vaguelyvegan Member

I'm 47 this year, and for the first time since I was a teenager, I'm in a size 2 jeans and feel comfortable wearing a tank top. No bikini yet, but still. Baby steps. :)

My weight loss took the form of a ball bouncing down a flight of steps: a new low, followed by a 1-2 pound gain, followed by another new low. I just kept telling myself that I was no longer living the lifestyle of a fat person. I was being honest about my caloric intake, getting plenty of exercise, and keeping track of…

I like Sun Warrior vegan protein powder, which is awesome in a smoothie. (I make one with raw cacao, powdered peanut butter, frozen banana and almond milk.) Field Roast burgers are good, as well as the usual suspects: beans, lentils, nuts, tofu, tempeh, seitan...

A few weeks ago I went on vacation with my four best girlfriends who haven't seen me for a year. As soon as I took off my coat, there was this chorus of, "Holy s***, your body is bangin'!" and "You've got this glow, what are you doing?" Since then, maybe because their reactions gave me confidence, I've been wearing more…

This, plus Royal Blood, Chris Cornell, Chili Peppers, Depeche Mode, TV on the Radio, and The Neighbourhood.

I've been vegan for about two years and still find it challenging to get enough protein. A couple of things have made it easier: Sun Warrior protein powder (vanilla), from which I make a morning smoothie. I use a scoop of that, one frozen banana, a heaping tablespoon of raw cacao and one of powdered peanut butter, plus…

This, too. Anything more than a piece of fruit for breakfast throws my whole day off track. I go as long as possible in the morning before I eat anything at all. I know it goes against received wisdom about breakfast-eating and doesn't work for everybody, but I do so much better if I save my calories for the middle and end…

Deep breath. It really is hard to get your head back in the game, especially with a little one at home and all the stress that comes from being a new mother. Remember, though, that all you did was make a mistake. You'd be kind to your child if she made a mistake, right? You deserve the same. Maybe you're setting the bar…

No, it's not. I'm vegan but it doesn't mean I consider meat to be a bad food. It's fine. It's not for me, but it contains protein and iron and good, nutritionally dense calories. I'd have no problem feeding a free-range organic chicken breast to my child. An orange soda, though? A Twinkie? A packet of gummy bears? No.…

Of course there are bad foods, items that are barely food at all but are food-like substances in pretty packages with pictures of actual food on the label but little to no nutritional value. In small amounts they may not kill you or even make you fat, but they are exactly the opposite of good. In other words, bad.

I love walking and usually go out 3-4 times a week for about 4 miles, or until I've gotten to the end of the chapter on whatever audio book I'm listening to. It's wonderful exercise that can be varied depending on whether I just need a mood lifter or am ready for a challenge. That said, my body really didn't start to…

This defies common sense. Exercise is always better than no exercise. Whatever small fluctuations in weight you may experience, don't let them derail what you know to be true: Healthy eating plus regular exercise equals fitness. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't let yourself slither out of a good habit by…

I'm lucky enough to work in a physical therapy clinic where many of us spend the lunch hour working out. Basically I'm going to keep doing what the PTs tell me (they're so bossy), plus TRX and cardio on my own time.

I love a nice long outdoor walk.

One of the things that has helped me is a fallback plan, one easy go-to meal that fills me up and is super low in calories. For me this is a bowl of vegetarian pho at the noodle house down the street. It's a huge bowl full of veggies and rice noodles and tofu, and it keeps me full for hours. Because it's only 210 calories,…

I've been vegan for almost two years now and I've never felt better. My adult son and daughter are also vegan and report the same good energy, lightness, and general well being. The health benefits were not part of our original motivation but have been the happy side effect that keeps us committed to the lifestyle. That…

Santa! I would like a treadmill, a pair of adjustable dumbbells, and a TRX. My only goal for 2016 is to be working out just as consistently at the end of the year as I will be at the beginning.

12/1 - 3.1 miles 12/2 - 2.5 miles Newsflash: treadmills are boring.

Since you like smoothies, I'd make a habit of them. You can sneak all kinds of things in there, including soaked oats, hemp seeds, protein powder (there are plenty of vegan options, but I like SunWarrior vanilla), raw cacao, even powdered peanut butter. Using a frozen banana for sweetness and texture will also give you…

I'm down for 45. I love walking and have been doing 3.5-4 miles several times a week for months now, but am just now trying to run. Baby steps...

I don't know what I'll be doing for the rest of my life. That could end up being decades or days, and either way it's too vague a timeline to contemplate. What I do know is that logging is a habit now, and an easy one at that, and with such a low threshold for error in my caloric range it makes sense to keep close track of…

I went thrift-store shopping with my mom and rounded up a bunch of size 6 jeans, then a couple of 4s just in case. The 4s were the only ones that fit. But the best part is how little the size change excites me, and how excited I got instead when my new running shoes and heavier dumbbells arrived in the mail. I am loving…

I don't understand why people keep saying there are no bad foods. Absolutely untrue. If a food gives you calories with little to no nutritional value, it's garbage. It's empty calories. Sure, you can still lose weight by eating at a deficit, but without the proper nutrients you'll be craving more and more food, spinning…

http://ohsheglows.com/2012/09/07/creamy-pumpkin-pie-smoothie-for-two-an-advertising-update/

I struggle with this, too. Lately I've been really focusing on getting more protein in my diet, mainly by making sure to get at least a little bit with every meal. I'm experimenting now with substituting a serving of almonds with my sandwiches instead of chips (man, I love salty foods!) and having protein-packed smoothies…

This exactly. Daily weigh-ins have helped me learn about my body and they dilute the importance of any one reading. The small fluctuations help me stay mindful and engaged in my own health.

The little bones. Ribs and collarbone and tiny little wrists. I feel like a bird.

I love breakfast foods but usually have them later in the day. A bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, banana and almond milk is one of my favorite late-night desserts. In the morning, though, I just have a piece of fruit. I live for peach season.

I live with both of my grown children and my 72-year-old mother. First rule of survival: lighten UP. Just because your mom wants to leave the jam out doesn't mean she's going to chase you around with a spoonful and shove it down your throat.