still truckin' along : )

I am 90% vegetarian these days. Can you even say that? I mean, eating some meat or dairy automatically makes you an omnivore, I guess.  What has crept in? Well another family  member makes dinner two to three nights a week now and usually makes at least one meat based dish. I will eat what is made for me, if it is within my taste limits. The meals I make on my nights  are always plant based, I am not eating dairy or eggs, but again if someone makes something with eggs in it, like pancakes for example, I will eat it.

My weight was up and down since the summer but has been stable for three months so while higher than it should be according to my BMI, it is not increasing. My life is increasingly busy, but in good ways, and I am involved in many things these days that are fulfilling and challenging. This is the year I turn 50 and it is already a bellwether year in some ways. I work in two different careers and in one I had a paper accepted for a conference in another part of the country. In my other career I have a solo exhibition in the fall and am very focussed on getting in studio time and working on some big pieces that are just plain time consuming. All good things, but these, along with kids, work and life well, not much time left over to post.
If you are reading here from BCB - Hello!!

Exercise

Started using EA Sports Active for Wii and am working my way through the 30 day challenge at an Easy work out pace. I will move onto medium and finally the high intensity over the next two 30 day challenges. Nicely paced, my heart rate increases, two days on, one day off and I am enjoying it.

Also started the 21 day vegan  kickstart program and so far so good.
My only goals for January are to eat low fat vegan and follow the exercise program which so far is a nice 15 - 20 minutes so very manageable for me.

New Years Day

Today was the final holiday celebration with relatives. Lunch was bean salad, yams, pickle, scallop potato, and too many shortbread cookies and other sweet desserts.Too many pop in mouth little cookies.

I have been enjoying exercising a modest 20 minutes for two days on one day off.
I am looking forward to the 21 vegan kick start that I joined. Will be writing about it here as I go along.

New Year's Eve

Oatmeal with apples

exercise

oatmeal with apples and maple syrup

polenta with bean paste and salsa
bran muffin
cookie
coffee and tea
9 cups of water
smoked tofu
brown rice and curried chickpeas
2 hershey kisses
rye and ginger 

Driving and eating

Driving family members hither and yon so started the day with some potato, then exercised, then had smoked tofu and some sweet potato.
A late morning social visit had our host serving us Persian tea and plates of cookies and chocolate of which I ate some (5 or 6 chocolates and three cookies)

Lunch was at a tandoori restaurant and I had a spinach and potato dish, curried chick peas, rice, lettuce and naan.
A late afternoon latte. Just realized that was dairy! Old habits still linger : )

December 29th

19 years ago today I got married! It was sleety and cold, but the wedding was in a tropical plant filled atrium so was warm and elegant. no meal, but a afternoon tea of cream filled cakes and sweets. I happened to weigh my lowest ever adult weight but was also working out daily and under eating,

Today we are going out for lunch and I will try to order as plant based as possible and will report back in.
Breakfast was white and sweet potato with fresh salsa.

Lunch was plant  based! Yeah me! hummus and pita, olives, dal, salad and coffee.
Had an orange and  an ounce of chocolate at home.
Later some rye bread with peanut butter and apple slices.

Slow cooker baked ( steamed?) potato

Wrap some washed potatoes in aluminum foil, enough to fill your crock pot ,and set on high for 3 - 4 hours or low 6 - 8 hours. I cooked 2 sweet potatoes and 6 white and cooked for 3 1/2 hours on high. The sweet potato were very soft and the white ones  were perfectly cooked.