Dinner, Exercise And A New Training Schedule Coming.

Final product! Garlic smashed potatoes with Vegan Mushroom beefy gravy from Fat Free Vegan Blog, my daddy's dressing and Yu Chu sautéed. Very nice meal!

Tonight I'll be doing Classical Stretch for exercise. It's a combination of Classical Dance moves and Tai Chi.  Similar to yoga.

My coach has told me that we start full programming in February. This means I move from jogging 3 times a week  and Bike training maybe once a week, we will be combining workouts to 6 days.  Continue jogging which I hope to start outside as I'm told jogging on the treadmill is MUCH different than on regular terrain.  More bike training, some weight training and most likely some swimming.

I got my labs back and most were great. I'd LOVE to see my good cholesterol raised higher but it's average and good at the moment.  My blood sugar needs to lower, but I'm guessing over the next few months it'll be GREAT!

As I said in the other post, I sure wish I could melt away the fat quicker but the hard work will pay off over time.  It's not going to happen over night.

Tonights Dinner And Getting Through The Negative Thoughts

What's for dinner? A BIG salad with "salad boost" which provides sprouted seeds and superfoods to the salad. Adding vegan poppyseed dressing from Wegmans. A nice sweet potato with vegan butter, coriander and cinnamon. Iced tea to drink.


Tonight I have another jog on the treadmill and some basic H.I.I.T small workout.

How I'm feeling. Today I feel great physically.  I've been fighting "perspective" issues since last week. I want to see the "apron" tummy go.  Lets be honest here. It's not coming off with only a month and a half in. I wish I could say there's some magic pill folks but it's going to take work.  Each day when I get that negative attitude. I remind myself that if I "quit" because I don't see results. I won't hit my goal.  The KEY is to keep trudging forward even when my mind is saying I it won't happen. Even on those days I feel it's hopeless.

The only way this is hopeless is if I quit. If I quit then the weight will come back on and I'll continue getting sicker and fatter.  So what's my choice?! Do I want to continue getting sicker and fatter leaving my husband and child without a wife and mother? OR do I want to work my butt off, fight through the pain and the negative attitude to actually CHANGE my perspective, what goes through my mouth and the burn from the workouts to actually LIVE.

I can tell you the benefits FAR outweigh the work it takes to reach this goal.

30 minutes. 1 and a half miles on the treadmill at 4.5 and some warmup and cool down. I definitely hit my limit tonight.  Trying to build up my endurance level.  Walked sideways and backwards to work more leg muscles then did 60 jumping jacks, 1 min. of squats with 10 second holds x 2 as well as upper and lower abdominal exercises for 1 minute.   I wish this fat would melt off NOW, but I'll keep trucking until I see results. I'll NEVER go back to being sick and fat again once it's off. I'm working WAY too hard for it to happen again!

A Trip To The Market

What a trip to the grocery store looks like.  Underneath is all produce, veggie broth, coconut water, diced tomatoes, red wine vinegar and aspirin.  Little bear gets Annie's Organic snacks, eggless noodles, "gimme lean" sausage patties, frozen veggies, and sugar free dairy free chocolate coconut ice cream (not eaten all in one sitting).  Ignore the sinful Dial soap!  I also have my copy of Mary Jane Butters "Mary Janes Farm.  Not exactly thrifty, but we certainly have the freshest produce aside from getting it from the farmer himself!  Can't WAIT for spring to save money on produce again.

The Journey People Don't See

Post workout snack.  cucumber and hummus sandwich with sliced tomatoes and broccoli sprouts.  Add to it some coconut water so I don't have leg cramps in the middle of the night and we have a well rounded very yummy snack.

Feeling better and back at it.  Went back to a 30 minute C25K workout but raised the speed (4.5 not at all bad for this chick who's never run a day in her life).  For kicks I did 1 minute of squats with 10 second hold x 2. Ask me if my legs were SCREAMING?! Go Ahead?! THEN did stairs on top of walking backwards on the treadmill for a minute (almost fell of the treadmill to boot! I'm VERY graceful like that ;)  ).

 The past week not only have I been sick, but I've been struggling mentally with food and overall attitude.  I've become board with the "same ol" plant based foods. I miss my meat, dairy and especially my cheese. We went to a wedding and the reception had meat, pasta, AND veggies of course but I decided that if I left myself with no room, I wouldn't make it. I had pasta with meatballs, LOTS Of veggies, shrimp and yes, a tiny slice of cake.   Even WITH my pump...my sugars were WAY above what they've been.  I know the importance of less fat, meat and dairy NOW more than ever.  I love it, but IT doesn't love me!  I went from feeling good to shortly feeling guilty and got darker from there.  I became aware of the choices I made (there WERE loads of veggies there which I did have, but I didn't need the meat or cheese).

Fast forward to today and my choices and attitude seemed to be better today.  Blood sugar has been excellent and it only got better after exercise.    This weeks menu I'm changing around because of the boredom. Still plant based, but I'm going to try and make some mock comfort foods to help me through the emotional and mental aspect of getting healthy.  I'm starting to hit things face on.

One good thing is after my deep sadness of wanting to SEE quick results, I'm starting to push past it and understand that I'm not going to see them so quickly.  I find myself having to ignore my thoughts which want to crawl in a corner with people I know because I don't think they can see the changes that are happening on the INSIDE show on the OUTSIDE.  Some days I just want to crawl back into bed and stay there.  Then I look at my husband and little girl and remember that it's not just about me.  I also know that in order to see results. "I" am the only person who can push myself to the best ME that I can be. THAT I'm doing for myself! To find the courage and strength God has given me to overcome that fear and self doubt that's always said "your not good enough Bek".

What a journey!

Workouts Continue. Attitude, Health and Food

Mon 5 min. x 2 @ 2.5spd on the C25K App.  2 minutes x 2 @ 4.2 and 3 minutes x 2 @ 4.2. Cooldown.

Wed.   5 min. x 2 @ 2.9spd on the C25K App.  3 minutes x 2 @ 4.2 and 4 minutes x 2 @ 4.2. Cooldown.

Sat.  1hr 15 minutes on the bike at spd1. Last 15 minutes at spd 2.  *Need work on leg strength. Close to none, but then I think we already could guess that with the apron fat around my belly.  It's not easy to exercise with that much weight in the middle.


Blood Sugar was 81 this morning and I didn't get any sleep. I DID NOT feel much like exercising and was in a total pissy mood.  One Doug always seems to help get me through.  I'm grateful for him and appreciative TO him for loving me. ALL of me.

I had a smoothie consisting of 1 lime, 1 green apple, 1 small cucumber, coconut water to help during training, 1 pitted peach, fresh mint and fresh parsley leaves.  Oh it tasted SO nice!

Lots of water, plant based protein bar and on the way home bought a veggie sub on 9 grain at subway with lots of lettuce, tomatoes and banana peppers. They always give me flavor and I'm glad to eat them.

Recovery nap at 3pm when Amelia naps. Woke up and had a snack of a small handful of cachews, 1 small under-ripe(I love it with green still on) banana and coconut water for restoring the electrolytes to my body due to major cramping in my legs lately.

May do another treadmill workout tonight consisting of walking BACKWARDS to condition my legs. Boy do I need it.

1st Official Training Session

Fun Finds From Wegmans

1 full HOUR on my bike today at Bikeloft N. with my coach. Ask me if I can feel my "nether" regions?! Trying to suck it up for the last 9 minutes when I thought my legs would fall off. Apparently my muscles (what little I DO have, hahaha) aren't quite developed to riding standards. ((sigh)) It's going to be a LONG training since he feels no remorse about pushing me past my breaking point. That's what a coach is for though, right?! 

Breakfast, 1/2 a banana and oatmeal. 20 ounces of water.20 more ounces of water during workout.Lunch (post workout)  burrito bowl with brown rice, pinto beans, marinated tofu, peppers, onions, mushrooms, pico, corn salsa, cilantro, pickled peppers and guacamole. 16 ounces of water.

small ice coffee.

dinner, Salad 8 ounces of water.

snack,  8 ounces of water and a "go max go" vegan Twilight candy bar.  80 Cal. 9gms of fat. 47gms of carbs.

20 ounces of water.

Where does a plant-based eater get their protein and can you be a plant-based athlete?

I'm getting this A LOT lately. "Where do you get your protein?! You can't be an athlete on a plant-based diet!"

Here's a list of plant-based athletes. Even Bodybuilders and MMA Fighters. Don't tell me it can't be done!! I'll prove you wrong! 

Great Vegan Athletes 

As for protein sources here's a list:

So how do you get your protein? Here are 10 vegan sources to try on for size:

1. Veggies: Yep, good old greens will pack a protein punch. One cup of cooked spinach has about 7 grams of protein. The same serving of French beans has about 13 grams. Two cups of cooked kale? 5 grams. One cup of boiled peas? Nine grams. You get the idea.

2. Hemp. No, you don’t have to get high to get your protein. But toss 30 grams of hemp powder in your smoothie and get about 11 grams of protein – just like that.

3. Non-Dairy Milk. Got (soy) milk? A mere 1 cup of soy or almond milk can pack about 7-9 grams of protein. Eat with some fortified cereal and you’ve got a totally vegan-friendly breakfast.

4. Nut Butter. Eat up your peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter. A couple of tablespoons of any one of these will get you 8 grams of protein.

5. Quinoa. I kinda think quinoa is God’s gift to vegans (and gluten-free peeps!), as it’s versatile, delicious and delivers about 9 grams of protein per cup.

6. Tofu. Four ounces of tofu will get you about 9 grams of protein. And at about 2 bucks a pop, it’s a cheap vegan’s BFF.

7. Lentils. With lentils, you can make rice dishes, veggie burgers, casseroles and more. One cup cooked delivers a whopping 18 grams of protein!

8. Beans. They really are the magical fruit. With one cup of pinto, kidney or black beans, you’ll get about 13-15 grams of protein, a full belly and heart-healthy fiber.

9. Tempeh. One cup of tempeh packs abour 30 grams of protein! That’s more than 5 eggs or a regular hamburger patty.

10. Sprouted-grain bread. Pack a sandwich with vegan sprouted-grain bread and you’ll get about 10 grams of protein in the bread alone.

(Copied from mindbodygreen website)