What I Eat In A Day: Day at home

Yes, I know....I always say I'm going to post more often but I never do. It's no excuse but I recently started a new job, moved to a different city and I'm still working on my MA dissertation, so something has to go and it's usually the blog. Ok, maybe always.

Today I'm off work and I thought I'd share a typical day of eating when I'm not at work or super active. Please keep in mind that I spent the day at home in front of my computer. At work, I will usually eat more frequently, also because it makes it easier to resist all the cookies and chocolate lying around the office kitchen.

Breakfast: I have a few meals I rotate between (most recently I've been obsessed with fruit and rice milk topped with oats. Very simple but super delicious). Well, this morning I had a bit of a late start and just put a bagel in the toaster - ate it along with some strawberry jam and fresh strawberries. This is a super quick breakfast, perfect for a work day as well and it keeps me full and satisfied until lunch.

Lunch: I had lunch around 2pm, so 4 hours after breakfast. I had some leftover rice in the fridge (just some microwaveable rice, actually) and instead of microwaving it, I sauteed it in a pan along with mushroom, bell pepper and spinach. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric and cumin and also crumbled some ground vegan sausage in. Again, took me about 10min to make and it was very filling and satisfying. 

Snack: I usually snack more often during the day, but because I wasn't very active today, I didn't feel all that hungry between meals. I do always want something sweet, though, and I went for these dairy free chocolate buttons. It's a portion-sized packet and also perfect for taking to work or school. 

Dinner: For dinner, I made a big pot of lentil soup from Oh She Glows for the rest of the week. I always make one big meal, that I can eat throughout the work week. It's just really helpful when I have a long day and get home late. I usually put two portions in the fridge and freeze one. I've made this recipe a million times before, it's a staple in my house and I always have the ingredients at hand. It's pretty cheap, easy and delicious. I always put in a few carrots (4-6) as well because I just enjoy the sweetness they give to the dish. Today I had my soup with a wholewheat pita. 

While cooking I snacked on a carrot as well, but that's all I had for today. If you'd like, I'd be happy to do a post about what I eat at work. That's usually a lot more planned out and I put more preparation into it. 

Hope you've all had a fantastic day!

Steffi x

Frustration

If you're vegan or plantbased, you will surely have dealt with stupid comments and ignorance towards your lifestyle. Funnily enough, people get very interested about what's on everyone's plates. And that is important. If it wasn't, we wouldn't be vegan in the first place. Still, once you go vegan or even vegetarian, everyone around you instantly becomes obsessed with your food choices and they've apparently all studied nutrition. From protein to lacking in nutrients, I've heard it all before and I'm by far the fittest, healthiest person in my family and circle of friends.

Then comes the time when someone you know complains about health issues. Raised blood pressure, weight issues, feeling tired after eating, bad digestion, lack of energy......and all I really want to say is: I've got the answer. But I hold back because every time I do say something, they completely block the idea that veganism is a possible solution. But I'm the living, breathing example of a healthy, happy vegan and I just don't understand how they can still believe that a plantbased diet is unhealthy. How is that possible?

I'm not saying veganism is the answer to every health issue on the planet. But, I do believe it is the ethically best way to live and can prevent a lot of everyday health problems. You're not curing cancer with veganism, but you might reduce inflammation, have a stronger immune system, a healthy heart, regular blood pressure and so on. Not every vegan is healthy. Vegan junk food is just as bad as any other kind (but at least no one's dying for it).

At the same time, it frustrates me when my dad hires a personal trainer who tells him to eat a diet rich in lean meats and protein with little fruit (because sugar!) and very little carbohydrates. Basically all he's eating is salad with toppings. High in fat, high in animal products. Yes, he's loosing weight, because he dropped his calories so significantly,,. but what are the consequences of eating like that? To me, it seems obvious.

Then there are my sister and brother-in-law, who both work in animal agriculture. Obviously, they don't agree with my lifestyle and after being vegan for quite a while now, it's still a topic at every family event. Because I don't want to eat dead flesh. They start talking about humane killing, high quality meat, organic, blah blah blah. Why do they not make the connection? Why do they not see the dead animal on their plates but a yummy, juicy steak? How can personal pleasure win over ethics and morals when the problem is right in front you.

Sometimes I'm just frustrated.

London Calling

So, long time, no read. Even though, does anyone honestly read this blog? I doubt it:) It's a good thing I'm used to talking to myself. Does anyone else do that? I talk to myself all the time - when I cook, when I get ready in the morning. It's like I'm in a reality show but I'm the only one in the audience.

I digress and we all know that's nothing new. I moved to London!! YAY! That's what this whole post is supposed to be about...not me talking to myself.

I moved to London two weeks ago for work and I was really looking forward to it. It's not the first time I've lived in another country, so I can say that I'm pretty realistic when it comes to stuff like that. But nothing could have prepared me for London. Everyone who's moved here or to another huge city, like New York, can probably relate.

I had a nightmare kind of start in London. Originally, I had rented a room from Germany. I know, I know...everyone tells you not to do that...but I did it anyway. Let's just say those people were beyond crazy and I couldn't stay there. Luckily, my best friend lives in London, so I stayed with her for a week while looking for a new flatshare and also starting my first week at work. Did I say it was a crazy week? I've now found a nice place to live with great flatmates and it's really close to work as well. I was lucky, but it's certainly been one of the most stressful times in my life.

Another reason I was looking forward to London was because of the many vegan options here. Being vegan is easy no matter where you live, but big cities often have a variety of vegan restaurants and 'fake' vegan food in supermarkets. I was surprised to find that, while there are quite a few really nice vegan restaurants in London, supermarkets in Germany are much better stocked than over here. Most often I have to go into Wholefoods for things I was able to get at my local corner store back home.

Yesterday, my friend and I went to The Wildfood Cafe and ate a delicious vegan burger and raw hummus with crackers as a starter. Pretty pricey but the food was great and the atmosphere very welcoming. Highly recommended if you're into whole, plantbased food.

If you have any good tips for vegan living in London, let me know in the comments below!

Losing Weight On A Vegan Diet?

Today's blog post is about losing weight on a vegan diet. Many people turn to veganism for health reasons. No matter why you turned vegan, welcome and congrats!! You've made an important and fantastic change to your life. It's not always going to be easy, but you know it's the right thing to do and for that you deserve to feel proud!

Anyway, I disgress, as per usual....when you watch videos on youtube or read about these unbelievable transformations that people make after turning vegan, you're all pumped up and ready to go and, after 2 weeks of eating plants-based, you're not feeling energized, you haven't lost any weight and all of a sudden you're starting to doubt yourself. Well, I'm here to tell you DON'T!!

For many people, myself included, it doesn't happen right away - especially if you don't have a ton of weight to lose. When I turned vegan, I felt like shit at the beginning. I was tired, had massive mood swings and also ups and downs in energy. Some day I would wake up and feel like running 10k and other days I wanted to sleep 12 hours straight. Yes, I was eating enough, yes, I was getting all of my nutrients (tracked them on cronometer.com like a good little vegan) and I was eating very clean. Now some people might say you're detoxing or your metabolism is healing. I call bullshit - you don't detox for months and I don't believe in a minium 'must-eat' of calories. To me, that just promotes listening to a number instead of your body. We are all very different, some more active than others, with a very different body composition. A small woman with a sedentary lifestyle won't need that many calories. Eating towards a number without considering how much you really need or burn isn't what you should be aiming for - see it as a guideline instead.

Back to my start as a vegan. I put on a couple of pounds initially. Not a lot but I certainly didn't lose any. I believe one reason is that I allowed myself to eat anything I wanted as long as it was vegan and moderately healthy. If I wanted another burrito, I would have it. I benefitted from that in many ways:

1.) I didn't crave any non-vegan food ever - Because I was so full and hit all of my nutritional needs, I didn't have a craving for animal products. My body simply had everything it required.

2.) I stopped craving junk - This was definitely a slow process, BUT it happened. From eating chocolate and sweets every day, I now crave fruit 9 times out of 10 and if I want a muffin, I'll eat it. My tastebuds have changed over time and most things taste overly sweet to me now. 

After around 3 months, I started becoming more aware of my body and its needs. I experimented with food, found out that masses of fruits don't work for me and that I prefer lighter meals. I now recognize hunger, can easily pinpoint what satisfies me or what my body needs and, hello, I started losing weight. I didn't even realize it at first, it just happened naturally. Then it stopped for a while and now I'm slowly losing a pound here and there again. I feel much more balanced and have embraced intuitive eating. Having the connection to my body that I do now is the greatest gift veganism has given me so far. 

As always, the moral of the story comes last. Well, all I want to tell you is, not everyone miraculously loses weight and feels amazing right away on a vegan diet. For some it takes time, it takes experimenting a bit and finding out how your body ticks. Don't give up, embrace the journey and be proud of the decision you've made!!