Back to Basics

Contrary to popular belief, I have NOT been losing weight while on this journey. In fact, despite running 23 (twenty-three) miles last weekend, I have managed to gain about 5 pounds. I asked myself... "WHAT IS GOING ON???" and then I realized - my dietary equation has changed. Where I used to evaluate food choices and recipes based on nutritional value, I have recently been evaluating them on one criteria alone... Does it contain meat? If not, I'm eating it. Case in point: All the cheese laden veggie pizza I've consumed in the past three weeks. The meatless 3 Musketeers Bar I ate after realizing that I couldn't have a hotdog. The meatless 3 Musketeers Bar I WANTED today after my husband screamed "STOP!!!" when I inadvertently put a piece of beef jerky in my mouth (close call and fortunately, my teeth had not yet even begun to sink).

Let me just say this about the beef jerky thing. Boy, was I pissed. My husband and I had been working in our rehab condo all day and I went to the store for some beer (which thankfully is meatless). He asked me to pick him up some beef jerky (not meatless), which I did. When I got back and ripped open the package of beef jerky and started to eat one without thinking, and he stopped me, I got all 5th grader pouty like "Now I don't have ANY snack!" I was a bit of a pill for a bit. I'll admit it. In fact, it was "BOGO" on the beef jerky so the second pack, the BBQ flavored one, was supposed to be for me. Damned vegetarian-diet-for a month idea. But I digress....

For the past few days I've tried to get back to basics and combine the "nutritious" part with the "meatless" part. Friday night, I made a delicious Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce which was made with tofu, fat free cottage cheese, roasted red peppers, and some other stuff. It was DELICIOUS and super creamy! According to my husband (as if he is more reliable), you would never know it did not contain heavy cream. Today? Breakfast was a fruit smoothie and lunch was a veggie "pizza" soup prepared in my blender made with practically nothing but veggies and some fat-free cheese. (Dinner was left over Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce and even though it was good, it's just not worth repeating here)

So, it's back to basics for me. I'll be running a marathon in 2 weeks and I've got to lose all this extra weight plus a little more in order for me to perform well in the race. Wish me luck. And hope I don't accidentally stick another piece of beef jerky in my mouth.

Tomorrow, I'll have to tell you about the meated torture I put myself through on Saturday. Oh... it was so painful. I almost caved in. And I almost didn't care.

Veg on.