InmostLight

I don't even have a gym membership yet and in the meantime I've been doing leg raises. Would the ab wheel be a better at-home tool for ab definition?

$150-200, but only because there's a great mainly-organic outlet where I live and it's somehow MUCH cheaper than regular grocers. If I was shopping at a typical grocer, it would be from $250-300.

Thanks for the reply. I do eat plenty of pasta with tomato sauce, maybe I should lay off of it a bit . Are there any other effects of it other than diabetes? Here's what an average day looks like for me: Morning: Deva Vegan Multivitamin Apple Handful of Grapes Handful of Almonds Usually flax & granola cluster cereal with hemp milk Sometimes Coffee Throughout the day: Banana A couple more handfuls of almonds Bowl of Chili (Silken tofu, red kidney beans, diced tomatoes, fried onion, a bit of hemp milk, spices) Glass of almond or hemp milk Glass of Kombucha Evening: Either: Pasta w/ Tomato Sauce or Garden Pesto OR something like a Brown rice w/ a thai soy+peanut sauce A few salad rolls (avacado, lettuce, tomato, red pepper, sometimes veggie meat strips) Beer or Kratom tea (I'm in the process of cutting down substances. I just quit smoking for my health + they're not vegan!) Glass of Kombucha 2:00am snack: Usually dinner leftovers Glass of Juice + hemp protein Here's a 1-day sample from FitDay: http://ocularharmony.com/uploads/fit1.png http://ocularharmony.com/uploads/fit2.png

Hey there, I'm quite skinny and I take in an average of 3,000 cals without putting emphasis on eating more. I'm also not too active when it comes to the cardio (web designer!), and yet I still find it difficult to gain weight. I'm aiming at between 3,500 and 4,000 for now, does that sound reasonable? The only time I gained weight significantly is a few years ago when I was still vegetarian, and I tried this unhealthy "calorie booster", that had 2,500 calories in two servings. It went straight to the belly and was super unnatural... Anything specific that people eat to put on weight calorie-wise, or should I focus on the proteins?

Ah, I didn't see this sticky thread and first saw another one about daily eating, so sorry for the double post . I was vegetarian and am now vegan, and here's a sample of what my diet looks like in 1 day : Breakfast: -2 slices toast w/ Earth Balance & Marmalade -1.5 cups granola & nut cereal fortified with vitamin B6 + 1 cup hemp bliss -1 glass Kombucha Lunch: -4 Burritos w/ veggie ground round, tomatoes, lettuce, orange bell pepper, and a thai peanut sauce Dinner/workout: -1 glass Kombucha -Pita + roasted pine nut hummus -1.5 cups mixed berry juice with 16g raw hemp protein -1.5 cups cabbage soup w/ tomatoes & Barley -Handful of almonds -1 cup almond milk w/ 8g raw hemp protein -Deva vegan multivitamin -1 pill 5-HTP

What a great thread idea, I joined here about half a year ago and just getting back into it. I joined as a vegetarian and am now living a vegan diet so it's neat to see what others are eating on a day-to-day basis. And WOW Chewybars, those shakes look epic! Breakfast: -2 slices toast w/ Earth Balance & Marmalade -1.5 cups granola & nut cereal fortified with vitamin B6 + 1 cup hemp bliss -1 glass Kombucha Lunch: -4 Burritos w/ veggie ground round, tomatoes, lettuce, orange bell pepper, and a thai peanut sauce Dinner/workout: -1 glass Kombucha -Pita + roasted pine nut hummus -1.5 cups mixed berry juice with 16g raw hemp protein -1.5 cups cabbage soup w/ tomatoes & Barley -Handful of almonds -1 cup almond milk w/ 8g raw hemp protein -Deva vegan multivitamin -1 pill 5-HTP

Well, looks like I'm the first one that drinks, smokes, and takes illegal drugs! Smoking's the first to go. I'm down to having 1 cigarette in a 15 day period. I drink periodically, and usually have 1 glass of wine or a beer if I do drink. Same with a particular 'illegal' drug, but even less frequently.

I currently just buy locally downtown Montreal since it avoids the shipping cost, but it's more difficult to get a nice variety (hemp, rice, etc...). I'm interested too if there's a Canadian-based place to order good vegan protein!

As Anji mentioned Neon Genesis Evanglion for sure, as well as Gundam Wing Mobile Suit. Check out Afro Samurai as well, a little different from conventional anime, and the RZA does the soundtrack.

Ha, my doctor is thankfully accepting of being veg, she sent me for a blood test though, and everything was fine except for my iron was a little lower than average. Regarding spiritual / inner energies, it really is something that goes hand in hand with a balanced lifestyle and something that is commonly dismissed as an esoteric concept, especially in the western world. About a year ago I decided to see if I could find something that could rid my general anxiety. I went to the doctor and she recommended I try effexor, an anti-depressant. This made me feel super the first day, and then every day after that I had zero energy. There was a time when I could not keep awake at all, and I was getting decent sleep. I had four coffees and an energy drink in a row at this time, and I fell asleep right after. People were asking 'what's wrong with you?' in a concerned manner. This is amongst other things, like sudden anxiety attacks at night, intense sweating, and sexual side effects. Check out the list of side effects. I quit the anti-depressant and decided not to try another. Effexor is also the most addictive anti-depressant on the market, so i was lucky I didn't get addicted. I started reading about spirituality and learned a lot about self-healing and prana (inner energy). By being aware of your energy, and through mindfulness, you start to remove addictive forms (thought forms, emotional forms, physical forms) from the way you perceive the world, and it changes your perspective physically and mentally. I no longer feel anxiety and my expectations are dimmed, so I'm happier and see the world in a completely different way. In extreme cases I can see how the application of modern medicine is useful. The problem is people are relying on chemicals for the smallest diagnostics. Chemicals that strongly affects many faculties of the body / mind, more than the ones they try to target for helping.

Welcome! The cravings can certainly be difficult. I usually crave something sugary and once in a blue moon fall into the 'processed food' trap. Anyway, if you ever come up to Montreal, be sure to check out Aux Vivres on St.Laurent, it has the best vegan BLT's ever!

Angryvegan! This is great, I too am starting out, and also a lightweight (130lb), and also just starting the Stronglifts 5x5 program. Keep eating lots, I gained 2lbs this week by being conscious about eating, and despite 2lb not being too much, it really adds up in the long run! Here's what I've been starting with: -Lots of pasta -Bananas -Sprouted Lentils -Sprouted chick peas turned into hummus and eaten with bread -Fresh veggies -Soy powder You should start a training log if you haven't already, I'd be down for tracking it to see someone on the same program with the same body type

Montreal fan here, hoping Chicago takes it to avenge les habitants. I feel that Philly were unsportsmanlike during their losses, and I always had some respect for Chicago.

Hmm, people can be difficult, but what did you do to deserve him to treat people like this? Likely nothing or very little. Often these 'difficult' people have received their own toll of aggression when they were growing up, and was influenced to behave the same way. Try not to let anything really sink in and affect you, and if he's really persistent and there's no way to avoid him during classes, I recommend you just talk to him personally and tell him in a polite way that that kind of attitude isn't productive in a gym, whether he's been there 2 days, 6 years, or 40 years.

Sorry to hear about the bacon experience. It's happened to me too, just with Clamato Juice. Twice it occurred where I bought it without thinking only to later realize I was drinking a clam. I usually try to laugh it off and not get upset, and just not do it again Yesssss Hummus is the best, made some raw sprouted chick pea hummus 2 hours ago. Excellent for protein!

Woah what a babe! I think you look great, and agree with lobesteriffic, you can probably start taking down lots of sprouted lentils and vegan yummies while working out .

Oh good god...there's such thing as Chocolate Bacon? Yeah, I have a friend that's turned off by the idea of going a meal without meat. It's a pretty far-fetched idea, and quite unhealthy! I just can't imagine consciously taking in so much meat, (or any meat at all) and to think it's 'weird' not to eat animal products at all. That's what I like about the idea of vegan weight-lifting, it's supporting the movement contrary to the odd perception that omni's have toward veg*ns. Live on!

Welcome to the forum!

haha, I got in touch with my feminine side and got some LUSH stuff once. Pretty expensive, but it's really good stuff and all handmade. A lot of health food shops sell vegan natural shampoos / conditioners, that's where I get mine . The one near my old place was all locally made too from a home business

Good luck! And ha - nothing like looking for a shampoo and asking the manager if they have non-animal tested shampoos, and they give you a weird look, but you know they want to help you, yet they know they only stock animal-tested shampoos, thus knowing they lose business and you look for a cruelty-free place.

Welcome to the forum! I'm new too to weight lifting, and can see myself regretting doing it on a vegetarian diet compared to a vegan diet. In fact, the people that are constantly telling us that we NEED animal-based protein is complete inspiration to do it WITHOUT. It puts in more of a challenge . Keep in mind that the omni's were simply conditioned that way, and don't see the light, name-calling isn't nice ;D. Good luck with your path to compete!

Ah, that's a real shame. Not much that I can expand on based on the previous responses, but remember that people that have these issues are the ones that need love the most. I'm glad that you choose not to associate with him anymore, and my suggestion would be to just be kind and non-reacting if you see him. You know your own successes, especially when it comes to health and ethics, and other people's failures or successes can't be comparable to that, because it's unique to you.

Haha, very interesting! Thanks for the welcomes! I'm in Siboney, right beside old Havana, residing at a diplomatic residence with my girlfriend's parents, I've been here for 5 months and I'm getting by! Learned the ways of the lentils and black beans . It's noticable that vegetarianism / veganism is barely prevalent here, some of the Cubans see the idea as pretty abstract, although understandably so from the conditions of the country. I have 10 days left, and don't think I'll get the 1 year extension (I got a job offer in US foreign affairs, but getting internet and a work visa would be difficult). Oh! Do you know the name of the veg*n restaurant? Someone mentioned something about it, it's in Havana and I'd like to check it out before leaving. Muchas gracias!

Ah Pavement, it's been so long. Are you seeing them on tour this year? Might catch them in Montreal, but the tickets are $60 for the festival and there aren't really any other interesting acts :S

Klaus Schulze - Neuronengesang Neat moog-based experimental electronic music from Germany. Lovin it.