I have been following a vegan diet ...

and it is going well.

Before the semester started I was looking for a diet that could work for me this semester.  Last semester, all in all, I think I went grocery shopping three times (once before the semester started, and twice during the semester), then I spend the rest of that day cooking, and then froze a single servings of a few dishes I made, so that it would be easy to heat for dinner, when I get home late and tired. During the day I survived on 3-4 Atkins bars and coffee.

In my basement area I neither have a stove, nor a big refrigerator, so going shopping a few times and cooking and freezing was not going to work! Also I wanted to give up processed food and caffeine.

Then I run into one of my best friend's sister-in-law and when I saw how trimmed she has gotten after giving birth to twins little over a year ago, I got intrigue. She told me that she has gone vegan and tries to eat mostly raw food. She suggested couple of books to me, which I read promptly. I am not convince that meat is bad for me, and diary is not good for me, but I felt that with the limited time and limited kitchen that I have, going vegan would work for me this semester.

It is actually a 180 degree from what I have been practicing in the past 7 or so years, and what I believed in. But then I had the opportunity to observe my mom's eating habit for the two weeks, and remembered neither I, nor any of my sisters had weight issues while we lived at home. And my mom, she has always been the weight she is now. Her secret, which is no secret, is that she eats fresh fruits and vegetables for most of her meals. She does not snack. Yes, she does eat meat, and diary, but not much. During the two weeks that I stayed with her and took up cooking for us, I saw how she filled her plate with salad and veggies, and took small pieces of the chicken or meat.

Anyhow, for the past few weeks, I have given up coffee, now I drink mostly green tea. At first I didn't like the taste of green tea, but I was able to tolerate it with a packet of Stavia. Now my tastebud has changed and can drink it without any sweetener.

Breakfast has been either oatmeal with almond milk, a banana and cinnamon, or fruit smoothie, with fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit or tangerine, a banana, and a mango. A couple of times I also made peanut butter sandwich with banana on top, very delicious, lol.

During the day I eat 3-4 small apples or tangerines, each time with half sandwich of peanut butter. Fruit is my trigger food, if I eat fruit alone I get very hungry within an hour. But if I eat some carb or protein with it, or within half an hour it, I am OK.

Dinner has been vegetable salads, or vegetable soups. I have been making vegetable soups in my slow cooker and I love my soups. I really don't like to cook meat in my slow cooker, so it has worked out great!

So yes, I have been spending more time cooking and preparing my meals but then I have been having more energy, even though I sleep less! I am still wide awake before 5 am, that is almost two hours earlier than last semester, and I go to bed around midnight, that is another two to two and half hours later than last semester. And I don't feel tired at all; instead I feel more alert and feel that I am more productive during the day. So yes it is going great.

School is going great too. My independent study course is really fun. But I have to write about school in another post.

I have been keeping up with my walking goal as well, even thought I have not updated my dailymile. A couple of weeks ago, there were a few days that it was not easy to walk at least 3 miles a day outside, but I managed somehow!

I spent last night here at my parents, and I am taking today off from going to the library, instead am spending it with my parents, sisters and their families. I am going home early this afternoon to get ready! I have a date tonight, lol.

Happy Valentine's Day.