self-improving-mav - Tumblr blog

[self-improving-mav]

It's the new year!

My weight January 1, 2022: 152.2 lbs

I would like to reach 130 by my birthday(May 20) but I will not beat myself up if I can't.

What I'm going to do:

First things first, find a way to combat my chronic fatigue, and then:

Take apple cider vinegar gummies 3x daily

Empty my water bottle(32 oz) at least twice daily

Only eat meat a few times a week, and try to keep it at fish or chicken with red meat as an occasional treat

Eat lots more fruits and vegetables

Cook food at home more often

Eat a small breakfast, big lunch, small dinner

Drink at least 3 cups of green tea a day

When the weather gets warmer, make fancy water and drink at least 3 cups a day

Avoid high amounts of sodium

Avoid alcohol except as a rare treat on special occasions

Avoid bread, pasta, etc when possible

Avoid sweets when possible

Keep healthy snacks on hand (homemade healthy muffins, etc)

Avoid dairy when possible (butter is fine but try to avoid milk, cheese, ice cream, etc)

Sweeten all tea and coffee with stevia or honey

Do light exercises like yoga to tone up and keep muscles and bones healthy

Try to keep under 1200 calories per day (do not count fruits and veg toward the calorie limit, only meat/protein, dairy, breads, sweets, junk foods)

If I can stick to this plan, I should be able to lose weight AND relieve some of my pain and inflammation.

If I fall off the wagon, I will not beat myself up. I will just do better.

I am good enough as I am, but I have clothes I want to fit into that I currently can't, I don't feel good, and I want to be healthier.

I must not fall into the trap of thinking I'm not beautiful because I'm not at my goal weight.

I can do this.

[self-improving-mav]

*INTERNAL SCREAMING*

So I still need to lose weight. Last time I checked, I was 156 lbs. I want to be 120-130, maybe even lower.

Thing is, I can't exercise enough to burn any fat or build any muscle. All I can do is very gentle stretches to keep my muscles from atrophying because I suffer from chronic pain and could possibly have fribromyalgia. I have to rely on my diet to lose weight.

I'm trying to eat healthy foods but it's so hard when standing up to cook something decent is so painful. I have a pot of soup simmering on the stove right now at least so that's something. I also bought some sprouted grain bread and I might make a sandwich with it. I just hope I don't crave food the rest of the night after I eat.

I really need to start doing intermittent fasting again but I have to eat early in the morning after I take my acid blocker medication which means I would have to stop eating early in the afternoon.

I might just do that, actually. Eat at 7am, stop eating at 3pm and just drink green tea any time I get hungry.

I ordered some shirataki noodles so I can make noodle dishes for me and my husband.

Update: I just had a small amount of the soup. It's pretty good but needs more seasoning.

Earlier today I had a big cup of green tea. I used 2 teabags, one was Blueberry Slim Life green tea from Yogi and the other was Uncle Lee's green tea. It was really good and kept my appetite down for hours.

It's 2:20 now so I have about 40 more minutes to eat. I hope I can make it the rest of the day.

[self-improving-mav]

I just made some delicious soup!

Tofu vegetable soup recipe

3 large white mushrooms thinly sliced (I would have used more but that's all I had lol)

10 baby carrots chopped

4 pieces of bokchoy (leaves separated from stalks and both chopped separately) (if you can't find bokchoy I'm sure some other leafy green vegetable like kale or cabbage or spinach will work)

3 green onions, sliced

Half a 1 lb block of extra firm tofu cut in small pieces

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp coconut oil

Dash of toasted sesame oil

2 tsp this seasoning that you can make yourself

2 tsp soy sauce

Heat the oils and seasoning and soy sauce in your soup pot and add the tofu, carrots, mushrooms, and bokchoy stalks. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and green onions, bring to a boil, and simmer 30 minutes. Add the bokchoy leaves during the last few minutes of cooking.

This is pretty much vegan but if you want to add some more protein you can add some meat or use chicken or beef broth instead of vegetable.

[self-improving-mav]

Fancy water recipe (helps with metabolism and water retention)

This is just infused water but my husband calls it fancy water.

You will need:

1 cucumber (use half if it's very big)

1 lemon

1 apple (use 2 if they're small or medium)

Any other fruit you want to use. This is also delicious with a lime

Sweetener (I use 1/2 cup stevia)

Water

A pitcher (I use a 3 quart pitcher but a half or full gallon will work fine)

Put your sweetener in the pitcher and run a little warm water in it and stir to dissolve it.

Slice your lemon and cucumber and chop your apple and add them to the pitcher.

Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with water, stick it in the fridge, and leave it alone for a few hours.

Pour yourself a nice big glass and enjoy!

When the water runs out, just throw out the remains of the fruit, or compost it, or whatever.

[self-improving-mav]

Gluten free muffins recipe

1 cup oat flour (you can literally just grind 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats in a coffee grinder until it's fine and soft)

1/2 cup coconut flour (but you can sub ground flax seed, rice flour, or almond flour apparently. I have made it with ground flax and it's better imo)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons matcha powder (optional, you can also use a spoonful of pumpkin pie spice or whatever you want)

3 tablespoons sweetener (it calls for stevia but I used monkfruit the first time. It also works with regular sugar)

1 cup milk (it calls for plant milk and I used oat but I'm sure it'll work with real milk)

1/2 cup oil (it calls for coconut but I'm sure you can substitute something else like butter)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Sift if you have a sifter. Set aside

Melt whatever oil or fat you're using. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and whisk together

Slowly pour into the dry ingredients, combining a little at a time. It should end up with a slightly doughy consistency, not too thick or runny.

Grease a muffin pan with your desired stuff and fill each one about halfway with the batter.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until firm.

Enjoy!

[self-improving-mav]

Lunch is jasmine rice, broccoli, mushrooms, and salmon, all cooked with a bit of soy sauce and homemade stir fry seasoning in my new Blue Diamond frying pan, and a cup of honey lemon ginseng green tea! This is literally the best lunch I've had in ages omg.

Dinner will probably also have salmon and rice but more vegetables!

[self-improving-mav]

So I think I'm getting back on my pescatarian diet. I haven't eaten meat other than fish in a few days and I've eaten plenty of rice and vegetables. My husband and I are going to get back on top of eating healthy. Here are a few things I've already done:

Looked up recipes and made a number of spice blends for cooking

Thrown out any snacks that are both unhealthy and easily replaceable (Boom Chicka Pop popcorn can stay, the Japanese snacks we bought at the recent anime convention can stay, but the bags of normal potato chips are gone)

Learned better ways of cooking food

Learned how to make healthy gluten free muffins(will post recipe) and am planning to improve the recipe to suit my and my husband's needs (the first time I made them I used matcha. He doesn't like matcha so next time I'll use cinnamon and might add raisins)

Things I am already doing:

Drinking several cups of green tea with ginseng a day (it's the only thing that even remotely helps my fatigue)

Making "fancy water" and drinking several cups a day (will post recipe)

Intermittent fasting. I stop eating at about 8pm and then eat at noon the next day. I do cheat on this a little as I have to eat something small in the morning so I can take my new supplement for inflammation because I learned the hard way I can't take it on an empty stomach. I'll have like a piece of toast or a glass of oat milk or something. Not a full meal but just something to keep my stomach calm.

Things I am planning to do:

Buy a good frying pan I can cook fish in so I don't have to use the tiny stainless steel saucepan since I can't use the cast iron skillets for fish. Maybe one of those copper nonstick pans

Buy lots of fruits and vegetables

Buy shirataki noodles

Buy more salmon and maybe shrimp or other seafood but no chicken or beef

BUY NO BREAD, CHEESE, OR JUNK FOOD

Stop taking prescription sleep aids as they are not helping and just rely on over the counter medicines like Benadryl and Dramamine to go to sleep.

I'm going back to my stance that I will only eat foods that make me feel good. If I don't feel good after eating it, I won't eat it again.

I'm unable to work out because of my joint pain but maybe if I make good changes in my diet I can avoid inflammation and have less pain.

But I have lost 2 pounds in the last three days so I'm feeling pretty good about that. I'm sure most of it was water retention but still.

Anyway I'm going to work on an eating schedule.

[self-improving-mav]

😍 Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff⠀

Recipe below:

Ingredients⠀

1 onion diced⠀

2-3 garlic cloves minced⠀

1 tbsp vegetable oil⠀

11 oz fresh mushrooms sliced (*see notes)⠀

4 tbsp white wine (optional) (*see notes)⠀

1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce⠀

3/4 cup vegetable broth or water⠀

3/4 cup plant-based milk or cream (*see notes)⠀

2 tbsp cornstarch⠀

1 tsp onion powder⠀

1/2 tsp garlic powder⠀

1/2 tsp smoked paprika⠀

A pinch of red pepper flakes⠀

Salt & black pepper to taste⠀

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)⠀

Fresh thyme leaves and/or parsley (and/or tarragon) chopped⠀

Serve with brown rice or pasta of choice⠀

US Customary - Metric⠀

Instructions⠀

Heat oil in a large pan/skillet, add onion and fry for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a further 1 minute.⠀

Now add the mushrooms and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes.⠀

Pour in white wine (optional), vegetable broth, tamari (or soy sauce), and the spice mixture. I love adding nutritional yeast flakes as well but that's optional! Bring to a boil.⠀

Add cornstarch to the plant-based milk or cream (I used canned coconut milk, however, almond milk, oat milk/cream or soy milk/cream is fine too) and stir to dissolve.⠀

Pour the milk/cream mixture into the pan and cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings as to your preference.⠀

Add fresh thyme leaves and/or parsley and/or tarragon to taste! Enjoy with brown rice or pasta of choice! This creamy mushroom sauce also tastes great over mashed potatoes! 

By @elavegan

🍅 Get Your Smootie Diet Recipe For Weight Loss, Clearer/Smoother Skin, and A Healthier Lifestyle

[self-improving-mav]

[self-improving-mav]

These are a lifesaver. 9 cals for one serving, 18 cals for the whole thing!

[self-improving-mav]

Crispy Eggplant Katsu recipe 

Instagram: @veganmiche

[self-improving-mav]

Oatmeal protein bars

2 cups rolled oats(I use old fashioned)

1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I use plant based protein with greens but you can use whatever protein powder you have. It doesn't even have to be vanilla, any flavor you think will be good with peanut butter and honey will work)

3 tbsp ground flax seed

3 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 tsp salt (I prefer pink Himalayan salt)

1/4 tsp cinnamon (I'm allergic to regular cinnamon but Ceylon cinnamon doesn't give me a bad time so I use it)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

2 tbsp coconut oil

Combine all the dry ingredients.

Put the wet ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 30-40 seconds. Mix it well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix it all up until you have a sort of dough.

Press the dough into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan lined with parchment paper.

Put it in the freezer or fridge until firm.

Cut into bars and enjoy!

(if they freeze, remove it from the pan and score it with a knife, then break it along the scores.)

These have a shit ton of fiber and protein in them so they should give you lots of energy and keep you full for a while after you eat one or two!

[self-improving-mav]

Haven't posted in a while.

I was 170 lbs in January, and now I am 150. I'm hoping to get to 140 or under by the time I go to a convention at the end of next month.

I pretty much dropped being vegetarian/pescatarian because I can't cook during the day because using the stove heats up the house and my mom won't turn on the ac unless it's over 90 degrees outside. So I've been eating wraps filled with ham, salami, pickles, cheese, and spinach. Also some homemade oatmeal protein bars. I'll post the recipe next. Basically I've been trying to eat things that don't require using the stove. I have been eating oatmeal as well but I point the big fan directly in the kitchen and open the window so it doesn't get hot.

I've also been drinking a laxative tea every night because being on as many meds as I am can cause constipation and that gets hella frustrating. The tea is Smooth Move from the brand Traditional Medicinals. I get the kind with peppermint.

I've been doing my best to drink lots of water. I use an app to help me keep track of how much I'm drinking. It has a nice widget with a button I can tap when I drink water and it will add the water I've just had. I count green and herbal tea, juice, sports drinks, and plant milks toward my water intake as well. I do not count alcohol, coffee, black tea, energy drinks, soda, or anything else with lots of caffeine, sugar, and sodium in them towards my water intake.

Oh! I just remembered I've been drinking fruit smoothies. I'm out of oat milk and Greek yogurt though so I haven't had one in a week or so :(

My husband and I will probably go grocery shopping soon and I'll get what I need.

[self-improving-mav]

Breakfast/lunch was an omelette filled with mozzarella and sautéed green onion and white mushrooms. Soooo good 🤤🤤🤤

I'm going to start logging what I eat on this blog. Hopefully I'll remember lol.

If my joints and stomach will allow it, dinner will be a bowl of vegetables. Got a lot of kale that needs to be used. We had half a bag left, then I bought another bag when I went shopping, not knowing a relative had given us a bunch as well lol. If all else fails, I'll throw some kale, an apple, some cherries, almond milk, and protein powder in the blender and make a smoothie.

I'm trying to get back on my vegetarian/pescatarian diet but I keep eating beef and chicken and I really set myself back last night by eating a steak. I want to lose at least a pound by the end of the week.

[self-improving-mav]

Coconut flour porridge

1/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup water (you might need to add a little more if the coconut flour absorbs it all)

Pinch of salt

1 egg, beaten

1-2 tbsp milk (I use almond milk but you can use coconut, soy, oat, or even real milk if you want)

Whatever sweetener you want (I use 1 tbsp organic sugar)

Nuts, fruit, chia seeds, or anything else you want to put in it

Mix the coconut flour, water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Cover, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the beaten egg.

Put it back on the heat and stir until it's thickened a bit.

Add your milk, sweetener, and anything else you want, pour it into a bowl, and enjoy!

Note that this has a lot of fiber, so if you don't have much fiber in your diet, this might upset your tummy the first couple of times you eat it.

[self-improving-mav]

So I started intermittent fasting yesterday. Eat between 10am - 6pm. The first day didn't go great because I had a migraine(unrelated to my diet in any way) so bad I ended up vomiting around 7pm and had to eat some rice to settle my stomach. I downloaded an app to help me keep track of my eating and fasting hours and remind me to drink water. I met my goal for water yesterday! Marking my water bottle so I can know how much is 10 ounces really helps. It's a 1 liter bottle so trying to empty it each day felt really daunting until I took a sharpie and marked 10, 20, and 30 ounces on it. Now when my app reminds me to drink some water, I can just drink until the water reaches a line.

I did go from 167.2 to 165.4 overnight! I'm assuming it was water weight that I lost by hydrating properly for once but I'm still happy about it lol.

So far today I've had coconut flour porridge and 20 ounces of water. I'll post the porridge recipe in a few minutes. At 1 if I'm hungry I'll have lunch, which will probably be some vegetables. At 5 I'll make dinner, which will most likely be a salmon filet. I'm feeling pretty good! :)

[self-improving-mav]

I fell COMPLETELY off my diet lmaoooo

I’ve been eating so much stuff that doesn’t make me feel good because for some reason my shit brain thinks they will make me feel good. Chicken, red meat, fried foods, breads, junk food, dairy, everything.

It doesn’t help that my husband has a new favorite restaurant. They mostly do tacos, burritos, etc. and their food is decent quality for really good prices, He can literally get a couple of tacos, a burrito, and a thing of nachos and not break $5 and he goes there almost every day after work and often calls me to ask if I want anything, and I lack the self control to say no because those chipotle chicken rollers are really good so I usually ask for one or two. 

These last few weeks have been awful and this Labor Day weekend was no exception. I don’t remember what I ate Saturday, but yesterday my husband and I shared 20 chicken nuggets and a basket of fries and a large sweet tea from McDonald’s, then for dinner we ordered pizza. Today, my husband grilled hot dogs, brats, and also grilled a salmon filet for me and I ate that and a brat and some chips and drank a White Claw. 

No more. I’m going to crack down and get back on my diet starting tomorrow. I have no intentions of eating anything else today. I might make a cup of no calorie cider or green tea with lemon later, but no more food until tomorrow.

I need to regain my motivation and discipline to only eat foods that I Know For A Fact will make me feel good. Fish, vegetables, eggs, fruit, tea, maybe some brown rice now and then. That’s it. No bread. No poultry. No red meat. No dairy aside from the butter I use to cook fruits and vegetables. No milk, no cheese, no ice cream. MAYBE yogurt if I find some that isn’t loaded with sugar. No sugary drinks. Only sweeten my tea with stevia or honey, preferably local honey. No eating after 8pm. Take garcinia cambogia every day. 

I WILL reach my goals.