Xerogs Member

I've had some success with the recipes in The Vegan Ketogenic Diet cookbook. I've gotten a couple freebie vegan cookbooks over the years and the recipes weren't that good but this one is OK. For me vegan low carb weight loss is slow so I just have to be patient.

There are some decent recipes in The Vegan Ketogenic Diet cookbook, its relatively inexpensive. I guess it depends on where you land with artificial sweeteners since a number of the recipes call for them. For the most part I stick with tempeh, tofu, and soy curls as a protein source and then mix in leafy greens or other…

This used to happen to me quite frequently in the past and maybe once or twice a month now. When my mind starts to roll my go to is meditation. It's not so much about clearing my mind but accepting and letting go of the thoughts that come my way and then focusing on my breathing. This allows me to be OK with being present…

Since I've gone back to LCHF I haven't noticed any mood swings nor keto flu but I've gone back in a gradual way. I know some people who go cold turkey can experience some mild withdrawal symptoms especially if they were eating a lot of sugar before. I've cut out caffeine before and got really moody a couple days later but…

The Carb Addiction Doc on YouTube has some really good videos if you have specific questions about LCHF. Also check out the Low Carb Daily Forum and Keto groups here in the forum. There is a lot of information and advice in those groups. The Low Carb MD Podcast is helpful as well.

Everyone's body behaves differently but I know in the past when I was taking psyllium husk it slowed down my movements compared to just eating fresh vegetables and kimchi. Pill form probiotics have always been weird for me so I try to stay away from them. These days I don't have any issues. I also drink coffee every…

My wife uses canned coconut cream as a heavy cream substitute. There are also a few soy based options out there worth doing a search for if you don't like the hint of coconut. There are also recipes out there for almond and cashew based creams as well.

Everyone is different in terms of how their body reacts to the way they eat. I've always done better on a LCHF (low carbohydrate high fat) WOE (way of eating) and my doctor recommended that WOE based on my bloodwork as well. Is it healthier? This is always up for debate but in terms of cutting out sugar, grains, and other…

I know when I hit weight loss stalls they can really suck but they are part of the journey and I accept them now. My doctor told me that sometimes the body just hits a point of homeostasis for a while before things change. These are a few things that have helped me in the past to lose weight but also just be healthier. I…

Initially I went from regular sodas to diet but the aspartame and other artificial sweeteners gave me headaches so I swapped over to iced tea with lemon. I always drank iced tea with no sugar or sweeteners so it wasn't hard to do. So for quite a while it was iced tea, green tea (hot and cold), hibiscus tea, and water until…

I usually don't eat breakfast unless I am hungry. I try to not eat past 6pm and then I don't typically eat until after 11am the next day. Sometimes I don't feel hungry until well into the afternoon so I just use my hunger as a gauge. I just make sure to be well hydrated until I eat again. I will have a decent sized lunch…

Yeah I agree with your statement. Unsolicited criticism isn't really welcome even in art but it happens all the time so its worth learning how to deal with it. Many times its just a troll and the best thing to do is not feed them nor take what they say to heart. It can be very hard to do, I know I've had my fair share of…

Are harsh straightforward reality checks good? Back in the late 80s early 90s I attended an art school and we were expected to critique others work and have our work critiqued by the instructor and classmates. You really had to have a thick skin because the critiques could be really harsh but if you could take your…

I think what has happened in the past few decades are that food manufacturers have tweaked their recipes so that it takes people to their bliss point. It's not so much about sugar but what its combined with and what it does to your body. Some people react to their bliss point in an addictive manner and it can be anything…

It can always be overwhelming when starting new things. I know when I've felt overwhelmed it usually stems from looking at all the "what ifs" of the situation. I always think of the movie "What about Bob?" and remember to take "baby steps" in any new venture. It's a humorous way to deflate the situation and make me look at…

Pursue what interests you, only you can answer that. I was into art so I spent a lot of my free time drawing and painting when I was your age. If I wasn't doing that I was doing research on expanding my artistic skills or just checking out other artists work that I admired. I also got a job at a theater that did expand my…

I set a bed time and wake up time and try to stick to it within an hour or so. If I can't get to sleep within 20 minutes I do a reset and get up for a short while (no phone, no TV, no bright lights). If my mind is all over the place then I try meditation practices to let those thoughts go while in bed (the "what ifs" will…

I use Insight Timer as well for daily 20 minute non-guided sitting meditation session. I've gone back to a more formal sitting practice since it tends to work better for me than 5 minutes here or there throughout the day. I don't always use an app because the phone can be a distraction so I have another mechanical bell…

You've got a lot on your plate. It's ok to take a step back and just breathe for a while and look at your situation as if you're not in it. Being overwhelmed can just lead to inaction so its OK to dial it back and proceed with smaller goals instead of looking at the big picture. Being present is very helpful if you…

It's normal to have some stress but constant stress is another story in terms of what it can do to your health. Also not getting regular sleep just adds to the the issues. My advice (even for myself) is to practice some mindfulness meditation 10-20 minutes and turn off all the devices before sleep and stick to a regular…

I can only speak from my experience but way back during my dating days I wouldn't have daily contact with the woman I was interested in. I did however try to make sure our time together or phone conversations were more about quality than quantity. Each person is different though. I am an introvert and an artist so I need…

I meant to get back to this and got sidetracked. Here are the other books we used in class. The Meditation in Action book is one I found at Bookmans in Arizona so I didn't use it in class but it helped me better understand True Perception. The Zen of Creativity - John Daido Loori Falling Awake: How to practice mindfulness…

My favorite so far is the Impossible burger but it really depends on how its cooked and spiced it can vary from restaurant to restaurant or how its cooked at home. Its not low calorie though. My wife mixed Impossible ground, impossible sausage, green chile, and stuffed it with Miyoko's cheese and it was an awesome fat…

We typically stick to quinoa, leafy greens, tempeh, tofu, soy curls, lentils, nutrional yeast, and spirulina (supplement). Once in a while we get impossible burgers or some vegan chicken as a treat.

I get what you are saying and I realize not everyone has room for an extra gadget. My suggestions were just a couple of options out of a myriad of options. If you are worried about outgassing in a microwave I would really look at how your paper bags are manufactured and what the pulp and glues might contain, some bags are…

We have a Nordic wear microwave popcorn popper that we use from time to time. It's far less expensive to use than buying the bags plus you can add oil to it or not as desired. It's a little easier to calculate calories and you don't have to worry about other additives. Lately we use a really old air popper that works…

Mine is vegan green chile stew. It takes all day to cook so start this in the morning. - Impossible meat crumbled and cooked with Montreal steak seasoning or whatever vegan protein you like. I've used Trader Joes Beefless ground and Butler soy curls in the past those worked well too. - Get a large crock pot and lightly oil…

I usually prefer firm or extra firm tofu. I use our Tofu Bud to drain the water which works really well. I then cube the tofu and place in our air fryer. This will crisp up the tofu and remove any left over moisture. Once that is complete you can then season to taste since tofu will take on whatever seasoning you apply to…

In my opinion success is always a work in progress and you have to be OK with failing to appreciate any success in your life. I think it boils down to each individual on how they define their own success and pursue it. I've seen children raised by the same parents in the same manner have very different outcomes in life.…

I was doing 20 minute sitting meditation sessions daily in my art studio for many years until recently and then its sort of tapered off. I was planning on starting up again during my winter break. The person who taught me to meditate used to always say if you're making excuses about not having enough time to meditate that…