Saturday, April 4, 2009

:: Day 91- 4/4/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 815 cal
8am: 5.0 mile slow jog with Mikee, 1:00:26, 632 cal, HRa 153 HRm 176
4pm: 4 rounds of Tabata intervals, 20 mins, 183 cal
9am: Some random fruit from farmer's market

Rest of day: Mmm... in preparation for tonight's feast i will likely fast the rest of the day.
Hah! Didn't end up fasting!
1/2 vege spring roll, Some leftover beef stew

Main meal @ Gochi with MIL
Salad, Risotto Balls, Claypot Rice, Edamame, Kurobata
Read more...

Thursday, April 2, 2009

:: Day 90- 4/3/09 - Summary ::

Activities: Realistically speaking, I don't think I have time for anything today...

8am: Usual morning blend

12pm:
Fruit and yogurt parfait, 1/3 banana

Main meal @ home with our tasters of the week, The Distinguished Chasteens
Primi: Creamy swiss-chard cakes with mascarpone-creamed spinach

Secondi: Bœuf Bourguignon (Face-off between conventional and grass-fed)


Verdict:
The two types of meat need to be cooked at different temperatures. Last time we had a cook off, we gave grass-fed the advantage. This time, we gave conventional the lead. So we cooked at higher temperatures.
Tenderness: Conventional definitely came out ahead in this department. SO soft and pieces falling all over the place. It was however more chewy for the grass-fed.
Flavor: Mmmm... the sauce itself was more flavorful and 'complex' with the grass-fed and more bland with conventional.
I'm still a grass-fed lover though! Just have to cook it at the right temperatures next time!
Read more...

:: warrior diet - how i do it ::

This post is part of participation to Food Renegade's Fight Back Fridays. This is the third week I am participating but will be on vacation for awhile. I am a follower of the warrior diet tradition (among others) and this post is a response to my critics and in particular discusses how I am able to pull it off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


When people see the pictures of what I eat in the day... they often ask, "How do you do that? ...That's impossible! ...I could never eat so little. I need way more than that... I can't eat raw stuff...I need hot food."I do eat like a warrior - 20 hours of controlled fasting (under-eating) and 4 hours of over-eating. During under-eating, warrior consumes only raw and natural foods like veges, fruits, nuts. During over-eating, warrior consumes more veges, whole grains, and meat. But it's cooked!

Why eat like a warrior?
Let's be serious guys, these guys don't really care about why I eat like warrior. If it were that simple, people would be doing it already. If the answer to "why should we be healthy?" was so important, America wouldn't be in the sorry state it is today. But here's the answer to that question anyway. Also love the Top 10 diet fallacies.

Practice makes Perfect
I won't deny that I am starving myself somewhat in the day, but the good people over at the warrior diet camp would call it "controlled fasting". When I first started out, it was a very drastic change from how I was eating before. If not for my partner in crime, Aylin, I probably would not have succeeded. So we kept each other accountable day after day and I stuck to it. Within a few weeks, it just became habit for me to eat that "amount" of food in the day. If I tried to eat more than that, I would feel pretty crabby the rest of the day. Almost like a zombie.

My body wants that morning blend!

I'm pretty surprised that after 9 months of going clean, I still have not gotten sick of my morning blend (veges, fruits etc). It helps that each blend always tastes slightly different... depending on what is in the fridge. I think back on those days where I would drink those meal replacement shakes (powder form) and get sick of it within 2 days. There is something about the blend each morning that my body just _craves_ for... literally. Don't give me anything else, just the morning goodies please. I'll admit there are times that I just want some scrambled eggs. That doesn't happen very often though.

Plant not the tree of knowledge
There is nothing in my pantry that is my bad for me. Seriously. We went through a pantry overhaul and got rid of anything that will stand in the way of my success. If I ever feel the snackies, I'm free to raid the fridge! Usually, I'll end up with some nuts or dried apricot or a spoon of raw almond butter. I'll still have relapses like when I went to a company party yesterday that was full of the knowledge trees. I caved. But when I went to movie night with my husband, I insisted he finished whatever "free popcorn" he wanted outside the theater, before enjoying the movie with me. It worked! :)

Some Suffering is Good
When I get hunger pangs at work, it makes me feel almost ... primal. I can't explain it, but it keeps me really alert at work and I feel like I'm at my best concentration. If I allow myself to get a large meal, I immediately feel sluggish and it affects my productivity at work. We've been conditioned to believe that we need to satisfy every craving and allow ourselves to shut up the hunger like eating 6 small meals a day... but I kinda like hunger. Some suffering is good for me, especially hunger.

Eating clean IS yummy

I'm usually a rather modest person (asian roots) but I must say that people love the dishes I make. I keep to clean and natural principles and even so, food is yummy. Even more yummy than what you might get a restaurant. That's why we hardly eat out anymore. It's way more expensive and just doesn't taste as good. :)

Let the Feast begin

The warrior diet's principles involve a 20-hour period of controlled fasting and 4 hours of feasting. If I ever feel the temptation to reach for something with more taste... I remind myself that I'm going to have a fantabulous dinner that most will be jealous about. I pull out my blog and look at the recipes I've posted and allow myself to drool at the meal which is to come. It really does help that I meal plan in advance and I always keep things interesting by trying at least 3-4 new recipes each week and keeping the husband involved in meal choices.

Use Natural Variety

Eating responsibly and sustainably is a great way to have variety in the diet. The seasons change, the farmer's markets flavor and color changes with the season. There's really no better way to select ingredients for cooking. And it helps keep the taste buds interested!

I'm not the extremist
I have people tell me that my diet is "radical" or "extreme". I find that so... amusing. Because that's what I feel about their diets! Because quite frankly, I'm not the one pushing my body to its extremes. If anything, I am lengthening my longevity and what I am doing is anything BUT extreme!

Sustainability is Key
This is no diet. This is a mindset change that became a lifestyle change and is not a physiological change. I can't go back even if I willed myself to because my body WILL reject it. But why would I even think of going back? I've never enjoyed food more than I do now and I've never felt better. Life is in short, awesome. (Oh and did I mention losing 40+ lbs in 8 months? :P )
Read more...

:: Day 89- 4/2/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 1000 calorie workout day, 1,106 cal
7am: Kettlebells 12kg @ home, 363 cal, HRa 142 HRm 157
}40 2 hand swings, 2 min.
40 transfers, 1 min
40 reps, 1 swing, 1 transfer, 1 min
40 reps, 5/5 x 4 1 hand swings, 1 min
40 reps, 10/10 x 2 1 hand swings, 1 min
40 reps, 20/20, 1 hand swings, 1 min.
40 2 hand swings, 1 min (12kg)
40 2 hand swings, 1 min
Plank, 1 min}
10 min work w/0 min rest x 4 = 40 mins (1,440 swings)
5pm: Dusk neighborhood Run
3.75 miles, 42 mins, 510 cal, HRa 166 HRm 176
1.25 miles, 15 mins, 233 cal, HRa 165 HRm 172

8am: Breakfast blend

Random snacks at work: Apple, orange, carrots, almonds, apricots


Main meal @ MIL's
Greens, flank steak with egg, ribs

Read more...

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

:: Day 88- 4/1/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 5pm I didn't end up working out for 1000 calories because I forgot my heart rate monitor!
4.0 mile run, interval ipod playlist workout (switch to sprint when a song changes), 42 mins, (10.5 min/mile)

8am: Usual morning blend with kale, 1 tbsp raw almond butter

random snacks: orange, carrots, almonds, apricots


Innovation showcase at work: 2 mini cupcakes from Kara's, 1/2 cookie, guacamole, fruit

main meal @ home
Chopped Miso Salad
Dylan's green onion egg roll
Leftovers

Read more...

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

:: Day 87- 3/31/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 608 cal
530pm Shadow Boxing Class @ 24 hour fitness, 49 mins, 523 cal, HRa 163 HRm 182
615pm Ab workout, 12 mins, 85 cal, HRa 128, HRm 141
"Dieting" from social activities online. Only allowed gmail and work e-mail. Woohoo I survived social-fasting!

7am: Usual morning blend (this time with kale fresh from raman's garden!)


Random snacks at work: orange, carrots, apricots, almonds


Main meal @ merit vegetarian
4 of us shared claypot mushroom rice, mama's fish claypot, lotus salad, broccoli "beef", vegetarian soup


Pret'z farewell @ Cheesecake factory
Rushed over to cheesecake factory for a farewell party. Didn't order any food since we already had dinner but the 8 of us did share some serious pieces of cheesecake. I looked up those babies, they range in calories form 800-1200 calories per slice. I had a good amount of cake and decided it was my special treat night. Rarely do I get to try 4 types of cheesecakes!
4000 calories worth of cheesecake

Read more...

Monday, March 30, 2009

:: it's official ::


Read more...

:: Usual Morning Blend ::

I love love love my vitamix blender. If I had an empty kitchen, it would be the 3rd item on my list to purchase. Even though it's pricey, I use it every day and have recovered my cost many times over! (Compared to jamba juice prices)

The great thing about my usual morning blend is that every day it tastes different, depending on what I have available, and I love the surprise of the blend as it swirls in my mouth. I sneak lots of veggies in and it makes me feel good that each morning, I fill up with pure goodness.

Must-haves:
- Liquid: 2 fingers of water and ice
- Body: carrots (love it as a base), celery
- Fiber: any green, leafy and stemmy veges. I love broccoli stalk and rainbow chard.
- Sweetness: Apple, blueberries, strawberries... any sweet fruit! Maximum of 2 types so the GI isn't too hgh.

Optionals:
- Texture and flavor: 1/3 banana
- Flavor: swirl of buttermilk lends some tartness
- Flavor: parsley, ginger, lemon zest etc etc
- Essential fats: some kind of nut butter, I like the occasional tbsp of almond butter

Mix it all together and blend until smooth. Undeniably, the fastest and easiest way to consume raw veges. :)
Read more...

:: Day 86- 3/30/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 715am KB 12kg workout, 438 cal, HRa 153, HRm 160
{1 min double-handed swings, 40
1 min 1/1 single-hand swings, 40
1 min double handed swings, 44
1 min 6/6 single handed swings, 44
1 min double handed swings, 40
1 min 10/10 single handed swings, 40
1 min double handed swings, 44
1 min 22/22 single handed swings, 44
1 min plank on toes
1 min rest}
10 mins x 4 sets = 40 mins, 1680 swings

8am: Usual morning blend


Random snacks: Carrots, almonds, orange, apricot

Main meal @ home with Julia and Marcela
Seaweed Risotto
Vibrant Tasty Green Beans
Nori HandRolls

Read more...

Sunday, March 29, 2009

:: Day 85- 3/29/09 - Summary ::

Activities: 30 min hike @ Mission peak(we forgot our poles!!), 294 cal,

8am: 1 apple, 1 slice of acme bread

11am: 1 apple, random cut fruit, 2 slices of acme bread with some emmenthaler cheese and butter
(i'm so glad we no longer have bread now)

main meal @ home with team bessie
Grass-fed faces off against grain-fed tri tip (Grass-fed WINS!)


Roasted Beets Salad


Dyl's kale and mushrooms with sundried tomatoes

Read more...