Well I am thrilled! I have started losing weight again. I am eating more raw food and I have increased the intensity of my workout and the numbers on the scale are going down again. I was at the library looking for some advice on weight loss a few days back and I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books aimed at helping women look great.

How do I choose one? If these all worked then there wouldn’t be near as many fat people. I keep hearing that there are now more obese people in the world than starving people. Maybe if everyone passed a Big Mac down? Now, I am just being mean.

But seriously, there are lots of overweight people who struggle with losing weight and although I think that everyone is responsible for maintaining a good healthy weight (and that 90% of them can’t blame it on genetics), I also think that it is darn hard to lose weight! Especially for women.

I decided to leave the books behind and go home. I was determined that I could figure this out on my own. I would focus on reducing uncomplimentary stress, working out harder and continuing to eat sensibly and as a vegan. It seems to be doing the trick. I will likely hit another plateau where I will have to up the intensity of my workout again but I WILL make my target weight of 130 lbs! Once there I will see if I want to keep going further or if I just want to maintain my body.

I am almost half way there and that is encouraging! Plus I am feeling more toned. The lunges have been gentle enough on my knees for me to get some exercise on my thighs, and, under my “stomach roll” there are some very nice abs. I can feel ‘em!

Right now I am at 30 mins (consistently) at a level 5 setting on my elliptical. I do 70 regular crunches and then 60 of those ones where you balance on your tail bone and swing your elbows from side to side. I can only do about eight of those ones where you lay on your back and lift your legs up and down using your abs. Those are hard but I just started incorporating those in my workout. Then there is stretching and about six different weight exercises (including 60 bicep curls) and then it’s cool down time. That’s when I make my recovery smoothie or recovery pudding!

It feels great afterwards. I feel just beat, but I sit straight up and my back and shoulders (which used to hurt consistently everyday) feel much looser. I am toning up, feeling great, losing weight and looking better! Yippee!

I wanted to add a recipe for a raw breakfast cereal.

Muesli and Almond Milk:

The Almond milk is made by soaking one cup of almonds overnight and then throwing them in a blender with 1 1/2 cups of water and a tbsp of Agave Nectar, Maple Syrup or any other vegan sweetener, until well blended. Then you strain the almond meat out (pressing to get most of the milk out) and you are ready. You can even refrigerate it for a day if you don’t use it all up.

The Muesli is basically a handful of rolled oats, some chopped almonds, walnuts, whole sunflower seeds (anything you want to add or take out), raisins, berries, bananas, etc.

You pour the almond milk on and you have a completely raw breakfast! My smoothie recipe is also a raw recipe.

One of these days I will have to share my semi-raw truffle recipe and my non-raw brownie recipe. Yummy!

I am having a hard time striking a balance in my life. After a rapid loss of ten pounds I found myself at a plateau for four weeks. What now? Do I “up” the intensity of the workout? Further reduce caloric intake? Both?

I feel that my diet is already so low fat (especially since I still don’t eat dairy (including cheese which we haven’t bought yet)), that it would be unwise to reduce calories. I guess that leaves increasing the intensity of my nightly workouts. So I have cranked my elliptical resistance setting up two notches and have continued to run the same amount of time. By the end of this I am dripping with sweat. So I suppose this will do. I have also increased the number of reps that I do with my weights and I am also doing more crunches and have recently incorporated lunges. I have a hard time doing exercises with my legs because my knees are very prone to injury. Every time I try to strenghten those babies I end up curled up in pain for a few days.

The lunges seem alright for my knees so we’ll keep doing those. I know I could surely use some toning in my thighs. Now I just have to keep the exercise up and the meal planning consistent. Plus I have had a lot of stress lately and it would do wonders for my weight to just chill out. I guess I need prayer for that. Stress from worrying in an uncomplimentary stress and can actually help me keep the weight on. I tend to worry a lot and it affects everything from my sleep pattern to my food cravings. Like Brendan Brazier says, if you are craving bad food (high sugar, high carb) foods you probably just need more sleep. And it’s true, after a couple late night I can’t help myself from reaching for a bag of chips at the grocery store.

As for the cheese. I think I am going to stick to a vegan diet when I am at home. It’s too hard to resist cheese when I am out but I will not eat it here. I told the hubby that we could get some for him and the kids but if I am not eating it he will probably just choose to go without as well.

Oh man, well my husband and I talked it over and decided to bring cheese back into the house. We have both eaten it while at friend’s homes but haven’t actually bought any yet. I don’t know that I actually will buy it but may rather just leave the cheese on my sandwiches etc. when I eat out.

I realize that that doesn’t make us vegan anymore (we were never 100% anyways because we refused to use margarine and so had to use butter for anything I couldn’t substitute with oil.

I have great guilt about this. I realize that the dairy farms slaughter many, many animals and that I am contributing to that. But on the other hand I have come a long way from last year and I don’t think I should be too hard on myself for having a hard time breaking the addiction to cheese. I don’t eat eggs if I can help it (as in I don’t badger my friends if they offer me cake) and I don’t eat meat or gelatin or wear leather or wool. I don’t drink milk or eat yogurt but I have a weakness for the cheese. Besides I can’t stop my husband from eating cheese if he wants to. I want him to embrace his vegetarian lifestyle, not feel restricted by it. So far he is quite happy without meat and constantly says he couldn’t go back to eating meat but the vegan thing is harder for him. He loves the puddings and ice cream and cheese and milk and such. I am hoping that with time he will stop craving it and we can keep our home fully vegan.

I am also cautious because of our toddlers. I know that a vegan diet is very low in fat but my babes are young enough that they need a high-fat diet and it’s easier to get those calories in if they can have milk and cheese.

I was on a Facebook group today that talked about the ecological (and likely economical) sustainability of the Vegan lifestyle. There was a link to a blog from a former-vegan (not sure if I believe that) where he talks about how being vegan doesn’t help sustainability and that organisations like the UN are wrong to say that.

These were his reasons (in a nutshell): If you feed cows grain and cut out the cow, then people get the grain directly. To him cows eat grain = people eat grain.

This is not true. Cows eat about ten times more grain that people. Then we slaughter the cow and the cow feeds the equivalent of maybe one person. So if you cut the cow out you can actually feed 10 more people. This could, theoretically, end world famine. The reality is: Cows eat grain = 1 person eats meat = 10 people eat grain. The yield is much higher for the veg sources.

And if cows were out of the equation (again theoretical), you would have even more land to use for the production of produce, beans, soy etc. This makes a higher yield at a lower cost.

Not just that but there are areas in the U.S. where there is drought because water sources have been rerouted to feed cattle. There are cases of water contamination from manure and from the wastes of slaughterhouses to be reckoned with as well.

Slaughterhouse have always been a concern in regards to water contamination. Plus they use many resources to make sure that you get your perfect slice of meat. It’s cruel and not Eco-friendly.

Plus, depending on how you buy your produce (I prefer bag-less and unwrapped) then you aren’t contributing to the ecologically unfriendly practise of wrapping meat etc. in petroleum based Styrofoam plates and cling wrap.

Eating plant based food is a very green option. Especially since people with yards can choose to grow their own carrots, onions etc. If they have green thumb and enjoy it.

I am not trying to discredit the efforts of non-veg*n people but rather clarify some lies. I think that people shouldn’t be berated for not being good enough but praised for trying. So you still refuse to stop eating animal flesh but you recycle your cans and cereal boxes. Congratulations! You are contributing to a greener world! We all need to do something!

Before I started worrying about animal rights I worried about the health of my kids. I started reading and watching documentaries and soon realized that there is no regulatory body that regulates the safety of products sold in stores. Not only are our home cleaners, shampoos, soaps and laundry detergents increasing our rates of cancer, asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, it is also destroying our environment. You know that disgusting sterile smell you get when you clean your house? I don’t get that. Mine smells like tea tree oil! It’s a fresh smell that gives me peace of mind about what is being inhaled by my kids. We have anything chemical stored outside of the house (as is recommended Canadian Medical Association).

I could write a well referenced book on this but here is an ultra basic intro to the topic.

Whenever we let chemicals like Tide, Clorox, Windex and so on  run down into our sewers (and unless you clean EVERYTHING with paper towel you do. Except then it ends up in the garbage which is no better) we are contributing to dead lakes, acid rain and other water and plant problems.

But what if you could use a eco-friendly cleaner which, as a bonus, won’t poison your kids? There are many options out there. Some grocery stores are starting to carry green products and there is usually a wide variety of these products in health food stores (HFS). Here is a list of what I use:

Dish-soap: Seventh Generation (HFS, Save On) 

Dishwasher soap: Ecover tablets (Save On)

Laundry soap: Biovert (HFS)

Fabric softener: I have one of those reusable fabric ones. It’s pretty good (HFS).

Stain remover: I don’t know how natural this is but it’s a bar of soap in the laundry isle called Sunlight (not the same brand). Anyways it works well and I get it at Save On

I still have some products from Melaleuca left. They make pretty decent stuff.

Cosmetics (and other personal care products) contain a variety of bad chemical compounds such as formaldehyde and many known carcinogens such as parabens. There is a website (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=%2Findex.php ) that lists the potential dangers of the various brands of mascara, lipstick etc. They rate them on scale of which are potentially more harmful than others.

Natural cosmetics (although not always vegan) are made from natural mild products such as beeswax and herbs. The colours come from natural sources too. You often have to try a few before you find one that works for you.

Here are the ones I like:

Toothpaste: Auromere -Herbal Ayurvedic formula. The JASON brand is good too and the Beaver one (green apple is pretty good too) (HFS)

Shampoo and conditioner: Prairie Naturals (HFS)

Deodorant (his and hers): earthscience liken plant unscented (HFS)

Mascara: Ecco Bella -flowercolor (HFS)

Facial cleanser: derma e Vanilla Bean Cleansing Mousse (their Microdermabrasion is really great too) (HFS)

Shaving (for men): Herban Cowboy (pucks) (HFS, Superstore)

Most of my makeup, moisturizers and so on are residual from my Melaleuca days. I haven’t had the need to find replacements yet.

I also make my own bug spray. It’s made with water, a variety of essential oils including citronella and eucalyptus. I can post the recipe if anyone wants it.

Cosmetics etc. are heavily reliant on animal testing. Did you know that they will smear products on the eyes of mice just so they can write “to avoid contact with eyes” on the label? Did you know that these rodents and dogs and whatever other animal they choose to test upon will spend weeks in pain from the blistering caused by products placed on their bare skin for hours on end? Did you know that this is vain? If a bad reaction is found in animals it doesn’t make the product unsuitable for the marketplace but rather just forces them to put a warning on the label? Animal testing in cosmetics and personal care products save no human lives! The products pass regardless. Why couldn’t we allow testing on humans instead? I would be willing to give my arm up for a skin irritation test so that animals didn’t live everyday of their unusually short lives in pain.

Buying products that have natural products and that has not been tested on animals is not only healthier but also more compassionate. Although it is still a grey area as some companies (like the Body Shop (which is not even considered a natural product)) will not test their products on animals but will buy materials that have been tested on animals by the seller. That doesn’t make a product humane if it’s ingredients were involved in the suffering of animals. Also the Body Shop is owned by Loreal and they do test on animals! Peta.com has a list that you can print off and leave in your purse. It lists the companies that have adhered to Peta’s restrictions on animal testing. http://caringconsumer.com/resources_companies.asp

Babies are a major source of waste. Diapers and wipes alone make up an astronomical amount of waste! Not only that but the safety of diapers are still up for debate. I never buy wipes (even when we go camping). I buy packages of those baby bath cloths and use those as wipes. I have a container filled with water and I just moisten them before use. They actually work better than the wipes because their texture allows them to grab and scrub much better than those soft wimpy wipes. And there are no chemicals as I wash then in all natural, eco-friendly detergent. 

I like doing cloth diapers but they are becoming more and more work. My kids are getting bigger bladders and that means I am dealing with a lot more leaks than I used to when they were smaller.

However, cloth diapers are the best eco choice (coupled with a eco-friendly detergent).

Well this blasted cold has made my weight loss less effective. My appetite isn’t reduced yet I can’t exercise because of my sore throat.

I am sick and tired of being sick…and tired and so I am pulling out the big guns today. Fluids only!

Here is my diet of the day:

For breakfast I had a couple cups of water a couple teaspoons of echinacea, a cup of licorice tea (helps suppress coughing) and a cup of green tea (caffeine helps suppress coughing and it’s full of detoxifying agents).

I got hungry around ten o’clock so I made myself a soup. Onions, garlic, potato and parsley in a Miso soup stock base. I cooked the chunks in oil for a bit then added the soup stock. When the taters were soft I blended everything and drank it! My two year old LOVED it. He ate all of his own then tried to eat mine too.

I don’t know for lunch yet. I am thinking broth soup. If I had tofu I’d insert it here but I don’t sooooo…maybe I’ll throw in some Arame (seaweed) or just drink the broth. Maybe I’ll make myself onion soup.

I may make myself a juice mix from my juicer for a snack. Apples, oranges, berries, carrots, maybe a bit of beet, some lettuce or something. We’ll see what I feel like at the time. No bananas though because they increase the secretions of mucous and *cough cough* I don’t need that right now.

Supper will be the hardest part because I know Kevin won’t want broth for supper. And neither will the kids. Maybe I’ll make him homemade tomato sauce on whole wheat couscous. Or maybe he’ll give it to his sickness too and have some more delicious potato soup and Rooibos tea with me.

For some reason I have hit a lull in my weight loss. It has been bouncing around. One day I had gained three pounds for no reason and then two days later I had lost four! That means I am not meeting my target for today. I am a pound off.

I think this has something to do with being sick with a cold for the last ten days. I am still proud of myself. I have been eating well and vegan! For example, Kevin wanted a burger from Red Robin so I ordered one too. I ordered the bun-less burger and substituted their protein patty for the garden patty (which I guess has a little bit of cheese in it). It wasn’t near as good without the bun but you know…these are sacrifices I have to make to get to my target weight. I also asked them to take the cheese off and substitute it for pickles.

Then a couple nights later Kevin wanted pizza. So I looked around and we ordered take out from Pizza Hut. We got a thin crust pizza and I ordered no cheese on my half. I have noticed that pizza can be delicious without cheese. But man, was that pizza over priced. We paid $21 for a thin crust pizza that just barely filled the family. How expensive can it be to make a veggie pizza? It was just tomato sauce, olive, onions and spinach. They have a hefty profit margin on that one!

Normally I make all these things but because I was enjoying lounging around I didn’t want to spend an hour and a half making pizza dough and toppings.

Now the week is back into it’s routine (not poutine) and I am going to start making my meals from scratch again. I know I made a bad call by eating out but I know I made the best possible call in my take-out choices. That makes me pretty proud of my determination. I have also been exercising daily (even though I have been sick).

I think all the exercise has been delaying my healing from my cold but I didn’t want to get out of the habit of exercising. If I get out of it I may stop doing it altogether. Today I am resting and sticking to an all water, broth and juice diet. My juicer is going to earn it’s stripes today! I am going to try to get the upper hand on my cold. Once I have that puppy kicked then I can focus on getting back to exercising and losing weight!

I have had a couple remarks from friends about the recipes on the site and so I decided to oblige and keep ‘em coming.

Here is a list of new recipes in my typical meal plan format. This is not even close to being a normal day for me. Way too much baking but in the interest of adding more recipes I have added lots of sweet snacks!

Breakfast:

Vegan pancakes. I think the recipe came from Vegweb.com

2 1/2 cups of flour, 2 tbsp sugar (maple syrup, agave nectar etc.), 2 tbsp veg or olive oil, 1 tsp salt. 2 1/2 water or soymilk and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. I must admit that without the cinnamon the batter is rather bland. Then just cook your pancakes as usual.  

Snack:

Spelt muffins(recipe from Veginity.com)

2 cups spelt flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup olive oil (or other oil), 1 cup of soy cream (I just use soy milk), 2 handfuls of berries.

Throw the berries in last so that you don’t make them bleed all over the batter. Pour into oiled/greased muffin tins or muffin paper cups and cook for 15-25 mins at 375*.

Attention: This only make about 10 regular muffins.

Lunch:

Avocado and tomato sand-which:

This is one of my favorites. I use homemade mutli-grain bread (toasted) and add a layer of Vegenaise, top with sprouts, avocado slices and tomato slices then I sprinkle some Chia seeds on top. Divine!

Snack:

Oatmeal flax seed and raisin cookies:

Add 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds with 4 tbsp of water. Let sit until everything else is ready (this is a spelt egg).

In a large bowl mix 1/2 oil, 1/2 -1 cup sugar and 2 tbsp molasses. Then add 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.

Then add 3 cups of rolled oats and 1 cup of raisins. You can add the spelt egg now and a bit more water IF you need the batter a bit more moist.

You don’t need to grease the pan. Just cook at 375* for 8-12 mins.

Supper:

Enchiladas with Mexican rice:

 For the inside of the enchiladas you can mix some canned tomato chunks with some extra veggies and some of the rice mixture. Cook in the oven until toasted if you want. They taste fine cold. The rice is the hardest part. The recipe is from Vegweb.com.

1 cup uncooked rice (any kind). Toast rice in a tbsp or two of oil until the kernels are browned. Then add two cups of water and two cloves of pressed garlic to the rice and let boil until the rice is soft. Then add 1/2 onion, tomato chunks, hot peppers, some tomato sauce (paste, whatever), 1 tsp of cumin seeds (ground), and some salt. Cook until the veggies look warmed and how you like them.

 I would recommend adding a lots of spices. You can use pre-made taco spice or Mexican spice or improvise with your own spices.

Dessert:

Super Moist Chocolate Cake (my fave! -also from Vegweb.com):

Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, 3 tbsp of cocoa, 1 tsp baking soda , 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 cup of white or brown sugar.

Then make three small “holes” in the flour mixture. In one pour 5 tbsp of oil, in the other pour 1 tbsp white vinegar and the last pour 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Then pour 1 cup of cold water over the mixture and stir until moist (don’t over mix). You may want to oil and flour your pan. The cake can stick!

Cook at 350* for 30 mins. Yummy!