FAQ
I feel super-vain for even creating an FAQ page in the first place. But that’s always the first page I look at when reading other blogs. Plus, I’m often asked the same questions. So…
The questions on this page are based on questions I’ve received from other bloggers/blog-readers in the past. If you have any other questions, just ask! I’ll either update this page to include your question or I’ll answer it in an email or on your blog.
.
FAQ Categories
(ooh, look how organized I am!)
- Health/Body
- Veganism
- Running/Exercise
- Blogging
- Other
Health/Body
1. You are so tiny and cute! How tall are you? You don’t look like you weigh an ounce over 70 pounds! But you eat so much. How do you stay so little? Do you count calories?
Oh my goodness, I definitely weigh over 70 pounds! (For the record, I also weigh over 80 pounds.) I would actually welcome added pounds if they were so inclined to grace me with their presence; skinniness is jus in my genetics. I know people use this excuse all the time, but in some cases it really is true! (For more about this topic, click here.) In fact, my mom, who is 5’7, got to 100 pounds for the first time when she was pregnant with me. So maybe I will gain some elusive pounds when little CCVs come along? Little CCVs?! Yikes! Next question please!
As for height, I am 5’5.
I have neither the patience nor the desire to count calories, but—out of curiosity—I did do an experiment where I tracked my calories for a week. At the time, I averaged around 2600 calories per day. Lately, however, I’ve been running more, and I feel like my appetite has increased too. So maybe it’s more like 2800-3000 now? I don’t know; I might have to do another experiment. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here’s a link to my old experiment: The 2600-Calorie Post.
(EDIT: New Experiment here: The 3000-Calorie Post)
.
2. Specific weight please!
Sorry, I’m not going to list that, as I know some people get upset when they hear others’ weights. Weight is just a number, and what’s right for me isn’t necessarily right for someone else. Besides, no one’s weight stays the same all the time anyway (and honestly, I don’t weigh myself all too often, so I don’t know my exact weight at the moment).
3. If you’re so skinny, why don’t you eat lots of cake, cookies, and other such foods to gain weight?
(I answer this question more fully here.) When I started my first blog, last September, I was REALLY trying hard to gain weight. But, I was doing it by consuming tons of vegan junk food. If you read my early blog entries, you’ll find lots of posts about dessert, and even some posts that mention me having a snack of multiple pieces of cake. I was constantly consuming exorbitant amounts of vegan layer cake, brownies, cookies, and downing soy ice cream by the pint in an attempt to put some weight on. (Yes, I know I’m extremely thin. You don’t have to tell me.) However, there were two problems with this strategy:
One problem was that I would feel so nauseous after stuffing all that junk into me that it would cause me to undereat later on (and thus, I didn’t see any lasting weight-gain).
Two was that all the sugar I was consuming was really draining me of energy. So after a few months of eating like this, I had to seriously change my diet. Nowadays, I eat a high-calorie diet but it’s mostly made up of healthy foods, with very little sugar. I feel so much better this way. And I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m just not meant to be a curvy girl; I’ve learned to accept and love my body the way it is (well, for the most part!). (To see a sample of how I eat, go here: The 3000-Calorie Post.)
.
4. You seem to eat very healthily. Do you ever eat processed foods?
I try to make sure my meals are balanced, and I strive for variety—i.e. even though I’d be happy to live off of a diet comprised solely of chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter, butternut fries, and broccoli, I don’t let myself do that! One thing I always do, however, is choose meal components that I’m going to be excited to eat. I try to never eat anything that doesn’t excite me. Life is short, so why waste it eating foods that are “boring”? With every morsel I put in my mouth, I want to be able to say, “Gosh, I wish this would last forever.” Luckily, the foods I crave are usually pretty healthy. But I don’t stay away from a certain food just because it’s processed or has more than 5 ingredients or whatever. Stressing out about eating the “perfect” diet seems more detrimental to one’s health. Or, one could eat a “perfect” diet, never allowing oneself any fun foods, and then get hit by a bus. Do you really want to look back on your life and say, “Gosh I wish I’d eaten more of my favorite foods and not been so restrictive with my diet”?
Besides, with the volatility of science, who knows what “perfect” is anyway!
(For more on my food philosophy, see this post: Processed Foods and Soybeans and Tofu– Oh My!
.
5. Many of your recipes seem low-calorie. Why is that, if you’re so skinny?
I know that a lot of the people who read my blog are trying to lose weight or can’t just eat as much as they want like I can. But I strive to make my recipes relevant for as many people as possible. Therefore, I try to give variations in my recipes so that everyone can make them. That’s why I say things like “Use sauteeing liquid of choice” instead of just calling for oil. That way people can make the recipe as high-fat or low-fat as they want.
.
6. Can you list the calorie counts for your recipes? Please?
Here’s why I won’t do this. However, if you want to figure the stats out, it’s not too tricky: just add up the calories of all the individual ingredients then divide by the number of servings.
.
.
Veganism
1. Why did you become a vegan?
.
2. Oh come on! Don’t you ever miss ice cream?
Nope, never. Nowadays there are so many amazing non-dairy ice creams on the market that it’s easy to satisfy one’s ice-cream craving and live cruelty-free at the same time. Soy not your thing? No problem—you can buy ice cream made from a base of ricemilk, almond milk, oatmilk, or even coconut milk! And if you’re not big on the first brand you try, don’t give up; the tastes (and flavors) of these non-dairy ice creams are as varied as the customers who buy them. I did miss squirt whipped cream for the first few years after going vegan. But now, thanks to Soyatoo, we vegans can have our whipped cream and eat it too!
Do I miss other non-vegetarian products? Honestly, the first month was hard. I had huge hamburger cravings! But you know the saying “28 days to break a habit”? It really seems to be true, because suddenly the thought of eating meat became revolting to me. Same thing with cheese after I’d been a vegan for about a month. Now I can’t even stand the smell of cheese.
3. What if I don’t want to become a vegan but would still like to incorporate more vegan foods into my diet?
Here’s a post I wrote about omnivores and veganism.
.
Running/Exercise
1. How far do you go when you run?
I don’t have one of those nifty Garmin watch things, but I once plugged in a favorite route on mapmyrun.com and it told me that the route was a little over 8 miles. (On the rare occasion I run on a treadmill, that’s about the same distance the machine tells me I cover.)
2. Do you really find running to be fun, or is it just something you make yourself do to be healthy?
I really do think running is fun. If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it; life’s too short! In this post, I wrote about ways I make running exciting.
3. Do you have knee problems from running? How do you take care of your knees as a runner?
4. Do you run every day?
I think rest days are really important. For more about this: Guilt and Exercise
.
/
Blogging
1. What’s that picture at the top of your blog?
It’s my favorite chocolate coconut butter, morphed into a farmer. Here’s a post about it (and about the picture).
2. I remember your blog used to be called Chocolate Covered Vegan. Why the change?
I changed the blog title to “Chocolate-Covered Katie” because I didn’t want to sound exclusive, especially since not everyone who reads my blog is a vegan. I didn’t want it to seem like my blog was only meant to be read by vegans. But I am still CCV!
3. How do you decide which blogs to comment on?
I really, really, reeeeaaaally (that’s a lot of “reallys”) appreciate everyone who takes the time to leave a comment on my blog. Getting new comments makes me so happy! I used to try and comment back on every single blog of every single person who left me a comment, in an attempt to return the favor. But, especially as my blog traffic increased, I couldn’t keep up. With all the other things going on in my life, I just wasn’t able to comment on over 50 blogs per day. I had to cut back.
I still try to leave comments when I get the chance, especially on the blogs of those who comment on every single one of my posts. But if you haven’t heard from me in a while, please know that it’s not because I’m ignoring you, and I AM still reading your posts even if I haven’t commented.
That being said, if you leave a comment with a specific question, I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.
And even if I never respond, I definitely read EVERY SINGLE comment left on my blog.
.
.
Other
1. Why do you always eat with chopsticks?
Answer here (Bonus: There’s also a picture of Brad Pitt on this page! Woo-hoo!)
2. You mention that you’ve lived all over the world. Where exactly have you lived?
Answer here (in scrapbook-page form!)
3. Who are Molly and Henry?
4. Who is Whole-Foods Boy?
and also here
5. What is CCV?
Not what, who ;o). CCV is “Chocolate-Covered Vegan” a.k.a. me.
Ok, that concludes the FAQ page. Thanks for putting up with my vanity!
/
/
Trackbacks
- Finally finished the FAQ Page « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Spa Sundaes « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Wordpress issues « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- The 2600-Calorie Post « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Hello from CCV « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- S’more Muffins « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Processed foods and Soybeans and Tofu– oh my! « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- How to use “brownie batter” and “vegetable serving” in the same sentence « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- My Morning Routine « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Chocolate Sweethearts « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Guilt and Exercise « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Ohmigosh Spaghetti Squash! « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- The (olive) Oil Crisis « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- The (olive) Oil Crisis « Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Cover me in Chocolate! « Chocolate-Covered Katie
i have another couple of running questions for you, if you don’t mind.
1. are you training for any races/have you ever trained for a race? if not, why? if yes, which ones?
2. what are you running shoes?
okay, so maybe that sounds really weird, but humor me and my running-specialty-store-employee idiosyncrasies
I like the FAQ, Katie! And I’m also curious about Jane’s questions! 8 miles in one hour! Wow, you’re pretty fast there, CCV!!!!
8 miles? that’s ambitious. i’m happy when i get 20-30 minutes in 3x a week.
I just read the whole FAQ… Hehe, thanks for helping me procrastinate with my homework!
CCK, just read this and wanted to tell you how adorable you are. you’re just so sweetly unapologetic about your lifestyle – love it – and so open-minded and witty – love it!
Hope you’re having a fun vacation!
Thanks for all the answers!! You are so gorgeous by the way!
My “FAQ” (for the spiralizer contest =D) – I am a very health-conscious “strict vegetarian,” who recently developed some unsavory food urges and as a result gained some equally-unsavory weight! Bad habits are hard to break, of course, but I’ve got all the tools and a lot of nutritional knowledge (I’m basically a nutrient database!), so I’m healthifying again, slowly but surely.
I suppose this officially means I’m de-lurking, too =). I’m Jenna, a recent frequenter of the site, so here’s a very official hello to you, Katie!
Hmm… Something about me. I’ll tell you a few things! I’ve been reading for quite some time now and almost never comment (sorry!). I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 10 and vegan since I was 15. I’m 22 now. I don’t love to cook elaborate meals, but I do love eating tasty, healthy food… and that’s what I love about your blog! Another fun fact… I drink more Diet Coke than I am comfortable with… :/
For another entry for the spiralizer giveaway, here’s a little info about me. I’m 25, live in WI, and am vegetarian, debating becoming vegan. Love your blog, and look forward to new and fun ideas from you!
What would you want to know about me besides the fact that I love your blog? I love running, lifting weights, am trying to love yoga… I eat pretty healthy and love trying new things – like your tofu puddings (which my kids love too!), and blended grains…
Loved learning more about you from this page… something about me? I’m a teacher, a mom of a 21 month old boy, and am seriously considering going vegan . . . your blog is one that I’m reading while trying out some new recipes. I am glad I just read what you said about the 28 days for a habit, or something . . . because when I go back to work next week, I’m planning to give vegan eating a month and see how I feel!!! Thanks for the inspiration!
hi katie! As i mentioned in my comment for the contest, im 17 years old, born and raised Michigan-er, who loves to kickbox. I love reading your blog and am sorry for not commenting more, to be honest i let my insecurities get the best of me sometimes and am afraid to have my voice heard. stupid, huh? well for a fact about me Ive been really been wanting to become a vegetarian but my parents at the point have not allowed me, but am pretty positive i will soon. thanks for this wonderful contest once again =)
Love your blog, you have so many useful tips. I’m a 40-something professional, spouse, and mom to 13 yr old twins. I’m really focused on ensuring my family eats well and stays fit. I’m not a vegetarian but definitely aiming to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my diet. Am learning a lot from your posts!
Hi Katie! thanks for the giveaway, Im a 20 year old Boston girl who just became a vegetarian and runner within the past 5 months, so its all new to me, but I did it mostly due to influence and help from blogs like yours! Thanks again, I love reading
Here are some facts about me!
*I went vegetarian as soon as I left for college
*I went vegan February of 2009 and never looked back
*I love to be active! I enjoy running, walking, yoga, walking around big cities, anything!
*I am going to school for nursing and plan to specialize in pediatrics
*I love the summer and am so not ready to let the freedom of it go for school!
*I greatly enjoy your blog – you’re funny
About me: I was a junk-food vegetarian until about a year ago. I finally got sick of being fat and tired and determined to change my diet. I started reading tons of food blogs (including yours!), learned to cook and stop hating leftovers, and eventually cut out dairy cheese (something I never thought I could do — hurray for Daiya!), milk, etc. I’ve lost a bunch of weight, and feel so much better. The variety of amazing food I eat now was unthinkable to me then, and I love that I’m discovering new items all the time!
A little Laura 101!
-My favorite sport to play is softball/fastpitch
-I’m from a small town in Nebraska
-I love watching college football – Go Cornhuskers!!
-I’ve never flown in an airplane but I’ve been up in a helicopter
-I hate the winter, cold, and snow
-My birthday is Sept. 9 so this year it will be 9/9/09!
A few facts about me–I am finishing my PhD in clinical psychology right now. I also am vegan and have been incorporating more raw foods into my diet recently. I love running and yoga, and like you, I have an intense love for anything chocolate!
I just started following your blog last month……LOVE IT! I’ve been vegetarian for years and years, but just made the transition to being vegan last month! I do it primarily because I love animals. All the other benefits (health, environment, etc) are added bonuses. I too am a runner – I’ve signed up for my 4th and 5th marathon this and next month!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Hi Katie!
Some things about me… I’m a 25 year old vegetarian, new-found raw food lover and newbie runner. My first race is in a few weeks and I’m so excited but nervous! I also love yoga and am in the process of learning to listen to my body more and more each day. Ooohh, and I’m Canadian (and cannot resist chocolate!)
*comment for the spiralizer giveaway* I’m a vegan too
I think it is such an awesome lifestyle!
Hi Katie!
Something about me – I am 6 months into my weight loss/health journey and have lost 61 lbs so far! I have learned so much from your blog and many others. They have made this journey much more fun than it would have been without!
I wish I could get in touch with Valerie – I’m living in WI too! I moved to Madison with my husband a little less than a month after we got married (so the end of June) so he can go to grad school.
And one more tidbit about me… I’m running my first half marathon on Sept. 5! And I’m very excited/nervous!
Allo Katie,
Heather here. Well, I said a bit about myself when I entered the spiralizer contest a few moments ago, but I’ll tell you a bit more about me. I graduated from college in May and am now living back with my parents, older brother and younger sister in NY. It’s not my ideal situation and I struggle to stay positive these days, but I suppose its for the good…its all growth. Like you, I too have lived around the world. Thailand, Ireland, and Morocco. I am anxiously awaiting the day when I can afford to purchase another plane ticket and soar the skies. In the meantime, I’m buttering bagels on weekends and trying to sort out the emotional baggage of family ties. I guess I’m just in an odd position right now.
Well, that is enough about me right now.
Take care of yourself.
-Heather
Hi again! Here is a little bit about me… I’m 21 years old and from Austin, Texas. I grew up in Singapore and also lived in Japan, so we have a bit in common! I love swimming and rollerblading. Tex-mex and Japanese are my two favorite cuisines. I never considered myself much of a cook till I went vegan and read all these blogs… including yours! Thank you~~
Hey Katie,
My name is Gloria. I’m a 26-year-old vegan from Vancouver Canada, and I love to cook, bake, run, and live a healthy lifestyle. I just recently graduated from SFU (Health and fitness Program) and have been following your blog for over a year now. You’ve inspired me to try new foods that I never would’ve thought to try!
Thank you
Gloria
Hello CCV! I really enjoy your bog and thanks for all the recipes. Next on my list is Love Muffins. A few facts about me:
Born in Germany…
Math Major, I am going to be a teacher….
Vegetarian for over a year…
Newbie Runner, just moved to CA and love ocean runs!…
I also love yoga, baking, and shopping.
I am a high raw mostly vegan. I try to stay away from the cheese and frozen yogurt, but sometime I slip up. I love your blog as you have great recipes and great ideas!
I love your blog!
Other things I love:
having been vegan for over a year and vegetarian for five
green and blacks ginger chocolate
sea vegetables
yoga
biking
sometimes running
and
the beach!
One day I hope I can say that I love spiralizers, too haha.
Hi Katie!
I’d love to win one of those spiralizers!
One random fact about me: I just started working on my MLIS so I can become a librarian
I love your blog and especially that you always seem so down to earth. Random fact about me is that I love to dance and sing so when no one is home, I will blare the music and perform with/for my 2 cats.
Hello – Love your blog and i have gotten so many interesting food ideas from you. I have recently started eating more heathly and can see a difference in my weight and feel a greater energy level – lreally ove that part
I am an accountant and I live in VA. I visit your website daily and love love love dark chocolate anything!
Hi there Katie!
I really enjoy reading your blog and try to keep up making your recipes as soon as you post them. Although sometimes it isn’t easy to find all the ingredients where I live. I consider myself a healthy vegan. I’m also a runner (just 10k at the moment), with a lovely vegetarian family. I’m totally in love with dark chocolate and I get all excited about experimenting with new foods.
Too bad only bloggers get six extra entries
Hi Katie,
Some facts about me:
I’m a German girl who
has been a veg since 2003
loves doing sports (especially jogging and Kung Fu)
is addicted to apples and pumpkins (and Bean Brownies – everyone loves chocolate, right?)
checks your blog almost daily and has tried several recipes (oooh, the pumpkin pie stir-fry …)
… and would like to try spiralized vegetables
let me tell you a little about myself!
i too am vegan, have been for about 4 years.
i am very quiet around people i do not know and really weird around my family, who dont appreciate my singing.
i would love to eat all raw but i love kabocha squash and steamed veggies too darn much!
hope i win that spiralizer
Hi!
Some facts about me:
Vegetarian for 2 years now
Loves green and black dark chocolate and oatmeal
History major
I love your blog and have been thinking about becoming vegan!
Howdy
I’ve enjoyed your blog since I first found it over a year ago–so much so that I had to read back from the start. You make the most gorgeous food and it is always inspiring.
Thanks for sharing it all with us!!!
I Love you blog! It has given me such great ideas for my breakfasts ect. I always check to see what you’ve been making because I LOVE it all! Especially the spiral stuff.. YUM!! I cannot get enough! Here are some random facts about me..
-I go through stages of loving one type of food and HAVING to have it everyday..My husband laughs at me about this. Right now it is Bananas, I need one once a day..it makes me happy
also butternut squash..ahh cant get enough..
- I am extremely hyper in the morning when I wake up, this is why I love to exercise (running, yoga, biking, ANYTHING) If I dont do something im all jittery.
- I love camping and being outside in nature, I am a spring/summer person all the way.
As you wish, a little bit more about me (besides loving veganism):
- I love watching college football
- My favorite fruit is a haychia persimmon, although I love all varieties
- Growing up I played soccer and was a sprinter in track, but now my main source of exercise is longer distance running and biking
- I’ve never dyed my hair
- My favorite animal is a pig
- One thing I enjoy more than eating (if that’s possible) is traveling!
Hi Katie,
Probably the most interesting fact about me that’s relevant here is that I’m very extroverted and talkative in person, but am super shy over the internet…Which is why I have never commented even after being a huge fan of your blog for quite some time!
Thanks for hosting this awesome giveaway, and for having such a lovely, creative blog!
I just subscribed and learned from you from Choosing Raw – loving the idea of getting more used to Raw!
Hi Katie-
Here’s some stuff about me:
I live in Chicago and am an actor and improviser. I’m not a vegan but I try to eat mostly vegetarian meals as much as possible (one of the reasons I really want the spiralizer!). I’m a runner who just signed up for my first triathlon and I’m scared out of my mind even tough I’ve run two marathons.
Oh, and I really enjoy your blog!
Thanks,
Cristin
ps-I LOVE dark chocolate!
hi katie! i love your blog! the carrot muffins are my favorite recipe from here. most importantly i love your humor and cheerfulness
a cool fact about me is that today is my 21st bday!!! i also go to boston college and will graduate next spring 
hi katie i love your blog (and chocolate! lol). a cool fact about me is that i took a year off after high school and taught english in argentina for ~4 months then backpacked solo for a few weeks before coming home and working!
I took Japanese for a year in college
I recently found your blog and fell in love with it instantly!
A little bit about myself…
- An Indonesian currently living in New York City (a senior in college majoring in Fashion Merchandising )
- I used to not eat most dairy products because I hated butter, cheese, yogurt and milk (simply could not stand the taste and the smell!) but I liked my chocolate milk . I also hated egg yolk. Now I do drink skim milk and eat yogurt occasionally but still not eating butter nor cheese….
- Absolutely loves dark chocolate!!
Hi katie!
I turned vegetarian just a couple months ago, and even though I haven’t created a blog (yet!), I’ve been reading and following your entries! Your recipes and ideas as well as many of your fellow blogger’s meals helped my transition from being an omnivore to a vegetarian go a lot smoother! thanks!
Anyways, a bit about myself. I’m still in high school, but I’ll be heading to college next fall! I like to run, and I hope to start running some races soon!
Thanks for all your posts!
GC
hi Katie! (is that short for Katherine?)
my first name is actually katherine if it is…
anyways, we have quite a bit in common! I also have lived in japan, and austin texas! it sounds like we both have moved around alot!
oh and did i mention we’re both around the same age AND we’re both brunette! … and the list goes on and on! lol
My super awesome talent is finding the end of a roll of tape.
I have lost 80lbs over the last 1.5 years. I’ve also been a vegetarian since I was 15
Hi Katie! My name is Megan and I am a runner for Desert Vista. I love reading your blog because it makes me so happy and I really want to become a vegan but I have a bad addiction to honey that I cannot bring myself to break.
I’m 43 – married 24 years – no kids, but one awesome pup who has been my sweet baby for the 9 1/2 years! Vegetarian for nearly 20 years and vegan for a little over 2 years – the whole ‘raw foods’ concept intrigues me – this spiralizer looks like a terrific way to try it out! Thanks for a great giveaway!
Well, I guess I introduced myself in the spiralizer post, so I’ll skip that bit. Hmm…. and interesting fact about me? I drive a scooter! I zip around on a little red Genuine Buddy 150 and only spend about two bucks a week on gas. It does a lot less harm to the environment, and it’s way too much fun.
i talk to myself a lot – when i’m alone, hahaha!
Hi there,
- I love thunderstorms, yoga, running, tennis, dancing and dessert.
My great grandparents lived in Italy and were in the gnocci business. I can’t help but be lured toward anything even semi pasta-related. Its in my blood, and consequently, in my stomach!! Spiralizer = my dream!
Favorite way to start the day:
Molly’s Mango Smoothie:
(combine ingredients in magic bullet or comparable blender, adding banana last for thickness)
1 full mango, peeled and sliced.
1/2 c frozen cherries
1/2 c rice milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp umeboshi plum vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 frozen banana
If that won’t win you over I don’t know what will!!
xo
I love:
reading blogs, most especially cooking blogs
reading books
exercising
gardening
shopping
spending time with my friends, most especially my husband
We have a Mexican HAIRLESS dog, and two cats. My neighbor’s call me ‘Evan Almighty’, because lost animals appear on my property all the time. I’m like a soft-hearted magnet.
A little about me…
I am a 25 year old Canadian and believe ethical omnivorism is the right choice for me. Healthy food and cooking are important to me as are my family and friends.
I am in university studying World Literature and Culture, specifically Latin American women writers. I am also incorporating Digital Humanities into my Honours thesis because I think it is the way research and data dissemination are going. I also want to become a librarian
Hopefully that is enough information about me to be entered in the contest… the zucchini ‘pasta’ looks so yummy and would be a fantastic way to add more raw veggies in my diet!
Thanks Katie!
yet another reader from WI!
I’m:
..23 years old
..in grad school to become a speech pathologist
..vegetarian (soon to be vegan?)
..one of 8 children
..getting frustrated trying to make zucchini noodles without a spiralizer…
You said you wanted to get to know a bit about me, so here’s some trivia:
I have been vegetarian since Lent 2006 and vegan since Lent 2007. It has been a wonderful lifestyle change that has lead me to discover a new culinary world, new energy, and better respect of myself, others, and the world.
Your blog has inspired me to start jogging. Where I live is winter for 8 months of the year, so jogging isn’t the most idea hobby to pick up, but I really enjoy the time to reflect on the day ahead, listen to music, and the huge energy boost it gives me in the morning. I still cannot jog the whole 30 minutes I am out, but you said it takes time, and it will. I still haven’t figured out how I am going to continue jogging in winter… take that as it comes I suppose.
Thanks again for putting together such a nice blog. I read it every day.
Cheers,
Jennifer
I’m 24, living in the Florida panhandle, where it’s too hot to do anything these days but eat raw vegetables. If I could live on one thing it would be figs, chocolate, or sauerkraut. My dream is to be an inventor.
I’m 23 and just graduated from nursing school. I still have yet to find a job. The economy is horrible and surprisingly a lot of hospitals aren’t hiring. I am interested in working with babies!
i’m 24 and living in washington, dc, and i work in health policy. love your blog!
Hello!
Here is a little about me. I wrote you once before, asking about stirfry details, but here is more!
I’m working on my PhD in clinical neuropsychology. It’s a lot of work, but very interesting. In my lab, I study yummy smells and people’s emotional reactions to them, as well as head injuries.
I’ve been playing drums in rock bands since I was 8 years old (I’m turning 29 in a few days), and teach drum lessons to other girls interested in them
I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly 10 years and own nearly 100 vegetarian cookbooks!
I had to TEACH myself to like chocolate, because for some odd reason I never liked it until recently! Now I need my daily fix.
I performed sketch comedy for 5 years in Boston, but now my heart belongs to Austin.
My two favorite books are Infinite Jest (by David Foster Wallace), and The! Greatest! Of! Marlys! (by Lynda Barry).
comic books.
The movie I most recently saw that I loved was “King of Kongs: A Fistful of Quarters”, a documentary on competitive Donkey Kong players. So good!!!
Hello everyone else!
Hi Katie! I am a high raw vegan and a runner. I am a teacher, and I love dogs. I have two labs that I love to go hiking with. Thanks for the giveaway!
Well I became a vegetarian in 7th grade then a vegan from 8th until my first year at college. I am currently working on obtaining my Masters and transitioning into a high raw vegan.
Hi,
My name’s Whitney and I’m 22. I’ve been vegan for 3 years and just discovered that I love brussels sprouts.
Hi,
my name is Jet and I live in France outside of paris, I’ve been vegan for 1 1/2 years. The thing I miss most about the U.S is the kale.
I am 40 which probably makes me the oldest of your blog readers. I was vegetarian for many years but transitioned to pescatarian about 10 yrs ago. Suits me better but I eat vegetarian about 80% of the time.
Hi Katie! Here’s a fact about me…my 2 favorite movies are Moonstruck and Serial Mom (hilarious!):)
I am from S. Calif. with 25 years of vegetarianism and veganism under my belt. for the past 9 months and been doing high raw!
Hey! Here’s something about me:
Haha
I am obsesseddddddd with granola/energy bars. I literally can’t walk into the grocery store without buying a few! it’s a real problem, haha. I also am obsessed with running! I really want to enter a mini marathon..but I always end up chickening out! Maybe this year I’ll finally do it
something about me?!
wellllllll..i have a blog! but
its on sabbatical right now
so im entering this way. ;]
and also. im eating cereal.
Hi fellow Katie!
Since I know you’re an avid runner, I have a question for you. I’m curious about what sorts of exercises you do to strengthen your legs, especially to prevent injuries. I’ve started and stopped running a number of times throughout the years, always because I manage to hurt myself. I have a good pair of shoes and I’ve very recently begun running on dirt/grass (more fun!), and I want to take every precaution to make it work for me this time around.
Soo, back to the question. Do you do old standards like squats and lunges, do you prefer weight machines, or what? Do tell!
I am going on a 9 month long internship to Spain!
Hi Katie! I recently found your blog and love it! I am not a vegan but one of my roommates at school has recently switched from a vegetarian lifestyle to a vegan one. your blog has given me a lot of great ideas for how we can still enjoy cooking together. having the spiralizer would def help in prepping some of those delicious looking meals. but anyways a little more about me i also really love chocolate…i studied abroad this past spring in belgium which was amazing since its basically the mecca of chocolate
I love my children and green smoothies!!
my favorite chocolate covered thing is white chocolate covered pretzels. yummmmmmm
Hmm, well I am currently trying to go high raw so a spiralizer will totally help me out with that (so many yummy recipes on here with zucchini noodles!!). I have 3 dogs and would definitely love more, I am obsessed with books and am contemplating a move back to my home state of Texas!
Hi Katie! Some facts about me:
- I recently graduated from college and moved into a house with my best friends.
- I have been vegetarian for most of my life and vegan for just over a year, thanks to your blog and a few others.
- I love animals. I have a wonderful rabbit who I love with all my heart, and it is taking me a while to type this as my right hand is occupied with petting him.
- I also have an active imagination and I like to make up stories whilst running!
I discovered food blogs just over a year ago. Now they are my obsession!
I stopped eating fast food (the main source of sustenance in my family) about 3 years ago and started eating way more vegetables.
I went meatless some nights about 1 year ago and then about 4 or 5 months ago I made the decision to give up everything that was not plant based and I have hardly looked back.
Recently I have been having a lot of leanings towards raw eating but I really love making homemade fries and mashed potatoes and lentils, mmmm lentils, so I don’t know.
Meanwhile, I love your blog!
Thanks,
Allison
Well I just entered the spiralizer contest, so here’s a bit about me:
I love your blog and I’ve been a silent stalker for a while now! I’m an avid vegan, going on nearly two years. I love/am obsessed with animals and hope to become a veterinarian and save all the cuties of the world. I love running, the city life, reading, writing, and food. After struggling with disordered eating for years, I am finally starting to find a balance in my life with loving food, while appreciating it as nourishment and fuel. Eating good food makes me feel good and enjoying food without guilt is so important! I would love to spiralize my precious zucchinis and consume delicious veggie pasta and expand my culinary adventures with this tool!!
Anyways, nice to meet you and I will keep reading your lovely posts!!
Hi! Here’s some info on me – I love running and am addicted to healthy living blogs. I love all sorts of healthy, natural food and love to modify recipes to make them “burst with nutrients”, which usually results in only me being able to eat what I cook. My husband despairs.
Like you I’ve lived in quite a few places (not as many though) I’m currently living in country and continent number 4 and find that each country I live in poses it’s own opportunities and obstacles for fitness and food.
Anyway, love your blog, it’s really interesting for me being a non-vegan to see how creative you are with your food. I’m often envious!!
Hello! I just love reading your blog and trying all your recomendations and trying all your recipes. I guess a random fact about me is that I have been vegetarian for 6 years (I’m 21) and love trying new foods and recipes
My favorite food is a falafel pocket with tahini sauce…so good!
Love reading your blog and keep up the awesome work!
Your blog is so wonderful, I read it every morning while I eat breakfast (which is usually an oats created inspired by YOU)!
Something about me … I am 22 years old and I am starting my new “career” job this monday! I feel so lucky to have gotten a job after graduating college in this economy, but I’m a little nervous at the same time …
Keep up the great work! LOVE YOUR BLOG!
My info for the spiralizer contest. I am a twenty-ish college student counting down the few days left before I start my last year of college and enter the real world…YIKES. I love being healthy and being a vegetarian. I have never been happier. I am trying to incorporate more raw foods, and a spiralizer would be so great to make some of your delicious meals that you show on your blog. Thanks!
Hi Katie! Love your FAQ page. I love running too! I ran competitively for three years but now run much more intuitively without a schedule. I have been vegan for almost a year; I actually cut out dairy before meat, the opposite of how most people transition! I feel like this is the way of eating that satisfies the most and leaves me feeling best physically. Besides food and health, I love music – I’ve studied flute, piano, and violin at various points in my life, and I have a crafty side too – I enjoy crocheting and have enough yarn to fill half a closet!
About me (a lurker who loves your site!):
Allergic to milk proteins
Love running, weights, and yoga
I eat much the same way you do – LOTS of fresh veggies, grains, and chocolate (not too sweet).
Your afredo and tofu puddings have me addicte to silken tofu!
Hi Katie!
My name is Havovi, I’m 20 years old, live in Melbourne Australia. I’ve been a veg head (vegetarian) for years, and after reading your blog for about a year I was inspired to make the switch and become a vegan. I love eating with chopsticks, spicy food, cupcakes and making cookies. I’m obsessed with yoga and am a bit of a musical freak. Love show tunes, singing, piano and french horn. I’m at university studying law and one day hope to eradicate mandatory detention for asylum seekers.
Hope you are well.
Hugs from Australia!
H.
About myself: I am a new vegan! And I love it and I love reading this blog and the cool things you do with fresh, healthy food. Thanks for everything!
My spiralizer fact: The one thing that’s hard for me to give up in order to call myself a true “vegan” is Sunday brunch (no bacon, but eggs and half and half in my coffee). All other days of the week, I eat 100% vegan.
Spiralizer fact: I made my sister become a vegetarian, and shen then inspired me to become a vegan!
Hello CCK! I’m rika and I want to win your sprializer give away! (LOL, great introduction, right?) I’m an environmentalist and a flexitarian as of now but will commit to pescatrianism once I enter college
About Me:
I am currently suffering from anorexia but i find that reading food blogs like yours give me a sense of community and support. I love food and the beauty and art that we can make out of food, I’m just scared of weight gain and such. Your blog on counting calories is an example of how you are showing me there is more to life than meticulous counting! Thanks Katie!
Ah! I wanted to enter the spiralizer contest and forgot to say something about myself here! Here’s a little about me:
I’m a senior in college this year, and I will be spending this semester in Paris studying French and taking voice lessons (my two majors). I love to run, cook, do yoga, read food and fitness blogs, and I’ve wanted to start my own blog for a long time, but I’m just too darn chicken! I’m a vegetarian, and I recently spent a few weeks at an opera festival in Italy, where their idea of a vegetarian meal is a giant ball of mozzarella cheese (!).
I interned at Food Network!
I love reading your blog and getting fun food/meal ideas. One of my friends turned vegan recently, so I’ve had a good time finding new recipes to try when we get together for dinner (usually after a run – I love running, too!). I haven’t taken the plunge and become vegetarian or vegan, but I definitely do my best to eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and veggies!
hi,
just found your blog, pretty cool! i just started blogging a few weeks ago and i was wondering if i could pick your brain… from what i understand, wordpress.com does not allow any advertising, so, um, how do you have the foodbuzz ad?
thanks!
Hi Katie,
I have been veg-blogging since May of this year and almost every site I see has a link back to yours. I see you’ve been blogging since 07 (?)… how long did it take you to get such a huge following? Do you do crazy back-linking? Just really popular naturally? Or did you just build it slowly?
Thanks so much! I know you’re busy (especially with your charity post… which I think is great & plan on promoting for you) but if you get a chance, I would love to hear back from you.
Kinzie
I think this blog and the pictures of yourself are irresponsible and hurtful to those overcoming or trying to overcome an eating disorder. you wave your genetics around like a flag, and it’s incredibly insensitive. you’re a beautiful girl, but some of us struggle immensely, and being so forthright about your lack thereof seems to me to be extremely wrong. please think about this in referencing your natural skinniness, seemingly every chance you get.
Anonymous,
I do try to censor what I write (as I said in my “This is not a happy post” post). But short of not posting ANYthing, there is absolutely no way I can make sure I don’t upset every single person who reads my blog. It’s your responsibility, and yours alone, to take care of yourself and stay away from blogs that upset you. If you are upset by my blog, please take care of yourself and do not read. (Also, please find something more fun to do on Christmas day than write negative anonymous comments on peoples’ blogs!)
Love,
Katie
Katie, I am so happy to see that there are other healthy people who are naturally skinny. Some people see me and think that I have an eating disorder! I’ve tried to gain weight just like you with little success. Your blog is such an inspiration, and I appreciate you posting about how you don’t worry about your weight–it reminds me about how I shouldn’t either. Anyone who is offended by you blog should just not read it, regardless of what Anonymous said.
I’m a vegan, I doubt eating the animals food source helps them at all. I always thought of it like growing a gimp a garden and then stealing the food after it is grown and saying look I did not kill the gimp! Yay Me! Now crawl and get your food.
I was driving in my car the other day when I started thinking about sushi. (Please just go with this). I am a vegetarian that eats fish, eggs and dairy, but have a vegan father-in-law. The other day I went out with some friends for sushi, but as I am currently pregnant I had to limit myself to the vegetarian sushi. It tasted a little different from the regular sushi, but not enough that I didn’t miss what wasn’t there. In fact, since I’ve had to modify my diet for the pregnancy, I’ve realized that the only thing I really miss is green tea. Sorry, I digress. So, as I was driving, I got to wondering if the vegetarian sushi could also be vegan. Other than fish, is there any other non-vegan foods that might be used in the sushi making process? Could you go to a japanese restaurant with your friends and order vegetarian sushi if you wanted? After all, it’s basically rice, seaweed and veggies. What more could one want? And yes, I know that the miso soup is not vegan.
I just reread these FAQs and the lines “I try to never eat anything that doesn’t excite me. Life is short, so why waste it eating foods that are “boring”? ” totally stood out to me. I need to remember that more often so I don’t eat something just to eat it because it’s there, ya know?
Thanks for pointing out something that should be obvious!
You’re so awesome and seem down to earth and honest! I’m coming out of my lurking to comment today! Haha.
Thanks for your FAQ and awesome attitude for life!
is this where we leave questions now for formspring? i like this idea better too because it wob’t cut off long questions. and i like to write a lot! anyway, my question is whether you plan your meals in advance or not? your meals always look so balanced!
Answer: Oh I’m so glad you like it better, because I was seriously getting frustrated with some of formspring’s quirks!
Anyway, to answer your question, I “plan but don’t plan.” I actually wrote more about that here:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/06/do-you-plan-your-meals-in-advance/
whats ur favorite food?
Answer: I can’t choose just one!
Top 5: chocolate, oats, broccoli, kabocha, and coconut butter
Favorite pb and co flavor?
Answer: Either chocolate or cinnamon-raisin
Do you think you’ll ever eat meat again?
Answer: No, I don’t miss it at all.
Do you find that you have less of an appetite when it’s hot? Now that it’s getting hotter there are times I just don’t want to eat!
Answer: Yeah lol I think everyone has the same problem when it gets too hot
What’s the farthest you’ve ever run?
Answer: I’m not sure; I don’t have a gps thing to measure my distance.
are your parents vegans too? or your siblings?
Answer: Nope, just me. But they’re much more adventurous now. When I first became a vegan, they never wanted to try my food. But now they’re not just willing, they’re usually excited about it
.
do you eat raw nuts, not just nut butters? if you do, do you eat them salted or not salted?
. But especially with pistachios and almonds, I can’t stand them salted.
Answer: I do! Definitely. Usually, I like them unsalted, which is strange considering I like salt a lot
how much do you weigh?
Answer: read the actual faq page above
Do u ever feel like u have to force feed yourself so u get it calories in?
Answer: Yeah, sometimes I definitely DO have to eat when I’m the furthest thing from hungry. No fun, but I’d rather have that problem than the opposite (being on a diet and therefore not being able to eat when hungry)
how many people visit your blog per day? someone said it was 20,000 but someone else told me then it was 4,000
answer: I actually did answer you on formspring too. Here was my answer:
Ummmm… I don’t know who your “someones” are, but I think it’s a little strange that two different people are claiming they know how many people visit my site. They’re both off. More people visit than the second number, but less than the first. Sorry, but I really don’t want to get more specific than that.
I am just so thankful for EVERYone who visits; it makes me so happy to know that people read my blog!!
To the anonymous commenter wanting to know “when did your opinion change…”
I stand by what I wrote in that post. If you ever have a problem, feel free to email me. If you don’t bother to email me, though, how am I supposed to know what you found offensive?
Do you still eat two breakfasts on the days you don’t run?
Answer: Yeah. I’m not usually hungry right when I wake up, but I know it’s important to eat soon after waking up, so I make myself something very small, and then about an hour later, I’ll have a real brekkie.
Are Molly and Henry afraid of storms?
Answer: Molly’s not, but Henry is TERRIFIED! If he runs into the closet, we know that a storm is coming.
have you ever done kickboxing?
Answer: Just once
Do you ALWAYS run on grass, or do you run on pavement sometimes too? I love your blog btw!
Answer: I switch it up. Maybe like 3 runs on grass, then one pavement? And a few with both.
Hey katie! i’m 15 yrs old and i enjoy running, but i always get held back bc i get that annoying pain on my side when i run. any advice on how to get rid of it or anything? thanks!
ps- i read your blog every night i think its so creative!
Answer: Aww hi Sydney! Thanks for the sweet comment. I think I once read somewhere that you’re supposed to do some kind of deep breathing if you get those side stitches. Maybe google it? And don’t eat a ton of bulky food right before running. Good luck
.
How much coconut butter do you put on your carrot cake pancakes?
Answer: Maybe a T or 2? Definitely not less haha. Sorry I can’t be specific; I don’t measure it.
You’re my favorite blog! I was wondering what’s YOUR favorite blog?
Answer: Right now, I really love this one scrapbook blog. It is so creative and cute
.
whats the MOST you’ve ever weighed?
Answer: Sorry, I really don’t like to talk about numbers because it upsets people, and also because people are so much more than a number
how many calories do you eat a day? do you eat 3000 every day or does it vary?
Answer: I never count (except for the two experiments I did for the blog), so yeah, it varies
Do you budget your groceries? All this organic stuff can get to be expensive! And the nut butters too!
Answer: I emailed you
on your days off from running, do you ever do another machine at the gym like the stair master or the bicycle?
Answer: No. I do use my own bike a lot, but that’s to save money and be more environmentally-conscious. The exercise is an added bonus
.
whats the fastest time youve ran a mile?
Answer: I don’t know. I don’t have a garmin.
Do you ever run with a running partner?
Answer: No, unless you count Henry (my puppy). I sometimes take him for short jogs in the afternoon.
What’s your favorite raw vegetable?
Answer: I like a lot of raw veggies (zucchini, spinach, kale, chard, cabbage), but not without some kind of dressing. I think the only raw veggie I like without anything on it at all is mache greens.
Going with that, what’s your favorite fruit?
Answer: Honeydew!! But lately, I’ve been obsessed with frozen mango. The little yellow ones (“Manila Mangoes”) are sooooo good!
Do you ever feel guilty if you eat too much?
Answer: No. Sometimes, if I eat too much, my stomachache makes me regret my decision to eat so much bulk. But it’s not guilt, just regret.
What’s your favorite magazine?
Answer: Definitely a mix: Creating Keepsakes, People, VegNews, Time, Newsweek, and Runners World (although I don’t have a subscription to it…wish I did!).
Hi Katie,
I know you’ve said before that if we want a certain recipe that you’ve made but haven’t gotten around to writing a post for yet, you could email us the recipe. Could you possibly do that for me for the “healthy pancake syrup” recipe?
Answer: I emailed you
Hi Katie,
I love love love your blog!! You seem to be an oatmeal expert and I was just wondering…what brand of oats do you use? And I find that whenever I mix mine with non-dairy milk instead of water they always end up super watery??
Answer: Hey Annie!! Thank you so much!
.
I am in LOVE with Old Wessex organic Irish oats (NOT the Scottish ones). Ad yes, I completely agree about the watery thing! When I make my oats in the microwave, if I use milk they don’t absorb the liquid as well as they do with water. So I make them with water, and then if I want to add milk, I do it after they’re cooked
What’s your favourite type of bread to eat raw coconut butter with?
answer: I actually don’t really like it on bread for some reason. My favorite ways to eat it are either plain or on carrot cake pancakes, but it’s also good on muffins, zucchini (weird, but good!), and spaghetti squash. Someday soon, I want to try it on regular pasta too
.
What non breakfast food have you eaten for breakfast?
Answer: I actually answered this in a post:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/05/19/breakfast-for-dinner/
Thanks for the inspiration.
do you ever feel guilty for taking a day off from running?
Answer:
No; I wrote more about that here:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/11/guilt-and-exercise/
I love your blog. Just wanted to tell you
.
Answer: Aww thanks!!
how many grams of fat do you eat every day?
Answer: I don’t count. But I don’t eat a low-fat diet. I love my healthy fats, such as olive oil, nut butters, raw nuts, etc.
You have posted photos of when you were younger where you look like you weigh a fair amount more than you do now – how is this due to genetics if you’ve lost weight? And if your parents are “watching their weights”.
Answer: Do you want to tell me what photos you’re talking about? …Because I honestly have no clue what you’re talking about.
What make up do you use? You always look so perfect and flawless in your photos! They look almost fake/airbrushed!
Answer: Wow, thank you for a seriously sweet compliment. Often, I don’t wear any make-up, because I’m too busy to put it on… but I don’t usually post photos of myself on those days
. When I wear it, I use Estee Lauder bronzer, Clinique blush, and Urban Decay eyeshadow and liner (and a free mascara that comes in the Estee Lauder gifts my mom gets. She never uses them lol). I hate foundation, as it makes my face feel cake-y, so I never wear it.
Have you ever been to California? It’s a vegan haven!!!
.
Answer: Yes, but never as a vegan!
I want to go!! I hear that even the Carvels there have vegan soft-serve!
…Not that I didn’t have fun when I went: we visited the Barbie museum
What’s your favorite nut?
Answer:
)
Pistachios… or maybe almonds… or cashews…
(I’m terrible at making decisions, can you tell?
Do you like So Delicious coconut milk ice cream?
Answer: It’s not my favorite; it seems to dissolve as soon as it hits my tongue. As far as the coconut-based ice creams go, I like Nada Moo better. But I really would rather make my own ice cream. I can make whatever flavor I feel like at any particular moment, and it’s way cheaper
. Lately I’ve just been using the Vita-Mix, but I want to bust out the ice cream maker this summer. (Cover your ears, poor Vita-Mix; I’m talking about cheating on you!)
do you always run with an ipod? and do you use earbuds? i find that they fall out of my ears when i run fast
Answer: Not always, but usually. Earbuds fall out of my ears too!! Glad to know I’m not the only one
. I know this is going to sound really odd, but try kids’ headphones! They’re smaller, so they stay on better.
besides running, are you athletic in any other ways?
Answer: Growing up, I played basically every sport, from softball to basketball to ice skating to lacrosse. And I played varsity soccer and tennis in high school. So yeah, I’m definitely good at sports… except volleyball. You don’t want me on your team for that!
Both of your parents as well as your sister seem to be at “healthy” weights–I am not saying you are unhealthy because I do not know, but you appear to be considerably smaller than all of them. If you say that you are skinny because of genetics these facts do not coincide…Did you used to weigh more but after you started running in high school you lost weight (you vaguely recounted “making a mistake” when you first began running). I don’t mean to be invasive, I just think that it would be good to have this explained as I have seen a few other comments similar to mine.
Answer: I already talked about my mom in my actual faq post above. And as for my sister, she wears a size zero and every single person who has ever met her would describe her as “tiny.” Me, I would describe her as perfect. We’re both perfectly healthy and happy.
Do you get along with your siblings? (If you do, do you want a couple more, i.e. mine?!)
Answer: Definitely don’t want any more lol! But I actually do get along with my sister… now. We didn’t get along well when we were teenagers, but now we’re good friends
What’s your favorite Luna Bar, if you like Luna Bars?
Answer: They’re not my favorite, but every now and then, I’ll get a craving for a Nutz over Chocolate one. I’m not big on any of the others.
do u wear leather?
Answer: No
do you eat on a schedule (like look at the clock) or just eat when your hungry?
Answer: Usually, when I’m hungry. But I have to make sure to eat around every 3 hours to take in enough fuel during the day. So sometimes that means eating when I’m not hungry.
Do people ever tease you for being a vegan? I’m a new vegan, and I don’t have a very thick skin about things like that so it’s upsetting me. How do you deal with it?
Answer: Not really… Usually, people think it’s cool. I guess nowadays it’s not so “freaky” because a lot more people are adopting such lifestyles (or even just doing things like drinking soymilk even if they’re “meat and potatoes” types). If you do get teased, cite people like Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, famous sports players like Prince Fielder, and even Ellen DeGenerous! I mean, ya can’t get more mainstream than Ellen
.
As a vegan, do you find it difficult to get enough protein?
Answer: Not at all
.
Read this post. It is absolutely AWESOME:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/04/25/vegan-bodybuilding-and-fitness-with-robert-cheeke/
do you ever feel fat?
Answer: In high school, one of my friends was bulimic, and her mom told all her friends to tell her that “fat is not a feeling!” LOL it always made me smile… and when we’d tell her, she’d smile too.
But anyways, I DO sometimes “look” fat: when I eat a particularly bulky meal or drink a lot of water, I can stick my stomach out and look pregnant. My friends think it’s hilarious!
When you were cutting back on running to try to gain weight, how much did you cut back? Did you cut back on the amount you did every day, add more rest days, or just stop running until you had gained the weight back? I’m in this position right now, and I don’t want to give up exercise because I enjoy it, but I also want to be healthy. Hoping you could give me some advice.
Answer: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE listen to your doctor!! DO NOT exercise when your body is weak, as you can do irreversible damage! No amount of endorphins you get from exercise are worth that. I can’t give you any advice except to urge you to listen to a medical expert.
*Hugs*
So, this may be kind of personal, but I’m a vegan and I’m looking for a good deodorant. I heard a lot of the natural ones don’t work well, and I was wondering if you had any recommendations. I figured with all the running you do, you must know of a good one. Haha sorry if this is awkward.
Answer: Not awkward at all!!
And I agree that some of the natural ones don’t work well. I tried Toms of Maine and wasn’t a big fan. I went through a few other not-so-great ones over the years, too, before finally finding a really good one: Nature’s Gate roll-on deodorant.
Why don’t you have a subscription button on your blog? I’d like to not have to remember to check every day to see if tere’s a new post.
Hi anon,
I’ll look into it and try to get one up soon if I can!
Hi Katie! Just out of curiosity…how many Larabar/ chocolate covered baby-type treats might you have in a given day? I’m addicted and am well aware that we crave what we eat, but love these a little too much
Thanks!
Answer: Hmm, probably 0-2 bars (Larabar-sized) per day. Sometimes I’ll have a bar at breakfasttime, sometimes at afternoon snack, and sometimes with my nighttime snack… but never all in the same day
.
So maybe, on average, a bar every other day?
There are so many flavor variations that it never gets old!
I agree with the other anon poster…in your scrapbooking photos (your sweet sixteen pictures etc) you do appear to be at a noticeably higher weight than you are now. Did something happen to cause you to lose so much weight? I don’t mean to pry, but since you are now “being real” I think this would be good to answer.
Answer: I have answered this question before. If you really are curious, you can find it in one of the comments above this one.
Is there a way to subscribe to your blog, like an ess feed? I don’t seem to be able to, and I read about fifty food blogs a day. I like yours alot, it’s making me think about veganism again, but I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. How about an email subscription?
Answer: Hey Raquel!
I am embarrassed to admit that I don’t know much about RSS feeds. But I did search around on my blog and find this:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/feed/
Is that helpful at all?
.
The only other way I know people subscribe is through google reader. I’ll try to look into email subscriptions. But please let me know if the above link is what you were looking for
Love,
Katie
Hey Katie, thank you very much! I did help, plus WordPress has allowed me to subscribe to the comments of the blog, which also helps. Thanks for answering!
Hey Katie,
Just found your blog through HEAB. As a fellow chocolate-lover, I am so excited to try your recipes!!! Chocolate AND protein? Be still my heart!
I have noticed a reoccuring theme when someone says something negative about your weight. I didn’t even notice (your weight) till I read the FAQ page… anyways… Just wanted to point out that my best friend is an avid runner, and has a simliar physique to yours. (Maybe that’s why I was shocked to hear you were recieving so many comments about your body!) She always eats huge portions of just about whatever she wants. Her metabolism is fantastic.
Anyways.
Glad to have found your blog!
E
E!!,
. I’m kinda embarrassed by how much attention I’ve given those commenters in the past, actually. I’ve even changed around my “About” page to not mention them. But seriously, thank you for your kind words. And I’m always excited to “meet” someone who shares my love of chocolate. You’re one smart (chocolate chip) cookie 
.
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for your super-sweet comment
hey girl!
i was just wondering how you decide, well, what to eat for a meal. i’ve been on a meal plan for so many years but want to become more “normal” (whatever that is!) in this whole area & am not sure how to approach it– people around me don’t have the best relationships with food either (whether it’s endless yo-yo dieting, only eating junk food, “bad” food deprivation & subsequent binging, etc.) so i’d especially love your perspective.
do you approach a meal thinking of including fruit / grains / fats / vegs / etc. specifically, or do you just put together what you feel like & it happens to cover all the bases? (or do you not necessarily include all the food groups in each meal, but they might be eaten at another point during the day?) do you worry about having a proper balance of your calories coming from each macronutrient? how do you choose the quantity you eat? or when you have something more dessert-y?
do you just have a sense of what satisfies you and just prepare that quantity, or do you have extra & possibly take seconds?
yikes i’m so sorry. those are a lot of very stupid questions…. “emily, you’re seriously messed up & that’s all i’m going to say” is a totally acceptable response.
.
Answer: emily, you’re seriously messed up & that’s all i’m going to say… JUST KIDDING!!!
But I want to give you some well-thought-out answers, not just a rushed reply, so I hope it’s ok if I don’t get back to you for a few weeks while I don’t have time on vacation. I’ll try to get to all your questions as soon as I have enough free time to give your questions the thoughtful replies you deserve
Hey again Emily! Sorry it took me so long to respond. When I sat down to answer you, I realized that I actually wrote a post about how I plan my meals! http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/06/do-you-plan-your-meals-in-advance/
.
If I didn’t answer all your questions in that post, feel free to ask me again
Hi Katie,
I notice alot of people comment on your weight, and I just felt compelled to share with you that my husband (who is 28) is vegan and very athletic. He is 5’8″ and weights 120lbs. And that is just the way he is! He eats alot. People are always saying things like “do you eat? are you on drugs?” etc. He always says, “how come its okay for them to make mean comments to me b/c i am really skinny, but i cant say anything to someone who’s very overweight?” it’s kind of a double standard. ( not that i think you should say anything not nice to someone overweight) but he gets offended when people make comments about his weight all the time.
Katie,
.
Thanks a TON for your words of support! And please tell your husband that I completely commiserate with him. I actually wrote a post about it, that I’ll hopefully publish soon. It’s so true: it’s taboo to say something negative to an overweight person (as it should be), but people have no problem “telling” me I’m anorexic, right to my face!
Anyway, I don’t mean to ramble. I just wanted you to know that your kind words mean a lot to me
How do you clean your running shoes??
Answer: I try not to wash them too much, as I’ve heard it makes them lose traction (and maybe shrink). But every couple of months, those suckers HAVE to go in the wash machine. I put them in the gentle cycle, then let them air dry.
what are your favorite quotes?
Hmmm… I really like Miss Piggy’s advice:
But as silly as it seems to quote from a cartoon, it helps me to remember not to worry so much what others think.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may become necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.”
Wow, that makes me sound erudite, huh?
I also really like Gandhi’s “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
Seems I like quotes about eyes!!
Hey Katie! I just found an RSS feed to my Google home page, and have added your site to it. I love it! Thanks for all your delicious and fun posts, and thanks for just being you. You’re beautiful and sweet and an inspiration, especially to those of us struggling to get healthy. Ok, I admit to getting a little jealous sometimes, lol!
Oh my gosh Raquel, thank YOU so much!! Made my morning to receive this comment
.
Katie, you’ve gotten so many negative comments over the years, yet somehow you are still so upbeat and nice to your readers. But did you ever regret starting a blog in the first place?
Honestly, yes. Maybe abbout a year ago, when I felt pressure to comment back on every single blog that commented on my site, it started to take up a lot of time. And I love writing posts, but commenting on sites all day and reading about food… it was getting to be a chore! I had to really stop and think about it, and I finally decided that as much as I wanted to return the favor to all the people who commented on my site, I just COULD NOT continue to comment like that when it was taking the fun out of blogging. So I wrote a whole big post on it, and I cut back to maybe 3 or 4 comments on other sites per day. Now I’m having fun blogging again!
How do you get companies to send you samples?
Hey Lynn,
Usually the companies contact me out of the blue (which is the case with my current giveaway/free samples of Nasoya products). Here’s a post I wrote on that:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/raw-some/vita-mix-giveaway/winner-of-the-vita-mix-5200/
Hi Katie! I love reading your blog, but I have a question. How do I subscribe? I’ve looked all over and I can’t find a subscribe button or anything.
Hi Savannah! Thanks for such sweet words
.
Ok, I *think* I might have figured it out! Let me know… I just added a button to the right sidebar that says “cover me in chocolate.” Does that work??
Is that helpful at all?
The only other way I know people subscribe is through google reader. I’ll try to look into email subscriptions. But please let me know if the above is what you were looking for.
Love,
Katie
Haha, I don’t know anything about RSS Feeds, either, so you’re not alone. It wasn’t what I was looking for, but thanks for trying
. I’ll just bookmark your blog and check back for new posts. You post frequently, which is really nice because a lot of bloggers don’t do that.
Thanks!
Have you goes a day without chocolate?
Hehehe yeah I have… but most days I have it at least twice. I’ve already had it twice today, and it’s not even dinnertime yet
.
Hi Katie,
I saw your answer to a question about using natural deodorant, and I was wondering if you use other natural products- like shampoo, face/body washes, etc? I’ve had bad experiences with most natural products having an unpleasant smell that I can’t stand- maybe you’ve found some good ones? Thanks!
Cori
Hey Cori,
.
You wrote at exactly the right time, because I *just* found my absolute favorite shampoo/conditioner ever! It’s by Desert Essence, and it’s… coconut! (Surprise! I love all things coconut.) Smells delicious, and it leaves my hair so shiny and thick
How come you dont have a blog roll? i love your blog so im curious what ones you frequent.
<3 Sarah
I just never have had time. But actually, I’ve recently been thinking about it, so I might actually make one!!