First, the diet. I’m a lacto-vegetarian, and, although I’d like to eat as close to vegan as possible, the idea of giving up cheeses and yoghurts is an unbearable notion. I don’t drink milk or cream, as a rule, but since I do allow dairy products, I don’t make a fuss about koffie verkeerd or ice cream, though they are infrequent treats. If I were back in the States, I could easily stick to soy yoghurt and ice cream substitutes (never soy cheese, though … ewh), but finding them here is quite difficult. Perhaps part of my diet plan should be to wander the streets and internets in search of health-food stores so that I can find, for instance, quinoa, almond milk, and other vegan products. Nonetheless, for now, I’m going to stick with what’s available to me.
My main nutritional concerns as someone with a restrictive diet are (1) B-12, (2) iron, (3) protein, (4) calcium, and (5) fiber. (1) Although some cereals contain B-12, I think it’d be my best option to pick up some vitamin supplements. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a multi-vitamin or multi-mineral as I used to; I just need to make sure that B-12 is an active component of whatever I choose. I should try to find supplements that cover as many of the aforementioned as possible, actually. (2) There aren’t too many iron sources beyond meats and eggs, which is likely why it is the most common deficiency in vegetarian diets (not protein, as many believe). Spinach and swiss chard, dried beans, and dried fruits are some natural sources, however. (3) Whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts all contain protein. However, soy and quinoa are each complete proteins, meaning they contain both essential and non-essential amino acids and can, thus, be the sole source. I drink soy milk, but I need to start eating more tofu again. I love tofu with all my heart. (4) Our bodies need much more calcium than most believe. Supplements are rarely enough. Fruits, green vegetables, and some soy products are all good sources, but the best source is low-fat dairy products like cheeses and yoghurts. This is where the ‘lacto-’ comes in handy. (5) Good sources of fiber include bran cereals, dried legumes, dried fruits, whole grains, and nuts.
So I need to step up the following in my diet:
- Legumes and beans (soya, kidney, chick peas, black, pinto)
- Variety of fresh and dried fruits
- Variety of vegetables, many green
- Assorted nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pecans)
- Whole grain and bran cereals, oatmeal
- Low-fat yoghurts, possibly soy
- Tofu, tempeh, and other soy products
- At least 1,000mg of calcium
- Multi-vitamin and mineral supplements
- Fiber-rich carbohydrates, grains, cereals
- Brown rices and risottos, whole wheat pastas
I also need to make sure I keep up on drinking excessive amounts of water, favoring coffee over tea, and avoiding junk foods, snackbars, fried foods, refined sugars, soft drinks, and chocolate. I’m pretty stellar at all of these, but I’ve indulged a bit with chocolates and ice creams lately, and it’s certainly not healthy.
From an exercise perspective, since I’m not allowed to run or work out, I really need to get on starting up a yoga regimen. I’d like to find some cheap yoga classes in the City, but I doubt I’m going to find free studios as the ones I used to go to in Manhattan. I really can’t afford structured classes, so if I can’t find anything cheap (and in the mean time), I’ll need to work on an hour-long exercise. I’ve taken some tai chi and pilates, so maybe I could work it all together. I’ll do some research and design something I can commit to. I’ve been feeling pretty soft and squishy lately, and I don’t want to let my heart condition get in the way of maintaining my health. Furthermore, I need to increase my strength and stamina a bit. When I used to exercise and run, I had so much energy, and being thin wasn’t so much of a hassle. These days, I feel like my muscle has completely melted away, and even carrying a duffel bag is exhausting. I need to step it up, especially considering the traveling I’ll be doing over the next few years.
So I need to keep doing what I’m doing but kick it up a few notches. I need to make myself eat at least two meals a day, and I need to stick to nutritious, not just filling, foods. I need to research, develop, and implement an exercise plan, and I need to fucking stick with it. I should start going for progressively longer walks every day, as I used to do back in the day without the running part, haha. I need to find vitamin supplements, seek yoga studios and health-food markets around the City, and start taking better care of myself. In some ways, I’m healthier than I’ve been in a while because I’m eating more. But, in other ways, I really need to get back into the game.
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starygirl wants to stop procrastinating
get my lip pierced
draw more
play strip hide-and-seek
complain less
Sing in front of a crowd
play the sims for free
go to japan
watch Batman Begins
go to a marilyn manson concert
mesawyou wants to open a Roth IRA
remix a song
design my own tattoo
stop stressing out
Learn how to play bridge
forgive my parents
Practice Yoga
clean my room
Ailbhe Leamy wants to help new mothers develop strong breastfeeding relationships with their babies
Visit France
Switch to linux
