Motivation in March!

AustinRuadhain
AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,566 Member
edited March 2021 in Social Groups
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What has you out to eat a plant-based diet? Health? Ethics? What are your favorite sources of motivation? Let's do the work to be connected with our motivation for plant-based eating this month!
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Replies

  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,566 Member
    Happy Monday, plant-based friends!

    No idea if this will be a motivating name for our March thread, but I gave it a shot!

    I am currently listening to an audiobook that has me thinking about my life and the choices I make:
    Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

    I have been doing well at cleaning up my eating the last few days, after a week and a half of not-so-great eating. Still plant-based, but I at some sweets and too many nuts. I have tight pants now, and I am not going to buy new pants! I went to the grocery store yesterday and was delighted to find fresh fruits and vegetables in the store again! My last 2 trips, I had struck out. Finally, I can get back to a more regular diet with fresh foods!

    I am doing well today at eating (out to get in all of Fuhrman's G-BOMBs!), am weighing & logging, and have plans for good exercise as well. My plant-based food today:
    B- coffee, unsweetened cashew milk, apple slices
    L - steamed spinach; red lentils; steamed zucchini, carrots & mushrooms with chopped raw onion & tomato; steamed acorn squash & cranberries with diced apple; a few goji berries
    S-almond butter & goji berries (I am aiming for a small 100-200 calorie snack)
    D (planned)-big salad with warm veggie dressing (broccoli, nooch, dijon, ACV, garlic)(aiming for 1 lb fresh veggies)

    Exercise
    - upper body work
    - outdoor walk (planned)
    - yoga (planned)
    - martial arts forms (planned)
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    @AustinRuadhain
    Thanks for starting March🍀

    My reason for more of a plant based diet..
    Health
    I feel better..I just don't love meat.
    Motivation
    My annual labs..I'm 55 and I've been lucky
    enough to not have to take any medications.
    Family history
    Alot of cancer/diabetes (both sides)
    I'm 80 20 with my diet...I try to stay plant based 80% of the time and the other 20% not as clean. If I deprive myself too much I get the munchies. I also have a couple of pounds I'd like to shed as well.

    Workout
    40 minutes treadmill
    Cleaned 1/2 the house..I'll finish on Wednesday.
    I still want to do 1/2 hour yoga dvd But we shall see🧘‍♀️.


    MENU
    BREAKFAST 2 Slices Ezekiel toast with pb
    LUNCH Salad with gbombs except berries with balsamic vinegar
    DINNER Bowl of fruit with coconut flakes on top.

    I'm glad to hear things are returning to normal for you.

    @Mihani
    Your menu sounded tasty too..Sorry work was so busy..
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Thanks for getting March going, Austin! Menu sounds great. Hope you got to all your activities.

    I love ezekiel toast hawksgirl. Regular bread seems boring now. Great job on the workouts.

    I managed to finish my project last night and getting ready to start on tonight's project, but I'm going to bed earlier. I am taking more time to myself on weekends, or at least trying to, but that means more working in the evenings during the week to get that down time.

    B - luna bar
    L - raw veggies, an apple
    D - lentil soup, wasa crackers

    Will do my meditation and yoga before bedtime.
  • syrr
    syrr Posts: 786 Member
    Hi guys, I'm new here! My doctor likes to suggest plant-based eating for all his patients, and I'm finally getting on board. Why I'm ready to jump on board:
    * I've been feeling sluggish, heavy and mentally fogged and have a feeling this will make a
    huge difference.
    * I don't like cooking meat, so I'll be more excited to make meals!
    * Improve cholesterol numbers and overall health
    He gave me a long list of resources, and I'm excited about Forks over Knives so far, so I purchased the recipe app and am doing the free trial of the meal planner to get a couple weeks help to get started. That automatic meal plan/grocery list/bulk prep is so convenient, I may have to subscribe to premium but we'll see! I'm excited to go to the grocery store this weekend and prep for next week! :)
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    Welcome syrr, I'm new as well. !!!!
    I've been keeping to my workouts. I'm going later today to see what our forest preserve trails look like..If walkable my husband and I plan to walk this weekend..The weather is finally getting nicer here (I'm in Northern Illinois).
    Menus have been more or less the same..I'd also like to read Dr. Furhmans book Eat to Live.

    HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE 🍄
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Welcome syrr! Your goals sound very doable and sensible. I like Forks Over Knives too. The guy who wrote the first FOK cookbook is in my city and I took a couple of his cooking classes some years ago. Hope we can provide lots of support here. I'm in the middle of tax time so I'm a bit hit or miss on checking in right now.

    Hope the trails are clear and you can get out for a good walk hawksgirl. I like Eat to Live probably the best of Dr. F's books, and Super Immunity was very interesting. I also highly recommend Dr. Essy's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

    It has been an insanely busy week and hoping to do some catching up this weekend. Still no kitchen for another couple weeks so I'll just keep muddling through.

    B - oats with blueberries and chia seeds
    L - lentil soup and wasa crackers
    D - big ol' salad with chickpeas added
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,566 Member
    @Mihani
    Wow to those cooking classes you got to take. That sounds inspiring! I hope you are muddling through tax time okay.

    Hello, @syrr ! Welcome! Have fun making yo0ur plans for next week! And Forks Over knives is indeed inspiring!
    It's great that you have a doctor that actually suggests plant-based eating. Mine was impressed when I lost all the weight, but is not very engaged in nutrition as a primary focus.

    @hawksgirl229
    I hope the trails were welcoming. A hike sounds like a fine idea!
    I found Dr F's Eat to Live inspiring and very helpful. I will add that his recipes run a little bland for me, so if you try those, be prepared to taste and adjust.

    Food is good so far today. I have been h it or miss for a couple of weeks as far as *optimal* eating, and so have banished fried fruit from the house for a while, except for goji berries which are low in sugars and not so gratifying.

    So far so good today:
    B - coffee, cashew milk, apple
    L - steamed spinach with white beans, red onions, chopped tomatoes and green chiles; steamed zucchini, mushrooms, carrots with chopped fresh green onion and tomato; steamed acorn and butternut squash with chopped apple and jicama
    S (planned) - cashews (about 5), plus half an apple
    D (planned) - big salad with homemade veggie-based dressing
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Austin, I agree about Dr. F's recipes. I made 3 or 4 from the ETL cookbook and was not impressed. I have liked a couple from the ETL Quick & Easy cookbook.

    I am heading up to my desk to work from home all day today. Will get laundry started first so it can get done while I work.

    Managed to jump on the treadmill for a bit yesterday. Plan is to keep it going at least 30 minutes a day and continue with my yoga in the evenings.

    Plan for today...
    B - ezekiel toast with PB, a banana
    L - lentil soup and an apple, maybe a couple wasa crakers
    D - big ol' salad

  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,566 Member
    Happy Sunday, all!

    I stayed on the food plan yesterday. I got in an hour of bicycling with my husband, which was lovely.

    So far so good on my Dr F plan today:
    B - coffee, cashew milk, apple
    L - steamed spinach with white beans, red onions, chopped tomatoes and green chiles; steamed zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli with chopped grape tomato; steamed parsnip with chopped apple and jicama
    S (planned) - cashews (about 5), apple
    D (planned) - big salad with homemade veggie-based dressing

    Right now, I am finishing lunch. Next up an hour or so of housecleaning and studying.
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    Hi everyone 😊

    We were able to walk both Saturday and Sunday. The Trails had snow in places and very soupy
    still in other spots.
    I ordered the Eat to Live book from Amazon. Looking forward to reading it..Will that also have his six week challenge or is that somewhere else?
    -Menu has been pretty much the same and I've been able to stick to my workout schedule and water goal.
    Today my mom had 2 appointments (lab and a doctor) so that was the morning. Workout will be a bit later today. We also need to bring Mason back to the surgeon on Friday. I think his knee is bowed a little strange and I'd feel better having a professional opinion.

    @Mihani
    I Hope you got at least some of your weekend to relax..As usual your menu's look tasty. Great job managing to still use your treadmill!!

    @AustinRuadhain
    Your menu looks yummy too. A bike ride does sound lovely, glad you enjoyed!!! I also find I do better if I don't have my "triggers" in the house. Too tempting..

    🍄 Happy Monday Everyone 🍄
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Yay for a bike ride, Austin!

    Sounds like a busy day for you hawksgirl. Hope Mason is well.

    Busy day and will be working more here at home this evening after I eat my salad. Meals same today as yesterday. Probably will be same all week as I am really pushing to get some things done.

  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,566 Member
    Good morning, all!
    I got in a great walking meditation session this morning. If anyone else is interested in that kind of thing, I am a fan of the Plum Village app. It's free (donations requested but optional) and includes pieces by Thich Nhat Hanh.

    I did pretty well yesterday, but ended up skipping my salad as the evening got busy. I will be eating that salad for sure tonight!
  • jennyoofu
    jennyoofu Posts: 6 Member
    I'm new to the group, hello! I started researching ETL in earnest in 2019 when my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was unfortunately not onboard with the changes, and as pancreatic cancer is super aggressive, we lost her last year. My research did change my WOE somewhat since 2019, and I'd probably call myself a 95%-er since mid January. I'm doing this for my overall health, but was also pleased to see the scale numbers dropping along the way (along the weigh?? ha!) I suffered a torn tendon in my foot last April, and had to put running on hold. I gained a significant amount of weight since that time - thanks, 2020!

    Now, I'm less than a pound above my weight at the time of injury, which feels like a huge milestone to me. I've been building my activity level back up gradually, just finished a round of PT to help with back and hip pain, which came from compensating for my injury.

    Regular activity these days is walking and hiking.
  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Welcome jennyoofu! So sorry to hear about your mom. Pancreatic cancer is so awful. Glad to hear you are mending from your injury and well done getting back down to where you were pre-injury!

    Austin, I haven't tried walking meditation although it sounds good. When I took that mindfulness course a few years ago they recommended that for people with anxiety or other issues that prevented them from sitting and not letting thoughts overwhelm. Thought that was interesting. I definitely have anxiety issues, but I seem to do fine with sitting for my meditation.

    Got home later than hoped since I had errands to run, so I don't think I'll do much work tonight. I am tired and could use an early bedtime. I'll check emails and finish a couple things, but I could use a chill evening and some treadmill time.

    Bisky and Magic... thinking of you! Check in when you can. Bisky is probably busy getting ready to head to Japan.
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    Hello everyone, happy Wednesday!!!

    Today was errands and house stuff
    Workout
    Leslie Sansone burn in 30
    21 day fix yoga
    Menu
    Breakfast Large salad
    Lunch split pea soup
    Dinner A bowl of fresh fruit

    @jennyoofu Welcome, I'm pretty new to the group myself. I'm very sorry to hear about your mom. We lost my uncle and my aunt to pancreatic cancer. I know what a terrible disease it is.. I took a fall a couple of years ago and really did a number on my ankle. Overall, I got lucky and didn't need to have surgery, but it's not the same. I have to be mindful of my workouts too. I strive to be mostly plant based with the occasional life happens😊 I just received my copy of ETL (Amazon) and looking forward to reading it. Most of what I have learned has been from internet searches.

    Have a great night all

  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    So happy for you that you are ready to dive into Eat to Live, hawksgirl. It's a really good read. I have been thinking I'm going to do a reboot of Dr. F's 6 week plan once I have my kitchen back. It has been a while since I have done the strict 6 week plan and I'd like to drop 30 pounds. I was still struggling with the last 15 or so that I wanted to lose, but then I gained 15 thanks to work stress and Covid.

    I was so tired today. I am going to do a little bit of work but mostly planning to treadmill and get to bed early.
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    HELLO EVERYONE
    @AustinRuadhain Hello, hope all is well there😊
    @Mihani
    Hope you were able to get some rest and your workout in last night. Your kitchen should be pretty close to being finished..How exciting, so nice to get something done that you really wanted. I think the next project in our house will be the master bathroom..It's 30yrs old and really needs to be updated.
    Are you thinking of the 6 week ETL challenge?
    It would be fun to do it as a group (or just who is interested) We could post our menu's maybe a weigh in? I'd love to do it with others. I'd like my pants to be a little looser by the nicer weather At least in the winter it's easier to hide😊lol!!

    WORKOUT
    Cindy Crawford full body workout..I think it's 45 minutes.
    Breakfast A large banana with pb
    Lunch. Evole shake (chocolate) with fresh
    strawberries
    Dinner large salad

    🍄 HAPPY MENUS 🍄



  • Mihani
    Mihani Posts: 3,878 Member
    Hi hawksgirl, I'm planning to start it a week from Monday. The kitchen should be done by then and I'll be able to cook and prep over the weekend to be ready to start. It has really been a struggle with no kitchen, not even a sink. I managed to scratch the brand new half bath sink trying to do dishes in it and I'm not going to keep doing that and cause more damage. I've muddled through this long, and can continue muddling another week.

    I don't know if it's a challenge, just Dr. F's strict plan for the first 6 weeks on Eat to Live. I think Austin does pretty close to the 6 week plan 365 days a year. I go through stages where I'm a little more off the rails, but I'm always vegan and mostly stick to little or no SOS. I try to stay pretty close to 100% Eat to Live during the week, then allow some leeway on the weekends, but lately it is seeping into the weekdays and I need to refocus on healthy habits for sure. I've always struggled with emotional/stress eating, but it isn't as bad as it used to be. Age tends to slow down the ability to overeat as much, but my younger days were pretty horrifying with the binges. I only managed to keep my weight somewhat in check by crash diets and activity, but I'm not as active as I used to be either with working so much at a sedentary job. I do try to at least get up several times during the day to stretch and walk around which helps a bit.

    I'd be happy to have you along for the ride on the 6 week plan! That gives you a week to read the book and get ready too. :) Maybe some others will join in by then too.
  • syrr
    syrr Posts: 786 Member
    Hello everyone!

    I have enjoyed my first week of my FOK meal plan and am trying to decide whether to subscribe to it or just do it on my own. I feel silly paying for the service but like the idea of trusting them to put the right recipes together each week to ensure I'm getting the right combo of things and not wasting ingredients. I could probably handle it on my own, though...decisions, decisions!

    I do an exercise class at my local Y twice a week (called boot camp) and keep meaning to add jogging, yoga and lifting weights in the mix but so far, the boot camps are the most consistent exercise.

    I've been trying to get into meditation as well (using Insight Timer app, currently)

    Excited to continue better choices all around!
  • magic71755
    magic71755 Posts: 3,726 Member
    edited March 2021
    Morning all!

    BACK!

    Today’s plan...

    Black coffee
    Oatmeal with blueberries
    Rice with steamed veggies
    Yogurt
    Rest of lunch
    Grapefruit

    Hope you’re all doing well!

    Good to be back!

    Thanks for the start Austin!

    My Motivation
    72 years young...wish for my very senior years to be completely independent of any daily caregiver! I want to live in my own home and operate my own life with my Lulu by my side!

    New knee on the horizon Fall 2021