vegan update

{a Saturday lunch}

{greens with dried cranberries and baked tofu}

{broccoli peanut noodles}

{baked tofu and potatoes}

{breakfast: smoothie, almond butter toast, coffee with almond milk}

{salad with chickpeas}

{sweet potatoes with orange and cilantro glaze}

Doesn't all this food look delicious? A few more photos are included in my flickr set. I can't say I'm totally sold on the vegan lifestyle, but scrolling through these pictures makes me see that I've been eating well.

Heather has us do a weekly check-in, so I'll just go through those prompts right here:

energy and vitality :: I've been tired, as I mentioned yesterday, but I don't think it's from being vegan. The time change has been difficult for me, and Rainer has been waking at night, so I think those issues account for the tiredness. When I think about how I have actually felt in my body, it's been good. I feel light and healthy.

cravings :: surprisingly, I don't crave meat or eggs. What I really want is cheese, butter, and milk. Mostly, I don't think it's a physical craving for the actual food. What I want from those items is the comfort. One thing I have realized through all of this is that I am very emotionally attached to my food.

hair, skin, and body shape :: all good. I can't say I've noticed an extreme difference, but I have dropped a few pounds, which is good.

mood and emotions :: during week two I was really struggling. I wanted the comfort of easy take-out food and I wanted to eat what everyone else was eating. I realize a lot my success or lack of it depends on my attitude (which is so true with a lot of things).

most nourishing foods :: those bean and veggie salads I posted above. So yummy, easy, and healthy.

biggest challenge :: adjusting my attitude. Also, making everything from scratch and not being able to get quick take-out.

most fun I had :: having a few hours in the house alone yesterday. I picked up, did a white tornado, talked on the phone with Carrie, and then went on a fun errand-y walk. So refreshing!

i got clear that I really want to :: figure out my future eating. Deal with my emotional attachment to food. Figure out how to keep eating well without being on a structured program.

next week I plan to :: enjoy it. Not whine. Ponder how to go forward with healthy eating intact.

That's it! I have had a few "cheats," like making a batch of guacamole to eat with tortilla chips, having several bites of "Coconut Bliss" (a vegan ice cream), and I have refused to give up our Subway nights, so I just get the veggie patty on wheat (no cheese, no mayo) and just call it "vegan enough" (I don't think those veggie patties are actually vegan, though).

Are you doing the program too? How's it going?