I brought Asian Chicken salad for the party yesterday and took the rest home for today’s lunch. Yeah, you can do that without it being rude when it’s a family party 
I know my food’s not pretty, but my new clearance aisle polka dot placemat makes me very happy.
A chocolate Vitatop with PB made my day. Made it. Outside of that it was all cleaning and washing clothes.
This dinner is random for me – a hotdog! Trader Joes was sampling their nitrate free chicken hotdogs yesterday and I grabbed a pack.
Okay, the bun is what sold me. I’m a carbs girl 
www.nataliedee.com
I’ve only “officially” started eating chicken again since January (it was one of my unofficial New Year’s Resolutions to try and get more protein in my diet). I don’t know if this whole thing will stay past 2011, but I’m enjoying it for now. It still feels weird sometimes though – mostly when someone who knew me as vegetarian finds out I’m not. I feel like I was a part of a club that I ditched or something? Just weird for me.
Tomorrow is my first day of marathon training (more on that tomorrow). So, this is my first Sunday Set Up with this new training plan
Sunday Set Up for 6/19/2011
Exercise: Just do it.
Food: Just don’t.
Actually, my exercise plan will be coming with my marathon training stuff tomorrow.
Food: No snacking between 4 and 7pm. Being hungry for dinner is a revelation for me. This doesn’t go against Intuitive Eating, rather this is me trying to pay attention to my hunger signals by giving them a chance to exist for once.
See ya tomorrow!
Chocolate vitatops with peanut butter = heaven. So freakin’ good. You seriously motivate me with your hardcore dedication to runnning, sometime when I’m having a tough run, I think of you and it pushes me through 🙂 That’s one of the greatest things about the “healthy living” blogworld, we all motivate and inspire each other.
B/c of ibs-c I have to limit my meat and fats severely( anything that slows anything down isn’t good!)… good thing I LOVE beans. Will you ever share your mom’s rice and beans recipe? It looked yummy in the pix awhile back…
I was vegetarian for a couple of years, loved it. Then I got preggo with my first child and all I was craving was a turkey sandwich. I hadn’t told my co-workers/boss yet that I was pregnant so I would have to hide at lunchtime to eat my turkey sandwich. Not like anybody cared!!
Good luck with marathon training!!!
Okay, okay I’m intrigued—- what are vitatops????
I love that “no snacking” rule. I too am trying my HARDEST to stop snacking so much. I stopped feeling true hunger because I was always feeding myself! The last week or so I’ve been limiting my snacks … and what do you know??? Hunger! It’s actually a good feeling to know you’re feeding yourself the right amount when you feel hungry three times a day. B’fast, lunch, dinner!
Trying to explain to people what I was just got too confusing. I would say I was a vegetarian and then be caught eating a cheeseburger or popcorn shrimp. Then I’d have to explain that the whole reason I didn’t eat meat was because I couldn’t stand the taste or texture. However, with a cheeseburger there are enough other condiments I can cover it up. And with deep-fried food, the crunch helps with the texture, while the dipping sauce covers the taste. Then, if they were still look at me with their eyes glazed over, I’d slowly back away.
It’s much easier now, because I just don’t eat meat at all. I can’t eat cheeseburgers or deep-fried food anymore, so I haven’t eaten meat in….I can’t even remember the last time I ate meat. But oh I will forever remember the awkwardness of people trying to put me into a box. I’ve noticed that when you can’t be easily placed in a box people just lose their minds.
I love that placemat, do you remember where you got it? I heart pink and polka dots (or is it pok-a-dots??)
Hi Monica, I’m a reader from singapore. Just dropping by to say that I’ve been reading RER for more than a year and i really enjoy reading it! Love your sense of humour. Anyway, i would really really wanna try the vitatops! Man, it does looks crazily good.
Anyway, have a nice day ahead! =D
I’ve been reading your blog for about a month but I think this is my first comment. Great stuff! I, too, bought the nitrate free chicken dogs from TJ’s because they were sampling them. I was impressed, they’re pretty tasty and can definitely satisfy that “bad food” craving. Good luck with marathon training!
I’m excited to see your training plan! I’m running my first marathon in April (so I have some time to make my own plan), but want to see as many plans as possible!!
I know what you mean about eating chicken again – I was a vegetarian for about 2 years and my hair started falling out, doctor told me I wasn’t getting enough protein (I’m a college student, our caf does not serve real vegetarian food and basically I’m lazy) so now I’m eating a little more meat..I kind of feel..hypocritical?
I’m trying to stop snacking so much too, I stopped getting hungry for my meals and just ate out of habit..
You just made me think about how often I actually “let” myself get hungry. Not very! Hmm maybe time to start doing something about that.
I’ve been on and off vegetarian for 7 years? Vegan at one point too. I just listen to what my body wants/needs. I’m currently veggie, but I will eat a big juicy hamburger if I’m out at a really good place to eat. If I’m starving I’ll eat chicken if I’m out. No labels just eat what I want when I want, but generally I try to avoid meat! Ugh hunger signals! Mine are so messed up they think I’m hungry sometimes when I’m not and not hungry when I am. My tells are exhaustion if I get tired I need to EAT. Or a headache…. Grrr rather it just be my stomach is growly! Good luck this week with your goals!
Yayy for hunger signals!
Love your comment on hunger signals. I’m learning that being hungry isn’t bad–and that I don’t have to panic everytime I feel a little grumble in my stomach!
YES. When I get hungry I go into panic mode. Like ‘FOOD IN MY BELLY OR I WILL DIE A HORRIBLE LONELY AND NAKED HUNGRY DEATH’ panic.
Me too!! I’m actually so scared of being hungry, so I often eat preventatively to avoid it. Not cool because I end up consuming a lot of calories that I don’t need or even really want!
Is being hungry that bad?? NO! Its not always pleasant, but I won’t die!
I’ve been thinking about fitting fish back into my diet after 6 years of vegetarianism but I too am worried about the funny looks.. whatever, it’s my diet!
also, ‘Food: Just don’t’ is my favorite.
I have a problem with afternoon snacking, too. I never really need an afternoon snack but I feel like I should eat one so I always do. I need to work on that as well.
I don’t think I’ve had a hotdog in over 10 years but if I was to eat one, I think I would trust Trader Joe’s the most to provide a delicious and real meat.
Ugh! I always worry about being hungry at bad times (meetings, etc) so I eat “just in case” and end up eating too much/ignoring hunger signals/etc!
and I call myself a CARNIVORE!!!! and yet when it comes down to it–outside of my beloved ostrich jerkeee :)—I do eat mainly fruits veggies and grains
I was a vegetarian from my early teens well into college. Then somewhere in my early 20’s I started to crave random meet, like bacon, and indulged over brunch. I made my friend swear never to tell anyone. Crazy. You will feel more comfortable as time goes by. I still eat meat very rarely but if I crave it, I eat it.
I’m with you on the vegetarian/not vegetarian thing. I was a veg for a year and a half and am adding meat back in because I haven’t been eating healthy and I need more options. I intend to go back to veggieness once I become a big girl and quit being afraid of new foods. Its hard to tell people that I’m eating meat again.