Getting My Fabulous Fat A$$ in Gear

I've barely done anything today, so I really need to do something to get me started and to make me productive. I understand that it's a Sunday and that I don't have to be productive, but if I don't get a few things done then all those things will be put off until tomorrow. I really don't need to put off more things to tomorrow. I also need to accumulate points so that I can get my file cabinet. I had to dip into my point stash a few days ago because I needed to head to my Amnesty International meeting and I haven't had dinner yet. I needed my points so I could eat out for my meeting.

Getting Real about Weight Loss

What I really need to do is to plan my meals out for the next week so that I can make sure that I'm getting that plate full of fiber and am on my way to making my own meals and being vegan (the two life goals/bucket list items that I am working on for the SuperBetter project). This way, I won't be tempted to eat out or to eat more of those dreadful taquitos. Maybe I will do this today, even though I won't go shopping until Wednesday because this coming Wednesday is the day when everything is 10% off at Local Harvest Grocery. You can't pass up 10% off on your entire bill.

Part of my SuperBetter quest for today is to write an honest paragraph about being above your ideal weight. I am much closer to my ideal weight than I was before I went vegan, and I really think I can lose another 10 to 15 pounds and get myself to what I weighed in high school. That would be amazing, since in high school there were P.E. classes, 10K runs, band, and athletics, although I wasn't eating all that well at all. It would be great to get there simply by changing my diet and eating better, without adding any exercise regimen or daily gym visits or anything like that. I think it would also be great to be at my high school weight almost 10 years out of high school, which is something a lot of people can't say.

What You Can Do When You Lose Weight

Also part of this quest is thinking about what you can do once you lose the weight, or what losing weight could help you achieve. Here's what I think it can achieve, besides the obvious things of better health, improved body image, boosted self-confidence etc. etc.

1. Eat All You Want Once You Know to Eat the Right Foods - Dieting and weight loss is always associated with skipping dessert, smaller portions, and exercising all the times. Although those things aren't bad, it does make the idea of losing weight one that involves a lot of pain and sacrifice, when it doesn't have to be that way. Once you know what the right foods are to eat, you can eat as much as you want and never have to worry about gaining weight or burning off all those extra calories. Once you are eating the right foods, you don't have to think about smaller portions or even skipping dessert. You can have a full plate and still eat dessert. It's just that the dessert and that plate will look a little different from before.
2. Get New Clothes - This is the best part because once you lose a significant number of pounds, you're old clothes won't fit and you'll have a very good excuse to get new clothes. It's always nice to get clothes that are smaller, instead of having to shop because you need clothes that are bigger. Also, since you've made it a necessity to get new clothes, this little shopping spree doesn't turn into a luxury or into something you're doing to make yourself feel better. You already feel better because you lost the weight, so you feel better while already looking better.

Why I Went Vegan

I decided to go vegan almost two months ago, and I don't regret the decision at all. I've already lost about 10 pounds, simply because I changed what I eat (no rigorous exercise regiment included). My mind feels sharper, and I feel like I'm doing my job and running my business better than I ever have. I no longer have that "2:30 feeling," and I know that I am healthier than ever because I'm getting the nutrients I need instead of the fat and calories I don't. Are meat and dairy too good for you to give up?

It All Started with a Documentary

Yeah, it did. I watched Forks Over Knives and I was convinced and ready to give up all the meat and cheese in my life. As their synopsis states, the movie examined the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. Call it hogwash, but I can't see how eating plants and whole foods can actually be bad for me, so why not see if it can be good, incredibly good, for me?

I've also gotten support from famous professional poker player Daniel Negreanu, when he answered my question in a Q&A on a poker forum.  Negreanu is also vegan, and considered one of the best and most entertaining players in the world. He showed so much encouragement that I can't possibly fail or abandon veganism! What if I meet him one day? I don't want the shame of telling him I couldn't do it.

But, Didn't You Like Steak and Milk and Cheese?

Yes, yes, and YES! I didn't make this decision because all those foods suddenly tasted terrible. I used to drink coffee with milk twice a day, and now I drink coffee with soymilk twice a day. I used to get the grilled stuffed burrito at Taco Bell, and now I get the cantina bowl or the cantina burrito. I used to get chicken noodle soup or beef barley soup, but now I just get vegetable soup or make my own using those soup mixes. I loved all the things I used to eat, and I still love them because I do still think they taste good. I'm just choosing to eat differently for the sake of my health.

It's not as hard a transition as most people think. It's simply a matter of knowing what to look for and knowing what your options are. Initially, you do have to learn what to look for and what options you have, purchase different things, and even get rid of food that you already have. You might also have to shop somewhere else because most grocery chains don't have vegan options when it comes to desserts and microwavable foods. But, you make the commitment and you have all that down, it's not a problem at all.

But, Aren't Vegetables Nasty?

We only think that because we're so used to eating them with meat, cheese, butter, and/or oil. Get rid of all that stuff and you'll find that vegetables not only taste good, but that you'll like a few vegetables you didn't know you liked or existed. For example, I now really like red and green peppers and radishes, when before I went vegan I didn't. I've always loved mushrooms, and I now I get to eat more of them. I'm also excited to try new leafy greens and to get into eating more artichoke.

Plus, it's not like vegans eat lettuce or salad all the time. There are plenty of dishes, such as pad thai, lasagna, pizza, tacos, cereal, pasta etc. that can be made vegan-friendly very easily. There are also tons of great cookbooks and websites out there with lots of great dishes to try. Also, don't forget that many delicious foods, such as peanut butter, potato chips, and saimin (some brands, at least) are already vegan.

The best part with a vegan diet is that I can eat to my heart's content, and I know that I'm not gonna get fat. I don't have to worry about portion control, or counting calories, or having too much sugar. On a whole foods, plant-based diet, I'm getting everything my body needs and nothing it doesn't.