Going Vegan, Again

I have the urge to go vegan again and am starting today.  I read recently on The Happiness Project that people can fall into two categories when it comes to self-discipline (especially food)--moderators or abstainers.  After years of trying to moderate my eating with Weight Watchers, etc., I realize that I am a much better abstainer--just take vegetarianism.  I find it easier to give up meat (and mind you I do still like some of it) than to moderate a few cookies or pieces of pizza.  And so, with a desire to continue my healthy eating and weight loss, I'm going vegan again.  But not a full-on, honey-avoiding, soy-worshipping vegan who stresses about how the food was colored (with cochineal beetles) or sugar whitened (by bone char).  I'll be a vegan like I am a vegetarian--practical.  Which means honey, eggs and dairy in some baked goods, and only an 80% avoidance of dairy and eggs (thanks to Heather of Beauty That Moves for the 80-20 idea).  The other 20% gives me some wiggle room.  And a little cheese on my bean burritos!

Vegan Pledge Review

I ended my vegan cleanse today with a bowl of blueberries in yogurt, with a drizzle of honey. Delicious and divine.

But the effects linger. I lost about 4 lbs in two weeks. My blood pressure dropped 20 points. My palate is reoriented to fresh fruits and vegetables, away from refined and processed foods. Is my liver happier? Are there less toxins in my body? I don't know. But I realized that I can do without so much--coffee, breads, refined sugar--and not feel deprived.

And so, we're going to continue, in a way. Nothing is off limits, as it has been for two weeks, but I want to continue the trend of limiting dairy, eggs, wheat, and sugar and focusing on fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains. The goal is a continued focus on whole, natural foods, but also with an eye towards decreasing inflammation, especially since I can't take anti-inflammatories anymore.

After two weeks of doing completely without, it might be a challenge to actually balance small amounts--it's easier to say no outright. But it's worth it, I know. I might even make "vegan week" a monthly activity. We'll just have to see. But I highly recommend the experience to anyone who thinks seriously about food and health. Try it . . . I liked it.

Vegan Pledge: Week One

So today is the seventh day of our vegan cleanse--no meat, dairy, egg or refined sugar, caffeine, processed foods. Just fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts/seeds, tea, and a little dark chocolate!

Lambeth was right, it took awhile for the weight to come off, but I've lost 2.6 lbs this week. Of course, that wasn't the main goal, but I'm not sure how to evaluate if I've given my body a break. I'm sleeping more during the day, mainly because the last few nights have, well, sucked. Get this: my right foot is very painful, probably to do with my pronating flat feet and all my increased walking. Foot cramps wake me up all night and I can barely step in the morning, despite ice and stretches. I am so annoyed. We'll call about a podiatrist/orthopedist tomorrow, probably go to the clinic today just to see if there is something else to do. And talk to my physiatrist too. Blah. So I can't speak to more energy or feeling better because of the cleanse yet.

I can say that I am slowly not missing bread and dairy--the fantasies of cheesecake and pizza and blueberry pie and pavlova and even foods I don't usually crave like pita bread are subsiding. Surprisingly, I haven't at all missed my morning homemade iced coffee with sugar and half & half, the most ritualized of my food habits. I don't think I'll be adding that back in. I do miss crackers and cheese with soup, though, and will go back to them.

So we're on for another week. In fact, Mama and the kids are at the natural food store now getting groceries. I'm hoping for more berries and perhaps tofu for a stir-fry.

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Update: Okay, good and bad. The foot thing is plantar fasciitis, which is basically a pull of the muscle on the bottom of my foot. Ouch. Rest, meds, stretches. But, my blood pressure has gone down amazingly, from 120/70 ish to 104/62. I think that's the vegan thing. Yippee!

Five Days and Counting

Today is our fifth day on our vegan/GF-free/no caffeine/no refined sugar "cleanse." And I must say, it hasn't been what I expected. I'm hungry and craving a lot. I'm hoping this will pass. I don't have the extra energy everyone always talks about; in fact, I've taken more naps than usual. And I haven't lost an ounce. Even though I'm drinking lots of water. So far, I'm not feeling it.

Which means, I'll probably do two weeks! Yep, if one doesn't work, I think I'll need two. Just to give it a fair shot. I am enjoying a reawakened palate, a renewed appreciation of simple food. So that's a plus. Besides, it's very close to the anti-inflammation diet my physiatrist suggests.

Now, before you worry. I'm eating enough: 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables; nuts and grains (mixed nuts, cashews, brown rice); protein (beans, beans, beans, a little tofu). Plus my multi-vitamin. And some small bits of dark chocolate.

Maybe my body just has a lot of cleansing and toxin-dumping to do . . . .

Vegan Pledge: Day One

So today started our one (or two) week vegan cleanse. I had blueberries and cherries and a banana and an apple today, plus vegetable bean soup and chickpea curry, strawberries and almond milk, and mixed nuts. And a chai tea (thanks, Mrs. S!). Similarly, Mama had, among other things, herbal tea and salad and the chickpea curry. And it all went very well.

I've learned a few things already:

• I eat a lot of wheat, dairy, and eggs, using it to add substance and satisfaction to my vegetarian meals.
• I don't think I've ever eaten that many servings of fruit in one day in my life.
• I need to get better at eating filling foods or at least combining things in my meals and snacks. I was ridiculously hungry by dinner, having not spaced it all well. A handful of cherries is nice but not super-filling as my afternoon snack.

So far, so good.

Monday's the Day

So, Monday is the day. We're doing our one-week (maybe two, but no more) vegan cleanse to rejuvenate ourselves after two months of meds and such.

I say "we" because Mama is joining me in eliminating eggs and dairy (plus meat for her, since she's not already a vegetarian), also coffee, refined sugars, and gluten. Which also means no processed foods and only restaurant foods from places that meet those criteria, like Bloodroot or other similar places. I imagine we'll be having lots of vegetables (stir-fried, sauteed, roasted, in soups), beans and grains with flavors from many different cultures ranging from Mexico to Italy to Egypt to India, fresh fruits in abundance, lots of herbal teas.

Why Monday? Well, first, after two months of the extreme generosity of playgroup and church friends who have brought us food three times a week since mid-April, we won't be getting any meals after tomorrow and will be cooking on our own. So we might as well make the most of it. (Not to say we are ungrateful. The meals we received were delicious and vegetarian and very appreciated.) Secondly, I'm inspired by my new energy and ability and mobility to be more involved with meals (no, no, I probably won't be doing much cooking or shopping, but will gradually try to engage in these activities). I imagine Mama will be putting things in the crockpot and then I can dish it out. Besides, it's practically the start of a brand new month.

I guess I shouldn't call it a cleanse, because it's not a traditional cleanse with juices and smoothies and supplements and raw foods and unusual foods (like grapefruit with cayenne pepper or something). Or colonics or the like. I mean "cleanse" as a break or change in recent habits through the use of cleaner, more natural foods for awhile. Do I believe that my liver will slough off toxins with a change of my diet? I don't know. But I like the idea of eating very mindfully, very consciously, very cleanly.

So if it's not my liver, what are my goals? I'd like to jump-start my weight loss, after two months of inactivity (during which, miraculously, I really haven't gained any weight). I'd like to reinvigorate and rededicate myself to healthy eating after lots of canned soups and packaged snacks. I'd like to re-engage with cooking and meal-planning, even in a minimal way, as it is one of my favorite hobbies.

I'll be keeping Alicia Silverstone's Kind Diet nearby as inspiration and resource, also Mark Bittman's Food Matters and other cookbooks, plus all my vegetarian cookbooks, including my new paperback Complete Tassajara Cookbook. And I'm going to read up more on the anti-inflammation diet. I'm really excited and think I can do it, though recognize that there will no doubt be some hiccups. But I'll be prepping this weekend, with meal plans and grocery lists to give us a good shot.

And, of course, I'll keep you updated. Until then, I'll probably be splurging on dairy this weekend!