This blog has been in hibernation for more months than I want to admit, partly due to schedule demands and partly due to a major shift in eating.

About 6 months ago I started to notice how s-l-o-w my metabolism had become and how little energy I had. Substitute sources for proteins in our mostly vegetarian diet were no longer easily digested.

One change that I made was to join a fitness and training facility, SLS Fitness. Right across the street from the school in which I work, I no longer had an excuse about “getting to the gym” and with several colleagues also going, there was strength in number. The day Sherri Sarrouf came to talk to us about starting an exercise program was one of the best days of my life – everything she described made perfectly logical sense. Using rest-based training (Metabolic Effect), over the last six months my energy levels have been climbing and I am building more muscle.

Stage II of the process involved working with Susan Kirby, a trainer and nutrition coach at SLS.  And here is where we’ve made some major changes to what and how we eat.

While I no longer am strictly vegetarian, I am careful to eat lean proteins: chicken, turkey, lean fish.  I am using olive and coconut oils and eat so that at least half of my plate is vegetable.

I compute hormonal carbs (carbohydrates – fiber – protein) and try to keep that number around 15 while I keep fats to 10 or less each meal.  I eat something about every 3-4 hours using the principles of Metabolic Effect as a guide. This is helping me keep insulin levels more level. Given that I was able to do this with very little trouble while on vacation, I think it’s a eating lifestyle I can deal with.

We still cook and prepare meals at least 4 nights each week and eat very few prepared foods. So while this blog of collected recipes will no longer be strictly vegetarian, there still will be lots of ideas for home cooks who are vested in healthy eating.

Enjoy!