Guest Post: Nadia & Her Weight-Loss Mission

Hey guys! Please welcome Nadia’s seventh guest post detailing her progress with her weight-loss mission to lose 25 pounds and take over the world!  Take a read and help Nia out – she’s trying to kick a diet soda habit and also asks your opinion on a seeming correlation between less-meat-consumption and weight-loss.
________________________________________________________________________________

“Look how Sagittarius is in the tenth house!”

I got an astrology reading this week. No, I’m not a kook. Yes, I am open to new ideas. And moreover, my other vegan friend Brian gave me a free reading in exchange for a vegan Indian meal.

So what did the stars tell me? My career prospects look promising, so long as I work hard and stay open to communication. Well, duh, you may be thinking. I found that the reading was not so much informative as it was reaffirming – it simply “confirmed” everything I already knew.

What I do know about my current dieting situation is that if last week was a great workout week for me, then this week was its polar opposite: the scorching heat wave across the Southland meant all I wanted to do was stay indoors and plant my ass on my couch, in my apartment, where I have the blessed fortune of central air. On a completely different note, I kept to the freedom of no schedule – and still managed to weigh in at 0.2 pounds less than last week.

So – still no scheduling! Hooray! Let’s face it, writing down the calorie count of every morsel you eat is a pain in the ass. But how the hell did I manage to come in so closely – heck, losing 0.2 pounds – without exercising? I’m not trying to brag or make anyone feel bad. I just seriously don’t get it.

My theory? I ate less meat this week. Despite virtually no exercise, I ate two vegan dinners (one with The Cranky One, and another with the aforementioned vegan astrologer) and no meat on three other days. Normally, my part-time vegetarianism is a minimum of three days. If I eat less meat on other days, fantastic. If not, it’s okay as long as I meet the 3-day requirement. I am really starting to believe that simply by cutting meat out of my diet, I’m somehow magically keeping up my metabolic rate and/or not gaining weight. Thoughts?

I wonder what the stars would tell me about losing weight?…

Best Meal:

Real Food Daily: The best vegan restaurant in L.A., hands down. The Cranky One was lovely company over my veggie burger and Caesar salad.
[This is the "Burger with the Works" $14.75; bad pics taken by me, The Cranky One herself, sorry!]
[This was my "Mexicali Chop" -- delicious w/o tortilla strips or dressing! $13.75 - The Cranky One]
However, if I have to complain about anything with them, it’s the pricing. They get with away with ridiculous prices for their food! Still, I’m happy to fork over $10 for “not-chos” with cashew cheese. So good!

Worst Meal:

Diet Coke: Alright, it’s not a food, but it’s not good either. [The Cranky One refers to her post on the soda demon] I’ve been slipping into a terrible Diet Coke habit lately. I think the heat leads to thirst, which leads to a sugar craving. Or some other, more plausible medical explanation. In any case, instead of sugar, I’ve been reaching for Diet Coke, but diet sodas often contain awful chemicals that are terrible for you, particularly aspartame. Speaking as someone who drank gallons of soda pop as a child and teen, quitting soda was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. If I have soda now, it’s the good stuff – I save ultimate cravings for Crush and Virgil Root Beer, not lame old Coke. But still, Diet Coke is just not good for you. So this week, no diet soda of any kind!

Food I Didn’t Realize Would Be Bad:

Trader Joe’s Blue Cheese Roasted Pecan Dip: Whenever I go to Trader Joe’s, I make a deal with myself: I can try any new food item I’ve never had before, but just one. I chose this piece of shit. Listen, it seemed like a good idea, and the calorie count was not abysmal. Plus I was eating with baby carrots and Ak-mak crackers. However, hummus is a far better choice for a dip, as it’s not only healthier and lower in calories, but also better tasting! Seriously, hummus goes with everything. I dare you to defy me.

How I Worked Out:

Um…pass?

What Did We Learn?:

Eating less meat makes you feel good, or at least tricks you into thinking that you’re still on task!

This Week’s Goal:

Eh, last week I said I would save money. Then I got a check from my old job, plus I set up a few dinner dates and outings with lovely companions. Common sense and savings thrown out the window! This week, I’ll actually TRY and save money! The limit is still $75 – c’mon, people, yell at me or something! I know you’re anxiously awaiting these answers!

I kid, I kid. I’m a comedian, remember?

Start Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 141.0

End Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 140.8

Ask me and Ana questions on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah and at @feedmeimcranky1!

________________________________________________________________________________

Nia, you rockstar, you! You’ve lost a total of 9.4 pounds! And I’d like to point out that Nadia did exercise! We walked all around Santa Monica pier and all throughout the town — remember, Nia?! Walking counts! Consider that walking for two hours at a 3 mph pace burns ’round 530 calories (based on a weight near 135 pounds)! Sweet! Also, it’s not anomalous that you still lost weight even without deliberate exercise. Diet is like 85-90% of a person’s weight-loss (or somethin’ like that! Health bloggers, help me out…). Keep it up – you’re doing so rad — and you totally rocked at your improv show!

To see Nadia’s first update, click here; her second, click here; her third, click here; her fourth, click here ; her fifth, click here; and/or her sixth, click here.

<3,

The Cranky One

Tags: real food daily, vegan restaurants