Ho hum...I can't think of anything pithy to write, so I'll just be boring and straight forward (better than yesterday's sappy blog...cry me a river). Oh, but I can tell you that I'm down 5 lbs. since starting the Vegan/Gluten-free diet on Monday (yay detox diet!), AND I still feel fabulous. I also believe that I'm looking pretty svelte as well. Interesting how a week of clean eating and hardcore working-out really affects you. I've been a saint so far on this diet, and I've had so many lovely people supporting me in this endeavor. There's the Vegan Diva (Goddess is more like it) that's given me such great info and weblinks...she even took me to whole foods and showed me around...thank you for the support Red. There's my awesome personal trainer boyfriend Jake, who also helped me shop the next day and fill our fridge with tons of fruits & veggies. He also generally eats what I prepare (except for the other night with the BBQ Chicken episode, but in his defense he did try to eat it while I wasn't in the room). He has been enjoying the Vegan fair quite thoroughly, and had several glasses of the vanilla rice milk with his berry square last night (he also digs the almond milk). Then there are several of my other friends who have been dears and let me choose the restaurants that we're eating at while eating out, so I can stick to my regiment...they're sooo awesome...I love you guys! Oh and even my voice teacher made Vegetable Soup with fresh ginger, turmeric & cumin for us to have for dinner last night...we generally have dinner after my voice lesson every week and she's so great and supportive in EVERY aspect of my life...I love her dearly.
Today's eating has gone so well thus far, and I plan to go to Fat-Burning Pilates for my lunch hour. It's pouring outside and my coworker's left at odd times today, so we'll see if I make it on time to the class...I hope so, I could definitely use a good Pilates session, not to mention the fat-burning part. If not, I'll either hit the elliptical or maybe treat myself to a lunch out with my friend Nakeeta, who is a vegetarian, but seems fascinated with this diet :)
On another note (I'm so punny); I thought I should talk about the opera side of this blog: I have my audition for The Liederkranz Foundation's production of The Merry Widow tomorrow. I'm really looking forward; I truly love this Operetta, especially the translation they're using. Not to be vain or egotistical, but I sing the HELL out of Villia (and the rest of the role for that matter). Infact, a girlfriend and fellow soprano of mine says that she's never heard it sung better and that it should be on the recordings that I send out to companies to garner auditions. She doesn't hand out compliments readily, so if you get one, you better take it seriously. Everytime I sing this aria lately, I get raised eyebrows of surprise from coaches and the like that comment on how my voice has "grown" since they last heard from me. Let's just face it; sometimes you get lucky with a piece of music that sits so well in the voice that it seems as if it was written for you. This aria really does show off the Lyric side of my Lyric Coloratura voice, and it's nice to be seen as a "real" singer for once instead of just a singing actress or crossover wannabe.
I think I may have found another role that sits just as well in the voice...The Ballad of Baby Doe. I've sung through it with a coach and my teacher in the past couple of days (sight reading mind you), and there haven't been much if any corrections, except for maybe some rhythmic or vowel adjustments. I believe this will be another role well suited for me and my voice. It's very rare for me to get through a piece of music with my teacher with out her stopping me every bar or so to make a technical adjustment (it's been a challenge changing over from Musical Theatre technique and maintaining proper Opera), but we got through all 3 main aria's for Baby Doe in less than 30 minutes...that's never happened before. The music not only sits well, but the character descriptions match me almost perfectly. I'm very excited about learning this role and can't wait to present it, whether in masterclass, concert, or opera performance. Hopefully I'll be able to realize it in all three forums, for I feel I have something to prove to myself and too the Opera world.
Ok, so here's today's food log thus far:
Breakfast:
7:00 AM - 1/2 lemon in warm water & glass of water w/flaxseed (grnd)
8:30 AM - Starwberry/Blueberry, ricemilk, protein shake sweetened w/apple juice
Snack:
11:30 AM - 15 raw almonds & bosc pair
12:30 PM - Green Tea
Lunch:
2:30 PM - Curried Lentils over quinoa
3:00 PM - Organic Apple Sauce w/cinnamon
Supplements/Vitamins:
1tbl sp grnd Flaxseed X
250 mg Milk Thistle
500 mg Vitamin C X
200 mg CoQ10 X
Multi-Vitamin for Her X
1200 mg Calcium w/D
X indicates Taken
Exercise: I made it to my Fat Burning Pilates, because I jogged to the gym in the rain in order to make it. Thus I completed 45 minutes of Fat-Burning Pilates :) Oh and it kicked my butt...ha!
3 comments:
I've been wheat/sugar free for 5 years and feel great. Had to due to intolerance/allergy. Keep it up. If you eat right, you won't have the cravings (very often anyway:))
Good to know there's somebody else out there that understands and has also had a positive result in eating this way. Thanks for the info and the encouragement. :)
Okay, here's what I want to know about Pilates, and I may be completely off base here but - have you found that improving your core muscle strength has in any way helped your breath support? It may have nothing to do with it at all, or it may be simply increased lung capacity from exercising, but there seems to be a connection to me. But I have lousy breath support to begin with so maybe that's why. :-)
Anyway, I am so glad you are doing so incredibly well with this! Maybe you have found the perfect eating style for you? Congratulations, and way to go!
V.
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