goings on

one of those people

i recently became a part time vegan and try to eat a plant-based diet before six pm (read more here: http://dujour.com/lifestyle/mark-bittman-vegan-diet/) i took on this "diet" because i wanted to eat more vegetables. this is a simple way for me to accomplish that while also building into it an "out" system so that i can eat whatever i want for dinner without feeling guilty, and not having too strict of an eating system where i freak out and get a huge plate of carne asada fries because i feel deprived. it also works well because there is an unending supply of snacks at work and it's much easier to have a categorical way to choose not to eat a fun size snickers bar or a handful of cheetoes. 

a good side benefit is that my pants are looser. 

a sadder "benefit" is that fun, junky foods just aren't as enjoyable anymore: the other night i was on my own for dinner and that ordinarily would mean ordering cajun seafood boil with a pound of shrimp (j is allergic to crustaceans), a meal which played an integral part to one of my best! days! ever! tried as i might, i just couldn't get excited about it. i stared at pictures of it on yelp, i imagined it with an ice cold can of coke and french fries; my stomach just didn't want it, rolling eyes. i ended up eating some toast with beans for dinner. 

so, i've turned into one of those people who check ingredient lists for dairy and probably come off sanctimonious about how wonderful it is to eat plants. i'm really sorry.

bucket list, revisited

today i was able to cross off something on my bucket list, i ran my first half-marathon! right as i finished the sky started sprinkling, which turned into big buckets pouring. 

we had a group from work fundraise and cheer each other on, here's a pic from sfgate of some of us cheering - that's me in the back in green. about 3/4 of the way through i started feeling really tired and i was losing sight of the pacer in front of me and wonderfully there was a big group of cheer-ers from work at just the right time. very grateful. 
 
Supporters hold funny signs to encourage runners down the final stretch at the Oakland Running Festival in Oakland, California, on Sunday, March 20, 2016. Photo: Connor Radnovich, The Chronicle

Photo credit: Connor Radnovich, The Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Rain-holds-off-as-Oakland-Running-Festival-6925052.php#photo-9642090)

overall it was a good experience but i'm not sure i'd be eager to do another one. a part of me wants to try the full marathon but i'm not sure i have it in me. i think i might switch back to zumba for the time being. 




 

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