A Rant About Vegetarianism

Can I just get something off my chest? Thanks.

It really bothers me when people assume the reason I lost weight was because I became a vegetarian. Yes, vegetarianism cut-out a lot of unhealthy foods from my diet, like Big Macs and deep-fried chicken tenders, but there are still a lot of unhealthy foods that don't include meat. Things like chips, fettucini alfredo, and Nutella are all fine in moderation, but when you have no control over your portions and eat junk until your stomach is about to regurgitate, it doesn't matter if you're a vegan or a carnivore, you will not lose weight.

Yes, becoming a vegetarian helped open my eyes to healthier options, but it didn't stop me from eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's in one sitting. There has to be a moment in your life, a turning point, when you look yourself in the mirror and say, "I need to get healthy," and then you need to focus on doing just that.

I thought I had that moment many times in my life. I can't tell you how many times I started a "new" diet throughout my short lifetime. But there was a moment, back in November of 2011, that changed my life forever.

I was sitting in my college dorm room with my roommate and it was around 11:30, 12 at night. We were watching SNL and talking about food, when my roommate looked at me and said, "Ya know what I could go for right now? Ice-cream." I agreed, having ice-cream always sounded like a good idea to me, it was my favorite food. After gushing about all the delicious ice-cream we could be eating, I looked at my roommate with this crazy grin on my face and asked, "Wanna go to Quick Chek?" And with that, we were off, no hesitation necessary.

Because I was obviously thinking about my health that night (ha-ha), I opted for Ben and Jerry's Half Baked FroYo. I'll spare you the gory details of how I devoured the entire pint like I was going to the electric chair, but like a drug addict, I forced myself to finish the entire pint, even when I started to feel full. Mind you, there are four servings in a pint of ice-cream. Immediately after, I went to bed. With an entire pint of frozen yogurt sloshing around in my stomach.

The next morning I felt like I had been hit by an eighteen-wheeler. I looked in the mirror and I hated who I saw staring back at me. This was not the person I wanted to be, I didn't even know her. That was the moment I knew I needed to change. For good.

Looking back, I don't regret that night because it showed me that I had hit rock bottom. Climbing out of that hole I had dug for myself over the years was no easy task, but it was definitely worth it. I learned so much about myself, fitness, and nutrition throughout the journey, and today, I can proudly say that that sad girl who glared back at me with tears in her eyes is no longer lurking behind my mirrors.

The reason for this long rant is to remind everyone that trying a new fad diet, cutting out carbs, or becoming a vegetarian will not solve your weight loss problems. Moderation, portion control, and exercise will, and if you don't want to put in the effort to get to your goal, then you haven't reached rock bottom. It's not about going on a quick-fix diet. It's about changing your life forever, and you need to be ready to take on that task.

So if weight loss, or getting healthy is something that you've struggled with, I ask you to look at yourself in the mirror, right now, and ask yourself if that person is the who you want to live with for the rest of your life. If not, then it may be time for you to re-evaluate your lifestyle. I can tell you from experience, it will be the greatest thing you ever do for yourself.

A Moment of Weakness

This morning, as I parked my car in front of my gym, this really in shape girl walked in front of me and I immediately thought, "Wow, I wish I could look like her." And then I stopped myself. I'm always telling my girl friends not to compare their bodies to other women's, and here I was doing just that! Making body comparisons is absolutely ridiculous because no two bodies are alike—we're like snowflakes (that was cheesy, but I couldn't resist). This girl walking into the gym had long, toned legs and the waist of a Victoria's Secret Supermodel. I, on the other hand, have short, stocky legs and they're not going anywhere.

For years I hated my larger-than-normal thighs, but I've come to terms with them. I can only do so much to get my body healthy and toned, the rest is up to genetics (thanks mom and dad). And that's why I hate it when I hear women (I rarely hear men talk about this) picking apart their bodies and "flaws" and wishing they looked like someone else.

The truth is, we all have insecurities regarding our looks. We're only human! But the important thing is to realize what you have to work with and then owning it. It's a long process, but loving and feeling comfortable with your body is one of the most important things you can do. Your opinion of yourself affects not only your attitude, but also the way people view you. I'm always making an effort to love the way I look more every day, and I can tell you that even the smallest of changes make a big difference in every aspect of your life.


But enough of that tangent, let's get on to the food. I often find, especially in the summer, that when I'm in need of a really quick meal, I'll heat up a veggie burger and call it a day. But now it's the end of July and I have become so sick of eating the same thing at barbecues. Thankfully, I have a new staple that is just as fast: Portobello Burger.

It's easy, delicious, and has a hearty, steak-like quality that is quite different from your typical Boca burger. Traditionally, portobello mushrooms are grilled when used as burgers, but if you're in a rush (like most of the world), then you can easily heat it in the microwave to dehydrate and cook it a bit. It takes about 2 minutes in a microwave safe dish for the mushroom to steam and release most of it's water. When it's done, gently squeeze the mushroom so it is dry, for the most part. It will be very hot, so it will be ready to be thrown on a bun immediately after.

I like to use whole wheat deli flats for burgers, and I dress it in the usual burger-fashion. You can cheese or any condiment to your liking, but I love to make my own with a combination of veganaise and mustard. It is an awesome combination with the juicy mushroom.

Side note: I tend to use portobellos a lot, so I figured I would share that I buy mine at Costco. Portobellos aren't something you find in everyone's refrigerator, but they're really versatile. I highly recommend buying them if you like mushrooms.

The Weight-loss Process: More Than Just Physical

So today when I was out running some errands when I ran into an old friend's mom who I hadn't seen in years. She couldn't believe how much weight I'd lost and how different I looked, but she also asked if I had a boyfriend, which is one question I don't get as often as "how did you lose the weight?" This playful question got me to thinking, "Gee, am I suppose to have a boyfriend now that I'm skinny?" I'm going to be pretty honest right now and confess that when I was at my heaviest, before I started to seriously diet, I knew that one of the main reasons why I did not have a boyfriend was because I was overweight. Not to say that those who are on the heavier side don't date or have significant others, what I'm saying is that when I was heavy, I had zero confidence. I would avoid looking in mirrors as much as I could because I knew that what I would see would not reflect the person I felt like on the inside. And I always thought that all I had to do was lose the weight and I would be beating off the guys with a stick. Don't get me wrong, I have noticed that I have been getting more attention from guys, but it is such a foreign concept to me that sometimes I feel like it's all one big, practical joke.


What I'm trying to say that even though I've lost so much weight and I feel great about my body, I'm still not 100% comfortable with it yet. Whenever I would watch wedding shows (yes, I'm obsessed with them, like every other woman in the world) and there would a woman who had just lost a significant amount of weight trying on gowns, they would always say that she still felt fat, and I thought every one of them were absolutely insane! But now, I can completely understand where they were coming from. The physical process of losing weight was long and arduous, but the mental process has taken even longer.


I have no idea how long it will take for me to get use to this new body, but when that day comes, I will truly be unstoppable. Going back to my story earlier, who knows when I will have a boyfriend. My physical transformation has definitely helped me gain attention, but I will have to become fully confident and comfortable with my body in order to let my personality shine.


So what's my point in this post? Well, if you're looking to lose weight in order to gain notice from the opposite, or same, sex, make sure you learn to love yourself first. Weight loss is not the solution to your single-life blues, trust me. Because even when you do lose the weight, you're still going to have that self-hating mentality, and that will hinder your chances of finding a significant other more than being overweight. Love yourself, then some will be able to love you, too. In the meantime, I'll be sitting in my boudoir waiting for my gentleman caller to finally arrive.