Juicy Joyful July!

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  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Mark, I think it is very common in the beginning to feel overly full on all the raw veggies, fruit, beans, etc. Your body adjusts over time.

    Another super busy day at the office but I'm still feeling hope that with the new employee we're going to be catching up little by little.

    B - oats with chia seeds, turmeric and black pepper, blueberries
    L - Dr. McDougall soup cup
    D - big ol' salad, an apple

  • 00markw
    00markw Posts: 24 Member
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    Mihani wrote: »
    Mark, I think it is very common in the beginning to feel overly full on all the raw veggies, fruit, beans, etc. Your body adjusts over time.

    I hadn't considered that! Anyway, I woke up ravenous at 5am and stole some trail mix which I'm forgiving myself for :)

    Ate the same today as yesterday, cept switched out Dr F's balsamic sauce for regular white wine vinegar and was much happier. Certainly replete enough and tasty enough ETL so far.

    I like the sound of your breakfast, Mihani. Not normally hungry in the morning, but loving blueberries, I'm going to figure out a low starch version maybe with a veg smoothie thing? I'll share if I work out a recipe and don't die from the trials :)
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,574 Member
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    @00markw - I make Blueberry Chia Pudding for breakfast at our house sometimes. In case it's of interest:

    Blueberry Chia Pudding (3 servings)
    2 cups unsweetened cashew milk
    1 cup blueberries
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    1/2 cup chia seeds
    I mix the milk, berries and vanilla using an immersion blender, pour into a bowl, sprinkle the chia seeds on top, stir a bit to get them wet, and put in the fridge to sit for at least 20 minutes (more time is better; overnight is great).
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited July 2019
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    FYI

    Alrighty then...I have to say...OATLEY is everything everyone is saying...it is so good...but really expensive....$5 1/2 gallon at Target. Had several gift cards (never go in there)...so I decided to try it. OH gosh...my oat milk does not taste that good. Very little oat taste actually...really creamy.

    Today's Plan

    black coffee
    Joe's Mean Green
    Oatmeal, flaxmeal, homemade oatmilk, organic wild frozen blueberries TJ's, cinnamon and raisins
    romaine salad and air fried tofu
    rice broccoli tofu
    nice cream

    Used the OATLEY to wet the tofu before I dredged in corn starch. Had a taste. Oh gosh, so good. Darn it anyway.

    https://us.oatly.com/
  • 00markw
    00markw Posts: 24 Member
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    That sounds good, Austin. I haven't tried any nut milks yet not being a big fan of regular milk, so I'll have to be brave and expand my horizons.

    Day 3 and still on it! Met all my health targets except two today, lol, but ETL was a near total win. Cut the salad to 75% cuz I'm kind on me and am in it for the long run. Moroccan Chickpea Soup (with lots of spinach, extra cilantro and peppers) was a win - and easy to make enough for tomorrow and to freeze. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1499/moroccan-chickpea-soup

    Anyone notice the debate about how much salt is healthy? I'm going to stick to Doc F for the 6 weeks (fingers crossed), but there's some interesting recent research.

  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited July 2019
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    Anyone else have trouble signing on...I get on but can't get to the Community page. I wrote to them...just got on finally.

    Today:
    black coffee
    Joe's Mean Green minus the kale
    oatmeal, cinnamon, flax meal, blueberries, raisins, oat milk
    stir fry veggies with jasmine rice, air fried GF panko-crusted tofu
    fruit
    grilled eggplant, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, kale salad
    nice cream
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,574 Member
    edited July 2019
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    @magic71755 - I had trouble yesterday for a few minutes, then got back on. Phew! 😌
    Your menu looks delish -- as usual! 😋

    @00markw -- Hurray for Day 3! 😊

    If alternative milks don't appeal to you, I would not work at learning to like them. You could try that chia pudding with just water, or maybe water plus some additional juicy fruit like apple. Now that you mention it, I think I'LL try that when next I make it!

    ⚠️ Research Geekiness Ahead ⚠️
    I have seen a recent kerfluffle about salt. Not sure if it is what you saw? I saw a WSJ opinion piece: Are You Getting Too Much Salt in Your Diet? Probably Not that references a letter to the journal The Lancet: Urinary sodium excretion measures and health outcomes. I did a little digging. One of the authors of that letter to The Lancet has apparently been a consultant to the Salt Institute. See Dr. Michael Greger's video Sodium Skeptics Try to Shake Up the Salt Debate ). If you are interested, Nutrition Facts (Dr Greger's website) has a whole series of articles/videos on salt. Greger is the author of How Not to Die, is careful about not taking industry funding, and whose website includes a lot of reviews/explanations of research articles.

    I personally allow a little sodium in, in pretty small amounts. I see that the 3/8 cup of unsweetened cashew milk I had at lunch had 60 mg sodium in it ( I used it to make a kind of pudding with steamed butternut squash, apples and cinnamon). Hmm! Spinach happens to be contain sodium, and I eat some spinach most days, so there's that. Overall, I stay well below the American Heart Association's rec of 1,500 mg/day, and my blood pressure, pulse rate, sodium and other numbers look great, and had radically improved when I got checked after 7 months of ETL.
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I adore Dr. Greger, Austin! I have read and re-read HNTD and really like the cookbook. Looking forward to his new book.
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
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    Back to work menu

    Black coffee
    Oatmeal raw GF with all the extras
    Massaged kale salad
    Jasmine rice stir fry veggies
    Joe’s Mean Green
    Yogurt with granola Love Crunch Vegan

    Have a great day everyone!
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,574 Member
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    No trouble signing on today for me -- hurray!

    Good ETL day yesterday:
    - B: black coffee, blended veggie & fruit smoothie (spinach, cauli, blueberries, flax seed), small side of goji berries
    - L: roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and pepper; steamed mushrooms with spices; savory baked tofu; steamed mustard greens; zucchini, onion & tomato salad; steamed butternut squash and apples with a splash of cashew milk
    - S: apple slices & walnuts
    - D: big massaged kale & romaine salad with tomatoes and beets; avocado, lime, cilantro & tarragon dressing; zucchini, onion & tomato salad; squash and apples

    Today is on track to look similar.

    I just started reading a new book, Undo It by Dean and Anne Ornish. People who recommend it include Beyonce (!), Dr. Greger, Neal Barnard, T. Colin Campbell, John Mackey, Alice Waters ... wow! Anyway, so far it is being a good read.
  • 00markw
    00markw Posts: 24 Member
    edited July 2019
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    ⚠️ Research Geekiness Ahead ⚠️

    There's so much [conflicting] information around these days, I think personal research skills are necessary for the modern thinking adult. That said, I'm not really able to evaluate my sources on this.

    I read Dr. Greger's page, thanks. The challenge to common advice on sodium intake I'd seen was on Healthline and Nutritionmyths (no idea if they're reputable sites or not) both claiming that underconsumption of sodium is as bad as overconsumption - and both referring to the same Pubmed published experiment (which looks pretty convincing to me, but I'm no professional): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27216139

    tldr conclusion:
    Compared with moderate sodium intake, high sodium intake is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and death in hypertensive populations (no association in normotensive population), while the association of low sodium intake with increased risk of cardiovascular events and death is observed in those with or without hypertension. These data suggest that lowering sodium intake is best targeted at populations with hypertension who consume high sodium diets

    Or, too little salt can be bad for people who don't suffer from high blood pressure AND are on a high salt diet. The take away seems to me to be that hitting 2300 - 3000mg/day is the best advice IF blood pressure is not high.

    I had a terrible day on ETL yesterday! Put on 2 lbs in the first 3 days of ETL! Forced myself to eat a 150 g salad for lunch and then could not face any more salad at all! Ending up chopping up the kids' leftover burgers and putting them in my chickpea soup!

    I had thought that ETL 6 week would be a good kickstart to healthier me, but I can't consume this amount of salad right off the bat. I literally smell of vegetation! New Plan: continue with no salt, no oil, no meat, but add in limited cheese and tuna for protein and continue to eat 90% (in terms of calorie density) veg - but significantly less salad!!! (at least for this week, lol). Ugh! Continue to believe in ETL theory, will have to work out my own version I think.
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,574 Member
    edited July 2019
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    @00markw - Wow, it sounds like you had a challenging day yesterday. Good for you for formulating a new plan! We all have to work out something that works for ourselves, our body and our environment. Hang in there! 👍

    Does anybody have big plans for the weekend? @magic71755 - I know it's not your weekend yet! I hope you work week is going well! @Mihani - I hope you get some downtime this weekend!

    My son has been wanting a vegetarian pizza, so I will be tackling that as a fun cooking project tonight. I have a volunteer project I am working on (big meeting tomorrow, need to get a bunch done today - eep!), and am also hoping to get some gardening done. If all goes well, I'll do a little of that this evening, and more tomorrow morning and on Sunday.
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
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    I really like Dillon Holmes...he has a facebook group and a youtube channel. Well Your World website as well.

    He likes to keep it simple...this is an example of his philosophy. He knows all the heavy hitters ...interviewed them all...he's good. Lots to choose from his library of YOUTUBES...I like this one:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7cvv1vD1s4
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited July 2019
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    Here is his YOUTUBE channel. Lots to see...fun stuff...great sense of humor...he hates making it complicated. This might be something that appeals to you @00markw . Look around his library of youtubes...lots in there...play in the background as you prep meals.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8fG5eV1Q5res0BoQsF6-3g/featured?disable_polymer=1

  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited July 2019
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  • 00markw
    00markw Posts: 24 Member
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    Actually @magic71755 - that Simplify video might have helped me turn this around. Not too different from ETL, but so clearly articulated.

    I'm going to need to be cute about getting enough raw veggies at first - and total veggies everyday generally, but will keep trying. Thanks a lot for that.
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
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    I just like his approach...uncomplicated it...this diet aka woe lifestyle is for the long haul...not something to go on and off...so make it easy and accessible.

    Today

    Black coffee (I subscribed to Black Rifle Coffee Company...owned and operated by veterans...if you are interested, let me know...I will send you a discount code.)

    Joe’s Mean Green

    Kale Salad

    Lavva yogurt with Love Crunch granola

    Oatmeal

    Ezekiel Follow Your Heart Cheese panini

    The end.

    If I have time, I will cut up a cantaloupe and take to work.

    Have a great day.

    vacation starts 2pm this monday...four days off...but with my weekends book ended around it...it gives me ten days off

    Goals for vacay. SWIM daily

    LONG AM walks for Lulu

    Focus on lots more veggies ... home for all meals... make the ten days a retreat kinda thing.
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,803 Member
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    At work...having my kale salad. I had looked up preparing massaged kale salad ahead of time and how long it will keep. Really good info in that it said great idea to prepare ahead...gives it time to break down a bit and soften up. So:

    This past Thursday I made up two bunches of organic kale...stripped off the stem, torn into pieces, lots of fresh lemon squeezed into it, a bit of Lemon/Tahini dressing, nutritional yeast and raisins.

    Cut up fresh avocado each day I portioned it out for work...with extra squeeze of lemon.

    OH MY GOSH...so good. Flavors pop...avocado nice and green ...cut up in the skin and then broken into the salad so to speak. Really good.

    Much better to make four days in advance on Thursday for my four day work week.

    Thanks for listening. HAGDE!
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,924 Member
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    I think you are as big an oats fan as I am Magic. I really don't feel the same if I don't have my oats and berries in the morning. Thanks again for all the great links.

    Austin, let us know how your pizza turns out! You making your own crust? I keep seeing frozen cauliflower crusts and have been tempted but haven't tried one yet. Sounds like you have a full weekend. Did you get all your work done for your meeting?

    Mark, you might just need to rethink your salads a bit or eat more cooked veggies for now. Also, a pair of salad scissors is a great investment. Makes your salad so much easier to eat because it cuts the volume down so much. Also, just throwing some raw spinach or other veggies in smoothies, making blended salads, tossing some greens in soups or stir-frys, etc. are good ways to get those veggies in. It does take time for a lot of people to build up to eating this much in the way of raw veggies and you have to give yourself some time. Adding some lightly steamed veggies to your salads is nice too, not so much raw in one meal. Experimenting with yummy dressings helps too. I am a big fan of cashew based dressings and make a batch pretty much every week, but I am fine with balsamic and some nooch too.

    Had my friend here today to help me with house projects. He's awesome. He got the whole basement done while I worked on my kitchen. I am getting rid of SO many things and it feels great.

    Given my busy day my meals were a bit odd...
    B - steamed broccoli and toasted sprouted grain toast
    D - bowl of brown rice, sauteed kale and onions, broccoli, lemon tahini dressing
  • 00markw
    00markw Posts: 24 Member
    edited July 2019
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    Mihani wrote: »
    I am getting rid of SO many things and it feels great.

    Haha, we've been Kondo-ing our clothes today. It does feel good!

    Yes, I'm finding ways to adapt to full time PBWF. I liked the simplify explanation a lot - partly because it makes the basic framework so clear.

    Today I started on my quest for breakfast smoothie excellence - and discovered I CANNOT do Almond milk :p Ho hum. Apart from that, I skipped the raw veg entirely and made some really delic cauliflower and spinach veg curry. Not ideal, but total calories is way under what I need, and I feel full - also no oil and very low salt.

    Working Lessons so far:
    • How to skip oil by using veg stock.
    • How eating 3 - 4 pieces of fruit a day makes me less hungry for meals - and that's a direct replacement for processed snacks for me, so that's a big lesson.
    • To plan raw food better starting from little things: tomato, onion, balsamic and leaves, grated carrot and lemon and leaves, for e.g. rather than huge great dishes of leaves swimming in vinegar

    Hope everyone has a great weekend and doesn't have to work too hard :)