Hi there,
I thought a follow up entry up was in order! I have continued to stay on [my] track, eating clean since my 10 day challenge! http://whyknotmassagetherapy.blogspot.com/2010/10/yumeclean-day-1.html Now, "staying on track" for everyone. I don't have the exact same needs as you and vice versa. I have found that once I start listening to my body, I can give it what it asks for...sometimes that's a ton of hydrating veggies and fruits, sometimes it tells me to stop eating because I'm full, sometimes its a steak, sometimes it puts the smack down when I eat too much sugar, etc... I know some jaws just dropped at the meat mention, but its true, for me...sometimes. We are all different and process food in different ways.
After the challenge, I spent a long weekend, in my home state of West Virginia. The leaves were just starting to turn, the rolling hills were crisp with early autumn air, and the Potomac river sang her low water song....It is such a magical place. I visited with old friends, with whom I shared conversation and food...Ahhh, there is nothing like sharing food with loved ones...
One of my dear friends gifted me with a juicer! Can you believe that? I hadn't even gotten around to "putting it out the universe" that I really wanted one...and BOOM, a juicer, I was given. Wow, nifty.
I had quite a few of my friends in Boulder following my food journey. A couple of folks are now asking me to support them as they try to change some old habits. THIS is what it is all about! I have felt a wonderful sense of support and I fully appreciate it. There were also various comments left on http://www.yumuniverse.com/ in regards to recipes that I followed. Thank you Thank you! I feel a real sense of community when I communicate with other people that not only care about the food they consume, but also have love for creating these foods! As dorky as it sounds, I think there is a lot of love that goes into these nourishing foods that we prepare, to bring us health and wellness.
Thank you once again. Please, continue to follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Why_KnotMassage.
I have a variety of discount programs available to you on my massage practice blog:
http://bethmcvaycmt.blogspot.com/p/rates.html
Thank you YU for all the yummy recipes that got my creative juices flowing!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/
Thank you for reading!!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, Day 10!!!
Hello there!
*disclaimer- this is being written on my iPhone-I will do my best to spell check but...*
Well, I did it! I was a vegan for 10 days! Outside of the half and half (for coffee) that I use on a regular bases, I really don't consume very much dairy, so I didn't need to make any drastic changes to my diet-which is a good thing! Trying to change too much too quick never bodes that well for long term change.
One thing that it DID do for me was allow to challenge myself to make some new recipes. I was getting lazy in the kitchen and needed a jump start!
If you read any of the last blog enteries, it's not hard to see that I became a fan of amaranth! I was popping the heck out of those itty bitty grains! However, I think I overdid the whole grain thing...I am finally realizing that my system does not support too many whole grains or nuts! Boo! Even when I soak nuts I feel really heavy and don't seem to process them in a timely fashion (if u get my drift). I will admit that I am a super snacker and think that if I was to be very careful with my portions that I might do better, But...maybe that's another blog:)
Okay, on with the break down:
Food Log
Popped Amaranth Crunch (made into cereal w/ Rice Milk)
1 Banana
Chopped Spinach Salad with oodles of raw veggies
Coconut Milk/Banana Smoothie
Pop Chips
Fresh squeezed OJ/Lime juice: )
Activity
1 hour road ride
Energy
8
Sleep
8+/-
Thanks for following along. I feel like I accomplished the goals that I set for myself. My energy level is WAY better than it was. I have definitely slept better and explored a few new recipes (although not quite as many as I wanted to). My intentions to keep the sugar levels on the down low and keep my energy level on the up and up are still strong! Keep checking in on Yumuniverse.com for new recipe more challenges!!!
Thanks again!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association memeber
*disclaimer- this is being written on my iPhone-I will do my best to spell check but...*
Well, I did it! I was a vegan for 10 days! Outside of the half and half (for coffee) that I use on a regular bases, I really don't consume very much dairy, so I didn't need to make any drastic changes to my diet-which is a good thing! Trying to change too much too quick never bodes that well for long term change.
One thing that it DID do for me was allow to challenge myself to make some new recipes. I was getting lazy in the kitchen and needed a jump start!
If you read any of the last blog enteries, it's not hard to see that I became a fan of amaranth! I was popping the heck out of those itty bitty grains! However, I think I overdid the whole grain thing...I am finally realizing that my system does not support too many whole grains or nuts! Boo! Even when I soak nuts I feel really heavy and don't seem to process them in a timely fashion (if u get my drift). I will admit that I am a super snacker and think that if I was to be very careful with my portions that I might do better, But...maybe that's another blog:)
Okay, on with the break down:
Food Log
Popped Amaranth Crunch (made into cereal w/ Rice Milk)
1 Banana
Chopped Spinach Salad with oodles of raw veggies
Coconut Milk/Banana Smoothie
Pop Chips
Fresh squeezed OJ/Lime juice: )
Activity
1 hour road ride
Energy
8
Sleep
8+/-
Thanks for following along. I feel like I accomplished the goals that I set for myself. My energy level is WAY better than it was. I have definitely slept better and explored a few new recipes (although not quite as many as I wanted to). My intentions to keep the sugar levels on the down low and keep my energy level on the up and up are still strong! Keep checking in on Yumuniverse.com for new recipe more challenges!!!
Thanks again!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association memeber
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 8-9, turn around Bright eyes: )
If you read the first blog for YU+ME=Clean you read that I made some very clear goals:
My ultimate goals for the effects of my challenge
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
I have definitely felt like I have been achieving each and every one of these with each and every passing day. Now, yesterday I got a little low glycemic index icing on the proverbial vegan cake; - } I was out to lunch with "the new guy" and he commented on how bright my eyes looked. Well, now - How d'ya like that!? Not only do I feel brighter but I look brighter. Made my flippin' day!
I really think that a lot of my success so far has been reducing my sugar intake. I have no doubt that the non-dairy/meat factor is helping too, but I think the sugar thing is what weights me down the most. Plus, I think the reduction in sugar affects the system the fastest - meaning I was able to feel the effects within a couple days. After the "official" challenge is over I am going to keep up with the whole vegan thing for a while because I think 10 days provides a glimpse of change, but I believe a longer commitment will be necessary for real change (duh.). Oh, oh.... there is another revelation that I would like to share. I am going to quit coffee for a time period. I don't fully understand the effects of effects of consuming acidic foods but the overall notion is that disease breeds in acidic environments. I know coffee is highly acidic and I consume it daily (albeit decaf). I'm going to try the Macafe http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&x=0&ref_=nb_sb_noss&y=0&field-keywords=MaCafe&url=search-alias%3Daps that Yumuniverse's founder Heather Crosby suggested. Yumuniverse.com/
Alright, curious what I ate yesterday? Today?
Food Log DAY 8
1 Banana
Vegan Protein Pumpkin Pancakes/VPPP (i'm in love, what can I say)
Apple Quinoa Cereal
Aloo Gobi http://www.sherpaascent.com/menu.htm
*I ate the VPPPs all day long as a snack*
Raw veggies/ Bell peppers & cucumbers
Activity DAY 8
Nice ride up Lee Hill with a lap on the Dakota ridge trail
Energy DAY 8
8, energy level has been sweet : )
Sleep DAY 8
8-, I woke up once the night before for about 10 minutes, but I went to sleep easily and woke up rested: )
Food LOG DAY 9
Smoothie inspired by http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/07/11/maya’s-chocolate-covered-cherry-superfood-smoothie/
VPPPs
Avocado
Vegan salted chocolate bark http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/08/07/chocolate-salted-almond-bark/
*the day is not over, but I wanted to go ahead and report for the day!
Activity
I'm still hoping to get a ride in...
Energy
8
Sleep
8+
Can you tell how much I like the YU website? Check it out!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
My ultimate goals for the effects of my challenge
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
I have definitely felt like I have been achieving each and every one of these with each and every passing day. Now, yesterday I got a little low glycemic index icing on the proverbial vegan cake; - } I was out to lunch with "the new guy" and he commented on how bright my eyes looked. Well, now - How d'ya like that!? Not only do I feel brighter but I look brighter. Made my flippin' day!
I really think that a lot of my success so far has been reducing my sugar intake. I have no doubt that the non-dairy/meat factor is helping too, but I think the sugar thing is what weights me down the most. Plus, I think the reduction in sugar affects the system the fastest - meaning I was able to feel the effects within a couple days. After the "official" challenge is over I am going to keep up with the whole vegan thing for a while because I think 10 days provides a glimpse of change, but I believe a longer commitment will be necessary for real change (duh.). Oh, oh.... there is another revelation that I would like to share. I am going to quit coffee for a time period. I don't fully understand the effects of effects of consuming acidic foods but the overall notion is that disease breeds in acidic environments. I know coffee is highly acidic and I consume it daily (albeit decaf). I'm going to try the Macafe http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&x=0&ref_=nb_sb_noss&y=0&field-keywords=MaCafe&url=search-alias%3Daps that Yumuniverse's founder Heather Crosby suggested. Yumuniverse.com/
Alright, curious what I ate yesterday? Today?
Food Log DAY 8
1 Banana
Vegan Protein Pumpkin Pancakes/VPPP (i'm in love, what can I say)
Apple Quinoa Cereal
Aloo Gobi http://www.sherpaascent.com/menu.htm
*I ate the VPPPs all day long as a snack*
Raw veggies/ Bell peppers & cucumbers
Activity DAY 8
Nice ride up Lee Hill with a lap on the Dakota ridge trail
Energy DAY 8
8, energy level has been sweet : )
Sleep DAY 8
8-, I woke up once the night before for about 10 minutes, but I went to sleep easily and woke up rested: )
Food LOG DAY 9
Smoothie inspired by http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/07/11/maya’s-chocolate-covered-cherry-superfood-smoothie/
VPPPs
Avocado
Vegan salted chocolate bark http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/08/07/chocolate-salted-almond-bark/
*the day is not over, but I wanted to go ahead and report for the day!
Activity
I'm still hoping to get a ride in...
Energy
8
Sleep
8+
Can you tell how much I like the YU website? Check it out!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 8
Hello! Sorry about missing yesterday's post, but I will make up for yesterday and follow through with today, TODAY! Life got a little busy!
A little tidbit...I have been noshing on VPPP's...oh. so. good. PLus, I have Vegan Chocolate Bark underway as you read: ) Mmmmmm.
More later,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association memeber
A little tidbit...I have been noshing on VPPP's...oh. so. good. PLus, I have Vegan Chocolate Bark underway as you read: ) Mmmmmm.
More later,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association memeber
Sunday, October 10, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 7
October 10. Its been drizzly and chilly all day. The bike ride got axed this morning in favor of breakfast and shopping: ) I mean, that's what you do when a girlfriend is visiting, right!?!
Today was a little bit challenging for me. First of all, I caved at the coffee shop and used dairy. I resisted at first, using soy milk, which I knew was going to ruin my delicious cup of coffee, but thought if I pretended that it wouldn't, that IT wouldn't. So much for that theory. I then reached for the 1/2 and 1/2 only to pour some thin white watery substance (called skim milk) into my already struggling coffee. Uggg. Lesson learned - just forego the damn coffee if I didn't prepare!
On a side note, I really don't like soy all that much. I only buy soy milk it at the store (for my cereal) when its on such a good sale that I just can't resist. Its not bad when paired with cereal. I like tofu alright, but can never duplicate how I like it when I make it at home. ALSO, and most importantly, I worry about the raised estrogen levels that soy is associated with which links it to breast cancer... if anyone has any articles they want to share on this matter, please...I believe "everything in moderation" holds true here, as in everything else...
So, later in the day I went to one of my favorite little eateries called Zoe Ma Ma http://www.zoemama.com/ for a noodle bowl. I knew they had a several gluten free options and thought they had vegan options as well. Wrong. I enjoyed vegan pot stickers but my rice noodle bowl was lacking in flavor. I would like to mention that that I have had on their menu has always been DELISH, but everything I have had on their menu has also had meat in it. I just think they need to work on their vegan/vegetarian options.
I also found challenges at the grocery store...I was craving my beloved chocolate covered ANYTHING from the bulk food section! I resisted...mostly...I didn't have anything chocolate covered because I didn't want the dairy but I did "sample" a couple maple covered mixed nuts. Oh man, those things are divine. Of course, that's no need to feel bad but it is noteworthy that I can feel the blood sugar spike in my blood after keeping it lower in the last week.
The Grocery wasn't all challenges though. I snagged some dark chocolate Coconut Bliss to make Dairy-Free Mexican Un-fried Ice cream! http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/13/dairy-free-mexican-un-fried-ice-cream/ Yum! Whole Foods didn't have the chocolate tortilla chips that the recipe calls for so I bought a couple of ingredients to improvise. Tomorrow, I will crush regular tortilla chips and vegan chocolate chips to make my crunchy covering. Of course, I sampled the coconut bliss TONIGHT though.....DELISH!
Onward and Upward....
Food Log
Apple Quinoa cereal
Freshly squeezed OJ/lemon/lime juice
Vegetarian Noodle Bowl (sub rice noodles) http://www.zoemama.com/
2 Vegan pot stickers
Freshly made Vegan Pumpkim Protein Pancakes http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Coconut Bliss (Dark Chocolate...so. so. creamy.) http://coconutbliss.com/
Activity
Shopping: )
Energy
7
Sleep
8
Tomorrow should be excellent. I have a bunch of food prepped in the fridge + I will be making a new smoothie in the morning! Stay Tuned!
Thanks,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Today was a little bit challenging for me. First of all, I caved at the coffee shop and used dairy. I resisted at first, using soy milk, which I knew was going to ruin my delicious cup of coffee, but thought if I pretended that it wouldn't, that IT wouldn't. So much for that theory. I then reached for the 1/2 and 1/2 only to pour some thin white watery substance (called skim milk) into my already struggling coffee. Uggg. Lesson learned - just forego the damn coffee if I didn't prepare!
On a side note, I really don't like soy all that much. I only buy soy milk it at the store (for my cereal) when its on such a good sale that I just can't resist. Its not bad when paired with cereal. I like tofu alright, but can never duplicate how I like it when I make it at home. ALSO, and most importantly, I worry about the raised estrogen levels that soy is associated with which links it to breast cancer... if anyone has any articles they want to share on this matter, please...I believe "everything in moderation" holds true here, as in everything else...
So, later in the day I went to one of my favorite little eateries called Zoe Ma Ma http://www.zoemama.com/ for a noodle bowl. I knew they had a several gluten free options and thought they had vegan options as well. Wrong. I enjoyed vegan pot stickers but my rice noodle bowl was lacking in flavor. I would like to mention that that I have had on their menu has always been DELISH, but everything I have had on their menu has also had meat in it. I just think they need to work on their vegan/vegetarian options.
I also found challenges at the grocery store...I was craving my beloved chocolate covered ANYTHING from the bulk food section! I resisted...mostly...I didn't have anything chocolate covered because I didn't want the dairy but I did "sample" a couple maple covered mixed nuts. Oh man, those things are divine. Of course, that's no need to feel bad but it is noteworthy that I can feel the blood sugar spike in my blood after keeping it lower in the last week.
The Grocery wasn't all challenges though. I snagged some dark chocolate Coconut Bliss to make Dairy-Free Mexican Un-fried Ice cream! http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/13/dairy-free-mexican-un-fried-ice-cream/ Yum! Whole Foods didn't have the chocolate tortilla chips that the recipe calls for so I bought a couple of ingredients to improvise. Tomorrow, I will crush regular tortilla chips and vegan chocolate chips to make my crunchy covering. Of course, I sampled the coconut bliss TONIGHT though.....DELISH!
Onward and Upward....
Food Log
Apple Quinoa cereal
Freshly squeezed OJ/lemon/lime juice
Vegetarian Noodle Bowl (sub rice noodles) http://www.zoemama.com/
2 Vegan pot stickers
Freshly made Vegan Pumpkim Protein Pancakes http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Coconut Bliss (Dark Chocolate...so. so. creamy.) http://coconutbliss.com/
Activity
Shopping: )
Energy
7
Sleep
8
Tomorrow should be excellent. I have a bunch of food prepped in the fridge + I will be making a new smoothie in the morning! Stay Tuned!
Thanks,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Saturday, October 9, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 6 "The movie theater."
...I suppose technically I could have had the movie theater popcorn...its not meat, not dairy, its not gluten...but I guess its not exactly clean. I think there's a ridiculous number of chemicals in those delicious yellow-orange popped kernels, and I really like it with the "butter" and the specific movie theater salt too; however, I didn't want to put that crap into my body while I'm on a mission to get back to a clean diet. I didn't exactly go without though, I picked up "Pop Chips" http://www.popchips.com/ at Whole Foods before heading to the flick and crunched on those as my snack; )
Killer ride today and really good energy overall, especially during my ride! I hit the trail for about 2 hours and felt strong the whole way. I completely love climbing hills! Sometimes it takes my legs a little while to remember that they LOVE the burn, but not today. I was in the zone from the get go!
I can definitely tell that eliminating a bunch of the processed foods that had wormed its way into my diet has bumped my energy level up a good bit. This is no surprise. Refined sugar and processed foods just make me feel so blah - In only a handful of days I truly feel much more alert. I think that eliminating the meat and dairy is really good too. Although I don't take in a lot of these foods groups anyway, I think eliminating them all together allows that much more room for plant based foods.
Alright, on with my report card for the day...
Food List
Decaf coffee w/ coconut creamer and agave
Apple quinoa cereal (breakfast and snack) http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/30/apple-quinoa-cereal/
Coconut caribbean oat bars http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-bars/
Chopped Spinach, quinoa and veggie salad
Coconut milk latte (Robin R. that was at your suggestion, Mmmmm: )
Popcorn (home popped with coconut oil, at home, after movie)
Pop Chips http://www.popchips.com
Activity
2 Hour sweet ride
Energy
7.85, getting really close to solar status
Sleep
8, I haven't been restless AT ALL, Sa-weet!!!!!!!
Need to head to bed. Another mountain bike ride is on the docket for the morning.
G'nite.
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Killer ride today and really good energy overall, especially during my ride! I hit the trail for about 2 hours and felt strong the whole way. I completely love climbing hills! Sometimes it takes my legs a little while to remember that they LOVE the burn, but not today. I was in the zone from the get go!
I can definitely tell that eliminating a bunch of the processed foods that had wormed its way into my diet has bumped my energy level up a good bit. This is no surprise. Refined sugar and processed foods just make me feel so blah - In only a handful of days I truly feel much more alert. I think that eliminating the meat and dairy is really good too. Although I don't take in a lot of these foods groups anyway, I think eliminating them all together allows that much more room for plant based foods.
Alright, on with my report card for the day...
Food List
Decaf coffee w/ coconut creamer and agave
Apple quinoa cereal (breakfast and snack) http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/30/apple-quinoa-cereal/
Coconut caribbean oat bars http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-bars/
Chopped Spinach, quinoa and veggie salad
Coconut milk latte (Robin R. that was at your suggestion, Mmmmm: )
Popcorn (home popped with coconut oil, at home, after movie)
Pop Chips http://www.popchips.com
Activity
2 Hour sweet ride
Energy
7.85, getting really close to solar status
Sleep
8, I haven't been restless AT ALL, Sa-weet!!!!!!!
Need to head to bed. Another mountain bike ride is on the docket for the morning.
G'nite.
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 5
Alright, here I am, about 1/3 through my vegan-ism voyage. I mentioned before that meat/dairy isn't really a big part of my diet, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I am totally psyched to have gone without so much as a little 1/2 & 1/2 for the last 5 days. I could have easy given into a creamy latte tonight...not because I wanted it so badly, but because it was mistakenly made for me (I asked for a decaf espresso). The smooth, beautiful latte was set before me but I turned it down, no problem. I'm on a mission.
One thing that has been bothering me is that I am super bloated. This may be TMI, but its what's going on so I feel I need to report it. This isn't a new thing since going vegan 5 days ago, its an on going problem I have deal with forever. This bloat/improper digestion issue comes and goes and I have had a hard time tracking the source. I am starting to wonder if it has to do with too many whole grains in my diet....if you have been reading at all, you know how hard I have been hitting my beloved amaranth. I think a good idea would be to moderate the grains a little and see what happens (after all, everything in moderation, right?). I may want to experiment with that on another food journey.
Overall, it was a rad day. I worked a little, picked up a visiting friend from the bus station, and went out on the town: )
My friend and I went to the Reuben's Bistro, uh hum...a burger joint. I, of course, did not consume one of their delicious burgers sandwiched with a pretzel bun....I had a nice salad instead. Oh, and I may have enjoyed some sweet potato fries: ) No burger. No problem.
The next 2 days should be interesting, as I have company over the weekend. I always seem to eat out a lot more when friends are in town. At least I have a few yummy snacks like Kale chips, coconut caribbean oat bars and the amaranth crunch (of which I'm going to cut back on). Don't worry, I will stay my vegan course. I kind of hope that some enormous temptation comes along - I love a challenge!
Sayonara for now, I've blown my goal of getting to bed early tonight...oh well... there's always tomorrow: )
Food Log
Decaf coffee with coconut creamer (no agave for the 2nd day in a row: )
2 Vegan Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (cold and delish) http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
1 apple
Chopped Spinach leaves w/ red and orange bell pepers, quinoa and chopped pecans tossed with toasted sesame oil and coconut milk
2 squares of coconut caribbean oat bars http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-bars/
Popped amaranth cruch
Mixed green salad with almonds and mandarin oranges
sweet potato fries
Activity
2 hours massage
Energy
7 (Tomorrow, I am laying off the amaranth...I want to see if my stomach gets less bloated and I feel lighter)
Sleep
7 (I definitely felt ready to get the day started this morning! Right now, I am definitely ready to go to sleep, but I have the energy to bust this out at 1:20am, so that says something!
Alright, I'm setting a couple intentions for tomorrow:
Lay off the Amaranth
Get a long bike ride in
Drink a ton of water
Do 10 vinyasas in the AM pre-anything else!
Cool, goodnight: ) Thanks for reading!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
One thing that has been bothering me is that I am super bloated. This may be TMI, but its what's going on so I feel I need to report it. This isn't a new thing since going vegan 5 days ago, its an on going problem I have deal with forever. This bloat/improper digestion issue comes and goes and I have had a hard time tracking the source. I am starting to wonder if it has to do with too many whole grains in my diet....if you have been reading at all, you know how hard I have been hitting my beloved amaranth. I think a good idea would be to moderate the grains a little and see what happens (after all, everything in moderation, right?). I may want to experiment with that on another food journey.
Overall, it was a rad day. I worked a little, picked up a visiting friend from the bus station, and went out on the town: )
My friend and I went to the Reuben's Bistro, uh hum...a burger joint. I, of course, did not consume one of their delicious burgers sandwiched with a pretzel bun....I had a nice salad instead. Oh, and I may have enjoyed some sweet potato fries: ) No burger. No problem.
The next 2 days should be interesting, as I have company over the weekend. I always seem to eat out a lot more when friends are in town. At least I have a few yummy snacks like Kale chips, coconut caribbean oat bars and the amaranth crunch (of which I'm going to cut back on). Don't worry, I will stay my vegan course. I kind of hope that some enormous temptation comes along - I love a challenge!
Sayonara for now, I've blown my goal of getting to bed early tonight...oh well... there's always tomorrow: )
Food Log
Decaf coffee with coconut creamer (no agave for the 2nd day in a row: )
2 Vegan Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (cold and delish) http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
1 apple
Chopped Spinach leaves w/ red and orange bell pepers, quinoa and chopped pecans tossed with toasted sesame oil and coconut milk
2 squares of coconut caribbean oat bars http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-bars/
Popped amaranth cruch
Mixed green salad with almonds and mandarin oranges
sweet potato fries
Activity
2 hours massage
Energy
7 (Tomorrow, I am laying off the amaranth...I want to see if my stomach gets less bloated and I feel lighter)
Sleep
7 (I definitely felt ready to get the day started this morning! Right now, I am definitely ready to go to sleep, but I have the energy to bust this out at 1:20am, so that says something!
Alright, I'm setting a couple intentions for tomorrow:
Lay off the Amaranth
Get a long bike ride in
Drink a ton of water
Do 10 vinyasas in the AM pre-anything else!
Cool, goodnight: ) Thanks for reading!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Thursday, October 7, 2010
YU+ME=Clean Day 4
It was another peachy day in the land of vegan-ism: ) If I had not been doing this challenge, I certainly would have had coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 today. I had a meeting in Denver this evening that the other part was running horribly late for...my usual go to time killer is to hit up a coffee shop, but I wasn't packin' any "legal" fixins like coconut creamer or agave so I just had to wait patiently sans java. Now, you might be wondering why I didn't sub some delightful tea...Well, the truth is I have a serious aversion to tea. I have never liked it and have pretty much resigned myself to be at odds with tea. It's like water that's trying to be something that is simply is not. Anyhoo...
I got a great ride in today powered by coconut caribbean oat bars and left over pumpkin protein pancakes!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
I'm going to launch right into the stats for the day - I am bound and determined to get to bed early! I think with the days growing shorter its time to re-set my internal clock!
Food Log
Pumpkin protein pancakes (cold, yummy. I love left overs: )
1 apple
Huge veggie salad with beets, & bell peepers, & baked tofu, & spinch, & & &, etc...
Caribbean Coconut Oat bars
More Pumpkin protein pancakes
Sweet and salty kale chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
Smaller veggie salad with all the fixins above...
Decaf coffee w/ coconut creamer (no agave today!)
Popcorn
Activity
Sweet A$$ bike ride! Out my front door and on the trail in 5 minutes!
Energy
6++
Sleep
7, Apparently, I was sleeping so well I didn't hear my alarm for yoga. Grrr. I did, however, get up and do some yoga at home: )
Night ya'll. This vegan gal is hitting the hay: )
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
I got a great ride in today powered by coconut caribbean oat bars and left over pumpkin protein pancakes!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/14/carribean-coconut-oat-
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
I'm going to launch right into the stats for the day - I am bound and determined to get to bed early! I think with the days growing shorter its time to re-set my internal clock!
Food Log
Pumpkin protein pancakes (cold, yummy. I love left overs: )
1 apple
Huge veggie salad with beets, & bell peepers, & baked tofu, & spinch, & & &, etc...
Caribbean Coconut Oat bars
More Pumpkin protein pancakes
Sweet and salty kale chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
Smaller veggie salad with all the fixins above...
Decaf coffee w/ coconut creamer (no agave today!)
Popcorn
Activity
Sweet A$$ bike ride! Out my front door and on the trail in 5 minutes!
Energy
6++
Sleep
7, Apparently, I was sleeping so well I didn't hear my alarm for yoga. Grrr. I did, however, get up and do some yoga at home: )
Night ya'll. This vegan gal is hitting the hay: )
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 3 (part 2)
What a day! I was able to make vegan pumpkin protein pancakes (VPPP) http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/ this morning and snack on them all day long! No joke, my food log for today is going to look ridiculous because I pretty much just ate them all day.
I noticed an interesting thing when I was on my 2nd serving this morning of VPPP...I think that the agave did, in fact, mess with my glycemic index. My portions of agave are usually just enough to sweeten my coffee but today I used it like syrup on my pancakes...Since I am a sweet-aholic, you can infer than I would drench them. I didn't even put any in the batter with the anticipation of using it as a topping. I switched to agave when I wanted to lower my blood sugar levels and I think it has worked quite well, but today taught me that...well, too much of a good thing... I just noticed that my head felt all sugar buzzy and the base of my neck felt tense (very much like caffeine makes me feel, which is why I drink decaf). These are my personal signs that I have too much sugar in my system.
My refrigerator is pretty bare at the moment so I went ahead and had them for a late lunch too! This time I mixed some agave with Eden applesauce (no added sugar) http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=46, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I think that helped. FYI, I had the applesauce in the fridge from the apple quinoa cereal I made recently http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/30/apple-quinoa-cereal/. Totally delish!
You will notice that I didn't eat a great deal today overall, this wasn't intentional or for lack of options, I just was on the go and didn't have time to make much today other than the pancakes. I regret that I didn't get many veggies in, I try to do better than that! I did nibble on my sweet and salty kale chips that I made last night though.....Well, now look at that, I fit some green leafy veggies in today without even giving it a second thought!
Okay, here's the break down:
Food Log
Vegan pumpkin protein pancakes http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Sweet and salty Kale chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
(my chips aren't raw, baking them at 250 for 1 hr will do the trick)
2 apples
Popped amaranth crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
3 Dolmas
1.5 Nalgene of water
Activity
I really wanted to make yoga happen today but I just didn't make it...tomorrow is another day...
Energy
6+
Sleep
7
If you read my first blog for the YU+ME=Clean you saw that I set some goals for myself:
I noticed an interesting thing when I was on my 2nd serving this morning of VPPP...I think that the agave did, in fact, mess with my glycemic index. My portions of agave are usually just enough to sweeten my coffee but today I used it like syrup on my pancakes...Since I am a sweet-aholic, you can infer than I would drench them. I didn't even put any in the batter with the anticipation of using it as a topping. I switched to agave when I wanted to lower my blood sugar levels and I think it has worked quite well, but today taught me that...well, too much of a good thing... I just noticed that my head felt all sugar buzzy and the base of my neck felt tense (very much like caffeine makes me feel, which is why I drink decaf). These are my personal signs that I have too much sugar in my system.
My refrigerator is pretty bare at the moment so I went ahead and had them for a late lunch too! This time I mixed some agave with Eden applesauce (no added sugar) http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=46, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I think that helped. FYI, I had the applesauce in the fridge from the apple quinoa cereal I made recently http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/01/30/apple-quinoa-cereal/. Totally delish!
You will notice that I didn't eat a great deal today overall, this wasn't intentional or for lack of options, I just was on the go and didn't have time to make much today other than the pancakes. I regret that I didn't get many veggies in, I try to do better than that! I did nibble on my sweet and salty kale chips that I made last night though.....Well, now look at that, I fit some green leafy veggies in today without even giving it a second thought!
Okay, here's the break down:
Food Log
Vegan pumpkin protein pancakes http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Sweet and salty Kale chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
(my chips aren't raw, baking them at 250 for 1 hr will do the trick)
2 apples
Popped amaranth crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
3 Dolmas
1.5 Nalgene of water
Activity
I really wanted to make yoga happen today but I just didn't make it...tomorrow is another day...
Energy
6+
Sleep
7
If you read my first blog for the YU+ME=Clean you saw that I set some goals for myself:
My food goals for the next 10 days:
1) Be vegan, no exceptions
2) Be dairy free, no exception
3) Severely restrict my added and refined sugar consumption (may allow for 1 emergency sugar use with coffee)
1) Be vegan, no exceptions
2) Be dairy free, no exception
3) Severely restrict my added and refined sugar consumption (may allow for 1 emergency sugar use with coffee)
My food preparation goals for the next 10 days:
1) Leave the house packin’ with prepared snacks
2) If going for coffee must take coconut creamer and agave (or JUST SAY NO to my dear java)
3) Make 7-10 new recipes from yumuniverse.com
My ultimate wellness goals for the challenge:
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
1) Leave the house packin’ with prepared snacks
2) If going for coffee must take coconut creamer and agave (or JUST SAY NO to my dear java)
3) Make 7-10 new recipes from yumuniverse.com
My ultimate wellness goals for the challenge:
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
So far I have been pretty successful. I have been vegan. There has been NO dairy and NO added sugar. (However, I think I need to pull in the reins on the agave as well as my carob chips that I put in my popped amaranth crunch; }
I need to be better about packin' snacks. I haven't been setting myself up for success upon leaving the house. I was hungry on a couple of occasions today because of poor planning.
I have made 3 new recipes since I started this, so I am well on my way to achieving that goal: )
My energy has been okay - not fantastic...I think my agave overload today might have set me back a little bit. I will have to be more careful tomorrow.
So, that's a recap of intentions. So far, I am psyched on the challenge and feel like I am doing a good job. Truthfully, it hasn't been hard. I have busted out some new recipes and found a delicious new coconut creamer: ) This is not so different from the way I normally eat, I just needed to re-dedicate myself to the practice of clean eating!
Tomorrow the name of the game is vegetables and water!
Thanks again for reading: ) See you again tomorrow!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association memeber
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 3(part 1)
I just couldn't wait until later tonight to start this!
I mustered up the energy (of which little was neede)d to make Salty Sweet Kale Chips last night and I am making vegan pumpkin protein pancakes right now, AS I TYPE!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Okay, this has to be brief because I am hungry and need me sum pun'kin pancakes! Let me just say before I sign off, "DELICIOUS!!!!!"
Stay tuned for another post later in the day!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
I mustered up the energy (of which little was neede)d to make Salty Sweet Kale Chips last night and I am making vegan pumpkin protein pancakes right now, AS I TYPE!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/02/06/vegan-pumpkin-protein-pancakes/
Okay, this has to be brief because I am hungry and need me sum pun'kin pancakes! Let me just say before I sign off, "DELICIOUS!!!!!"
Stay tuned for another post later in the day!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 2
Good Evening!
Here I am reflecting on a fantastic day while nibbling on none other than popped amaranth crunch, but of course: ) !!! http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Another successful day in the land of vegan-ism! Yay! Thankfully, I was able to get a bike ride in today: ) I don't feel like I have to exercise everyday, but I always feel better when I do so I usually fit it in somehow. As a result of making time for it more often than not, I don't sweat it when the day simply doesn't allow for it.
I had a great night's sleep and although I didn't want to get out of bed this morning, its not because I was "tired," it was because I was particularly cozy snuggled up on a cool autumn morning.
I saw clients on and off all day and felt good and charged all day. I noticed this evening that my dull headache has subsided. I have no doubt that this is because I have cut out processed sugar foods for the last 2 days. I was letting myself get all willy-nilly with my diet with the anticipation of getting back on track. Who know why though...is it really all that fun to eat a ton of ice cream if I'm going to feel hungover the next day? Well, maybe a little but... Seriously, a while back when I realized how much sugar I was consuming (through processed foods as well as sweets) and pulled the reins I decided to reward myself with some ice cream. Having little to no will power when it comes to ice cream I downed a pint of Ben & Jerry's and woke up feeling completely hungover! Totally unfair for someone who doesn't even drink!
Well, in sum, today was really awesome. For me, waking every day with the intention of taking care of myself, in and of itself, makes it pretty stellar.
Okay, now, down to the nitty gritty of what I ate today and how I felt!
Food Log
1 apple
1 banana
Popped Amaranth Crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Delicious salad from Whole Foods salad bar packed with veggies and dressed with O.O. and balsamic
Dolmas
Edamame Dip
Nut thins
Decaf coffee with coconut creamer and agave
Activity
1 Hr Sweet Mt Bike ride
5 hrs massage
Energy
7, I had great energy all day but sitting here at 9:18, I wish I had a little more juice to get some things done.
Sleep
7, I would like to start getting into bed earlier.. I have been averaging about midnight, which is keeping me in bed a little too long in the morning.
Thanks for reading along. Tomorrow, I want to make Sweet & Salty Kale Chips!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Mine won't be raw because I don't have a dehydrator, but I'm sure they will be delicious baked on a low heat. Stay tuned to see!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Here I am reflecting on a fantastic day while nibbling on none other than popped amaranth crunch, but of course: ) !!! http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Another successful day in the land of vegan-ism! Yay! Thankfully, I was able to get a bike ride in today: ) I don't feel like I have to exercise everyday, but I always feel better when I do so I usually fit it in somehow. As a result of making time for it more often than not, I don't sweat it when the day simply doesn't allow for it.
I had a great night's sleep and although I didn't want to get out of bed this morning, its not because I was "tired," it was because I was particularly cozy snuggled up on a cool autumn morning.
I saw clients on and off all day and felt good and charged all day. I noticed this evening that my dull headache has subsided. I have no doubt that this is because I have cut out processed sugar foods for the last 2 days. I was letting myself get all willy-nilly with my diet with the anticipation of getting back on track. Who know why though...is it really all that fun to eat a ton of ice cream if I'm going to feel hungover the next day? Well, maybe a little but... Seriously, a while back when I realized how much sugar I was consuming (through processed foods as well as sweets) and pulled the reins I decided to reward myself with some ice cream. Having little to no will power when it comes to ice cream I downed a pint of Ben & Jerry's and woke up feeling completely hungover! Totally unfair for someone who doesn't even drink!
Well, in sum, today was really awesome. For me, waking every day with the intention of taking care of myself, in and of itself, makes it pretty stellar.
Okay, now, down to the nitty gritty of what I ate today and how I felt!
Food Log
1 apple
1 banana
Popped Amaranth Crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Delicious salad from Whole Foods salad bar packed with veggies and dressed with O.O. and balsamic
Dolmas
Edamame Dip
Nut thins
Decaf coffee with coconut creamer and agave
Activity
1 Hr Sweet Mt Bike ride
5 hrs massage
Energy
7, I had great energy all day but sitting here at 9:18, I wish I had a little more juice to get some things done.
Sleep
7, I would like to start getting into bed earlier.. I have been averaging about midnight, which is keeping me in bed a little too long in the morning.
Thanks for reading along. Tomorrow, I want to make Sweet & Salty Kale Chips!
http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
Mine won't be raw because I don't have a dehydrator, but I'm sure they will be delicious baked on a low heat. Stay tuned to see!
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Monday, October 4, 2010
YU+ME=Clean, DAY 1
Well, it was sure to be a good day since it started off with YU's "popped amaranth crunch," and a good day it was. I think I was so jazzed to reel in my diet and get "clean" that I managed to wake up less lethargic than I have been recently...Ahhh, the power of intention!
The only thing I wasn't able to do today that I wanted to was go for a bike ride, that's alright, I had a killer ride yesterday at Heil Ranch http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/heil-valley-ranch.html.
So, here I sit at approximately 10pm feeling pretty good about the day: ) Here I also sit with another serving of my precious popped amaranth. I threw a twist on it and added carob chips which have melted oh so nicely; )
I had no temptations to eat anything not vegan or with gluten...Oops, that is soooo not true! When I was at Whole Foods, I almost went for a couple little chocolate graham cracker bunnies that were being sampled! Fret not though, I stayed my vegan course and got what I was after at the store, which was some edamame dip and some nut thin crackers.
Below you will find a little food and activity log for the day.
Also, I want to note my energy level so I will gauge it on a 1-10 scale. "1" being I couldn't get out of bed, "5" I was able to get through the day fine and maybe some low impact exercise, "10" I had so much energy Obama me to replace solar; )
Finally, I wanted to record my quality of sleep. Again a 1-10 deal. "1" I couldn't go to sleep or stay asleep, "5" I may have woken up a little but not too restless, "10" I never remember waking and I was totally ready to get up to start the day!
Food log
Popped Amaranth Crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
2 Apples
1 Banana
Decaf coffee with Hazelnut coconut creamer http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/coconut_milk_creamer.html (There you go Chantel: )
Dolmas
Edamame Dip http://www.soyzenzay.com/product.html
Nut thins/crackers
Soy "Jerky"(I just had to see....and was glad I did) http://www.tastyeats.com/
Water (only 1.5 nalgene's worth, need too bump that up)
Activity
No formal workout today, but I did give massage for 5 hours
Energy
6+
Sleep
6++
I think that wraps it up for today! I'm sure tomorrow will be another awesome day! I will definitely shoot for a new recipe...I'm thinking Salty Sweet Kale Chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/ !!
Thanks for reading,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association
The only thing I wasn't able to do today that I wanted to was go for a bike ride, that's alright, I had a killer ride yesterday at Heil Ranch http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/heil-valley-ranch.html.
So, here I sit at approximately 10pm feeling pretty good about the day: ) Here I also sit with another serving of my precious popped amaranth. I threw a twist on it and added carob chips which have melted oh so nicely; )
I had no temptations to eat anything not vegan or with gluten...Oops, that is soooo not true! When I was at Whole Foods, I almost went for a couple little chocolate graham cracker bunnies that were being sampled! Fret not though, I stayed my vegan course and got what I was after at the store, which was some edamame dip and some nut thin crackers.
Below you will find a little food and activity log for the day.
Also, I want to note my energy level so I will gauge it on a 1-10 scale. "1" being I couldn't get out of bed, "5" I was able to get through the day fine and maybe some low impact exercise, "10" I had so much energy Obama me to replace solar; )
Finally, I wanted to record my quality of sleep. Again a 1-10 deal. "1" I couldn't go to sleep or stay asleep, "5" I may have woken up a little but not too restless, "10" I never remember waking and I was totally ready to get up to start the day!
Food log
Popped Amaranth Crunch http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/09/28/popped-amaranth-crunch/
2 Apples
1 Banana
Decaf coffee with Hazelnut coconut creamer http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/coconut_milk_creamer.html (There you go Chantel: )
Dolmas
Edamame Dip http://www.soyzenzay.com/product.html
Nut thins/crackers
Soy "Jerky"(I just had to see....and was glad I did) http://www.tastyeats.com/
Water (only 1.5 nalgene's worth, need too bump that up)
Activity
No formal workout today, but I did give massage for 5 hours
Energy
6+
Sleep
6++
I think that wraps it up for today! I'm sure tomorrow will be another awesome day! I will definitely shoot for a new recipe...I'm thinking Salty Sweet Kale Chips http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/03/05/raw-salty-sweet-kale-chips/ !!
Thanks for reading,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association
Sunday, October 3, 2010
popped amaranth, YES PLEASE!
Okay, so I have been wanting to check out the "Popped Amaranth Crunch" snack from the yumuniverse.com website for a while now and although I was going to leave this little jewel until tomorrow, when I have officially kicked off YU+ME=Clean (http://whyknotmassagetherapy.blogspot.com/2010/10/once-you-go-vegan.html), I just couldn't wait! I had to know if it really had a popcorn-y taste..and sure enough...IT DOES! I have been looking for a popcorn substitute for a while because although popcorn is a whole grain, I eat a TON of it, and feel the need to add some variety!
OMG! This really is quite the little gem! Kind of buttery, good crunch and sweet all rolled up into teensy amaranth kernels! I threw in some carob chips for good measure: ) Well, I guess I can check one new recipe off my goals list now, can't I; )
Check it out!
OMG! This really is quite the little gem! Kind of buttery, good crunch and sweet all rolled up into teensy amaranth kernels! I threw in some carob chips for good measure: ) Well, I guess I can check one new recipe off my goals list now, can't I; )
Once you go vegan...
Hello all,
So, I have decided to give myself a little food challenge. I wouldn't say that I am "picky" eater, but I do choose to eat with awareness...so, I guess that I am a choosey eater. However, recently I have let some old habits creep back into my life. I have been nibbling bulk section (chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels), putting too much sugar in my coffee, not drinking enough water, etc...
I have started to notice a couple of telltale signs that I am consuming too much crap. I'm lethargic, have a slight headache, and look tired. I mostly see a couple of bags hanging out under my eyes along with a certain dullness. Is this reality or is this what my mind is projecting because I don't feel up to par? I'm thinking that its a combo of the two.
So, the food challenge I have decided to give myself, for the next 10 days, is to go vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and essentially processed sugar free. Now, some people might wonder what the heck I am going to eat for the next few days! However, living in Boulder, Co is one of the most "gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian" friendly places in the history of the world, so I have lots of great resources here. I also have www.yumuniverse.com (YU)and its founder Heather Crosby to support me and provide any guidance I may need along the way. In honor of YU I am calling the challenge the YU(yum universe) + ME (that's me:) = CLEAN! I have already tried quite a few recipes from this site and know that I won't have to sacrifice taste to stay on track.
My food goals for the next 10 days:
1) Be vegan, no exceptions
2) Be dairy free, no exception
3) Severely restrict my added and refined sugar consumption (may allow for 1 emergency sugar use with coffee)
My food preparation goals for the next 10 days
1) Leave the house packin' with prepared snacks
2) If going for coffee must take coconut creamer and agave (or JUST SAY NO to my dear java)
3) Make 7-10 new recipes from www.yumuniverse.com
My ultimate goals for the effects of my challenge
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
Okay, that's it, simple enough.
There should be some pretty cool posts over the next 10 days on www.whyknotmassagetherapy.blogspot.com so I hope you will follow along my vegan journey!
Thanks for reading,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
So, I have decided to give myself a little food challenge. I wouldn't say that I am "picky" eater, but I do choose to eat with awareness...so, I guess that I am a choosey eater. However, recently I have let some old habits creep back into my life. I have been nibbling bulk section (chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels), putting too much sugar in my coffee, not drinking enough water, etc...
I have started to notice a couple of telltale signs that I am consuming too much crap. I'm lethargic, have a slight headache, and look tired. I mostly see a couple of bags hanging out under my eyes along with a certain dullness. Is this reality or is this what my mind is projecting because I don't feel up to par? I'm thinking that its a combo of the two.
So, the food challenge I have decided to give myself, for the next 10 days, is to go vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and essentially processed sugar free. Now, some people might wonder what the heck I am going to eat for the next few days! However, living in Boulder, Co is one of the most "gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian" friendly places in the history of the world, so I have lots of great resources here. I also have www.yumuniverse.com (YU)and its founder Heather Crosby to support me and provide any guidance I may need along the way. In honor of YU I am calling the challenge the YU(yum universe) + ME (that's me:) = CLEAN! I have already tried quite a few recipes from this site and know that I won't have to sacrifice taste to stay on track.
My food goals for the next 10 days:
1) Be vegan, no exceptions
2) Be dairy free, no exception
3) Severely restrict my added and refined sugar consumption (may allow for 1 emergency sugar use with coffee)
My food preparation goals for the next 10 days
1) Leave the house packin' with prepared snacks
2) If going for coffee must take coconut creamer and agave (or JUST SAY NO to my dear java)
3) Make 7-10 new recipes from www.yumuniverse.com
My ultimate goals for the effects of my challenge
1) Increase my energy
2) Look and feel brighter
3) Lose the annoying headache
Okay, that's it, simple enough.
There should be some pretty cool posts over the next 10 days on www.whyknotmassagetherapy.blogspot.com so I hope you will follow along my vegan journey!
Thanks for reading,
Beth McVay, CMT
American Massage Therapy Association member
Thursday, September 30, 2010
YU+ME = Clean, my food challenge.
The idea behind this blog is to share information that I find valuable for health and wellness. I use tools like massage therapy, exercise, sleep and varied and balanced diet to help me stay, well...balanced. However, none of use are perfect and "falling off the wagon" is inevitable. Old habits die hard and they love to creep back up when we lose our focus! One of my biggest vices is SUGAR! Boy do I love sweets! It was not too long ago that I decided I needed to get a better handle on this delectable vice. I started to notice that despite getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, exercising daily and eating lots of plant based foods, I was lethargic. The culprit? Sugar.
When I finally admitted to myself that I ate to much sugar I was able to start making changes. I stepped back and had an honest conversation with myself about how much sugar I put in my coffee, how many times I dip into the chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels, in the bulk food section at the grocery store, what my ice cream portions really looked like (enough for 2, easy : ~ ), etc... I was forced to realize that my sugar consumption was entirely too high for what my body was able to process. As a result, I was crashing all day long...I felt tired, looked tired and had a dull headache frequently. My sleep was suffering too. I had trouble staying asleep and had to drag myself out of bed in the morning...
I decided to make some changes! I stopped visiting the bulk food isle, switched to agave syrup, and cracked down on processed foods (even cereal, which I love)! In under a week I felt my energy level rise, my sleep improved and my headache disappeared. Joy!
Recently, I have let some bad habits creep back in. Yes, I have had a few too many chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels, indulged in lots of bread (which had loads of sugar) as well as packing my coffee full of straight up sugar... and what d'ya know...all of the old symptoms are back.
So, I have decided to get back on track and give myself a food challenge! I really want to clear my system and I think the best way to do this is to limit my sugar consumption and eat clean. One of my favorite websites is: http://www.yumuniverse.com. YumUniverse (YU) is great resource for a plant-based, vegan, raw, gluten free and dairy free diet. Perfect. That is just what I am looking for to eat clean for my food challenge. I thought i would call it YU+ ME = Clean! The really cool thing is that this will be fun and delicious. I have already enjoyed many recipes from YU and am psyched to experience more with this challenge!
I'll be blogging daily about the YU+ME = Clean so be sure to check in!
Beth McVay, CMT
Member AMTA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)