It's not about winning. It's about fixing what's broken.-Bob Harper

Our 28 day Engine 2 Diet Challenge is drawing to a close.

But in all honesty I have lost track of what "day" I'm on, I don't feel like I am on a depriving diet to be endured for x amount of time. I feel like this is just the beginning of the undertaking of a healthier and happier lifestyle. It has not been a race to the finish, nor a competition with myself, or with my husband or other E2 participants. It has been more like a transformation and an awakening for me, I am finding out that yes, even I have weaknesses, ( sugar! ) yes, even I have imbalances,( too much caffeine!) and I have health concerns to address. But I am working towards fixing them, one plant based meal at a time. I'm fixing what's broken.

Yet, to say I am on a diet, kinda makes my eye twitch, since I have never, in fact been on any rigorous or strict diet. I have struggled with my weight only post pregnancy. This was the very first, all encumbering diet that I have ever tried. I have sampled and researched elements of Weight Watchers, South Beach and closely followed advice and recipes from Biggest Loser cookbooks, and Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut, ( notice the Bob Harper quote for my title- not a coincidence ...I'm a big BL fan). I am generally a "do what I want" kind of person and could easily slip back into giving in to cravings, or haphazardly using too much salt, oil, butters and sugar. Somehow the E2 immersion has resonated with me and felt right for my body. One of my husbands co-workers has just started the diet and she wrote me to say it struck a chord with her as well, and is going great.

So far, by mid -week 4, I'm 5 pounds lighter. The weight loss was gradual and I think I have reached a set point where I can maintain. That’s the “diet” side of the equation. The other side is the lifestyle change; I feel 10 years younger, and because I work out so much, I am a lot less scrawny than I was 10 years ago. I have been able to fully maintain my workout routines on this diet, and have felt waves of great energy. I have a renewed interest and appreciation for proper meal planning, for the local and seasonal produce offerings, and for cooking from scratch.

My wonderfully supportive and enthusiastic husband just reported that he thinks this diet has “made him smarter”, that he operates much more clear headed at work. He marvels at the colors and texture coming forth on some of our meals, and told me I am “becoming quite an excellent cook”- which means a lot coming from him- this said after a ridiculously simple but hearty meal of an almond carrot soup, simple side salad, and a generous plate of roasted asparagus and red bell peppers served over quinoa with a sprinkling of toasted almonds and tamari sauce. Never mind the simplicity….hearing that I am a good cook always means a lot. We have started exploring Indian cooking and went on huge shopping spree at a little Indian super market in Boulder. I might take an Indian cooking class from a near by Indian food caterer Royal Bengal Kitchen and a vegetarian cooking class at the Culinary School of the Rockies and of course there is that knife skills class I still desperately need!

While I was working on this blog post today this message landed in my inbox from my friend and neighbor Melanie

"I'm really proud of you for sticking with this and doing so with gusto, suddenly an all vegan diet lifestyle doesn’t sound so dire, it looks gourmet and delish" .

Having support and interest from others is always helpful when trying to " what's broken" for yourself. And while I am deeply aware of conflicts and struggles I may face trying to eat vegan/ E2 for the long run, I am willing to try to overcome the hurdles. I am willing to be gentle and patient with myself and to work on eating: Mindfully. Creatively. Balanced.

Closing in on Week 1 of the E2 28 day Diet Challenge

Top 10 things I have learned so far.

1.
Advance planning is mission crucial.

Make a big batch of your favorite grain to add to bean and greens as you see fit. Know what recipes you want to try for the week before you go to the store. Pack you own lunch,& snacks when you are on the go. Resign to making more than 1 trip to the store in a week unless you have giant produce crispers!

2.
Darn you alluring frozen pizza aisle!

There are very few "short cuts". Frozen, pre-made/ processed/ vegan is high in fat and sodium ( even the organic and natural brands are salt licks).Fresh is best, and more often less expensive.

3.
I consult a variety of sources for info. and recipes.

Of course I digest the info in the Engine 2 diet book , in addition to Whole Foods resources, a vegan iPhone app, vegan/ vegetarian blogs and the following books, Skinny Bitch & You Are What You Eat

4.
Even cutting makes for even cooking

I am seriously considering taking a knife skills course.Turns I am not a very organized veggie slicer / dicer and my hand cramps after prepping a double batch of veggie chili. With 2 little kids running around during meal prep I need to get the job done. quickly and safely.

5.
Pomegranate seeds rock!

Try them on the Rips big bowl cereal, over spinach salad and even over guacamole.

6.
Menus and waiters are our friend.

While dining out, the challenge is not at all finding the meat and dairy free choice, the challenge is mostly avoiding the excess oil and sodium

7.
I don't find Vegan cheese very... how shall I say it....delightful.

Also, it's high in fat, has a strange smell, and does not melt. And this makes me sad.

8.
I'm excited to make dinner and pack lunches now.

I don't dread it anymore. I'm not bored, and I don't have any caloric / fat intake "guilt". I'm excited to either try a new recipe, or re-invent an old favorite.

9.
Eating a plant based fiber rich diet is ridiculously filling,

I have found digestive enzymes work magic! So does water. I drink lots of water.

10.
E2 is a great bonding experience.

It's great to have a partner in crime for this challenge, which is quickly not at all feeling like a challenge and just a healthy living M.O.

Fiber-licious

+

=

Nothing a little extra digestive enzymes taken before each meal can't take care of ;)

Find out who your " fans" are

Go team E2!


Find out who your "fans" are.

Step one: Commit to going on a 28 day vegan, low oil, low sugar and no processed foods diet.

Step two: Share your commitment, excitement, the research behind the diet and even meals with others.

Step three: Sit back in astonishment as you begin get such responses as "I feel sorry for you", "Vegans all get B12 deficiency disease " and an ever so sarcastic "Good Luck with that! ".

Step four: Relish and try to focus on the positive responses such as "you are an inspiration", "I know it will be hard but you can do it!" and " Please share recipes!!!"

Today is the Official Day One of the Engine2 challenge that me and Aaron are participating in through the Boulder Valley YMCA and Boulder Whole Foods. However we have been adapting our diet for a several days now, meal planning, stocking up of healthy grains, beans, and nuts. We are also figuring out and discussing what the challenges are going to be when dining out, while traveling and how to avoid the office junk food hour.

Half way thru day one and so far so good, no real issues on my end. Started the day with a high fiber, whole grain cereal with fruit and rice milk , tangerines for snack, apple and almond butter for post workout snack followed by a rice protein and berry smoothie with added flax, and coconut kefir for lunch. For dinner I am making a huge veggie, tofu, spelt noodle lasagne.

Good luck to all my fellow E2 participants!

Dear Dairy;

Dear Dairy,

Oh dairy, where to begin. Thursday I finished off the last of my non fat greek yogurt mixed with berries and granola and I thought I might just have to lick the bowl clean had I not been in a public place! I do so love you in my coffee, over my cereal, swirled decadently over deserts, and shoved mindlessly in my mouth as am appetizer. I like to stack you on my sandwich, sprinkle you over pasta and scramble the bejeezers out of you for breakfast. That being said, I must take a break from you. I must start thinking of you as liquid meat. I must consider the ramification of your decadence on my arteries, err, my thighs too? I'm starting a 28 day diet challenge called Engine2. At it's roots it is a vegan diet with the additional exclusion of all oils, refined sugar and processed food. Meals will be low fat, low sodium, oil free, high fiber, plant, bean and whole grain based. I can do without meat, that I have done before and have been doing off and on since high school, I admit I need to curb sugar and oils, but dairy, oh my how can I ever say good bye?

To start with, my dairy will now have to be "alternative" I'm stocked up on coconut milk creamer, oat milk, rice milk and almond milk, all unsweetened. For recipes requiring cream or egg, I can substitute a with an alternative creamer, applesauce or blended tofu.
They have not quite prefected vegan cheese or soy yogurts yet so I might just do without for the next 4 weeks. I am willing to experiment if the going gets tough.

So you see dairy, I'm in it to see how this might make a difference in my overall well being.I'm doing it for an overall mind body challenge and I'm being told by my nutritionist that I may notice less bloat, less post nasal drip if I take a break from you. Just know that you will be in my thoughts often, if not constantly.

Ruminations

Some post reverb10 topics/answers.

"Let Go"

What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

(Author: Alice Bradley)

Answer :I let go of: Fat pants. Because I have lost 25 pounds of post -2nd pregnancy / post in-a-funk weight.

I did it by exercising a lot, and eating a little better. She helped.

*****************

"Make."

What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

Author:( Gretchen Rubin)

This weekend over New Years Eve, I made homemade granola, veggie/barley/tempeh soup and brownies. The brownie recipe was taken from the inset of the Edge Brownie Pan I received for Christmas. The other 2 food items were of my own creation/ inspiration based on ingredients at hand. My back ached and I was thoroughly tired of my kitchen once this cooking spree was over but it felt good to do a little " cupboard / fridge purge " at years end. Next year, oh , I mean this year! I hope to get back to my sewing. I would love to perfect my cafe aprons and maybe even look for a consignment opportunity by which to sell them through.

********************

December 8 – Beautifully Different.

Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

(Author: Karen Walrond)

What makes me different? Well to start, I generally have a no Facebook- wall post birthday wish rule-unless I already knew ( without a FB reminder) that it was said persons birthday and even then, I may or may not wish them happy birthday via the wall. I send / give real cards still! heck, post babies I used to make my own cards!


I do laundry almost every day. Sometimes even on holidays. The sound of the dryer is a bit soothing to me.


I admit to holding a grudge, and so in admitting my grudge holding tendencies have been really trying to let go and give the other person a / or business another chance, and yes that means you Whole Foods.


Also, I don't "do" my hair on a daily basis. What ever happens after it dries from the shower is what happens. I'm ok with it.

***********************


"New Name"

Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

(Author: Becca Wilcott)

Hi, I'm Tatiana. My great grandmother on my mothers side was named Tatiana. She was 4'10" with black hair and dark olive complexion, she came over to the US on a boat from the Ukraine early 20th century. I carried a piece of her elaborate lace wedding gown with me on my wedding day. Tatiana was also one of the names my mom considered for me before I was born, but her mom cautioned against such "ethnic" sounding names for me ( era? culture? ) I don't know, but instead I was coined Laura, after Laura Horton of Days of Our Lives. So, Instead of me gaining a beautiful family namesake, I am named after a TV character. Which is fine at this point there really are not a lot of Laura's out there. But if I wanted to assume an alias for a day, it would be Tatiana, so that she could live in on all her petite, brave glory.

******

"Photo – a present to yourself"

Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

(Author: Tracey Clark)

This photo is via the talents of Lynsey Peterson, taken during our family photo shoot July 2010.

I think she was just busting my chops about giving her a true smile, when she captured this image of me. I think this captures me "settling in" and feeling my most comfortable with my most favorite people. It's worth noting the ultra fabulous smile on my husband, no ?. Look closely you can see the laugh lines that get me directed to the "early signs of aging" cosmetics dept and that get me called ma'am by grocery store baggers. I am who I am now, and I love my life. Ask my five year old what my full name is and he will say resolutely " Mommy, Laura Ades" yep, that's me.

I choose my friends, and how I spend my time, now wisely, I acknowledge mistakes, strive to get better at all that I do and I am willing to try new things, new food, new routines. And, I am not even close to being afraid of the future because I have the best shoulder to lean on, my teacher my travel companion, my chef, my trainer, my partner in parenting and the love of my life.

Just a few reverb10 ruminations to reflect upon for the New Year, there have been few "prompts" I'd rather not address online, or just maybe don't feel like addressing at all.
But I might revisit them at some time, before or concurrently as I start a new challenge this week that I might like to call "adventures in Vegan living"by way of the Engine 2 diet.

" How Big Is Your Bowl? "

reVerb10

December 27 – Ordinary Joy

Prompt: "Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?"

There are many ordinary moments in my daily life as a mama on the move that bring me profound joy, but the most recent one happened during breakfast. As a family we don't sit around the kitchen table together much, meals can be broken up, my toddler eats on go a lot, snagging bites from our plates like a magpie.

But the other morning I was sitting at the kitchen table, making my daily to do list, or shopping list, or maybe I was eating , I can't remember. But I do recall that boys were there as well, having breakfast cereal. And what made this ordinary moment profoundly- joyful was when Roman turned the box around and started reading from the back, while at the same time, Ryan was spooning perfect, spoonfuls of cereal into his own mouth.

Roman is reading to me and Ryan is feeding himself!

I had this feeling of riding in a bus, like a tourist in my own life and witnessing this minute transformations of " big-boyhood" coming into play at the same time. Who are these big boys? One minute I am catching cheerios off the chin of Ryan while helping Roman sound out the letters in a word, the next I am witnessing huge feats of independence!

Had I gotten up to do something, or been off in my own world I could have missed it. But the calmness and rightness and ordinary-ness of the moment turned out to be joyful.