Listen Up! FREE Plant Based Nutrition Classes

The PlantPower Way by Rich Roll and Julie Piatt

I LOVE Chef AJ's FREE teleclasses! She does weekly interviews with leaders in the plant based movement. This week she is talking with Rich Roll and his lovely wife Julie Piatt about their new book, The PlantPower Way. I'm a big fan of Rich and Julie, so this is a triple treat for me. The Rich Roll podcast is one of my favorite podcasts. I listen to it every week. I'm waiting for Julie to get her own podcast. Hint, hint Srimati! I have learned so much from all three of them and am super stoked to hear more about their new lifestyle book and plant power recipes that Rich has been teasing his listeners about for months. I can't wait until the book comes out and am happy to help them spread the power power word through my blog and Thunderclap.

YOU are invited to listen in on the call along with me and many others who are on this empowering wellness journey. The info to join the call is posted below. I am so grateful that Chef AJ opens up these calls to the plant-based community and the plant-curious!

WHAT: Chef AJ Teleclass with Rich Roll and Julie Piatt
WHEN: Thursday, April 2, 2015, 6 p.m. Pacific, 9 p.m. Eastern
CALL: 712-432-1212
MEETING ID: 263-629-008

Color Your Stress Away

Color Your Stress Away

A friend sent me a link to an article about adult coloring books being all the rage in France. It instantly reminded me of when I was a little girl and would sit and color for hours. My grandmother kept coloring books and crayons in a dresser drawer she had in her front room. She kept it in a drawer I could reach. The first thing I would do when I walked in the door was go straight to that drawer, get my stash, and start coloring. No matter how I was feeling, it would always calm me and make me happy. I went through some traumatic experiences as a child and loved escaping to my grandmother's house. I was quiet as a church mouse for hours on end while I sat and colored. It comforted me in a way I didn't understand until now.

I have thought before how cool it would be to have adult coloring books with more intricate designs, but I never thought about the therapeutic aspect of coloring - how the geometric designs and color hues can affect your mood and calm your nerves.

I am sure this coloring therapy trend will soon make its way to the USA, but why wait. You can create your own designs or get some templates online and color your stress away today!

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Plant Pure Nation Coming to Indy!

Join the Indianapolis Veggie Meetup Group

 for the Plant Pure Nation Premier - Saturday, April 18, 2015 

12-2 p.m. at Regal Cinemas 10400 U.S. 36, Avon, IN, 46123

I am super-stoked to see the Plant Pure Nation team stopping in Indianapolis on their nationwide tour! Dr. Colin Campbell is my hero and he will be there supporting his son, Nelson Campbell who directed the documentary. I attended the kickoff rally in Louisville, KY last summer which was a blast. You would have thought a big superstar was about to perform when Dr. Campbell stepped on the stage. We all stood to our feet and went wild with thunderous applause, whistling, cheering. It went on for several minutes. I had goosebumps and was nearly in tears to see Dr. Campbell witnessing the respect he has in the plant-based community. If it wasn't for him and his bravery to stand up for the truth he discovered in his research on animal protein, we would have never known and would have continued to make uninformed choices. I'm so glad he has lived to see his work reach mainstream and I think the Plant Pure Nation documentary will take the truth even further. It's the next step in our evolution which makes this one of the most important events of our time. I am honored to be a part of it and can't wait to meetup with my plant powered friends in a few weeks so we can learn and grow together. 

It is exciting times we live in, a time when truth prevails and people can positively change the world with their vision and determination. I have no doubt that we will eventually become a PLANT PURE NATION. I just hope it will be soon enough to save ourselves, our planet and future generations. It's a choice we make by sorting through the chaos to find the truth. This documentary puts a spotlight on the problem and the solution. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to see it.

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation   

P.S. You can support the tour and get a copy of the DVD/Cookbook by contributing to the Plant Pure Kickstarter Campaign. 

Spring to Summer Challenge

Spring is my favorite time of the year. I love seeing everything come into bloom, getting fresh air and sunshine after being cooped up inside all winter, and moving my body more. I love that the first day of spring is International Day of Happiness. I think the first day of spring should be a national holiday! We are celebrating this day in our community with a Spring Into Happiness event where we have invited local artists and independent business owners along with not-for-profit organizations to get together and have some fun through music, games, conversation, food.. that reminds me to make sure I take a cooler of food so I'm not tempted by all the savory treats I'm sure will be available.

I have decided to start a challenge for myself and anyone who wants to participate to go from SPRING to SUMMER. I just want to pick a stretch of time and stick with the program, any program! For me, it's just getting consistent with the things I know to do like exercising daily, eating my veggies, drinking water, keeping a food journal and gratitude journal. I think what I'm going to do is write all these things down every day first thing in the morning then check them off each day. Just from Spring to Summer. I can do it! YOU can too if you want to.

Time2getfit.com is linked to my Team Beachbody affiliate website. I decided to use Beachbody's platform because it has so much to offer. I LOVE their workouts, celebrity trainers, and support groups. Plus, they are now offering their workouts online for only $2.99 a week (billed quarterly). That's very reasonable in my opinion. I lost all my workout videos in the fire last August, so this is a blessing to me. Of course, you can join the site for free if you want to. That's what I love about them too. You can participate on whatever level you want to. I've been a big fan for years and it's an easy way for me to have some accountability as I make my transformation from a junk food addict to abundant health and wellness.

I invite you to join me in whatever way works for you - from NOW until the first day of summer, let's be consistent and see where it leads. I have a feeling we will be pleasantly surprised!

Kathy
facebook.com/vegformation

Victory Acres CSA Local Organic Farm

I've never had much of a green thumb. I've grown a few things, but when the weeds come in, that's when the trouble starts because I have an allergy to some of the weeds that breaks my skin out in a rash. To work in the garden, I have to cover up with gloves, pants and long sleeves which can get really hot in the summer. So, instead of going through all that, I prefer to go to the farmer's markets.

A few years ago, I was looking online to see where the farmer's markets were located in our community and I ran across information about Victory Acres - a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in Upland, Indiana which is only a few miles away from me! I couldn't believe that I had access to fresh produce so close to home. I signed up for their membership program and went to get my allotment each week. It was nice because I had access to vegetables I would have never grown or picked up at a farmer's market. They also have events throughout the summer to get their members together to learn about them, their mission, and other fun and educations events.

It's almost time for the growing season to begin. Victory Acres is offering a gift certificate for the early birds who sign up this week. If you are in a different area, you can check out LocalHarvest.org which the the website where I discovered Victory Acres. I'm so glad there are people who offer local produce to their community so we don't have to guess where our food came from or what's in it. The mission they have to reach kids in the inner city is important too. It's an investment in our community and future that I am happy to make.

See you at the farm!

Kathy G
Facebook.com/Vegformation

Sign up for Victory Acres CSA membership by March 20th and get a $25 gift certificate! 

Spring Cleaning

"Out of clutter, find simplicity." ~ Albert Einstein

I love spring. It's my favorite time of the year. It's a time when everything is in bloom and the world seems to come back to life. It's a time to clear out the clutter both in our home and in our mind because when we clear out the clutter, we open the door to abundance - I truly believe that. I believe that when clutter surrounds us, it makes it hard to concentrate, focus, be clear. After our fire last August, all our clutter was gone in an instant. That's not the way I would have chosen to clear our 30 years of accumulated stuff, but in a strange way it freed me of the desire to accumulate material things and put life in perspective. It made me realize that the most important things in life aren't things at all. So, now we have a different house, a much smaller one and already I can see things starting to accumulate. Spring is the perfect time to take inventory of those things that serve us and let the things that don't go. Pass those clothes that don't fit, the dishes and items we don't use, and the books we've read or will never read on to someone who can get some use from them.

Then, there is the clutter of the mind. How many times has too many thoughts, especially negative ones held you back in life? For me, more times than I can count. It is a good practice to regularly clear out the thoughts that do not serve us. Just let that stinkin' thinkin' go! Forgive and move forward inviting peace and harmony along the way.

How do you clean up the clutter of your mind? Forgiveness, gratitude, prayer, meditation, affirmations, deep breathing, exercise, clean eating, learn something new... it's all intertwined. Seem overwhelming? Pick one. Start somewhere. That's what I'm doing. One thought at a time!

Happy Spring.

Kathy G
twitter.com/liveempowered

Food Not Lawns

Food Not Lawns by Heather Flores

Today, I listened to the Plant Yourself podcast #90 that featured Heather Flores who is an advocate for creating gardens instead of lawns. One of the things that stood out the most to me was when she was talking about how the oil spills from lawn care is more than the Exxon Valdez incident that spilled 11 million gallon of oil which is equivalent to 17 olympic size swimming pools!  That's crazy. I never even thought about that before.

The other thing that stood out was when Heather talked about how seeds have intrinsic value that can be used in trade. I love the idea of a seed exchange that she talked about. So many positive things can come from having a home or community garden. I think everyone should have a garden. I can't wait to get started on mine. I liked that she shared about the easiest trees to grow. I'm looking forward to reading her book. She also has a Kickstarter campaign going on right now to raise money to take her program to communities around the country. I love this and plan to support it even if it's a few dollars. We need this type of program in our world. Just think how much healthier we would all be and how much hunger it would eliminate. The possibilities are endless and exciting! 

I encourage you to check it out and support it in whatever way resonates with you.

Kathy G
facebook.com/vegformation

Dancing Man Body Fat Shaming

I believe the #DancingMan story has struck a cord with so many people because they know what it's like to be a victim of bullying and body shaming or fat shaming. It has happened several times in my life. The first time I can remember I was 11 or 12. I was over-developed at that age. I looked more like I was 16 or 17 than 11. Kids would make fun of me for being so much taller and bigger than them. Adults called me everything from big boned to pleasantly plump to a fat ass. More men than I can count made comments about my "big boobs" including my PE teacher! As I grew up, I learned to become "invisible"... keep quiet, blend into the crowd, be a wallflower. So, I get it. This story tugs at some heartbreaking memories. I have always said and truly believe that abuse in any form including bullying thrives in silence. By speaking up, it brings awareness perhaps to people who have no idea how much their "innocent" comments can affect someone's self-esteem. Bravo to those who care enough to speak up and step out on the dance floor! 

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation

The Arnold 2015 Review - Crowded and Inspiring

That's me giving the peace sign in the photo above. I went to The Arnold in Columbus, Ohio this weekend with my daughter and granddaughter. It was my third visit. Each time I visit I say I'm not going back because it is so unbelievably crowded in the Expo Hall. I seriously don't know how they get by with having it so packed. It is a fire and safety hazard. The only other place I have ever been that was more packed than that place was Times Square in 1999 when there were 2 million people being herded like cattle up and down the streets! That's the downside which is a big deal to me and I'm sure a lot of other people too.

The upside is so many people are into fitness! That's so exciting. I saw a lot of young people there this year. One of those young people was my 15 year old daughter that you see in the picture with me. This was her first year attending the show. She left so pumped up and inspired to get fit. She has already been working out with her mother at a local gym doing boot camp and boxing. Now she wants to add weightlifting too. It fills my heart with joy to see her excited about health and fitness because I'm hoping that will help her break the cycle of obesity that has plagued the women in our family for generations.

So, although I was not impressed with the layout at The Arnold, the trip was worth it and I would do it again. I'm just hoping the organizers take a serious look at getting a bigger space for the Expo so more people can truly benefit from the vendors who are there to help them.

Kathy G
time2getfit.com

Go Hard or Something Is Better Than Nothing

Selfie of my daughter and me at the Y yesterday

My daughter (Terra) and I have two different approaches to working out. She, being a former personal trainer, has been on me for years to train harder. She even suggested that I get one of those gadgets that monitors your heart rate and do heart rate training. Her philosophy to working out is go hard or stay home. No pain, no gain! It drives her crazy when she sees me reading a book while I'm on the treadmill. She has often asked me if I'm not going to give it all I got why bother? She pushes herself hard in the gym. She has only gotten off track when she has kids. She has three children and had to work hard to take off the weight and get back in shape after having each one. Her youngest is two and now she back to hitting the gym hard again. She works out 2-3 hours a day! She has lost 80-100 lbs three times, so her go hard approach definitely work for her. 

I believe when it comes to exercise something is better than nothing. I would rather do 20 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical (my favorite) while reading a book than do nothing at all. I would rather go for a swim or walk than jog or run and you will never see me doing triathlons or crossfit! It is good to work up a sweat, but I don't want to injure myself and get out of commission for weeks at a time which is what I often see with people who have the go hard philosophy. My objective is to avoid pain, not create it! 

Terra gave a great example of her go hard vs just showing up philosophy. She said she often does a boxing class with a friend and they chat most of the time while they workout. Her friend couldn't make it to class the other day, so she took her 15 year old daughter to spar with at the gym. She said they worked out so hard she could barely breathe and she even got a blood blister and broke two nails! I told her that was probably due to her daughter having a perfect opportunity to take out her frustration for every no she has given her. What teen wouldn't like the opportunity to take out their frustrations on their parents in a safe and fun way! Terra said she is sore everywhere and feels like she got in a really good workout that was worth her investment of time and money. 

If I did a workout like that I wouldn't be able to move the next day. Several years ago. I made the mistake of letting Terra be my personal trainer. She had me doing so many squats and lunges, I could barely sit on the toilet for a week! 

I think in the end it all boils down to what works for you. Could I stand to step up my workout some? Probably so. The new WIFI enabled cardio equipment at the gym makes it easier because now I can listen to my favorite podcasts while I workout. Hey, it's progress! 

Kathy G

www.time2getfit.com

Compliant Day

Today I was compliant. I made a meal plan and stuck to the plan. Chef AJ says you're either compliant or not compliant when it comes to eating clean. To clarify, eating clean means whole food, plant based, unprocessed, SOS (sugar/oil/salt)-free. 

I am a big fan of Chef AJ's program. She and her partner in the UWL (Ultimate Weight Loss) John Pierre really know how to help junk food addicts turn their life around. 

One of the problems I always had prior to doing UWL was beating myself up when I would "fall off the wagon" and eat junk food. I would go through this vicious cycle of momentary pleasure followed by guilt and regret which would often lead to a what the hell attitude followed by binge eating. 

By making it simply compliant or non-compliant, it releases all the emotion associated with eating. I follow their advice and eat fruit and veggies at the next meal as if I never missed a beat. 

This new mindset along with all the other work I'm doing is starting to snowball. I am starting to make healthier choices that is leading to other successes like having energy to wake up early and exercise. 

Baby steps. 

Kathy G

www.time2getfit.com 

Back on the Beachbody Bandwagon

Want to join me? Let's go! 

I have been a fan of Beachbody since discovering their program about five years ago. I had heard of Beachbody when they first came out but I thought it was for hardcore exercise enthusiasts. I had no idea of their vast library of workouts. Once I found out that they not only have a wide range of workouts but an active and supportive community I was in. I became a coach so I could get the discount they offer to their affiliates. I collected several of the workout programs and also loved to drink Vegan Chocolate Shakeology.

Then we had the fire last August that wiped out everything we own including all my Beachbody DVDs. I remember thinking how I wish all my programs were available online so I could access them. I messaged the Beachbody CEO, Carl Daikeler on Facebook wondering if and when workouts would be available in an online library. Apparently, I wasn't the only one making this request because Beachbody on Demand is here! Now I not only have access to the programs I purchased, but 150 of their workouts for only $2.99 a week! I will gladly give up a bag of popcorn at the movies (which I shouldn't be eating anyway) to have access to these workouts and celebrity trainers!

I got so excited when I saw a post about Beachbody on Demand (check out the hashtag #BOD to learn more about the program and see what early adopters are saying about it) that I immediately signed back up to be a Beachbody coach. I not only want the discount, but I want to have access to my favorite workouts anytime, anywhere. I LOVE technology!  I also want to help others as I make my Vegformation wellness journey. So many people have told me to wait until I get in shape to share my journey with others, but I don't agree. I think we all have a story to tell and can inspire each other to make positive change.

The fitness experts all say that the best exercise is the one you will do. With Beachbody workouts being available anytime, anywhere, I can skip the excuses and get consistent with my routine. I'm starting with Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer. I am committing to doing this workout first thing in the morning when I get up. I'm on day two! I invite you to join me on this exciting online platform.

Let's get healthy! 


Kathy G
beachbodycoach.com/kathy150

Dental Health

One of the great things about the plant-based lifestyle is all the illnesses and diseases that it can reverse, but the one thing that I haven't heard of healing once the damage is done is our teeth! If you know if some holistic healing therapy for teeth, I would love to hear about it.

I went to the dentist today because a back tooth has been bothering me. About ten years ago a dentist told me that I had a hairline crack in my back tooth. He wanted to do a root canal and crown. I asked him to just fill it instead. Well, it has progressively gotten worse over the years.

When I went to a new dentist today, he said he would try to work around having to put a crown on it or doing a root canal, but he said the tooth beside the one that is bothering me is cracked too! I asked him what causes teeth to crack and I was totally surprised by his answer. MERCURY FILLINGS! He said the mercury expands and contracts in response to hot and cold temperatures which causes these hairline cracks.

His response made me curious about mercury fillings so I looked it up when I got home. The list of complications from mercury fillings (some people call them silver fillings but it's only silver in color) is quite long. I had no idea these type of fillings could cause so much trouble. I remember going to a dentist several years ago who wanted to change out the mercury fillings. I said OK to a few, but as always I wanted to keep the cost down so I didn't do them all. Now I wish I would have let the dentist change them.

I also have bone loss in my gums which the hygienist said can be hereditary but can also be caused by tarter build up which creates pockets for bacteria to get in and damage the bone. Interestingly, I had a bone regeneration procedure done several years ago and the side that was done had more bone loss than the side that was left alone. I had no idea what the dentist was doing at the time I had the oral surgery done, I was just told they were going to do a procedure to eliminate pocketing that could lead to gum disease. Had I known what all was involved with doing that I would have never agreed to the procedure. It was like something from a horror movie when I got done. I had stitches all in my gums. It was incredibly painful and scared me away from dentists for a long time.

I take good care of my teeth. I brush and floss every day, OK, sometimes I skip the floss, but I never skip brushing. I need to adopt that same habit with working out and eating clean!

It just made me think today about how important dental health is and how much that affects how we feel and our overall health.

How long has it been since your last visit to the dentist?

Kathy G
www.afilgo.com

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

Fail to plan, plan to fail... that phrase has been playing in my head since talking with my plant-based nutrition coach, Katherine Nilbrink today and then hearing it again on a group coaching call with Chef AJ and John Pierre.

I have posted previously about my resistance to menu planning and meal preparation. It's not something I like to do. However, I understand that it is crucial to success on overcoming junk food addiction.

I rarely watch TV, but my one indulgence is The Voice. I love that show. I love that it gives people an opportunity to pursue their dreams and the chemistry between the coaches is great too. As I was watching tonight, I got to thinking about the people who are most likely to succeed on the show. It is the musicians who have prepared, trained, and planned for their art and opportunities. They practice all the time. It's not a job for them, it's art, it's fun, but it's still a lot of work especially if they make it through on The Voice.

So, it makes sense. If I want to succeed with this wellness journey, I have to do what successful people do and one of the main things they do is PLAN their meals! They do not leave it to chance what they will eat because that leaves too much room for temptation to sneak in from being too hungry. I know this. I just have to do it. Would I get up on The Voice and say, sorry I just didn't plan for success? No! I would do what I need to do to win. I want to apply that same will to my wellness journey.

Chef AJ has a saying that I like. She says, people who are unsuccessful do what's easy, people who are successful do what it takes.

So, I'm off to get some ideas and plan and prep my meal for tomorrow. Do you need some menu plan ideas too? Check out PCRM and PETA. Do you have a good resource for menus? Please share in the comments section.

Kathy
facebook.com/vegformation

Weigh In and Measure Day MYFITNESSPAL

The first day of the month is when I weigh in and measure my progress. I don't focus on it the rest of the month because I don't want to get sidetracked by the scales which has happened more times than I can count over the years. I know as I increase my exercise, especially weight lifting, I will gain weight, but I also know that muscles burn fat all day long so I would rather have extra weight that is working to build muscles and burn fat than lose weight for the sake of seeing the scales go down. 

One great tracker I have used off and on over the years is MyFitnessPal (click link to follow me). I have gotten away from using it to track what I eat because the numbers are off for my plant-based lifestyle which makes me think I'm taking in too much sugar or not enough protein or calories, but for everything else is is an awesome program. I love the app too. You can also cheer on your friends and they can support you. You can get on a streak of checking in which increases accountability and it has that handy dandy weight loss tracker above which you can post on your blog or anywhere that accepts HTML. 

For me, MyFitnessPal is a great way to keep track of my progress. Otherwise, I have it in several different places, like one time in my paper log, another time on a spreadsheet, on Notepad on my iPhone, etc. MyFitnessPal is a great central location to post your progress. So, that's what I'm doing today. 

I started 2015 weight 315. Today I weighed in at 304. I also bought a scale that shows BMI and body fat percentage, so I will be tracking that starting this month too. Both those numbers are off the charts, but I have to start somewhere and what gets measured gets managed. My body fat percentage is 52.6% and my BMI is 48.9. 

I also bought a digital measuring tape which makes measuring by myself a lot easier. It keeps the number on the screen so I can record it. Below are those measurements:

Bust: 44.5

Waist: 48.5

Arm: 20.8

Hips: 55.3

Thigh: 33.6

Calf: 25

Neck: 18.6

Why do I share these numbers with you? For a few reasons. One is so you will see that losing weight permanently is a slow process. I've lost weight and gained it back so many times over the years. This plant-strong lifestyle is not about losing weight, it's about getting healthy and the weight takes care of itself. Still, it's nice to check your progress once in a while. Once a month seems reasonable to me. I like the accountability, which is another reason I post my progress. I also post to inspire someone else to start or stay on track with their wellness journey because if you take your focus off of it, those numbers can quickly spiral out of control. No matter where you are at, there is always room to improve when it comes to health. It's also inspiring to see those numbers improving! 

Once or twice a year, I like to measure the internal numbers too, like blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin and mineral levels, etc. I will be looking to do that soon. 

In the meantime, I will keep taking baby steps forward and getting back up every time I fall down. It's all progress. Onward.  

Kathy G

vegformation.com