veganmama

I really like it... I don't find it offensive- if you can't laugh at yourself, then you are taking life way too seriously.

welcome! good to hear you are making the transition to veganism together! That must be fun!! looking forward to your posts...

you are a better woman than I! I am weak for chocolate. p.s. your blog makes me hungry!!

thanks!

I usually start on my toes, go down to my knees when I can't hold on my toes any longer. I think I will go in the group fitness room at my gym and practice in front of the mirror to get better form. When I do yoga and pilates the teachers always say to "keep your back paralell to the ground" during plank but for me that is much easier said than done, so I think I just need time to practice on my own. When I googled plank positions I also saw some w/ legs spread wider vs. shoulder width apart... so I guess I will experiment.

Saturday 7/25/09 FOOD: breakfast: coffee 1/2 a banana (Finn absconded w/ the other half ) lunch: mexican- 1/2 grilled veggie burrito, rice and salad; horchata (mmm) dinner: brown rice, tofu, chickpeas, veggies. snacks: green smoothie- spinach, banana, pear, mint, water & ice. coffee 1 raw "cookie" WORKOUT: 1 hour total 45 minute everlast shadow boxing class (awesome) 15 minute ab work

Ok, when I do planks I have a problem w/ my form... I have a really pronounced natural arch in my lower back and I can't figure out how to keep my back straight without sticking my butt up too high. Any suggestions?

offical before pic: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_z5vm5vQ3i4E/SmqqtIs80-I/AAAAAAAABns/y1a8y5579Ek/s400/before.jpg taken today. Sorry, it is quite blurry... it is frikkin hard to stay still when you are flexing (YES, I AM flexing... don't laugh). I want to see a lot more definition in my arms by the end of september... + I want to get that tummy flatter.

what a freaking joke!!

awwwwww, crap. I hate planks! but you gotta do what you gotta do, right? thanks!! I never really realized that planks are so good for abs.

O+ here too!! I think I am due to go again at the beginning of August.

zinzen, u r funny thanks you guys for answering my questions so thoroughly! It is so nice not to just be wondering ... you know? My c-section was actually 5 years ago, but I was only 21 and not really into fitness b4 I got pregnant so I had probably less-than-no muscle tone prior to pregnancy/delivery. I gained about 40 lbs w/ my first baby and that is the pregnancy that did all of the damage. With my second pregnancy I worked w/ a personal trainer throughout the pregnancy and exercised almost daily up until the last month so I only gained 18lbs and lost it right away. What a difference! So now... what kind of exercise is best for ab strength? are crunches where it's at? I know I get a lot of ab work in the pilates class I take at the gym but that is only once a week... what can I be doing on my own? thank you (x100)!

Ok, I have a few questions related to exercise. I guess those of you who know about human anatomy/physiology(?) will be able to answer them: the first one is about fat loss: why do I always loose weight in my face/boobs before my ass?! and why is it so hard to loose the fat in my lower half? is this just a genetic thing? it is really annoying. Is there anything I can do to lose weight more evenly, or are these just the cards I was dealt? the second one has to do w/ abdominal muscles: I had an emergency c-section w/ my first child... someone told me that they probably cut through muscles in my stomach?? and I KNOW that they pulled my abdominal wall apart to get to my uterus because I saw them do it from a mirror above my head (fun) so I am wondering if there is any way that I will ever have a defined abdominal wall? or is this just not a possibility w/o plastic surgery?? Also, is it possible for skin to shrink? like, will my skin on my stomach that is stretched out from pregnancy get tighter as I lose weight and gain muscle or is that another thing that can only be achieved w/ a tummy tuck?? I have seen so many girls that have had babies w/ no sagging skin on their tummies, I just wonder why that is, while others have really f-cked up bellies? thanks in advance for any answers!

yeah, well I don't think it's so funny! I'd like to be somewhere rainy and cold(ish) right about now!

I agree w/ aryan... when I feel like I am eating out of boredom or stress I put my hand on my stomach for a few seconds- I know this sounds crazy- but by focusing that way, I can really feel my fullness level and even rate it from 1-10 (starving-full), I swear it works. At that point if I am not really hungry, it is a lot easier to tell myself to walk away from the cupboard. If I am hungry, then I eat more and don't feel like I am pigging out for no reason I get a sweet tooth after I eat lunch, so I try to eat a piece of chocolate, or something semi-healthy b4 it gets the best of me! That seems to give me a sense of closure too... like the meal is done now, time to move on.

does donating blood count?? Since I am a broke-joke and have less than no time, I donate blood... it is really rewarding. I think everyone should do it, plus I get to brag about how good my hemoglobin is even though I am vegan when I pass that part of the screening

Friday 7/24/09 COMIDA: breakfast: green smoothie- raspberries, banana, spinach, hemp protein, water & ice. lunch: veggie burger w/ tomatoes, pickles, onions, lettuce, a few french fries. dinner: japanese food- seaweed salad, cucumber salad, veggie hand roll, edamame + a small sapporo snacks: homemade raw "cookies". EJERCICIO: 15 minutes crossramp all machines 3x15reps @ no more than 15 lbs (don't laugh) arm curls arm extensions lat pulldowns (30lbs) crazy busy day. unfortunately didn't have as much time as I wanted to work out, had to take my dad to dr. tomorrow is shadowboxing baby! yeeeeah!

thanks girls!!

Thursday 7/23/09 FOOD: breakfast: green smoothie- papaya, mango, banana, spinach, water & ice. lunch: tofurky sandwich on sprouted wheat bread, w/ vegenaise and lettuce (pretty much my usual work lunch). dinner: green smoothie during/post workout- 1 mango, 1 banana, kale, hemp protein, water & ice. snacks: brown rice cake small soy latte a few of kids' french fries they tempt me so!! WORKOUT: CARDIO: 20 min treadmill 20 min crossramp STRENGTH: 3(sets)X20(reps) of each of the following, at various weights (none above 75lbs): ALL machines: seated leg curls leg extensions hip adduction hip abduction I didn't have time for arms today so I will do arms/back 2morrow. Today was a good day, no headaches. I am thinking that they might just be a detox thing from the green smoothies. I am starting to feel strong and noticing some firming action! like when I get up from laying down and put my hand on my stomach I can totally feel some abs going on, and the definition in my arms makes me very happy

hey robert is vega up on bb.com yet? I followed the fbook link and couldn't find it??

Wednesday 7/22/09 FOOD: coffee in a.m. breakfast: green smoothie- 2 cups of red grapes, 1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, hemp protein, water & ice. lunch: tofurky sandwich on sprouted wheat bread, w/ vegenaise and lettuce; salt and vinegar potato chips . dinner: pizza crust w/ cheese taken off at costco (blech!). I had to take my dad shopping (he doesn't drive) and got so hungry and desperate. I wish I had brought a snack! lesson learned. snacks: peanut butter puffins w/o milk after work. banana "milk"shake- almond milk, banana, tiny bit of brown sugar, hemp protein, ice. WORKOUT: I didn't make it to the gym because of having to take my dad out shopping. I think that pushing two kids around in a cart for 2 hours at a giant warehouse store must burn some calories though, right? . Today I work (yay) I am needing a break from chores/kids. oh, I forgot to mention that I weighed myself at the gym yesterday and the scale said exactly 160 so that will be my official starting point for gauging weight loss. craving sweets again today, and I am going to bed and waking up w/ nasty headaches every day??? caffeine?

wow, ok... I think that is worse than mine! As far as raising your kids vegan, I take the not shoving it down their throats route... I tell my 5 yr old exactly what meat is, all the gory details and I show her some of the less disturbing (read: bloody) videos on peta's website, she still eats chicken sometimes when she is with her dad and she eats cheese a few times a week... my husband is omni so we have cheese in the house but no meat of any kind, ever. I give her the tools to make the right choices, but I don't want her to rebel later... so like you said, I don't shove it down her throat. My 2 yr old on the other hand has never eaten meat, he even spits out cheese (which I have never seen a kid do). His favorite foods are tofu and salad, he guzzles soy and almond milk. He is definitely my little vegan boy. I feel bad because I didn't start my daughter out as well as I did my son... I was just vegetarian when she was born so I gave her cows milk as a toddler and even some chicken baby-food too, I was misguided but I still feel really guilty about it. I think that the food you start them out with really stays with them for their whole lives, and makes a healthy lifestyle much easier for them. Sorry, that was a total tangent! I am glad that the sun came out for you (but yuck about the bugs!)! You should check out Brendan Brazier's book... 'The Thrive Diet' I think it is called, or I think it was published as just 'Thrive' in the U.S. if you are looking for a good vegan diet. I haven't read it but I think a lot of ppl on this forum have.

I was just about to start a thread like this and then yay, there already is one! This is my favorite, so simple an so yummy: 2 pears 1 banana about 1/2 a bag of baby spinach hemp protein (optional) water & ice Also: watermelon or honeydew romaine lettuce water & ice (I don't measure, just fill up my blender) =SOOO refreshing! I LOVE this one too Jessifly... great for "that time of month" bloated tummy feeling because of the parsley. Does anyone know what green would go best with raw cacao powder... I am trying to think up a chocolaty green smoothie recipe???

welcome! good to see another mom on here.... I have a 5 yr old girl and a 25 month old boy. I have also been vegan for just over a year (vegetarian for 15 years)!

tuesday 7/21/09 FOOD: coffee first thing after waking up (always). breakfast: 1 quart green smoothie- 2 pears, 1 banana, spinach, water (this is my favorite recipe) lunch: chickpea flour "omelette" w/ tofu, spinach, bell peppers. dinner: tempeh taco w/ brown rice, pinto beans, & homegrown tomato snacks: brown rice cake after workout (starving!) 16oz soy latte in afternoon small bowl of peanut butter puffins w/ almond milk for dessert, to kill sweet tooth! WORKOUT: total- 45 min cardio 20 min treadmill incline-6 @4.5mph 15 min crossramp (pouring sweat! I love this machine) 10 min sauna 10 min swimming my workout was short-ish because I was running out of time b4 the 'kids club' closed. We had a big thunderstorm last night so it was SOOO nice outside this morning and it is only going to be 108 today... COOL compared to the 115 that it has been. I love how clean everything feels after a storm. So today was pretty good, except that I am relying too much on coffee, I am soooooo drained lately. I share my bed w/ my 2 year old and he has been waking up a lot at night. I am at the end of my rope energy-wise. The only time today that I felt really good was during/after workout. Other than that I was drained, and relying on caffeine made me cranky to boot . Also, I notice on days that I am tired I have a nasty sweet tooth! I am guessing that my body is craving carbs for energy?