Vegan Cookbooks

Woody and I did the Half-Price Labor Day run today (6 stores) and I have added 6 books to my collection. PETA "Compassionate Cook", The Chicago Diner Cookbook, Ornish's Everyday Cooking at Uncle Sam's recommendation, Recipes for a Small Planet (but I am still looking for Diet for a Small Planet); The Vegan Cook's Bible by Pat Crocker - Canadian with a lot of basic stuff it it; and Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.

I also got some contemporary novels - I buy the on sale ones that look good; and a small notebook to take on my cruise. Anyone have some more recommendations? I bought the McDougall diet program, and have Fuhrman's diet plan, as well as Barnard's. My favorite is still Skinny Bitch.

BodyMedia

I bought a used "GoWear Fit" device on ebay, for $75 (which included shipping). The device is made by "bodymedia," and it is identical to the "body bugg" that apparently gets used on the show "The Biggest Loser" (which I have never seen.)

I have been using it to track how many calories I burn, and eat (the latter you have to plug in yourself, using its software. You can't use the device without the software, and the software costs anywhere from $7 to $13 a month, depending on how long you want to commit to using it.) The software displays in a webpage that shows me how much moderate versus vigorous exercise I'm getting, how many "steps" (or step-equivalent, because the readings are too generous to be actual steps) I take in a day, how much sleep I'm getting (versus time spent simply lying down), whether I'm running a calorie deficit or surplus, etc.

It's been pretty eye-opening.

For one thing, I burn a LOT more calories than I thought I did--on the order of 2000 calories on days I don't explicitly exercise, and 2500 on days I do. But I also EAT a lot more calories than I thought. A LOT. To give you a typical day where I feel like I'm actually kind of "dieting" (meaning I could have eaten a lot more than I did): I have coffee in the morning for breakfast, a salad for lunch, veggies and hummus with a small serving of tortilla chips for dinner, and nothing else (seriously, NOTHING else). What I just described is over 1400 calories. I'm not overestimating. I make the food myself, weigh everything... it's really, truly, over 1400 calories.

So on days when I eat "normally," I'm pretty easily hitting 2000. On days I splurge, I pretty easily hit 2500. This is all confirmed via rigorous use of the calorie tracking software. No wonder I've just been maintaining my weight for years!

I don't expect to use this little meter device for long--maybe a month or two, to get a sense of how much I burn and eat. After that, I'd be willing to lend it to whichever of you would like to borrow it. I think it's a pretty valuable tool.

VeggieFest post, at last

Actually, it's called "SummerFest," which isn't very descriptive, but whatever.

I did not expect to get much out of it--but I *loved* it. I loved it more and more as the days wore on. It was heartening to be surrounded by completely normal looking people, all of whom shared this core value: a dedication to avoid contributing to the suffering of animals. I don't know how to explain it other than to say it was just soul-enriching.

I didn't learn a ton than I didn't already now. The food, while sometimes delicious, was mostly meh. But I loved the conversations I had--not just with Momcat and (especially) Kipsy about our own approach to veganism/activism, but with new people I met. It was invigorating, and it made me more committed. Kipsy and I vowed to try much harder to be "real" vegans rather than don't ask/don't tell vegans, or "95%" vegans, or whatever. Kipsy also convinced me of the importance of really, actively avoiding household and cosmetic products that are tested on animals. I have committed myself to that--in retrospect, it's silly that I didn't do so before.

Amazingly, I managed to lose about a pound over the course of the conference. "Amazing" because I didn't exercise much, and I ate and ate and ate. Next post is about weight loss!

Uncle Sam is actually excercising regularly!

Yep, I have been now going to the Y about 3 times a week. There are some weeks I've only been able to go once because of work but I then try to make up for it by spending an extra long time when I do go. Smelliott really helps. He is the one that asked me to start taking him and he bugs me to go whenever he is over here. Unfortunately for the last 2 weeks he has been with Peggy at Renfaire and I've been doing a lot of night programs so hoefully I don't fall to far off the wagon. I am going to count my labor with the fireworks as a bit of a work out but I was able to even go for 45 minutes last night. I absolutely won't be able to go today or tomorrow.

My Secret Project

So I didn't tell you guys about this, because I wanted to see whether I'd actually stick to it. So far, I have, thus the Big Reveal:

Since the beginning of the year, I resolved not to buy anything new. If I could not find it used, and I really, really wanted it, I could only buy it if it was made in the USA. If I could not find it made in the USA, I had to buy it from a country with decent human rights and labor laws. Obviously, food doesn't apply, and I haven't checked where my toothpaste comes from, for instance.

This year, I have bought tons of stuff. But I have only bought a tiny number of new things, and all but one has been made in the USA: I bought a wood-bristled hairbrush made in Italy. (Amazing no US company manufactures a wood bristled brush!)

I'm still trying to find a used automatic guitar tuner, because no US company makes one. It's going to be hard to replace some things (like towels and sheets) once they wear out--but I am resolved to buy USA for these, even if it costs a ton--which it will.

I have not deprived myself at all, as you'll see from my list. Here are some of the things I've bought used this year:

1. Guitar and case.
2. Excalubur 9-tray dehydrator.
3. Chaco sandals.
4. Jeans.
5. A pizza stone.

And so on. It's absolutely amazing what you can buy on craigslist, ebay, and thrift stores. I really want to buy a kayak, and have been keeping my eye out.

Auto litter box

I'm thinking of getting an automated litter box. I tried one before, but the real Kipsy was bad about peeing on the edge of the box. The sweeper really only picks up clumps in the box away from the edge. I'm hoping it will work better with the current cohort if kitties. Anybody else tried one? Is it worth it?

Smoothies

I have found a blender that works for smoothies and has a cup attachment for drinking - the same one Kipsy has. I bought some spinach at Roothie's suggestion and added it to my frozen fruit and flax seed. Today I tried adding V8 juice - not a good idea. It looks like mud and the taste is not far from the looks.

Anyway, I am determined to loose 10 lbs. or more before the VegSummerfest. I have lost 3 in a week. I will add exercise after I reach my goal. I have found I tend to reward myself with food if I exercise so I will wait.

What clothes should we take besides exercise stuff? I sense that casual is the way to go. Roothie, will you be bringing your guitar?

Lose It app

I've been using an app called "Lose It" on my phone for several months now. It's kind of addictive. It's a food log and an exercise log. The coolest part is it keeps track not just of calories, but fat, fiber, protein, sodium, etc. I've learned I get TONS if fiber and enough protein. I am amazed at how much salt I eat. I still usually keep it below 2400 mg, but that's just if I stick to my fruit smoothy for breakfast and big salad for lunch. My low produce days are my high salt days. I'm not surprised the average American eats twice or more the recommended salt.

My sugar tends to be high, too, but it's mostly from fruit. My fat intake is pretty high for a vegan, but I eat nuts and nut butters every day. Tofu has tons of calories and fat! I wish I could cut it with something better for scrambled tofu. Or buy tofu in tubs smaller than a pound. I ate the whole thing in a day and a half, and I was trying to savor it. I sort of wish I'd never tried scrambled tofu...

Kale chips

Anybody had luck making baked kale chips? Mine didn't turn out quite like I hoped. Roothy, will you post that kale recipe we had at Thanksgiving?