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March 29, 2007
Day 38 
Hello, and welcome to another installment of VJ's euphoria. This is VJ, your host for today's segment.
It's sunny out, and suddenly everyone in Portland has spring fever. Including me. Moon, june, spoon.
I'm also so frigging excited about having my blood work done next week. I can't wait to see the results! Can't wait!
This morning, I went to see my pharmaceutical nurse. This is what my life has come to, having someone who looks into all the possible and potential side effects of all the crap I'm taking. I told her all about this detox, how good I'm feeling, how much weight I've lost, how many inches from my waist gone, how many pant sizes dropped, and two prescriptions down, hopefully soon to be followed by more.
She started off by saying that a vegan lifestyle was extreme. I didn't react, I didn't go there. By the end of our half-hour, she had jotted down a few of the books I had read, and said she thought I'd be able to get off the majority of meds, it was just a matter of time. Yes!
I've been reading The China Study (Startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health / by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II) for about the last week. I love it. I mean, I really love it. It's well-written, it's well-researched, and it clearly articulates the results of a plant based diet on western disease: in many cases, it totally reverses it.
As I think about next week, and the weekend of eating I was going to allow myself, I'm not sure what to do. Part of me desperately wants to see people and eat with them, and part of me wants to eat steakfrites with bearnaise sauce, and part of me doesn't want to dampen the hard work I've done by having a no-holds-barred weekend of animal based fat & protein, even if I'm going back to being virtuous on Monday.
Unfortunately, reading the food group stuff just excerbates this: there's a taco crawl that's happening next Monday. I asked them to postpone til the following weekend, which didn't happen, and on one hand that's fine. But on the other hand, I desperately want to go, want to see these folks. Similarly, there's going to be a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, which will be mutating soon... which happens tomorrow night.
Eating out and socializing is so wrapped up together. And while I do have friends who would go with me to places where I could eat something vegan, I just want to be one of the gang. Part of me has felt that the food group is my gang, and perhaps it still will be. But will it really be if I'm eating primarily vegan?
I feel so intensely lonely in some ways, because I haven't seen my best friend in 5 weeks, and really, I've just seen my partner and my neighbors. I'm hungry for social interaction. Now that I've stopped looking for love in my meals, I need to figure out how to take care of myself socially.
Posted at March 29, 2007
Comments
(Warning. Contains really dorky, obvious metaphor. Or maybe a simile. I forget.) But anyway.
Learning to order healthy meals in restaurants is a skill, it takes practice, and you won't get there by avoidance.
Much like riding a bicycle.
Posted by: scone at March 29, 2007 6:23 PM
Eating vegan out is really hard and sometimes it's just not worth it. Sometimes it's best to eat the healthiest thing possible (which I'm guessing is usually not the veggie item since most vegetarian food at restaurants contains cheese, glorious cheese!)
Can you email me your phone number? maybe we can go get a drink and some hummus? (not this weekend though becuase it's spring scoot! scooter rallyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!)
Posted by: becky at March 30, 2007 9:55 AM
I am part of your gang, be it foodie or vegan!
But I am helpless. I have been wanting to ask you out for a meal, like we always do, but was unsure of where you could eat and what you could eat. So if you can think of a place where you can eat vegan, I am there with you!
I just didn't want to tempt you or be a bad influence by suggesting something you were trying to stay away from.
Anyway, I admire your progress and commitment. You go, VJ!
Posted by: angelhair at March 30, 2007 12:21 PM
I haven't been up on my blog reading so I'm just now getting caught up, but congratulations on your changes; I know it's difficult, but if you're already adjusted to a good diet, why go back to eating crap? Look at all these positive changes. And it gets better if you stick with it. For instance, The "Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes" cookbook has yummy rib-sticking meals. So does Robin Robertsons crock-pot cookbook. Just let me know if you need any pointers. I did this 7 years ago, and I haven't looked back. Neither has husband.
Posted by: Misty at April 7, 2007 6:02 AM