Hey guys! Thanks for all your sweet comments on my Vegan challenge wrap-up/February challenge. I know that this challenge is going to be…well, challenging. Ryan will probably bear the brunt of it for these first few days…poor bastard.
This morning, I did some house maintenance. The book situation was out of control in my office, and there was a book shelf down in our basement that wasn’t being used for anything, so I dragged it upstairs for use by moi. The office/guest room looks much better now! Plus, half of my books were just stacked on top of each other, which is really bad for their spine. Now they’re all nice and neat (and vertical). Much better.
After my rearranging party, I had a nice little workout using my i-phone “i fitness” app. It’s very cool! You can narrow down the moves you want by body part, equipment, etc., and then a HUGE list of potential exercises comes up, along with written instructions and video examples of someone doing the exercise. I have basically a set of exercises that I always do during my home workouts (bicep curls, squats…just the basics), and this app was really good for getting me out of my comfort zone. I was doing moves I’d never even heard of! Plus, being able to see a live person actually perform each move was incredibly helpful. I’ll be using this again!
I alternated 10 minutes of strength moves with ten minutes of running for about an hour. By the time I was done, I was pooped and ready for lunch!
Lunch included a new product that I picked up at the store yesterday:
Have you seen these? It looked interesting, and the nutritional stats were pretty good, so I decided to give it a whirl. I was pleased to see NO sugar on the nutritional info!
You just pop this puppy in the microwave for 2 minutes, and voila! Multi-grain rice!
Ummmm…really, REALLY sticky multi-grain rice. It was like one big gelatinous sticky rice patty. At first I was grossed out, but as I began to eat it, I started liking it more and more, and I ended up being pleased with it after all!
I topped the rice with grape tomatoes, carrots, and edamame, plus a drizzle of white miso ginger dressing (also no sugar! woo hoo!):
There’s rice under there, I promise!
After lunch, the sugar monster struck. Grrrrr! I figured I could go one of two ways: I could either A). give into my craving with a little (low sugar) treat, or B). ignore said craving and attempt to forgo the sugar all the way, cold turkey.
Guess which way I went?
If you guessed A, you’ve probably been reading the blog for a while.
Yep. I satisfied my sweet tooth with a few pieces of Miss May’s cashew crunch. Only 1.5 grams of sugar though—not too bad if it puts that craving at bay, right?
Well, it’s bright and sunny out, so we’re about to take the dogs on a W-A-L-K. Hopefully that sun means that it’s warmed up a little bit since yesterday’s 15 degrees bs. But, I’ve come to learn that in Central PA, sun doesn’t necessarily equal warm and pleasant. 
Have a great Sunday, guys!
Katie said,
January 31, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
Thanks for checking out my blog!
I scrolled through your vegan challenge posts, and you did great! You really got into it and made a lot of fantastic meals – not relying solely packaged/processed products. Good job!
lpskins said,
January 31, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
1.5 grams? Totally not bad. You go girlfriend. “Poor Bastard.” Love it.
actorsdiet said,
January 31, 2010 @ 10:25 pm
i love both those products. the cashew crunch would be good on rice. call me crazy, but i bet it would.
Evan Thomas said,
January 31, 2010 @ 10:34 pm
I hope you have a big bowl of sugary vegan ice cream before the month switches
Anna said,
January 31, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
I had it last night
– a HUGE bowl of pb swirl coconut ice cream. Talk about a last supper!
Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place said,
January 31, 2010 @ 10:48 pm
I don’t know how you are going to give up sugar! I could never do it! I’m currently munching on hot tamales and lemon heads
Erin said,
January 31, 2010 @ 10:50 pm
When the sugar craving hits after meals (which it does after every single freaking meal!), I reach for a piece of crunchy fruit and that usually does the trick. Yes, there’s sugar but at least it’s naturally-occurring. Might help you, too.
Heather (Where's the Beach) said,
January 31, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
You always come up with the most interesting products to try. I’m afraid we’d be very dangerous shopping together!
Jennifer (Running With Cake) said,
January 31, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
That iphone app sounds awesome and especially good for travel. I’m going to check it out see how much it costs.
Gabriela said,
January 31, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
HA. I love that you spell out W-A-L-K…my old dog went nuts at the sound of the word, too. So adorable. I try to use gum to ward of after-meal cravings. Not the healthiest alternative, but if it keeps me from entering a sugar coma, I’ll take it.
Suzanne said,
February 1, 2010 @ 12:07 am
I just downloaded the iFitness application earlier this week and I love it! No need for a personal trainer with the app.
Those cashew crunch snacks are pretty good… I’ve used them a couple times while at work to quiet my cravings for sugar.
lpskins said,
February 1, 2010 @ 12:19 am
Oh believe me, I don’t always throw it out. Most of the time it gets eaten. That sounds like such a great trip. Will it just be for the weekend?
Anna said,
February 1, 2010 @ 12:21 am
Wednesday through Sunday!! I cancelled my Thursday classes…which I’m sure my students were really pissed off about
traveleatlove said,
February 1, 2010 @ 12:20 am
Good luck with the challenge! I am not a vegan but make a lot of delicious vegan (or ones that could easily be made vegan) recipes if you need any ideas!
theprocessofhealing said,
February 1, 2010 @ 12:52 am
I have seen that rice and I”m glad you liked it! Might have to try it. And sounds like you are doing good with the sugar so far.
inmytummy said,
February 1, 2010 @ 1:03 am
Oh, I’ll have to download that app. Sometimes I make a list of exercises to do and then when I’m at the gym, I have completely forgotten how to do them!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) said,
February 1, 2010 @ 1:03 am
Anna, just getting caught up or trying to
The grape tomatoes, carrots, and edamame looks so simple, easy, great. Yum.
The vegan challenge re do-able if you never leave the house, etc. Well between being a gluten free, soy light, vegan (all pretty much first for health issues /food allergies, everything else secondary)…I totally agree! I never go out! Between the food restrictions, the expense of going out, the lack of a babysitter (or getting one which adds to the expense) and the meh attitude towards foods I dont make myself b/c although i am not julia child, I feel that I can cook something better for $5 bucks than what would cost me $40 in a restaurant type of thing…so we dont go out.
Anyway, between the sugar and the vegan challenge, i have REALLY enjoyed your last couple posts!
Christine said,
February 1, 2010 @ 1:34 am
Wow, the carrot, tomato and edamame mix looks fab and I’ve gotta try the Cashew Crunch and/or concoct a raw version in my dehydrator
Great post.
Jaime said,
February 1, 2010 @ 2:21 am
I believe that sometimes it’s necessary to give into a craving, otherwise it just gets worse. (We like to fixate on things we can’t have, don’t we?) I think you’ve done an EXCELLENT job.