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My iPhone :)

This has officially become my favorite holiday dessert…there’s never enough to go around so I made 2 for family gatherings! I finally made a recipe video (click the pic)

Best trail mix I have ever tasted! It’s the best because it has exactly what I love in it. <3

Cashews

Almonds

Vegan chocolate chips

Pepitas

Raisins

Dried cranberries

Dark chocolate covered plum bites 

Undercover Pumpkin Puff Cookies

(secretly vegan!)

Here is my totally vegan Cocoa Cranberry Oatmeal!

I am not a frequent oatmeal eater, but I could eat this almost every morning!

1 cup of milk (I used rice milk)

1/2 cup of oats

1 TBSP butter substitute (I used Earth Balance)

2 TSP Cocoa

2 TSP Sugar

A dash of salt

Dried Cranberries

Bring milk to a boil, immediately stir in oats and salt. Cook them on high for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Turn off heat, add butter and stir. It’s best to sift your cocoa, then stir it in with your sugar. Add as many cranberries as you like, and enjoy your nutritious chocolaty breakfast!

YUMMY vegan slaw :) It’s best to let the flavors blend overnight, but who could wait that long? I gave it 2 hours and it was perfect. Want the recipe? Message or comment this picture and I’ll share!

My vegan snickerdoodles.  *drooool*

So sorry guys, I’ve been away for a couple months. Once school started in August, I sort of let the blog dedication transform into school dedication :) Anyway, I have lots to catch you guys up on. 

1. My workout partner has some things going on that prevent her from continuing for now.

2. School hinders me from working out as much as I was 2 months ago.

3. While I have gained 3 pounds after losing 13, I have re-lost 2 of those little guys :)

4. I have gone from primarily vegetarian to total vegan. 12 days ago!!

Before you exit this window and roll your eyes when you read the word VEGAN, let me explain. A vegan is not a person who lives on sprouts and lettuce. I just don’t eat any animal products or byproducts. No meat, dairy, eggs, or other animal derived ingredients for me. Now this may sound scary and foreign to most people, but it really makes a lot of sense. I have always been very fond of animals, never understood how I could eat them. For a while, I justified eating them by buying “locally grown organic” meat (only poultry). I also saw no harm in eating eggs, or drinking my favorite drink in the world: milk. But after much research, I realize that the bottom line is this:

I know I don’t want to suffer, and animals have feelings too, so I don’t want to cause them to suffer either.

While I am passionate about my new lifestyle, I don’t try to impose it upon others. I encourage those who are already interested in it, but I am not an activist. Trust me, it’s hard enough getting along with omnivores who don’t understand my reasoning. 

On with the new style :)

For health reasons-

1. Animal products are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which we know causes heart disease (the leading killer in the U.S.!)

2. Vegetarians have a 24% reduced chance of dying of a heart attack. 

3. Meat eaters have a 54% higher chance of developing prostate cancer, and are 88% more likely to have colorectal cancer.

4. Of course, vegetarians on average weight 10% less than omnivores. 

5. So many more positive health effects…healthier skin and hair, more energy, mood improvement, and more!

For the animals-

1. “If you grew as fast as a chicken, you would weigh 349 pounds at age 2.” 

-University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture report

2. Pigs are smarter than dogs, and I can’t imagine eating either one.

3. The reason human women make milk is for their babies. The same is true for all mammals. Would you like to have your baby and its milk taken from you?

4. The average veg*n saves 50-100 animal lives each year. That’s pretty significant!

Since my transition, I have lost 2 pounds. I have not counted a single calorie, nor have I exerted myself in the least bit. So, follow my blog for more updates on my new style

B-)

The South Beach Diet.

     The Atkins Diet.

          The Grapefruit Diet.

                    Nutrisystem.

We’ve all heard of these fad diets. They’re popular for a while, until people realize they’re either ineffective or unhealthy. These types of diets are so hard to follow because of the extreme restrictions they require. While some diets essentially eliminate carbohydrate intake, others forbid fat. The reason these diets are not so healthy is that our bodies NEED fat and carbs (and protein) to perform properly.

Carbohydrates are necessary for energy. Complex carbs, which are usually whole grains and unrefined, keep you full longer…so you don’t need to eat so much food. Try to limit your “simple carb” foods, like white bread for example. They fill you up at first, but then cause a blood sugar spike/crash later. And this causes you to feel hungry again. 

Fat is important for energy too, but also for vitamins, preventing infections, helping create hormones, and so much more. Certain fats actually help you LOSE weight. Yes, that’s right. Monounsaturated fatty acids (or MUFAs) have been proven to lower bad cholesterol, raise good cholesterol, and minimize fat accumulation in your belly area! You can find MUFAs in olive oil, nuts, avocados, fish, and some foods you wouldn’t expect. Monounsaturated fat is listed below saturated fat on nutrition labels.

I apologize for the lengthy explanation. :)

The most effective way to stay on track is to LIMIT your diet, but not completely eliminate certain parts of it. With too much restriction, you’re likely to lose sight of your goal. By avoiding these fad diets that forbid certain essential parts of a healthy diet, you can keep your food choices interesting. By being able to choose your foods by your own standards, it doesn’t seem like a diet at all!

Bottom line: If your diet has a name or a book associated with its name, or if you have to pay to be able to “use” it, it’s probably only going to work for a very short time. The only diet that lasts forever comes with a lifestyle change!

If you have any requests for my next blog topic, respond to this post or on Facebook!