I finally got out today for a run. I'm ashamed to say that it's been about two months since I've done any running. It felt great to get out in the nice weather and break a sweat. It was definitely challenging to keep up the running and I had to stop a couple of times, but I know the fitness will come back quickly. Consistency is important and I'm going to take it slowly to get myself back into a good running groove. If you're looking to get into an exercise program yourself, I cannot recommend running highly enough. There's... Continue reading

I've been eating lots of kale lately. Kale, kale, kale. I really like it cooked, but not so much raw. It's a bit too rough and tough of a green for me to eat raw. But cooked, it is quite tasty. One of my new favorite meals is steamed kale and tofu over brown rice, topped with raw sunflower seeds and a tasty sauce. Last night I made a chili lime sauce with fresh lime juice, low sodium soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, and a splash of maple syrup. It was TASTY. I had it again for lunch and dinner... Continue reading

Last week was rough, very stressful at work, and I think it affected my decisions about my diet. Against my better nutritarian judgment, I decided to consume a little bit too much sugar. I knew it was unhealthy and might even make me have some additional cravings, but I decided it was okay to just have a little. After all, it was for a Haiti-relief fundraiser, and also the goodies were vegan. How could I pass up a chance to help my fellow humans and also sample some tasty treats? I know this rationale is absurd. No need to tell... Continue reading

I'm over two weeks into the healthy eats and I'm still really enjoying the new diet. Honestly, I'm shocked. And it doesn't even seem hard. What the heck is going on? I'm cooking on the weekends, bringing my lunch to work everyday, getting up at 5:30 now just for the fun of it. It's sick and twisted I tell you. I'm going health hardcore people. I went to see my doctor last week to get all of my "levels" checked out. You know, cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzymes, etc. I want to get a good baseline and then see how my... Continue reading

It's Day 7, and I'm discovering some side effects of my new healthy diet. The first and most important is that I have sooooo much energy now. It's only been a week, and I feel AMAZING. It's honestly a bit strange that I feel so great...not my usual thing at all, so I'm really excited about that. Another new thing - and I'm not entirely sure it's due to my diet - is that the eczema on my upper arms seems to have disappeared over the last couple of days. I've had red, irritated skin with dry patches on my... Continue reading

Yesterday was my first Saturday on the "Eat for Health" plan. I was a little nervous thinking about all the free time I would have at home with a readily accessible kitchen, but I did quite well. Here's my meals recap: Breakfast - bowl of Total with unsweetened soymilk, blueberries, banana Lunch - leftover Thai vegetable curry, green salad, apple, 3 dried figs Dinner - vegetable bean soup, green salad, banana + TBSP natural peanut butter, 2 dates You're probably wondering why I'm eating the same things over and over again. The answer is that I'm trying to be efficient... Continue reading

Day 4 meals recap from yesterday - Breakfast - Banana/almond butter/lettuce wraps 1/2 tomato mozzerella sandwich from Panera, 1/2 cup of vegetable soup Japanese hot pot with miso broth, bok choy, cabbage, mushrooms, noodles, and tofu I had two restaurant meals yesterday, and I definitely noticed the increased amount of sodium in the foods. Salt, salt, salt in everything! I was running really late to work yesterday morning and failed to prepare my lunch. I do think I could have made a few healthier choices, maybe gotten a salad at Panera. Did you know they don't have a vegetarian protein... Continue reading

Brrrrrr it's cold here in Houston! I hear we are having record low temperatures this winter - the lowest in a decade I think. I actually wore gloves and a scarf this morning! All this cold is making me want to eat chili and drink hot tea and cocoa. I make a really tasty vegetarian pumpkin chili so I think I may have to bust out the crockpot again and make some this weekend. Yesterday was Day 3 of my new healthy diet. Here's a recap of my menu for the day: Breakfast - bowl of Total cereal with unsweetened... Continue reading

It's day 2 on the "Eat for Health" and I'm feeling extremely motivated. I am very encouraged by my ability to resist the big candy bowl at work today. It's been a stressful week at work, and I did not have one piece of candy - not one! I've been known to eat a few peppermint patties or reese's cups at work every now and then, especially when I'm feeling stressed, so this is big progress for me to not indulge. I know that once I have that first piece of candy, I'll end up eating four or five, so... Continue reading

So it begins. Today is the first day of my new healthy eating adventures. I will be following the guidance of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's "Eat for Health" books, as well as utilizing the Eat Right America website for support. Why am I doing this? The real truth is that I want to feel fabulous everyday and all the time. I absolutely hate feeling fat, uncomfortable, tired, cranky, and bloated - all due to years of eating junk. I've decided to start taking care of my body and stop putting so much crap into it all the time. Eat crap =... Continue reading