Artista’s Journal

[Artista]

Day 42, What I ate today:

B: green tea, cantaloupe, arugula, oatmeal, cannellini beans, blueberries
L: fresh cherry tomatoes, potatoes, steamed green beans & cauliflower, lentil-veg soup
S: grapes
D: salad, chickpeas, sweet potato, broccoli

Exercise: 43 min. brisk walking
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: 20 min.

[Artista]

we normally eat the rocket raw, in salad, and yes, it is quite bitter. But occasionally I wander round the garden looking for green things to toss into a stir fry or whatever. We have rocket, silver beet, and various asian leaves growing everywhere. Also miners lettuce which I love picked fresh, and put raw under soup or stew so that it just wilts in the heat. yum. We eat a lot of miners lettuce in winter as it likes the cold and damp and self seeds and grows everywhere in my garden in winter.

I found the tough days have faded over the years, now they are just the obvious, Christmas, anniversaries....and worst of all...other people making special vegan baking because they knew I was coming....
Hang on in there through the tough times, and eat your favourite 'on plan' food, and this too will pass.

Hi Katie, You are so right, the tough times do pass, thanks for that reminder. You’re more adventurous than I with the rocket, I tried eating raw rocket and it was just too fiery. It sounds like you have a great garden, well done with that.

[Artista]

Day 43, What I ate today:

Breakfast: Cantaloupe slice, arugula, oatmeal, cannellini beans, mixed berries
Snack:apple
Lunch: fresh cherry tomatoes, lentil-vegetable soup, sweet potato, steamed cauliflower & arugula
Snack: grapes
Dinner: cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mushrooms, onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, chickpeas, red lentil pasta, cauliflower

Exercise: 45 minutes yoga
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: 20 minutes

[Artista]

Day 44, what I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, arugula, orange, mixed grain cereal (millet, buckwheat groats, rolled oats), mixed berries
Lunch: raw cherry tomatoes from garden, carrots, steamed green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, marinara w/mushrooms & chickpeas, red lentil pasta, grapes
Dinner: arugula & tomato salad, lentil-veg soup, apple
Edited to add: Evening snack: banana, mango, leftover pasta dish from lunch

Exercise: 30 min. walking
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: 20 min.

It was a good day today, I enjoyed everything I ate and didn’t get hungry between meals which is really unusual for me. That restlessness I’ve felt off and on with sticking to my goals wasn’t experienced today. Everything just felt sane and peaceful.

[Artista]

Day 45, what I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, arugula, millet, buckwheat groats, rolled oats, mixed berries
Snack: apple
Lunch: raw vegetables, steamed vegetables, sweet potato, chickpeas
Dinner: raw vegetables, potatoes, grapes

Exercise: 40 minutes walking
MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (didn’t do the 50/50 plate at dinner)
Meditation: 20 minutes

[Ruff]

Hi Artista, you really seem to be getting into a great routine. It really cool when the food you 'normally' eat is compliant. Its just the way you eat. Its the food you have in your house, the food you buy at the shops.....

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Artista,

Thank you for sharing your swing story earlier... Walked with my son last night and we did the swinging at our local park.... Was super-fun and you inspired me !!!

Also, not sure if you have "baby" arugula where you are??? It is not as bitter as the regular and pretty delicious raw...

Anyway, glad that you are doing great!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Artista]

Hi Stephanie. Thanks for stopping by! That sounds like a nice swing time with your son. I sometimes do the slide too but the swing is my favorite.

I used to get baby arugula regularly from Safeway. I would steam that too although it’s not as bitter as what I’ve been getting from the farmers market. It’s a very nutritious plant, high in calcium and iron, and very palatable after steaming for a couple of minutes. I got the idea of steaming it from Dr. Esselstyn.

[Artista]

Day 46, what I ate today:

B: green tea, cantaloupe, oatmeal with buckwheat groats, mixed berries
L: raw veg, steamed Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, collards, chickpeas, sweet potato
S: grapes
D: raw veg, lentil-veg soup with corn
S: apple

Exercise: none
MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (no exercise)
Meditation: none

[Artista]

Hi Artista, you really seem to be getting into a great routine. It really cool when the food you 'normally' eat is compliant. Its just the way you eat. Its the food you have in your house, the food you buy at the shops.....

Hi Katie, sometimes it’s routine and so automatic I don’t think about it or want to eat anything else. Other times it’s more of a struggle and I feel the restrictions more. It does help to only have compliant food in the house. It must be routine for you after 10 years of successful McDougalling. You’re an inspiration!

[Artista]

Day 47, what I ate today:

Breakfast (4:30 a.m.): mango, oatmeal, blueberries
2nd breakfast: cantaloupe, steel cut oats, buckwheat groats, blueberries, arugula
Snack: grapes, plum
Dinner: fresh cherry tomatoes from garden, lentil-veg soup, brown rice, Normandy-style vegetables, kale, collards, apple

Exercise: 30 minutes jogging on mini-trampoline
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: none

Really different eating pattern today, 2 breakfasts and no lunch, but I managed to stay with the program so I’m calling it good.

[Artista]

Day 48, what I ate today:

B: cantaloupe, arugula, oatmeal, cannellini beans, blueberries, flaxseeds
L: cherry tomatoes from garden, carrots, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, brown rice, chickpeas
S: plum
D: Bok Choy & cabbage salad, chickpeas, potatoes, green beans

MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (flaxseeds)
Exercise: 40 minutes yoga
Meditation: 20 minutes

I went with a friend this afternoon to one of the local pet adoption agencies and spent the afternoon playing with the kittens. We had so much fun. I love animals (the main reason I became vegan) but I don’t have any pets since I lost my dog about 2 years ago. It’s good for the cats to be handled and played with as much as possible and they invited us to come back as often as we like. I’ll definitely be going back. One day I’ll adopt a cat or dog, or both, when it’s the right time.

[Artista]

What I ate yesterday (Thurs. 7/14)

Breakfast: green tea, melon slice, arugula, oat groats, blueberries
Snack: 1/2 potato, plum, banana
Lunch salad, chickpeas, 1/2 sweet potato, green beans, collards, kale
Snack: oat groats, banana, strawberries
Dinner: brown rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, cantaloupe (no preload, not 50/50)
Snack: potatoes (not 50/50)

Exercise: 40 minutes walking
MWL 10-point checklist: 8/10 (skipped on the preload and 50//50 guidelines)
Meditation: 20 minutes

A really whacked out food day yesterday. I was really hungry in the afternoon and evening and just went for the starch and didn’t pay too much attention to the preload and 50/50 guidelines. I’m starting to feel a little claustrophobic with the guidelines, to tell the truth, and I’m thinking about taking a break from MWL, maybe going to the Starch Solution for awhile. And I don’t mean that like, “Yay, now I can eat bread, nuts, and dried fruit!” I know better than to do that. I just feel like I need a break from all the rules. That could be a big mistake, I'm not sure. I've been following MWL the best I can since May 15th. Most of that time, I've felt good and loved eating this way, but lately, it's been way more challenging. I don't know why, I can't point to anything specific that's different in my life. It might be a matter of being too perfectionistic, not only with following the MWL guidelines, but with trying to make really healthy food choices. I think I've just worn myself out. I have a real tendency to try too hard at things that are important to me and that might be what's happening. I'm not sure.

Thank you to all of you who post regularly in the forums and keep it going. It's been great to see the uptick in activity lately!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Artista!

I LOVE your story on the playing with the kittens!!! So fun and I bet they enjoyed it too! I adopted my older cat from the Petsmart maybe 13 years ago because she was "on display" there and was so sweet... (Now she is still bossing me around!)

Copying below my split pea soup recipe. There are also at least 2 that you can search on the main McD site that are good as well. Other super simple favorites (that even I can make) are: Mexi Soup, Creamy Beany Soup, Crock pot beans, Sloppy Lentils (omit the Soy sauce & sugar for it to be MWL compliant), Jeff N Longevity Soup.

My split pea soup recipe is for a 2 / 2.5qt. crockpot (so you can adjust it to size you want)... Sorry, I don't have exact measurements for everything. Makes about 4 servings.
1 c. split peas
Spoonful of minced garlic (about 1 T)
Smoked paprika (about 1 T)
Rosemary (about 1 T)
3.5 c. water
A few handfuls of chopped onions
A few handfuls of chopped celery
A few handfuls of chopped carrots
Then, fill up the pot to the top with chopped potatoes
Cooktime in the crock pot is flexible... I usually put it on high for about 8 hours (I like it mushy). It can go longer and is still fine.

I totally understand the feeling overwhelmed, etc. Deep breaths... Whatever you decide to do, hoping that you keep posting here!!! It is the place to be lately!!!!

Happy Weekend!
Stephanie

[Artista]

Stephanie, thank you so much for sharing your recipe suggestions with me, I’m looking forward to trying those! I’m so glad your kitty found a good home with you.

What I ate today (day 50):

B: green tea, 1/4 cantaloupe, oat groats, cannellini beans, peach, arugula
L: banana, large salad of bok choy, shredded cabbage & other veg, beans, 1/2 sweet potato
D: raw veg, steamed broccoli & Brussels sprouts, brown rice, pinto beans, homemade salsa, pear

Exercise: none
Meditation: none
MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (no exercise).

Other than not making time for exercising, today was a pretty good day. I’ve noticed that if I eat beans at breakfast, my appetite is more moderate during the rest of the day. I’m feeling better about MWL than I was in my last post. I’m going to try and stick it out, at least for now. I’m going to see if I can make it work for me.