The 4-Hour Vegetarian

I'm a vegetarian (+lacto +ovo) and in my quest to get fitter am going on a 28-day challenge to eat only Slow Carbs. Based on The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris, I'm cutting out white foods, bringing consistency to my meals, eating more often and upping my protein intake. I'm going to document my food, nutrition & exercise here. Join me in the journey, won't you?

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 28: Here's to a Lifetime of Change!

28 days, 2.3kgs and 5.25" later, I'm feeing incredible. Safe to say, the slow carb life is here to stay!

Workout: 60mins of BodyPump, 60mins of BodyBalance.

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 27: Almost There

One more day, and I'd have completed 28-days of living the slow-carb/four-hour life. It's been easier than I thought it would! 

Breakfast: 3 egg omelet, salad greens with beans, avocado pieces and black coffee. 

Lunch: 2 boiled eggs, salad greens with beans, boiled pea sprouts, sautéed beans and asparagus. 

Second Lunch: Sautéed beans, red beans with avocado and one boiled egg.

Dinner: Store bought dal-curry, 2 eggs boiled, protein shake.

Workout: None

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 26: Two Days To Go

Two days to go for the 28-day challenge to come full circle. 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, avocado, salad greens with beans, boiled asparagus and black coffee. 

Lunch: Steamed greens with garlic-soy sauce, 2 boiled eggs, boiled veggies, beans with salad greens and a bowl of dhabha dal, black coffee. 

Second Lunch: Salad greens with beans, boiled mixed veggies and coconut water. 

Dinner: Kootu, 2 eggs scrambled, celery sticks, protein shake. 

Workout: None. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 25: PAGG

My vitamins arrived yesterday, so I started the PAGG schedule today. Interested to see the results now. Will update on that after a week. 

Breakfast: Protein shake, 2 boiled eggs, red beans with vinegar and EVOO, two pieces of avocado, boiled asparagus, carrot-celery juice and black coffee. 

Lunch: 1 boiled egg, bowl of broccoli soup, boiled Shanghai greens, salad greens with boiled asparagus (no legumes, unfortunately), black coffee. 

Second Lunch: 1 boiled egg, salad greens with boiled asparagus, boiled Shanghai greens, coconut water. 

Dinner: Wok stirred veggies and 2 eggs in Bangkok Sauce, curried cabbage, spoon of peanut butter and a few nuts. Another eating out win! 

Workout: 1 hour of BodyBalance. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 24: Fruit

Of all things I thought I'd miss, I miss eating fruit the most. I miss bananas, and berries and papaya. Bookmarked for Cheat Day #4, though. 

Breakfast: Red beans on salad greens, boiled asparagus, 2 whites 1 full egg omelet, 2 avocado pieces, carrot juice and black coffee. 

Lunch: Rajma masala, boiled american and thai asparagus, salad greens, 1 egg boiled.

Second lunch: 1 boiled egg, rajma masala, nuts, black coffee. 

Dinner: Salad greens with boiled beans, baked spinach, 2 eggs scrambled, beans-celery kootu.

Workout: 45 mins of BodyCombat, 60 mins of BodyPump

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 23: Quality Over Quantity

After a very lazy Sunday, I'm glad to be back in the gym. That said, I do plan to take it a little easier this week - after all, it's about the quality and not the quantity of exercise, right? 

Breakfast: Salad greens with red beans, piece of avocado, 2 eggs mixed white and yellow omelet. 

Lunch: 1 egg-white boiled, piece of avocado, spinach pureed, curried and cooked, french beans sautéed, boiled broccoli, salad greens with red beans in balsamic vinegar and EVOO. 

Second Lunch: 1 egg boiled, piece of avocado, french beans sautéed, boiled broccoli, salad greens with red beans. 

Dinner:  Rajma, cut celery, baked spinach and 2 eggs scrambled. 

Workout: 45 mins of BodyPump, 30 mins of Pilates. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 22: Lazy Day

I did absolutely nothing today, except to finish Tim's book, and make notes of what supplements I needed to order online. 

Breakfast: Protein shake, 3 egg omelet, raw carrots and celery, sautéed black beans with black coffee. 

Lunch: Sauteed black beans, boiled broccoli, one egg scrambled

Dinner: Boiled and spiced Kai Lan, 2 eggs scrambled, bowl of kootu

Workout: none. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 21: Cheat Day #3

Banana Bread. Dosa. Chai. Kaya Toast. Kopi-C. Miso-rye bread. Pizza. Truffle fries. Red Velvet Tim Tams. Cider. Chocolate cake. Ate so much that I needed to sit up for an hour before going to bed. Feels amazing and gross all at once. 

Workout: 60 mins of BodyPump, 60 mins of BodyBalance. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 20: Week 3 Concludes

Experimented to see if it would be possible to fulfil my meal needs at dinner time at an Indian-food stall at Lau Pa Sat, and I was not disappointed. Yum.

Breakfast: Protein shake, 3 eggs scrambled and black coffee.

Lunch: Mung dal, boiled kai lan and carrots seasoned with coconut curry powder. 

Snack: Nuts, coconut water and black coffee. 

Dinner: Black dal, spinach with mung dal, two eggs-masala, curried dry cabbage from Indian Stall #48 at Lau Pa Sat.

Workout: 45 mins of RPM.

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 19: Unexpected Rest Day

Started the day less focussed than I usually am, and began to feel under the weather around noon. Given that I hadn't had a glass of red in the last two years, I'm going to blame the wine from last night. Got myself my favorite kopi-o-kosong and made my way back home to continue working from the comfort of my couch. Ended up skipping gym, but I think it's OK given that I did quite a bit of strength training over the first half of the week. Unexpected rest day, and I'm feeling better already. Bring on Friday (and keep the wine away)! 

Breakfast: Whey protein shake, 2 eggs sunny side up, boiled asparagus. 

Lunch: Carrot soup, 2 boiled eggs, boiled Kai Lan, grilled egg plant, sautéed beans. 

Snack: Fun Toast's Kopi-O-Kosong, mixed nuts.

Dinner: Whey protein, rajma, baked spinach, celery sticks and boiled Chinese greens.

Workout: None

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 18: Well, tomorrow's another day!

I had a formal sit-down dinner to be at this evening with a pre-set four-course meal. I'm generally not very fussy about food, and wasn't about to make a scene or draw undue attention. So I ate what as put in front of me. I ate fast carbs and sugar, processed foods and chocolate. I'm hoping this doesn't work against me. Back on track tomorrow! 

Breakfast: Protein shake, 2 egg omelet, celery sticks and black coffee. 

Lunch: 2 boiled eggs, broccoli, salad greens with black beans and avocado, boiled Chinese greens, boiled baby carrots, french beans, carrot-cucumber juice. 

Second Lunch: Broccoli, salad greens, black beans, boiled Chinese greens, carrot-cucumber juice, black coffee. 

Dinner: Root vegetable salad, baby vegetables in pesto, barley risotto, bread, dark chocolate tart with a few glasses of red wine. 

Workout: 45 mins of BodyPump.

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 17: Can't get enough Pump

I can't get enough of the new BodyPump release (91). I've already done it thrice in the last 4 days and am considering heading down tomorrow for another session. I know I probably shouldn't, but let's see how I'm feeling tomorrow morning. 

Breakfast: Protein shake, 2 full eggs and 1 egg white only omelet, salad greens, cottage cheese and grilled zucchini. 

Lunch: 2 boiled eggs, salad greens, boiled broccoli, grilled zucchini, carrot juice

Second lunch: 1 boiled egg, salad greens, zucchini, brocolo, carrot juice

Dinner: Baked spinach, 2 scrambled eggs and a bowl of beans-celery kootu. 

Workout: 45 mins of BodyCombat, 60 mins of BodyPump. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 16: Less Hungry Between Meals

I'm less hungry between meals and that's helping me stay on track. I think that my stomach's getting used to this new lifestyle. 

Breakfast: Protien shake, boiled asparagus, salad greens with beans and shaved almonds, 2 eggs sunny-side-up

Lunch: Boiled Chinese greens, salad greens, asparagus, 2 boiled eggs, carrot-celery juice.

Second Lunch: 1 boiled egg, asparagus, boiled Chinese greens

Dinner:  Veggie chilli with a spoon of cottage cheese, baked spinach, boiled broccoli, 2 scrambled eggs. 

Workout: 45 mins of BodyPump, 30 mins of Pilates, 45 mins of RPM.

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 15: Starting to get lazy

I was starting to get lazy with cooking my greens at dinner time. Today I broke a week-long streak and boiled some Chinese Greens. Seasoned it with a coconut-curry powder and cumin, absolutely delicious. Yum. 

Breakfast: Protein shake, 2 eggs scrambled, steamed and sautéed carrots and broccoli, celery sticks and black coffee. 

Lunch: Veggie chili with cottage cheese and 2 fried eggs. 

Snack: Nuts, coconut water and black coffee. 

Dinner: Steamed greens, baked spinach, one scrambled egg, bowl of rajma masala. 

Workout: None, rest day. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 14: Cheat Day #2

Cheat day #2 marks brings me to the mid-point of my 28-day challenge. To celebrate, I went all out and ate all the carby, chocolatey, sugary foods I had promised myself over the week. I felt that I especially deserved it after working out for 3 hours straight today. My gym was launching the Q3 Les Mills Workshops, and I love launch days - the energy, the mystery, the challenge! I wouldn't have missed it for the world. 

The highlight though, was the very special Chocolate Mud Cake that was home-delivered by my baker friend, as promised. Om nom nom.

Workout: 1 hour of BodyPump, 1 hour of BodyCombat, 1 hour of BodyBalance. Boom!

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 13: Back luck or Good?

Hunting down some very specific chocolate cake for tomorrow's cheat day but landing up at the store two minutes after it has shut - Bad 13. Grabbing the very last batch of fresh sour-dough bread at my favourite local bakery for tomorrow's breakfast - Good 13. 

Breakfast:  Mixed 3 egg whites & full egg omelet, spoon of cottage cheese, salad greens with red beans and snap peas with a Kopi-o-kosong.

Lunch: 1.5 boiled eggs, steamed broccoli, salad greens, steamed bok choi, steamed beets and snap peas with carrot-celery juice. 

Second Lunch: 1 boiled egg, steamed broccoli and bok choi with some beets and snap peas with coconut water. 

Dinner: 2 scrambled eggs, celery-beans kootu, thai red curry soup with lots of boiled veggies. 

Workout: 45 mins of TRX suspension training. 

[4hrvegetarian-blog]

Day 12: Eating Out

Eating out in Singapore is one of the easiest things to do. However, when on the four-hour diet, it isn't as easy. Especially for a Vegetarian. Most vegetarian food is Indian, and 95% of that food floats in oil and/or is centred around carbs. But I'm learning to make do. Getting soup and skipping the bread. Half-boiled eggs minus the kaya toast. Tacos minus the shell. Boiled spinach and no dumplings. 

Vitamins & Supplements: Opti-Woman multi-vitamins

Breakfast: Chocolate-coffee shake made of Optimum Nutrition Complete Protein Diet 2 scoops, black coffee. 

Lunch: Veggie bean chili, single fried egg, baked spinach.

Second Lunch: 2 Boiled eggs whites, small cup of nuts, coconut water and a shot of espresso. 

Dinner: Celery-beans kootu (a spicy South-Indian dal curry), Veggies in Thai red curry soup, 2 scrambled eggs.

Workout: 1 hour of strength and functional training with my personal trainer.