Shrink Yourself

Shrink Yourself by Dr. Roger Gould

A couple days ago I listened to Chef AJ's teleclass where she interviewed Dr. Roger Gould, author of Shrink Yourself. I remember reading his book when it first came out, but I never got the play on words until I heard him talk during the interview. I took the meaning as in get smaller not as in self-help although I knew it was a form of self-help. 

Dr. Gould has taken self-help to the next level with his new Shrink Yourself App. He has a series of questions that helps compulsive, emotional and binge eaters like me figure out the real issue. I used this process after his interview and it showed some interesting results of deeper rooted causes I would have never thought of that are tied to environment, relationships, etc. I'm looking forward to using Dr. Gould's app to overcome emotional eating. It's definitely worth giving a try!

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation 

Dealing with the Stress of Death

My favorite aunt died last night. She has always had a special place in my heart. She took care of me for a while when I was a teenager. She took in a stray dog I brought home and wasn't allowed to keep. Ironically, I took her dog in just a few days ago because she went to the hospital. I think it gave her peace to know her dog was going to a good home and would be safe. She loved dogs and had hundreds of them over the years. I hope that all the dogs she ever loved were waiting to greet her in heaven.

An interesting thing happens when I face this kind of stress. Most stress brings on cravings, but stress from extreme things such as death makes me lose my appetite. So, all I ate all day was a banana. By evening, I was famished and went with my family to Golden Corral which is my favorite restaurant because they have all sorts of fresh veggies. I usually overeat when I go to a buffet and tonight was no exception. But in the back of my mind is a very real awareness that diet plays a major role in how well we feel, what meds we have to take, and the quality of our life. My aunt took several different kinds of medicine, over ten I think and was still in constant pain. Life should be more than that. With those thoughts in mind and a heavy heart, I skipped dessert.

My aunt loved to take baths. She would spend hours in the tub, relaxing with her music playing softly or reading a book while she soaked in fragrant floral scents. She left lots of bath soaps and salts behind. I'm usually one for quick showers, but I think I'll put some of her lavender beads in a tub of warm water and see if it melts some stress away.

Aunt Wilma was a huge Gordon Lightfoot fan. She called him "my man." This one is for her. I will forever think of her when I hear a Gordy song.

Write it Down, Make It Happen

"If you have a goal, write it down. If you do not write it down, 

you do not have a goal - you have a wish." ~ Steve Maraboli

There are many reasons I am writing this daily blog. One reason is to keep myself accountable on a consistent basis of my plant-based transformation. One reason is to share information that may help someone else on their wellness journey. Another reason is to write down my intentions and make them happen. 

Studies show that people who write down their goals are 10x more likely to achieve them! Google the famous 1979 Harvard study to confirm that stat. There is power in writing things down. 

Think about your To Do list. Are you more likely to do the things you've written on your list? Of course, because it helps you remember to do it and keeps it in front of you.

What are your wellness goals? Are those goals written down? You don't have to go start a blog like I did, although it's certainly a powerful way to keep you consistently writing down your thoughts and goals! Simply use a notebook, a pocket calendar, the notepad feature on your smart phone or computer. Whatever works best for you. 

I am a writer. I love to write, so this one is easy for me. I write things down all day long. I know it's only a matter of time before I accomplish whatever it is I set out to do when I write it down because when I write it down, I make it happen. Writing it down will work for you too. Give it a try! 

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation 

Daily Report

Five Things I'm Grateful For

1. Plant based options in stores and restaurants!

2. Decent winter weather (prayers for those affected by the blizzard out east) 

3. My creative brain that is always giving me ideas

4. Chef AJ offering free plant based teleclasses every Thursday (check her website at eatunprocessed.com for details)

5. Getting to have lunch with my daughter. 

Meals 

B - 32 oz water with lemon, orange, oatmeal with a few raisins & walnuts

L - 32 oz water, Veggie fajitas 

D - 20 oz water, Baked Potato with sauteed mushrooms and onions

Other - Onion Rings, a few walnuts with raisins and dark chocolate chps 

Exercise 

Walk at the mall with my BFF 

Book Review: SKINNY BITCH

Buy Skinny Bitch using my Amazon Affiliate Link

I keep seeing and hearing about Skinny Bitch being influential in inspiring people to adopt a plant-based lifestyle. I am surprised that I haven't read the book or listened to the audio book before now. So, I went to purchase the book on Kindle and saw where I have a credit from being a monthly member of Audible and could get it for free, which made my day. I spent the next two days listening to the book while I worked. 

Skinny Bitch was published in 2005. I can't help but think that I had discovered this book when it first came out or even a few years later, it may have helped save me from continuing the SAD path I was on that led to me getting abscessed diverticulitis and having 18 inches of my colon removed. That is part of why I am doing this blog. Maybe someone will see my post and read books like this one or discover resources that will save them years of illness and disease. The thought of even one person being helped is enough to keep me going. 

I vaguely remember some controversy when the book first came out. I can see why. A few parts, especially at first are in your face with the author slinging profanity and calling the reader/listener names that some may find offensive. If you can get past that, you are in for an eye opening experience that will give your senses a visual walk through slaughterhouses that you won't soon forget. I guarantee that you will not look at your food the same way again after you read this book!  

The authors almost lost me in the beginning when they said that a skinny bitch is healthy. I know plenty of skinny people who are not healthy. But, they later go on to say that skinny is not the same as scrawny, so it's semantics. I can deal with that. 

One of the challenges of transitioning from the Standard American Diet to vegetarian to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle is what to cook! I spent most of my life making meals around meat. So, it feels a lot like learning how to cook from scratch. If it was just me, I would be happy with some fruit and steamed veggies at most meals, but I want to make meals that appeal to my family as well. 

Skinny Bitch does mention a lot of "fake meat" alternatives and provides a month of menus that I plan to explore in more detail. I have transitioned away from most of the fake meats and my husband doesn't really like them, so that's not a big deal to me. However, it was a life saver when I transitioned away from eating meat. Actually, there wasn't much of a transition. It was more like a light switch. I went cold-turkey when I decided to stop eating meat. 

This book is one of those books I wish I had read (or listened to) years ago. It will go on my top resources page that I recommend to anyone who is wanting to cut through the BS and get to the truth of a healthy and sustainable diet! 

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation

I am starting a Daily Report that I do at the end of the blog. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to see on my Vegformation wellness journey!

DAILY REPORT

Five Things I'm Grateful For

1. YOU reading my blog!

2. Skinny Bitch!

3. My best friend staying in touch for over 30 years!

4. My plant-based nutrition coach!

5. My daughter cleaning my house while I was at work!  

Energy Level on a scale of 1 - 10

4 (up from 1 on January 1st!)

Meals

B - 32 oz Water with ACV (apple cider vinegar), Orange, Oatmeal with a few walnuts and raisins

L - 20 oz Water, Celery with peanut butter (with one ingredient; peanuts) - I planned to have veggie soup for lunch, but the vegetables were crunchy so I didn't eat it.

4:30 p.m. - I was starving when I got off work and stopped by Taco Bell and got a Taco Salad without meat and extra salsa. I only took a couple bites of the shell before I started thinking about what it could possibly be made of. This is the first time I have ate fast food since January 1st!

D - 20 oz Water, 4 oz Apple Juice, Veggie soup

Exercise

Parked the car on the far end of the parking lot when I went to the store.

My Why

That's the little girl I'm trying to save. She's five years old and full of joy. She likes to skip, jump rope, swing high and lean back as far as she can in the seat. She loves balloons and bubbles because they reach the sky and make the angels smile. She chases fireflies, sees shapes in the clouds, sings Jesus Loves Me, plays with dandelions, draws clown faces in the dirt with a stick, and wishes on the first star she sees. She chooses fruit over candy every time. My greatest mission in life is to make sure she is healthy and happy. She deserves that. 

As I'm on this journey to overcome junk food addiction and transition to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle I think about why I'm doing it. I have to keep my WHY in front of me at all times or I will be tempted to slip back to unhealthy eating habits that will destroy my body. The more whys I gather up, the stronger my conviction gets. My whys are becoming much more powerful than my why nots. 

Why am I doing this? I want to be around to see my grandchildren grow up and have the energy to do active things with them like go to the park, fly kites, swim, travel... I want to be a positive role model for my family, friends, and community by being a living example that you can overcome what may seem like insurmountable obstacles to live your best life. I want to save my inner child. 

Last night I ran across this picture of myself at age four or five. I think this was when I was still innocent. When I didn't yet know about the danger and pain that awaited me in my world. 

This is how I see my inner child. A carefree, imaginative, strong, beautiful spirit that helped guide me to the courageous woman I have become. 

I want to protect my inner child. I tear up when I think about all that child went through and survived just so I could stuff her with junk food and make her fat and sick. She loved fruit. My mother told me that she would win bets with people by telling them I would choose fruit over chocolate or any type of candy. She said I chose fruit because there was more of it. I guess a banana was bigger than a Hershey bar in my mind or maybe I just had the instinct of what was healthy. That instinct is still there, I just have to listen to it. 

I think I will take this picture, put it beside pictures of my grandchildren, and place it where I will see it every day, maybe put a copy on my vision board and the fridge too. That should help keep me on track! 

Why do you care about your health? What's your why? What is your inner child like? Is she healthy and happy? She deserves the best life has to give and only YOU have the power to give it to her. 

Kathy G

www.facebook.com/vegformation 

ONE Kitchen Appliance You Can't Do Without

 If you could only have one kitchen appliance, what would you choose? 

I was telling my plant-based nutrition coach today that I purchased an electric pressure cooker and a dehydrator but haven't used either one yet. She said she doesn't even use those appliances. It got me thinking about what kitchen appliances are necessary to transition from the Standard American Diet to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle.

My home burned down last August and I lost everything including all my kitchen appliances. Everyone kept asking me how they could help, what could they get me. It was really hard to accept help because I've always been so independent, but I knew that it would make my friends and family feel good to help, so I did ask for one thing. Can you guess what it was? 

It was a Ninja blender! I know a lot of people swear by the Vitamix blender, but the Ninja blender does a fine job for me and it costs a fraction of the price of a Vitamix. The one I lost in the fire I had for four years and it still pulverized fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds with no problem. I am very grateful for my friend Shelby who got me a new blender. I use it almost every day! I love to make smoothies in it.

The other kitchen appliance I couldn't do without is my crock pot. I use it a lot too. I love to make a big pot of veggie soup in it. I also like to make 15 bean cajun soup. Just put it in before I go to work and then it's ready when I get home.

Both appliances are perfect for my busy schedule. I'm still looking forward to learning how to make some new recipes using the pressure cooker and dehydrator. I'm curious about making coconut bacon in my dehydrator. I don't really miss bacon at all, but there is a bacon festival that started in my community last year and I would love to be able to show up with a vegan alternative this year!

What kitchen appliance could you not do without?


Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Note: The products mentioned on my blog are linked to my Amazon affiliate site. I encourage everyone to use affiliate links on their favorite blogs and websites because it's an easy and free way to show your support!

Vegetarian / Vegan Shaming

The one thing I didn't expect when I became a vegetarian was all the "jokes"...

 My food poops on your food. 

 Vegetarian - Ancient tribal slang for the village idiot who can't hunt or fish. 

 There's plenty of room for God's creatures, right next to the mashed potatoes. 

Those are just a few "jokes" that have appeared on my Facebook page by friends and family! Not to mention the ones I had to delete because they were so offensive.

Why would someone make fun of your dietary or lifestyle choices, especially when you are doing it to get healthy or save animals from a fate worse than death?! My guess is it is a defensive mechanism from someone who may feel that you are holding up a mirror in judgement of their choices.

To me it's all about searching for the truth and what we decide to do with that truth is up to each of us individually. I'm not judging anyone for their choices. I'm just trying to get healthy, overcome years of food addiction, and not cause harm to any living being if I don't have to. It has nothing to do with anyone else other than sharing information that may help them reach their truth.

I have gotten defensive a time or two and I've let some nasty comments get inside my head momentarily, like a coworker who upon finding out that I was vegetarian looked me up and down and said, "How's that working out for you?" I didn't let it bother me for long. I moved along realizing that he doesn't know my story. Doesn't know that I nearly died from eating meat and it blocking my colon to the point that I had to have 18 inches of my colon removed. Doesn't know or probably even care that I deal with chronic inflammation and joint pain almost every day.

For me, becoming a vegetarian wasn't a joke, it was survival. I'm still working on it while realizing that it may take years for my body to heal from a lifetime of misinformation. I'm very grateful for the Internet and people who are willing to speak up and face ridicule.

There are many ways to handle the "jokes". You can join in on the joke, ignore it, get upset (which I've seen happen with a lot of my vegetarian and vegan friends), or you can do like I do and use it as a platform to educate those who may be curious. Every time someone posts a "joke" on my page, I find some bit of material to share as a response to their post. I have shared a link to the EARTHLINGS documentary, plant-based doctor's quotes, education websites such as Dr. T. Colin Campbell's Nutrition Studies and Dr. Michael Greger's Nutrition Facts to support the plant-based lifestyle. In my mind the information I share may help someone heal their body and get healthy, so it makes it worth taking a few jabs from people who do not understand the plant-based movement.

If your friends tease you because because you are vegetarian or vegan, how you handle it may make a difference to someone else who may be silent but is paying attention.

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

New Recipe: Spicy Sweet Vegan Salad Dressing

I was going by memory to make Chef AJ's roasted brussel sprouts and stumbled on this delicious tasting mixture that I thought would taste good on a salad so I tried it and it is yummy! I would eat more salads if I could find good salad dressings because as much as I love vegetables, I just can't bring myself to eat salad plain. I usually use salsa, but sometimes that gets boring. Now, I have an alternative to use and it has a sweet flavor that I like without adding SOS - sugar, oil or salt.

It's quick and easy to make. Just mix together 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of spicy brown mustard, and 1 tablespoon of tamari. That's it! It's sweet, If you want it a little less sweet just use less maple syrup or it you like it with a little more kick, use more spicy mustard.

I poured the mixture into a bowl and stirred to coat the brussel sprouts. I was also curious to see how it tasted on cauliflower. It's delicious!

When I made the roasted brussel sprouts the first time, it made a sticky mess on my baking pan, so this time I lined it with aluminum foil. I put some aluminum foil on top this time to see if it held more of the flavor in. It was good, but it steamed the food rather than roast it. So, I took the aluminum foil off and it crisped right up.

So, it's a versatile mix that you can use as a salad dressing or to roast veggies. I love discovering quick and easy recipes!

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Faith, Fear & 1st Vegformation Meetup

My first VEGFORMATION Meetup is tomorrow and so far six people have joined the Meetup group I'm so excited! I was going to wait and do this when I started seeing some significant transformation results but with the encouragement of my plant-based nutrition coach, I decided to go ahead and start now. There is no time like the present to start living the life of you have imagined!

I have dreamed of making a positive difference in society for as long as I can remember but I have always held back, waiting for the perfect moment when I have more education, when I'm at my ideal weight, when I have more money, when I have more time, when, when, WHEN? I am starting to see my procrastination for what it truly is which is FEAR! Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of ridicule, fear of indifference... FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real.

I have two choices when it comes to fear, Forget Everything and Run or Face Everything and Rise. I'm staring the devil down which comes in the form of FEAR. It's time to have a little faith and create a new story in my life. It's time to visualize success, start firing up some neurons, and make some positive changes.

One of the most effective ways of making positive change is to get in a supportive environment of like-minded people who can help you on your journey and you in turn can help others, everyone wins and grows stronger together in spirit which is the strongest bond that helps you over obstacles. Helping each other is what it is all about.

So, tomorrow I get to meet new people who I have never met before. We will get to know each other and talk about our plant-based journey. I'm looking forward to the adventure. YOU are welcome to join us!

We will meet at The Optimist Store, 428 S Washington St, Marion, IN 46953, from 1 - 3 p.m. There is no charge to attend.

It's time to step out of my comfort zone, out of my shell, out of FEAR and into my most authentic, infinite self. I hope you can join me. Either way, I will let you know how it goes!

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation

Reprogramming your brain to overcome fear: Olympia LePoint 

FREE Healthy Weight Loss

There are two schools of thought when it comes to offering free products or services, one school is that people only value what they pay for and the other belief is that offering free advice and services helps establish trust and credibility.

As an entrepreneur and long-time student of grass roots marketing, I can see both sides of the fence. I've often heard that when people put their hard-earned money towards something they are more likely to do or stick with whatever they have committed to, but I have spent thousands on diets, gym memberships, and exercise programs that I did not stick with.

For me, what works best is experts that do a little bit of both. I like when they offer a free teleclass, podcast, blog post, or video that provides lots of content and informative selling (presented in a way that continues to provide value) upfront, sprinkled in, or at the end - but not hardcore high pressure selling, bait and switch, or posing as content when it's obvious selling, that's a huge turn off.

I do like when the business people I follow have products or services available that they put on their website or social media page and they are very upfront about it, not make me read through a long sales page or watch a long video to get to the product or service. There is a delicate balance I guess, but the main thing is to provide lots of value.

Gary Vaynerchuk sums it up nicely in his book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook when he says that you provide value most of the time and then follow up with an offer for your product or service. It's win, win for everyone that way.

I have been following Chef AJ for a few years and she does this balance of free versus sell quite well. She provides tons of value with her free videos and weekly calls. I got to know, like and trust her (critical components in selling) and started looking for her products and paying attention to the things she recommends. I purchased a Yonanas banana ice cream maker, banana slicer and electric pressure cooker after watching her videos. I purchased her Unprocessed 30 Day Challenge DVD and am excited about her newest program, Ultimate Weight Loss with John Pierre.

So, FREE with integrity works for me and usually leads to a sell. I love when people put the focus on helping others and then provide products and services that their audience wants and needs. That's what I try to do too. Most of the product links in my blogs leads to my Amazon affiliate link. It's not much, but throws a few coins my way and cost the reader nothing extra. Win. Win. I'm also working on a book about my plant-based journey and will offer that for sale eventually too, but really that's it. I just want to share my journey and maybe help a few people on their journey too.

If FREE works for you too, be sure to check out Chef AJ's website for the FREE weekly teleclasses she has on Thursdays. She offers recordings for people who can't listen live. She is also working on a Healthy Living TV show. I can't wait to see that. I'm betting it will be free too!

Free with integrity. Everybody wins!

Kathy
Facebook.com/vegformation

What Have I Done

Today as I was sitting at the doctor's office in my tight size 24 pants all I could think was WHAT HAVE I DONE to myself? How did I get here? This is not my story. I want to be healthy, not be told that I have leukocytes in my urine. I want to have abundant energy not pushing the snooze when it's time to get out of bed. I want to feel comfortable in my clothes and skin, not swollen, bloated and in pain. I can see the writing on the wall if I don't get control of my diet (a word I hate to use). I keep thinking a little bit doesn't matter, but apparently it does because the little bit adds up. How does one just get a urinary track infection out of the blue? Something is going on inside my body. My plant-based nutrition coach said sometimes when you make dietary changes it stirs things up inside (then she promptly advised that I go to the doctor which I did). I hope that's all it is. I know I need to drink a lot more water than I do. Most days, I'm lucky to get in 20-40 ounces of water when I should be consuming half my weight in ounces which would be about 150 ounces. By drinking only a fraction of what I need, I'm not giving my body much to work with to move the toxins out of my body. I have to come up with a plan that helps me drink more water. If you have something that has worked for you, please let me know!

I also need to move more. I have a sedentary job then come home to more sedentary work (like writing). I must break this cycle. Today, I went to the gym and got on the elliptical for 30 minutes. It felt good. I have never once regretted going to the gym. In fact, I always feel better. I will never understand why it's such a chore to get there. I need to make that an appointment I keep just as I do with doctor appointments.

I cannot tell you how much I want to make this transition and transformation. I am becoming obsessed about it. Maybe that's what it takes. In the meantime, bring on the apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and cranberries!

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Baby Steps

Some people can just stop something cold turkey, just turn it off like flipping a switch. That has never worked very well for me, although I came pretty close when I stopped eating meat. All or nothing has always felt restrictive for me and doesn't leave much room for being human and getting off track, which happens sometime especially if you have 50 years of bad eating habits to undo! What works best for me is baby steps. I take a step. I fall down. I get back up and try again. Over and over as many times as it takes until I'm up and walking towards my best life. 

Kathy

www.facebook.com/vegformation 

White Castle Veggie Slider

Today, I interrupted my transition from a junk food vegetarian to a whole food plant based vegan to try out the White Castle Sliders. It's normally no big deal to me when a restaurant introduces a new sandwich, but this one was important to me to check out because a few years ago when I first became a vegetarian I wrote to White Castle and asked them to put a veggie slider on their menu. My reasoning for contacting them was I heard somewhere that their meat patties contained soy and it made perfect sense to me to just remove the meat and work with the soy to create a slider.

After trying the veggie slider today and realizing it is nowhere near the slider I expected, I checked out the original slider ingredients on their site and found out it is 100% beef. Well, that's disappointing. So much for the soy slider.

As with most foods, it's not the meat that creates the flavor, it's the seasonings and in the case of the original slider that would be the sauteed onions and pickle which is nowhere to be found on the veggie slider. Why on earth would they leave that off and add sauces instead? Maybe I need to write them again!

An interesting thing happened after I ate the veggie sliders (with a side of onion chips) - my cravings for junk food returned full force. I convinced myself that I might was well make it a "cheat day" since I ate junk food. Big mistake! Before the day was over I had eaten fries and drank sweet tea and a mocha frappe. It was like I was sub-consciously trying to get in all the things I crave in one day because who knows how long it would be before I consumed those things again. These are junk foods and drinks I was consuming several times a week before I decided to transition away from junk food January 1st.

So now I have to drink tons of water and go through the detox all over again for the next few days. This was a good lesson for me today. I now know that in order to break the junk food addiction, I need to abstain and avoid the "cheat days" because the only one I'm cheating is myself. I was temporarily sidetracked today, tomorrow I will get back in the saddle again and keep moving forward.

Kathy G
www.facebook.com/vegformation

Vegan Food Hacks

There are a few things I miss going from vegetarian to vegan. Omelets are one and of course cheese. I'm always looking for heathier and humane alternatives to these foods and others I may discover along the way. Today I found out you can use chickpea flour to make omelets and I ran across a great vegan cheese recipe too. I know what I'm having for breakfast in the morning - a vegan omelet with cashew cheese, mushrooms, onions, and coconut bacon sprinkled on top. Doesn't that sound delicious?! 

Vegan Food Hacks

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6454674

Vegan Cashew Cheese 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xFcp41bcfxU

Buffets

We went to a Chinese buffet tonight. Buffets are the hardest thing for me to eat healthy at. I feel like I need to get my moneys worth so I almost always go back for seconds or thirds and then feel bloated and uncomfortably full. I like them because they offer a wider variety than a salad or baked potato. I just wish I could see food as fuel and not fall into the pleasure trap!

My Superpower

If you had one superpower what would it be? If I could have one superpower it would be to end suffering. I understand that life is full of ups and downs and sometimes tragic things happen, but I will never understand suffering, especially when the suffering can be prevented.

It is that driving need to prevent suffering that has put me on this journey I am on today to transition from a junk food vegetarian to a whole food, plant-based vegan. I often hear people say that you have to die of something so you might as well eat what you want. It's not the dying that bothers me as much as the suffering and suffering is what I was seeing on the path I was on. I saw it coming with diverticulitis, lethargy, achy joints, urinary track infections, skin rashes and immune system issues that was causing chronic inflammation and lung infections.

Thanks to tons of research and educating myself on the effects of meat, dairy, and processed foods, I'm connecting the dots and making smarter choices that is starting to reverse years of damage to my body.

The animals are suffering too and that breaks my heart. I had no idea how much suffering goes into making "meat" until I watched EARTHLINGS which I think every meat eater should watch. After watching that documentary I was ashamed that I went so many years being uninformed and I was disappointed in those I trusted to inform me from the many schools I attended to the FDA, but ultimately the responsibility to become informed is with me.

I am so grateful for those who stand up and speak out for the animals who cannot speak for themselves. Today, I found out about Voiceless365 and founder James Aspey, who was silent for a year to raise awareness of animal suffering. I have major respect for anyone who is willing to compassionately share their convictions to bring peace to our planet and stand up for those who suffer in silence.

Thank God we live in a time where learning the truth and doing something to help another living being is just a mouse click away.

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Eat Your Vegetables

Did you hear "Eat your vegetables" when you were growing up? I don't remember being told to eat anything. I belonged to the clean your plate club! Well, there was ONE vegetable I remember refusing to eat and that was sweet potatoes. I tasted them and didn't like it even with brown sugar and marshmallows on top which is surprising to me as an adult because I've always had a sweet tooth and favored sweet flavors over sour or spicy.

I was probably 8 or 9 and visiting my aunt's house one day when she was serving sweet potatoes. I told her that I hate sweet potatoes and that they were gross. She said that I was probably talking about candied yams and that I should try it the way she made it which was baked with some butter on it. I refused. She insisted. I plugged my nose and ate a few bites. It didn't help.I vomited and haven't eaten sweet potatoes since!

Now that I'm older and somewhat wiser, I may give them a try sometime. I'll probably still plug my nose!

Sweet Potato Pizza? I would have never thought of that. I love pizza! Now I'm curious. I think I'll try this recipe!

Hit the Wall

Thirteen days in and I hit the wall. I knew it was bound to happen because I'm not eating enough greens. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of greens. I like spinach, celery (with peanut butter), steamed broccoli... that's about all I can think of. I've been putting spinach in my morning smoothies until I saw Chef AJ's video about smoothies not being optimal for weight loss - that's where I veered off course. I started focusing on weight loss again and got that defeated feeling that I compare to climbing Mt. Everest in shorts and sandals! I swore I wasn't going to focus on the weight. The journey seems insurmountable when I do that, but this old habit persona of mine that is addicted to S.O.S is very subtle and will abandon our pact in an instant to sniff out a carb!

I love Chef AJ and I thought I had found a wellness hack when I watched her video (see previous post), but then when I spoke to my plant-based nutrition coach she helped me put it in perspective which is I have to find what works for me. Smoothies are a good choice when transitioning away from the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.). Green smoothies are a great way to nourish your body especially if you aren't eating optimally. I have been eating a lot of calories from nuts, mostly walnuts because I love them, but they of course don't fill me up.

Today the electricity went out in our neighborhood and I had a houseful of family all saying they were hungry, so I stopped and got them pizza. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, but I committed to try the whole food plant-based unprocessed vegan lifestyle until at least July 4th. So, it was a stand off between the healthy girl and the junk food addict. The junk food addict has plenty of experience and cunning. She spoke up, in that sly fox voice, "You know Papa John's pizza crust is vegan!" Knockout! I know, it's not whole food, but it was right there in my face. It's like an alcoholic bellying up to the bar and ordering water. Very tough to do. I ended up tearing off the crust on a couple pizza slices and dipping them in the garlic sauce. Damn! I didn't want to do that, but I did and now instead of beating myself up about it, I'll just pick myself up and keep on moving on.

This incident proved to me that I am not ready to give up my smoothies just yet because at least it is nourishing me with the nutrients I need. I'm working on planning and preparing healthy and nutritious meals so I don't hit this wall again for a while. I've been at it for three years and do occasionally fall off track, but it gets easier each time to get back up again, dust myself off and keep on going. The glass walls still appear out of nowhere and I'm not quite to the place where I can bust right through them all yet, but after a few tries, I make it through to the next one. I know eventually those invisible walls will come down and I will achieve my dream of abundant health and energy!

The Best Weight Loss Secret Ever!

By watching Chef AJ's video Ultimate Weight Loss Secret #1, I feel like I just got the key to the weight loss door that I've been banging on and trying to open for years! Although I have heard "eat whole foods" it really didn't soak in about the smoothies until I saw the visual where she dumps all the food from the blender in a bowl. I have had the hardest time dropping weight since I became vegetarian three years ago. I foolishly believed it would melt off the moment I stopped eating meat and deep fried foods. I thought the smoothie was the way to go because it filled me up like a meal would and still kept the fiber in. Now I understand for optimal weight loss, I need to chew my whole fruits and veggies. Makes perfect sense now that she explained it to me. I'm so glad she is making these videos They are a invaluable for someone like me who wants to transition from a junk food vegetarian to whole food plant based so I can once and for all get to my ideal weight (which means losing at least 165 lbs), have abundant energy, and be free from food addiction. 

Thanks Chef AJ! 

http://youtu.be/W9Hh6wooFm4

Juice or Smoothie

I prefer smoothies to juice. I don't like wasting the pulp and need the fiber. I understand that juice gives concentrated nutrition and do drink the juice of a fresh lemon (or ACV) in my water first thing in the morning, but my go to drink/meal, especially for breakfast is a smoothie. I typically have a Spinach Smoothie with a frozen banana, handful of spinach, handful of walnuts, teaspoon of PB2, and 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk. Sometimes, I'll use dark chocolate unsweetened almond milk for an especially yummy treat! 

I got the idea for this smoothie from Drew Manning, the Fit2Fat2Fit guy, and modified it a bit to be vegan and suit my taste. Here is his recipe: 

Day 10 - UTI

Just checking in with no particular topic in mind to write about tonight. I made a commitment to write a blog post every day this year because it helps keep me accountable to a transformation that is very important to me to accomplish, keeps me learning more about the plant-based lifestyle, keeps me writing which is something I love to do, and maybe I'll post something that will help someone on their plant-based and wellness journey. I really have no other agenda than that. I doubt I have many readers at this point, but my hope is that the blog will grow to help other people who want to transition away from the SAD lifestyle to a plant-based lifestyle so that we all have the good health and energy to experience a life well lived instead of sitting out of the game and watching from the sidelines.

I went to the doctor a couple days ago because I got a UTI from out of nowhere a few days before Christmas. I tried all the holistic methods I could find to get rid of it, but it kept coming back. I learned my lesson about putting off medical care when I had abscessed diverticulitis a few years ago and spent a year recovering from it. I'll post more about that sometime. But, with this UTI, I am convinced it was diet related which is just another nail in the coffin of the junk food lifestyle. I'm beyond tired of giving up my health for a few minutes of pleasure derived from addictive foods and drinks. It's just not worth it.

So, ten days into my whole-food, plant-based, unprocessed journey and I'm still staying strong. No chips, fries, pizza, pasta, cake, cookies, candy, sweet tea, mocha frappes, wine coolers, Morning Star, Boca, Amy's, etc. and I don't feel deprived. In fact, I feel empowered and in control of my destiny!

Kathy G
www.twitter.com/liveempowered

P.S. When I weighed in at the doctor's office, I was down 5 lbs. I'm only weighing in and measuring once a month because I want to focus on healing my body and increasing my energy, not weight. Still, it's nice to see the scales moving in the right direction. I will post stats the first of every month. Stay tuned!

Artist Date

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

I was listening to Rich Roll's podcast (my favorite podcast) yesterday and he mentioned The Artist's Way. I haven't thought about that book and all the lessons it taught me in a long time. The Artist's Way has been one of the most influential books I have ever read. In reading The Artist's Way, the author, Julia Cameron, mentored me during a time in my life when I wanted to be a writer so bad I could taste it and I had a lot of painful memories that I needed to get out of my head, but I couldn't call myself a "writer" because I hadn't published anything. In the book she encourages journaling in what she calls "Morning Pages" and she says if you write, you're a writer. That freed me to just write without having to get an MFA.

Another thing Julia encourages us to do is "Artist Dates" where we go by ourselves to a place we want to go that inspires us or brings out our creativity. I did that yesterday. I went to see WILD by Cheryl Strayed. I was the only person in the theater. It was like I was on the adventure with her. I cannot imagine walking alone in the desert for three months just like I can't imagine climbing Mt. Everest, but the thing I take away from the people who do it is that you need to push yourself beyond what you think your capable of doing so you can see that you're stronger than you think. You will be amazed at the discoveries and opportunities that awaits you on the other side of the obstacles you overcome.

Give Me a Minute

I have to figure out a way to exercise consistently. The past two days, I have pushed snooze when the alarm went off to get up and workout. So, I'm going to try a one minute experiment. When the alarm goes off, I'm going to get up and exercise for at least one minute. If I want to go back to bed after that and hit snooze for another hour fine, but I'm betting that once I'm up and moving for a minute it will lead to the workout I originally planned to do. Maybe not. We will see. Either way, it will make the healthy girl inside me happy.

I'm betting the same one minute concept will work with cravings. If I'm craving something, I'll drink water first and wait one minute. If the craving doesn't go away, I'll eat some fruit or veggies and wait one minute.

I could even combine the two. If a craving hits, go for a one minute walk! It sounds like some sort of reverse psychology, but whatever it takes to replace old limiting habits with new empowering ones. I can feel my brain firing up with new neural pathways already!

Maybe I'll start with this exercise that Dr. Henry Grayson teaches...

I love to get up at 5 a.m. every day and exercise. 

I know this to be true and I know it with the depths of my being.

And then progress to one minute burpees! 

Common Denominators

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." ~ Michael Pollen

Raw or cooked? Juice or the whole food? What about oil?

Since becoming vegetarian three years ago, I have studied and followed a lot of plant-based doctors and vegans. Some say you should cook your food and some say you should eat it raw, some say olive oil and coconut oil is good for you, others say no way, some say juicing is the way to go, others say eat the fruit whole... the list of contradictions goes on and on.

Rather than focus on the confusion, I focus on the commonalities. What do they all agree on? Drink lots of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens and exercise.

Currently, I am following FullyRawKristina as she does her 21 Day FullyRaw Challenge where she is challenging her followers to eat one fully raw meal a day. That's an easy challenge for me since I usually drink a green smoothie for breakfast or have fresh fruit.

This morning, I'm eating oranges for breakfast. I love the smell when I first peel them. It puts a fresh citrus scent in the air around me which gives me a little boost of energy. It's almost like when you first walk outside on a bright spring day and the feel the warmth of the sun kiss your skin. Yeah baby! That's the life force I'm talking about.

I am also working with Katherine Nilbrink, a plant based nutritionist and holistic health coach, who was my instructor when I took the plant based nutrition certification course at eCornell University a couple years ago. We made a connection and stayed in touch after the course. Katherine has been a big supporter of my plant-based journey and is helping coach me through my transition from a junk food vegetarian to a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

Katherine supports eating a variety of cooked and raw plant-based foods. Kristina recommends fully raw. Instead of getting bogged down with the differences, I look for what they both say. The common denominators. Katherine recommends eating three meals a day to give your digestive system a chance to do it's job. I notice that when Kristina is doing her "what I eat" videos, she also shows three meals. They both say to drink lemon water first thing in the morning and to exercise. They both also recommend creating a vision board. 

So, that's how I follow two different plant-based lifestyles without getting confused. Nothing is set in stone, we all just have to find the common denominators that works for us!

Kathy
www.facebook.com/vegformation

Long Day

It's 9 pm and I'm just getting home from being on the go since 5 a.m. No supper again tonight, just an apple, fruit and nut bar after work when I realized I wouldn't be getting home until too late to eat. I'm trying to break the snack habit and replace it with eating three times a day based on my nutrition coach's advice. That is a major adjustment for me coming from the school of thought to eat three meals and two-three snacks a day to keep your blood sugar regulated. In the past, confusion on food choices led me to draw my own conclusion which was to eat whatever I want whenever I want, but at 315 pounds which is where I'm at now, I can say that's definitely not working for me! It's time for a change and I will just warrior through the challenging parts. No one ever said it was easy, just worth it

Do You Talk to Yourself?

I think part of any journey is to expect the unexpected. I expected to come home from work and make something healthy and delicious for dinner by 6 p.m. Instead my husband was waiting for me to take him somewhere, which I was happy to do. Now it's 8 p.m. and I'm famished. This is where I would typically give in to junk food cravings. I got up at 4 a.m. to get a fresh start to my day, prayer, meditation, get my workout in, make my green smoothie, and pack a light lunch before I headed off to work eight hours at a sedentary job, which I am grateful for. So, I'm tired and hungry, not a good combination for staying on track.

This is where determination and positive self-talk comes in:

Healthy Self: Fortunately, there isn't a lot of junk food in the house.

Old Habits Self trying to head Healthy Self off at the pass: I'm thinking a few steamed potatoes and some fruit sounds good.

Healthy Self: It's probably too late to be eating so close to bed time. Are you sure you're not just thirsty or tired?

Old Habits Self seeing the light (or too tired to fight): Good point healthy self, I think I'll drink a tall glass of cold water, go to bed and have the potatoes with some fresh salsa tomorrow for lunch.

Healthy Self: That's my girl. I'm proud of you for listening to me, I mean your body.

Old Habits Self: Ya, ya, maybe I'll put up more of a fight next time.

Healthy Self: Bring it girlfriend. P.S. I love you.

Old Habits Self: You do? I love you too and can't wait to meet you in the flesh someday soon! Thanks for looking out for me.

I didn't have that entire conversation all at once tonight, but it has come to me as I write, so it's what I'm thinking.

My plant-based nutrition coach, Katherine Nilbrink, who I will formally introduce you to in an upcoming blog, said something to me today that I believe triggered my healthy self to speak up! She said to see myself as the person I want to be. What would that person do and say. Well, I just found out. She spoke directly to me and said, you're thirsty, you're tired. You're not famished. In fact, you're not really that hungry at all. Just go to bed and start fresh in the morning.

Call me crazy if you want, but I have been talking to my healthy self a lot lately and see her in my mind's eye. She's healthy, fit, energetic. She has been waiting forever to come out and experience all the adventures and opportunities life has to offer instead of sitting on the sidelines or hiding in plain sight in a morbidly obese body watching life pass by. I am welcoming her with open arms and have only one question for her... What has taken you so long?!

Do you talk to yourself? If so, what do you say? Is it positive and life-affirming? It should be. Why? Because it's a #DayofPositivity. More importantly, because positive self-talk works and so does negative self-talk. The best part? We get to choose with every thought we think!

"Turn up the volume on positive thoughts and delete the negative ones." ~ Niko Everett

Vegan Education Resources: Dr. T. Colin Campbell

When I first became a vegetarian, I didn't know where to turn to learn about eating healthy because everyone seemed to have conflicting information. Are eggs OK? If not, where do I get my protein (I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that question, I would be a millionaire!). What is tofu? What about oil and margarine? If that's not healthy, what are good alternatives? The answers just made me more confused. So, I did what I often do when I get confused. I find out who is the best in the field and learn from them however I can whether it's by watching their videos, reading their books, attending seminars they are at, or taking their courses. But, who was the best in the plant-based nutrition field?

I started researching and discovered that Cornell University has one of the best nutrition programs in the country. Since I live far away from the east coast, I looked for online courses and learned about their online plant-based nutrition certificate program through eCornell. I signed up for the course and it opened up a whole new world to me. The program offers a wealth of scientific based information and introduced me to Dr. T. Colin Campbell.

Dr. Campbell is a hero in my eyes. His 50 years of scientific research in the nutrition field revealed truths that he felt compelled to share despite the obstacles and consequences he faced with the big ag companies that funded the research. I continue to follow T. Colin Campbell to this day. He has inspired this journey I am on.

I saw Dr. Campbell last year at the inaugural Plant Pure Nation Rally in Louisville, Kentucky. The roar of the crowd when he walked on stage was bigger than anything I have ever seen. The crowd of about 5,000 people sounded like 50,000. We all stood to our feet and cheered for at least five minutes. It gave me goosebumps. Dr. Campbell was very humble about it as if he didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Dr. Campbell has a website that provides a wealth of information at nutritionstudies.org. If you aren't familiar with his work, I highly recommend you check it out starting with The China Study and the companion China Study Cookbooks.

There are MANY more vegan education resources I plan to highlight throughout the year. Stay tuned!

My First Test

That's me blowing bubbles and my two beautiful granddaughters during our girl's day today. I love spending time with them. Taking care of myself has to be a priority if I want to be around to see them grow up! 

I had a girl's day today with my daughter and granddaughter. First, we made our vision boards together at The Optimist Store, then we went out to dinner at Applebee's. For as long as I can remember every time I went to Applebee's, I always got the Sample Platter appetizer that comes with nacho chips and warm spinach artichoke dip. The rest of the family would eat all the other things on the sample platter, but I always ate most of the spinach dip. For the main dish I would get tomato basil soup that is topped with croutons and shredded cheese. When my granddaughter ordered the sample platter, I silently said a prayer that I would be strong enough to stick with the steamed veggies that I ordered.

One of my first thoughts when I decided to stop eating processed foods and all animal products including dairy, cheese and eggs for at least the next seven months was what I would eat when I went to traditional restaurants with my family. Almost every restaurant has salads and baked potatoes, so I know I won't have to sit on my hands while everyone else eats, but it's the toppings that get you. What can I put on a salad or baked potato? Do I need to get used to eating it plain? Maybe mushrooms or salsa? I know, I have to make sure the mushrooms are not swimming in oil.

So, out comes the chips and dips platter. I normally scrape the sides of the spinach dip and could easily eat a second helping. Surprisingly, it wasn't hard to resist it at all. I just focused on the veggies nourishing my body with the nutrients I need to be healthy.

I am totally committed to this challenge I have set for myself to go seven months eating whole, unprocessed, plant-based food. I have a feeling this will be a permanent lifestyle for me, but I'm taking it one day at a time. First test passed with flying colors. Go me!

Now to find a vegan spinach artichoke dip. The recipe from Yup, It's Vegan looks yummy or maybe this one by The Official Hungry!