Good morning!
The Civic Day long weekend is now over! I have a very busy yet exciting work week coming up. This morning I have been working on Kristin’s custom wedding favour Glo Bars. I will also be working on the Healthy Living Summit Glo Bars and getting caught up on my orders, stock ordering, and a few other fun projects. Like last year, I am donating Glo Bars for all of the swag bags in the Healthy Living Summit. It is going to be a wild week!
For those of you who missed out on Friday, I have added a few more batches of Gluten-free + Raw Liberate Glo bars to the shopping cart!
Great discussion going on in last night’s post. I love reading everyone’s thoughts on the topic!
A couple more questions I received are: 1) When/how much meat is Eric eating? and 2) Is Eric eating dairy?
1) He said he eats meat about 3 times a month. We keep frozen organic meat in the freezer when he buys it and when he gets a craving I will cook him some or he will BBQ a burger for himself. He enjoys a juicy beef burger now and then. He does only buy organic meat after watching Food Inc., but the meat he eats when out is not organic. He goes out for lunch at work 5 days a week and he will have meat maybe once a week with veggie options the other 4 days. He now orders all veggie subs without cheese and mayo. I don’t think he has had a meat sub since he watched Food Inc. Food Inc really changed the way he viewed what he was eating. He also still has not had Coke/pop since March 2010.
2) He slowly cut cheese out of his diet after the doctor told him his LDL cholesterol was high a few years ago. The doc said lay off the cheese, please! Now he eats cheese once in a blue moon (maybe once every 1-2 months). His blood cholesterol levels are awesome now. He also switched from 2% milk to skim milk. Occasionally, he will have ice cream, but he doesn’t buy it to keep in the house anymore like he used to. When it is not in the house, you can’t eat it!
Basically, he told me last night ‘meat and dairy are no longer staples in my diet, but they are occasional indulgences.’
I thought that was a great way of summarizing it! Eric is hoping to write a blog post on the topic at some point in the future. It has been delayed because he is extremely busy with work lately and he has been working overtime 6-7 days a week. When things slow down I am sure he will be happy to talk about it more. =)
One thing is for sure, I have never seen him happier or healthier in the 10-11 years I have been with him. I think he is really amazed at how much an impact a few diet changes have made.
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Last night Eric and I went back outside after dinner and did another hour of pruning!! We can’t be stopped. I don’t know what it is, but I get such a satisfaction from pruning! I have found my calling. I’m sorry I won’t be making Glo Bars any more, the shrubs need me. ;)
After pruning, I was hit with recipe inspiration and I went into the kitchen to make trial one of Homemade Protein Chocolate. I was craving chocolate and I was thinking ‘wouldn’t it be cool to make a protein chocolate?’ and 5 mins. later after scribbling down some ingredient ideas, I was in the kitchen!
Trial one was delicious, but not perfect. I promise to tell you the recipe when it is final!
I got up early to go for a run this morning, but when I got up I found that I was SORE from all the renos and yard work yesterday! I decided to listen to my body and give it more rest. If I feel better tonight I might get out for a run, but if not, I will just wait it out another day.
For some weird reason I was craving cereal for breakfast! I usually have cereal for afternoon snacks, but rarely for breakfast as it never fills me up.
Berries, Bananas, Seeds & Spelt Cereal:
- 1.25 cups Nature’s Path Spelt Cereal
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
- 1 banana, chopped
- Sprinkle unsweet. coconut
Mmm it was so good! Not sure it will hold me over until lunch, but we shall see.
Japanese Sencha Green Tea was enjoyed and is being enjoyed as I type this.
With a Bodum loose leaf tea pot that I adore with all my heart.
I will see you tonight with a baking clue of where I will be going overseas in September. I hope it works.
Have a great Tuesday!
I can’t wait for the protein chocolate recipe…it looks yummy!
Your cereal this morning looks so good with all those fun additions! I’m the same way though – cereal just does not fill me up!
Maybe once a month or so you can do a “Day in the life of Eric” post…I think that would be fun.
Have you ever tried the Nature’s Path granolas? Flax, Hemp plus, and pumpkin are quite good…you can add them to your cereals for extra satiety.
Cereal never fills me up either! I ate it for years while in college and it just didn’t last. Which would then lead to a ravenous Amanda, who should be avoided at all costs! I like a nice dose of protein in my breakfast. That always lasts for a few hours!
I would love to read a guest post by Eric about the changes in his diet and exercise regime!! Great idea!
fun! I can’t wait to hear about your overseas adventures!
thanks for sharing erics story. It’s so true that small changes go along way!
good luck with all your orders! :)
I love how you describe Eric’s transition. It sounds so similar to Hunni. He only eats meat when he has a craving but truly enjoys the vegetarian and sometimes vegan meals.
I asked him once if he would eat this way if it wasn’t for me and he said “probably not.” But to him he is much better off because of it and is grateful for my help.
I am trying to find an email or phone number for you guys. I have a question. My email: [email protected]
Would you mind letting me know? THANKS! Great site by the way.
angela [at] ohsheglows.com
I am really looking forward to the recipe for that protein chocolate!!
That’s great to hear how much Eric’s diet has improved over the years! I’m still working on my husband’s eating habits!! When I started dating my husband, he was a “junk food vegan.” His typical lunch was an order (or two) of french fries and breadsticks from our college cafeteria! After 8 years of his vegan diet, he decided he felt TOO restricted and wanted to add meat back into his diet– but he was craving junk food meat, like chicken nuggets and double cheeseburgers. Ugh. I think he’s just got to get it out of his system after all the restriction!
Fortunately, he will eat healthy, vegetable-centric dinners if I prepare them– but he still craves junk food at least a couple times a week! I’m hoping he will eventually grow out of it, and I just try to set a good example in the meantime. ;)
That’s such a good way to look at things — if it’s something you love but it isn’t the healthiest thing for you, that doesn’t mean it has to be cut out entirely if you’re going to be happier with the occasional indulgence. It’s good for everyone to find something that works for them!
I let my hubby tell me when he’s accomplishing something that has to do with eating or his health. He made a happy comment the other night, “I am so proud that you and I no longer eat frozen dinners. gatorade or lunchmeat” and then he said I sleep so much better when I exercise. Like Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman, I about fell out of my chair! LOL! Its’ the little things. Cheese is one of my biggest vices and some day I will rid myself of it. Right now, hubby and I only eat parmesan and feta. Whereas we used to eat slice cheese with almost everything and lunchmeat 3 or 4 times a week. So I think we are both headed in a good direction. I’d like to try the vegan cheese, Daiya, that Gena suggests, just have to find a place near me that carries it. Baby steps, I say, Baby steps. :D
Can’t wait for the chocolate protein bars!!!
I really think laying off the Coke was such a great decision for him. A lot of unnatural sugar, which Coke has, can also contribute to higher cholesterol, so that might not only be the cheese that is having such a great effect. In addition, hasn’t he lost a bunch of pounds since the switch? Great job Eric!
Food Inc has completely changed my perspective on non-organic meat too. I used to occasionally justify it if I went out to restaurants or at home, since I don’t eat much meat anyway, but I really think it makes a huge difference, I feel better about myself eating it, and it tastes so much better. If I have beef now, I really try to make sure it is grass-fed. As much as I support organic companies, feeding cows organic corn is still pretty inhumane when you think about it, in comparison. Congrats on the change!
I’m excited about the baking clue as to your overseas trip! And on a completely random note, just wanted to say how much I’m loving Canada – been here for work for almost two weeks now, and I can’t wait to travel to Toronto on Friday…I really like your country :)
Protein Chocolate??? Sounds a-w-e-s-o-m-e, can’t wait for the recipe, you will have to share this one with us Angela! what a great idea!!
Ana
I eat an almost vegetarian and mostly vegan diet (I like milk in coffee – although I’ve previously cut out both, and will eat wild game and fish that my boyfriend brings home). But my boyfriend and I just moved in together, and he still eats a lot of convenience food (including lots of meat and dairy) when he prepares it. He does eat very healthy when I cook for him, so maybe more cooking and healthy meal preparation on my part would bring him closer to the Eric Diet.
Looking forward to protein chocolate. Healthy, protein, and chocolate are always a plus!
Hi
I somehow fell on your blog – not sure how from London UK ! I really liked what you said about consciousness and awareness around food ….In the last 3 years through changing eating and doing that with awareness I have gone from 25 stone( 14 lbs=1stone) to 14 stone with 3 left to go :) I have not become vegan but … do no cheese , replaced wheat bread for spelt, love my porridge oats for breakfast , red meat is now once every 8 weeks, chicken once a week max and same for fish and the biggie for me kicking a 6-8 can diet coke habit to 0 !!! I think that I could have done the whole gastric surgery bit but decided as a psychotherapist that it was about changing my relationship with food . I’m now a tentative runner 5km is my goal I have been so encouraged by your blog and wish glo bars were global in London !
I am so happy for you that Eric is making changes and loving the results. It is so hard when you love someone and they are not ready to make a healthy lifestyle change. I pray every night for some of my family members and I don’t pressure them.
“I decided to listen to my body and give it more rest. If I feel better tonight I might get out for a run, but if not, I will just wait it out another day.”
I find that difficult to do, so I loved the reminder that’s it good to listen to your body’s signals. Thanks!