In Defense of Food

Pre-Workout (6 am)- Started the day off right with EAS Catapult

Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + Cream of Wheat packet w/cinnamon & 1 packet Sun Crystals (liking this new all natural sweetener....it's stevia and pure cane sugar mixed...5 cal, 1 g carb, 1 g sugar) + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM

Meal 2 (11 am)- Had the BEST flatbread, but didn't realize I didn't have my camera card in the camera..duh!

Veggie & Cheese Rosemary Flatbread: 1 Rosemary La Tortilla Factory tortilla + 1/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese spread evenly + tons of fresh spinach, asparagus & mushrooms piled high + evoo mist + 1/4 cup fat free Kraft shredded mozarella cheese + McCormick basil & garlic seasoning

Meal 3 (2:30 pm)- Huge spring mix salad w/ shredded carrots, chopped celery + 1/2 diced granny smith apple + 1/4 cup diced strawberries + 20 sprays Ken's all natural raspberry walnut vinagrette spritzer dressing + 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

I was really brave and decided to try my 2nd attempt at making tofu. This time I used EXTRA FIRM Nasoya Organic Tofu (much better!)

Meal 4 (6 pm)- Tofu teriyaki steaks + baby bok choy

Yay! This was actually really good! I rather enjoyed this... had only 3 ingredients and was super easy to make. A little salty even with low sodium soy sauce, but I like the texture of the extra firm way more than the firm that I tried last time. This was a success!

Meal 5 (8:30)- Going to have either a Myoplex shake or protein oatmeal...not sure yet

My new book that goes in line with everything else I've been reading lately.

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants....very good advice!

I couldn't wait to start reading my new book, and I found some time today to do just that. The author writes in a tone which forces me to read it carefully. He speaks with a somewhat sarcastic tone while talking about events that have occured pertaining to the food industry. I had to stop a couple times and re-read to see if he was joking or being for real. Some of the humor is more obvious than other parts.

It's been a pretty good history lesson so far with tidbits of interesting information about things that have occurred over the past century...all with the underlying theme that what we now consider food is mostly "fake food" and it takes the reader through the progression that has led our nation to the point that it's at now. Most interesting so far is the perspective that he gives on "nutritionism" as a business that been a guiding force behind much of our approach to curing disease, albeit a not-so-successful one at that. I'd never thought about it this way, but he brings up a point that "nutrients" now seem to dominate everything (carbs, fats, proteins) rather than actual "food".....highlights a lot of the self-defeatist approaches that our society uses to cure/prevent chronic disease and points out studies which show just the opposite of what we are all told to you in relation to cardiovascular diseases, etc....all with the same theme that was in The China Study....that basically there are tons of studies out there showing these "health claims" to be untrue, but the $$ behind the corporate food companies, government entities, and the like have managed to successfully sweep the info. under the rug.

On page 41, he talks about various studies proving that low-fat/low-cholesterol diets are not sound measures to prevent heart disease (the real cause is hydrogenated fats or trans fats). I liked this part. He says.... "I was flabbergasted at the news too, because no one in charge-not in the government, not in the public health community-has dared to come out and announce: Um, you know everything we've been telling you for the last thirty years about the links between dietary fat and heart disease? And fat and cancer? And fat and fat? Well, this just in: It now appears that none of it was true. We sincerely regret the error. "

He goes on to talk about how food companies profit off of any little health claim they can cling on to and which is hot for the moment, like Omega fats right now. I already knew about companies like Eggland's Best getting the extra Omega's into their eggs by the feed they give the chickens, but I wasn't aware that companies are now trying to feed pigs flaxseed and fish oil as a way to possibly get more Omegas into hot dogs, just so they can them put a ridiculous health claim on hot dogs. Ridonculous!

I will admit that some of the food I eat is "fake food"....I guess supplements and protein shakes would fall into that category? Reading this book is sparking some socratic thinking about some of the things I eat or drink, but I still contend that using supplements as part of a sports nutrition regigmen is NOT the same thing as eating a diet that is filled with processed foods and refined carboydrates...it's like comparing apples to oranges.....you just can't lump those things together. I know how I FEEL when I eat prcoessed fake food that has high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and a whole laundry list of other ingredients. You won't find a single thing in my house with either of those things on the labels. I also know how I FEEL when I take supplements as part of a healthy diet that is filled with nutritious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I think it's all about finding a balance and listening to your body.

Tuesday...10 days and counting left

Woke up to a nice cool morning, but raining heavily outside, so had to go to Plan B and take a run indoors on the treadmill. Ran 6.09 miles in 1 hour with a moderate random hill program difficulty level 5.

Craving a nice warm breakfast..

Meal 1 (8 am)- Protein Yamcakes w/sugar free syrup + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 2 glucosamine/MSM + multivitamin

The joys of making a real dinner and only feeding 2 people...there are ALWAYS leftovers!

Meal 2 (11 am)- Leftover large vegetarian stuffed pepper After yesterday's diet with so much liquid, I was craving a huge salad loaded with veggies.

Meal 3 (2 pm)- Spinach salad w/ tomatoes, red onions, mushrooms,shredded carrots + 1 serving tomato basil tofu + 1/2 cup edamame + red wine vinegar + 1 serving EAS BetagenFound out we'd be entertaining about 5 extra guests for dinner, so had to think ahead about how to make the rest of my day work with eating...

Meal 4 (5 pm)- EAS AdvantEDGE RTD + 4 reduced fat triscuits on the fly (just needed something to hold me over for less than 3 hours....did the trick!)
Meal 5 (6:30 p,m)- 1 cup Barilla Plus ziti w/pesto sauce (evoo & pesto packet) & peas + 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese + grated parmesan cheese + 1 piece homemade garlic bread (whole grain bread w/Smart Balance & garlic salt) + side salad (spring mix, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese & Newman's Own light balsamic vinagrette).

Too many carbs...could've done without the bread for sure...but hey, at least it wasn't crappy pre-buttered frozen garlic bread with unhealthy ingredients. I always make my own garlic bread to serve...none of that toxic frozen stuff in my house!

Yesterday was a pretty good day for eating. Had to practice a little creativity with dinner, as I made chicken pesto pasta for our dinner party. Just saved myself some pasta before adding the meat and topped it with some cottage cheese for some added protein. Made the cutest little mini cheesecakes for dessert, but didn't have any. I just enjoy making desserts, but I had absolutely NO desire for anything sweet after this past weekend's vacay. Sent the rest with hubby to work today so I don't have to look at it in my fridge.

Ended up being way too busy to start reading In Defense of Food, and I am dying to crack it open! I WILL make time today!

10 days left in this vegetarian experiment!

Back to Business as Usual

Meal 5 (8:30 pm)- Myoplex Lite RTD (Geez this is a lot of shakes for one day for even me. I need to get back to eating tons of fresh veggies tomorrow.)

Meal 4 (5:30 pm)- 1 large stuffed pepper (a few more carbs than I'd prefer, but yummy nonetheless) Boiled cleaned out peppers in a large pot of water for about 5 minutes to soften up. Drained and stood upside down on towel to allow to drip dry. Filled with rice mixture. Baked at 350 F for about 15 minutes, added about 1/8 cup Kraft 2% reduced fat shredded cheddar and cooked until melted.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers for dinner...Here is how I made the stuffing...1 bag Morningstar Farms meal starter crumbles browned + 1 cup (dry measured) brown rice (cooked it in separate pot, then added to cooked meat) + 1 can diced tomatoes (drained) + a couple cloves of garlic + 1/2 cup black beans + salt, pepper, basil and garlic seasoning
Meal 3 (2 pm)- Orowheat multi-grain sandwich thin toasted + 1 boca burger + yellow mustard + spinach, tomato & sauteed mushrooms & onions
Meal 2 (11 am)- Apple Pie shake (1 cup crushed ice + 1/2 cup diced gala apple + 1 packet EAS Vanilla Carb Sense protein + 1 cup water + apple pie spice)
Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1 slice Ezekiel toast w/20 sprays parkay fat free butter spray + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM

Well it's back to business as usual after a busy weekend. It's crazy how much a 2 hour time difference can throw me off in as little as two nights, but I was not ready to get up this morning at 5:30 to hit the gym. I was so close to not even going, but I knew if I didn't I'd still be lying there awake, just dead tired, and feeling guilty. So, up I went and had a great UBWO. I was so happy to be back home and get back onto my normal routine and schedule. Traveling is fun, but it's also always good to be back home in my own bed.

Stopped by Barnes and Noble today to pick up a book I've been wanting to read, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. I've heard a lot about the author Michel Pollan from his other book, The Omnivore's Dillema, but this newer book sounded more interesting. I'm so excited to have a fresh new read! I haven't read anything since the China Study, and even though I was aiming for a funny lighthearted book this time around, non-fiction once again won out. I am just more of a non-fiction person, unless it is a really funny book for the most part. I just love learning, and unfortunately, fiction doesn't really provide me with much of that. Plus, I figured this book might provide some more insight into vegetarianism. The cover has a big head of lettuce with a subtitle scrolling along the twist tie holding it together which says "Eat food. Not much. Mostly plants." Sounds like much the same message that the China Study had, but this is written from a different angle, so I'm excited to see what it's all about!

Vacay Weekend in Review

THIS is what made my weekend trip...The one and only.....Tony Bennett...was pretty cool to see such a remarkable man perform live....He's still got it for sure!

At our connection at DFW I wasn't sure what I'd be able to come up with for vegetarian options, but thank goodness for Au Bon Pain!Fields & Feta Wrap- YUM! Very impressed with this!
Snack on plane- Homemade trail mix (3/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal w/2 tbsp. slivered almonds & 6 whole unsalted almonds)...lots of water all day Upon arrival to friend's place raided the fridge and found this- La Tortilla Factory tortilla + spinach & tomatoes + 2 slices Jarlsberg Lite swiss cheese + drizzle low fat Ranch dressing

(INSERT 8 mile run at 5.5 mph pace here)

Post-workout- Had an apple and Myoplex that I had packed with me.

Fri. dinner- chips w/salsa & guacamole, fresh fruit salad, spinach salad w/goat cheese & Newman's Own light vinagrette + 3 chocolate covered strawberries + red wine

Sat. dinner (Pesco-vegetarian style)- steamed mussels, citrus glazed salmon, cocktail shrimp w/cocktail sauce, spring mix salad w/parmesan cheese & balsamic vinagrette + sourdough roll w/butter + wheat crackers & assorted cheeses + 2 lemon squares & 1 brownie + chardonnay (over-the-top dinner for an over-the-top night!)

Sun. (...back to the airport)

Breakfast- veggie omelette made with egg beaters and light cheese + breakfast potatoes (not the best choice for a carb I realized)

Plane snack- homemade trail mix again (glad I brought these....really come in handy!)
Hadn't read Women's Health in forever..pretty good issue this month!

What a great weekend I had! Even though it was a super short weekend trip, it was SO great to be back in CA and spend time with good friends! I didn't take pics of everything...I was on vacation after all :-D.

Friday I left with a few goodies packed for random meals. I wasn't planning on being super strict with eating this weekend, but I also didn't want to eat junk for every meal. I don't know what it is about being on a plane, but it makes me want to eat. I think it's just a behavioral habit...kind of like going to the movies. I feel the need to start eating just for the simple fact that I'm in the air or something. Anyways, I had that covered with my homemade Kashi & almond baggies. I at least know to prepare for those situations, and I never come empty handed. When we arrived at our friends' place where we were staying I was so excited to open the fridge and see pretty much an exact replica of my own fridge...La Tortilla tortillas, mass amounts of fresh spinach, low fat cheeses, tons of fruits and veggies...yay! Made myself a wrap and headed out to scope out a pass to a local gym. I needed to do cardio since I subbed weights for cardio on Thursday (as I knew I'd be traveling), and I was just made aware that according to our 1/2 marathon training schedule, I was supposed to be doing an 8 mile run....yes 8 miles! I have never run that far in my entire life...at least not without stopping! What the heck...hubby went into work in the CA office and I really had nothing better to do, so I figured I'd try it. Low and behold I ran the full 8 miles. It tooke me 85 minutes, and I thought about stopping a couple times, but just kept going. I just wanted to see what would happen to my body the next day, so I was determined to finish. I survived! Headed back and about swallowed my apple whole I was so hungry, and chased it down with a Myoplex banana cream. Yum! I was feeling pretty good about the fact that I'd managed to get in the 8 miles after traveling all day, still stayed perfectly on track with eating, and definitely had more than 1 gallon of water down. Our friends had a BBQ that night with turkey burgers (which I didn't have), but I was very content with my huge salad, plate of fruit, chips w/salsa & guacamole & wine.

Saturday was definitely a free day for eating for me. Hubby and I slept in fairly late and headed to the gym for a quick workout. I was stoked to go back because they have a stepmill, which I don't have in Austin. There is absolutely nothing like HIIT on the stepmill! It about killed me. Did intervals ranging from a level 8-14. We did some shopping afterwards while waiting for Fresh Choice to open at 11 am and someone had the smart idea to buy a bag of Halloween candy to snack on as we walked around...don't know WHO that could have been! (still running on empty here...yikes!). We were craving Fresh Choice so we wanted to hold out till it opened. The CA locations are even better than the ones in Texas. They have even more options and locally grown fresh foods too. Wish I had my camera for that one, because it was fabulous! They had a feta cheese & pesto pizza that was amazing and the freshest veggies and tomatoes. I was so starving by the time we got there, I definitely went a bit overboard. But hey, at least it was good quality food and not fast food.

Went to see Tony Bennett play live at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga that night. We had all purchased the dinner buffet served before the show. I had a feeling they might have some pretty yummy seafood there, and of course they did. As soon as I walked towards the buffet I quickly realized that the non-vegetarian options were not going to be good choices...mashed potatoes, potato salad, macaroni salad, egg noodles, tons of baked goods, and tons of cheese. Really the only healthy non-vegetarian option they had was salad. So I made an executive decision to declare myself a PESCO-VEGETARIAN FOR A NIGHT!!! I was not about to pay $40 to subsist on mashed potatoes when they had steamed mussels, citrus glazed salmon, and jumbo cocktail prawns! I hadn't eaten any meat in a whole two weeks, and I felt I deserved it. I obstained from any of the chicken or beef of course. It did open my eyes to the fact that all of the true vegetarian options were basically all unhealthy. I am finding that is the case many times unfortunately....that outside of vegetables, many non-meat options are either refined products or just have a ton of fat in them. So, I enjoyed my night as a pesco-vegetarian to it's fullest and savored every single bite....along with every sip of wine while listening to Tony Bennett! I think I either ingested a ton of sodium or was just standing in heels for too long, because I had cankles like a 9 month pregnant woman by the time we got home. It didn't stop me from having some more Halloween candy as we all wound down back at home though, and I went to bed rather fat and happy I must say.

Sunday was a rest day from working out, and a day of travel and trying to get settled back in at home.

All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! I didn't get to try any cool vegetarian Indian dishes as I'd hoped, but there just wasn't enough time to do everything I wanted to do. No missed workouts, got all my water in, and eating was somewhere in the middle....not the best...but not the worst. I had the most "free" free day I've had in quite a while, but it was a good reminder of why I eat clean and according to Body for LIFE most days of the week....and most days of my life!

This trip opened my eyes up to the ways vegetarians have to assimilate into situations like BBQ's and dinner buffets. It's not easy! It was interesting to have to make choices I'm not used to having to make. I surprised myself in that I really had no desire for the chicken at the concert whatsoever. It kind of grossed me out again. I think I am actually growing rather distant from my beloved chicken....so strange! 2 more weeks of eating vegetarian, and I'll re-assess if it's something I want to do for longer term. As of now, I think I still love seafood way too much to live without it forever, but this whole lack of desire for chicken recently has thrown be for a bit of loop.

the BIG HOWEVER

As for Meal 5- Clocking out for vacation early tonight, but will probably finish off the soup before bed.

Was in the mood for some soup, so whipped up some homemade vegetable barley (look no protein in sight! wow!) Made it with 1 carton veggie broth + 1/2 bag vegetable soup mix frozen veggies + 1 cup quick barley...YUMMY! Next time I think I'll add some kidney beans and extra broth...maybe even some Morningstar Farm meal starter crumbles

Meal 4 (5 pm)- Had a few triscuits w/hummus while making dinner...then some yummy homemade vegetable barley soup w/ 1/2 grilled cheese sandwich (1 slice Orowheat 100% whole wheat bread + 1 tbsp. Smart Balance spread + 1 slice cheddar...the FULL FAT kind...living dangerously I know!)

Meal 3(1:30 pm)- YUM! 2 small La Tortilla Factory tortillas + huge amount of peppers and onions sauteed in evoo + 1/4 black beans (drained, rinsed & divided) + 1/4 cup 2% reduced fat Kraft shredded cheddar (divided) + diced tomato & rest of tomato Meal 3 (10:30 am)- 3/4 cup egg beaters w/mushrooms, peppers, onions (I'm out of spinach! Nooooo!) + 1/3 cup (dry measured) oatmeal + 1/3 cup fresh blueberries (think I've had my blueberry quota for a while...this is the last of them!)
Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1/2 100% whole wheat bagel w/20 sprays fat free parkay butter spray + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM
Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult

This weekend will make 2 weeks living without meat of any kind. It's crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun! Honestly, I would be lying if I said it has been ALL fun. I admit that there are some things I've been struggling with mentally in going vegetarian. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, I think it's those things that cause me to learn new things. For instance, I have really been struggling with getting over my strict adherence to making sure that all meals maintain the 40/40/20 approach to eating. This is that 40% of all daily calories come from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fat.

I am pretty mindful about trying to keep this balance in most meals for most days of the week. Not because I think the world might end if I don't, but I have done it and not done it enough times to know that I just feel a bazillion times better when I keep most meals to that ratio....energy wise...strength wise...etc. It has been a bit challenging to do this when incorporating vegetarian proteins into the mix. Why? Because protein sources like tofu have about 1/2 the amount of protein and double the amount of carbs and fat that would be contained in the same exact calorie intake of something like chicken breast. Veggies and carbs alone just aren't enought to keep me satisfied and full. So let's compare...

A 1/2 of a large chicken breast has roughly calories 90 calories, 20 g protein, 0 carbs, and 0.5 g fat...

Compare that with tofu having 90 calories, 8 g protein, 3 carbs, and 5 g fat (almost 50% of the calories come straight from fat)...

Yes, tofu is made of soy, which is said to have ALL of the essential amino acids (something not present in chicken), which is a definite plus. And if the research pointing to animal proteins as promoters of cancer (outlined in the China Study) is true, then fat should be my least of worries I'm sure. Obviously there are plenty of other sources of vegetarian protein, but they ALL also contain carbs, and some of them very high amounts. It's still a little out of my comfort zone and this is why....

Some mental challenges thus far:

Eating more fat than usual....trying not to obsess about it and just enjoy trying new things, but it's still in the back of my mind sometimes. You'll notice I didn't use salad dressing yesterday on my huge salad, because I already had 10 g of fat from the tofu and wasn't about to add an additional 5 g of fat to that salad. As close of an eye as I've had on everything, I can see how the fat could get seriously out of control if I wasn't looking at labels. I'm not trying to overanalyze, but there is still a healthy and unhealthy amount of fat, and I'm not willing to cross that line for myself. A meal here and there is fine, but you do have to watch it if you are eating vegetarian foods and aren't used to having to look at fat content so much.

The same is true with eating more carbs lately. It's definitely strange to change my mindset from thinking of things like beans as carbs only to having an approach where I am looking at them as a source of protein, be it a rather small one.

The same is true with dairy. I don't remember the last time I drank a glass of actual milk, and outside of cottage cheese and the occasional (by occasional I mean a few times total per week)crumbled feta, there hasn't been much dairy at all in my diet. The fact that I am eating shredded and block cheese frequently is way different than my normal.

So remember that BIG HOWEVER?...well guess what? Despite my uneasiness with doing things in a different way, it's actually helping me to overcome some stubborn mindsets that I think might be good to snap out of at this point. I'm realizing that amazingly enough, even with a few extra carbs and fat in my diet, the world is still turning! I'm still wearing a size 0. My body fat is still under 20%. My abs are actually showing more definition than they were two week ago when I started this whole thing. I feel like my strength is actually increasing and like I am still getting enough protein to support my intense workouts and recovery.

So where does that leave me now? Well I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and see how the next couple weeks goes. At this point, I haven't felt any superhuman powers from the vegetarian foods (the way I feel when I eat salmon and sushi), and haven't really come to a point where I would say "I feel SO much better!" as I've heard many vegetarians say. With that said, I haven't had any complaints either in regards to the way the food makes me feel. So it looks like I'm 1/2 way done and 1/2 way yet to go on this adventure!

On that note..I won't be posting this weekend while I travel sans computer, but will definitely take some pics along the way to share when I return. Have a great weekend to anyone reading

September Body Fat and other Fun Stuff

Took my body fat this am upon waking (5:30 am)..I thought it would be around 17%-18%ish, so this seemed kind of low at 15.7%, but I'll take it! BMI was 20.4....Just figured I should probably take a look at it. Will do it again in one month and see if anything has changed...I'll post an update on that front!

Pre-workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult


Meal 1 ( 8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1/2 100% whole wheat bagel w/20 sprays parkay fat free butter spray +multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM

Meal 2 (11 am)- Huge spinach salad w/tomatoes, red onions, red peppers, squash, carrots + 2 servings tomato basil tofu (doubled up this time so I'd stay full) + red wine vingear as dressing
Meal 3 (2 pm)- Huge bowl of zuccini, squash, red peppers, onions sauteed in evoo & chili powder + 1 cup black beans (low sodium drained and rinsed)...this was SO YUMMY and filling! Meal 4 (5 pm)- chocolate protein oatmeal: 1/2 cup (dry measured) + 1 scoop EAS chocolate whey protein + 1 packet stevia + 2 tbsp. slivered almonds

Meal 5 (planned for 8 pm)- Going to have a frozen strawberry Myoplex Lite shake and hit the hay!

How about it for real fall weather?! I've been enjoying every second of this break from the TX heat! If it goes too long without sun I know I'll start having withdrawls and the tanning bed might start calling my name eventually, just so that I stay sane...but for now I am loving the cold and wet weather. It's a reminder of the upcoming 3 months of holidays, which fly by so fast! I spent 20+ years of my life in FL, where there really aren't seasons, so it's nice to know I get to experience this change every year now. woo hoo! Makes me want to rake up a big pile of leaves and jump head first into them!!!

I love colorful leaves almost as much as I LOVE COLORFUL FOOD...I feel so great when I am eating from every single color of the rainbow. Today's meals were great and gave me superhuman energy....Eating was on point today...drank well over 1 gallon of water...Had a great LBWO (already feeling it in the glutes! woo hoo!)...Scheduled an UBWO for tomorrow instead of cardio, because I have a massive blister from running with crappy shoes and also because I just think it will be easier to do cardio while traveling than hunting down weights, so I am just switching cardio to Friday. I've traveled enough to know that it's just easier this way.

ust remembered that I'm probably going to the most perfect place possible for being vegetarian ...Why? Silicon Valley has a high Indian population and lots of Indian restaurants, which as you may know...have many vegetarian options. I've actually only eaten "real" Indian food once before if you can believe that. I can't wait to try something I've never tried before...hopefully something really spicy! YUM!

Who Says You Have to Eat Eggs for Breakfast?

Started off the day with an unconventional post-workout meal. Was craving Triscuits like crazy and had fat free ricotta cheese with no plans for it, so broiled up some mini spinach and cheese bruschetta melts (I guess that's what I'll call them!)

Meal 1 (8 am)- Yes I ate this at 8 am and it was DELICIOUS!

10 reduced fat triscuits each topped with fresh spinach leaves+ 1 tbsp. fat free ricotta cheese (first ingredient is whey so figured it would be good post workout) + McCormick garlic & basil seasoning, salt & pepper + slice of roma tomato + sprinkle parmesan cheese (broiled for 5 min. in toaster oven)+ 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1/2 tsp. Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM
Felt kind of funky about buying fake meat in the sliced form, but wanted to give it a go. On the plus side, these products don't contain any nitrates or nitrates, like most deli meats....so that's a plus.

Meal 2 (11 am)- La Tortilla Factory tomato basil tortilla + spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions + Smart Deli vegetarian roast style turkey

Couldn't wait to try this! It looked so interesting and yummy!

Meal 3 (2 pm)- Organic wild rice tempeh sauteed in evoo & low sodium soy sauce (YUMMMM!!!)+ 1/2 plate of steamed broccoli w/20 sprays fat free parkay butter spray

+ ! serving EAS Betagen
Impromptu snack (3:30 pm)- 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette dressing + heaping cup broccoli & sliced cucumbers

I am sure now that soy products just don't give the same satiety factor as grilled chicken. Edamame seems to keep me full, but the tempeh didn't hold me over 3 hours whatsoever...too bad I rather like it!

Meal 4 (5:30 pm)- Breakfast for dinner! 3/4 cup egg whites w/spinach, mushroom, onions & peppers + 1/4 cup (dry) oatmeal + 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Meal 5 (8:15 pm)- Myoplex Lite vanilla protein shake w/1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. Glutamine

Today was a great day for eating! Yesterday's meals about bored me senseless, so I made it a point to try a couple new things today. After my run this morning, I was craving salty food for some reason and was NOT in the mood for breakfast food at all. Who says you have to eat eggs for breakfast anyways? I've been liking them for dinner lately, and there are no rules on times for eating certain things. I know people who eat fish for breakfast, and I'm not talking about smoked salmon either...not even joking. Now THAT is a meatatarian! I really enjoyed the new stuff, but I didn't realize that the tempeh was ALSO made of soy. It seems that almost everything with anything of any sort of high protein content that is a vegetarian product is made of soy! I don't really like the thought of eating SO much of one thing when it comes to anything, but it's slim pickings when you are trying to get enough protein (without tons of carbs attached) as a vegetarian. It is definitely challenging. I managed to stay exactly on track with eating, even with the vegetarian products today, although I don't see myself eating this much soy over the long term....too many unknowns with regards to what it "does" or "doesn't do". This is an experiment after all though, so if it helps me to try different things I wouldn't normally try, then I'll just enjoy the experience! I really do LOVE the tempeh, which I would have never tried before!

Manic Monday

Meal 5 (6:30 pm)- 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1 diced gala apple

Meal 4 (4 pm)- spinach salad w/tomato basil tofu + heaping 1/2 cup edamame + broccoli, cucumbers, tomotoes, red peppers, red onions + 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette

Meal 3 (1 pm)- Myoplex Lite RTD

Meal 2 (10 am)- 3/4 cup egg beater w/mushrooms, onions & peppers + 1/3 cup (dry measured) oatmeal + 1/3 cup fresh blueberries

Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate (not pictured)...on the fly

Where or where has the day gone?! Just another manic Monday I guess. I was browsing upcoming topics to write about for Livestrong.com last night, and low and behold found one titled "A High-Protein Vegetarian Diet". I just so happen to know a thing or two about that!

Outside of training and writing, I'm excitedly gearing up for my trip to CA this weekend. woo hoo! Hubby flies back from his business trip just in enough time to hop on a plane with me for a weekend getaway to northern CA. We had free flights that were going to expire anyhoo, and so we figured we may as well take a little weekend trip rather than letting them expire (like they usually always do... unused).

It will be my first time traveling as a vegetarian, so it should be interesting, but my plan is to stick with the vegetarian eating while traveling. Meals will be on point this whole work week for sure. I will not be adhering to BFL eating every 3 hours on a strict schedule while traveling, but that is what is so GREAT about BFL! It's about still being able to live and enjoy life without having to feel guilty about it! I do plan to stick with the vegetarian eating though, because I want to see how I am challenged to stick with it. My normal saving grace while traveling is typically tuna packets w/triscuits, which I will obviously not be able to eat this time, so I'll have to think of at least a couple different options to take for the plane and airport instead. Good thing that cheese and crackers just happens to compliment a day at the wineries perfectly!

The focus right now and for the next 4 days during this week is to eat super clean, according to schedule, to have an intense LBWO Wednesday, and complete all scheduled runs this week for 1/2 marathon training. I've been super busy today, so haven't gotten too creative with the food, but I'll post it anwyays. I'm excited to try out the wild rice tempeh this week, maybe tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great start to a great week!