculous and healthy throw some Nutritional Yeast on there.  *Almost* like parmesan.  Almost my ass, but it is good. And so healthy for you.
Dinner:
  • This is what I made last night and it will last for 3 more lunches.  Simple - in a wok, cook some dried sliced tofu and brown on all sides (undercooked tofu is nasty, this gives it some crunch) take out the tofu and set aside.  IN the wok again, oil and garlic, throw in whatever cut up veggies you have, toss around for just a few mins and throw some soy sauce, teriaki sauce and/or ginger powder and salt and pepper.  done.  Mix in cooked brown rice.  OR I use whole wheat soba noodles sometimes too.

There are so many vegan sites and cookbooks I love, The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone (yes, Cher) changed my whole outlook.  I can be a Superhero and SO CAN YOU!

And I love this site, forever using stuff from her Fat Free Vegan

Those two are great go to sites, and Cher Horowitz (I mean Alicia Silverstone) really has a whole philosophy in her actual book that I love.

There are so many things to eat, I never feel deprived.  If I really wanted something badly enough, I would eat it.  But I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

I go to Trader Joes (LOVE TJ's and the cutie pie hipsters who work there) and Whole Foods and buy whatever fresh vegetables look good. The I simply cook them. It's been a process for me of trying new things, new flavors, new cooking methods. I eat a shit-ton of vegetables, no getting around it.


Whole Foods can suck a bag of dicks. They are super expensive and kinda dicks. BUT they have the best stuff, especially for vegans. So I make nice with them. I buy what I can only get there, there.  Then I get the rest elsewhere.  There are Fruit/Produce stores on every corner in Chicago. Some are sketchy. Some have really good produce. Use your best judgement.

Another key is adjusting to making and bringing your own food everywhere.  Sure, I still eat out and at other's houses, but it's usually me cooking at home and controlling what is going into my body. 

I don't have kids and Dumpster Husband eats nothing that I make.  In fact, he finds it mostly revolting.  As I think what he eats is mostly revolting.  Which is fine.  We do our own thing when it comes to food and we do it peaceably.  But I know once I have kids, the whole dynamic will change.  People LOVE to tell me that I will want meat when I'm pregnant.  Uh huh.  Totally.  I never say never, but can't imagine.

***Here is my Disclaimer: I am in no way an expert on veganism, weight loss or anything at all. SO please be careful with your diet and just be smart. My rule of thumb lately has been, if it's REAL FOOD, meaning not processesed to shit, you can eat it.***

***Disclaimer Number 2*** I am by no means perfect and NEVER CLAIM TO BE.  I still smoke occasionally ( I know) and that is not vegan.  And I still eat a bit of cheese and sugar.  SO SUE ME.  I'm admitting all this to be brutally honest and to not get yelled at by people wanting to call me hypocrite.  There are a ton of people who want to believe me.

My point here is we are all just trying to do the best we can right?  Progress not Perfection.  Let's not be so hard on each other or ourselves. 

9 comments:

  1. I lost a bunch of weight a few years ago after my doc told me to cut out sugar and dairy (and fried foods, duh). And avoiding them as much as I can now helps keep it off. So you're not totally crazy with that diet. That being said, I love chicken and pork and turkey. Sorry.

    And people who drink their coffee any other way than black might as well be drinking a milk shake. So rock on, sista! (white guy just said "sista.")

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  2. don't say sorry to me mister! to each their own. and good for you for taking it off and keeping it off!

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  3. You're awesome.

    I have a really, really hard time going completely vegan. I love my cheese.Real cheese. And ice cream.I'm cooking for this large brood though - one diabetic, 2 teens who absolutely refuse to eat a pig or a cow (one of them with dairy issues), a tween with dairy & food additive allergies, a grown-ass "kid" who is a health food junkie and a super picky 6 yr old who loves fruits & veggies. Vegetarian & vegan is what makes the most sense for us. I still have meat on the table occassionally. Oh,that's another thing.... meat is frickin' expensive! It's much more frugal to eat veggie.

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  4. You are so badass drinking your coffee black. I love reading about peoples' eating routines- I find it really interesting the way diff. people approach food. I was a veg for 14 years and, yep, pregnancy did me in. I ate turkey in some form every single freaking day. My next big goal is to try and cut out some SUGAR, which is my personal devil.

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  5. I find it fascinating what people eat as well. Maybe why I'm so nosey at the checkout line....I seriously have staring problems. Sugar is harrrrrd. and black coffee is my favorite thing maybe in the world. That will be my hardest thing to give up if and when a baby gets in my belly.

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  6. Wow, I feel all motivated and shit. I eat like crap, and I'm ashamed. Want to give up something, think I may try refined sugars first. How long before the sugar cravings dissipate? I can kill a pint of Ben and Jerry'sliana a bag of gummi bears like nobodies business.

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  7. the sugar is tough. But it does pass. I rarely crave sugar anymore honestly. And this is from a woman who kept the candy and ice cream business going the first 9 years of my sobriety.

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  8. Gotta love Earth Balance! And yeah, I am so tired of people saying ignorant things to me about being vegetarian or vegan.

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  9. Goddamn you rock my socks off. I'm feeling TOTALLY motivated. I'm burning up google exploring this shit;)
    Thanks, Katy. I feel to blessed to "know" you;)

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