Favorite Products

In the last month or so since I decided to go vegan, I've accumulated some favorite products.

I've already mentioned chia seeds in my previous post.  They're a delicious addition to smoothies.  I've read that you can add them to other recipes, but I haven't attempted that yet.

I love Old Fashioned oats.  I love them as oatmeal but I can also make great oatmeal cookies with them.  They're just a great breakfast staple.

 





I absolutely love soy milk.  I go grocery shopping at Trader Joe's (another obsession of mine).  I buy large cartons of soy milk.  I usually buy two and they last me a month.  They can stay in your cabinet until opened.  One carton can last about two weeks depending on how much you use it.  It saves some money.

My favorite type of food is Italian!  When I chose to go vegan, I began to think about how to make my favorite Italian dishes vegan.  Then I found out that my favorite pasta was vegan.  It's the Barilla Whole Wheat pasta.  I love the flavor.  Plus it's fast to cook versus brown rice.  I love making pasta salads for a quick meal to take to work.  I also enjoy making whole wheat spaghetti with a sauce made out of diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and seasonings of my choice.  Even just sautéing the cooked pasta in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper is delicious!

There are still many products I'm dying to try.  For instance, I'd love to try vegan cheese.  Maybe even make a vegan mac and cheese.  I've read that Daiya is the best brand to try.

There's also a brand called Tofutti that I'd like to try.  They have a variety of products including cheese, ice cream, sour cream, and cream cheese.  A lot of recipes I'd like to try, like mashed potatoes list this brand as an ingredient.  I'm excited to try it.

I'm excited to keep experimenting with recipes and making some of my own up.  Just keep trying until it becomes habit.  I'm having fun learning new ways to cook and cooking in general.

"Keep Moving Forward"

A Typical Breakfast

What is my typical breakfast?

I've always loved breakfast.  Before I decided to eat a vegan diet, my idea of the perfect breakfast was a plate of over-easy eggs, bacon/sausage/ham, hash browns, toast/pancakes and a large glass of orange juice.

 I also would love any type of pancake, eggs Benedict, crepes...you name it.  I'd eat breakfast for any meal of the day.  (I'd actually like to try to make a vegan crepe.)

So what makes my mouth water as a vegan?

A bowl of hot oatmeal and a refreshing glass of a homemade smoothie.

I make my oatmeal from scratch.  It takes 10 minutes, tops.  I put 1/2 cup old fashioned oats per one cup water.  I like the texture of the old fashioned oats, but you can choose any kind you prefer.  After it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to simmer.  Then do something else for a few minutes.  Wash dishes or pack your lunch.  When the water has been absorbed, remove the oatmeal from heat.  Sometimes I'll add a drop of soy milk, but it's not necessary.  Then add whatever seasoning/flavoring you prefer.  I put in 2 tbls. maple syrup, cinnamon, pecans, and walnuts.  So scrumptious!

To make my delicious smoothie, I thaw frozen fruit in a bowl while my oatmeal is cooking.  When it's done, I'll take my fruit and put it in my blender.  My favorite smoothie combination so far has been with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.  I'll add about 1 cup of soy milk and a tbls. of chia seeds.  Blend it all up until it's a consistency of my liking and enjoy a lovely homemade breakfast!

I'm obsessed with chia seeds!

These tiny seeds pack in tons of important nutrients and antioxidants.  They are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein just to name a few.  They are also great for your digestion (they'll really clean you out).  I love these seeds and I aim to try them in other foods besides my smoothies.  In the meantime, I'll stick to my scrumptious smoothies.

What's your favorite breakfast?

"Keep Moving Forward"

Yucky Buggies

I work at a frozen yogurt store.  It's easy but grueling work.  I enjoy the atmosphere and the people I work with.  I started working at this store almost ten months ago.  Since I started in the fall and continued working through colder months, I never experienced what it's like in the summer...I only heard rumors. 

Today, a coworker of mine put strawberries into our solid disposition bucket (we weigh how much waste we have at the end of the day) that we keep in the back by the garbage.  Normally, I would never think of it as a problem.  During the last couple weeks, however, we've had a fly issue.  There's a bunch of tiny flies flying around.  We keep a close eye on the food and make sure none fly into it (if it does, we change the food).  Anyway, the strawberries attracted practically every fly in the store.  My manager decided to put a lid on the bucket since there were so many flies. 

At the end of the night, guess who's job it was to open that lid and empty out it's contents?  That's right, mine!  When I opened that lid I made sure to keep my mouth shut just in case a fly decided to head straight at my face.  After removing the lid, I was greeted with a swarm of flies that looked similar to this:

Exaggeration

I was horrified! 

Has anyone seen the movie Cars?  Well there's a scene where the main character drives through a swarm of insects.  Then he smiles at the girl he likes and looks like this:

 

That is how I felt for the rest of the night!  I even double checked that I didn't have flies in my teeth when I got home.  It's amazing how washing your face and brushing your teeth can rejuvenate you.  Now I can go to bed without thinking about flies buzzing around my head!

I hope you all have a good night.

"Keep Moving Forward"

Thought of the Day

"Lazy doesn't exist"

I'm a huge fan of the TV show The Biggest Loser.  I don't always watch every season, but when one catches my attention I will watch it from episode one to the grand finale.

 

This past season inspired me because the woman who won was my age and from Chicago.  So if she can do it, so can I! 

 

I do have a hard time starting a workout regimen.  I can plan it and have this amazing plan.  But starting it is always slow.  I try to get friends to workout with me, but a lot of times it doesn't work out.  So I end up struggling alone.  I think I've always struggled going at it alone because I grew up dancing.  I was always in a classes with friends.  I didn't start adding workouts at home until the end of high school.  And you already know my college story (the post prior to this one if you don't).

 

Here I am again, struggling to start my regimen.  I found workouts on Pinterest I really wanted to try and was excited about.  However, I'd just stare at the schedule I wrote and make up an excuse.  "I can start tomorrow."  "It says it starts on Monday and today's Wednesday.  I'll start on Monday."  "I was going to walk to work, that's a workout in itself."  The list goes on.  You probably know what I mean.  You say anything to yourself to excuse the fact that you are procrastinating. 

 

This past Christmas, my dad bought me a Kinect.  I was going to save for it and then use it for exercise.  But my dad was nice enough to save me some time.  He also got me some of the dance games, which are so much fun!  A couple weeks ago, he got me a few games: Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Biggest Loser (BL) game.  So I decided to give the BL game a shot.  I was still giving excuses for my amazing planned out workout schedules.  So why not?

 



I set up my workout plan on the game and entered my information.  Man!  Is this game honest!  After you put in your height and weight, the shadow of you on the screen will blow up or shrink down to what your body looks like.  My eyes widened as my shadow blew up!  I'm looking forward to shrinking.  =)

You can have Bob or Jillian as trainers.  Based on how well or bad you're doing, they will tell you!  I don't know if any of you watch the show, but I absolutely love Jillian Michaels.  She is tough and really pushes you...not always in a nice way but it gets the job done.  As anyone who was on the show or has watched it can tell you, you do not want Jillian to yell at you. 

During one of my exercises, I was struggling a bit.  So my shadow, who's supposed to be green when I'm doing it correctly, is red which means I'm messing up.  Then I hear Jillian go, "Are you quitting?"  "Sure looks like quitting to me!"  "Push yourself!  Come on!" 

At that point, I'm sweating bullets and I'm like:

you got to be kidding me, Jillian!

You really don't want her to keep yelling at you.  So you persevere.  You work harder...you pull that energy out of who-knows-where.  Then you get your green shadow.  That's when you'll hear Jillian say things like, "Good job!  Keep going just like that!"  Those are the compliments I aim to hear.  When I actually do hear them, I'm like:

HELL YEAH!!  Bring it on Jillian!!!

It's a great game.  Today I played box-fit.  It's kind of like a boxing workout.  It was difficult to get the hang of at first, but then it clicked.  I struggled throughout with some easier parts.  I was soaked by the end of that workout and chugging water!  I can't wait to do it again!!

Maybe I didn't start my scheduled workout.  But I did start being active.  I walk every where I can and even take a deliberate walk by the lake.  I play the BL game and dance games on Kinect.  Maybe after a couple weeks I'll add in my scheduled workout...it is awesome after all.

If you want to be more active, do what you can now.  Walk more.  Do calf raises as you cook dinner.  Take the stairs.  Play Wii or Kinect...an active video game.  Try a workout DVD, something you can do in the privacy of your home...if you're like me and are afraid of the gym. 

As Jillian Michaels says, "Lazy doesn't exist."

Exercise makes you feel good, no matter what it is.  So just get up and move!  I am!

"Keep Moving Forward"

Aiming for an athletic body

Like the majority of college students, I gained a lot of weight in college.  Forget about the Freshman 15!  It's more like the Bachelor's Degree 40!! 

Senior Year '07

I've been dancing since I was 7.  So naturally when I went to college, I thought I'd be exempt from gaining weight.  I had a whole plan.  I'd go to the gym at least three times a week on top of auditioning for the dance program (you have to audition so they know what level to place you).  At first, I did extremely well.  I ate balanced meals at the dorm's cafeteria and went to the gym.  Two months into my first semester however, the cafeteria food started to get unbelievably disgusting!  There was a hot bar where food had been sitting out under heat lamps for who knows how long.  Then there was the salad bar where there was mold in the shelving that held the plates.  So I started to turn to the sandwich station or even the second hot bar where they actually cooked the food to your preferences.  Even that after a while became tiresome and not always appetizing.  So, like many college students, I stuck with way too much pre-packaged foods that I could heat up in the microwave that was in my dorm room. 

Things started to look up.  I auditioned for the dance program and got into the basic class which was held four days a week: two days was Ballet and two days was Modern.  I also found the local grocery store.  Since I was from the east coast, I didn't even know the name of the grocery store.  So I'd go to convenience stores.  But as soon as I found the grocery store I was able to buy healthy options. 

During my second semester, I was getting into the best shape of my life.  By spring break, I was able to go half way down in a push up!  (That is a big deal for me.)  However, spring break is when my plan was disrupted.  I had to get emergency surgery.  This forced me to drop my dance class and be inactive for months.  Since I was upset I couldn't dance, I emotionally ate...junk food. 

Sophomore year, I did take Ballet classes all year and started getting back in shape.  However, I sprained my ankle twice and was forced to take my junior year off.  My major was Sign Language Interpreting.  I didn't need to be athletic to be successful.  As my work load piled on, my health took the back burner.  The weight, needless-to-say, piled on as well.

Senior year, I was able to squeeze in 4 dance classes and eat healthy.  I did lose a lot of weight.  I was still, however, overweight. 

After graduation, I started looking into veganism in order to eat healthier.  I had a couple vegan friends so we'd meet for a support group where we'd share recipes, watch documentaries, and talk.  It was a lot of fun and helpful. 

Then I dated a man for about a year and a half.  He was a meat lover.  I couldn't afford to buy meat, so it wasn't strange for me that the most meat I ate in a week was tuna.  He'd pay for a lot of meals or would cook for me, which included a lot of meat and not much vegetables.  By the time we reached a year, I wasn't eating how I had been one year prior.  I was eating poorly and picked up his bad habits.  That's when I started analyzing my diet and relearning about nutrition.  By the time we broke up a couple months ago, I decided to go vegan.  But it was a picture I saw of myself at my heaviest that made my decision final.

At a party '13

 



It took me over two years to come to the decision to go vegan.  I did not decide it on a whim.  It's not just changing what you eat, it's a lifestyle change.  It's a huge adjustment and one that I'm still nervous to talk about with my family.  I know it's the right decision for me.

When I started my weight loss journey a couple months ago, I weighed 64.4 lbs. over my goal weight!  As of today, I have 48 lbs. to go!  I'm so excited!

All you can do for yourself is to keep to your goals and push yourself to be the best you that you can be.  And accept yourself for who you are.  When life gives you hurtles, do as my favorite quote by Walt Disney says, "Keep moving forward"!

"Keep Moving Forward"

Christmas in July

Christmas in July?  What is that all about?



 

That's what the majority of the population think, right?  My mom text me the other day telling me about how there are Christmas movies playing on TV.  I don't have cable, so I have no way of knowing this.  I smirk as I respond, "Wow! Really?!" when in reality I've been listening to Christmas music to help myself get in the Christmas mood. 

I've already started budgeting for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I make my gifts each year.  There are only certain gifts, like books that I get for the little ones in my family, that I do not make.  I already have my cards done and some gifts already bought.  I just budgeted for the gift I will be making this year.  Now it's just a matter of saving the money to buy materials.  So I listen to a Christmas song here and there to remind myself to keep on track with my budget. 

On top of budgeting for gifts, I'm budgeting for my round trip ticket back to the east coast.  (I'm originally from the east coast and moved here for college.  After college I decided to stay.)  Plane tickets are EXPENSIVE!!!  Last year, I lucked out big time!  I was able to use my miles from American Airlines and only paid $5, plus $50 for luggage.  Now I'm looking at a possible $800 ticket!  What is this world coming to?  No wonder I start budgeting so early.  I need months to save!

I feel lucky that I have a job where I get tips.  I'm planning to save my tips for the materials needed to make gifts.  Then have those gifts done by September.  It might seem silly to have all my gifts done so early.  But this way, I have from September 1 to December 1 to save as much as I possibly can.  That money can be used strictly for travel.  Also, come December 1...even come December 23...I will not be stressed or worried about finishing gifts.  I'll have them done.  I can enjoy my vacation...stress free!   That's what Christmas time should be: peaceful, relaxing, and filled with joy.  Everyone panics because they wait until the last minute.  I am personally done waiting.

People might think I'm crazy, but I have Christmas in July because it helps me prepare for the real Christmas in December.  That's something I can do for my sanity.  My life is stressful enough.  I need to control what I can. 

"Keep Moving Forward"