Monday had very little going on for me. My bicycle (which was getting new gear switcher thingies) was finally done and ready for pick up, but aside from that I did little else worth mentioning.
I started the day with another carob coffee concoction. This time I added a tsp of carob powder to the milk during the frothing process.
Turned out pretty well.
Later on I had a big bowl of fruit, including two apples and some strawberries with cinnamon on top.
I reread Skinny Bitch on Sunday night and it reminded me of several things, including the digestion benefits of starting your day off with fruit. Some people may not agree with certain parts of the book or the tone the authors take to present the advantages of veganism, but there are some things that leave you stunned and wanting to do further research. That’s how I felt the first time I read it, and that’s how I wound up looking into the topics that the book highlighted. Maybe it’s not a Pulitzer Prize winning work, but it successfully opened my eyes, so I’d say it’s worth reading if you haven’t yet.
But back to the fruit thing. The concept of eating fruit first is mentioned in Skinny Bitch as a means of cleansing your system as you start your day. To me, this seems similar to the logic behind food combining, which is based on the idea that different foods or food combinations may be digested with greater ease and/or efficiency than others. I’m not going to get into gastric physiology here, but I do think there are overlaps in as far as fruit is concerned. In a perfect GI system (which I don’t have btw) fruit is digested faster than other things, therefore eating it first will aid in digestion. Or, to put a different spin on it, not eating it last will be less of an irritation in digestion. I have IBS, but I’m certainly not an expert on this, so please don’t think this is the answer to all your problems (I wish it were that simple). However, the goal of food combining (or eating fruit before other foods) is to avoid fermentation in the GI tract. This delays digestion, slows the passage of food, and is just plain painful. How’s that for a light morning discussion.
Who else has read Skinny Bitch? Thoughts? I (still) choose to ignore the coffee part…yes, I’m aware I have a problem…does admitting it at least remove me from the denial category?
For lunch I had grilled cheese with Daiya cheddar (obsessed much?).
Later I did a Jillian workout (15 minutes) and then ran to the bike shop (~1 mile) to pick up my baby. I rode all the way home and loved every second of the ride. I wanted to keep going, but I had to meet Kyle on campus, so my longer ride will have to wait. I’ve missed riding my bike so much! I need to look up trails and routes in the Santa Monica area.
I rushed to get ready, which left me hardly enough time to eat a quick snack before catching the bus to Westwood. They weren’t glamorous to photograph, but stuffed medjool dates are the perfect snack when you’re in a rush. I typically opt for almonds, carob chips, or nut butter, but I had pumpkin seeds on hand, and figured why not. It’s autumn appropriate, right?
Campus was still fairly empty since school hasn’t started yet for undergrads.
We are having pretty weird weather lately, but school still looks as gorgeous as ever.
Welcome home Bruins! I can’t remember the last time I was on campus, so it was weird and cool to be back on my old stomping grounds.
I met up with Kyle just as he was finishing at the clubs fair and we made our way to the first official Joint Ventures event.
At the risk of sounding like a huge nerd (what a pointless battle), I’ll explain to you what Joint Ventures is. As a grad student, Kyle has social events up the yin-yang (and some school too 😛 ). As a grad school student’s wife, I’m going to be as involved as possible with the social events. And because there are several other married/engaged couples in the same position, there’s a club for all the couples called Joint Ventures. Sounds semi business-y huh? Well, it’s really just a club for the old farts to act like the wild children we once were. I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but I’ve already gotten to know tons of fun people. Cheers to having a social life!
We mingled for a while and then hit up Whole Foods for dinner.
Fumi tofu salad with slivered almonds.
We bussed home and called it a night.
Before I forget, I wanted to let you know that the following coupon code will get you 30% off anything in my OpenSky shop. The coupon is good for the first five customers who use it and expires on September 30, so don’t wait.
Coupon Code: THIRTYHIPPIE
wow, i didn’t know you were a bruin!
i go to ucla right now. i am a senior this yr, graduating!
nice to meet you fellow bruin :)))) yay
maybe we could do blogger meet up~
i have yet to read skinny bitch but i really want to after hearing everyones strong opinions on it!
loving the stuffed (autumn style) dates 🙂
Hangry Heather has been talking about Skinny Bitch lately. I’d be interested to reread it now that I’ve been vegan for awhile. I remember the dairy chapter being pretty alarming. I quoted portions to Pea Daddy and he hasn’t eaten yogurt since.
I finally got Skinny Bitch from the library. I was NOT a fan whatsoever.
Here’s the weirdest thing: I have kinda a potty mouth and even I was APPALLED by their language. Here are two beautiful women who are using the most foul language that I wouldn’t use on my worst day. The whole tone of the book totally turned me off. I’ll read Eating Animals 400 more times over this book (then at the end they retract their whole “bitch” thing and admit they just used that term to sell books. Ew.)
I’m sorry – I know you guys swear by it, but just not for me. Still friends? 🙂
Also, with reactive hypoglycemia, I’d be on the floor by 10:30 am if I only had fruit for breakfast.
I have not read Skinny B but I would like to. There are about 98798 books on my would like to list, tho. Darn. Not enough time!
anyway, food combining, I have never really “Tried” to do it, but I have never tried not to. The only thing I always always always remember is that “Fruit first” or else. Issues. Will happen and I know what they are.
The other rules about nuts, carbs/starches, proteins, honestly, it all gets a little murky. But…the great thing for me is that I eat all veggies all at once. Then I may eat carbs. Or then proteins. But it’s like I go thru one macro predominantly, then in a few hrs, i move on. So I guess i food combine by default. But i need to brush up on the reading part…and check out Skinny!
hahaha…i agree with you though, so yes, we’re still cool. they are smart business women and its a shame they got so much hype from screaming at other smart women. i found it gratuitous as well. and yet, i have to give them props because it worked in getting their ideas out there. prior to skinny bitch im not sure how much media attention was paid to veganism. so yes, unnecessary swearing, but at least it got people talking about their book (?).
ps id be on the floor by 1030 if i went without caffeine. so yeah…
Mid-September and undergrads aren’t even back yet?? Sign me up!!
I enjoyed reading Skinny Bitch. I think I should pick it back up again. But like you, I don’t adore the tone and “YOU BETTER OR ELSE” attitude. I like a more gentle approach. 🙂
I remember the dairy info really hitting home for me. As of right now I still usually have one serving of dary (yogurt or a slice of cheese or two on a sandwich). My school doesn’t have the best options. However, maybe reading it again would inspire me to think outside the box!
Hope you’re having a great week!
I read “Skinny Bitch” in April and it was one of the books that led me to becoming a vegetarian. I really enjoyed the tone of the book because not a lot of authors tell it like it is. Their honest, raw voice struck a cord with me to start taking my food choices seriously. The point of the book was to be in-your-face, so I feel they accomplished their goal. It may not work for everyone, but the kick-butt attitude worked for me.
On a side note, I’m totally obsessed with hummus thanks to you. I even tried it on my sweet potato yesterday and loved it! 🙂
Definitely interested in reading Skinny Bitch…I’ve heard some interesting thoughts on it. The title kind of annoys me though, but I’m sure I can get over that!
I hadn’t heard the fruit theory before someone else reviewing the book mentioned it but I always try to eat fruit with breakfast. Eating only fruit would make me vom (too acidic) but I always chop a banana into my oatmeal or have one smooshed on my pb toast…if I don’t I feel somehow “off”.
Random question about Jillian. Do you do it everyday? Or did you when you started? I bought it by the way…she is a m*&$! f*%&$#! In a good way.
I have “Skinny Bitch” and I re-read it every so often to remind myself why I don’t eat pork. I do eat other meats/fish but I’m strict about knowing where it comes from.
It seems like so many people are offended by the book’s language but with a title like that, can you really be surprised?? I like the way they wrote it and I appreciate the straightforward approach.
Their recommended foods list is laughable though, I’d say stick with real foods (you are so good at that!).
I’m a big proponent of fruit first or on its own. Makes a big difference!
i read skinny bitch a while back and its actually the reason we started drinking soy milk in our house 🙂 the whole hormoney thing really got to me and then the idea of VANILLA (soy milk) cereal just had me at hello 🙂
how do you like carob powder? chocolate-y or not-so-chocolatey? i’ve been eating a goldie’s carob bar and i think i like the flavor haha it’s like ALMOST chocolatey but not quite.
now i want youuuuuuuur opinion haha
when i come to LA to visit, i am hoping for the weekend that you, kyle and your sister had. kapeesh?
annnndddd…any news on the job search?!?!
LOVE YOU! (and all your fabulous vegan eats!)
I had mixed thoughts on SB, but I think its important to read things that make you think or go against things you might have heard/read about before. Have a great humpday!
beach bike path is where it’s at! great & easy entrance under the pier or just down from pico past shutters til you hit the ocean. esp now…no summer crowds!!!
I’ve read Skinny Bitch too, and the fruit first thing seems to work for me USUALLY. Somedays, there is no pleasing my GI tract, no matter what I eat. But I also ignore the coffee thing on 90% of my days…meh. I’m an adult, I can pick and choose, right?
Also, I want that lasagna you just made in your last post.
I think I only ever made it 3 consecutive days (at the most). Alternating days with something else was my goal, so I usually ended up doing her dvd 3ish times a week, running or hiking or something else another 3 days a week, and giving myself one day of rest. Re: SB…the word skinny is kinda annoying and the swearing and yelling gets old, but if you know that going into it, i think they have good points and its definitely an eye opener. like everything, take it with a grain of salt and i think youll come out with more knowledge (and thats the idea, no?)
Excellent. That’s pretty much what I’m doing now. Except less stuff overall. Because I am busy like WOAH with that other thing we talked about…yeah, you know the one 🙂
LOVE the pics of UCLA – I’m a Bruin alumnus too 🙂 I miss it.
I’ve been reading your blog a few weeks now, I think this is my first time commenting though!
When I read Skinny Bitch, it just cemented what I think about all books on diet – there’s more that one good way to eat and everyone it just trying to find what works for them. Clearly, these ladies are thriving on their vegan diet (though I thought it seemed like they rely too much on processed vegan food which is not great). As for me, I can’t forgo all animal products (though I wish I could!). I still have a mainly plant based diet, but because I am very susceptible to insulin resistance I am carb sensitive and don’t do well with exclusively plant protein. My body responds brilliantly however to organic, free range eggs, chicken, and safe, non-toxic fish. I’ll eat red meat once in a blue moon but always organic, grass-fed!
My food philosophy is to eat as close to nature as possible, I ascribe to Michael Pollan’s “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
BTW, you clearly have found what works for you. You seems to be very healthy and thriving and coffee has been along for the ride the whole time! I say, no need for you to give it up 🙂 Of course, as always, moderation is key!
Cheers!
I love what Rory and Kim have done for veganism, in that they reached many, many women who would not have considered it otherwise.
Sadly, part of the success has to do with the fact that the book appeals to vanity, and I was really offended by the use of the word “skinny” and all of the superficial, valley girl talk about thinness. The book *does* talk ethics, which I appreciate more than I can properly say, but it also encourages the idea that veganism is just a means of fitting into your LBD, if not directly, then by implication.
Not my cup of chai.
I’m also not biologically persuaded by the fruit in the AM theory, though I know it works for some folks 🙂
hi paula! thanks for popping in and saying hi. always nice to get feedback, especially from a fellow bruin 🙂 michael pollan has definitely got it right. his ideas are simple and basic and dead on. i like the “if it doesn’t have a parent…” one. thanks for the comment!
haha. wink wink.