Confessional: I binged last night

For the first time in weeks I fell off the wagon.  I don't know what triggered it, really.  I'd had a really good couple of days with food.  Really good - lots of veggies, fruit, and water, lower sodium than usual, and less coffee.  My heartburn was nonexistent and everything.  Last night I just lost it.

The planned dinner for me was biscuits and gravy and fruit.  I wasn't really hungry and  the rain did not help at all.  I was chilly but not cold and just not feeling much other than sick (yes, still).  The family went with a take out chicken meal complete with Cajun beans, dirty rice, and mashed potatoes with sausage gravy.  I miss the occasional take out with them, but not necessarily the carb coma that results from the meal.  We still eat together, so that isn't the issue.   

Anyway, I ate a lot.  After dinner I had a snack and then another.  Those 'snacks' were each the size of a decent lunch.  I didn't feel the binge hangover this morning and that's a good thing.  And food so far has been good - massive hemp and fruit smoothie for breakfast, herbal tea, small sandwich and chips for lunch, and a massive salad inspired by Black Bean Company is the plan for dinner.  Out of nowhere, my stomach has decided to go nuts and nothing else is appealing to me. 

Meh.  Anyway, the binge is gone, even though I'm not sure what brought it on.  I feel icky and want to sleep but can't.  Sigh. 

Here's to Tuesday, February 8, 2011.  Day one without a binge. 

It's been so long!

Hi all.  I've been a naughty, naughty blogger.

I haven't been completely ignoring the need to blog; I've been blogging on Spark People and am a co-leader of Charleston Sparkers.   I'm excited about it and getting a little more conversation going.  I figure the responsibility will inspire me to keep making the right choices and for the most part it is.  If only my body would cooperate.

I've embraced my inner klutz with a vengeance.  In January I've tripped, slammed into a buffet table, and stabbed myself with a steak knife.  While the stab wound  is annoying to no end, I can handle it.  The slamming and tripping are killing me.  The current pain flare up period is lasting longer than I'd like and I think I'll be seeing the doc soon.  On the positive side, the pain has not sent me into a full on binge, and that's huge. 

Well, now we're all caught up. Regular posts are next, including menus, maybe some recipes, and reviews. 

The Atkins Diet Revisited - Veggie Style

Back in the day ( actually), I started down the low carb path.  I ate more than my share of meat, greens, butter, eggs, cheese, cream, and other fatty foods the plan called for abd lost quite a few pounds.  I got down to my lowest weight in years on that plan.  And then I started cheating and fell off plan altogether.  Way off.  Back came the breads, pasta, cereals, sweets, and other carby goodness that helped me put on the weight in the first place.  It wasn't that the plan was unreasonable, it was the way I followed it in the end. I got tired of coking and went after more convenient meals and snacks and bored myself into cheating. 

Since then I've followed other plans and it seems to always come down to my justification (in my mind) of off-plan goodies that sort of fit.  On Weight Watchers I'd justify high point meals by saying I'd make up the splurge with veggies and 1-2 point snacks later.  On low carb, I'd make sure I stayed under a carb count I had in mind and forget to consider fiber, sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. 

So a few weeks back I decided to mix it up.  Eating plans that is.  I'd experiment with various veggie-friendly plans and go from there.  Since the holidays are upon us, I decided to start with Atkins.  Yes, that Atkins Diet.  Back in the day, any hardcore Atkins follower would think a veggie version was impossible, but now that's not the case.  There are several veggie and vegan menus listed in New Atkins for a New You , and complete details on net carb counts and nutrition as well as tips for dining out.  I decided to modify the plan a bit and started with a 100 net carb menu of my own design.  I cut sugar, filled the fridge and freezer with dark, leafy greens, tofu, cauliflower, cheese, eggs, and salad veggies.  I've left the Amy's burgers for hubby and focused on the Boca burgers we already have.  I ground extra flax, pick up some nuts, and made sure I had enough soy protein powder and tvp on hand to make me happy.  And then it was on!

I've been eating really well at breakfast.  Omelettes with spinach, feta, cheddar, onions, peppers, chili, or whatever I felt like tossing in.  Scrambles - eggs or tofu - with cauliflower hash browns, veggie burgers, and greens.  Smoothies on the mornings I didn't feel like eating and Atkins bars when I wasn't in a cooking mood. 

Snackage rocked, too.  For the junk food cravings, soy chips, edamame with sea salt, nuts, and half an Atkins bar were the usual munchies.  One afternoon I made a pumpkin cheesecake snack with cream cheese, Splenda, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  Oh my goodness!  Celery stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese is another longtime favorite that just happened to be on-plan. 

Lunch and dinner were all over the place - soup, chili, giant salads, seitan, tofu, bunless veggie burgers, and tvp loaf entrees were complimented with sauteed greens and mashed cauliflower.   If the family went out for dinner, I ordered whatever I felt like. 

I've lost 9 pounds so far, and I cheated a little with French Toast for lunch one night and a pb sammy during a late night study session.  I wasn't going to stay on this plan for too long, but I think I'll keep it up at least until December 31 and see what happens.  It's awesome for people who like to cook and so much healthier than the regular version.  For me, anyway.  

Peace!

Experimentation for art's sake

It's more like work, but I'll call it art.

I write about veggie and vegan life in town and have been reviewing restaurants, cookbooks, and the like with gusto for the past few months.  Some reviews are published and others I've been holding back on until after a repeat visit. My weight loss efforts have stalled somewhat and I blame the good eating in part.  The other part is on my lack of control.  Mindless eating has been trying to run rampant lately and I'm not sure my heart (or body) can take it much longer. 

And this experiment I speak of?  Well, I plan to spend two weeks following various vegetarian and vegan weight loss plans.  Eat to Live, Eat for Health, The Engine 2 Diet, Atkins, and other books are available at the local library and in bookstores, so I'm going to test them and see which work for me and which don't.  The variables I'll use include actual loss, convenience, cost, meal satisfaction, and appeal to the family.  Besides, I already cook 90% of the meals, so the family is used to getting in more veggie food than not (even when they don't realize it). 

What I should say is two weeks on each of the plans and not two weeks period. My grammar at times I tell ya.

I figured I'd share here and let you know what I'm up to.  I'll still be testing various recipes and will have the family taste test if something I make is off plan.  I've adhered to strict plans before and not been tempted by the family dinner; I can do it again.  I haven't decided which to start with, but after hubby's fantastic pasta dinner maybe a lower carb plan might be the best way to go.

Peace for now. 

I love Savvy Brown!

 Seriously, peeps, this blog is a great read for anyone looking for affordable ways to go greener and even better for those with natural hair.  Before my locks I would have loved to have found this site.  And she turned me onto a bread recipe that costs less than $1 a loaf.  :sigh:

Anyway, she hosts several giveaways, and this week the goodie is a sample pack of laundry products from YoreGanics.   Have you heard of Soap Nuts? YoreGanics has them and for a decent price, too.  But that's not all.  The facial bars have been calling to me since I first laid eyes on them.  Swing by, take a look, and tell me that you're not tempted.

While you're at it, take a look at Savvy Brown, too.  Tell me if you like what you see and spread the word.