Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Where I'm at and recent homemade vegan eats.

Where I'm at.
These days I haven't been blogging much. I guess I just have a case of the blogging blah's. I do want to get to my goal of 140 lbs but I've been pretty much maintaining the low 150's. It's not a mystery as to why though. Too many nights I will come home from work and just start snacking and I have been skipping some workouts as well. I know that I need to stick with my lifestyle change otherwise I could revert back to my old self comforting ways and sometimes I'm scared I might.  

Calorie Counting
 I made a decision a couple of weeks ago to stop calorie counting and write down what I eat instead. I feel that I am too obsessed with the calories and also weighing myself too frequently. At this point I know what a serving looks like, as long as I can keep my snacks under control and eat a varied plant based diet I will be fine. Instead I write down what I eat on a piece of paper and measure out portions. I'm really glad that I used calorie counting as tool to help me in my weight loss because it helped me learn how to eat properly but I think this is a good time for me to move on. Maintenance mode for me is going to be all about focusing on quality and quantity and maybe (dare I say it?) cutting back on the sweets a bit.
Exercise
I'm very proud of myself because I have been biking to and from work for 1 whole year now! And out of that whole year I think I only took the bus a handful of times. My goals for the gym are to still to do 4-6 days per week. 50 minutes of the elliptical plus 30 minutes weight lifting. Lately I have been doing less than 4 and sometimes skip weight lifting all together. Not good if I want this extra skin to revert back. All I can do is try to challenge myself to do better next week. Last week I went jogging a couple of times. Once with a friend and another time with a co-worker. I didn't jog for very long maybe 15 minutes each time but it felt really good!! I want to try to build on that. I'm thinking about  looking up and training for another race so that way I have a little motivation.

Recent homemade vegan eats!
These toffee bars are so quick and easy to make! I am really enjoying the vegan cookie connoisseur cookbook I got from half price books. I made these last month on whim and they are great!
English Toffee bars from "vegan cookie connoisseur "
Last week I made these delicious cupcakes as a belated birthday present for my co-worker. She doesn't know it yet but I also got her a vegan cook book too. "Chloe's Kitchen" I had to get myself a copy too!
Vegan carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from "vegan cupcakes rule the world"

My new cookbook. I love this chick! She is my age and has accomplished so much.
Speaking of Chef Chloe I put her cookbook to good use tonight and made her her best-ever baked macaroni and cheese recipe for dinner with a side of steamed brussel sprouts. The sauce was so thick "cheesy". I loved the crunchy seasoned panko bread crumbs on top as well. I think it is way better than the prepackaged vegan mac that I've had before.