Nom Nom Nom....

Back in February of this year, I decided to change the way I eat.  I won't go into all of the reasons...but it started with reading what I thought was a diet book and was solidified by what I thought was another diet book...but both were more "educational" for me than any other "diet" books I'd ever read.  So...I'm now a vegetarian...and I flirt with being a vegan.  Flirt...flirt...flirt.

So this journal is about that journey.  Here I am 6 months into this new life change and this is where it all stands:

Best chocolate cake...EVAH! 100% vegan...yuuummmmy.

• The only "flesh" I've eaten in 6 months was a few bites of salmon on my birthday...honestly, I can say that though it tasted really, really yummy...the texture was more than I could handle.
• I mostly avoid egg...in baked goods is usually where I consume them...like, uh...in Tom's yummy crepes.  BUT...we are experimenting more and more with egg-less baking...including crepes...and have created some amazingly yummy treats...like that chocolate cake for Tom's birthday.
 

• I struggle GREATLY with cheese...I love it and I cave immediately when faced with it.  Ugh...something to work on.
• Butter is not so hard to give up...but again, it is in baked goods I sometimes eat...hmmm...maybe I need to look at my baked goods consumption.
• I've not lost much, if any weight (about 3 lbs down, but it fluctuates).  However...I am now 100% "regular" (eww...TMI...but it's true and a great "relief" hehehe), I have no heartburn...unless I eat cheese (hmmmm....) and I generally "feel" lighter...just wish the scale would see that.
• I am learning to reach out and explore this with other people.  Two groups, one virtual (KindLifers on Alicia Silverstone's terrific vegan blog site) and one physical (the Vegetarians of Washington who my brother & his wife so graciously bought me membership with) have both given me tons of information, inspiration and confirmation.  

So...goals for near future:

1. Truly become vegan....without being annoying about it. I am so highly aware of other peoples' opinion about this whole thing and have to remind myself constantly if they tease me or make snide comments, that's their issue and not mine...I'm doing this for me because I believe in it.  That being said....I don't want to be one of those veggies who is constantly talking about it and making a big deal about it at restaurants and group gatherings (ugh...you spot it you got it...I think I've been that veggie a time or two).
2. Cook cheaper...I've spent WAY more money eating this way than I think I need to or should...I need to do more actually cooking....less processed foods...which aren't as good for me any way. 
3. Have more fun & experiment more...I have a few new cookbooks...I can't wait to try them.
4. Blog/journal here at least twice a week.  Being accountable to myself has always been an issue and something about putting it out there for others to see just makes it more likely to come true.  :)