Day 5: I think…

The plan.

Here’s truth time…

Not loving the food and I’m hungry most of the time. Last night’s dinner was better than most of the others but it was SO much food that I couldn’t eat it all at meal-time. I went to bed feeling like I had eaten way too much for the day. Now, how does that equal out to my being hungry? Well, I wasn’t hungry then but it seems like a lot of food at meal times and none in between. So, there’s that.

Yesterday, I was UP two pounds which really bummed me out. But, today, I’m down two so it has leveled out. Note that I’m not down two MORE, just those two that were up yesterday.

I ate breakfast a bit later this morning so that I wouldn’t be so hungry throughout the day. Fingers crossed that it helps.

Incidentally, I emailed the Happy Herbivore crew the day I started to see when they recommended eating breakfast (like what time). No response as of yet. They seem pretty good at sending spammy emails but not actually replying to the people who have purchased. As I said at the beginning, don’t expect customer service to be part of the package. You’re pretty much on your own.

This was last night’s dinner. A curry that was too much food but really good anyway. I didn’t eat it all and I did add some fresh parsley.

Also, yesterday’s lunch was basically chickpeas, ketchup and some spices. Is that even a meal?

I’m being critical, yes, but the plan seems basic at best. Worth $60? Not so far but I’m sticking with it.

Day 5 thoughts:

• Food still not great.
• Still down two pounds.
• Not that impressed so far.

More tomorrow…

Day 3: Supreme Slimdown

Full day 3 on the Happy Herbivore Supreme Slimdown Blueprint plan. I’m not down anymore poundage from yesterday but holding steady.

Yesterday’s food was not to my liking really at all. I didn’t even take a picture of yesterday’s lunch and only ate half of it. I did picture dinner last night, which was some better than lunch. It was a curry dish and flavorful but overwhelmingly so.

I didn’t snack at all yesterday; only ate the three meals. I had oatmeal for breakfast again, which I really like.

For lunch today, it was black bean soup. It was GOOD! I dashed in a bit too much chili powder which set my mouth on fire but it was still quite tasty. I’ll make it again! AND, I used the other half of the beans from a recipe the other day which economized on ingredients. I like that.

I guess it doesn’t look like much in this picture but it was tasty.

All of these recipes use anti-inflammatory and anti-bloat ingredients, which is awesome. I’ve had elevated inflammation levels in the past so I’m always a bit aware of that. I’m sure eating like this helps!

Final day 3 thoughts:

• Not my favorite recipes.
• Weight loss holding steady.

More tomorrow…

Day 2: Supreme Slimdown Blueprint from Happy Herbivore

I meant to include how much I spent for the week on groceries for this plan. I’m only sticking to the plan, no snacks, etc. so that’s all the food I bought. I also had a few of the things already on hand. In total, I spent about $55. It is a bit more than what I would spend in a week normally but not break-the-bank bad. Also, as I said yesterday, there isn’t a lot of overlap in the ingredients so I’m not sure what I’ll do with the leftovers. Freeze some; make a big soup for my boyfriend with the others, I guess.

Anyway, full day 2 was yesterday and I’m down another pound. Yay!

I did get pretty hungry between lunch and dinner again but I managed to survive without snacking. I didn’t even sneak an extra vitamin gummy this time. Success!

Yesterday’s lunch was a super-easy, super-tasty chili.

The recipe made one serving but it was a pretty big serving! Flavorful, good consistency, it’s a keeper.

I won’t give the recipe away but when I looked at last night’s dinner, I thought, “What!? Really??” It struck me as a strange combination of only four ingredients. But, I shouldn’t have been so hasty. It was really good!

Today’s menu looks a bit more diverse and a tiny bit more involved. That’s okay. I will report tomorrow on it.

I forgot to put my overnight oats in the fridge last night so I just did them in the microwave this morning. (FYI: This plan comes with an “SOS” option for all recipes if you’re crunched for time or if you forget something, like I did.) They were fine from the microwave but definitely better done overnight. I won’t forget today!

Final day 2 thoughts:

• Good food!
• Down another pound.

I’ll take it!

Plan link here.

Day 1: Happy Herbivore SUPREME SLIMDOWN

Yesterday was my first full day doing the Happy Herbivore Slimdown Blueprint plan. I didn’t find much first-hand information about it when I was thinking about doing it so I thought I’d take the bull by the horns and document my journey through it.

Two notes:
1. None of these recipes/ideas are mine.
2. I’m following the plan exactly.*

So, the plan relies on several things. Firstly, it’s all whole food and plant-based. I think most of you know what that entails. I’ve been vegan for a long time but have fallen off the proverbial wagon in the past few years. I know from experience that I feel better when I eat plants so this fits nicely with that. The plan also relies on three meals per day and no snacking. It also relies on the Thermic Effect of Feeding which is something I figure matters but not something I’ve paid attention to before. Here’s a bit more info about that. I was meticulously counting calories before this and it sucked, to be honest. These meal plans are right at 1,200 calories per day so I’ve stopped with all the calorie counting. THANK GOODNESS. Also, portion sizes are explicitly laid out and all of the foods are anti-inflammatory and anti-bloat.

All very good things!

I have noticed a couple of things that I’m not crazy about. Firstly, if you are looking for any type of quality customer service, look elsewhere. They miss the mark there. Also, there does not seem to be much overlap between the recipes which means that a lot of ingredients are wasted. Some of it can be frozen but some cannot. I dislike food waste. A lot. Finally, if you like any sort of interaction with others going through the plan, you won’t get it here. The best you get is to post on the Facebook page and hope that someone will reply. That’s it. I know that when I pay $60 for something like this, a bit of interaction would be nice.

However, all that said, I am down two pounds from yesterday which is pretty cool.

*I will admit that I got pretty hungry between lunch and dinner last night and I may or may not have snuck an extra gummy vitamin because they are delicious and taste like a snack and I NEEDED A SNACK. Moment of gummy weakness for sure. But, otherwise, I feel pretty good. My insides feel clean and, for the most part, I’ve felt satisfied with the food.

I’ve also been exercising more with PiYo at least twice each week and drinking lots of water. So, there’s all that.

Now for the food! For breakfast, I’m sticking with simple overnight oats. They are quite delicious and filling.

This was lunch yesterday which was, BY FAR, my favorite of what I’ve had. I could eat this most days, I think. I wish I’d had a bit of cilantro for it but, alas, I did not.

The first dinner was a spaghetti squash dish which I didn’t love. However, most of the recipes look absolutely amazing.

So, I’m just beginning this plan and have noticed some drawbacks but I can’t overlook the fact that I’m down two pounds. I know that true weight loss has to show for several days before it can “count” but I think this is a good sign. I figure no snacking will make a world of difference.

More tomorrow…

wheatgrass…

is coming up beautifully! Delali will be one happy cat.

Mug..

Made this over the weekend… my favorite!

Garlic!

I have garlic pushing through. Hooray!
I’ve read, however, that it will take a year for it to actually produce. A lesson in patience… courtesy of GARLIC!!

Garden fever

I set out MORE seeds today. I think I need a 12-step program for my garden fever.
Zucchini
White radish
Okra
Wheatgrass
Parsley
Aloe

The ones pictured are started using toilet paper tubes, an old cupcake liner cup, a vitamin bottle cut in half (used both halves!), and a salad container. Love giving these things dug out of the recycling bin a new life!

Thrift SCORES

Awesome Goodwill haul yesterday… Sweet apothecary cabinet that I’m going to paint and store my essential oils in, Ben Seibel teacup, FANTASTIC pagoda-style double boiler, HUGE bag of wooden beads for a top secret project. Score!
(Click photo to see more fantastic thrift finds!)

Joyful, happy heart.

 

Look…  This one has a scar across the side which, in my eyes, makes it just about perfect. Hearts in nature make my joyful heart very happy.