I just spent the last two days at my boyfriend’s family’s house in southwestern Virginia. It was lots of fun and I have pictures to upload but won’t be able to until I’m back in NYC tomorrow and (and find my camera cord…)
I took Christmas off from working out (minus a few walks w/ the dog) and then ended up not working out again until today . . . it probably would’ve been better if I’d done a shorter workout rather than nothing . . . but today I got in 40 minutes on the elliptical (plus a long walk in Georgetown) and feel sooo much better!!! Plus I’m back on track with eating: pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast, a salad topped with leftovers for lunch (and ONE cookie for dessert), and lentil soup with brown rice and a toasted sandwich thin for dinner. It’s amazing how good it feels to eat wholesome food after a short hiatus!!
I’m also realizing that exercise is really a must for me. I have friends who eat less than I do and don’t work out (and stay thin that way), but I could never live that way. I need that “high” that you can only get from a sweaty endorphin-releasing workout. I’m really looking forward to getting back to my apartment, park, yoga studio, + workout “schedule” 
A German exchange student named Marisa is living with my family for the school year, and her family celebrates Dec. 26 as the “second day of Christmas.” We followed that tradition this year
Except for a short walk, I took a day of rest on Christmas, but yesterday my mom and I did a 1-hour yoga DVD and my sisters & I took the dogs out for a run in the park after dinner. For lunch my dad & Marisa made a vegan German feast (wish I had a picture!): tofu dogs with sauerkraut, baked eggplant, and roasted potatoes with dill mustard.
We went over to our old family friends’ house for dinner and gingerbread house decorating! This is an old tradition: my mom makes gingerbread houses from scratch (using these old iron molds that have been around forever and inedible “gingerbread” dough that’s really strong!). I helped her make the frosting (which we use to stick decorations on the houses) because at the last minute we realized that we didn’t have enough! The icing is really just egg whites beaten with powdered sugar, but it was my first time handling eggs since I became vegan and I found it a little gross. Anyone know of a good vegan “stiff icing” recipe??
It was a lot of fun!
The girls’ “solar-powered house” w/ pretzel fence…
The boys’ house, with toothpick spikes to discourage Santa from landing on the roof…
And the other girls’ (me, Rachel, & Marisa), with nuclear waste oozing out the back, a failing pretzel “windmill,” and puking gingerbread men (we ended up winning on “visual appeal”).
A closer look at the nuclear waste.
Sister Maggie & exchange student (but basically sister) Marisa.
Sister Chloe (we definitely got into the wine/champagne)…
Me w/ my mom…
And Riley after we tired him out running around in the park. He curls up into a “cheerio” on one of our beds every night…it’s pretty cute.
Dinner! Clockwise from “9 o’clock,” baked tofu, Indian-style black-eyed peas, stuffing, 1/2 a baked sweet potato, corn, brussels sprouts, and walnut/apple salad with homemade olive oil/dijon dressing; Indian eggplant in the small bowl. Not pictured: homemade apple/raisin sauce (dessert) This was the healthiest Christmas dinner I can remember! So tasty.
Ahhh.
Had a great 45-minute elliptical workout + some abs and stretching, then made an amazing bowl of pumpkin oats with a chopped up date coconut roll (!) and PB&Co. dark chocolate dreams pb…I LOVE PB&Co. peanut butter and went to the PB&Co. diner in NYC last summer (I ordered the “sample plate” with carrots, celery, crackers, and 6 different samples of PB!!)
We went to a Christmas party this afternoon and I had a bowl of veggie soup w/ a sandwich thin + a glass of soymilk beforehand so I wouldn’t pick at too much food at the party… and it worked! (Just had a few pita chips w/ some homemade red pepper hummus and a sparkling water:-) ). My mom’s friend Jane, who threw the party, has lost a ton of weight recently by wearing a 10-lb. weighted vest when she goes for walks. An interesting concept!
I just finished wrapping my presents and had a snack of another sandwich thin w/ a smidge of white chocolate + dark chocolate pb plus another glass of soymilk. We’re not planning anything for dinner tonight so I’ll probably just keep it simple w/ a spinach salad. Tomorrow night we’ll get in the celebration zone.
I found a pic of myself in a bathing suit and posted it on the pictures page in place of the photo that was there before. It’s pretty crazy seeing my two “selves” side by side. I definitely miss being as fit as I was when the second picture was taken, but I’m SO THANKFUL that I’m not food-obsessed and down on body the way I was then. Reading all the wonderful blogs out there has really taught me that it’s possible to be in great physical condition without the stress + self-hatred that I’d become accustomed to feeling every time I lost weight and tried to work out harder. THERE IS HOPE! And I hope I can update the progress pictures (and be happy about what I see!) soon enough.
whew. My train got delayed last night and I finally got in after 10….it’s good to be home!!
I just got up and had an apple, a lemonzest luna bar (which may be a little too sweet for my liking), and some coffee with soymilk; now it’s time to hit my parents’ elliptical for some movie-watching and a (free) workout!
It’s usually pretty easy to stay active here. We have a very energetic dog (plus one mellower one!), an elliptical in the basement, hiking trails a 15-minute drive away, and a nice running track a mile away. Plus, my mom has recently taken up yoga! We’re planning to go to a class together this weekend.
Wolfie the pomeranian and Riley the lab/mutt.
Wishing everyone a safe & happy Christmas Eve! I think I like it better than Christmas itself
