Engine 2 - Day 8

Today was a test. It was hard. Stress from work, and overall just being a bad day lead me to almost eat off the plan. That's not to say, I was weak but I found myself around lunch time almost going to eat like I used to. 

I dug deep, got a grip. I panicked some, but I made it. It bothered me a great deal, I was cruising on Engine 2. 

Later I struggled again, realizing I needed to make sure I was exploring new recipes and not just eating the things I liked. We all know, if it was easy everyone would be doing it. 

Light workout in the morning, and I fasted form 8p on, due to my blood-work I was having done the following morning.  

I feel this week is a test. So I'm digging in. 

Also, I realized not to weigh myself everyday. It's no good. I did today and had weighed a whole pound heavier than I had before.  Only once a week from now on.  

Exercise

Basketball (light) 

Steam Sauna

Food 

Breakfast

Big Bowl of Cereal w/ Hemp Milk

Snack

Apple

Lunch

Veggie Burger with homemade Savitchi (Wife made this and it's awesome)

Snack

Whole Grain Pretzels

Dinner

Pita with Homemade Hummus, Savitchi and Hearts of Romaine Lettuce. 

Engine 2 - Day 7

Overall very good day, was happy to go grocery shopping and re-stock certain items. Been a great week and so far a solid success.  My wife & I finished our organic garden and got all our veggies and herbs in place, we love it. 

Not too much to say - so tomorrow it is. 

Food Log 

Breakfast 

Big Bowl of Cereal

Lunch

Veggie Chorizo Taco with Tofu scramble on corn tortilla

Veggie Taco with Organic Beans, tomatoes, tofu scramble and lettuce

Snack

Handful of pretzels

Banana

Dinner

Veggie Black Bean Tamale

Homemade Salsa

Guiltless Gourmet Unsalted Corn Chips

Engine 2 - Day 6

I'm happy to report I've dropped 5.5 lbs since Monday! That feels great. Today was a lot of fun. The weight loss is a huge motivating factor in helping keeping you focused. I love the food, and to see the weight diminish is icing on the cake. 

So not much to say, wonderful day - feeling strong and clean. 

Exercise

Engine 2 Stretches

Engine 2 Workout

Breakfast

E2's PB & Toast

Snack

Banana

Frozen grapes

Lunch

Homemade Veggie Burger with Whole Grain Buns

Snack

Banana (Sorry this bunch we got are awesome)

Handful Pretzels

Dinner

Ann's Panini (After a big day in the garden we didn;t feel like making a big meal, gonna make up for that on Sunday Night)

Desert

E2 Brownie

Engine 2 Day 4 & 5

Thursday was a great day. Far less bloated and overall feeling quite clean and light. 

Had a good run in the morning, and the day played out normal. 

My wife and I agreed Thursday night, that we felt that for the first time on a new eating plan/diet, we could easily eat this way for the rest of our lives. When we have tried other ways of eating or fad diets, we always felt compromised, or that we were not eating what we want. I can honestly say I feel I have compromised nothing in what I enjoy eating and have been satisfied with every meal. 

Thursday Exercise

Aerobic/Running  - 26 minutes Treadmill

Stationary Bike - 12 minutes

Food Log

Breakfast

E2's PB & Toast

Snack 

Apple

Handful of Whole Grain Pretzels

Lunch (At Bouldin Creek Cafe, which is primarily Vegan/Vegetarian)

Supreme Veggie Taco

A bite of Vegan Queso

Snack

Wasa Cracker

Dinner

Mushroom Fajitas

Baked Corn Tortillas (For Chips, and cut into triangles)

E2 Salsa

E2 Guacamole

Desert

E2 Brownies

FRIDAY  - DAY 5

Friday was another wonderful day. I'm feeling really good. Clean and light. Another interesting thing is happening, I guess the best way to describe it is - a natural release of your "chi". The natural flow of electricity in your body. Whatever you call it, I feel the release of overall negative tension or blocks in my body. The results of that are a strong natural high. A clearing of the mind, more creative - I've been drawn to my guitar a lot over this past week, which I haven't played much in sometime. You start to feel like you've had 6 cups of coffee even though you've had none. It's great. I love it. 

Today as also special because my wife & I attended the Engine 2 potluck dinner. This was amazing. Obviously meeting and spending a little time with Rip was wonderful and inspiring, but the food was lights out great! 

A Big spread of some amazing dishes we are dying to get recipes for. From Enchiladas to Lasagna it was all there and every bit of it was delicious. We also got an Engine 2 reusable Shopping bag, which is always cool. Met some wonderful new people and enjoyed seeing this community that is growing quite fast. 

Breakfast

Rip's Big Bowl of Cereal (My version)

Snack

Apple

Handful of Whole Grain Pretzels

Lunch (At East Side Cafe)

Veggie Burger (No Buns, with lettuce tomato and onions)

Small Mixed Greens Salad

With a side of limes for my water and extra taste to all and a small side of Balsamic Vinegar

Snack

Wasa Cracker 

Watermelon chunks

Dinner

E2 Potluck Dinner (I tried a bite of everything!)

Engine 2 - Day 3

The morning was more of the same from Tuesday, but as the day went on I began to feel great. Alot more energy, and less bloated.  

Energy has been up and down all week, especially at the end of the day, getting really tired, old man tired.  But, this has helped me sleep like a baby. Two striaght great nights of sleep, so I'm thankful for that. 

Still sore from the Monday workout, it was a tough run this morning, but I walked when I was struggling and just kept at it. 

I faced a first mini-challenege today as well, Work Lunch. I was quite nervous about eating out so soon, but prepped the best I could. I took a little bit of balsamic vinegar with me for my dressing and ordered a dry Baby Spinach salad, which had lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrots and cabbage as well. It wasn't bad, not the best lunch I've had but certaintly not the worst. I also ordered a side of fruit, and a side of limes.  I squished limes over my salad, and in my water -which helped with flavor. 

Another good day, still had horrible de-tox headaches late in theh day, but just tried to fight through it. 

Exercise & Food Log

25 minutes - Treadmill  Walk/Run

Breakfast

Rip's Big Bowl of Cereal

Snack

Frozen Grapes

Lunch

Baby Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar

Side of Fresh Fruit

Snack

Handful of Whole Grain Pretzels (These save my life)

Small Orange

Dinner

E2 Basic Pita with Gnocchi left overs With Romaine & Balsamic Vinegar

Dessert

Cold Dumpster Cobbler with Agave (No, I should not have had this back to back nights)

Engine 2 - Day 2

Yuck. 

Man I was bloated and gassy all day long, very uncomfortable. Yes that is gross, but part of it all. High fiber certainly eating keeps you regular, or as with me right now, cleans you out.  It's great though, I just hate feeling swollen, but I know it's an adjustment, as my body says "Whoa!" 

It was a good day, I was quite sore all day and by the end of the day had trouble going up and down the stairs at work. The Engine 2 workout is literally full body, I had never felt like that after a workout, everything was sore. But, I know it's all for a good reason. 

So far all the meals are really, really good. I've had zero trouble adapting to it, yeah I've worried about taste a little, but I'm finding it all tastes really good. 

I do prefer Hemp Milk to all other Milk options, Almond & Soy I just don't like much. 

I really wanted a beer or glass of wine last night, but decided against it. Doing all I can to stay pure for this initial four weeks. It felt good to make the right choice, but I don't think I'll ever give up beer or wine, just like them too much, but deal with that later. Purity for now. 

I slept awesome, deep solid sleep.  

Another day gone, another day gained. 

Exercise & Food Log

Raquetball - 30 minutes

Breakfast

2 - E2 Breakfast tacos, with Gimmie Lean Sausage and Fat Free Hash Browns, 3 Corn Tortillas

Snack 1

Apple

1/2 Banana (Other half kinda rotten)

Lunch

2 - Yves Veggie Dogs with Veggie Chili Beans, Diced Onions and Natural Organic Mustard

on Whole Grain no sugar added Hot Dog Buns

1 - Unsweetened Applesauce

Snack 2 

2 - Wasa Crackers

2 - Barbara's Rasberry Fig Newtons

Dinner

Handful of Whole Grain Pretzels

E2 Basic Red sauce with Veggie Crumbles & Gnocchi Pasta (This was damn Good)

1/4 - Pita Bread

Desert

The E2 Dumpster Blueberry Cobbler 

Engine 2 - Day 1

I began a lifestyle change yesterday, based on local Austin firefighter Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 plan, which consists of a plant based diet. Yes, no meat or oils. Growing up "Meat & Potatoes" style, this is certainly a different step for me, but one I'm willing to take.  After firing up the Wii Fit and being measured at Obese, I wanted to die. Not that I didn't think I was overweight, but it was time to face the music. How had I gotten here?  I used to be in pretty good shape, I had tried Weight Watchers once, with success, but found it lacked an exit strategy and I realized by the end of it, I hadn't made a lifestyle change, so it was back to square one. Me. If I can't hold myself accountable, then I will never succeed.  

I found E2 by accident. I was looking for ideas to re-structure my life, make a change I could work on and after an initial time maintain and live my life by it.  I love the book and despite some opinions that assume Plant Based is somehow not good for you, I took the plunge. 

I'm writing this on Day 2, and felt great yesterday.  My darkest hour is from 3 -5pm, I seem to get a burst of hunger at that time, but I made it fine with proper snacks and water.  I believe I made one mistake so far, the chip we had, had some oil in them and were not fat free. 

I didn't panic, just stopped eating them and moved on.  My wife's homemade salsa is pretty much the same as the E2 version, so no big deal there. OVerall, my wife and I already eat alot of what's in the plan, so I wasn't feeling overwhelmed by too much. (I did panic once late afternoon yesterday, thinking about some of my favorite restaurants in Austin, My God What have I done! Then ate a Wasa Cracker and walked around)

We had some Veggie Tamales last night too, made by Oaxacan Tamaeleo. I was not completely sure if they were made right, but after i ate one decided I better stick firm to the E2 recipes. 

I woke up feeling bloated, assuming it might be the start of some change, or whatever.  We'll see. 

*I'm not gonna cover everything E2 offers, I recommend you look into it and research it for yourself. 

www.theengine2diet.com

Food & Exercise Log:

1 -Tablespoon Organic Natural Peanut Butter

1 - Set of E2 Stretches

1 - E2 Workout routine

Breakfast

Rip's Big Bowl of Cereal

w/ Hemp Milk

Snack

Apple

Lunch

Ann's Panini (Delicious)

Barbara's Fig Newton (2)

Snack

Wasa Cracker

Barbara's Fig Newton (2)

Dinner

Guiltless Gourmet Chips (Wrong Ones)

Homemade Sals

1 - Veggie Black Bean Tamale (Not sure of all the ingredients, so gonna avoid for a bit)

*Couldn't resist - a small, small bowl of Grape Nuts w/ Hemp Milk 

I plan to add pictures and possibly videos as I go along.