Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Starting the Weekend

The weekend came in like a lion and out like a lamb.

My good friend's sister and family where in town - all alumni of my High School in Los Angeles. Time to celebrate, right? Well, I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve here in full vegan mode and quite enjoyed myself. But...

Friday night was a BBQ and I tried to focus only on the delicious grilled asparagus, fresh corn on the cob, and a pasta dish. I did have a little chicken, and a little beef, but as tasty as it was, a tiny portion is all that I needed or desired.

My friend's boy is 11 years old, and I took it upon myself to teach him how to box! He is an avid sports enthusiast and with the permission of his father I picked up some boxing gloves before I hopped on the bus out to New Jersey. Although thoroughly confused on why I would get him a present, not being a birthday or Christmas, he soon took to pounding away on the mitts I was wearing with his gloves. I really enjoyed teaching him the way I was taught most recently in my terrific workouts. The fact that this fit, young kid was winded after just a few minutes seemed to justify my total exhaustion with my trainer all the more.

At night the wine flowed, and I just succumbed, justifying again I have not seen these folks in a while, and they were out visiting all the way from California. I stayed over and in the morning had poached eggs - again, very good, but not the addictive craving as before my veganism. Eggs just don't do it for me any more, neither did the chicken legs - again, they were not bad, but it did not serve my happiness, just my brief taste.

Obviously, the early morning was spent watching the British Open, and around 11:30 AM my buddy grabbed a couple of beers from the cooler to "take the edge off" and watch golf in between kids running around. I took a sip, then thought, "What the hell am I doing?" And poured it out in the sink. Have not done that since High School! I just let myself slip into my old habits too easily by the end of this past week, and I had just had enough!

Soon, I was on a bus back to NYC and all I could think about was making my vegan wrap and drowning my throat in cold water. You really have to live a couple of unhealthy days to truly appreciate how beautiful chopping up vegetables are in making your own meal. I've enclosed pictures here of  my vegan wrap with zucchini, squash, onions, avocado, tomatoes, tofu, and humus- not the best presentation, but they sure were delicious!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terrance - You seem like a tough love type of guy, so, with all due respect, I'm going to give you some tough love.

You've been full of excuses lately. Don't give in! You said it best yourself the other day. You noted that your NYC hard-drinking environment is what it is and that you're going to have to learn how to adapt to it.

What if you went out for "drinks" with the CEO ad-exec and had a non-alcoholic beer? What if you just said, "doctors orders" or something else just as simple yet final when pressed?

Succumbing to peer pressure is just so middle school! You strike me as the kind of guy that can become the peer that leads by example.

All these slips? Added together they will equal a slide if you keep this up.

I admire your capacity to be a 100%, no excuses, nutritarian.

Let this post vegan period of slip experimentation give you empathy and understanding. It is difficult to eat nutritiously in this modern world.

Are you going to keep eating well and working out consistently? I don't want to tune into this blog for another post about how you gave in.

Now go out there and win!

Terrence said...

Thanks Anonymous. Really appreciate your concern, frankness, and encouragement.

Sat evening was a great meal, then I sort of crashed a wedding. Didn't really drink much at all, and as I watched all my friends jumping around hammered and having a great time, and the fact I could not even hold a conversation with an attractive lingerie designer, I started feeling sorry for myself. Feeling I was on the outside looking in.

Well, it really was pathetic, and I remembered that I was happiest when I was marching to my own drum.

Thanks again for your words tonight!

Terrence said...

And yes, this given in to pressure is mostly my own doing to make up for other hiccups not related to diet. I was using it as a crutch.

Vegan Epicurean said...

You do seem to be having a rough time of it right now. Any thoughts on how to get back on the healthy path? I am pulling for you!

Ali

Trish said...

You always have a way of making your readers super hunger after reading your blog!! I may have to skip reading it until lunch time so that I can munch on my veggies and not be so hungry!!