Around cake-time I wondered if today would be a disaster - but maybe not!!
Today's Food:
All-bran w/ light soy milk
Banana
2 Kiwi fruits
Small slice vegan cake (see previous post!) (Praying it was only around the 800kj mark)
Veggie burger w/ veggie spread (About 600kj)
4 corn thins w/ vegemite
Handful goji berries
Half-punnet strawberries
Handful cherry tomatoes
3 cups green tea
1 cup T2 Melbourne Breakfast tea (so yummy!) w/ soy milk
1 cup chai tea w/ light soy milk
Chickpea & Leafy Green stir fry (Around 600kj)
Mandarin
Popcorn w/ little bit melted Nuttlex lite (vegan low-fat margarine)
I made some really rough estimations on the cake, and stir fry, but works out to around: 5550kj, 1400cal
Pretty happy with that - emotionally at being able to enjoy something sweet, while still being able to keep within a reasonable kj allowance! Was tempted with lots of non-vegan food goodies, and resisted. Even went out to coffee with friends and just had some T2!
Exercise:
Walked for about 30min to the train station
1 hour at the gym, cardio and weights
And the scales verdict? Back under 57! 56.6kg. Very exciting!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Health Food Store Fun!
I only had an hour of actual work to do today, so I justified it by walking/training home instead of driving. Walking to the station on my way home, I came across a small sign that said "health food - sale". I actually kept walking, yet saw the lettering on the store front (behind some bushes) "Health Food". So I turned around and went in. It was a very small, maybe 6x6 store, with food and beauty items. (I've been looking for some chickpea flour (besan) for a while, but they didn't have any)
The best part?
One of the store owners (I assume), came and offered me a slice of cake. "It's gluten-free!", he said. I politely explained that I was a vegan, and that I doubted that it was also dairy and egg-free. He paused for a moment, before dashing upstairs. Returning with a cardboard box, he showed it to me with a grin. "Dairy-Free!" exclaimed the box, and he allowed me to read the ingredients. My limited knowledge of anti-vegan ingredients (still just a learner here!) left me believing that it was at least 90% vegan friendly, and so I ate a small slice. Yes it was all sugar, but who cares! Vegan cake! He told me it wasn't commercially available yet, and the company was still in the process of marketing etc.
The disappointment!
Noni Juice. Miranda Kerr, my biggest girl crush, Victoria Secret Model, and overall sex-bomb, swears by this stuff - yet I had never seen it anywhere. So I was very excited when I saw just the one bottle of it sitting on the shelf - reduced from $55 to $40 for a 1L bottle (you only drink 30ml in a serving). Quickly justifying the cost in my head (after all - I can now look like an underwear model too right!?), I bought it.
Bringing it home with a spring in my step, I cracked it open the moment I walked in the door. The smell nearly bowled me over - quite, um, overpowering. I prayed it would taste nothing like it smelt. Mixing a small amount with some cranberry juice ("Mix with your favourite non-citrus juice!"), I took a sip. Gagged. Another sip. Disgusted face. Held my nose and downed the rest.
I have resolved to myself to at least give it a week (maybe just a tablespoon a day... 30mL was too much to handle!), and see if I begin to look like a supermodel.
Conclusion?
I did walk away with (along with the Noni Juice and a tummy happy with cake) a jar of veggie pasta sauce that is also apparently "good on bread". Odd marketing if you ask me, but I tried spreading some on my veggie burger for lunch and it was a DELICIOUS combination!! I also bought some quinoa instant pancake mix! Its like the normal instant pancake mix, but vegan friendly. For $3.00 and $2.95 respectively, I am very satisfied with both these purchases. Must find an excuse for a pancake breakfast soon!!
The best part?
One of the store owners (I assume), came and offered me a slice of cake. "It's gluten-free!", he said. I politely explained that I was a vegan, and that I doubted that it was also dairy and egg-free. He paused for a moment, before dashing upstairs. Returning with a cardboard box, he showed it to me with a grin. "Dairy-Free!" exclaimed the box, and he allowed me to read the ingredients. My limited knowledge of anti-vegan ingredients (still just a learner here!) left me believing that it was at least 90% vegan friendly, and so I ate a small slice. Yes it was all sugar, but who cares! Vegan cake! He told me it wasn't commercially available yet, and the company was still in the process of marketing etc.
The disappointment!
Noni Juice. Miranda Kerr, my biggest girl crush, Victoria Secret Model, and overall sex-bomb, swears by this stuff - yet I had never seen it anywhere. So I was very excited when I saw just the one bottle of it sitting on the shelf - reduced from $55 to $40 for a 1L bottle (you only drink 30ml in a serving). Quickly justifying the cost in my head (after all - I can now look like an underwear model too right!?), I bought it.
Bringing it home with a spring in my step, I cracked it open the moment I walked in the door. The smell nearly bowled me over - quite, um, overpowering. I prayed it would taste nothing like it smelt. Mixing a small amount with some cranberry juice ("Mix with your favourite non-citrus juice!"), I took a sip. Gagged. Another sip. Disgusted face. Held my nose and downed the rest.
I have resolved to myself to at least give it a week (maybe just a tablespoon a day... 30mL was too much to handle!), and see if I begin to look like a supermodel.
Conclusion?
I did walk away with (along with the Noni Juice and a tummy happy with cake) a jar of veggie pasta sauce that is also apparently "good on bread". Odd marketing if you ask me, but I tried spreading some on my veggie burger for lunch and it was a DELICIOUS combination!! I also bought some quinoa instant pancake mix! Its like the normal instant pancake mix, but vegan friendly. For $3.00 and $2.95 respectively, I am very satisfied with both these purchases. Must find an excuse for a pancake breakfast soon!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday 22nd June
Many a Tuesday night has involved a food binge. Tuesday nights tend to involve going out for drinks with friends - and when I get home I eat everything I can find. Tonight however, I made sure I ate before I went out (so as not to be hungry), and drove so I couldn't drink. I had 3 diet cokes (not ideal, but better than the alternatives!), and completely passed on the free malteasers going around!
Today's Food:
All-bran with light soy milk
1 cup green tea
1 cup black tea with light soy milk
1 banana
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Half-punnet of Strawberries
Veggie burger with salad (lettuce, baby spinach and rocket)
3 rice crackers with vegemite (B12!!!)
Mandarin
Handful of almonds
Handful of sultanas
Handful of goji berries
Red lentil and chickpea soup (Mum made this one - quite nice!)
Air-popped popcorn
3 diet-cokes
Kiwi fruit
About 6000kj, or 1500cal
This is probably more than I'd ideally like to be consuming, but I met a lot of my iron and protein needs, which is great.
Exercise
40 min walk outdoors to do some fruit/veg shopping
1 hr step class (aerobics, high intensity cardio and toning!)
Although not the greatest day (scales back up to 57.3kg today), certainly not as bad as even a week ago! Also getting excited about a weeks holiday in 2 weeks time - especially after finding out that I won't be the only person opting to eat healthy! One friend is a long-term vegetarian, and two others have been recently deciding to become healthier! Having others with similar food goals to me (vegan or not) will be really beneficial to keeping myself on track and not gaining a hundred kilos in a week!
Today's Food:
All-bran with light soy milk
1 cup green tea
1 cup black tea with light soy milk
1 banana
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Half-punnet of Strawberries
Veggie burger with salad (lettuce, baby spinach and rocket)
3 rice crackers with vegemite (B12!!!)
Mandarin
Handful of almonds
Handful of sultanas
Handful of goji berries
Red lentil and chickpea soup (Mum made this one - quite nice!)
Air-popped popcorn
3 diet-cokes
Kiwi fruit
About 6000kj, or 1500cal
This is probably more than I'd ideally like to be consuming, but I met a lot of my iron and protein needs, which is great.
Exercise
40 min walk outdoors to do some fruit/veg shopping
1 hr step class (aerobics, high intensity cardio and toning!)
Although not the greatest day (scales back up to 57.3kg today), certainly not as bad as even a week ago! Also getting excited about a weeks holiday in 2 weeks time - especially after finding out that I won't be the only person opting to eat healthy! One friend is a long-term vegetarian, and two others have been recently deciding to become healthier! Having others with similar food goals to me (vegan or not) will be really beneficial to keeping myself on track and not gaining a hundred kilos in a week!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Red Lentil and Tomato Soup
I altered this from a recipe I found online. It originally used oil, onions, dill and feta, which I decided to cut out, and changed a few of the quantities to suit.
Ingredients:
2 carrots, chopped small
2 sticks of celery, chopped small
1 zucchini chopped small
Tablespoon of minced garlic (or cloves, if you have them)
5-6 cups of water
(I added in a tablespoon of veggie stock concentrate)
2 cups (500g) red lentils
1 bay leaf
Chile flakes to taste (I used quite a bit - gave it a really nice kick!)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 diced tomato
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the carrots and celery and zucchini in the garlic and half a cup of water for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in the rest of the water (I boiled it first, to speed up cooking time, but it doesn't really matter). I also added in the vegetable stock concentrate.
Add in the lentils, bay leaf, chile flakes, and the tin and whole tomatoes. Bring to the boil, stirring regularly.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about half an hour (the lentils kind of dissolve).
Add in the balsamic vinegar, and some salt and pepper, and take out the bay leaf.
Serves 6 to 8, and tastes just as good reheated for the next week!
And the best news? It only works out to be around 800kj (around 200cal) per serving.
Ingredients:
2 carrots, chopped small
2 sticks of celery, chopped small
1 zucchini chopped small
Tablespoon of minced garlic (or cloves, if you have them)
5-6 cups of water
(I added in a tablespoon of veggie stock concentrate)
2 cups (500g) red lentils
1 bay leaf
Chile flakes to taste (I used quite a bit - gave it a really nice kick!)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 diced tomato
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the carrots and celery and zucchini in the garlic and half a cup of water for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in the rest of the water (I boiled it first, to speed up cooking time, but it doesn't really matter). I also added in the vegetable stock concentrate.
Add in the lentils, bay leaf, chile flakes, and the tin and whole tomatoes. Bring to the boil, stirring regularly.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about half an hour (the lentils kind of dissolve).
Add in the balsamic vinegar, and some salt and pepper, and take out the bay leaf.
Serves 6 to 8, and tastes just as good reheated for the next week!
And the best news? It only works out to be around 800kj (around 200cal) per serving.
Monday 21st June
I'm really happy with today! Content with both food and exercise - feeling physically and emotionally great! Ate quite a lot, but all good food, and when I added up the KJ amounts, was pleasantly surprised!! And the scales proved it - just 56.6kg today!! I tend to fluctuate quite a bit, but hoping to spend the rest of the week under 57 if i can - and if I succeed, rewarding myself with new winter boots! Very excited!
Today's Food:
All-bran with light soy milk
3 cups green tea
Banana
Mandarin
Kiwi Fruit
Red Lentil and Tomato soup (quite a large bowl today! I will get around to posting some recipes too!)
2 cups black tea with light soy milk
1 cup chai tea with soy milk
Carrot and celery sticks with yesterday's leftover hummus
Handful of almonds
Steamed pumpkin, sweet potato and zucchini in a little bit of rice-bran oil w/ salt & pepper
Air-popped popcorn
Handful of goji berries
Works out to be just over 5500kj, or 1375cal
Exercise:
45 minutes at the gym - mostly cardio, about 250cal / 1000kj
I was supposed to have a fitness group with some friends today - but it was canceled (slackers!!) So I resisted the urge to laze around at home, and took the advantage of already having my gym clothes with me and went straight to the gym after work! Felt so much more energetic afterwards, and had a great night, so happy with my decision!
I have a day off tomorrow, so might get around to adding in some recipes, and I'm hoping to get out grocery shopping for some new ingredients to experiment with! Plenty of time for exercise, and praying that I won't get over confident when out with friends tomorrow night and stick to good eating!!
Today's Food:
All-bran with light soy milk
3 cups green tea
Banana
Mandarin
Kiwi Fruit
Red Lentil and Tomato soup (quite a large bowl today! I will get around to posting some recipes too!)
2 cups black tea with light soy milk
1 cup chai tea with soy milk
Carrot and celery sticks with yesterday's leftover hummus
Handful of almonds
Steamed pumpkin, sweet potato and zucchini in a little bit of rice-bran oil w/ salt & pepper
Air-popped popcorn
Handful of goji berries
Works out to be just over 5500kj, or 1375cal
Exercise:
45 minutes at the gym - mostly cardio, about 250cal / 1000kj
I was supposed to have a fitness group with some friends today - but it was canceled (slackers!!) So I resisted the urge to laze around at home, and took the advantage of already having my gym clothes with me and went straight to the gym after work! Felt so much more energetic afterwards, and had a great night, so happy with my decision!
I have a day off tomorrow, so might get around to adding in some recipes, and I'm hoping to get out grocery shopping for some new ingredients to experiment with! Plenty of time for exercise, and praying that I won't get over confident when out with friends tomorrow night and stick to good eating!!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday 20th June
I knew today was going to be difficult. Firstly, the day was so full there was no chance of squeezing in any exercise - making that 3 out of the last 4 days not at the gym! I usually make it 6 times a week, so only 4 this week was quite depressingly. Secondly, I was having lunch at a friends place for a welcome-back gathering. My limited food self-control made me anxious about this. However, all things considered I don't think i fared too badly.
My slip ups were:
I brought some of the split-pea soup I made last week for some lunch (I was told chicken would be provided - no thank you!), which I ate before I went. However, when lunch came around, one of my friends had bought a batch of pumpkin soup. She had previously shared her soup recipe with me, and I knew that she didn't use anything other than veggies really! So I had a little bit - not much, but having a bowl in front of me stopped me from going for the nachos! She kindly informed me after I finished her soup that she used quite a bit of butter (the way my stomach feels at the moment confirms that!). I also ate a couple of small pieces of some honey comb that another friend had made. Justified a tiny bit because it was homemade so I was able to find out all the ingredients :P
Yet despite all that - still on 57.5kg today.
Today's Food:
All-bran with lite soy milk
3 cups green tea
Banana
Split-pea and veggie soup
Small bowl pumpkin soup (not a good idea in hindsight)
Carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks with low-kj hummus
Air popped plain popcorn
3 small pieces home-made honeycomb
Half-punnet of strawberries
2 handfuls goji berries
Kiwi fruit
Orange
About: 5576kj 1350cal
Although I'm not completely happy with today's food intake, it could have been much worse, and really, when I look back at it - it was more a problem with quantities.
But as long as I can have a good week - which I'm fairly confident of - the goal is to get down under the elusive 57kg mark!
My slip ups were:
I brought some of the split-pea soup I made last week for some lunch (I was told chicken would be provided - no thank you!), which I ate before I went. However, when lunch came around, one of my friends had bought a batch of pumpkin soup. She had previously shared her soup recipe with me, and I knew that she didn't use anything other than veggies really! So I had a little bit - not much, but having a bowl in front of me stopped me from going for the nachos! She kindly informed me after I finished her soup that she used quite a bit of butter (the way my stomach feels at the moment confirms that!). I also ate a couple of small pieces of some honey comb that another friend had made. Justified a tiny bit because it was homemade so I was able to find out all the ingredients :P
Yet despite all that - still on 57.5kg today.
Today's Food:
All-bran with lite soy milk
3 cups green tea
Banana
Split-pea and veggie soup
Small bowl pumpkin soup (not a good idea in hindsight)
Carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks with low-kj hummus
Air popped plain popcorn
3 small pieces home-made honeycomb
Half-punnet of strawberries
2 handfuls goji berries
Kiwi fruit
Orange
About: 5576kj 1350cal
Although I'm not completely happy with today's food intake, it could have been much worse, and really, when I look back at it - it was more a problem with quantities.
But as long as I can have a good week - which I'm fairly confident of - the goal is to get down under the elusive 57kg mark!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Saturday 19th June
I had a really bad week last week - it included far too much wine, peanut butter, and a ham&cheese toasty. After at one point weighing 57kg (an important goal I've been trying to reach), I am tonight back to 57.5kg. However, today is the second day in a row I've now gone back to my vegan eating habits.
Todays food:
All-bran cereal, with light soy milk and a bit of cinnamon
Banana
Punnet of strawberries
Kiwi Fruit
Mandarin
2 cups green tea
2 cups black tea with light soy milk
Handful of almonds
3 corn thins with sugar-free jam
Cucumber and celery sticks
Red lentil and tomato soup
Roughly 4500kJ, 836cal
I had work today, which meant there wasn't really a full midday meal, and just made up of lots of snacks but I've never felt too hungry.
Exercise:
1 hour at the gym - burnt 300cal in cardio, and did some weights as well.
Verdict - good day!
Todays food:
All-bran cereal, with light soy milk and a bit of cinnamon
Banana
Punnet of strawberries
Kiwi Fruit
Mandarin
2 cups green tea
2 cups black tea with light soy milk
Handful of almonds
3 corn thins with sugar-free jam
Cucumber and celery sticks
Red lentil and tomato soup
Roughly 4500kJ, 836cal
I had work today, which meant there wasn't really a full midday meal, and just made up of lots of snacks but I've never felt too hungry.
Exercise:
1 hour at the gym - burnt 300cal in cardio, and did some weights as well.
Verdict - good day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)