Back in 2004 or 2005 Shawn and I counted calories religiously and lost a bunch of weight. I lost close to 40 lbs after being at my max weight of around 170 lbs. I’ve gone back up 10+ lbs, which is enough to make me uncomfortable. I’ve had to buy larger pants, feel too lumpy for some of my more fitting shirts. You may know the feeling? I’m trying to count calories again, but the recent trip out of town had me snacking and not counting. I’ve been going to the gym and walking or using the elliptical machines. Today I did some exercises from self.com and now I feel all wobbly. A few lunges and I have kicked my own ass.

It’s discouraging, but I’m trying to use it as fuel to get past this, rather than thinking it’s impossible. I just have a hard time figuring out what I should do. I have gathered that I should do cardio 3 days and strength 3 days, but what? Please comment suggestions & links!

I guess I didn’t really have much else to say about it. I’m just feeling frustrated by trying to get fit. Also it will be interesting to see how holiday eating goes as vegetarians. I never cared too much for turkey anyway, I’d have preferred chicken with all the sides instead. So how are things like Tofurky stuffed turkey thing or the fake turkey log thing I saw in the fake meat freezer section? Any recommendations on how to make this easier for the cooks who are worrying about fitting our diets in?

Organic Miso soup in cup packets are pretty good, especially to have stuck in a drawer at work. It’s vegan, easily prepared and pretty tasty. It doesn’t taste exactly like miso, but it will do. The tofu has a powdery taste to it at times and adding more seaweed helps a lot.  I buy packs of dried seaweed at Japanese food shops to add to soups, it’s very easy, tasty and healthy.

When I feel hungry at work and lunch is still hours away this really helps!

Sometimes you don’t have to pay a lot for quality food. I’d been pretty hooked on Lender’s Bagels before we decided to get healthy and the only alternative I could find afterwards were really expensive frozen bagels at Whole Foods. I’m sure they’re tasty but paying nearly a dollar per bagel would be tough to swallow.

I begrudgingly turned back to English Muffins but found every brand had some kind of unnecessary chemical. That is, until I got to what was assuredly the bottom of the barrel, Kroger’s generic brand. While they do have an even cheaper white muffin, these Whole Wheat English Muffins turned out to be cheap and wholesome.

Containing whole wheat flour and molasses instead of sugar as a sweetener, they’re both Vegan and Lactose Free. There are a few chemicals including Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Propionate as preservatives but none of the High Fructose Corn Syrup or Enriched Wheat Flour of the countless other brands I looked into.

And they’re totally delicious! Fluffy and soft, it almost makes me giggle when I grab the package in the morning. Seriously. They’re that fluffy. I’ve been eating them with Tofutti brand ‘Better than Cream Cheese’ spread which is also delicious and miraculous in its own right. Dairy, lactose, and buttermilk free and it still tastes like cream cheese!

But the best part of all, the part that makes my wallet breathe easy, is the cost. A six-pack of Kroger brand Whole Wheat English Muffins costs all of $1.50. And I don’t even need to stock up as it’s a regular Kroger item. It’s great that we’re getting to a point where healthier foods are coming down in cost and are increasingly easier to find.

I don’t like to use the word diet, because I think for many it has negative connotations. That is what it is though, we have changed our diet. (more…)