Day 14: a celebratory milestone?

2 weeks of being completely vegan, woohoo! - so have I noticed any changes?

In terms of weight, it's difficult to tell as I didn't have the opportunity to weigh myself right at the beginning. I weighed in at 55.2 kilos on day 9, and weighed in at the same yesterday evening. Bit disappointed, however you can't expect miracles in 4 days, and I've noticed that my tummy is looking much flatter than before. This is quite a relief as I'd started putting weight on around my belly which is unusual for me (normally it goes straight to my thighs) so it's nice to watch it shrink. I also wore my skinny jeans comfortably for 2 days on the boat over the weekend, whereas before they'd been starting to get a little tight.

My forehead has always been a problem area with pimples and itchiness (nothing visible but it's always bothered me). I've had no itchiness at all recently and it feels smoother up there. Whether I can credit this to veganism I really can't say: I've also given up alcohol and have been exercising heaps more than usual. And I had a facial last week which could have helped. It might also be accredited to plain heathy eating - with eggs off the menu I can't have muffins, cookies etc, and with dairy gone I've only had 1 pizza since June 29 (during my terrible 10 days of cheating, see my first post) which is quite the revelation considering it used to be dinner a couple of nights a week!

A lot of people who make the switch to veganism mention healthier looking hair and higher energy levels. I can't say I've noticed anything different in this department. My sleeping pattern has definitely undergone an overwhelming change, but that's down to my shift patterns - I go to bed no later than 9pm if I'm working the morning shift in order to get my 8 hours. I'm also falling asleep much quicker than I used to - no tossing and turning - but I reckon that's just because I'm totally knackered from long days on my feet, cycling, going to the gym and being outside all the time. 

I'm finding the vegan 'diet' (I'd say it's more of a lifestyle although I'm hesitant to use this term when I've been doing this for a mere 2 weeks) relatively easy, which shocks me since I've never found healthy eating particularly simple or pleasurable. I'm actually enjoying being healthy, and that I'm doing this partially for ethical reasons has a lot to do with my surprisingly strong willpower. And blogging is helping me stick with it as much as anything.

I only wish I was seeing a difference reflected by the scales...it might take time to start seeing that type of change, or perhaps it's time to tweak what I'm eating. For example, I could avoid bread completely (although this is hard when packing lunches for the boat), I could restrict my avocado and nut intake (they contain healthy fats, but it's still fat...) and I could cut down on sugar (in my tea, buy plain oats instead of flavoured, eat less fruit). Sugar is one of my weak points for sure - although I'm making sure I consume raw as opposed to white sugar) so maybe I'll tackle this in the coming week, starting with banning sugary tea. I've only had pasta twice since arriving in the Bay over a month ago and I'm only eating wholegrain bread, so I am trying to make big changes. It's tough when different sources declare opposing facts about certain foods - some say you should be eating an avocado a day to reap the health benefits while others say to cut them out to lose weight. Does it come down to choosing between your health and your weight? Aren't they interrelated? It's all so confusing!

The only other thing I've noticed - apologies in advance - is a distinct change in bowel habits. It's good in the sense that it's all like clockwork down there re: when BUT let's just say re: what that with all this dietary fibre I won't be suffering from constipation anytime soon...enough said. 

Moving on!

Brekky - small bowl of oats (brown sugar and cinnamon), 2 peppermint teas

Morning snacks - handful of cashews

Lunch - wholegrain roll with hummus & cucumber

Arvo snacks - vegan snack pot (nuts, cereal & dried fruit), cereal bar, hummus & cucumber dippers

Dinner - vegan sloppy Joes!

Sauté onion, garlic, red bell pepper, mushrooms and mashed up chickpeas. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sweetcorn, a tablespoon of maple syrup, cumin, paprika and mixed herbs. Simmer for 15 mins and serve on a grilled wholegrain bun. Really scrum! Would also be good with brown rice.

Activity - 15km cycle to Pialba and back for the shopping centre - I bought some new leggings, tops and a sports bra for the gym, and a new book:

Not sure it's the 'only' solution to permanent weight loss and I'm sure I won't agree with everything that's said. But I tend to find that reading about dieting keeps me motivated, so why not? Plus as a vegan I'm eating heaps more 'real food' and eschewing processed stuff, so it should be quite an interesting read.

I also went to the gym for a quick 5k run and a yoga sesh which I loved :) Had a bit of a drama cycling up to the shops...my first magpie swooping experience - and I'm positive it won't be my last. I noticed the shadow of a bird flying pretty darn low, like just above my helmet, which I thought was quite cool at first. But as it stayed there for longer and longer, even when I sped up, and started dipping as if to divebomb, I started freaking out! Eventually it left me alone, and thank god because I've read stories about them divebombing cyclists & pedestrians and causing nasty injuries pecking at people. Bloody Australia!