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Oooh I'm going to Boston today I hear there is a vegan pizza restaurant in Allston, MA, so I'm pretty excited! Welcome!!

Have you heard of the detoxification phenomenon? Your skin can tend to freak out a bit because of that. I think it happens when you change your diet drastically, but it's not necessarily the vegan diet that does it--just the changes your body is adapting to. It may die down in a few more months as you get used to your new eating habits. That said, I have had bad skin for about 9 years now, so I feel your pain, man. It's awful stuff to deal with. In January I starting eating a lot more raw fruit (like half of my diet is bananas, apples, and oranges), using Desert Essence Facial Wash (tea tree oil and awapuhi), and moisturizing my skin at night with pure coconut oil. My skin is looking a lot better than it did about 5 months ago. I know the tea tree oil is antiseptic, but I'm thinking the coconut oil has the same qualities to it. I'm not sure if it's the facial wash or the extra fruit that I'm eating. Good luck with this! I know what a real bummer it is to have bad skin.

Alright, so I swear I didn't give up completely! I just had to go to mom's for a few days (to finish taxes, lol). I'm leaving for Boston today to visit a friend and watch the Boston Marathon (aunt and uncle are running!) and see the sites. I already found three vegan restaurants I want to hit up, so I'm pretty excited! Training for the past week: 3mi run, 2mi run, 3.5 mi run. No real strength training Today: 3.2 miles for my hokies!

hahaha it's so right!! I think most people with pets have a relatively symbiotic relationship with them. Each one makes demands, each one gives in to demands, each one loves.

Oh god, I have the mental energy to run a marathon right now, but not the physical energy. I have been hard pressed for time so I have been eating more nuts for protein, and all the beans I've eaten have slowed down my digestion and just made me incredibly sluggish in general. Carbs are my only friend. It really sucks because I wanted to run 3-4 mi today and only eked out 1.5 miles before I got really tired, but I'm too frustrated with like, everything else in my life to have let it all out in 1.5 miles. I needed to do some upper body training today, too, but...no energy. I feel like I'm going to explode because I WANT to do it all right now, but I can't. I'm having a seriously terrible day. I can feel it all in my chest and my throat right now, but I have no way to let it out.

haha quiero visitar Barcelona! Mi tío vivió allí en los veranos pasados porque él toca saxaphone en un club. Pero recuerdo que dijo que estaba cuidad muy hermosa. PS. Mi tía (de spain) nos cocinaba tortillas cuando yo era niña. Has tratado de cocinar una tortilla de tofu? Hay una receta aquí: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/09/vegan-omelette-for-one.html Nunca he tratado...pero me gustaba las tortillas...con papas, cebollas y setas....

Revolushuneyz, I think you have a point there, but a lot of it regards the people who aren't ready to take care of an animal, and don't know how much time goes into it. I don't agree with the statement that all of them are "trained and beaten to be subservient" because 1, a lot of people are bad trainers and never get their pets past 'sit,' and 2, the ones that are good trainers are almost always using a reward-based system to train their animals. Also, training them isn't a bad thing, because in the animal world (say, a wolf-pack), the one strongest dog is always top dog and the rest answer to him--and you want to be that top dog because it makes your own dogs feel protected and safe. A dog IS just like a child in this respect--the more obedience that is expected of them, the stronger they think you are, and the safer they feel. It's not about demeaning them and beating them if they disobey you. As for cats...I've never personally seen a trained cat so I have no clue how people do that! I would expect they would just stare at you and think "You want what now?" But I do agree with you for the most part. Not every animal lover has to own an animal to be classified as a lover. I had a friend tell me the other month that he refused to coo over a little puppy aloud because he didn't want to have to tell people that he was too selfish and irresponsible to take care of a puppy, so he didn't want to get one. I thought it was quite admirable to admit that

I do if they are puppies or kittens! I've been known to baby-talk a snail. Am I the only animal-lover on this site? haha, no...I've been thinking about this ever since making that post, really...and I think being vegan has MADE me an animal lover, even though I thought I wasn't one (since I didn't make the switch for the animals). I moo at cows that I drive by, I meow at kitties hiding in bushes, I snort at piggies--I SAY piggies instead of pigs for goodness sake!. I used to only love MY kitties and just tolerate others, but now I try to make friends with them all...especially now that there are websites full of cat pictures with bad grammar. Of course, I only figured all of this out yesterday, when I was working out in the garage and the neighborhood cat, George, came in to lay right beneath me as I was doing push ups and I didn't immediately throw him outside

I'll be in Orlando for the next disney marathon!

More vegetables! Sneak them into everything. Or, if you don't want to change up your recipes, eat two servings of raw fruits or veggies before each meal or snack, then gauge how hungry you are, and eat accordingly. You'll get full faster that way, at least. Drink a bunch of water, too. I have a hard time finishing any of my meals because I love to drink so much water!

3 paragraphs starting with "so." The English freak in me hates me right now.

So I took your advice and flat out doubled my protein. Mostly with lentils and tvp! I noticed a HUGE difference in my recovery time already--after running 7.5 miles I was prepared for the entire day after being full of sore legs, especially considering that I was still sore from the legs/back workout when I went running. But my legs felt great yesterday! Thanks for the advice So this morning I did the chest and back again, won't go into all the numbers. On the back flies and lawnmowers I upped the weight to 12# and did 10 reps. AND I tried doing some push ups without my knees on the floor I know. I did 5 reps that way and 10 reps on my knees for the first three, maybe four rounds of push ups. THEN I tried some real pull ups (not the band) and did about 1 in which I ACTUALLY could pull my whole chin above the bar, and then five where I aaalmost got it back up there. And then went to the band so that I could continue with the workout. So, I'm definitely progressing!! Going out to run (probably just 4mi) before it gets any hotter. It's crazy humid outside today!

I do if they are puppies or kittens!

NICE! Everybody is looking amazing!!

Siempre he querido visitar España. Es fácil ser vegano allí? De lo que he escuchado, muchos allí comen pescado y carne de vacas, sí? Que tipos de comidos veganos de España te gustan más? Tengo miedo que si visitaba allí, las unicas cosas que podría comer son paella y gazpacho! Oh, y quiero dar la bienvenida también!!

I agree with both posts above. Animals weren't at the top of my list of concerns when I went vegan, but now that I am, I have been introduced to all the issues that come with it, of course. I LOVE animals, but I definitely used to be one of those "I can love animals and still eat meat" kinds of people. So now that I'm vegan I just feel like less of a hypocrite But environmental and health issues were at the top of my list of reasons for being vegan. When I found out it was healthier to be a vegan, I was like, wtf am I doing eating meat? There isn't any excuse anymore. I also enjoy playing with other people's pets over having my own. I have two snakes, but I got them as rescues and play with them a few times a week, and feed them once every week or three, so they aren't really high maintenance. I could go on vacation for two weeks and just leave them with plenty of water and not have to worry about them. Given the opportunity, though, I would definitely pet the hell out of any animal I could. Especially a tiger. They're my faves.

That...is fucking stupid. I think he lost any sort of intelligent readers when he said that food allergies are faked so people can diet. WTF. "Vegetarians never love food. They merely tolerate it." Has this man never heard of Isa-Chandra Moskowitz? She writes entire books devoted to vegan cupcakes, by god! If that's not love, I don't know what is.

Today I meant to just take a quick 3mi run and be done with it, but it was such a nice day out that I didn't want to stop once I got started! I ended up running 7.5 mi. 75 minutes...so 10 minute miles. I are good at math Shooting for 2000 calories today. Wish me luck...

I actually took an internets quiz a few years ago that told me what my theme song is, because of course, I'm too indecisive to pick one for myself. I got "Groove is in the heart" by Deelite. I thought it was quite appropriate, so I didn't argue.

I don't know about rock star specifically, but I know that Red Bull answered part of that question--they don't contain animal products. Not sure about testing still, but if the company is avoiding your question...that might be your answer. But you really would be better off getting energy somewhere else! Those things have scary amounts of caffeine. And chemically created B-vitamins, if I'm correct. Better off to get those from natural sources, IMO.

It's because if they've got the parents all worried about their kid's vit D intake, they just HAVE to buy more milk. Dairy companies can't make any money off the sunshine!

I've been trying to do this for my family ever since I went vegan! It's a lost cause I hope it works better for you than me.... Welcome!

The Count of Monte Cristo, The World According to Garp, The Master and Margarita, Les Miserables, Anna Karenina, Gone with the Wind, Daughter of Fortune, Pride and Prejudice....... I think I might have just listed my favorite books, and not necessarily the ones that have influenced me. I fail! Take 2: Becoming Vegan was HUGE for me because of one simple chapter that completely changed my life. It took me from a potential life of misery and illness and into the arms of vegan health. Vegan with a Vengeance was the first vegan cookbook I got, right after going vegan. It helped me learn to cook and introduced me to a world of yummy vegan food. It kept me from starving, it taught me how to cook...plus, it has a recipe for fucking pumpkin oatmeal cookies. PUMPKIN OATMEAL, PEOPLE. I have always wanted to read The Sexual Politics of Meat, but have yet to get my hands on it. I wonder if it's in the library....

Thanks!! you too. I was afraid it wasn't making any sense to people

The glutes are pretty sore today, as are whatever those muscles on your shoulders/back are, so instead of high intensity stuff I took a nice long walk today. I need to concentrate on not getting too skinny, as I can now see my collarbone straight across from the top of my chest to the tips of my shoulders. So I'm making more of an effort to up my calories, specifically protein. The 80/10/10 thing is nice, but I'm practically to the underweight point right now, so it might have to go on hold. So today: breakfast 2 bananas 1 apple snack soy milk lunch 1/2 cup couscous 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1/2 cup parsley dinner 1.5 cup romaine lettuce 1 cup arugula/spinach mix 2 cup broccoli 1/2 cup carrots 3 tbsp dried cherries (yummm) 2 tbsp light cranberry walnut vinaigrette 1/2 cup red lentils 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1/4 cup fresh dill 1/4 cup fresh salsa hot sauce (I know, it's a weird combination. was tasty, but I'll probably have to tweak it a bit to make it better) I'm going to have a full bag of popcorn once I stop feeling so ingly full. Today will total approximately 1800 calories, at about a 70/20/10 ratio. Question: do you guys, when you're bulking, have to eat past the point of being comfortably full? I have such a hard time doing that, but if I don't, I swear I eat about 1400 calories a day.