Search Results for: diet bet

We’re Expecting

Leave a Comment

If you don’t know already we are expecting a baby in July!

I am so happy the news is finally out! It has been torture these last six weeks keeping it a secret from you.   I have been wanting explain things like why I stopped drinking caffeine and alcohol or why my recipes are lacking or why I haven’t been running. Don’t worry though this is not going to turn into a pregnancy blog but I will be sharing weekly updates and I will get back to daily posts now that things will make more sense as to why my meals are a little wacky and why I have changed my workout routine.

Here are a few details I’ve been planning to share (please feel free to ask any additional questions you’d like):

Date we found out: November 5, 2011
Date I suspected I was pregnant: November 2, 2011
First Midwives Appointment: December 6, 2011
Next Midwives Appointment: January 4, 2011
Due Date: July 19, 2012
Number of test taken:  3 (just for good measure)
Current Pregnancy Symptoms: Nausea and fatigue (as of 11/7/11); extreme nausea on 11/12/11; nausea and fatigue increasing around week 6
Times I’ve cried while listening/watching TV Shows, Commercials and Radio: I’ve lost count
Pregnancy Magazines Purchased: 2
Pregnancy Related Purchases: Jeggings because pregnancy bloating = tight jeans
Strange Experiences (TMI):dark yellow and strong smelling urine- it took me a few days and google results to conclude that it’s the new prenatals that I have been taking.
How far along are you?
I am 10 weeks along.  Only a few weeks short of completing my first trimester!  The Hubz and I debated telling people before this but haven’t really told anyone until now just in case the third time really wasn’t the charm. We have told a few people over the past few weeks due to various circumstances and because we are horrible at keeping secrets but the real unveiling wasn’t until yesterday/today.

Was this pregnancy planned?
I like to say it was planned but it wasn’t;  the Hubz and I have had a “if it happens, it happens” attitude for about the last year.  We weren’t trying to conceive and actually had no plans to try until next October after our planned half marathons but now that it’s happened we are excited.

Are you scared?
I’m surprisingly relaxed.  I have surprised myself because my last two pregnancies (both resulted in miscarriage) and I feeling so much calmer than I did during those two pregnancies.  Don’t get me wrong I’m nervous that we might miscarry again but you can’t plan for it besides cleaning up your diet and making sure to be at your best healthwise.  I think that I am more relaxed because I am not as stressed as I was during our last two pregnancies and I am 90% more active than I was back then.

So that whole caffeine and alcohol detox was just a decoy?
Correct. I am not on a caffeine and alcohol detox by choice.  Pregnancies means giving up delicious cups of coffee and sharing home brews with the Hubz.  Oh well at least he’ll be a home brew expert by the time I can drink again.

Are you going to an OB/GYN or Midwife?
I am actually going to a midwife group.  This means that I won’t necessarily see the same midwife each session, it’s whoever is in that day and it works the same at the birth.

Do you know the gender?
It’s too early to know but I think we are having a boy and the Chinese Gender predictor says that based on my age and month of conception we will be and it’s said to be 90% accurate.

Are you going to run your half-marathon?
At this point I may run/walk the February half marathon if I am feeling up to it.  The race is run/walk so I might just get out and it anyways but as for the Disney Half I won’t be able to run it this year because I won’t have enough time to train.

Changes: (I’ve kept a journal over the past few weeks)
I am now a night person! ME! It’s crazy because I have always been a morning person.  Pre-pregnancy I woke up at 5am and started my working day around 5:30am and was in bed by 9…..err okay 8pm.  Now I am so nauseous in the morning I have a hard time getting up and when I do get up and start moving around the nausea comes on even stronger.  At night I have been more awake and minimal nausea.

Update: 11/20/11. I’m experiencing extreme nausea especially when I’m hungry which makes it really difficult to decide if I want to eat or vomit. I’m ready for this whole morning  all day sickness to be over.

Update: 11/22/11. FYI may be TMI.  Last night I had a bit of a scare with a little tissue discharge, mucusy discharge and light cramping.  Having experienced two miscarriages in the past this frightened me a little to say the least so I called up the doctors office to discuss my concerns. Since the discharge happened only once and no issues since then the nurse I spoke with said not to be overly concerned and explained that during the 6th week that this type of thing is common and unless I begin to have severe cramping, excessive discharge or bleeding not to worry.  That being said I’m just going to sit tight.  Also I changed offices today but I’ll discuss more of this later.

Update: 12/1/11 Today I am 8 weeks! After last weeks scares things seem to be going well and we have our first midwife appointment next Tuesday, it can’t come soon enough. Lately I’ve been exhausted and nauseous and super picky about food.  I’m driving myself nuts because I just want to desire my normal eats but right now I really just want bland foods with hot sauce (I know crazy right?).

Update: 12/2/11 Today my husband jokingly through a ball of paper at me and it hit me between the eyes. I balled uncontrollably then after I cried I laughed (youknowyourpregnantwhen.)

Update: 12/6/11 Today we had our first prenatal visit with our midwives.  I was a bit nervous for the appointment and to ease any of our fears they did a really quick ultrasound which showed our bebe flapping around with a really quick/strong heart beat.  I was a little disappointed that we couldn’t get one of the nice ultra sounds with the updated equipment next door at the hospital; instead our first one was on an old machine on a tiny screen and it wasn’t the clearest but better than nothing.  Tomorrow is 9 weeks and we are debating when to tell people we are prego. I think we’ll decide next week.

Update: 12/13/11
Spent the last week feeling pretty great but now we are back from NYC and I’m back to feeling exhausted, bloated and sic

{Product Review}: Calnaturale Svelte

5 Comments

CalNaturale Svelte sent me a sample of their flavors to try. These protein drinks each contain 16g of organic protein, a low glycemic index and only 9g sugar per bottle.  They are dairy and gluten free and are a great source of fiber; 8g of dietary fiber per bottle.

Flavors: (descriptions provided by Calnaturale)

Chocolate: The creamy, velvety flavor of our Chocolate reminds us of a chocolate milk shake – – but without all the fat, sugar or calories. Instead, we create our Chocolate with pure organic cocoa, fresh organic soymilk, organic complex carbohydrates such as rice syrup and inulin and just a hint (only 9 grams) of organic sugar. When a creamy chocolate flavor comes with such healthy nutrition, it makes you wonder why other chocolate drinks aren’t made this way.

French Vanilla: Someone recently told us that the flavor of our French Vanilla tastes like yummy melted vanilla ice cream. Gosh, we can’t think of a better compliment! You’ll love the flowery bouquet of pure organic vanilla, mixed in a blend with fresh organic soymilk, complex carbohydrates such as rice syrup and inulin and just a hint (9 grams) of organic sugar. The fragrant flavor of vanilla never had it so good.

Cappuccino: Many people love fancy coffee drinks from the coffee shops, but the excess sugar, fat and calories added to those coffee beverages will send folks running for the exits. As an alternative, we offer the rich flavor of our Cappuccino, with a complex, indulgent coffee taste that seems impossible for such a nutritionally-stellar product. But delicious flavor speaks for itself, and we’re sure you’ll love our Cappuccino.

Spiced Chai: One of the gifts of South Asia to the beverage world is the savory, exciting taste of chai. We’re so delighted that this beverage is catching on here in America that we created our Spiced Chai flavor. Our Chai has an irresistible aroma and a blend of organic black tea and organic South Asian spices. Plus, with complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein and fiber, our Chai has a nutritional excellence that any lover of world cuisine will find delightful.

My thoughts:

Pros:

  • Low Sugar
  • High Fiber
  • Vegan
  • Yummy flavors
  • Great quick breakfast on the go or a snack before or after a workout

Cons:

  • I found the french vanilla to be too sweet for me, however I am overly sensitive to sweet flavors.

My rating of flavor from my favorite to least favorite:

  1. Chai
  2. Cappuccino
  3. Chocolate
  4. French Vanilla
Overall I found these beverages to be tasty and I love that unlike other energy protein drinks they are low in sugar and I can name all of the ingredients.  I don’t think that these will be my go to drinks for energy as I prefer to make my own energy-protein smoothies but these are good on the run.
Stay tuned for a Calnaturale Wine review in January once my holiday detox is over. 

Eat-In Challenge

4 Comments

 

Every month, the Hubz and I seem to have the same discussion about cutting back on eating out.  And yet, nothing really changes.

One of the biggest realizations that we have come to is how crazy it is that we can debate for days, months, weeks over making a simple purchase for something like a new shirt or shoes, and yet when it comes to dining out we don’t even think twice. Looking back on things I am just imagining how many shirts, shoes, and new bags I could have bought over the years if we had just cut back on dining out. The trouble is, we really enjoy dining out.  Not so much the actual eating part, but the social aspect of it.  It’s nice to peel ourselves away from the computers and get out and do something together. It gives us the opportunity to take a break and enjoy each others company.  No dishes to clean up is certainly a nice perk!

So, why not dine out?  What are the biggest problems with eating out?

 

  • Portions – Most of the times, your portions are way too much for one person.  Many times, Neil and I will share an entree and a salad or appetizer.  But, whether you just aren’t feeling like eating the same thing as your partner, or you just feel like you’re hungrier than you probably are, sometimes you just want your own meal. You could always ask the wait staff to box half up of your meal before they bring it out, but, honestly, how often does that actually happen?
  • Expense –  There’s no two ways about it, eating out is expensive. Just think about how much that pasta with salad dish would have cost you at home.  Would that bottle of wine you shared at dinner really have cost you $35.00 at the grocery store?  Often, a meal for two (as simple as the one i just mentioned) can cost upwards of $60. In reality, you can make it at home for $15-25 (including that bottle of wine!).  I know that part of what you are paying for is the experience, but why not try to recreate that at home?  And hey, tipping your partner with a kiss is a lot cheaper than 15-20% of that $60 bill (and more fun!).
  • Mystery – Often, it can be a mystery as to what you are actually eating.  Unless a restaurant clearly labels each ingredient on their menu, you may not have any idea what is in your dish.  Often restaurant dishes are filled with sodium and fats used to heighten flavor which makes you want more, creating repeat customers.  Not to mention that you don’t know what the quality of the ingredients they use are or whether they are packaged or made from scratch.
How can eating at home help?

 

  • You have control – You have all of the control.  You can control: the portion sizes, the quality of ingredients and the costs.  When we eat at home we are able to buy high quality ingredients to make dishes that are tasty, healthy and better fit our budget.  You can control the salt and the fat, which helps you take control of your diet.
How can I address the things that get in the way of cooking at home?

 

There are a couple core reasons people turn to eating out and I’m hoping to give you some ways you can address those.  Many people end up eating out for the following reasons:

 

  • I don’t like to cook – A lot of people just don’t like to cook.  Whether they find it tedious or just too hard.  One way to make it fun is to find a friend who likes to cook or who is good at cooking to cook with.  The Hubz used to have cooking parties with his friends all the time and found that it really helped to improve the quality of food and the healthiness of the food he was eating at home.  If you are in a relationship, make it fun by making it something you and your partner do together.  Break the preparation up into different steps: chopping veggies, sautéing your veggies and/or proteins or boiling the pasta for example.  This allows you to spend time together and make the process a little less tedious or labor intensive.
  • I don’t know how to cook – Look into taking a cooking class.  It’s a great way to learn and maybe even meet some new friends who may share your passion for food.  Many local health food stores, kitchen supply stores (Williams-Sonoma for one), community centers and in some cases even bloggers or restaurants in your area are great resources for cooking classes.  These classes are usually offered at reasonable rate and some classes even cater to couples.  You will often find these classes focusing on different cuisines or dishes which will allow you to to become an expert at cooking the types of food you love to get when you eat out.  You can often find classes offered on the basics of cooking as well (knife work, making broths, etc).  Investing the time and money you would normally spend on eating out one night is a great way to learn to provide for yourself for years to come!
  • I don’t have time –  Cooking a big meal can be intimidating and time consuming.  But there are lots of great, easy, tasty and healthy dishes that you can throw together quickly.  Often the time you put into making a quick, healthy dish can be less than you would invest in going out to eat.  Between work, health coaching and blogging spare time is hard to find, so I often feature some of my favorite quick, healthy recipes on the blog.  Some examples of some quick healthy dishes include:  couscous and steamed veggies and beans, salads with lots of veggies and a lean protein.  A favorite of the Hubz’s is what we like to call “Beans, Greens and Grains” at home.  It’s usually a combination of  some sort of bean (any will do, for example: black eyed peas, chickpeas or white beans), a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, etc.) and a hearty green (the Hubz loves kale, collards and spinach).
In a pinch, when you are on the run and are really running short on time there are some great frozen healthful options from brands like Amy’s Kitchen and Kashi that are tasty, clear about what goes into them and packed full of nutrients.  These meals will help you address any of the three issues I listed above as reasons for eating out and are much more cost efficient.

 

The Challenge:

 

And now, here’s your challenge.  Starting on October 1st and running through the month until October 30th, challenge participants are encouraged to eat-in for all meals.  This includes snacks and beverages.  I am not going to state any exceptions because this is something that you are doing for yourself.  Just remember if you do “cheat” one day it doesn’t mean the month is a loss.  Just start right back up; each meal is a new chance to jump back in.

 

Set a budget for the month and stick to it.  This budget should include all of your meals, snacks and beverages and should be based on your personal/family needs. This means making your coffee at home, avoiding vending machines at work (you should avoid those anyways). Do you crave dessert? Make sure to add it to your grocery list, try to avoid those late night runs to your favorite dessert spot.   Every budget will be different but make sure it is one that you will be able to work with for an entire month.

 

Tips:

 

  1. Plan you menu for the week and make a grocery list.  Make sure to include snacks and drinks on your list. Planning will help you to stay on track and to cut costs.
  2. Focus on simple, healthy meals during the week and one “WOW” dinner on the weekend.  When you keep things simple you reduce stress and the desire to eat out.  The “WOW” dinner is a replacement for eating out; make something special and make an event out of it.  One of our favorite things to do is pick a movie and create a meal that follows the theme of the movie.
  3. Have a prep day.  One of the biggest challenges many of us face is time.  Take one day per week, I find Sundays work well for me, and prep your meals for the week.  This helps things run smoothly through the week and you will have more time doing the things you want, rather than being in the kitchen all night.
  4. Buy in bulk  and portion out.  I love to buy nuts, seeds and dried fruit in bulk for snacks.  When I get home I portion them out into little containers so they are easy to grab and go.  This is also great to do with other snacks such as veggie sticks and hummus or whole grain crackers and salsa.
  5. Keep it simple and have fun.
Added incentive:

 

Need a little added incentive to keep you on track? All participants who participate with no cheats will be eligible for a $10 amazon gift card purchased for you by me.

 

Requirements:

 

You must follow all of the following requirements to be eligible: 

 

  1. Blog post announcing your participation by 12pm EST on October 1, 2011. The blog post must include:
    • Why you are participating in the challenge. 
    • Your monthly budget.
    • How you are going to keep yourself on track and what measures you plan to take to make this a successful challenge.
  2. On October 8th, 15th and 22nd you must post a progress report.  The post must include:
    • Discuss how things are going and whether you are on track for budget.
    • Discuss the meals you had over the course of the week.
    • Something you learned, a challenge you faced and how you over came that challenge
  3. Lastly on October 30th a final report must be posted.  This post must include:
    • Discuss how the challenge went and whether you were able to stay on track for budget
    • Discuss positive changes you have experienced with your health, your relationships and your wallet. 
    • Something you learned, a challenge you faced and how you over came that challenge
Planning to participate add this badge:

 

Thoughts on Thrive in 30

Leave a Comment

Thirteen days ago I signed up for the Thrive in 30 program, a 30 day program with Brendan Brazier that provides you with the tips and tools to achieve optimum health and vitality. The Thrive in 30 program teaches you:

  • How to combat stress using whole, plant-based foods and high net-gain nutrition
  • The whole food truth about protein, fats and carbs— and how balancing your diet will help you build a younger body
  • How you can alkalize your body’s pH to combat disease, improve sleep and lose weight
  • What superfoods to use to balance hormones, detoxify body or lower cholesterol
  • How to identify common foods that cause unexplained, mystery illnesses
  • How to use nutrition to strategically fuel your body so you’ll have greater endurance, maximize the return from your workouts and recover faster
  • Why nutrition, exercise and sleep are the secret to empowered mental health
  • Long-term strategies that will help you transform your health for life

The first task is to Examine your current diet (I did wrote this on July 18, 2011- my start date) and write a list of all the things you eat that you think might be taking away from your energy or aren’t supporting your health and fitness goals. Mine are as follows:

  • Wheat/Gluten. I am a huge bread lover.  I could easily sit and eat a whole loaf by myself (don’t worry I don’t) but I also know I don’t feel great after I do. This is a challenge for me but I know if I was to reduce the amount of bread, crackers, pasta, ect. that I eat I would feel better.
  • Soy.  I actually don’t eat nearly as much soy as I once did but lately I find it sneaking into our grocery cart more often.  As much as I love soy products and tofu my stomach doesn’t agree.
  • Alcohol. I am a huge beer lover. I notice a big difference in my energy and body in the morning even after only having one beer.  I have been doing pretty well at staying at a two beer max, usually only having one beer, but still more per week than I’d like.  My goal here is to not drink at all on nights before runs because that is when I feel like it effects me the most so that would limit consumption down to 3-5 alcoholic drinks max per week.

In addition to breaking these habits/crowding them out of my diet. Thrive in 30 suggests the following five tools to make the most of this program (I’m not going to reveal everything so you’ll have to sign up yourself to find out more):

  • Eat throughout the day
  • Drink a nutritious smoothie each day
  • Eat a big green salad every day
  • Eat a raw energy bar every day
  • Eat a substantial, balanced afternoon snack

As part of the Thrive in 30 you receive an email every few days with a lesson filled with important information, tips and tools on how to make achieve optimal health. I just received lesson 7 of 12 and so far I have found the lessons informative and helpful.

Each lesson has a specific topic that is covers and a short video clip featuring an informative video lesson by Brendan Brazier.  Below the video there is information regarding the topic followed by take-away points and finally how you can take action. Since starting this program I have:

  • Lesson 1: Stress & Diet
    • I have reduced my intake of processed and convenience foods by eating more fruit and vegetable snacks.
    • I have reduced stimulants such as coffee by reducing the amount of coffee I drink to 3-5 cups per week.
  • Lesson 2: High Net-Gain Nutrition
    • I have added even more high net-gain foods (whole foods, raw foods, superfoods, alkaline forming foods) to my already highly nutritious diet by adding blueberries to my oatmeal, taking a chlorella supplement and adding sea vegetables to my salad.
  • Lesson 3: Myth-Busting
    • I didn’t get as much out of this lesson because I am vegan, I add flax to my oatmeal, I bake with natural sweeteners and whole wheat flours and I love to top by salad with hemp seeds and flax (all suggestions in lesson 3).
  • Lesson 4: Alkaline v. Acid
    • In this lesson you are to rate the amount of alkaline versus acidic foods that you are eating.  I found that I regularly eat 25 out of the 32 alkaline-forming foods listed and 3 (coffee, peanuts, chocolate) out of the 21 acid-forming foods. The other suggestion is to be more active which I feel that I can always be a little more but I am fairly active running on average 8-12 miles per week as well as doing cross training 2-3 times per week.
  • Lesson 5: Digestion
    • In this lesson it is suggested that you regularly eat high fiber foods, which as a vegan I eat tons high fiber foods such as leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes.  The other action that is suggested is to take a probiotic.  This I actually do not take a vegan-friendly probiotic supplement but I do often use brown rice miso (a whole food source probiotic) and Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer in my smoothies.
  • Lesson 6: Superfoods
    • I include a number of superfoods in my diet including maca, chlorella, hemp, flax, dark leafy greens, quinoa, sprouts and coconut.
  • Lesson 7: Food Sensitivities
    • I have reduced my soy, gluten and wheat intake after noticing the negative affects on my digestion. As a vegan I already don’t eat dairy so I can cross that allergen off my list.  I have not yet removed corn or yeast but besides nutritional yeast I do not eat much else.

Overall I think that this program is great for those who are looking to jump start a healthy lifestyle.  The tips and lessons are laid out in a way that is easy to follow.  The program is great for different learners as well because it has a visual element, written and then action to help implement the tips and tools suggested. As a vegan who tries to live a healthy lifestyle already I found that many of the actions where things that I already do, however there is always room for improvement.  As a health coach I found that most of the information is similar to what I discuss with my own clients and has provided me with some new ways of approaching various topics.  So far I am finding Thrive in 30 to be a great resource filled with great tips and tools to jump start a healthy lifestyle.

Interested in starting Thrive in 30? You can sign up free here: http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/

Vegan Travel: Greater Portland Maine Area

3 Comments

We are headed to Portland,ME (not Oregon) for the weekend to run a 5K  and I decided to do a little  lot of research of dining options. Here is my guide to Portland, ME  Vegan Friendly Dining (FYI this gives you an idea of what you can eat at these restaurants it is not a review of the restaurant because frankly I haven’t been to all of them- I will do a review of the ones we do visit upon our return):

Rating system:

1 –> 3 or less vegan options
2 –> 4-5 vegan options (at least one entree)
3 –> 6-7 vegan options (at least one entree)
4 –> 8-9 vegan options (at least two entrees)
5 –> 10+ vegan options (at least two entrees)

Green Elephant: 608 Congress St, Portland ME
Rating: 5 (vegetarian, mostly vegan)

Check out their menu here.

Boda: 671 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 3


Vegan Options:

The staff will let you know for sure which options are vegan there are a few I am not sure about- the skewers are though and they are good! So just double check; below are the vegetarian options which are most likely vegan or can be made that way.

  • House fried peanuts seasoned with Thai herbs
  • Fried taro sticks seasoned with sea salt. Served with spicy chili sauce
  • Steamed assorted vegetables with “Nahm-Prik” (eggplant relish)
  • Tofu skewer rubbed with teriyaki sauce
  • Shiitake skewer with teriyaki seasoning sauce
  • Portabella mushroom skewer rubbed with sesame oil & mushroom sauce
  • Thai sticky rice with soy sauce, pepper, scallion, and garlic
  • Stir-fried wide rice noodles with onion, tomato, pepper, bamboo shoot,Chinese broccoli, Thai basil, and tofu
  • Organic tofu, bamboo shoots, red and green pepper, squash, baby carrot, green beans, Thai eggplant and Thai basil in homemade green curry

Personal Experience: LOVED this place. (same owners as Green Elephant)
Sebago Brewing Company: 211 Fore Street Portland ME
Rating: 2

Vegan Options:

  • Beer
  • Pub Pretzels: they are ok-but without the dipping sauce.
  • Hummus & Tzatiki (without tzatiki)
  • Greek Falafel (no feta): This salad is fine but with a different
    dressing-the dressing it is listed with contains feta. The falafel is pan
    seared with oil.
  • Dressings that are ok:
    Balsamic ving.
    Italian
    Cianti Ving.
    Hefeweizen Ving? (contains honey)
    Pesto Ving.
  • Panzanella Salad (no chicken):  without the cheese. suggest adding the falafel to this
  • Vegetable Stir Fry: this dish is fine w/o rice could sub pasta
  • Linguine-prepped with margarine
  • Falafel burger  w/o bun or tzatiki – sub wheat wrap
  • Veggie quesadilla without any cheese
  • FYI: the onion rings (not vegan anyways), chips french fries & sweet potato fries are deep fried in the same oil as fish

Soakology: 30 City Center Portland, ME 04101


Rating: 3* note this is a tea shop and foot spa so no meals just snacks.

Vegan Options:

  • assorted mediterranean olives
  • warmed, crusty french roll served with dipping oil & herbs
  • hummus & warm pita served with mediterranean olives & veggies
  • olive tapenade served with toasted crostinis
  • eggplant bruschetta & olive tapenade served with seasonal fruits & toasted crostinis
  • an assortment of fine cheese, seasonal fruit & mediterranean olives served with a petite boule, dipping oil & dark chocolate
Gorgeous Gelato: 434 Fore St, Portland, ME
Rating: 3 
Vegan Options:
Fruit Gelatos (Sorbettos) that are completely milk free, egg free and fat free. Our fruit flavors are made using exclusively fresh fruit, water and different kinds of natural sugars. Usually, we produce :

El Rayo Taqueria: 101 York Street, Portland, ME
Rating: 4

Vegan Options:

  • rice and beans
  • veggie taco
  •  the veggie burrito can be done vegan
  • the grilled pineapple
  • chili fritas
  • chips & salsa
  • the el mercado salad
  • the fiesta salad can be done vegan

Sonny’s: 83 Exchange Street, Portland.
Rating: 2

Vegan Options:

House pickled vegetables
• Soup*
• fried plantains w/o chili sour cream
• Beans
• Rice
• Panko fried avocado *not gluten free
• Farmer green sauté w/o butter
• Green salad
• Veggie enchiladas (entree) w/o cheese & the pine nut crema
Silly’s: 40 Washington Ave, Portland ME
Rating: 5
Vegan Options:
  • Vegan Choices: Starting with dessert…….
  • Vegan Triple chocolate layer cake with white and chocolate frosting
  • Vegan Sweet Dreams – Fried plantains, maple syrup, toasted pecans, toasted coconut & a dash of cinnamon, add Soy Ice Cream or Rice Ice Cream
  • Mug O’ Rice Ice Cream
  • Mug O’ Soy Ice Cream
  • The Veganotor Scramble- Sauteed tofu with mushrooms, green & red peppers, onioins, broccoli then finished with a vegan spicy sauce and served with red beans and salsa on the side.
  • Hummus Wrap -(vegan) – Spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, onions & pickles
  • ZoomaZoom Wrap (vegan) Falafel with spicy vegan spread, spinach, lettuce, tomato, onion and black olives
  • Tempeh Thru The Tulips Wrap (vegan) Spinach, tomato, fried tempeh and sauteed veggies du jour in creamy basil sauce
  • Garden of Eatin’ Appetizer (vegan) Silly made hummus served with carrots, broccoli, green& red peppers, falafel and crunchy flour tortilla chips, -made fresh daily-ask for it without the cuke dill
  • Vegan Decadence Appetizer (vegan) Creamy vegan basil sauce spread atop grilled bread topped with Greek olives, roasted red peppers, fresh tomatoes & garlic then toasted to perfection
  • Sweet Plantains Appetizer – Fried-  (vegan) Can be gluten free if you tell us….
  • Rings of Fire Appetizer (vegetarian) Breaded & fried jalapeno rings with a side of sour cream                                                **(vegan)-sub spicy vegan dip
  • French Fries Appetizer (vegan)-  Handcut  Can be gluten free if you tell us…
  • Hobo Pie Dinner (vegan) Flour tortilla chips topped with sweet potato millet blackbean vegan chili, salsa, tomatoes & scallions –Must ask for soy mozz substitute and no sour cream.
  • Tofu in a Dinghy Dinner -(vegan) – Thai ginger peanut sauce, rice noodles, fried tofu, vegan mozzarella cheese, mushrooms and scallions wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried in a chimi style.
  • Gone Bonzo Dinner-(vegan) – A panfried bonzo cake (chickpea flour spiced pancake with flax seeds) topped with sauteed veggies in a creamy spicy Thai peanut coconut sauce and garnished with julienne carrot.
  • Tempeh of Doom Dinner – (vegan) – Layered rice, red beans, fried tempeh, vegan bbq sauce, fried onions, hot sauce, vegan cheddar cheese and jalapenos.
  • PeppaKalaSpinaVeganDocious Pizza – (vegan) –   Creamy Vegan Basil sauce, spinach, roasted red peppers, Greek olives, garlic & fresh tomatoes
  • Rest in Pizza -(vegan)- Spicy vegan spread, fried veggie burger, jalapenos, pineapple, garlic, hot sauce & vegan mozzarella cheese
  • Good Golly Miss Bolly Dinner (vegan) Sauteed veggies, fried tofu, fried sweet potato and white potato, in a coconut mango curry sauce over rice garnished with cilantro and toasted coconut.
  • Et Tu & Fries Dinner Dinner– (vegan) – Breaded organic fried tofu & hand cut fries served with spicy vegan dip or make it buffalo with spicy vegan dip
  • Garden Salad – (vegan)  – Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, carrots, green peppers, scallions, broccoli, &  mushrooms-available in demi size
  • Blue Mango Veggie Burgers 
  • Papou’s Falafel fabuffel burger (falafel with buffalo sauce)
    • Your choice of a 
      • single
      • double 
      • Triple
      • All Burgers are served on a hamburger  and are topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles & served with Silly’s hand cut French Fries.
  • Accentuate your Bun…
    • Buffalo Sauce,  Vegan BBQ Sauce, Soy Cheddar, Soy Mozzarella, Soy American, Vegan Chili,  Avocado Puree’,  or Bolly Sauce (vegan mango coconut curry sauce)
Local 188: 685 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 1
Vegan Options:
  • olives
  • veg entree (as long as you omit the cheese)
  • green salad (omit the cheese)
  • risotto can be prepared vegan
  • flat bread
  • veg saute
  • sometimes the soup
Five Fifty-Five: 555 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 1 
Vegan Options:
Quote from the restaurant “We do have a few salads on the menu for vegans, however, if you want to come to the restaurant, the chef prefers to cook strictly for you.  to be honest there are very few things actually on the menu that are vegan, but we are happy to customize the menu for you.  if you would like further information please call us at 207-761-0555.   again, the chef takes all dietary restrictions/allergies very seriously and would be happy to accomodate you.”

Rating system:

1 –> 3 or less vegan options
2 –> 4-5 vegan options (at least one entree)
3 –> 6-7 vegan options (at least one entree)
4 –> 8-9 vegan options (at least two entrees)
5 –> 10+ vegan options (at least two entrees)

Thrive in 30: Day 1

2 Comments

I have just signed up for the Thrive in 30 and I am really excited to participate in the program.  I am hoping to learn new tips and techniques that I can then go back and use to help my health coaching clients as well as bring back to you through healthy living posts.  Based on the introduction this program contains similar information that I already teach in 6 month program which is great and will really help me to expand more and learn new ways to support my clients.

The first task is to Examine your current diet and write a list of all the things you eat that you think might be taking away from your energy or aren’t supporting your health and fitness goals. Mine are as follows:

  • Wheat/Gluten. I am a huge bread lover.  I could easily sit and eat a whole loaf by myself (don’t worry I don’t) but I also know I don’t feel great after I do. This is a challenge for me but I know if I was to reduce the amount of bread, crackers, pasta, ect. that I eat I would feel better.
  • Soy.  I actually don’t eat nearly as much soy as I once did but lately I find it sneaking into our grocery cart more often.  As much as I love soy products and tofu my stomach doesn’t agree.
  • Alcohol. I am a huge beer lover. I notice a big difference in my energy and body in the morning even after only having one beer.  I have been doing pretty well at staying at a two beer max, usually only having one beer, but still more per week than I’d like.  My goal here is to not drink at all on nights before runs because that is when I feel like it effects me the most so that would limit consumption down to 3-5 alcoholic drinks max per week.

In addition to breaking these habits/crowding them out of my diet. Thrive in 30 suggests the following five tools to make the most of this program (I’m not going to reveal everything so you’ll have to sign up yourself to find out more):

  • Eat throughout the day
  • Drink a nutritious smoothie each day
  • Eat a big green salad every day
  • Eat a raw energy bar every day
  • Eat a substantial, balanced afternoon snack
To learn more about this program and/or participate yourself visit the Thrive in 30 site. 

Guest Post: Becoming A Runner- Megan’s Story

2 Comments

Hi Bloggies! The next few days I am working 12 hour days (or more) so since I am going to be crazy busy so I have asked Megan to do a guest post about her journey to becoming a runner.  I hope you enjoy her inspirational story of how she came to run her first half marathon.  She is amazing such an inspiration especially to me because I am preparing to run my first 5k, 5miler, 10k and 1/2 MARATHON (eek) over the next 6 months.

____________________________________________

Hi everyone! My name is Megan. You may remember me from this guest post about what it’s like to live in Germany as a vegan. Now I’m back in the US and blogging about my life as a vegan, dog mom, and runner in Upper Michigan.

Not long ago, that third descriptor – runner – wouldn’t have been included. I did gymnastics in high school and ran sprints on the track team for two years, but at my best I couldn’t run more than 3 miles. Some of the people I looked up to/envied the most in high school were long distance runners, but that sport just “wasn’t for me.”

Throughout college and graduate school I was a casual exerciser, going to the gym a couple times a week (in the best of times) to use the elliptical, lift, or do Pilates.

In September of 2009, after quitting graduate school and spending a summer working and studying in Sweden, I moved to Germany to teach English for a year. It was a life-changing step, but nothing compared to what happened after: I became vegan. I’m still not sure where the conviction came from, but the idea had been simmering in my brain for awhile. Finally, it boiled over and I went vegan overnight in October 2009.

After that, everything changed. I felt like each day had a bit more of a purpose and challenge to it. I began to eat differently, cook and bake more, and to come out of a slump caused by an unhappy two years at grad school and a summer of eating delicious but often unhealthy food in Sweden. I didn’t realize until much later, but I had gained some weight and was just feeling weird in my body. Now, as a vegan, I was thinking much more about what went into my body and what I did for my health. I joined a Pilates studio and started taking class 2x a week.

The fall gave way to winter.  I began to make new friends and form a life in Germany, but with life comes struggle. Shortly before Christmas I began a short-lived relationship with one of my new vegan friends, who also happened to be a marathoner. The few weeks the affair lasted were intense and tumultuous and ended abruptly right after my first Christmas every away from my family. I was sad, angry, hurt, and lonely. I was also on break from school until mid-January and had way too much time to feel bad for myself.

Then, one of my new Twitter friends Lindsay (yes, this Lindsay!) retweeted a link to Tia’s post about completing the C25k running plan. I read Tia’s words about her silent struggle to complete the program. I was so inspired and, even though it was bitter cold outside, suddenly needed to go run. Right away.

And that was it! The program was so simple to follow and had such a firm goal that I never stopped. From January to April (I had some breaks for illness and travel) I ran in all sorts of weather, often the only person on the street. I began to feel so much better physically and mentally, and I started to lose some weight I didn’t know I’d gained, likely a result of the running combined with my new diet. I even brought my shoes on a backpacking trip to Portugal ran through the town of Sintra. Who was I?

On April 25, 2010, the last day of my C25k training, I ran the 24th annual Hildesheimer Wedekind-Lauf 5k in Hildesheim, Germany. I could NOT believe it! I was so proud and so thankful that I had felt driven to train, even if I was inspired by pain and sadness.

After the race, I continued to run a few times a week, loosely following the One Hour Runner plan. I moved back to the US in July 2010 and kept going, but in August I began working toward teacher certification at the local university and my Masters thesis was due in October. I stopped running almost completely and before long it was snowy and icy and I didn’t have a park across the street to run in.

I missed it, though, and I also knew how well I had responded to having the goal of the 5k during the C25k program. On New Years Day 2011, after nervously considering the idea in the back of my mind for a week or two, I took the leap and registered for the Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon.

Yep.  A half marathon. I was so scared but C25k had proved to me that slow, steady, dedicated training can prepare you for things you never thought possible.

I joined my university’s gym and began following an adaptation of Hal Higdon’s novice plan. If I hadn’t registered I never would have trained! Without having $60 invested plus the verbal commitment (to my parents, boyfriend, etc), it would have been so easy to bail. There were many dark and nasty winter days when thinking about going to the gym felt painful. But I stuck with it for 14 weeks, gradually increasing my mileage closer and closer to 13.1.

No part of it was easy, but the rewards were great. Each week brought a new personal distance record. I was accomplishing something and I could see and feel it. As May 15 grew closer, I knew I would be able to finish the half marathon. I had put in the sweat!

On April 23, I ran a local 10-miler (in the SNOW!) as a training run and after that it seemed like just the blink of an eye before mid-May.

The morning of my race (full recap on my blog), I knew I was prepared but it felt like a dream. I had read so many half marathon recaps that I couldn’t believe it was me who was going to run. I was not a runner!

But, in that moment, and the 2 hours and 25 minutes that followed, and all moments since January 2010 and all the ones since, I was and am a runner. If you run, you are a runner. I will be a runner forever and I have the C25k and the support of my Tweeps to thank for it. If you think you could never do it, you can. All it takes is one step, and then another and another – with plenty of walk breaks.