Eat to Live Days 37-42

First of all, I have to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your really kind comments and congratulations on my last post. I will be starting my new job in Waterloo two weeks from today... eep! In those two weeks, I have to find a place to live, move, finish out the semester at my current job... and probably a million other things. I am feeling slightly anxious about it, but I'm mostly really, really excited. Andrea commented: "It'll be awesome for you to settle into some real routine and stability after this crazy year you've had." I couldn't agree more! This past year has been the most difficult year of my life. I'm excited for a change of scenery, a new routine, and a fresh start. :)

I spent the long weekend at my family's cottage. I can't lie, it was a challenge sticking to my eating plan up there. Usually, I eat whatever I want at the cottage. I just HAVE to go get an ice cream cone in town, or stop at the chip wagon at every opportunity, because it just feels so cottagey and fun... but thankfully, this weekend I didn't do either of those things.

I even managed to get something healthy at a fast-food place on the drive up! We stopped at a Harvey's/Swiss Chalet, and I got a baked potato, garden salad without dressing, and steamed vegetables.

While at the cottage, I managed to snap a couple of pics of my meals:

A toasted avocado and tomato sandwich with a spinach & berry smoothie (doesn't everyone bring a blender to the cottage?).

Oatmeal with natural peanut butter.

Sweet potato fries, salad, and a corn-black bean-onion-tomato creation.

All in all, I'm very pleased with how I did this weekend. And.... I finished the 6 weeks! I survived!! I brought my scale along for my final weigh-in:

Starting Weight: 262.7 pounds
Week 1 Weight: 255.9 pounds
Week 2 Weight: 251.0 pounds
Week 3 Weight: 246.8 pounds
Week 4 Weight: 245.1 pounds
Week 5 Weight: 243 pounds
Final Weight: 238.9 pounds

I am THRILLED, guys. In 6 weeks, I lost 23.8 pounds. I am almost fitting into clothes that I was wearing in... December (I gained this weight quite quickly, haha).

I should mention that I did not follow the plan in the Eat to Live book perfectly. I might go into more detail on this in a future post. But essentially, I avoided meat, dairy, sugar, oil, and processed food. I did not restrict starches as much as the book suggests (or at all, really).

Today was my first restriction-free day. Did I go crazy? No! My plan for the immediate future is to eat almost like how I was eating for the 6 weeks. I may have animal products 2-3 times a week, and I will definitely have big splurges from time to time. But I really need to make those splurges rare. I  don't want to count calories or points, so I'm not going to for now. I will keep weighing myself, and reassess my eating plan as necessary.

Lately, I feel very aware that every bit of food I put in my mouth makes a difference. I have gotten used to looking at ingredients on everything, packing my lunch every day, and eating whole foods. I'm hoping these habits stick. We shall see!

I definitely want to keep blogging, too. The next few weeks will be hectic, with the move and the new job. But I will do my best to keep you all updated!

Bye for now!

Exciting times ahead!

We interrupt our regular scheduled programming (blurry pictures of plant-based, oil-free food) for the following news: I got the job in Waterloo! I have no doubt it is largely in part to all the good vibes sent out by my wonderful readers and friends. :)

This means that I am now frantically trying to find an apartment (I'll be starting work in two weeks or so). I don't think it will be too hard - there are two universities and a college in Waterloo, so lots of housing to be found.

I am honestly so, so, SO ecstatic that I got the job. I can't remember the last time I was this happy and excited. I have NEVER had a permanent, full-time job before. I am used to living paycheque to paycheque (or OSAP installment to OSAP installment), and I hope I can finally make a realistic budget and start paying off my student debt. Plus, I think I'll love the job. I'll be working at a university where I used to be a student. I used to work in the math department as an undergraduate TA, and now I'll be coordinating the math labs and TAs. :)

In other news, I am going up to the cottage tonight for the long weekend. I haven't been up to my family's cottage all summer, and this might be my only chance. I'm going to do a lot of knitting, sleeping, and relaxing. However, this means I will not be able to blog again until Monday or Tuesday... and, for those of you keeping track, this Sunday is the last day of my 6-week Eat to Live challenge!

I will find a way to stay on track while at the cottage, and report back to you when I return. I am also packing the scale for my final weigh-in on Monday morning...

I have to finish packing and head out, but I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Eat to Live Day 36

Hello all! I am very sleepy so I'll keep it snappy.

I woke up extremely early this morning so I could get to my interview (which was in Waterloo). Before leaving, I made sure to weigh in. And the results are...

Starting Weight: 262.7 pounds
Week 4 Weight: 245.1 pounds
Current Weight: 243 pounds

I'm down 2.1 this week! I'll take it. And over 5 weeks, I've lost a total of 19.7 pounds. Will I reach 20 pounds lost by the end of Week 6?! We shall see.

I had some toast with leftover spinach and artichoke dip before my mom and I left around 6:15 am. I prepared lots of food last night to take with me (after my interview in Waterloo, I had to go straight to Scarborough to teach at my current job). I made a huge green smoothie to drink on the way to the interview, a sandwich for lunch, and baby carrots and a cut up orange for snacks.

While we were driving merrily along the highway, I realized I'd left all of my food at home. Oh dear.

Luckily, because I'm me, I was over an hour early for my interview (have I mentioned on the blog before that I'm compulsively early for everything? Sometimes it can be a bit extreme). My mom and I stopped at Williams to kill some time.

I was able to get hot water with lemon and a banana. :)

The interview was okay. I was surprised by how nervous I was, though. I paused in the middle of my first answer to take a drink of water, and my hands were literally trembling! As the interview progressed, though, I got more confident. I will keep you guys posted - apparently I should find out by the end of the week if I get the job.

After the interview, we stopped at a grocery store for more provisions:

I'll have you know, I did not eat all of those walnuts in one sitting.

Then it was on to Scarborough! Time was on our side again, and we were able to stop at a food court for lunch before I went to work. It was a big food court and I was very disappointed by the lack of options for an oil-free vegan dish. I asked at a few different places if their vegetable dishes were prepared with oil - they all were. It was another plain salad for me. Le sigh.

They didn't even have beans to throw on there!

Later, I snacked on a Larabar at work. Yum.

All in all, I was proud that I was able to stay on plan, despite forgetting my lunch at home.

Night!

Eat to Live Days 32-35

Hi all! I hope you had a lovely weekend.

Firstly, I want to thank everyone who has been leaving me such supportive comments. You have NO idea how much easier it is to stick to this diet knowing that I have people following along with my progress. I've been having dreams lately in which I eat something that I'm not allowed to have. My immediate reaction is always feeling terrible about having to tell you all!

Dreams or no dreams, somehow I've made it to the end of Week 5. Some eats from the past few days:

My usual salad with raspberry balsamic vinegar... with the exciting addition of strawberries and sliced peaches!

Brown rice, chili beans, broccoli, and homemade guacamole. Delicious!

On Friday, my mom and I found ourselves near High Park around lunchtime. I realized we were near a restaurant I've wanted to try - Rawlicious! It was my first time at a raw food restaurant, and it did not disappoint.

We both ordered the Tropical Green smoothie to start.

I explained to the waitress that I couldn't have any oil, and she was extremely helpful and accommodating. She pulled out the restaurant cookbook to find out exactly which dishes could be prepared without oil. They ended up modifying one of the entrees for me, so I had zucchini noodles with marinara sauce (and some kind of nut-cheese stuff on top).

It was DELICIOUS! I really want to buy a spiralizer now so I can make zucchini noodles like this at home. I'll be honest, though: I think I would have liked it better if it was heated up a bit. ;)

My mom ordered a Caesar salad.

She loved it! I will definitely be going to Rawlicious again.

Tomorrow will be a big day. Not only do I have a weigh-in, I have a job interview! I think the weigh-in will be good. When I eat this way, it really feels like the weight is just falling off. Let's hope the job interview is successful, as well...

Only one week left! Eek! Good night, all!

Eat to Live Days 29-31

Hello all! Sorry I'm late to post the results of my Monday weigh-in. Drumroll please....

Starting Weight: 262.7 pounds
Week 1 Weight: 255.9 pounds
Week 2 Weight: 251.0 pounds
Week 3 Weight: 246.8 pounds
Current Weight: 245.1 pounds

So, in week 4, I lost 1.7 pounds (a fair bit less than I've lost in previous weeks). This brings my total to 17.6 pounds lost. :)

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered two new cookbooks: The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and Everyday Happy Herbivore.

Lindsay's blog over at Happy Herbivore has been a huge help to me while trying to get used to this way of eating, so I couldn't help but buy both of her books!

On Monday night, I decided to try the Skillet Frijoles Negros (black beans) from Everyday Happy Herbivore for dinner.

Sauteing onion, garlic, and ginger in vegetable broth.

Adding in the black beans.

The finished product.

I had it with some brown rice and corn on the cob. Delicious!

Tonight, I tried another new recipe for dinner: Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip from Happy Healthy Long Life. It was my first time EVER using soft tofu or canned artichokes.

It turned out fairly well. I had mine on some toast (Steady Eddie bread from Silver Hills Bakery), with brussels sprouts on the side.

My mom added cheese to hers. I was jealous!

I don't always mention it on the blog, but I usually start dinner by having a giant bowl of salad. Lately, this has just been romaine lettuce with raspberry white balsamic vinegar. (Yesterday I added peaches to it! Yum.) I'm finding it much easier to fit in lots of vegetables lately. A meal doesn't feel complete if it doesn't include a tonne of raw and/or cooked veggies. Hopefully that habit will stay with me when the 6 weeks are over!

I have some other news. You may remember that I got hired as a supply teacher a few weeks ago. Well, I recently saw a posting for a full-time job as a math lab coordinator at a university and applied, just to see what might happen. Lo and behold, I have an interview this Monday! I don't think I can handle all of this excitement. ;)

And in case you somehow didn't know - Andrea has completed the Whole30!! It gives me hope that I can complete my challenge, too.

Have a good night, all!

Eat to Live Days 26-28

Well, I certainly had a jam-packed weekend! On Friday, I headed out of town to visit some family (including my cousin's new baby!). I knew I'd probably be gone until Saturday, so I decided to plan ahead to make sure I didn't stray from my healthy eats.

First of all, I had a big breakfast - a green smoothie AND some oatmeal.

Then I packed up a ton of food:

Salad, raspberry balsamic vinegar, leftover soup, black beans, avocado, tomato, homemade salsa, and some chopped up red and yellow peppers. While out of town, I must admit that I ate several sandwiches, BUT they were all on oil-free, whole grain bread. When everyone else had grilled halibut or fish and chips for dinner Friday night, I ordered a garden salad with no dressing (and added my own balsamic vinegar).

On Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to go to a local farmers market! Not only did I resist all the delicious baked goods that were for sale, I bought lots of healthy, delicious produce.

I got fresh corn on the cob, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, and Ontario peaches. Not too shabby!

On the way home to Toronto on Saturday, I was struck with how, in the past, being out of town would have been a great "excuse" for me to splurge. I honestly would have had a muffin or donut or bagel at every opportunity, as well as splurged on fish and chips and other goodies. Even if I was on Weight Watchers, I would have eaten whatever I wanted and selectively tracked it (or not...) afterwards. If nothing else, this experiment is showing me that there are truly NO excuses! Because I had committed to eating a certain way, it didn't even really take willpower. I just felt I had no other choice but to eat well. :)

When I got home yesterday evening, I was starving. I quickly threw together a healthy meal of tofu scramble and cauliflower (with a couple of leftover pieces of broccoli).

This morning, I hopped on the GO train to Port Credit to meet some of my bestest university friends for brunch. We went to Cora's. Now, let me just say that brunch is possibly my favourite meal of the day. I LOVE going out for brunch and ordering a huge platter of eggs, toast, homefries, and sausage (not to mention several cups of coffee!).

This morning, I knew I couldn't do that. I stuck to a hot water with lemon and a fruit platter.

This dish usually comes with toast, but I actually called ahead to the restaurant to find out if there was any oil or dairy in their bread (there was oil). This way, I didn't have to ask the waitress and make a big deal of it at the restaurant - I just said I didn't want any toast.

Eating so strictly is teaching me that it's possible to speak up at restaurants (or phone ahead) to make sure my needs are accommodated. I still don't think it's easy, and I still haven't tried to make requests that my food be prepared a certain way... but maybe I'll get there!

Tonight, I needed something hearty, simple, and delicious for dinner. The solution: another giant batch of chili.

SO delicious. I ate it with some corn on the cob from the farmers market (while watching the season finale of The Bachelorette!!!!!).

That's Better Butter on the side!

And so ends the fourth week. I'm two-thirds done! I must admit, I'm a bit nervous for tomorrow's weigh-in. I did eat a LOT of bread this weekend, and I'm worried I've been overdoing it with the nuts, too. We shall see!

Night all!

Eat to Live Days 23-25

Hello all! I don't work on Fridays right now, so Thursdays are my favourite day of the week. :)

I'm also having a good day food-wise. I just ate an incredibly delicious dinner:

The last of my mom's chili (from the freezer) and a baked potato. But what's that on my baked potato? It looks like butter... but no - it's Better Butter!!!

When my aunt found out I was following a plant-based diet for a few weeks, she very kindly sent me some recipes (at times in her life, she's been a vegan). I heard stories that when her daughters were growing up, they would beg for Better Butter! I was anxious to try it for myself.

Cornmeal, nutritional yeast, and unsweetened coconut.

First I brought 1/4 cup of cornmeal and 1 cup of water to a boil. Then I lowered the heat and stirred until it thickened a bit.

Into the blender it went, along with 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, and 1/2 cup water. (The recipe called for salt, too, but I omitted it.)

Then I chilled it for awhile, and it was ready for my baked potato! I quite liked it. It mostly tasted like coconut, but it totally had a buttery consistency and overall... essence.

Believe it or not, that's not the only exciting thing I made today. I also made an attempt at peanut butter! And it was SUCCESSFUL!

Just raw peanuts in the Magic Bullet, baby. Mmmmmmmmm.

But I needed a vehicle for my peanut butter. I also needed to do something with the kale I bought a couple of days ago. Can you guess what I made?

Kale chips, of course! I've only made kale chips once before, and I didn't love them (I think I was expecting them to be as good as potato chips). I was determined to try again. I mixed about 2 tablespoons of my homemade peanut butter with two big bowls of kale. I put the kale on parchment paper in the oven at 170 degrees (the lowest setting) with the door open, and left it until the kale was totally dried out (about an hour and a half).

I really enjoyed this (in fact, I'm eating some as I type this post). All in all, a wonderful day in my kitchen. PLUS my most recent pair of jeans (bought in January to replace jeans I'd "outgrown") are not as painfully tight as they were a few weeks ago! :D

Just over two weeks left in this adventure. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the end...

Have a good night!