Day 64

THOUGHTS- Fun. Fun is wherever you make it. If you let the world get you down and you stay miserable all the time those around you are not going to want to hang around all the time. But if you make yourself have fun than you will have fun. No matter what you are doing always look for the fun side in it. Today I worked all morning. Paul the guy I worked with is hilaraious. He made the whole day fun and that in turn made me have more fun. After work I went to visit my friend at Baulkham Hills. I spent the whole afternoon trying to google on my phone things that we could do in Baulkham Hills I didn't want to have a boring afternoon. But within ten minutes of catching up with Natalia for the first time in about three years I could not stop laughing. We ended up going for a little walk which turned more into a mission than I has expected. We went down a bush track, climbed trees, played on a tyre swing and sole and orange from a tree in someones yard. We took heaps of photos to capture those moments. It was a very entertaining afternoon and it reminded me that you don't need to spend money or go somewhere cool to have a good time. Sometimes a simple walk around the block is as adventurous as it needs to be.

Also the other thing I thought about was the tree that I picked the orange from. I would like to one day have a big yard so that I can have a lot of fruit trees. I am normally not too much of a a fan of eating oranges as they are but this orange was the most delicous thing I had had in a few days. It was so sweet and wonderful. The freshness of the fruit was amazing. I would recommend to anyone that whenever they get the chance to try and eat a fruit straight from the tree.

CHALLENGES- Not having a kitchen to cook in.

TRIUMPHS- Finding good food.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST-Amaranth, soy milk and strawberries.

SNACK- Snow peas and lemon myrtle tea.

LUNCH- Chickpea and roast pumpkin salad.

SNACK- Snow peas. 1 fresh delicious orange.

Dr Stuarts herbal tea.

DINNER- Leftover mushroom manak and basmati rice.

Glass soy milk

Wintertime tea

EXCERCISE- 3 shows, 30 crunches, 10 push ups and 1 1/2 hours bushwalking with Natalia.

Day 63

THOUGHTS- Sydney. I flew down to Sydney today. Though I am still in the same country I been pretty excited. Travelling is always a lot of fun and I turn into a kid in a candy shop whenever I am somewhere new. And even though it is only a few hours by plane it feels like a totally different place. It's great to get away from things for a bit. I was so excited coming in to land. Though it was night time and there really wasn't much of the ciity that I could see at this time and it was straight to rehearsal for the show that I was down here to do. But it was still great to be in a new city. Got some really nice food and found a good little indian place around the corner from where I was staying that was understanding about what to add and what not to add to my dinner. It's also good to be doing more acting shows. Things are lookin pretty good and the guy that I am doing the show with is really nice and pretty talented too. Very excited as I crawl into bed and wonder what my first full day in Syndey is going to bring me.

CHALLENGES- Wanting to try new foods in a new city.

TRIUMPHS- Eating well even though I was in a new city.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- 1 banana

1 glass soy milk.

Beetroot, carrot, ginger, celery and parsley juice

SNACK- 1 Pear

Mung Bean Sprouts

LUNCH- tin four bean mix

SNACK- 1/2 avocado

4 capsicum sticks and 4 cherry tomatos

DINNER- Basmati Rice

Mushroom Manak

Glass of Soy Good No Fat Soy Milk

EXCERCISE- Lots of walking

Day 62

THOUGHTS- We get ourselves into a mindset of whether or not we like something. I have always been adamant that I do not like mandarin. But today though I was really hungry which probably had a little something to do with it I ate some fruit skewers and even ate the Mandarin. So it got me wondering why I ever told myself that I hated them. Maybe I had a bad one when I was a kid I'm not sure. But I think the more I start trying all the foods that I don't like or don't think I'd like the more I am finding that I do. On the flip side of the coin I used to love my meat but since becoming vegetarian 10 years ago and vegan 5 after that I have now got it in my head that meat is disgusting. Morally I still think it is but taste wise I'm pretty sure I used to love it. Alot of things we do is controlled by the way we think. We get ideas into our heads and those ideas become reality. Thoughts like "I'll never get a boyfriend." "I won't find a job." "I can't lose weight." They are thoughts that we can control. The more we think something the more you are just going to make it happen. So if you start thinking positive more positive things will come. I'm not saying if you think about winning a million bucks that will happen but small beleivable goals such as losing weight etc.

CHALLENGES- Not being at home most of the day and not having a chance to eat so being very hungry at a kids party

TRIUMPHS- eating friut skewers and I even at the mandarin on it which I usually don't like

WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST- Amaranth, Soy Milk, goji berries and a pinch of Stevia

SNACK- Fruit Skewer- Kiwi Fruit, red grapes, apple and mandarin

LUNCH- Goji berries, cacao nibs and mixed nuts

DINNER- Veggie chips- Beetroot, taro, potato, carrot, garlic cloves, rosemary and olive oil
Fresh apple and orange juice

LATE NIGHT SNACK- Quinoa, parsley and Garlic.

Day 61

THOUGHTS- Creating. Life can be all about what you create it to be. We are all artists in our own form.I personally love creating things as an actor and a writer but lately I have found that I love creating different food sensations. Different flavours and textures and appearances. Look out masterchef here I come. Ok not really because the chefs on that show beleive that something needs to die or suffer for you to have a good meal. I am now five years Vegan and I can assure you I have many good meals. Every day I find more foods and come up with more ideas on things that I can make. Todays example is my iced chocco delight. I have always been a big fan of frappes and slushees. So had a craving tonight and that mixed with my chocolate craving became the success of the Iced Chocco delight.

You can create what you want to happen in your life. Whatever you want to happen you can start to create it. You can make your life what you want it to be. If you keep saying to yourself. I'm fat your mind will bring that out in your body. If you create in you mind that you are going to be thin than you will be. Obviously it takes work and won't happen overnight. But if you put your mind to it and you tell yourself that you are going to succeed than you will. I'm not saying that you can create winning the lotto but you can create realistic goals for yourself. Set yourself something that you want to do this week and tell yourself that you are going to do it.

CHALLENGES- craving chocolate alot

TRIUMPHS- Making cacao shakes killed the craving.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Banana

SNACK- 3 peices of Pineapple and a few nuts

LUNCH- left over Taro and veggies.

SNACK- Nuts
1/2 avocado with sprouts mungbean, lentil, chickpea and adzuki.
Goji berries and cacao nibs
1 inari

DINNER- same as last nite with Quinoa instead of brown rice.

Choc shake- Cacao powder, ice cubes, soy milk and touch of agave.



Iced chocco delight- same as choc shake but with more ice. Place all ingredients in blender and blend.


EXERCISE- Runnin around theatre. 30 gym ball crunches, 20 obliques and a bit of aerobic.

Day 60

THOUGHTS- TARO. Is a tropical plant grown primarily for it's root vegetable.

Taro root can be a great addition to a meal to make it heartier and healthier. Taro root is often substituted for a potato in many recipes, at it is also a starchy vegetable. According to Food Reference, taro roots are tubers that are actually toxic when they are raw and take on a "nut-like flavor when cooked." There are multiple nutritional benefits to the taro root, including the caloric content and the fiber content. Before adding tarot root to your favorite meal, you should understand the nutritional facts.
.Serving and Calories
This guide focuses on the numbers provided by the USDA for one cup of sliced taro. This is taro that has been cooked and has not had any salt added. This is 132 g of taro. One serving has 187 calories. The majority of the calories in this serving come from the carbohydrates in the food, with 184 of the calories coming from these carbohydrates.
Dietary Fiber and Fat
Like many vegetables, taro root is great for those who are trying to watch their fat intake. One serving of taro root has only .1 g of fat per serving. This fails to even register as a single percentage of your daily amount of fat.

Taro is high in beneficial nutrients, such as dietary fiber. One serving has 7 g of dietary fiber. This is 27 percent of your daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is important for two main reasons. Dietary fiber is great for the digestive system, as it helps to speed up the process and make the system regular. It can also help to lower cholesterol.
Cholesterol and Sodium
Those who are worried about high cholesterol and high sodium should look to add taro to their diet. They can avoid a high risk of heart issues and a risk of high blood pressure because of the lack of cholesterol and sodium in the food. One serving has 0 mg of cholesterol. This same serving only has 20 mg of sodium. This is only 1 percent of your daily value of sodium. Many will add sodium to the food, however, when they add salt to the tubers.
Vitamins
Taro is high in a few vitamins that are important for the body. One serving has 11 percent of your daily value of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is important for multiple bodily systems and functions. While it cannot fight colds, Vitamin C will help to keep your immune system healthy and functioning properly. One cup of taro also has 19 percent of your daily amount of Vitamin E and 22 percent of your daily amount of Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is important for the immune system as well, whereas Vitamin E can help to reduce your risk of a heart attack (according to NutritionData).
Minerals
Taro has a lot to offer as far as minerals are concerned. One serving has 10 percent of your daily value of magnesium and phosphorus, while also offering 13 percent of your daily value of copper. Taro is an excellent source of potassium and manganese, with 18 percent of your daily value of potassium and 30 percent of your daily value of manganese. Potassium is important for the regulation of your heart functions and your blood pressure, while allowing your muscles to work as they should. Manganese is important for the "metabolism of proteins and fat" while helping out the immune system (according to NutritionData).
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Read more: Nutritional Value of Taro Root eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5401477_nutritional-value-taro-root.html#ixzz0sVZ2h4sG


CHALLENGES- trying something new.

TRIUMPHS- really enjoying the new food.

WHAT I ATE-



BREAKFAST-Garlic, sage and parsley mushrooms cooked in olive oil.

SNACK- Sprouts

LUNCH- Two Bananas


DINNER- Taro and Veg on Brown Rice.

INGREDIENTS
Garlic
Ginger
Onion
Capsicum
Taro Cubes
Shoyu
Olive oil
Leek
Sage
Parsley
Eggplant
Mushroom
Caulfilower

METHOD
1. Chop veggies into strips or cubes
2. Heat oil in pan.
3. Lightly cook onion, capsicum, garlic and ginger.
4. Boil taro cubes in a small saucepan until soft.
5. Add other veggies until brown.
6. Add Parsley and sage.
7. Drain Taro cubes and add to pan.
8. Add shoyu and stir through.
9. Serve on brown rice or Quinoa

DESSERT- Ice cream attempt and 3 pineapple peices.

LATE SNACK- a few nuts and some sprouts.

Day 59

THOUGHTS- ONE EARTH. So my boss sent me an email a few night ago saying that she was reconsidering my position. Instead of crying and wailing about it and sitting in bed all day eating ice cream like I normally would have I decided that I needed to do something bigger with my life. So I came up with the idea of a not for profit organization. Nothing is set in stone and at the moment all it has is a facebook group. The group is called One Earth. The aim of the group is to help out where possible in whatever cause grabs our attention. The main goal is to make people realise that every living being on the planet has rights. And hopefully the group will one day become big enough that we can financially support alot of projects as well. Part of the group will be advertising campaigns. Also documentaries, fundraisers and anything else that we can do. I know it's a big goal but every little bit we can do to help out is worth it. If you are interested in joining the following is the link to the Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116668358372019&v=wall&ref=ts



CHALLENGES- Possibly losing my job

TRIUMPHS- Not letting a bad situation get me down.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Left over veggies and Quinoa from last night.

LUNCH- 1 Avocado with chickpea, mungbean and lentil sprouts

DINNER- chickpeas with garlic, sage and vegetables.



DESSERT- Attempt to make my own ice cream. Cacao powder, stevia, soy milk, flaxseed meal and agave syrup. FAILED

SNACK- Goji Berries and Cacao nibs.


LATE NIGHT- 2 potatoes cut into chip style with garlic and rosemary.

Day 58

THOUGHTS- Leather, Fur and Wool.
...“But your not eating anything.” Leather and fur are pretty obvious. The animal is slaughtered and its skin is removed. Sometimes this isn’t always the case. In an effort to save time the animal may just be purely skinned alive and thrown into a pile to suffer an agonizing death. Sometimes the cows are still alive when thrown into the scalding hot hair removal tank, so that you can enjoy your leather products. Often cat and dog skins from Asia are mislabeled and sold around the world. You will often not even know whose skin you are wearing. But what about wool... The sheep don’t die for it. Once again there is no happy farm that sheep retire to once their wool producing days are over. They are slaughtered and labeled as mutton. The sheep bred in Australia are not suited to our climate and when their wool is long they suffer heat exhaustion and when they are shawn they suffer in the cold at night. Millions of sheep die every year due to their breeding not being suited to our climate. Which also brings about the need for mulesing. This is where the skin around the backside is cut off without anesthetic to stop flies laying their eggs in the sheep. Sheerers are also paid per sheep so often as they try to increase speed to increase profit the wellbeing of the sheep is sacrificed and cut and bruised they are sent back out to the farm. Also every year many sheep are crammed onto ships as part of live export and every year about 20, 000 sheep die during this time. There are many animal friendly alternatives to the clothing that you buy.

CHALLENGES- Getting rid of anything in my room that was leather or wool. Though I have been vegan a while the products I had brought before my veganism I could not afford to replace. But I haven't worn them in years so figured it was time for them to go

TRIUMPHS- Being completely animal free.

WHAT I ATE-



BREAKFAST- Buckwheat, cacao, soy milk pancakes. Topped with agave syrup and raw ice cream.

Beetroot, carrot, ginger and celery juice.
Glass of rice milk.
Blueberry and rice milk smoothie.

SNACK- Lentil bites
Cashews

LUNCH- Lentil bites, half avocado, 3 cherry tomatoes.

SNACK- Glass of soy milk.
Cashews and macadamias
Organic Popcorn
Raw Ginger bar


DINNER- chickpeas, eggplant, garlic, red onion, green capsicum, leek, garlic, ginger, sage, olive oil, cauliflour.
Served on Quinoa.

DESSERT- Raw choc ice cream.

EXERCISE- Netball game.