Everyone loves BUFFALO!

Not New York, no one likes that place. I mean the sauce! I crave buffalo sauce on a regular basis. Once someone mentions it or I even smell it, that is all I can think about. I am not ashamed to admit (although maybe I should be) that the sweet spiciness of buffalo sauce has lured me into KFC and other fast food restaurants before. This was actually not something I considered but has haunted me over the past few weeks. I passed on a vegan buffalo chicken wrap because I strongly felt there was no substitute that could even come close. But I was wrong. I have found two products that satisfy the urge. One is a chicken-style seitan and the other is tofu. Both aren't terrible any even got approval of my meat-eating friends. For this, I am very thankful.

Running...

It is very early and the weather has taken an ugly turn. Just two days ago I was running at record speed (for me, which still isn't that fast) through unbelievable 65 degree weather. Now I am running from my car through sleet. That's fine, beause it will make me go to bed earlier so I will be ready for the Shamrock Shuffle tomorrow. The Shuffle is an 8k (about 5 miles) run through downtown Chicago. It is a great time because it is fun (despite the weather) and is one of the rare moments when you get to run, legally, down the center of the streets. Last year was cold and snowing with two inches of slush on the ground that had everyone's feel soaking wet long before the start. Tomorrow will be almost the same, but with only one inch of slush. woo hoo, I guess. Tomorrow will also mark the end of week 3. Since I will be running in the morning, I am preparing my first Engine 2 brunch. This should still be delicious, but we'll see. I have settled into the rest of the diet and feel pretty good. Last night's exploration of vegan pizza was less than satisfying, but it got me through some rough cravings. The re-test is scheduled for 9 AM on March 29. I can totally do this.

Half way there!

Today is Monday, March 15 and that means I have successfully completed two weeks of the Engine 2 Diet. Yes, there are things that I miss, but overall I feel great. I have total confidence that I can survive another two weeks. Over the next two weeks I have to run an 8k, move, and keep up with my actual job. Now that I am settled into the program, I think I will be ok. But I am already starting to think about how this month will effect my long-term life. I definitely have added a few foods and recipes to my general kitchen skills. I have also developed good habits like: eating breakfast ASAP, taking daily supplements, avoiding certain foods, and cutting back on late night snacks. Several people have told me that if I do eat meat again it will probably make me sick. A few others have shared stories of the opposite, so I am still planning a feast of meat and cheese (followed by a nap and then a serious work-out).

Things that have kept me going...

With all of the items on my bad list, here are some delicious ideas that have kept me sane:
1. Frozen grapes. I discovered this when I moved to Missouri in high school. Maybe it is a southern thing? Frozen grapes are a great dessert and don't need any added sugar.
2. Smoothies. Everyone loves smoothies. I typically use a tropical frozen fruit blend from Whole Foods Market (the 365 brand includes strawberries, mangos, and bananas). I add the whole package to a blender with soy milk, SoDelicious plain soy yogurt, and either kale or spinach. Adding greens to the smoothie may seem gross but I tried a sample of it before finding out there were hidden greens inside and couldn't tell. It is sad that I have to play tricks on myself but one salad a day seems like enough to me. I try to get in a serving of greens at dinner too but the smoothie is a good trick.
3. Dark chocolate. It feels like a reward and it isn't terrible for you. The regular bar comes with 18 little squares (6 rows of 3) so I eat three for dessert if I have really deserved it.
4. Whole Foods garden salad- don't forget to switch the dressing to a healthy oil free balsamic but this salad has been a great source of daily veggies and is colorful enough to not feel like punishment.
5. Salsa. I am basically putting salsa on everything. It adds moisture, flavor, and spice to everything.
6. Support. People at work, friends, family, and my partner have been incredibly supportive. I get recipe ideas, a few have decided to eat what I cook, and one even took the time to make a meal for all of us that fit my restrictions (thanks MG!) We have been to more vegan cafes in two weeks than I have in the four years since moving to Chicago. The positive energy has been incredibly helpful.
Only two more weeks!

What I miss most...

This will be torture, but I will be honest. These are the things I crave on a daily basis:
1. French fries. I would kill for a side of fries any time of day. Sweet potatos are great and I have always loved sweet potato fries but I want greasy, heart-stopping, salty french fries.
2. Cheese. I didn't think this would be that hard but I want a chunk of fresh mozzarella to gnaw on, a bowl of pasta with tons of parmesan, and a freshly grilled lump of haloumi with lemon juice.
3. Butter. Again, I didn't think this would be rough but I want to melt butter and dip everything from broccoli to artichokes in it.
4. Ice cream. Sorbet is actually helping with this one so I will be ok.
5. Knives. Of course I use knives when chopping veggies for all of my recipes but I haven't had to use one while eating since starting this. I want to cut into a steak or chicken or something like that. The soft textures of everything I am eating feels weak.
6. Breakfast. This is one sad meal. I don't mind the cereals and I feel much better starting my days with a healthy meal. But I want eggs, bacon, pancakes, and chorizo. Substitutes for these suck. I would rather go without than suffer through a "fake" version. I almost threw that fake bacon out the window. The chorizo was ok though.
7. Ranch dressing. Do not come near me with a vegan version because I find it offensive. Nothing can replace the artery-clogging goodness of real ranch dressing on pizza, onion rings, french fries, chicken strips, etc.

I can't keep this list going, it hurts too much. Time to focus on the positive...

Still going strong!

Ok, I know I have not kept up on my daily food journal. The truth is, the journaling is more difficult than the eating. For some reason writing it out makes it seem so much more difficult. If I read one of you was eating tofu and bean sprouts over brown rice, I would laugh and then order a pizza. Sticking to the diet has not been as hard as I thought. I have severely cut back on all cooking oils but know I probably could have had even less. Tomorrow will mark the end of two weeks, which is my half way point. Half way there!

Food Journal 6

For breakfast I switched up my cereals and tried something called Kashi nuggets. They looked funny but they were ok.
For lunch I had my typical salad.
For dinner I made this crazy pasta: whole wheat penne pasta is great because there is no difference in taste from regular pasta. For the sauce I used a low sodium red pepper sauce and added garlic, basil leaves, diced tomato, mushrooms, zucchini, and squash. It tutned out awesome.
No dessert tonight.

Food Journal 5

Breakfast and lunch were the same again and I am so bored with that. I need to have some variety or I will go crazy.
For dinner, we had taco night. I used a fake ground meat on soft whole corn tortillas with a ton of salsa, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole. I also stopped by the produce department and got some mango kiwi salsa and mixed that with kale and black beans for a spicy salad. That was a good meal, and I felt full afterwards so that is a good sign.

Food Journal 4

Breakfast- standard shredded wheat with ground flax seed and soy milk
Lunch- standard garden salad with vegan oil-free dressing
Dinner- friends came over and wanted to order take-out. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to resist and would be stuck with more salad. Instead, since they chose a great Chinese place, I was able to find something that was probably a little high in sodium, but otherwise safe. Tofu and bean sprouts in a garlic sauce over brown rice (last week that would have sounded disgusting but I loved it).
Dessert- some dark chocolate and frozen grapes.

Exercise Journal 3

Chicago hit 41 degrees today so I ventured out for my first outdoor run. I used mapmyrun.com to plot my course before leaving (I tend to get lost) so I prepped for an exact 5 mile course. The goal was 50 minutes but, since I also used the imapmyrun app on my iphone, I had to sprint the end to barely hit that. It could have been the wind, the cold, or the shock of real pavement but I hope the weather gives me another shot at the same course soon.

Food Journal 3

Typical breakfast: shredded wheat, a banana, ground flax seed, and soy milk.
Snack: an orange
Post work-out snack: a small trail mix of dried mango, strawberries, banana chips and raw almonds
Lunch: minestrone soup
Dinner: Vegan Boca burger with avocado, homemade baked sweet potato fries and onions, a crazy salad. The salad was mixed greens, extra kale, a sliced cucumber and carrot, tomato, the rest of the avocado, kidney and garbanzo beans with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Dessert: frozen grapes (which are amazing!) and a little bit of dark chocolate (72%) with dried cranberries.

Exercise Journal 2

I didn't really do anything yesterday. Work required me to walk about 3.5 miles throughout the an 8 hour shift and I did some light stretching after but that doesn't really count.
Today, I walked three miles outside, mainly to and from the gym. While at the gym I made several trips up and down the stairs. I wasn't in the mood for a full run but I also didn't want to do a full lifting day because I was concerned about the diet aspect. Friends have warned that I will get light-headed because of my diet change. I don't think that will really be an issue because I am still eating large portions of a pretty diverse diet (well, diverse other than meat, oils, dairy, and processed grains).
Anyway, my work-out started with a half-mile jog. Then I went upstairs to the weights. I did 3 sets in rotation of the following warm-up: 20 push-ups, 15 30lb standing cable curls, and 20 crunches.
I then went back downstairs and jogged one mile. Then I went back upstairs for another 3 sets in rotation of: 12 standing barbell curls with 40 lbs (50 on last set), flat bench press with 35 lbs on each side (40 each on last set), and 20 knee to chest things (I don't know what they are called, but it is an ab thing).
Again, back down stairs for another mile run before heading back upstairs. Next 3 set rotation of each: 15 seated curls with 25 lb dumbbells, 15 flat butterfly with 25 lb dumbbells, and 15 standing oblique bends with 1 35 lb dumbbell (this one looks like you are in the "I'm a Little Teapot" pose so it is fun to see big guys do it).
One last mile but I was barely jogging this time and feeling it. Back upstairs for a bicep exhaustion. Basically, I grabbed a 20 lb dumbbell and curled until I couldn't control my form. Then switched arms and repeated. Then switched arms again but dropped to a 15 lb dumbbell and repeated. From there, I walked home so I could still get a cool-down completed with stretching. I am never at the gym for more than an hour and a half so this was pretty typical.

Food Journal 2

Day 2 was actually easier than Day 1, maybe that trend will continue?
Breakfast was shredded wheat, a banana, ground flax seed, and soy milk.
Lunch was left-over stir-fry from dinner.
Snack of dried fruit and pistachios.
Dinner was a cilantro/lime tofu burrito with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapeno, and hot sauce on a whole wheat tortilla.
Dessert was a cup of mango sorbet.

Exercise Journal 1

At the gym by 8:15 AM. Ran for 45 minutes covering 4.3 miles followed by basic ab series and stretching.

Food Journal 1

I woke up this morning ready for a challenge. I hope that continues for at least 27 more days. I started with a snack of a banana, a handful of pistachios and dried cranberries (all raw and unsweetened). Technically, I am supposed to start with a solid breakfast but I was headed to the gym and couldn't handle something heavy. After the gym, I had a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries (see, I'm still doing ok).
Lunch was a very simple WFM pre-packed garden salad. The salad contains a ridiculous amount of greens- it might not look like much until you open it and try to stir in some dressing and then it is some serious business. The salad also includes tomatoes, cucumber slices, A (1) tiny piece of broccoli, shredded carrots, and strips of green and red bell peppers. Unfortunately, there is also a small container of ranch dressing, but that would be like inviting your priest over for Friday night's pot roast. Instead, I got a small container of vegan oil-free balsamic dressing. From this point on, I am just going to call this the WFM garden salad or this will go on forever.
Dinner took longer than I thought. I made a simple stir fry. The brown rice I bought apparently takes FIFTY minutes. Seriously. For rice? I had no idea. The white stuff takes 20. So I ate later than I should but it was good so I was fine. The stir-fry included broccoli, red bell peppers, yellow squash (crooked-neck), zucchini, carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, onion, and ginger. Serious business. I also added some ginger-teriyaki cubes from Tempeh-tations.
I stopped eat at 9pm after a small snack of dried fruit and a pear.
I'm sure my cholesterol dropped 1000 points already.