High Protein Vegan Smoothies

Protein is important in a weight loss program, and going the vegan route, I can't get it from lean meats. So, in talking to other vegans and vegetarians, I decided to take some of their suggestions. I've been making protein smoothies in the mornings, splitting them with my husband so this recipe is for two:

One organic banana
1/2 c. frozen organic berries, any kind
either 1/4 package silken tofu or one small container soy yogurt, any flavor
one packet of Emergen-C Vitamin powder (I use the Lite variety, 5 calories)
Soy Protein powder (or Whey Protein powder if you aren't going vegan) per package directions (usually 3 T. or 1/4 cup)
1 T. ground flaxseed, oat bran or wheat germ
1 t. cinnamon
Squeeze of agave nectar (about 1 t.) or honey if you want to go non-vegan
1 c. of soy milk (or rice, oat, almond or other non-dairy milk); I use the light variety

Put the solids in the blender, add the powders and the liquid; blend. The agave is for sweetness and is optional. Each of the ingredients is selected for nutritional value. Depending on the ingredients you use, you can compute the calories and this is usually around 185-225 calories.

In addition, since just a shake tends not to get me too far, I have oatmeal for fiber and the whole grains. I've been using "weight control" Quaker instant oatmeal, which is 160 calories. I also put in a few dried cranberries or a few slices of the banana instead of using it all in the shake. I am not a huge oatmeal fan, but I can tolerate this. Another option is making steel cut oats the night before in the crockpot. I'll post a recipe for that later.

With both the smoothie and the oatmeal, this is a meal that is reasonable in calories, low in fat, and high in protein and fiber. It also has a number of health benefits.

Getting Back On Track!

Well, it was not a good thing to have to leave town and get off track. I wasn't able to exercise or have great food options, though I was as careful as I could be given the circumstances. It was a very emotionally draining and physically exhausting trip due to a lot of family drama that could not be helped due to the imminent medical emergency at hand. So, when I came back I had to take a little downtime and I spent a little time lazing with a movie instead of hitting the gym.

Rather than beat myself up about this, I'm just going to get back on track this week and plan this weekend so that I have healthy menus and food on hand, I get my exercise program back on track, and don't allow myself to completely fall off the wagon.

A Little Derailed

Got a little derailed due to a family emergency. Had to leave town on short notice. Tried to be responsible, bring workout clothes, etc., but it's clear that I'm not going to get away long enough to work out. Food choices are limited. Trying to not view it as a major setback but a mere bump in the road. Should be back on track in a few days.

And So It Begins.....

I am very much looking forward to what I think will be a great speech today. I am pleased to report that I got up early and hit the gym for an hour as I had planned, primarily working on strength training today. I'm figuring out what weights I'm at on what machines and starting to get back into a routine. I got a gym locker, loaded up the ipod with good tunes, and didn't notice the time too much, which is good. I haven't worked out regularly in a long time so I can already feel a little sore in some muscles but in the long run, I know it's a good thing.

I found it interesting how many young people were watching CNN in the gym today. That is awesome! If you think about what slaves and people of color have gone through over time, working out is nothing.....nothing at all to complain about.

It's The Best Thing I Can Do For Myself

My number one reason to get in better shape is that it's the best thing I can do for myself. It will help me in every aspect of my life - being healthy and fit is all around a huge plus. I want to live as long as I can in decent health, and that means making some changes. Though I admit to dreading the exercise component kicking in, I'm trying to think positive. I took a drawer of my dresser and filled it with exercise clothes so I am not seeking socks and sports bra at 6am, dug out my tennis shoes, my gym ID card, etc.

Tomorrow we kick off a new Presidency, an era of hope, a time of change...and not just at the national level, but the personal level as well.

Better Self-Image

My number 2 reason for getting in better shape is that it results in better self-image - which has all sorts of positive consequences, ranging from more confidence to better sex. Usually I just don't think much about looks or appearance and I ignore anything about my appearance I don't like and can't easily change. But, it would be nice to like body parts instead of hate them. I'm sure I will be proud of myself when I achieve my goals and get in better shape, and hopefully I'll feel better physically, as well as emotionally.

I am looking forward to the inauguration, though I admit I'm dreading kicking off my exercise program. But, one day at a time...I can get through it. Still working on water intake, though I added in taking a daily calcium supplement as a new habit in addition.

I'm working towards giving up diet soda and anything with artificial sweeteners; using up the last of the Caffeine Free Diet Coke this week.

To Get Out of the "Obese" Category!

My number 3 reason for getting in shape...I hate to admit it, but for several years I've fallen into the "obese" category. When I first discovered this years ago, I found it hard to believe, because as I looked around me there were so many HUGE people who were SO much bigger than me, they defined "obese" to me, not my own shape. Of course over time I came to accept that it's really about body mass index (BMI) and how much fat we carry around. There's no doubt I have too much fat and I need to change that dynamic. First I was in disbelief the label applied to me, then more or less denial that it mattered, and now I accept it and recognize that only one person can do anything about it, and that's me.

I'm not out to achieve a specific weight. I have a "goal ballpark" I'm aiming for of around 150lbs, but that's flexible - maybe 160 will work for me, maybe I can get to 140, I really don't know. For my height, 5'6", that's a decent range. Height-weight tables tell me for my frame I should weigh 130-144. I don't know if that's realistic, it's too far removed from where I am to matter to me right now. So I'll aim in the right direction, head for a ballpark, and see how things are going when I get closer to my target range. That's still a long way off, so no sense in worrying about it.

What I can focus on in the meantime though is at least getting out of the "obese" range and into the merely overweight range. Still not good, but a step in the right direction! Everyone knows obesity causes all sorts of health problems.

I've gathered up all my books on diet, exercise, etc. So many programs I never got through...I'll read them here and there and take the good/useful portions and discard the rest. One issue I have with a lot of the more popular eating plans is that adapting them to vegetarian/vegan is a process that takes awhile. I've had my best past success with the Scarsdale Diet, but although I like that diet a great deal because it's easy to follow and you don't have to count calories (and it works!) it is not well suited to vegetarian. It has a vegetarian suggested menu, but it's all so unappetizing I know I couldn't stick to it, realistically. So I don't think that will work this time around.

Still struggling with the water thing. It will take awhile, probably several weeks or longer, to get used to changing that habit. I just have to work on it every day and pay attention to it.

For My Family

My number 4 reason for getting in better shape and more fit is that it will benefit my family. My husband and I can enjoy more activities together. He is more fit, more athletic, and more experienced in all sports and outdoor activities except horseback riding. I'd love to beat him someday at something because I'm naturally competitive - but I'll settle for being able to keep up! We've had some nice hikes together, but I'd love to be able to climb a mountain with him without hating it (and reach the top!) and it will be nice on vacation to be able to do more things together.

My kids are animals, but they'll benefit too. I'm sure the dogs would love more exercise, and I'd love to be able to run with them now and then. My horses will appreciate a lighter rider, and we can ride more often and farther, resulting in better exercise for them and for me. All the animals would prefer to have a healthy mom, I'm sure, who has a lot of energy to spoil them, take care of them, and play with them.

Still working on the water habit today.....and actually a little puzzled by the weight I've lost this week. Must be water weight? Since I'm not working out and I doubt diet alone would burn that much fat I know this is very atypical and won't get too excited about it, though it is a nice motivator and way to kick off the "conscious effort" lifestyle.

Greater Convenience & Comfort

My number 5 reason to get in better shape is that being in shape is simply more comfortable and more convenient. Airline seats on long flights are more comfortable the smaller you are. Life is designed for the average person, not the overweight person - so all kinds of things get more convenient if one is in shape. There's a wider selection of clothes, activities, etc. Weight is no longer a consideration. You don't have to wonder if they have a scuba suit in extra large or whether you'll exceed the weight limit on the helicopter ride.

I'm not adding a new daily habit today because I haven't made any progress on the last one - drinking more water. I want to succeed at that one before adding another. I have continued to be very responsible with diet and therefore, I continue to lose weight. I'm sure this is because I had been consuming extra calories the last month or two, and stopping that probably is a help...no more pumpkin pie, whipped cream, cheese, etc. Also, I know my calorie intake is down from paying more attention to portion control, and sticking with a vegan diet all but one day this week so far.

To Succeed Where I Have Failed Before

My number 6 reason for trying to get in shape and take better care of myself is that it is something that I have tried to do before and failed. I've had temporary successes, but I get derailed. In part, I get derailed because of my job - I'll have months of a good diet and exercise and then get busy with work and it all falls apart. I don't plan well enough in advance to get through long periods of job stress - I fall back on fast food and time crunches and I don't make time for myself, I give it all to the job. I know I have a big all-consuming job assignment in March, so if I can get on track before then and plan ahead, and maybe solicit some extra support during that time from friends or family, then I hope I can get past one of these big work challenges without falling off the diet and exercise wagon. I feel like if I can get past it just once, then I can again - but so far I never have. A major work project derails all my personal care, no matter how well it is going.

In addition to work, I've gotten derailed by travel before, and by reaching a point where I get depressed or lazy and take a day off - and one becomes two, then a week, then...well I lapse back into bad habits. I mean, it's so nice to just eat ice cream and not care about the calories, to bake cookies you crave and eat as many as you want, to laze around watching movies and not push myself to do anything at all. It's a vacation. The health and exercise program takes energy and it wears me down over time. Unlike most people, I never seem to get MORE energy from exercise, it just makes me tired. I don't know if that will ever change.

I think there are many parallels between eating badly and alcoholism. You can tell yourself you won't eat bad foods and then find yourself eating them without realizing it. You can find yourself slipping once and ruining a long period of success. And, you can find yourself doing what you know you don't want to do and not being able to explain it to yourself. So I am going to try and work on my conscious mind, my subconscious mind, and get into habits and patterns that seem natural and routine so that my defaults are to things that are good for me, not things that are bad for me.

I've been able to do most of what I set my mind to, so I don't like having this one area of failure in my life that I've never really conquered to my satisfaction. Time to change that. I don't want to hit 40 with this issue unresolved. I didn't want to hit 30, or 35, or any other age with it unresolved either, but I didn't make the commitment necessary to make it change. So now is the time...for change I can believe in, and make happen.

And my small habit change for the day is actually a big one - drinking more water. Everyone says it is vital to health and weight loss, but I just hate drinking water. I have to re-frame it - I like achieving the goal of drinking more. It's good for me. So each day I'm going to try and drink more until I get to 8-10 glasses a day, every darn day.

Although I haven't been exercising yet, I've been paying attention to my diet - not rigorous portion control yet, but healthy, vegetable based meals and trying to move away from pasta, etc. and no desserts. So far I've been losing a few pounds and that's good. I am encouraged that even with only a little effort (no more soy creamer in coffee, no more dessert, no more bagels and cream cheese, etc.) I'm getting started on getting a little weight loss going. I hope I can move the trend consistently down

More Fun With Activities I Like

Reason No. 7 to get in better shape is one of the most motivating for me....being able to do more activities I'm interested in, for longer periods of time, and better. I like white water rafting, hiking, camping, horseback riding, and adventure travel. All these things are best done when one is fit. Although I've done them anyway, I know I would enjoy them more if I were in better shape. I'd like to be able to take the dogs for a short run or a long hike, and to get into a regular riding routine with the horses. I'm inherently competitive, but I've never played team sports and I don't know of any I like. I wouldn't mind playing basketball or racquetball or tennis if I had a partner, but I usually don't.

Long term, my next very active trip will be in 2010, and by then I'd like to be ready to do anything and everything the trip has to offer. Long range, I'd also like to take a horseback riding trip, which means increasing both my riding ability and my physical fitness. And, I'd like to travel to the Amazon and Borneo and several other places where being fit is a definite asset.

So far, I've been responsible with my diet, I'm getting the house cleared of tempting items, I'm working on getting psyched for a daily exercise routine (by far the hardest part), and my daily "habit building" has been 100%. So today I add to multi-vitamin, fluoride, and daily moisturizer...daily facial cleanser - an easy one, but one I am not currently 100% on.

Better Clothes

Reason 8 to get in better shape: so I can have a wider range of clothing options, and even wear what I actually like. I'm not a fashion person at all, but I have some sense of personal style that I can't really put into play. Not everything is made in larger sizes, or looks good on a bigger shape. There are many things I see in catalogs that I'd like to wear that just don't look good. Shopping for clothes in stores is generally a bad experience because they don't have much selection in larger sizes, and the changing room experience is never a good one as you realize the stuff that looks good on the rack does not look good on you.

I keep a range of clothing sizes on hand since I fluctuate based on my diet and exercise. At the moment I have very limited options, and as I get thinner the range of what I can wear will increase. Plus, when I have made some progress (a substantial amount) I'll reward myself with some new clothes I couldn't fit into today. I'm tired of wearing the same stuff all the time, a lot of which I don't actually even like - it just fits. It will be nice to be able to have more choices and to actually dress up when I want to. I have a few things I bought new that are too small for me, hoping I would some day fit into them...and not it's time to make that happen. In the meantime, I'll take the drawer I keep those things in and turn it into a drawer for workout clothes, which I will pick out in advance once a week so I don't have to mess with finding them when I need to workout - giving me a nice excuse to delay or avoid.

So far I'm doing fine on the vitamin and fluoride habits and today I'm adding in using a daily moisturizer, which has SPF 15 sunscreen. It's a simple thing to do, doesn't take much time, I just don't manage to make myself do it. I like Oil of Olay and Aveeno daily moisturizer and I have some on hand so I just need to make a point of using it!

I am not looking forward to the exercise routine kicking in, but I'm glad I have a little time left to psych myself up for it.

For Better Health

Number 9 in my top ten countdown to inauguration day of reasons to change is for my health. While this one is probably obvious to most people, I have to admit I rarely have spent much time worrying about my health, because I have been fairly lucky and not had any chronic problems. When I do have a health issue, I of course suddenly vow to do better, but then it passes and I forget. Not good. I am getting to an age where I know better, and it's time to be proactive so that I don't have crummy '50's and '60's and beyond, riddled with health concerns. I want to avoid diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, etc., and that means I have to actively start paying attention and taking steps to accomplish that. I want to remain active and travel and live life to its fullest well into my old age so I need to plan for that. That means lifestyle changes, not just preventative vaccines, etc. I know losing weight and getting fit is the number one best thing I can do for myself in terms of improving and protecting my health.

I'm committed to taking a daily multi-vitamin, at a minimum, and if I can remember I will take other supplements as well. I've already made the switch to whole grains, which was difficult at first, but already done. I'm focusing on more fruits and vegetables, and on a meat and dairy free diet as much as possible. In addition to the health benefits this offers from low cholesterol and high fiber, I'm morally opposed to killing animals for consumption and that's a philosophy that I don't always put into action as well as I would like. Going vegetarian at a minimum and vegan as a goal will help me think about each meal I prepare and that should help with both weight loss and healthy eating choices.

I will be watching a few specific health components over the next year to see how they change with better focus on diet and exercise. I have some typical issues for people my age (38): joint pain now and then, some back problems now and then, some inflammation (bursitis) in my hips that can be very stiff and painful when I get up from a resting position, and the occasional sleeping problems or digestive issues. In addition, I have a join I dislocate often, and I need to do some specific exercises to make that as strong as I can. I also don't drink enough water, and I am going to start focusing on that and try to drink as much as possible, even though I don't like to do so.

Today's "small habit change" is that I am going to remember to use the fluoride my dentist wants me to use at least once a day. There's a surprising connection between good dental hygiene and other health issues, and I can't financially afford cavities these days. I have weak tooth enamel and i need to reinforce it, but to use the fluoride after brushing is an extra step I never seem to get around to. It's simple laziness that I have to stop. I should do it 2x a day, but I'm going to set the standard as once a day and put it on my daily to do list until that becomes a habit.

Obama Inspires Me to Change

I'm actually not an Obama groupie, but I admit that for the first time ever, I voted for a Democrat for President. I was so impressed that Obama took on the political machine and won on his own terms, without playing the standard game, playing dirty, or pandering. Defeating the power couple of Bill and Hillary, who represent a lot of what I despise about modern national politics, was brilliant. He actually motivated millions, gave us hope, and accomplished what many thought was impossible. His strategy and organization were stunning to behold. And so as I watched, I began to shake off some of my cynicism that I didn't realize I'd really accumulated. He made the seemingly impossible come to pass. He made history. And in so doing, he inspired me to think about what I would like to change in my life. What did I think was practically impossible, to the point I'd nearly given up on it? I once thought I would never get a chance to vote for a President I believed in vs. the lesser of evils. And yet...it came to pass....so what other beliefs should I examine as I try and shake off cynicism and turn to hope? What change on a personal level could I believe in?

While there are always things I can improve (certainly I could be neater, more organized, manage money better, train the dog better, be better at activities, be a better manager at work, etc.) there is only one area of my life that I feel I truly have not been able to make satisfactory progress and get where I would like to be - or at least in the ballpark. Over the years I have been able to achieve my educational and professional goals, to develop emotionally, build healthy relationships, have a healthy marriage...and I have a happy life. But, I've never really learned how to take care of myself. Self-comfort is a skill I didn't get growing up; I was focused on survival, and on pleasing others. I didn't learn how to think about what was best for me or my own desires seriously until I was 30. (I'm now 38). I've tried to work on taking care of myself before, with limited, and mostly temporary, success.

I'm overweight, out of shape, and I have a lifetime of bad habits that involve using food to celebrate, reward myself, comfort myself, and generally turn to even in times of boredom. I've never been big on fashion or looks, never expected to be considered good looking or popular, and always focused on my mind and intellect, not developing my body or physical skills. My parents were very sedentary, had terrible dietary habits, and discouraged or forbid me from almost every physical activity. Over the years, I have learned better diet and nutrition skills, and even gained some physical skills (I learned how to ride a bike at 30). I've tried not to let my weight determine my self-image or self-worth, to pursue activities I want to do, even if they would be a lot easier if I was in shape, and to not spend much time or energy on the issue of my health. Luckily, I am pretty healthy so far.

It's not just my weight. I'm not good at taking care of myself in other ways. I routinely forget to take a multi-vitamin, I don't always remember to brush my teeth, I hate to floss, I don't use the fluoride my dentist recommends, my skin care routine is lax at best, I don't remember to moisturize or always use sunscreen. I do enough to get by without destroying my health, but realistically, I'm not doing all that I can to live long, prevent cancer and other health issues likely to arise as I get older, and live life to the fullest. I try to remember to take better care of myself but old habits die hard, and when I get busy or there is someone or something else to take care of, I put myself last. I know it sounds bad, but the truth is, I just don't think about it; I don't pay attention.

Also, I have come to admit to myself that at heart, I am lazy. Though I have achieved a lot of things that are very hard and take determination, it's not the kind of success that only comes from daily discipline. Running a marathon or succeeding in calculus both take dedication in the form of practice. "Flash of genius" success that comes from a great idea or getting on a roll is fundamentally different from the kind of success that comes from plugging away, day after day, slowly building a skill set. I get bored. I don't like repetition. And, I don't like doing things I'm not good at. At least in my own mind, I am good at intellectual challenges and not at physical challenges. My parents always told me I was klutzy, discouraged me from trying anything physical other than basic household chores, and did not value fitness in any way. Not a huge surprise I grew up not valuing anything physical.

I have slowly built a skill set at work, but not by daily working on the same thing - just by constantly learning and doing and honing skills, which to me is a lot different from exercise, because I don't hate it. Exercise, especially cardio, I despise. They say find something you like to do. Unfortunately I have found nothing physical I like to do but ride horses, which is not feasible on a daily basis in my life. I have to try and be positive and find the upside to physical activity, but I know that is one of my greatest challenges. I'll try and capitalize on the fact that I know I'm competitive, I have some long term goals that I need to be more fit to achieve, and I have some short term goals that I can realize with some effort.

Why blog about it? I've tried keeping a journal before, and I find excuses not to do it. This way I am more or less publicly taking a journey, and maybe it will make me feel a little more accountable. Maybe someone with the same struggle can find some comfort in knowing they are not alone.

I'm kicking off on inauguration day, and using these days ahead of time to gear up, get in a positive mindset, and start working on getting into some of the "easier" health habits. I'm starting by clearing the house out of the chocolate and other temptations that can I can give in to, and developing some plans for healthy menus and exercise. I'll be trying to eat mostly vegetarian or vegan (for ethical and health reasons), with an eventual goal towards going 100% vegetarian and almost all vegan - I'm not sure that I can eliminate all cheese (but I'll try), and I have eggs from my own chickens that I don't feel bad about consuming since the chickens are happy and the egg laying is voluntary. I'll be trying to exercise 7 days a week, but I'll settle for 6 at a minimum, with 3 days of strength training and three days of cardio at a minimum.

I'm going to kick off by counting down the Top 10 Reasons to Change, one each day. The number 10 reason (not in order of importance) I've already discussed above: To Take Better Care of Myself. Each day for these 10 days leading up to "the big day" I'm going to try and focus on incorporating a small good health habit as well. Starting today, I'm going to take a multi-vitamin, and add taking it to my daily to-do list until I'm so in the habit of taking it I don't need to list it anymore.

I'm committed to this: every day that Obama is President, I'm going to take care of myself. I'm not going to ignore it. I'm going to make a personal change for good. If he can undertake everything he has, I can undertake this.