Alright, I've been very ungood in the food department, but I've decided to try again and even posted it on my main blog.
I've revised my 4 points, but most are the same. I realized if I continue to go out to eat, no matter what I'll be heavier and less thrifty. So here are my new guidelines:
1. EAT A VEGAN DIET! Always remind yourself that heck yes, above all food-wise, you're a vegan and you make the choice not to eat dairy. That you do it for the animals and the planet and your health. That there is plenty to eat without eating dairy. If a very strong craving comes, make some vegan version of what the craving is. I am highly convinced now that cheese and chocolate both contain some sort of addictive compounds. But I know a pretty good soy cheese recipe and also a pretty decent brownie one. Possible biggest nutritional difference between vegan cheese/chocolate? Can't get them in the drive thru or convinence store, have to make them from scratch or buy them premium at select stores or online. Those are definitely mindless stops to keep from consuming too much.
2. EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES. Lots! LOTS AND LOTS! :-) Various health and nutrition organizations around the world recommend 5 to 10 servings a day. Aim for 10! Grab fruits and veggies when hungry in-between meals, and add them to everything at meal-times. Focus on eating plenty of the three S's: Smoothies/sorbets, Soups/stews and Salads. At other times, fill half your plate with your meal food (corn bread and beans, rice and stir-fry tofu, whole grain pancakes or waffles and veggie sausage) and the other half with veggies or fruits.
3. EAT FOOD YOU MAKE YOURSELF! No plastic packaging, no drive-thru, no preservatives. Just fresh and healthy real food! Cheap, too. Even unhealthy food made at home tends to be healthier than what comes from the world of convinence, 'cause it's fresher and purer and I'm not as likely to deep fry. :-) So if you really want fries, don't say "no!" and then binge later, say make it at home! And serve it with half a plate of carrots sticks and apple slices. :-)
4. EXERCISE!!!!!!!!! It's the most important step for anyone trying to be healthy.
I also went shopping today after church. I don't have the exact total but I think it was about $50. That includes two plastic containers, 24 washcloths and a kitchen timer. Produce includes fresh: mangos, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, avocado, jicama, zucchini, apples, kale, collards, romaine lettuce (total for those things was $16). Frozen strawberries, jar of pimentos, bar of organic dark chocolate, box of orange spice tea (yum!), english muffins and corn chips.
Today's food looks like this:
Breakfast: oatmeal with soymilk, flaxmeal and a banana
Snack: Corn chips (but I only had 2) and an apple
Lunch: Leftover tofu with veggies in black bean garlic sauce over white rice and a mango.
Snack (planned): Popcorn, orange slices and cucumber slices
Dinner (planned): Mini tostadas with low fat refried beans, vegan cheese, salsa and lettuce with steamed zuchinni
Snack: Dark chocolate-chunk walnut cookies with a smoothie
I also went on a 1 hour walk today, hooray!
The picture at the top is my fridge, I have so many veggies I need to use up this week!
Tomorrow meal plan:
Breakfast: oatmeal with flax, soymilk, banana
Snack: Orange slices and walnuts
Lunch: Leftover tostadas and zuchinni
Snack: Apple and almonds
Dinner: Texas caviar (black-eyed pea salad) on bread machine bread, steamed broccoli with sunflower seeds
Dessert: Dark chocolate chunk walnut cookies with a smoothie. :-)
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with flax, soymilk, and banana
Snack: Apple slices, carrot sticks, corn chips with salsa
Lunch: Leftover Texas caviar on bread machine bread with steamed broccoli and sunflower seeds
Snack: Mango and popcorn
Dinner: Ratatouli type soup with eggplant, zuchinni, onions, tomato, kale and white beans with bread machine bread.
Dessert: Oatmeal raisin cookies and a smoothie