Rozey Thorn Trees

 Today I got to eat professionally catered vegan cuisine with added salt, oil, and sugar! I loved it! Especially the portobello steaks. Sooo good and so worth the wait!

 In the autobiography Finding Ultra , Rich Roll recounts how large and unfinished he was at 208 lbs. Wow! Initially, I hadn’t started my first diet and exercise program until I had reached 225 lbs many years ago. At the time, I was so embarrassed that I had let myself go that much. It was summer vacation and I was motivated! And my weight dropped to 199 lbs. Years later, I reached 255 lbs. I’m so grateful that my WFPB diet has helped me to drop so many pounds in a short two months. I’m nearly back to 225! Then into 208 lbs!

We have our big 4-day family reunion this week! I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone come together again.  I set up my checklist this morning to stay under 2,500 calories each day this week, to eat WFPB SOS-Free each day with the exception of catered vegan meals at the reunion.  I’m looking forward to it!

I surprised myself with a delicious soupy salad dinner bowl that I threw together. I think the secret ingredient was just the right amount of chopped habanero pepper. It’s an ugly hodgepodge meal, but amazing (to me)! (Yes, just two strawberries seem arbitrary. It was. But worth it! The corn on the cob was air fried at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then cut off the cob and tossed into my salad mix. Also, the miso paste was mixed with a cup of hot water then added to my salad to make it a soupy-salad.)  By the way, I think I’m ready to throw away my XXL T-shirts and khaki trousers. I feel like a clown wearing them. I’ll at least take a picture with them on for the record. Gregg says to keep at least one pair to show people what I used to wear.  I bought new Large-sized T-shirts (I took a chance and skipped the XL size!). One brand fit me just right; another brand was a snug fit; I look forward to wearing them some day soon!  Bonus Meal of the Day Recipe for my PB2 Performance Protein Shake

 I ate well today. I tried raw mushrooms (mini bella) in my salad for the first time since I began my diet. I prefer them cooked. Next time I’ll try air frying instead. I bought an eggplant for the first time in decades. I’ll have to look up want to do with it. Also, I really enjoyed eating sweet medjool dates covered in coconuts! I also bought dried figs imported from Turkey that I look forward to snacking on.  I started reading Ultra yesterday. It’s really good. I motivated me to pick up my jogging pace to beat my time

 I dropped to 227.2 this morning after getting stuck between 228 and 230 for a few days. I’m getting very close to my next two significant milestones of 225 and 223. It’s always nice to pass old weight scale numbers (on the way down this time).

 Yesterday, the library took back my audiobook loan of How Not to Die. I was disappointed, but I found a very good, though short, audiobook that I enjoyed and recommend: Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by journalist Michael Pollan. It’s really short at 1 hr 20 min including the introduction. I heard it in a day. Have you listened to that one? It’s a collection of sagely truisms about food and health that Pollan collected from regular folks who had inherited it from their parents, grandparents, and community. Highly recommend.

 My wife reactivated our lapsed Y membership today. We haven’t been there since the COVID Lockdown in the spring of 2020. Four years later we’re very ready to have access to the pool this hot June. My favorite perk is the hot tub after a workout with weights and treadmill. Laura prefers a good swim. I also made time to play on the PlayStation with my kids. I see they have added a pickleball court and new exercise equipment. I might check a trainer this time around.  Also, my new digital food scale arrived!

 My new weighted vest came in yesterday! I have ten 5 lb weights that fit into the vest. Very heavy! I wore 40 lbs of weight today while I mowed grass. It definitely worked me out! I checked my heart rate a number of times to be sure I’m being safe in this high heat. If works great! This got me thinking more about my pulse. I haven’t checked in a long while. It’s looking good!

  My Apple Health app quotes the Mayo Clinic regarding Sodium: “Sodium helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, helps transmit nerve impulses, and influences muscle contraction and relaxation. Your kidneys naturally balance the amount of sodium stored in your body to maintain optimal health. When your body sodium is low, your kidneys hold on to sodium. When body sodium is high, your kidneys excrete the excess in urine. Most adults consume much more sodium than is needed. It's found in many prepared and processed foods, including prepared dinners, cold cuts and bacon, soups, condiments, and fast foods. In addition, many recipes call for salt, and many people also salt their food at the table.” I’ve worrying about sodium the past couple of days because the temperature has been in the high 80s and 90s and I’ve sweating profusely working outdoors.  I checked with ChatGPT about recommended sources of sodium for someone on a WFPB SOS-free diet. Usually people get their s

Me:  I heard that if my urine is clear that I am probably over hydrated and losing electrolytes. If it is a dark yellow like apple juice then I’m not drinking enough and am likely dehydrated. If it has a hint of yellow and not perfectly see through and not too dark then you are likely perfectly hydrated and are getting enough electrolytes as well. ChatGPT You're on the right track with those observations. The color of your urine can be a helpful indicator of your hydration status and to some extent, electrolyte balance: 1. **Clear Urine**: If your urine is consistently clear, it might indicate that you're drinking more water than your body needs. While it's generally good to stay hydrated, excessively clear urine can sometimes mean that you're overhydrated. This condition, known as hyponatremia, occurs when the sodium levels in your blood are unusually low, which can happen if you're drinking a lot of water without replenishing electrolytes. 2. **Dark Yellow Urine**

 In the book ADHD 2.0 the authors Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Rated provide several recommendations for managing ADHD, including dietary advice (as summarized by ChatGPT): Protein-Rich Foods: Foods like lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and legumes are emphasized. Protein is crucial for brain function and can help with the synthesis of neurotransmitters like dopamine, which plays a key role in attention and focus. Complex Carbohydrates: Including complex carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in meals, especially during dinner, can aid in better sleep. Good sleep is particularly important for managing ADHD symptoms. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The authors highlight the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fish like salmon and sardines, as well as in flax seeds and walnuts. Omega-3s are important for brain health and have been shown to help improve attention and reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity. Limiting Sugar and Artificial Additives: They advise l

My 8-year-old and I walked up and down grocery aisles of a store I haven’t been in for awhile. I estimate that 99.9% of everything outside of the produce section was not eligible for me to eat. Wow. That was a sad thought for me. Not because I wanted to eat anything, but because I had never given it much thought before my diet how much I should question the value of my health.  My daughter and I took much more time than expected trying to find a container of no salt peanuts without oil and sugar. I nearly gave up and settled on raw cashews which aren’t a bad purchase, but not what I came for.  I finally found mixed nuts that I could buy.

 My SOS- Free plant based protein shake was amazing! (Laura thought it tasted gross) This will help boost up my protein deficit when needed, and help alleviate my concerns about losing muscle mass. It was literally the only brand and product of the many plant-based protein powder offerings on the Meijer shelves that had zero added salt, oil, or sugar. Just peanut protein. 

 In the new Steve! (Martin) documentary on Apple TV+, I was inspired by Steve’s story of visiting his girlfriend’s family for the first time and discovering their amazing warmth and hospitality and vibrant dinner discussions about the arts and their many other interests.  That’s what I want in my family! I’m going to find a way to incorporate more laughter and interesting conversations with my kids during meal times. Stay tuned.

 In ADHD 2.0, Hallowell prescribes a physical fitness regimen to help regulate the problem of inattention and anxiety. I asked ChatGPT to list the exercises for me to do with my kids.  Me : In chapter 3 of ADHD 2.0, Edward M. Hallowell M.D. recommends Balancing Exercises for 30 minutes every day for cerebellum training to treat ADHD symptoms. Write out the list that Hallowell prescribes  ChatGPT: Here’s a list of balancing exercises that Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. prescribes for cerebellum training to treat ADHD symptoms, as outlined in Chapter 3 of **ADHD 2.0**: 1. **Walking on a Balance Beam**:    - Walk forward and backward on a balance beam or a straight line on the floor.    - Try with eyes open and then eyes closed. 2. **Standing on One Foot**:    - Balance on one foot, switch to the other foot.    - Progress to balancing with eyes closed. 3. **Standing on One Foot on an Unstable Surface**:    - Use a pillow, balance pad, or a Bosu ball. 4. **Hopping on One Foot**:    - Hop in pla

  Since I reached another 5 lbs weight loss goal today, I chatted with ChatGPT this morning to update my daily nutrition goals: Me: I’m tracking my weight and nutrition in MyFitnessPal. I weigh 229.6 lbs. I lost 22 lbs since my WFPB SOS-Free diet started on May 1st. My goal is to get to my BMI weight level. While toning my body with exercise. I don’t want to look skinny and frail. I have a number of advice questions. Here are the default settings in the app. What would nutrition and fitness people suggest for my settings. ChatGPT: Looking at your current MyFitnessPal settings, here are a few adjustments and suggestions based on expert advice: ### Current Settings - **Calories**: 1970 - **Carbohydrates**: 246g (50%) - **Protein**: 99g (20%) - **Fat**: 66g (30%) ### Suggested Adjustments 1. **Calories**:    - Your current calorie goal of 1970 seems reasonable for a moderate weight loss pace. You can adjust this if needed based on your weekly weight loss progress. Aim for a 500-750 calori

 I captured a turtle walking around the yard and took down an hill in a wheelbarrow to get it to a pond. Unfortunately I slipped and took a tumble on the way down. No injuries but to my pride. The turtle was fine. He just waited in the wheelbarrow for me to recover.  It was quite a workout going down then up the steep hill. I honestly could not have done it safely had I tried even a month ago. My physical daily discipline including my steps, yard work, exercise and jogging has added up quite a bit even though I’ve got a long way to go! (About 8 more lbs until I cross from a Class 2 severe obesity category on the BMI to a Class 1 moderate obesity category.)  I had to go back down the hill to locate and fetch my phone that had fallen out! ChatGPT Summary of BMI The Body Mass Index (BMI) is still widely used as a screening tool in medical and health contexts, but its efficacy and appropriateness as a sole measure of optimal health have come under increasing scrutiny. Here are some key poi

 I attended an open house today. (My 7-year-old said later that she really enjoyed the Out House!) I had a feeling there wouldn’t be food for me to eat, so I ate fruit on the way. My daughter was happy to eat pulled pork sandwiches, chips, and cake.  The mom of the graduate told me about the success she’s had using Wegovy with very little negative side effects. She had lost 70 lbs already. I had looked into it but my insurance wouldn’t cover it for me. In hindsight I am very glad that I chose to eat healthy as my weight loss program. I hear that over time Wegovy and Ozempic have diminishing returns and one’s appetite cones roaring back with a vengeance. I hope that’s not the case! My sister has been working several hours yesterday and today helping to prepare our parents’ home for the biannual family reunion. I invited her and her family to join us for dinner. I cooked turkey burgers and Beyond Beef Burgers. I was content to watch everyone enjoy their meal while I too enjoyed my WFPB r

 A group of us reunited tonight at a favorite sports bar of ours. It was nice to hear compliments the my clothes were looking a bit loose on me. They ordered some great looking cheesy bread to share and other foods while I stuck to ordering a lemon with my water and a house salad without croutons. My friend asked the server to get me a new salad when he saw me picking off grated cheese sprinkled over everything. He pointed out that the menu didn’t mention cheese. Good friend!

 I started listening to How Not To Die by Michael Greger MD. I’m only 37 minutes into, but I’m already inspired to keep up my Fruitive Challenge progress of eating a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet for the long term and potentially for good. The stats he cites regarding the low percentage of doctors who ever took a nutrition course or even attempt to have a healthy diet, the lack of medical schools who require nutrition education, the mortality rates of people on a carnivorous and omnivorous diet compared to a WFPB diet, even the significant increase in mortality amongst former vegans who then switched to eating meat just once a week. I am grateful for my newfound path to health.  At some point I will read books and articles and watch videos of experts who take an opposing position.

I’v been enjoying Roger Frampton’s mobility training clips on TikTok. He’s a professional stretch instructor for strength and conditioning your muscles to support you in old age. Ten minutes a day of various stretching exercises is all it takes to be able to touch my toes with ease someday Hopefully sooner than never. I’m starting this as a discipline to add to my healthy habits checklist. Maybe in time I will do the splits!

 I reached my protein goal today, no problem! The secret? For lunch I included black beans that I had thoroughly cooked yesterday on the stove. For dinner I included a cup of Large Lima beans that I prepared in a crockpot today. I’m definitely using the crockpot again to prepare my beans! It’s much easier than babysitting a pot on the stove. I had low energy much of the day until I remembered I didn’t drink coffee. I’m trying to wean myself off but not cold turkey. A cup made a huge difference to my energy levels. Fiber Fueled recommends a cup or two black each day for health benefits (and caffeine for those who thrive on it), but recommends green tea as an excellent alternative.  I’m mostly interested in dropping coffee because I read it’s less harsh on singers’ vocal cords. I’m preparing for a musical in August. I’ll try green tea tomorrow. 

 I joined a bunch of Facebook vegan and plant-based groups to learn more about people’s experiences with healthy eating. A lot of people say it’s common for non-vegans to ask, often judgmentally, where they get their protein.  This got me thinking where I get my protein. Well primarily from the following: Legumes Black beans Lentils (red, green, brown) Peanuts Peas Nuts (unsalted, raw or dry roasted): Almonds Brazil nuts Cashews Pecans Walnuts Vegetables Broccoli  Kale Spinach Sweet corn Whole Grains Brown rice Oatmeal Unfortunately, I’m falling way short of my minimum goal of between 130 and 240 grams. ChatGPT has a more thorough list of protein rich WFPB items to add to my grocery cart: 1. Beans and Legumes: • Black beans • Chickpeas • Edamame • Kidney beans • Lentils (red, green, brown) • Peas • Pinto beans 2. Nuts (unsalted, raw or dry roasted): • Almonds • Brazil nuts • Cashews • Pecans • Walnuts 3. Non-Dairy Milk (unsweetened, witho

My 12 year old announced today that she was going to bake me a very special WFPB cake from scratch as an early Father’s Day present. She spent a few hours getting the ingredients together, preparing the batter, babysitting the baking, and making the vegan frosting. The cake was amazing!  In hindsight, a couple of her ingredients she listed aren’t WFPB (baking soda, baking powder). At least my slice was modest. Regardless, I’m very impressed!  The younger girls definitely didn’t approve of the healthy frosting. They preferred their store-bought chocolate frosting. Mine was plenty sweet!

 My brother asked me why my WFPB SOS-Free diet is working so well for me. Here’s a list of reasons: I need to be healthy for my family and myself  I find that a checklist approach is motivating and helpful for me to stay focused on achieving my health milestones I aim to please my health coach with a good report each day I’m truly feeling healthy like I haven’t felt in a very long time!

 Well, I did it! I made it all the way through a whole month on my WFPB SOS-Free diet! I’ve lost 18 lbs! That’s about.6 lbs per day on average! I celebrated by taking my 8-year-old with me to play disc golf with a friend. It was a fun game even though I lost 2 discs. We went to a nice restaurant for food afterwards that serves vegan cuisine. Unfortunately nothing on the menu was SOS-Free. That’s alright. I expected that would be a problem so I had eaten dinner before going out. My friend ordered himself a beer which I would have gladly ordered for myself not that long ago. Not a problem. I’m focused on my health to not worry about it. Here’s to another month of healthy living!

 Chapter five of  Fiber Fueled is about easing bloating, gas, cramps, and altered bowels. I’m glad it’s addressing this topic because I have noticed that my digestion has been evolving over the past month. Before May 1st, I had been taking antacids almost every night to counteract my heartburn from overeating. Since my diet change to WFPB, I haven’t needed the antacids even one time. I had also struggled with regularity problems. I’m doing much better but I still struggle with gas and some constipation. The author suggests seeing one’s doctor to address this in case waste has compacted in my intestines. I should have mentioned my problem to m doctor in February. I’ll bring it up when I see him in June if there’s still any issue. Well, I missed dinner tonight because of running errands. I snacked on my dried mango slices and fruit and nut mix. I may regret my mango munchies in the morning.

 A diversity of fruits and vegetables is fundamental for optimal fiber fueled gut health according to Will Bulsiewicz in his book Fiber Fueled . 30+ different types per week is what research has shown to be optimal. I pulled out my Fitness Pal app to count the variety of plant based foods I have consumed this past week: oh yeah. I’m definitely over 30 types, which confirms that I’m a diverse eater as I suspected because I load up my meals with a delicious mix every meal. 

 I read that I shouldn’t be surprised if my family is influenced in healthy ways to eat like me. I find that to be true in many ways. In my car my kids were helping themselves to my bag of raw no-salt mix of fruit and nuts snack and my big family sized bag of dried mango slices. I was tempted to say “mine!” But, of course, I shared. I’m taking note of what they will and won’t eat. I’m surprised that they don’t prefer apples unless they’re pre-cut with peanut butter or even bananas unless there’s nothing else to snack on. Even more, it’s rare to see them eating vegetables! 🥗 But if they’re washed and cut and convenient to snack on, I’ll see my kids snacking on veggies too. I went out of the way today to take the girls to a park to play while I got some steps in. What a good workout! I think I’ll add this to my weekly routine!

 After the Memorial Day parade  we hung out at a friends house with a few other guests of theirs. The conversation was fun. When we got into restaurants I couldn’t help but bring up my diet. I think I may have made the hosts self-conscious that I didn’t have much to snack on. In hindsight I should have read the room better and kept it to myself. Not a big deal; it just wasn’t the conversation fuel that I had hoped it would be. Good to know! Today I added a set of body measurements to MyFitness Pal app. I’m disappointed that my numbers haven’t budged much even though three weeks have passed since my last measurements!  No loss in my neck, chest, and waist  No loss in my upper arms, calves, and ankles On the bright side: -.5” from my hips  -1.7” from my forearms  -5.5” from my thighs! I remember Noom teaching me to track my daily weight but to spread out body measurements because it takes time to see significant change there for many people.  Okay. I’ll weight. I’ve got time.

 I tried two new foods today: Jicama and Taro Root. I like them both.  The jicama is like a cross between a potato, apple, and water chestnut. You can eat it raw or cooked. It’s crisp and crunchy and has a slightly sweet taste. It’s very good with salads. No one else in my family liked them though. I really like the taro root. The packaging says to prepare it like a potato. I think it’s like a cross between a potato and a yucca root. I peeled it and air fried it. Very good! 

 During my walks yesterday and today, I started listening to the audiobook  Fiber Fueled : The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome (2020). I’m very intrigued to hear Will Bulsiewicz’s story of how he can’t believe how little training he received in medical school about the vital importance of healthy eating, particularly a plant-based diet. Chapter lays out a fascinating history of  the microbial ecosystem that exists in our gut and throughout our bodies and how closely tied it is to our overall health and wellbeing. I’m looking forward to learning more over the next two weeks.

I ate lunch with Grandma today at her senior living community. I ate the house salad no dressing, and about a a cup and a half of cooked California blend of vegetables without salt. Black coffee and a couple glasses of water. And for dessert — an orange and an apple to go. The elderly ladies around the dining hall table weren’t quite sure what to make of it. Many questions for me. My favorite moment was when the server gave my plate of cooked veggies to grandma. The perplexed look she gave me and the server was priceless. I said, “Uh, I think you got my plate, Grandma.” The ladies got a great of laugh out of that. In the end, I made them feel better to know that I typically eat a lot more calories than that at meals. 

 I finished reading Eric O’Grey’s book Walking with Peety. I recommend it. I have been inspired by him to not only keep on going with my WFPB SOS-Free diet and to learn to cook impressive meals that look and taste amazing, but also to start jogging and appreciate dogs more. My two criticisms of the book is that I feel he gave a bit too much information about a couple of his relationships with women in a couple of chapters. Also I wished he had published his favorite recipes. Maybe he has them online I’ll need to look. 

 ChatGPT recommends reading the following books regarding leadership development in business and in life:  “These books offer a mix of leadership principles, practical strategies for team cohesion, and insights into safety and efficiency that can help foster a strong working environment tailored to the needs of a blue-collar, service-oriented, and regulated industry.…. “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin -  “Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders” by L. David Marquet  “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable” by Patrick Lencioni  “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t” by Simon Sinek “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right” by Atul Gawande “Safety at the Sharp End: A Guide to Non-Technical Skills” by Rhona Flin, Paul O’Connor, and Margaret Crichton  “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink  I listened to number seven first.

Do I miss processed food? Of course I do. Do I miss added salt, oils, and sugar? Absolutely! Enough to o cheat on my commitment to WFPB SOS-Free living? Not a chance! I’ve grown very fond of my freedom from debating with myself whether to buy or not to buy processed foods for myself, or to eat or not to eat of anything that others are enjoying. Actually, I’m hanging in on there and enjoying it! My latest favorite topping is jalapeño pepper! I love it! I know my heat limits at least. It’s added a nice flavorful dimension to my rice bowls.

 Today I read about Eric O’Grey picking up jogging with his dog Peety. He had already lost 130 lbs in 6 months with a WFPB diet and by walking Peety everyday. His doctor encouraged him to take up a physical fitness program with a group of people, like a Zoomba class. He researched his options and decided to join a running club. Like him, I don’t prefer to run but I can try it. I committed to jog 1/3 of a mile everyday up and down my long driveway to check the mail, instead of getting it when  drive by the mail box. I did it! I’m a little out of breath. But I’m good with it. 

 

 We had an allergy alert in our area today. In my rush to get my daughter out the door to her soccer game on time, I quickly grabbed an allergy pill that I could find in a short notice. An hour later, I became sleepy. So sleepy I laid down in the grass and took a nap during her game.  Back at home, I took a long nap after lunch. The net helped a little, but not nearly enough. I had low energy and no desire to get long list of housework done. I also had increased cravings and I ate 1000 more calories than I usually do. That’s what I get for not checking to make sure the pill I took was the non-drowsy kind!

 It was a good day. We officially filled up our 1.3 gallon kitchen scrap bin and mixed our greens with leaves, paper, water and microbial compost starter, and spun it in our compost tumbler. My daughters got to assist me with the process too.  They had noticed that the house smelled kind of stinky and wanted to know why. I couldn’t smell anything, but when I stepped out of the house and walked back in, I smelled it. Laura definitely smelled it. Oh yeah, it was leftover black eyed peas I found last night in the back corner of the fridge in a plastic container. Gross. The smell escaped the bin when I just recently added scraps to it. I let my 7 and 8 year olds postpone bedtime to help me christen our new compost tumbler by spinning it after a mixed up the greens and browns.  I love the feeling of recycling food that’s gone “bad” (it’ll actually be very good to the plants that will grow from it someday.)

Over the holidays last Christmas, I reached 255 lbs. More than that according to the doctor’s weight scale. (I hate the doctor’s weight scale. I’m dressed for goodness sake.) For my New Year’s resolution and with much encouragement from my dad, I put time and effort into a spreadsheet at the beginning of the year to schedule a weight loss goal of 2 lbs a week over 52 weeks to get close to my recommended BMI weight (Yes, I know BMI is a poor standard to go by, but who am I kidding, reaching 160 lbs. is ridiculous to think possible from where I’m sitting.) I failed quickly at my New Year’s resolution diet plan, as I suspected I would considerably how I fail all my diets every year and have done for decades.  I lost no more than 2.8 pounds. Fast forward to my Fruitive Challenge: it’s been two weeks since I started it on May 1st and I’ve lost over 12 pounds! I’m getting my hope back! In 2021 I got as low as 235 lbs. I’m confident I can pass that in the next week. After that my next major m

 I set up a brand new compost bin tumbler. I’m looking forward to making my own fresh compost for the vegetable garden that Laura’s been working on. I also bought a kitchen countertop bin for food scraps to toss into my tumbler. I’m learning a lot: Greens to Browns ratio of 1:3 Greens are fruit and vegetables that the microbes get to break down Browns are dry leaves, straw, paper, and wood chips to keep the greens from becoming too wet and smelly  Avocado shells and orange peels take longer to decompose, so blend them up first or just toss them in the regular waste bin Banana peels are a rich source of nutrients for the soil but I should chop them up first so they decompose faster  I should take care to wash fruit and veggies well if they come from the grocery store to minimize pesticides leaching into my compost  I bought compost starter to add to each layer of scraps I put into the tumbler  In a month or so my first batch will be ready!

 I unintentionally fasted through lunch today. My huge 1,000 calorie breakfast carried me through the day. I forgot to bring lunch with me. When I got home for dinner I was ready to eat! I have never enjoyed spinach salad like I have with this WFPB SOS-Free diet. I mix in tasty salad toppings: peanuts, rice, chopped celery with almond butter, nutritional yeast, mini-peppers, garbanzo beans, blueberries, balsamic vinegar, and some spicy chili flakes, black pepper, and garlic powder. I loved it! Variety is key so I change it up the toppings day by day. Today I read two good ideas in Walking with Peety:  “Eat the rainbow” (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) — I got red through blue today Make curry rice: I’ll have to research Indian recipes and confirm it’s SOS-free.

 My steps have increased from 3,700 in 2019 when I first bought my iPhone to a ceiling of 7,000 steps since 2022.  This month of May, it’s up a thousand more steps! That’s because I’m spending more time doing yard work this spring.  Gregg is encouraging me to purchase body weights to wear while walking in order to build up strength and stamina: a weight vest, ankle and wrist weights too. I’ll need to research brands, costs, and recommended weight amounts first. 

 We gave Laura the afternoon to herself and visited Great Grandma. Then we brought home Thai food: Pho soup, Tom-Ka soup, spring rolls, rice, shrimp, and tofu, with Moose Tracks ice cream and mango sorbet for dessert! Of course, I behaved and ate my own WFPB SOS-Free food ☺️, but I know how much I would have enjoyed eating the special Mother’s Day meal. It’s a good thing I made an amazing crockpot of veggie stew yesterday that filled me up. Thanks Chat GPT for the recipe: Certainly! Transforming the carrot and potato stew recipe to be made in a crockpot is straightforward. Cooking in a crockpot generally involves a longer, slower cooking process, which can wonderfully enhance the flavors. Here’s how to make the Carrot and Potato Stew using a crockpot: ### Ingredients: - **Carrots**: About 1 pound, peeled and sliced into rounds or half-moons. - **Potatoes**: 1 pound, peeled and cubed. - **Wild Onions (substitute for regular onions)**: 1/3 to 1/2 cup, chopped. - **Garlic**: 4 cloves, min

 I started reading Eric O’Grey’s book Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved My Life . I’m invested! He begins with a story about Peety protecting him from an attack. The next chapter describes his low point at age 51 (my age) when he is told by a doctor to lose weight or he will die within 5 years. After a particularly embarrassing event he experienced, he finds a nutritionist who recommends a WFPB diet plus buying a dog to be his companion along his new weight loss and whole health. I was tempted to keep reading! Tomorrow, l’ll pick back up.

 I asked my brother Gregg for advice for what to do when fruit and vegetables start to turn. He said his family likes to freeze them and use them for smoothies. Of course! Great idea! So basic, but not to me. I have yet to male frozen smoothies yet. I did make a tasty strawberry banana drink a couple of days ago then freeze the leftovers into a popsicle mold. But that’s not a smoothie.  I washed my raspberries and blueberries to freeze. I’ll look up a smoothie recipe tomorrow that includes a coconut cream from a can that I haven’t opened.  I washed and cut up my romaine lettuce, steamed broccoli, and prepared mini peppers for lunch tomorrow too.  I air fried a large sweet potato with avocado for dinner today. Wow! I didn’t expect it to be so naturally sweet! I look forward to eating that meal again soon.

 I have used My Fitness Pal app for over 5 years to track my multiple attempts to lose weight. I reviewed the data today. The app let me zoom out to see five years worth of peaks and valleys. I noticed that my diets tend to start in the summer then I give up in the fall. I peak at Christmas and then slope down some as New Year’s Resolution season starts. This year is no different except the fact that I called my healthy brother to help me out and coach me for a year. It seems to be working so far!

 A former student of mine posted a photo on FB of a hamburger. I like that I could appreciate it without salivating and suppressing stomach pangs. I’m surprised at how I’ve had to deal with little temptation to break my WFPB SOS-Free diet this first week. My past diets over many years were fraught with hunger pain and cravings for food I was not eating. I was miserable.  Now, I’m simply not miserable! I’m impressed at how good I’ve felt overall despite a few slight struggles I’ve had adjusting on occasion, like feeling very gassy after eating my undercooked black beans. Nonetheless, I haven’t taken antacids at night at all since May 1st. That’s a big improvement to me. Gregg asked me to reflect a bit on why I think my cravings have been manageable: He sufficiently prepped me with what to fill my fridge and pantry with the first week. For example, I’m enjoying the healthy food options (fresh strawberry banana smoothies are delicious!) I look forward to checking off my daily goals list a

 I met up by phone with a couple friends last night and had fun comparing diets. I have never been so amused to listen to everyone’s opinion about protein (meat vs soy), or whether coffee is an inflammatory substance, and the proper form when doing pull ups, amongst other things.  We’ve been lifelong friends so it’s great to find something we all have in common. They’ll be a fine health support group to continue talking about these life choices together as different as are diets may be: one who is omnivorous but has a disciplined diet and exercise system, one who eats no meat, but eats primarily dairy and vegetables, and me with my WFPB SOS-Free diet.  I appreciate the health  food ideas exchanged: Nutritional yeast flakes are very good to season your food with and Mokkarella Style Shreds, for example.

 

Conan O’Brian: I made this terrible mistake. Someone had mentioned food and what they eat and I said, “Well, what I do now is I two meals a day. I have like a shake at eleven and I put a lot of spinach in it. Then I try to have a meal early like at five.” As I’m finishing saying it, I see Marty staring at me the way a shark stares at a canned ham. And he looks at me and he says, “You know, when other people discuss the details of their diet, … it’s boring. But not YOU!… Steve: My wife has a very wise [thing] about talking about what you’re allowed to eat. She says, “You’re allowed to talk about what you do eat, but you’re not allowed to talk about what you don’t eat.” Conan: That’s very good!… Marty: That’s very good…It’s like with me beans. I - Don’t - Eat - Beans! (Laughter) - Conan O’Brian,  Steve Martin, and Martin Short , Aug 21, 2013 I laughed when I heard this anecdote because I think about diet and nutrition constantly and will talk about it with anyone. Maybe I’ll keep my diet

 I’m impressed with James Clear’s Atomic Habits ! It’s core message is that consistent quality incremental changes each day to improve myself in each area of my life will increase the likelihood of compounding success.  The author has inspired me several times with inspiring stories, tricks, and tips to exchanging bad habits for good ones. I can tell this has been true for me this week as I have continued my new Fruitive Challenge journey eating healthy food.  Hear are key points from the first half of the book that I’ve jotted down this week: Focus on quality systems that will support my end goals because having quality goals isn’t enough if I don’t have a Quality system in place to get me there I like the example of struggling to keep a clean house. Instead of scrambling to clear the clutter the day before guests arrive, create a system you can live by that diminishes the need to deep clean Include Happiness in your system setup instead of relying on goal achievement to become truly

I felt really low energy by 6:00 pm today. I realized I’m averaging 1,300 calories not including calories burned off from exercise. I’m going to think about how to improve that. Gregg recommends that I eat a big breakfast tomorrow morning. I’ve been using  My Fitness Pal  to track my calories, nutrition, water consumption, weight, and exercise each day. It’s not required for me to do this for my diet, but I enjoy the routine and find the data very helpful. Okay. Feeling low energy by 6:00 pm. I realized I’m averaging 1,300 calories not including exercise burn off. I’m going to think about how to improve that . I missed my morning brush-floss time because I ate breakfast in the car then forgot about my check list commitment to brush teeth and floss every morning to build up good dental hygiene habits. Atomic Habits gave me a good idea to make new good habits easy and obvious to achieve.  I’ll plan to keep a second dental kit in my car to remind me the next time I eat on the run.  I’m pr

 Hi, I’m back. I made it. Day two of my new WFPB diet, without any accidental eating incident like yesterday’s wayward macadamia nuts. Strangely enough, I haven’t experienced any energy deficiency, dizziness, sugar cravings, or hangry episodes worth mentioning. I overheard my 12 year old caution her siblings to beware that I might be a grouchy bear at times because of this diet but don’t take it personally. I appreciate her sensitivity. Hearing her say that is a good reminder to monitor my emotions during this adjustment period to my diet. I want it to be a positive experience for everyone who has to interact with me. Unfortunately, I missed dinner time because of my packed schedule. I simply forgot. My carrots I snacked on this afternoon seemed to hold me over well enough.  I’m worried the coffee (no cream no sugar!) I drank after 6:00 pm will keep me up late tonight and disrupt my sleep schedule. I don’t want to skip any more dinners.  My 8-year old daughter handed me a ripe banana s