This week, I decided to conduct a little experiment. I vowed to eat vegan for breakfast and lunch as a way to get more fruits and veggies into my diet, and to ultimately lose weight and improve my heart health. Inspired by this article in The Everygirl, I decided to have oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast, and quinoa bowls for lunch. Here’s how it went.
- Day 1: I was able to make it between breakfast and lunch no problem. But lunch was when it fell apart. I was hungry immediately after eating the quinoa bowl, so I had a small Italian roll with butter on it (is butter a carb?) and was starving by 5:30 PM.
- Day 2: Again, breakfast to lunch was a breeze. But I was hungry about 15 minutes after eating the quinoa bowl at lunch, so I also had an apple with a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter and two Fig Newtons. I was starving by 5:30 PM.
- Day 3: Today, breakfast failed me and I was distractingly hungry by 11:00 AM, so I ate an emergency protein bar in my purse. I ate my quinoa bowl for lunch around 1:00 PM, and was starving by 3:00 PM. I came home from work hangry.
- Day 4: I was definitely hungry for lunch by the time noon rolled around, but I didn’t cave. I proactively ate the last Italian roll with butter along with my quinoa bowl at lunch, and it worked like a charm. I was able to last until dinner around 6:00 PM.
So what did I learn? I probably need to pack my quinoa bowls with a little more protein so I’m not ravenous by the end of the day. I’m going to try it again next week with brown rice, edamame, and broccoli, and I may throw in some chicken breast.
I accomplished my main goal, which was to get more servings of fruits and veggies into my diet, so if I add chicken to that, so be it. Another thing I learned from this experiments is that it was super convenient to not have to think about what I was going to have for lunch. All I had to do was pop it in the microwave. I’m looking forward to week 2.
Here’s what caught my eye this week:
- Evelyn Henson Stationery: Remember when I went to that Girl Tribe Pop Up and found a booth that was a visual representation of me? Well, I found the local designer behind the items I loved: Evelyn Henson! NY friends: prepare to receive lots of snail mail in her colorful designs next year! I’m obsessed.
- Mastering the Buckets of Balance: My fellow EMAer Stephanie Ross wrote this awesome post about balancing different areas of your life, from work to hobbies to volunteer activities, and making room for self care. After all, you can’t help others unless you take care of yourself first.
- Real talk from Real Friends: MPR and I are planning on hitting a few pop-punk shows this Fall, including Yellowcard, Good Charlotte, and Real Friends with The Wonder Years. Real Friends tweeted out this flag they’ll have in their merch on tour, and it immediately spoke to me. “I’m starting to be where I need to be.” Our first year in Charlotte I kind of fought it, clinging to the idea that we would move again. But now I’m realizing that we’re in the right place, and I’m working on putting down roots and making ties.
- No Tomorrow on The CW: I tuned in for this new CW show on Tuesday night and I think it’s going to be a regular for me! I really enjoyed the pilot – fun and lighthearted. It also inspired me to start a bucket list…
- How to Be Vulnerable on Social Media + Make Great Friendships: This article makes a great case for being more authentic on social media. You don’t need to limit your profiles to life’s highlights reel. Include the times you’re feeling less than. Believe it or not, we can all relate.
Have you had any luck opening up on social media?
Caitlin Ryan, APR 