It has come to my attention (via a nosey mother) that the majority of my diet consists of carbs. Bread, rice, potatoes, bread, nuts, granolas and more bread. As unfortunately true as this may be, I have two excuses:

1) As a pescetarian, I have to eat a lot of them. Eating carbs keeps the vegan-munchies away, which I have been prone to in years past!

2) Veggies are expensive! Especially when I live alone and can't possibly get the use out of a head of lettuce before it goes bad. :(

HOWEVER. I would like to change things around a bit and was hoping that someone out there could give me a few pointers on how I could add more fruits & veggies in my diet so that I could maybe lost a few of these stubborn tummy pounds.

Ideas I've come up with so far:

- Frozen veggies. A constant staple of mine, these are a no-fail way to always have something green on hand.

- Frozen fruit. Amazing with vanilla-flavoured soy milk for making smoothies. *Insert Homer Simpson-esque drooling noise*

- Prepared salads. I have been wary of these in the past, as having salads every day (which is what you have to do so that they don't go to waste) can seem rather daunting.

- Daily apples. I used to eat an apple every day. It's a cliche, but you know what they say . . . I got out of this habit because I was bored of it. I've been wanting to do the same with bananas, but have had trouble finding fair-trade bananas in my local groceries. Also, the fibre in apples keeps you feeling full for longer . . .

- Chili. Rarely one to experiment with something I've never cooked before . . . making chili would be a great way to combine the protein and carbs in beans with the vitamins and nutrients in the added veggies.

- Canned foods. Also no-fail, as it doesn't perish, canned foods (such as creamed corn or green beans) can be a good addition to a meal.

So that's a list of ideas I've come up with - if anyone has any further pointers, please don't hesitate to include your ideas!

Charlotte

So the first few weeks of living in my new place (not to mention my diet and sticking to it) have paid off. I can tighten my belt buckle a notch! I can also fit into my lacy little underthings the boyfriend bought me without my legs looking so much like pale, cellulitey sausages. So here's pretty much a recap of my every-day healthy-eating habits since the turn of the New Year (pretty basic stuff, foos):

- Eating breakfast every day. I can really tell on days when I skip breakfast (I used to eat notoriously late into the day in my first year of college).

- Drinking plenty of water (no-nonsense = common sense).

- Sticking to my "strict" pescetarian diet. That's right, beside the seafood, I eat like a rabbit. That means plenty of fresh fruits and veggies and rarely a smidgen of cholesterol. I'm not gonna lie. . .I eat chocolate and things with sugar and even cookies! But knowing that a lot of the food I consume is either organic or at least non-animal derived makes me feel better about the things I put into my body.

- No caffeine. I haven't drank coffee in years, so this isn't so hard.

- Taking the stairs. This used to be a really bad habit of mine: I'd take the elevator to get to my third-floor class. I realized this was lazy, but. . .I've always been lazy! Also, parking in the farthest lot on campus not only wallet-friendly, but waistline-friendly. I've started really looking for opportunities in which to take the healthier option. I may be winded by the time I get to the top of those stairs and my calves and thighs screaming out in pain, but it's a great kind of pain.

- Visiting the boyfriend. A fifteen minute walk uphill, then lots of sex. Hell yeah!

Also, there's a good chance that I may start actually attending a gym. Yes, a gym. I never thought I'd do it, but a classmate who is a bodybuilder/trainer is offering to help me out for free! How awesome is that?! Also, there is a public pool across the street from my new place that I have intended on purchasing a membership too. Also, come Monday, I will (possibly) be adding two more hours of walking to my daily commute to school! Yay!

I'm not 100% sure on my weight loss thus far, but my waist did shrink at least an inch in a week. It's funny how easy it is to lose weight once you're not at home. There's some sort of weird relationship I have with food there in that house that I have nowhere else. I assume the weight I've lost is just water, but I feel great. I estimated roughly five pounds and I think that's probably more than a fair approximation. Hopefully  within less than a year I can shed this awful burden and be my good ol' self again, the way everyone remembers me.

This blog is all over the place, as am I and my schedule. So now I am off to write a couple of PSA pitches and I'll be back to tell you all my latest revelation. Tootles!

Charlotte

I realized the other morning that for the first time in my short nineteen years of life, I have C cup breasts. Most women would be thrilled to one day suddenly notice their breasts a whole cup size larger than normal. That is, except for me.

Long ago I had come to accept my small, yet satisfying Bs with the realization that it came with my hereditary Rubenesque figure. Of all reactions I had to my recent weight gain, I was the most sad to see my familiarly modest breasts balloon and scarred with stretch marks. When I could not grasp one in a handful, I knew my compulsive, emotional eating had gone a little further than I'd cared to notice. (Not long afterwards I noticed stretch marks elsewhere.)

So here I am, on the second day of the New Year, making a vow to myself that I will restore my now-flabby figure to its once loveably voluptuous form. It’s a little funny (not literally so, as gaining 40 pounds is really nothing to laugh at) how my body image has changed, and yet, remained so similar over the last half a year or so.

I believe that last year I was at the best weight/shape I have been. I was never too far from weighing 175 pounds, and at five-foot-seven, my new boyfriend seemed crazy about my curves. I lived away from home, attending college and ate a healthy, meatless diet (I couldn’t afford what I didn’t need). I walked often, for transportation and leisure. I wore a size ten (sometimes eight) on top and a fourteen on my bottom. But even when complemented and adored, I’d always felt fat. Since puberty and adolescence I’d seen my curves as a curse instead of a blessing. I now appreciate the size I used to be as a very desirable size and wish hadn't superficially taken it for granted.

Then it happened. Very slowly at first, but then like an avalanche, I had gained the weight. I moved back home for the summer and worked full-time merchandising with a childhood friend. We went out for dinner a lot. Mom baked. I binge-drank as college kids do. I did nothing when I wasn’t working or with my boyfriend. By the end of the summer I’d noticed my clothes weren’t fitting like they used to. Naively, I thought I’d gained about 15 pounds. Nothing to lose, really, for someone who was known to lose ten pounds a month with my on-again-off-again vegetarianism/veganism. But, when the stress of staying at home for semester of college (along with the comfort of an all-you-can-eat buffet known as mom’s kitchen), I had gained a full total of 40 pounds. I’m still in shock over the whole thing and that’s why I’ve committed to myself to act to restore my figure and my self-esteem.

I’ve reverted to veganism (for the third time now) as of midnight; the New Year. Friends might not have noticed, but I had a lot on my mind as I sipped my champagne. Never have I felt healthier and had more energy than when I was a vegan. I was more conscious than ever at everything I ingested, and I made a point to make sure I was getting the nutrients and vitamins a healthy diet requires. Those days were the possibly healthiest of my entire life.

Since I’m moving back to the city tomorrow, I know that I can restore my lifestyle to what it once was: a healthy one. Hopefully with the support of my family and friends (and my wonderful boyfriend who still insists that I am sexy) I’ll be able to lose this weight. I can feel it when I walk or try to run – I am conscious of it when I’m socializing or even being with my boyfriend. I've become the elephant in the room.

So this is hereby a promise to myself (whom I should love more than anyone) that I have the strength and self-control to do this. Here’s to a great New Year, and wish me luck!

Charlotte