Showing posts with label vegan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegan. Show all posts

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Who said you can't crave veggies!

My body is changing. No, not in the puberty sense ... more like in the 'foods it craves' sense. It is the most bizarre thing. As I may have mentioned before, my main job is at a Vegan restaurant by the name of Native Foods Cafe. I knew nothing about veganism before I started working there, but as time has gone on (6 months to be exact) and I am working more and more hours per week, I find that most days I eat completely vegan. That's not out of the ordinary seeing how my main meal of the day is at work. What is a little out of the ordinary, though, is that I look for vegan options on my days off too.
When I go grocery shopping I gravitate towards the tiny vegan section and find myself in Whole Foods and Trader Joes more often because the tiny section in Ralphs or Albertsons just doesnt do it for me anymore. When I buy smoothies and juices I find myself looking for that 'certified vegan' sticker on the back. Have I been brain washed or is my body settling into a more natural diet?

I went to Costco yesterday and got a giant box of Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal. I saw that Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser eats it every day and since I know that he is vegan, I know that it is safe food.

                                   

I have also stopped buying regular whole grain bread at the grocery store. There is a famers market across the street from my apartment every saturday morning and there is a German lady who sells vegan bread. Did you know that most European bread is naturally vegan? They also dont put sugar in their bread, so it's not grossly sweet. So I buy a loaf or two from her every week. She has many different kinds and that lasts me a few days. I love it!

  

I have also stopped drinking regular milk and soy milk. I have switched to Almond Milk.When it come to breakfast, I use the 'original unsweetened' but as a treat and for Josh, I get the 'dark chocolate'. Both are amazing! Besides drinking a lot of water I sometimes love these superfood juices. They are just FULL of fruits and veggies and just hit the spot on a hot day or after a long run. Of course I also drink the coconut water on a regular basis. And then if I am tired in the morning, there is nothing like 100% Kona blend coffee. Of course we get the coffee beans and grind them ourselves. It is just more fresh that way.

So as my diet has been naturally changing, and I have been craving more and more veggies and things like oatmeal and organic popcorn I have noticed that I am running stronger and recovering faster. So it's true what they say ... once you detox, just listen to your body. Because you body will crave what it needs! Having said all of that, I will still go to Outback Steakhouse for some steak and garlic mashed potatoes when the craving comes!




Monday, January 31, 2011

It has been a wonderful week to run.

It has been a while since I've had time to blog ... but don't worry ... I've had plenty of time to run! I ran every day last week except last Monday and yesterday (Sunday). I took the time to post it all on my daily mile profile just so that I can keep track.

The most exciting thing this week was that I gained a fabulous running buddy. Her name is Pam and she is a fellow gymnastics coach who used to run and is trying to get back into it. She ran with me on Wednesday and Friday morning. The cool thing about having a running buddy is that you stay out of your own head. We also keep each other going. I am less likely to walk or slow down when we run together. I look forward to our morning runs!

Also, it was Josh's birthday this past weekend and I bought him a bike ...  a beach cruiser to be exact.

His very first ride was with me while I was running. He wants to go with me on my long runs, to keep me company and so that we can spend more quality time together. I love it  :)  He can also carry my water bottle and snack on the long runs! hahaha  ;)

Lastly, we had lunch with Josh's cousin Jeni and her husband Mike yesterday. We went to Native Foods (the Vegan cafe I work in) because they are Vegan. Josh loved it ... it was only his 2nd time to eat the vegan food. Mike hasnt been vegan for very long but almost instantly felt the benefits! Josh was inspired and motivated by Mike and so we have decided to eat mostly vegan from now on. We will still eat fish, chicken and beef from time to time, but we want to have a diet consisting mostly of plant and soy based products as well as lots of veggies and whole grains so that we can be healthier as a couple.
Today Josh prepared his first vegan dish ... Fajitas baby!

We used Tempeh, lots of onions and peppers, refried beans, soy cheese, whole grain tortilla and home made guacamole. It was delicious! We both very much enjoyed it! Tastes just like the real thing!

Anyway, I must sign off. I am quite tired and would like to get an early night  :)  Sorry for the chaotic blog haha.