Birdy Takes Flight

[carollynne]

Birdy, hello, and my prayers for your family situation. The divine healer must be grieving for her too.
congrats on your progress. sounds like you are doing so good. We all slip up now and then, but then I get right back on the McD plan after the special treat is over with, at least now I am truly regretting what I just ate, and realize that my intestines are in a revolt over it too. I learn the hard way I guess.

[Anna Green]

Hey! Just checking in to see how you are doing. Glad to hear your daughter is healing. I hope your nightmares have gone and you are healing too. Congrats on the loss and the progress.

I'm doing fairly well. I do well for awhile then backslide. I do well enough though that overall I make progress. My son is trying to eat well also and I am pleased about that.

I hope you have a peaceful week. Keep at it and I will too.

[Birdy]

Carollynne, thank you for posting. And you too Anna. My daughter is doing better and so am I. Except I found out yesterday I have a sinus infection and started on antibiotics. I missed my weekly check-in on Tuesday this week. 3 1/2 month point. At the doctor's office yesterday, my bp was 145/83 so it's definitely coming down. Yeah!

I'm at a point where I really do love eating this way, although I STILL need to eliminate more oils and higher fat plant foods. Anna, I understand about backsliding, but making progress overall. I sort of backslide mildly on a daily basis (for example yesterday I ate deli potatoes that were high in fat), but still things are improving. Eating out continues to be a challenge as cheese and other animal foods can so easily sneak in. I have to always remember to say "vegan" and spell out what I want.

I haven't felt well this week with the sinus thing and have only taken short walks and done a little gardening. Today, it's finally warmish outside with full sun and feels so good. Easter Sunday is supposed to revert back to rain and colder temperatures, but maybe the forecast will be wrong.

My weight is hovering around 150 give or take a few pounds. Hopefully as the weather improves and I get outside exercising more, the weight will drop. Also, this is such a great time of year for vegetable salads and lighter food.

I think I'll go for a little walk right now.

Food today:
Breakfast - 1/2 raisin/cinnamon bagel with orange marmalade, black tea, grapefruit. Water.
Lunch - vegetable fried rice* with small piece of garlic bread; water
Snack- orange, 10-15 nuts*; tea
Dinner - rottini pasta dish with vegetables and beans; water

Have a great weekend whatever your plans!

[Birdy]

Yesterday was the 3 month, 3 week mark of being vegan. However, I've eaten fish on two occasions and a small amount of some eggs with cheese on Easter Sunday. So, my record is not perfect, but then perfect doesn't work well for me because it's rigid. So as I approach the 4 month mark, I'm just keeping on the vegan path to the best of my ability.

I'm still taking antibiotics for sinus/ear infection. Things seem to be getting better. Taking acidolphilus/bacillus to counteract the effects of the medication. It's been so many years since I took antibiotics and I don't remember feeling such unpleasant effects from it as now. Does vegan make your body more sensitive?

Still an amazingly cold spring here. Cold and wet. But the sun breaks are all the more spectacular when they happen.

I got another of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's cookbooks from the library. That woman can cook! Although many of the recipes contain oil, many don't. I made a big batch of her quinoa pilaf from the cookbook about entertaining for a crowd. It's oil free and so delicious. Tonight I finished it off by making a simple potato and kale soup, then adding the last of the quinoa to it and garnishing with cilantro.

Breakfast: oatmeal, tea
Snack: soy vanilla yogurt
Lunch: brown rice and green salad with fat free dressing
Snack: fruit and maybe some nuts
Dinner: Spaghetti marinara and salad

My weight is at a plateau, but I know exactly what I'm doing wrong. On a positive note, I'm setting a goal of walking one hour each day (working up to that gradually). Also, I have tons of gardening to do. I'm noticing that my muscles feel stronger and my endurance is better on a vegan diet. Arthritis symptoms have completely disappeared and, on the whole, I'm sleeping better than I was. My skin is soft.

My daughter is doing so well. Resilience is truly a remarkable aspect of life.

Not much other news. Am updating the weight number in my signature line. But it's kind of dumb to do because it will bounce around 2 or 3 pounds for certain. Ah plateaus....

[Birdy]

Well, it's not Tuesday and not a check-in day. But as I approach the 4 month mark on May 2nd, I'm "owning" my mess ups and trying to determine how I can do this vegan thing better in the next few months. Today I wrote in my real (paper and pen) journal about six pages looking at the past four months and asking myself if I want to continue choosing a vegan diet. And I do. I'll spare you the details, but it helps to stop, sit yourself down, and think through your commitment.

Did you know that a lower fat diet reduces disease and mortality at any age (meaning even in older people)? I learned that from Dr. Terry Shintani on the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii's website where monthly lectures are videotaped and then posted online. It's a great resource if you haven't already discovered it.

Have a great weekend!

[sksamboots]

Hey Birdy,

I'm glad your continuing. I know this journey can be hard and frustrating. Keep on keepin on

[Birdy]

Cinqo de Mayo!!! I'm pretty sure I misspelled that.

Today is 4 months + one week and a couple of days being vegan. Still messing up a bit, but still trying my best. I actually tasted a little salmon that I cooked for my family last night along with my vegan vegetable patty, and the salmon tasted icky to me (it was always a favorite in the past). Still, I'm messing up a tiny bit here and there with egg whites in a vegie patty or dairy creamer in coffee when I'm not at home and soy creamer isn't an option. Is this being flexible or just plain messing up? I do find it impossible to cook salmon or chicken or what have you for my family and always skip it myself. That's really hard. So I'm making a new decision to leave them on their own for animal foods which they can eat when we have meals out. Fortunately, I have a very understanding, supportive family.

Weight is hanging steady at around 152 I had hoped to be at least ten pounds lighter by now, but you reap what you sow. Interestingly, I've gone from a pant size 16 two years ago to a size 10 now, and from an extra large shirt/sweater to a large. You wouldn't expect that much change with just 10 pounds lost would you?

So I'm just going to keep on keeping on as the old cliche goes.

I went walking yesterday, did upper body strength training, and woke up with a somewhat stiff back this morning. Today I plan to walk again for 30+ minutes, do some gardening (the weeds are totally out of control), and do lower body strength training. I overheard part of a conversation in the grocery store yesterday between two women, one of whom must be a nurse. The nurse was saying to the other woman something about how problematic it is that so many people are sedentary, and she was talking in terms of bad health problems and the "sedentary lifestyle." So true and something I'm working to change in my own life.

When I consider the meals I'm eating, I realize that I'm just eating too much fat and that's why I'm not losing more weight. I must be truly addicted to fat because it's proving very difficult to give up or even to reduce. Maybe the exercising and, hopefully warmer weather that we eventually should get, will help me eat lighter meals.

Sksamboots, thanks as always for "stopping by" and for your support. I'm going over to catch up a bit on your journal right now!

[Birdy]

If you haven't seen Dr. McDougall's testimony regarding the passage of new legislation for nutrition education for medical doctors, follow this link: http://www.vegsource.com/news/2011/05/d ... video.html

It's very exciting that he is working on so many fronts to advance the information about plant based diets. In addition, he mentions that he is a professor of nutrition to medical students, which I didn't know.

[Anna Green]

Hey! That is wonderful that 10 lbs makes such a difference. Must have been all fat, not muscle or bone. Exercising helps me too with making better food choices. You sound better than a few months ago so keep at it.

[Birdy]

Hi Anna! I just posted on your journal. Thanks for posting on mine. I definitely am better than a month or so ago. Today is 4 months and one week of being vegan. I'm loving it and all the numbers are going in the right direction. I wasn't home most of the day today and haven't weighed or measured, so don't have that info to report this week.

I've been feeling more energetic than I have for a long long time. Have been gardening and walking, and just rejoined the pool. I read a wonderful article about several women who started swimming at about the same time 25 years ago and how wonderful friendships have grown among them. This inspired me to get back in the swim of things (har har, pun intended).

Another thing I noticed this week is that the rosacea I've had for years seems to have disappeared. This is interesting because according to the celebrity dermatologist, Nicolas Perricone, a high carb diet contributes to rosacea. More medical nonsense apparently.

I've been bolstering my efforts at being vegan by getting cookbooks and videos and other materials from the library, and also buying a few new cookbooks also. I don't have vegan friends or gatherings to go to, so it helps to have books right at my fingertips! I really like cookbook author Colleen Patrick Goudreau's approach to everything vegan. Her cookbooks, although not exclusively oil-free, have recipes that are so good. Many are easily made without oil. Her website is great too, if you're looking for more inspiration/info. I love to cook so I'm really enjoying all these new recipes and I'm getting better at adapting old favorites as well as coming up with impromtu meals and snacks.

It's an ongoing process! (What's with this Mr. Green?)

[bunsofaluminum]

hi Birdy...

I just read through the last two pages of your journal, and find myself encouraged by your accounts of ups and downs. You are steadily improving. I LOVE your BP and cholesterol numbers! and the disappearance of your rosacea. You are nourishing your body adequately (abundantly!) so that your skin has what is necessary for self-repair. Phooey on "low carb" advice. They dunno what they're talking about.

Keep on going, I'm encouraged by your journey!

[Birdy]

Hi Buns,
Ditto to you, I'm encouraged by your journey as well! And I'm glad my ups and downs can be helpful to other people here. Sometimes I worry I might be discouraging someone unintentionally. But it's so hard to go against the societal values by eating vegan, at least at first. I'm finding it easier and easier as time goes by.

I woke up at 4:30 this morning. No idea why as I'm usually dead to the world until at least 6:30/7:00 a.m. The birds were totally singing their little heads off to greet the dawn. Being so far north, we get a lot of light early in the morning and late into the evening this time of year and through the summer. Now if it will only warm up into at least the 60s and stop raining.......

I've been noticing the past week that I have so much energy. Have been getting lots done and not dragging myself around like I was before starting the vegan diet. Went to the athletic club yesterday and tried out the machines. I have to say, I just don't like treadmills, ellipticals, etc. I'd rather be outside walking and gardening instead of using a machine. But the pool is another matter. I haven't been in the pool for eight months and look forward to swimming again today.

Another thing I've noticed is that I do better every day if I eat enough higher protein foods, such as tofu, beans, soy yogurt, etc. I found a really good soy yogurt that has only 5% fat and is low in calories that I'm enjoying as a snack in the afternoons which is a time of day that I tend to overeat. Tweaking my diet just a little on the side of higher protein foods helps me eat less and maintain better energy.

Well, that's it for now. Hope we all have a sunny and warm weekend!

[Anna Green]

Hey Birdy. You sound so good. Isn't energy one of the best rewards for eating well?

If you decide to do the gym some of the time I wanted to tell you what helps me when I do it. I prefer the outdoors as well by the way. When I do the elliptical (sp?) I do enjoy it if, and this is a big if, I have music I like with a good rhythm. Then it feels almost like dancing and I go twice as far. Literally. I so enjoy.

Anyway, hope your day is not as gray as ours. I remember those gray days in your neck of the woods.

[Birdy]

Hi Anna! Yeah, I've asked for an Ipod for my birthday in a couple of weeks that I can use while walking or exercising. I'm doing 5 or 10 minutes at a time on the treadmill, elliptical, and rowing machine for a total of 30 to 40 minutes. I like the rowing machine best. I also went for two 15 or 20 minute walks yesterday in addition to exercising at the gym, and am surprised I'm not sore today.

Today is 4 1/2 months vegan. It's really hard to be and stay 100% vegan isn't it? There are so many people eating differently and so many animal foods everywhere. Have to read labels and always think about that surprise ingredient you wouldn't expect. For example, I ordered green beans at a Chinese restaurant and found they'd been cooked in some kind of meat drippings. Or I bought a package of very low fat vegie burgers which I discovered after eating these that they were made with egg whites. Kind of discouraging sometimes having to be so vigilant. But worth it.

I'm having a problem with overeating in the afternoons from about 3 to 5 p.m. I basically eat a whole extra meal in terms of calories. If I can eliminate overeating then, I'd probably start to lose weight again. Am frustrated with being stuck in the mid- to low-150s and even regaining some weight. I know walking (and exericise in general) helps. But I may be one of those people who, the more active I am, the more calories I eat.

Another thing that is confusing is the omega 6/3 thing. My doctor (who suggested a vegan diet to me in the first place to low blood pressure) also recently suggested I take a fish oil supplement. I know it's not vegan for one thing, but tried it anyway and blech....gross fish oil after taste. Does anyone have experience with the vegan Omega 3 supplements? I wonder what the effects are on sea life if we're going out and harvesting their seaweeds?

So I'm kinda stuck at the moment, but working on how to improve. Enjoy the sun that is hopefully shining in your neighborhood!

[Birdy]

Yesterday afternoon I sat down and looked at my diet in terms of calories. A simple list of the foods I eat that contain fat yielded this information:
Peanut Butter: 2 tablespoons = 180 calories
Walnuts: 4-8 halves = 50 calories
Peanuts: 20-24 nuts = 100 calories
Avocado: 1/2 medium = 275 calories!
Olive oil: 1 tablespoon = 124 calories
Olives: 2 small or 1 large green = 20 calories (25 calories for black)

Then I also looked at the main starches I eat:
Spaghetti: plain cooked, 1 cup = 218 calories
Macaroni: 1/2 cup cooked = 110 calories
Whole wheat bread: 1/2" slice = 55 calories
Rice: white or brown, 1/2 cup cooked = 100 calories

I was kind of shocked by how many calories there are in avocados, but also in spaghetti and macaroni! I can see why Dr. McDougall's Maximum Weight Loss Plan eliminates the processed starches because one cup of brown rice at 200 calories will fill you up, but 1 cup of spaghetti at 218 calories will not. Obviously also, eating a small amount of nuts, seeds, or olives as part of a recipe or used as garnish would not contribute a lot of calories. But I didn't realize how high in fat/calories avocados are. No wonder my weight hasn't been budging.

On another, gross topic (just what you needed on a fine Monday morning), if you ever needed another reason to not eat meat, check out this link about something called "meat glue" at http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/mea ... at-2469917