Yoga Girl goes Vegan

Discovery - Week 2

Launched!
Worked to create and publish this blog.  Objective accomplished.  I shared and invited small groups of friends to share this experience with me.  Now it's out there.  I am launched. 


Have to figure out how to feel full without eating starches and carbs.  Today, I fell back on that old trick that most commercial restaurants use, "when in doubt, throw some cheese on it!".  Not at all happy with my poor food selections today: Yogurt, pasta, cheese and leftover veggie burger.  No, I didn't eat any meat but, I didn't eat enough servings of fruits and veggies either.  So, it's a wash.


By opening up a little more, however, discovered that there is another potential vegan mentor and found a wonderful resource (through a favorite social networking site), The VegetarianMuse, that has great ideas and inspirational recipes.  Will be ready for tomorrow.
Exercise: 30 minutes
Yoga: 20 minutes


Devil in the Details

Woke up this morning and looked in the pantry feeling , ugh, realizing that a trip to the market was necessary.  Determined not to repeat yesterday's mistake (as there was plenty of non-vegan choices in the refrigerator), I made a quick assessment of my options:

The results of dealing with the devil at 6:30 in the morning.

• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 tomato

Boring.  Hmmm. Time to change my paradigm.  I took each of these items, sliced them julienne style, and sautéed them in a skillet with a little olive oil.  After seasoning them to taste with garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt and black pepper,  I placed the veggies over a bed of rice.  What an outcome!  It was delicious and filling.  I wonder if the true reason it tasted great was because I felt a sense of accomplishment.  


Most of us do not do what we need to do because we dread the devil in the details.  Who feels like cutting little slivers of leftover veggies and cooking them at 6:30 in the morning when it it easier to get the meat and cheese that was already prepared?  When you handle and face what you need to face and handle, you become empowered.   Suddenly you discover that taking the time to address the details aren't so devilish after all.  You win in the end.


Favorite dish of the day:  need I say?  Ok.  Veggie medley 3, see above with a smile.
Exercise: 30 minutes
Yoga: 40 minutes

Choices

Day 8  Yesterday, I went to brunch at my favorite diner with a friend.  I was surprised at the lack of vegetarian choices available for consumption.  As I leafed through the familiar 10-page menu and gazed at its colorful images (designed to whet and entice), I must have scanned well over one hundred items only to discover just one vegetarian entrée on the entire menu:  a veggie wrap.  Well, two if you count the picked over salad bar.  My brunch partner quickly made her selection - a ham and cheese club.  I had no choice - I ordered the veggie wrap.   

Fortunately, the meal was tasty but I could not help but feel a little let down.  I had frequented this diner on several occasions and was always pleased with the large "variety" of food options and the many meals offered.  Wow! I quickly realized that each of the items on the menu, were all meat-based.  Funny how your perception changes as you change your perspective.  It is all how you look at it.  The diner had not altered anything; their menu was the same as it always had been.  But somehow, the appeal was gone and suddenly, the obtainable presentations seemed much less.  The diner had not changed - I had.  I had made the conscious decision to redesign my eating thus changing the choices available.  I accepted this revelation without much comment and enjoyed what I felt was the only choice:  the vegan one. 

Favorite dish of the day:  cabbage & apples with a serving of beets and baked sweet potatoes on the side

Yoga: 40 minutes