I was a vegan, well, for five weeks....

So after watching an episode of Dr Oz, my husband and I decided we'd try to eat vegan. (this was in the fall of 2009)Now, I don't mean the vegan where you eat bread, chips and pasta(not that there's anything wrong with that), but we both needed to lose weight. We spent every weekend shopping in Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and the local healthy grocer, Green Grocer in Portsmouth, RI. It was so much fun trying new things and spending the time together trying to change our lifestyle. At the end of five weeks, I had only lost three pounds. For me, no amount of beans, tofu, soy, etc was enough protein, and although I felt good in the beginning, I was becoming tired and lacked energy. But even though we now eat meat, cheese, eggs, etc, there are some things I noticed and products we still love that I want to share with you.

The first thing I noticed, and this was significant for me, but omitting dairy helped me to breathe better. I no longer had sinus congestion or that chronic "ah-hem" in my throat.

Also, eating several small portions throughout the day(vegan, vegetarian, or not)will jump start your metabolism.

Ok, now for the real reason I wanted to talk about this today. There are some great products/foods that we eat all the time even though I don't always follow the first two things I mentioned.
I've always been a fan of Kashi, but when I backslide it's not the first thing that I reach for, however; the Kashi Blueberry cereal is really really yummy(even for the non-dieter) I find myself eating it for a snack/dessert after dinner. It's a great fix for that sweet tooth you may have.

http://www.kashi.com/products/heart_to_heart_cereal_oat_flakes_wild_blueberry_clusters






Another great product is  EVOL burritos. It's Love backwards! These are so tasty. They come in chicken and shredded beef. Both are excellent.  http://evolfoods.com/ 
We discovered these recently, after returning to eating meat. They are simple and easy to bring for work!

Speaking of burritos, for a vegetarian option, I love Cedar Lane's veggie and couscous!
http://www.cedarlanefoods.com/p00af.htm

Nutrition Facts
Low Fat Couscous and Vegetable Veggie Wraps
Serving Size 1 wrap (170g)
Servings per Container 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories  220     Calories from Fat  30
% Daily Value*			% Daily Value*
Total Fat  3g	5%		Total Carb.  36g	12%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%		Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Trans Fat  0g			Sugars 2g
Cholesterol  0mg	0%
Sodium  580mg	24%		Protein  14g
Vitamin A	10%		Vitamin C	60%
Calcium	20%		Iron	6%

Lastly, Morning Star veggie breakfast sausages are delicious. http://www.morningstarfarms.com/product_detail.aspx?id=355
So anyway, even though we aren't vegan, we still love these foods. Some day we'll get out act together and make a permanent change for the better. Until then, everything in moderation! Happy eating, everyone!