Due to compatibility viewing issues, I've created a new blog with WordPress, visit it HERE.

WFPB

Earlier this week I ran into a coworker who also happens to be a Facebook friend.  He mentioned my post about vegan lasagna and said something to the effect that I had become a vegan.  I immediately defended that term and said "I'm just trying this for awhile".  The term vegan carries all kinds of negative baggage.  I am not ready to label myself as a vegan (it has been 5 days and I'm pretty sure there is a hint of dairy in my supposed non-dairy creamer) rather I am making a lifestyle change to focus on a whole foods plant based diet.

I started reading the book Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell.  He may be better known for his book The China Study which I picked up from the library today.  In his book he discusses the Whole Foods Plant Based (WFPB) diet.  A WFPB diet includes eating a lot of plant foods in their whole, unprocessed form.  This includes vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.  It does not include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, or eggs.  It also does not include sweets or highly processed foods.

I look at the past years of my life.  What has my diet consisted of?  Meat, eggs, highly processed foods, and some fruits and vegetables (and carbs, don't forget about the carbs!).  Every few months I'd say to myself, "you need to start eating more fruits and vegetables and cut down on the cake". And then I would.  For a week.  Then it was back to the same old diet.  This time it will be different.

It isn't going to be easy.  I work full time and am also a full time graduate student (but will be done next May!).  I have a husband and two dogs.  It will be easy to give up and go back to the status quo.  Luckily, my husband is 100% on board with this (although not willing to remove meat/dairy/eggs from his diet, he IS willing to significantly decrease his intake of those items).  If he wasn't, this would be more difficult.

The Plan:

• Focus on WFPB menu items.  There are a bazillion blogs out there on vegan cooking.  I've been perusing and many also have gluten free options (for all you GF people out there)
• Plan.  This has been my weakest part of eating well.  I don't feel like doing the work and end up eating peanut butter sandwiches.  Planning includes 1) finding recipes 2) going grocery shopping, and 3) prepping meals on Saturday or Sunday for the following week.
• Timeline.  Six months.  That means reevaluation around February 1st.
• Updates.  
• Rosacea:  As a teenager, I rarely had acne.  Then, I turn 30 and wa-la.  There it is.  I suffer from mild rosacea on my cheeks.  This causes redness and little puss filled bumps.  Awesome when you are in your early 30s.  I've done a lot of reading on rosacea and currently use a topical Metronidazole cream.  I know that sometimes the symptoms can be exacerbated by diet choices.  I'm curious to see if a WFPB diet changes my symptoms and if I can stop using the cream.  (I've tried essential oils and they a) dried out my face and b) cause more bumps)
• Digestion:  My mom and I joke about our digestive systems.  We often aren't as effective as we should be.  I've felt for the last year or two that dairy is to blame but have never been tested.  I went to the state fair this past Saturday and ate a bunch of (delicious) junk, including cheese curds.  I felt like shit (digestively) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Now that I'm completely removing dairy from my diet, I'm curious to see if this makes a change.
• Weight: I don't need to lose weight.  I'm not doing this to lose weight.  I am interested to see if I do lose weight through this process.  I weighed 166 on Monday morning.
• General, Overall Feeling: We'll see.

Figuring out food

I can't eat salads every day.  So what does a semi/potential vegan eat when the majority of previous meals have been a) focused on MEAT and is b) heavily processed?

I saw a post last week about the book Forks Over Knives (which REALLY got me thinking about food) so I checked it out from the library (side note-support your local libraries, they are AMAZING).  I browsed some of the content and went to the recipes.  My first vegan dish?  Lasagna. Growing up, my mom made a wicked lasagna.  It was full of cheeses and meat.  Other than caloric value and deliciousness, I'm not sure of the nutrition.  Yesterday's lasagna: onion, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, spinach, and sweet potatoes.  My husband even likes it (in fact, he ate two large pieces tonight).  My only complaint about the recipe is that I ended up with way too many veggies and had to make two pans (one for the freezer).

I've been perusing other food blogs specializing in vegan cooking.  So far I've found:

• The Minimalist Baker: http://minimalistbaker.com/recipes/
• Oh She Glows: http://ohsheglows.com/categories/recipes-2/

I haven't had a lot of time to look them over but will do so as I venture further into this whole vegan thing.

One of the hardest things I will be moving away from is creamer (the International Delight kind).  I looked at the ingredient list this morning (uff!).  Because I don't like to be wasteful, we'll finish what we have and then go in search for something else.

Vegan?

In 2008 I decided I would start a blog (according to the start date of this blog).  Apparently that didn't go so well as I have, at some point, deleted all prior posts except for the "I am not a jogger" post.  I've been encouraged to give it another try.  I'll assume that as I continue (if, a big IF) this will get easier, right?

I have been active my entire life.  As long as I can remember I can hear my dad saying, "you better watch it or you're going to get the Mischke rear end".  My cousin and I joke about this...and we run so we don't become the butt of the joke (pun intended).  I've always been above average in height (I'm 5'10" and haven't grown since I was 14) so it was assumed I'd play sports.  Luckily, I was coordinated and athletic enough to be a three sport athlete in high school.  I played intramural sports throughout college but never thought about running as a sport.  I thought those cross country people were crazy.

In 2007, one of my cousins asked me if I would be interested in running a half marathon.  I said OK and off I went.  I've learned a lot about running since then.  I've also completed 10 half marathons, 1 ten mile, 1 Ragnar relay, 1 sprint triathlon, 2 marathons, and more 5Ks and 10Ks than I can count.  I also bike, do yoga, and play volleyball (when I'm not a full time grad student).

Overall I feel that I have the exercise part of my life to where I want it to be.  Now, I want to focus on the eating part of the equation.

This past summer I was invited to partake in a 40 day alcohol free challenge.  I skipped the challenge last year because I wasn't interested.  This year I thought, 'why not?'.  I found that after a few weeks I didn't want beer or wine.  I completed the challenge plus a few weeks before I had my first beer.  It was OK.  After having several more over the course of two weeks I decided to go alcohol free again for the remainder of the semester (early December).  I feel clearer and find that I have more energy.

Next step: food!

I've thought about going vegetarian or vegan for several years but haven't shared this with ANYONE because I was afraid of what others would think.  I grew up on a farm and consumed an excessive amount of dairy and meat.  I've recently met some vegans who swear by their lifestyle choice.  It IS a lifestyle choice.  I've also been doing a lot of reading on the subject (more books from the library soon!).  I'm already 95% dairy free (other than a little pizza cheese and half and half) as it disrupts my digestive system.

Reasons why I am hesitant:

• I like meat
• I really really like eggs

Things I assume:

• People will be weird about it
• Going out to eat will be a nightmare
• Eating with extended family will be difficult
• I will have cravings for meat
• This will be HARD!

My goal:

• Eat as close to the ground as I can
• Completely eliminate dairy (not sure why I haven't already)
• Completely eliminate meat
• Limit egg intake
• Limit processed foods

I feel that if I say I'm going vegan I'll feel painted into a corner.  (Maybe I'll be there someday, but not right now).  It is my goal to document this transition and share any other health info I come across.

NOT a jogger

I am NOT a jogger.  Recently my husband started running again.  He ran cross country in high school and at one point could throw down a sub-5:00 mile.  This lady?  Hell, I'm lucky if I break 8:00 (or 9:00 for that matter).  One night I asked, "How far did you run?".  His reply, "Well, I jogged at a 9:00 minute mile pace and then ran at an 8:00 minute mile pace."  My reply, "You ran the whole time?"  His reply, "No, I jogged and then ran."  This is a problem ONLY because his 'jogging' pace is my 'running' pace.  I would not consider myself a jogger.  I am a runner.  In my search for suitable material to fuel my argument, I found the following article from Runner's World:

I AM A RUNNERbecause my runs have names. I do tempo runs and threshold runs and fartlek runs. I do long, slow runs and track workouts. My runs are defined, even if my abs are not.I AM A RUNNERbecause my shoes are training equipment, not a fashion statement. The best shoe for me is the one that makes me a better runner. I choose the shoe that goes with my running mechanics, not my running outfit.I AM A RUNNERbecause I don't have running outfits. I have technical shirts and shorts and socks. I have apparel that enhances the experience of running by allowing me to run comfortably. I can say "Coolmax" and "Gore-Tex" in the same sentence and know which does what.I AM A RUNNERbecause I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I know when I'm pushing the limits of my comfort and why I'm doing it. I know that heavy breathing and an accelerated heart rate–things I once avoided–are necessary if I want to be a better runner.I AM A RUNNERbecause I value and respect my body. It will whisper to me when I've done too much. And if I choose to listen to that whisper, my body won't have to scream in pain later on.I AM A RUNNERbecause I am willing to lay it all on the line. I know that every finish line has the potential to lift my spirits to new highs or devastate me, yet I line up anyway.I AM A RUNNERbecause I know that despite my best efforts, I will always want more from myself. I will always want to know my limits so that I can exceed them.I AM A RUNNERbecause I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far.I AM A RUNNERbecause I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not.

Waddle on, friends.

I am a runner because during most of the year, on the majority of days, I make my legs move faster than a walking pace.  I run because I can.  I run because if I didn't, I'd probably get the Mischke rear end according to my father.  I run because I get a high doing it.  I am a runner.  I am not a jogger.