Memory Lane

Hi Veggies!

Here it is mid January, and I am still getting ish together! Hahaha!
I am still attempting raw veganism consistent with the principles in the 80 10 10 diet book (otherwise known as a high carbohydrate, low fat lifestyle.
Up until the weekend, I did beautifully. However, Sunday afternoon I ended up at Chipotle in dire need of rice and beans! I will be on back and track tomorrow. (I had some more rice and beans today!)
Whenever you make a lifestyle change, never use the words fail OR start over. Simply figure out what the h*ll happened and move onward. It is perfectly pointless to beat yourself up and/or dwell on these factors. Most people, especially when transitioning into veggie lifestyles will occasionally get a taste for "off limit" foods. Especially, if you have been eating the same thing for years. Added stress from abusing yourself will likely UN motivate you and keep you from reaching your optimal goals! So I will list some mistakes I have made!

1) If you choose to embark upon a high carbohydrate/low fat lifestyle, make sure you have RIPE fruit. And that you know how to even find it. Whole Foods had strawberries on sale this weekend, and so I grabbed a couple of baskets. They were just plain bland! I figure this is probably because a) this is not strawberry season or b) they aren't ripe! This weekend, I let my banana supply dwindle down, and woke up Sunday to only two edible ones. The others were all green. This aggravated me, and I happily rewarded myself with Chipotle later! Lesson learned. Be prepared! This can apply to any dietary lifestyle, if you are hungry, it will be very easy to swing by the drive through.
2) If you experiment with new recipes make sure you have something to eat in case you screw it up. Lol. Saturday evening, I decided to make a dressing with oranges and tomatoes because I noticed many people blending fruits for salad dressings. Well my small smoothie blender is not synonymous with an actual blender blender. I ended up having to add lots of water, and the outcome was plain gross. (Both appearance and taste.) In the end, use a cookbook or trusted source, unless you are prepared to eat something else if your "creation" goes wrong!
3) Lastly, accept that if you are trying new things, you are bound to find things you LOVE and things you HATE to eat. This weekend I bought 20 organic medjool dates from a local grocery store. They are a common staple of raw diets, mostly because they are high in calories. Even my Dad recommend I try them. I have an aversion to wrinkly foods, but I bought them, and constructed a banana-apple-date "cake." It was very very very good. It kind of tasted like Cinnabon. However, this evening I tried a persimmon for the first time because people boasted how good they are. Keep in mind ONE costs like a dollar and some change. Anyhow, I flat out hated it because it tastes melon - y, and melons are the one fruit I really don't like. *And now persimmons.
I remember when I first transitioned to vegetarianism sometime in college. I looked through cook books for my cheapest options. The first dish I ever cooked was some sort of black beans wrapped in tortilla shells baked in mystery sauce. It was dry, bland, and gave me gas. However, as a broke college kid I felt obligated to sorta finish it. The next weeks continued with more beans cooked up in unimaginative ways. Simply because I wanted to make sure I had all my protein. I didn't even like beans back then. However, with time, and practice I learned that one can be as simple or elaborate, cheap or expensive as they want on a plant based diet. I learned how to make all my favorites like chili and pizza. In fact, now I love beans! Lol.
I am trying to keep these experiences in mind as I transition into this lifestyle. My best piece of advice to people interested in transitioning to vegetarianism is to do research first. Also, stay away from processed products. Stick with whole foods. That being said, there are a lot of delicious morningstar farms/boca/etc products to get started. However, I encourage you to use those in moderation! Also, be creative. Although you can take your favorite meals and make them vegetarian, don't forget to look for new recipes!
As for my workout plan, I have decided to trash the full body routine I wanted to incorporate into my regimen. I will stick with one muscle group a day. This has worked, no reason to re invent the wheel! I will continue occasional spinning classes, and HIIT *high intensity interval training.
Today I emailed my body idol bikini fitness competitor Erin Moubray! She encouraged me to eat plentifully, but increase my training to get the results I want! I think this is the best advice! Anyways it is bed time, so PEACE and LOVE!