January - Nutritarian New Year!
Mihani
Posts: 4,104 Member
I mentioned on my last post in December that I was going to go ahead and get January started. We've all been posting some goals for January but I'll reiterate mine. Total focus on health in January, including diet and exercise, and also getting back into practicing mindfulness on a daily basis. I think I need to set some limits with work so that I am giving my health and happiness at least a fighting chance.
y'all and looking forward to cruising into the new year with you.
y'all and looking forward to cruising into the new year with you.1
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I will let one of the OGs come up with our NEW YEAR thread. An idea would be based on the Roaring Twenties.
Wishing you all the healthiest happiest 2020. I am using James Clear as my guide to getting this done. I have a very high bounce about two weeks ago. Back down is much better territory but still 15 pounds to go. Much better than 20.
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Well duh, it already is up there. I think I need more coffee! I think it threw me because it was posted on December 31. Not sure.
Just finished a 30-minute walk with Lulu. Pretty good. I wore a tommy copper knee brace on my problem child left knee.
Now, figuring out what to take to my sister's. New Year's Day there...and they are supportive as long as I bring my own stuff. LOL I guess that is ok, right? Better than challenging me on my choices.
Think it will be a big salad with cold baked potato slices. I am not in the mood to stand after that walk.
Have a glorious 1st day of this new decade.1 -
LOL Magic... I guess you have a good point. I started January but didn't mention January in the title. I changed it.
I have had a slow start to the day. I got up early with good intentions then spent some time filling out my January goals in the Panda Planner. I did very well with that for most of November then slacked off and completely skipped it in December because I was so busy with work. Then I had some breakfast, then I started reading one of the books I got for Christmas until I dozed off for a couple hours. Oops! So much for a productive morning. But I still have plenty of time to get things done today and I've been feeling really worn out lately so sleep is good.
Today looks like this:
B - oatmeal with berries, chia seeds, walnuts
L - homemade E2 hummus and lots of veggies in a sprouted grain wrap
D - big ol' salad with un-honey mustard dressing, an apple
I will be cleaning and doing laundry the rest of the day so that will be my exercise, but I'll still carve out at least 20 minutes for the treadmill. I think I should try to treadmill in the mornings so that no matter what happens later in the day I have done that much.
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Happy Nutritarian New Year, friends!
@FoodBodyChanges - Thanks for asking about breakfast options! I mentioned cauliflower fauxmeal to my teenager, and he wants to try it.
@Mihani - Thank you! 💖 you, too, and everyone here! Totes looking forward to cruising into the new year with this small and mighty group!
My Goals
I am working on goals for multiple areas of life. Some things I just want to keep as great as they are now, and I think I need to have aims in order not to neglect them. Some things I actively want to change and improve. In the realm of health and fitness, I am for sure continuing to eat nutritarian, and continuing to weigh and track my food. I am also working to improve balance and strength, improve some specific martial arts skills.
Thank you, magic, for that wish for a glorious 1st day of the new decade!
I did have a glorious day! We hosted a lunch for a bunch of martial arts friends yesterday, and had a lot of fun with that. I did the last of my holiday baking. I made two vegan bakes (vegan Gateau Breton and and Montreal Bagels ) and one nutritarian bake ( nutritarian lentil peanut butter cookies ) , and stuck with eating just the nutritarian item, and was quite happy with that! My martial arts senior instructor was particularly fond of the nutritarian cookies, which was so delightful! (He's someone who knows Dr F, and values nutrient-dense, health cooking!) I got in lots of exercise cooking and cleaning, and then in the evening went on a date walk with my husband. We are enjoying looking at holiday lights while they are still up!
Today is going to be a great day, health-wise:
B - small helpings of almond butter and goji berries; huge green smoothie (spinach, broccoli, blueberries, plus cinnamon, ginger, turmeric) (DONE)
L - steamed mushrooms, black eyed peas, steamed turnip greens topped, steamed zucchini with grape tomatoes and pickled raw onion, steamed butternut squash topped with some diced apple and cranberries
S - apple slices and a smaller helping of almond butter
D - huge salad (kale, romaine, baby bok choy, roma tomato, baby sweet peppers), homemade nutritarian green goddess dressing; plus maybe some steamed butternut squash topped with cooked cranberries
Exercise: platform stepping and/or walking0 -
Austin you just reminded me about the Tai Chi classes! I was going to sign up but realized that making a commitment like that during my busiest time of year at work was madness. Madness! So I need to check into when the next beginner course starts and get signed up. Great goals for the coming month and I'm sure you will make a lot of progress.
Work was busy today but not so crazy. I am sure there are probably some things that got missed in the end of year crunch, but nothing I can do about them now and I just need to dig out from the backlog and hopefully get things going more smoothly this year with the new help.
Dinner plans with friends tonight. Vegan friendly place.
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Hey @Mihani ! How sensible of you to make plans for the tai chi class, but later, when your schedule isn't so full! I hope you had a great dinner at the vegan-friendly place! (Did you get to try anything new? Eat an old favorite dish?)
Oh, can you say a little more about "un-honey mustard dressing?" Is that just a mustard dressing? Or mustard and date (or some other sweetener)? Anyway, it sounded interesting!
I am on track for a good ETL day. Extra special on the menu: I have a persimmon and a feijoa (pineapple guava) in the fridge, and am looking forward to some extra fun fruit today! The feijoa I picked up at Natural Grocer (kind of like Trader Joe's) and the persimmon is from a local Asian grocery that has a very nice produce section.
@magic71755 - How are you doing? Is your knee feeling any better?
@FoodBodyChanges - How are you doing today? Are you exploring new breakfast options?0 -
I am not sure if I'm allowed to share the un-honey mustard dressing recipe because it is part of the ETL Power Prep Plan that I bought, and it's not on her website but I'll go ahead and share with a plug for the plan. https://hellonutritarian.com/nutritarian-power-prep-program/ I haven't done the full power prep yet myself as I never have the time for that much cooking, but if you have the time it's an awesome plan. I use a lot of the recipes even though I haven't followed the actual "plan" yet, like the balsamic roasted mushrooms, simple sauteed kale, and baked tofu. I hope to give it a whirl the full 6 weeks later this year once things settle at work. That's what got me hooked on pickled onions too although I add peppercorns and sometimes other spices to mine.
1 cup cashews (I soak them for a few hours)
1 and 1/2 T dijon
3/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
3 T date sugar mixed with 3 T hot water to dissolve (I only use 2 T of the sugar as I'm not fond of overly sweet)
1/2 T apple cider vinegar
Blend it all until smooth and creamy.
This is by far my favorite nut-based dressing. Sometimes I use it like a spread in veggie wraps.
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Oh goodness...so much to catch up on...and so many little helps in there...I will hopefully get back to you today...(I am actually busy at work so not sure if it will be today).
Good to see you are doing well, ladies! I am right there with you. Just lots of family time on my weekend...so not a lot of prepping. But I will catch up on my next weekend. (Niece and her dh and 6 month old were here from Texas.)
Just spotted that dressing...looks delish.
Much more later. Toodles, sweet friends!1 -
@Mihani - Thank you so much! I will give this a try, and will also take a look at the ETL Power Prep package. It sounds cool! (I don't have date sugar but am thinking I could try without and simply substitute a date or two if sweetness seems needed.)
By the way, my husband is now a huge fan of pickled onions. So your sharing that idea continues to ripple outwards!
@magic71755 - I hope that family time with the niece and the little one was as much fun as it sounds!
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Hope the weekend finds everyone well. I am day 4 of zero cola & really feeling it
Especially in my head. Lots of sinus drainage. Maybe it's the flu, but every time I've cut out cola & junk food, I go through this. So, I'm sticking with blaming the symptoms on a healing crisis & no, this time I will NOT test it by having junk. (Although that would stop the healing crisis. Been there, done that.) 2020 is my year to do this! Had some great meals since 1/1, mostly ETL compliant, and other than my head, feeling so much better. 1 -
Morning all...that vegetable band is adorable, @AustinRuadhain ! Too cute.
Just having coffee...sort of out of my routine since I wasn't home much on my weekend and then my workweek started...so kinda in a confusing mish mosh.
Have a little more time today to gather myself to make a salad for work (Sundays are slow and I think it's ok to eat a salad at my desk...I've talked about this before).
Herb salad with veggies and chopped baked potato. I have been having beans and corn tortillas for breakfast lately...it just tastes good.
Also, I have been not eating after work Fri, Sat, Sun...well, tonight will be my first Sunday not eating after work. I have noticed on my apple watch sleep app that my BPM is at its lowest now...usually runs 54-56. Last night it was at 49. I see that as a huge positive. More restorative sleep and not so much digesting.
Anyway, I will be very present on my weekend, gang. Just today to get through. The weekend starts tomorrow at 2.
Yay. Have a delicious day, y'all!1 -
Glad to hear the pickled onions are a hit at your house, Austin. I just made a batch to add to my salads this week. I enjoy hearing about your interesting finds at the markets.
FBC, glad to hear you are doing well with getting back into ETL. I was never much of a soda drinker, but I imagine it is like caffeine and I go through stages with coffee. I will start drinking it again and after a couple weeks the headaches start, then I have to give it up again. I drink loads of La Croix sparkling water. It's a lot more healthful than drinking a beer or two. LOL
Magic, well done on not noshing after work. Are your knees doing better?
Went to the office today for a few hours. Then ran several errands including grocery. Made a batch of glowing spiced lentil soup from OSG. It's not strictly ETL with the coconut milk, but it is one of my all time favorite soups and I can't resist it sometimes.
I made up my salads for the week, and made salad dressing, and packed up oatmeal for the week. I add chopped spinach, chia seeds, a few walnut halves, berries, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper to my oatmeal. Get all those goodies into one bowl. I just put the containers in the freezer and add hot water at the office as I don't like my oats overly cooked.
Treadmill tonight!
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@FoodBodyChanges - Fascinating that making the no-cola change is having such an effect. It sounds like the overall effect will be positive, but that the change is rough. Hang in there! 👐
And how great that you are fitting in so many great meals! 🍎🍆🥬🍄 Starting where you are, making improvements, and then celebrating them is such an effective strategy, or has been for me!
@Mihani - The Spiced Lentil Soup sounds delicious. I made a note to try it at some point. (Right now, I am working to eat up black-eyed peas! 🤣 ) Oh, and I too love La Croix sparkling water. Passion fruit is my new favorite La Croix flavor!
@magic71755 -- Happy weekend! Enjoy some down time catching up and hanging with Lulu!0 -
Morning all...just about to head into the kitchen and really try and get it ready for healthy eating...it is just a mess. But it is my weekend and if I really put time and effort into my work, I will get this done.
I will check back later to report my progress.
Make your day is delicious!0 -
I am home today with a nasty cold. Hopefully I'll be better by tomorrow. I could have made it to work I think, but pushing through sometimes backfires on me and I end up worse. I have been napping, eating 15 bean soup, gargling with warm salt water, drinking herbal tea, lather, rinse, repeat.
The 15 bean soup turned out pretty well. Was too "soupy" initially but I reheated it today with a cup of farro to thicken it up, then added several handfuls of baby spinach until wilted. Now it's nice and thick and comforting. It also has onion and carrot, and some spices although I can't recall what I threw in there now. I know for sure garlic, cumin, thyme, black pepper, liquid smoke.1 -
@magic71755 - I hope your kitchen cleanup is going well, and that you get in some time for fun with Lulu!
@Mihani - You are so smart to stay home and take care of yourself. It sounds like you are having as good a day as you can.
Meal prep: I got a batch of savory baked tofu made. I am still working on black-eyed peas from New Year's, so no need to make a soup yet!
I am having a good ETL day:
B - coffee, green smoothie (spinach, broccoli, blueberries, spices), blackberries, brazil nuts
L - steamed mushrooms & parsnips, collard greens with fire roasted tomatoes and valentina sauce, steamed summer squash with pickled onions and grape tomatoes, steamed acorn squash with diced apple
S (planned) - apple slices & peanut butter
D (planned) - big salad (massaged kale, romaine, tomato, baked beets), nutritarian green goddess dressing
Oh, and hey, there's a new Dr. F talk up on YouTube. It is a limited time thing, so check it out of interested:
https://wlc.foodrevolution.org/replays/0 -
Quick pop in...yesterday, I was getting a cold, coughing, headache. Pam Popper coincidentally had been on youtube with her Tuesday show, talking about Elderberry as a remedy to stop or shorten colds. I went to Sprouts and picked up the link below (much cheaper on Amazon.) Today, feel a lot better.
Just a tip. https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Organics-Elderberry-Echinacea/dp/B07G7MRZT8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?hvadid=78202875415116&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=garden+if+life+elderberry+gummies&qid=1578491804&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFVMFUyNTVEWjBPRCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRJZD1BMDY2NzcwOTMyUlZaSEI2TzVSTEomZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDc1ODg0NjE3WFY2WURMTEJPQTUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
I also had soup yesterday...which helped. Trying to get in all the gbombs.
My soup had a bit of ramen in it, with spinach, mushrooms (I cooked them in the microwave first and used the mushroom water for my soup...good stuff)
I did a lot in the kitchen, but knees gave out. So I will work in there today as well. Also, cleaned out the freezer. Today the fridge.
Going to go check out Dr. F's talk now. Thanks, Austin!1 -
Good morning, friends!
@magic71755 and @Mihani -- I hope both of you are feeling better today!
@magic71755 - I was cleaning out my fridge yesterday as well. It feels good to get that done!
@FoodBodyChanges - How are you doing today?
I finished out yesterday on plan, except for getting to bed late. My husband wanted to watch a football game he had recorded, so I hung out with him and we stayed up too late to see the end. On the plus side, I got exercise and practiced a little martial arts for most of the time.
Okay, off to look for husband and see abotu today's gym trip!0 -
Thanks for the link, Austin. Noticed you mentioned parsnips which I almost never eat but I really like them. I should make a point of getting some soon.
Hope you are feeling better, Magic, and that your knees are better today too.
I am still blah with this cold. I made it to work for half a day but home now and ready for a nap. I only want to eat my 15 bean soup and toast right now, so I wouldn't say I'm ETLing it the past couple days. Hope by tomorrow I'll be back to normal. Had a really busy week with appointments almost every evening and have had to reschedule everything. Ugh!
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@Mihani - Awww, I am sorry you are not feeling well, and glad to hear you took yourself home to rest. Your 15 bean soup with toast sounds like a nice comfort food while you are sick. I'll bet your body is wanting some extra calories to fight off the infection. Get healthy, and then tackle salads again!
@magic71755 - I hope your knees are a little happier today!
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Hey there, friends!
I hope you are starting to feel better! And @Mihani, assuming you do feel better, I hope you are not too buried with work!
I am watching this Joel Fuhrman video for an Ocean Robbins online event earlier this week. I am hearing some things newly, especially the value of intermittent fasting for decreasing inflammation. I am not up to jumping straight to a 16 hour fasting window, but I may do some pushing of the edge a bit more. Here's a link to the video. There's also a Neal Barnard talk up right now.
https://wlc.foodrevolution.org/replays/
I am having a good ETL day in terms of food. I went shopping yesterday and picked up more parsnips and more frozen cranberries. Yum to both! And cranberries help me fill up my GBOMBs for the day! And, wow, I looked cranberries up on NutritionFacts, and I feel even better about eating them!
"...cranberries caused a dramatic drop in cancer proliferation at just tiny doses...
The phenolics in fruit juice may provide protection from Alzheimer’s disease. In a study analyzing the phenolic content of thirteen popular commercially available fruit juices and juice drinks in the UK, cranberry juice was among the highest. However, eating the whole fruit is best."
I am having a good ETL day:
B - coffee, green smoothie (spinach, broccoli, blueberries, spices, ground flax seed)
L - steamed mushrooms & parsnips, turnip greens with fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles and valentina sauce, steamed summer squash, bowl of pickled onions & grape tomatoes, steamed acorn squash & cranberries topped with diced fresh apple
S - apple slices & peanut butter
D (planned) - big salad (massaged kale, romaine, tomato, baked beets), nutritarian green goddess dressing
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Morning all...off to work today. Austin, thanks for the links and such power-packed posts. You are on top of your game.
Taking a bunch of good stuff with me to work. The elderberry gummies are working...at least I think they are. They are the Garden of Life brand Elderberry and the best price is at Thrive Market or Amazon.
Having coffee right now. Soon to hit the shower. Treated me to a new cooler/lunch suitcase...it's big for work. But I need to be ready for 13 hours. My coworkers think I am nuts. I like that. That way, I know I am doing something right since they are all about the SAD.
Hope you are feeling better Mihani. Cold/flu suck big time.
Have a delicious day y'all.
Lunch Box: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T82ZB94/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=11 -
Excellent information, Austin, thanks! Maybe I should add some cranberries to my oatmeal bowls.
I know the people in my office think my salads are crazy, Magic. Glad you are feeling better. I like your new lunch bag.
I made it through about 6 hours at the office today then came home and crashed after doing a little prepping. I think I'm mostly over this darn cold other than still have a bit of a cough and feeling run down. Planning to go to the office both days this weekend.
Preps completed: set up my salads for the week and have lots of goodies remaining to make a big ol' stir-fry this week, made a big skillet full of sauteed onions and collard greens, batch of punchy mustard vinaigrette dressing (Dr. Barnard/Dreena Burton cookbook). Thought I'd try a dressing that's not nut-based this week and just throw some sunflower or pumpkin seeds in my salads for the good fats.
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Well, I don't have the flu (I don't think)...but my sore throat cough is pretty THERE THERE. Easy for people to stay away from me at work, so I am going in. I don't feel that bad...it's just the cough. Will pick up some Delsyn on my way to work.
Really easy food day...juices and Nancy's oat yogurt and soup. I may prep another salad, but I really do not feel like eating. Oh yeah, taking cuties.
Going to get into the shower fast...so I can dry my hair before I get out in the cold.
Glad u r feeling better Mihani...yay, you for being so prepared.
Have a lovely family weekend Austin.
Where is our newest member?
Ok, lovelies...have a delicious day. Hugs!0 -
Good morning, ETL friends!
@Mihani - You inspired me to get hold of the Dr. Barnard/Dreena Burton cookbook. I now have several salad dressings on my "recipes to try" list, in particular the Punchy Mustard Vinaigrette! Dijon mustard is a standard ingredient in my plant-based dressing, so this looks like a fun variation!
@magic71755 - Your new lunch suitcase looks great! For what it's worth, I can assure you there are plenty of marathon runners, triathletes, bodybuilders and martial artists/athletes that have lunch bags like this. (Probably plenty of other athletes as well, but those are the areas where I have personal experience.)
From the sound of your coworkers, maybe just smile and say, "You do you, and I'll do me?"
I know I keep looking for ways to bring lightness to the conversation when people want to know what I eat and then tell me what they eat in a way that suggests they want validation or to change my mind. ("When will you go back to eating normally?" "This IS normal for me. Certainly not how everyone wants to eat or should eat, I am not saying that at all. But this is what works for me! Now, how about....") Those conversations feel a little like this, somehow:
Okay, time for something in addition to that cup of black coffee I have been sipping. I picked up a can of Cafe Bustelo coffee this week at the store. I had forgotten how much I like it. It's fabulous if you want an inexpensive dark, dark roast.
So much to do today!
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Sounds like we have the same kind of cold, Austin. I feel somewhat better, but the congestion and coughing hit again last night hard. I ended up coming downstairs and sleeping in my recliner so I'd be a little elevated. My boss actually told me to stay home today and I agreed with him. I've been pushing through and I'm never going to get over this if I don't rest. Hope you have an easy day at work and are feeling better.
Austin, I remember several years ago, it may have been after the holiday season and indulging in too much alcohol and junky food, but I thought wow am I glad that's over and I can get back to eating normally. That's when it dawned on me this is my new normal and that was so amazing to realize! For someone who spent most of her life on one diet or another, and always thinking of it as a short-term solution before getting back to "normal" (meaning SAD) that was quite a change in mindset. Let me know if you find any great recipes in the Barnard/Burton book. I generally love Dreena's recipes, especially her older cookbooks (which admittedly are not so ETL compliant) but I haven't tried many from that cookbook.
Anyway, I generally handle conversations about the way I eat as you do. "This is what I like to eat" with a smile and try to steer the conversation to something else.
I just ate one of Dr. McDougall's soups (the hot and sour) and that sure helped clear out my head! I am going back to sleep for a while then I'll try to get some work done remotely. I may make up a blended salad later as my throat is still too sore for salad, or I'll make the stir-fry as cooked veggies will be easier to eat.
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Morning team, well, my cold exploded last night...started at work ...(nighttime is the worst)...and then in bed I was a mess.
Going to stop at Sprouts and pick up some of Dr. McDougall's soups on the way to work...for sure the hot and sour. Thanks for the tip Mihani!
This would have been a good time to have stop piled soup in the freezer...since I am no mood to cook...but I didn't so will do the next best thing. They also have some vegan/GF cuppa soups by Lotus...will look into those.
So, it's just juice and soup today. I have no one really to cover my shift. I just really look terrible and sound terrible...and you know how your eyes get when you need to sneeze and can't...well, that's me.
Just stay warm y'all. I thought I did everything I could to keep from getting sick, and here I am. Darn it anyway! I do think the Elderberry is working a little.
.Hugs to you sweet peeps.0 -
Thank you all for all the great tips on how to deal with my ridiculous, uninformed coworkers. Ignorance is bliss, ain't it!
https://www.insider.com/blue-zones-diet-is-high-carb-healthy-for-longevity-2020-1?fbclid=IwAR3VdElX4uXbkDkM51zg8PnZyXSulbW8U8S4cs_gsC5S9o-af4T9rTR2IF4
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Just realized I typed Austin instead of Magic in yesterday's post about us seeming to have similar colds... it has made me loopy I swear! Keeps coming back for another round every time I start to think I'm getting over it. I actually went to urgent care yesterday and I definitely don't have the flu or pneumonia but I do have a delightful case of bronchitis and they said I could look forward to the cough for another couple weeks. Got a prescription cough medicine but it causes drowsiness so I won't be able to take it during the day at work.
I stayed home again today although I didn't intend to. Just went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 1:30 in the afternoon. I sure hope I'm at least close to normal tomorrow. This isn't helping me get caught up at work!
Had one of my oatmeal packs from the freezer for breakfast. Ate some of the leftover collard greens too. Then I slept for a while. Then I used my salad scissors to chop up one of my salads super small and managed to eat most of that without it hurting my throat. Now I think I will sleep again for a while. Not sure about dinner... probably the rest of the collards and some beans.
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At work...cold is much better this morning...yesterday was the worst of it...elderberry seems to have shortened my symptoms.
Soup tea juices and steamed veggies today.
And bed!
Have a delicious day everyone!0
