Day 15!! Half-way there!

Day 15 symbolizes that I am officially at the halfway mark! Halfway!! Being at the halfway mark is definitely was easier than being at day one or two…those days were tough. But, Day 15 is good. So, good in fact that I’m feeling:

1. Energized. How energized? Well, I no longer have a cup of coffee in the morning or hot tea to get me going, and I no longer stop and grab one half way through my day to keep me going. I have this natural, endless energy! (My sleeping hours have also stayed the exact same way)

2. I feel lighter. More flexible. More free. (I know it sounds so stupid but it’s true!!)

3. My skin is glowing and I no longer have tired looking eyes in the morning.

4. My hair and nails won’t stop growing!!! It’s insane!

5. I sleep better at night. More soundly, and wake up feeling refreshed not tired.

6. I have better workouts and I can swim and bike farther.

7. I’m losing weight, and my clothes are getting a little bit looser!

8. I have found my taste buds don’t crave meat really anymore..but they still always crave chocolate! (not sure that will ever go away!)

9. I feel Good!!

So, there you have it! My journey is moving right along, and so far I’m so impressed by the results I’m finding by eating a plant-based diet! I am experimenting with all new foods I never even knew were out there, and each day I’m continuing my research and growing as a person! How’s your vegan challenge going? Let me know! In the mean time, check out this website.. http://www.pcrm.org/kickstarthome/mealplan/index.cfm

It’s my all time new fav! Happy Monday…and Godbless!

                           Keep Walkn’ In His Grace, <3 Michelle

The Journey continues on!

Detailed blog coming tomorrow! The journey continues and I'm learning so much! Can't wait to share it with you all!!

Today :)

Since this fun, crazy journey of going vegan has started this is how I feel:

Still going strong. Still feeling Great. Learning. Growing. Appreciating. Changing. Understanding.


                                   Vegan <3

Day 11!

Hello everyone!

 I pray and hope you all had a great week! I’m sorry for not posting a blog in the past few days; life on this end has been super busy and go-go-go! I just got home from working all day, showered, painted my nails ((something I was dying to do all week but had no time)) and now I’m sitting down to fill you all in on day 11 of being vegan! I still can’t believe I’ve gone vegan for 11 days…the weird thing is that it feels sooo much longer than just 11 simple days, because my mind and body have begun to adjust to this whole new way of living. When I signed up to do this ((well, volunteered) I wasn’t expecting much other than getting really sick and tired of veggies and fruits. Surprisingly though, I’m beginning to find that these past 11 days are transforming not only my body but my mind! I’m conscious about what I’m putting into my body, being exposed to, how much exercise I’m getting in, ect. On the flip side, I’m also being challenged to try new things, new restaurants, be okay when I cook for 2 hours over a brand new recipe only to find out that it sucks, and most of all, I love being adventurous with food and challenging myself more each day. 

While we are on the topic of being adventurous, last night we had a vegan night where everyone brought a tasty, new vegan recipe (some were vegan and gluten free) and we all had dinner and tried all new food and had a great time!! We even had vegan/GF cupcakes and cookies too!! I’m very proud and blessed that I have friends that are open to trying new things, and doing it all with a great attitude and a supportive heart. God has surely blessed me. The best part of all was that JT surprised me and drove home so he took part in our vegan night as well and had a blast! Good food+ Good friends=GREAT night! We are definitely planning another vegan dinner night soon so if you guys are interested leave a comment and we will make it happen! For now, I’m off to read my newest book: “The Kind Diet”. I’m in love with it, and it’s inspiring me to try new recipes this week! Have a lovely weekend everyone, and take care of your bodies, minds, and most of all your hearts! Be a little adventurous, be ready to try new things, and in the process grow into a more beautiful person! 

Luv ya all! Godbless!

    Happy Weekending, <3 Michelle

The truth on Tofu

Good evening everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely Monday! I have finished my research on tofu and have come to the conclusion that I will only have one serving of fermented soy products daily (i.e. soy milk, soy yogurt, and tofu). After going vegan, I just simply assumed (just as I assumed meat was the only protein) that tofu, and soy milk was healthy since it’s advertised and sold at all of the health food stores. Based on what I researched, non-GMO soy is fine and perfectly healthy for your body which is good news! GMO soy though has been found in multiple studies to:

1. Slow down the thyroid and in some cases reverse the process so instead of losing weight, you gain weight.

2. Goiter problems in infants who were fed soy-based formula (fyi parents: Do Not feed your baby Soy formula) *And, all who are vegan doctors recommend using iodine salt in at least one of your meals per day*

3. Low memory recall in people who consumed 2-3 servings of soy products in the age range of 40-70 years old. *Out of that age group the men who consumed soy 2-3 times per day almost all nearly experienced rapid dementia (loss of memory) while the women did not.

4. One case study, links a large consumption of soy products to breast cancer.

5. Low libido and prostate problems in men (in fact, monks are fed soy based products including tofu to help keep them sexually pure).

6. An increase in kidney stones in women,

In all, non-GMO is healthy for you, and GMO soy should not be consumed more than once a day. Doctors and scientists say consumption of low doses (one serving per day) of non-GMO soy can be healthy but too much is hazardous to our health. So, that is the research on tofu, and soy!! I encourage you all to research the info for yourself, and pay attention to the multiple studies they have done on soy in each of these areas. Happy Vegan eating and keep up the great work!! It’s day 8 and I am still feeling great! 

                           p.s. remember knowledge is power! 

                                   Keep Walkn’ in His Grace, <3 Michelle

Day 8!!

It's day 8!! I can't believe I haven't eaten MEAT or DAIRY, or EGGS in 8 days!! I'm getting Healthier. Stronger. Lighter. More Energized. The research on soy products continues and I promise I'll upload it tonight! This weekend was crazy busy and I'm smack dab in the middle of midterms and working two jobs while planning our wedding! (BTW wedding planning is soo much fun..I LOVE it!) So, stay tuned for tonights blog! Also, next week we will be showcasing an interview session with my cousin Jessica and her hubby Matt who have been vegans for three years now! With that said, have a Happy Monday, get some organic coffee and if you're doing this challenge go out and try a new fruit today or make a new recipe. Changing it up is good.  Godbless!
                                                Happy Monday, <3 Michelle

          

Day 6/7 Research on soy continues..

Hello everyone! 

Happy Sunday!! I am so blessed that it's Sunday because I was able to sleep in, spend some time reading my Bible, and made a bowl of heart-healthy oatmeal with frozen blueberries on top! =) I apologize for not posting yesterday on tofu-I started my research and what I'm finding is kind of crazy scary on soy, and tofu products. I am still gathering information and called my doctor to get his opinion as well. I should be posting the info tonight or tomorrow so check back! In the meantime, check out some of the YouTube videos I've posted to my facebook page on soy products as a whole. Who knows....I might be going Vegan raw after this. (I'm starting to hate this research..I go in thinking I'm right and come out finding i'm not!!...but, it's a journey to health and giving my body the best!)

                        Have a lovely Sunday, <3 Michelle

Day 5. Is tofu safe? And what is it?

So, the questions everyone seems to keep asking.. What exactly is tofu, how is it made, and is it as gross as it looks? I went a step further to research the studies on it, and to find out if it really is as healthy as the pros say. We shall see...I'll be putting all the info together tomorrow!! So, check back and have a lovely, relaxing weekend! (((I'm soooo happy the weekend is here!!))) 
                       Happy vegan eating,  <3 Michelle 

Day 4 has come to a close and I feel good!

Hello everyone!
I am pleased to announce that since the start of this a few people have joined on with this 30-day challenge!! You should too =) Please remember though, if you have any current health situations or risks please talk to a doctor before beginning this lifestyle of eating plants! (tasty ones none the less) Anyways, Congrats and welcome on board miss Leslie, Sarah, and Meg!!

              

Today was a GOOD day! I feel great!! The first 2 days was hard. My body was feeling like it was going into starvation mode and I swear I was craving chicken all day long. Day 3 was rough. I woke up feeling ill and tired and kind of faint. But, day 4 was pure magic! I feel AWESOME! Kind of like a vitamin high I guess (although I've never been high but I'm assuming it feels something like this) lol. I'm still researching more and more each day, so the only thing I'm learning to add in each day is new things to eat and try! It's funny because I am such a go-getter girl, a just jump and see where it takes you kind of gal, but when it comes to food it's insane how much control it has over my mind! I feel like my brain is at war with my hands! Very scary to realize how much my body has gotten addicted to the junk and preservatives that's in pretty much all of our food these days, and it feels like it's fighting me to eat good stuff that's healthy and preservative free. I'm realizing that for 23 years I've been poisoning my body with chemicals, junk, preservatives, and refined bleached flour and sugar. yuck. so gross. I always thought I was in control of what I put in my mouth, but now i'm finding out that my brain is in control (or was) because it's addicted to all the wrong foods. wow. that's a big step coming from the girl who lovesss/loveddd? meat and dairy. With that being said this is what I ate today:

Breakfast: soy protein shake and a banana
Snack: organic unsalted sunflower kernels and peanuts, and strawberries
Lunch: Rice pasta with dairy free tomato sauce and veggie "ground beef" (which was amazingly yummy) and peaches.
Snack: broccoli with hummus (my new favorite)
Dinner: Rice minestronie soup with extra beans and tomato's with a cup of chocolate soymilk.
Dessert: dairy free fro yo with strawberries and rice mochi.
Vitamins: vitamin b-5, 6, 7, and 12. Calcium, and a multi-vitamin.

Workout: 7.5 miles of biking!

Let me know if you guys have any questions! Tomorrow I will be exploring the info behind soy and find out if it's really that good for us. Best of Luck!!

                            Keep Walkn' in His Grace, Michelle =)

Food, Inc. This just might be enough to make me a vegan forever!

Happy Thursday everyone! You all need to watch this movie: "Food, inc." (on netflix) Let me know what you think!

It's day 3!

Hey everyone! I have made it to day 3, and I am feeling good! This morning though, I woke up feeling dizzy and shaky, and very light headed. I did some research and found that vegans have trouble keeping their blood sugar levels up and lack vitamin b-12 in their bodies compared to their meat lover friends. Interestingly enough, instead of having a fruit and vegie at the same time (which I have been doing) doctors recommend having oatmeal then a fruit, followed by wheat or rice, followed by a veggie, ect. Everything needs to be spread out to have a proper blood sugar level. In addition, I hit target (because they have the cheapest and best vitamins ever) and got chewy, strawberry vitamin b-12 gummies! They were only $4.50 and have all 5 of the essential B vitamins. After taking one, I felt GREAT! So, in all: I think my body is adjusting to a whole new way of eating, and is going into "starvation" mode since I've cut out the meat and processed foods that it has been poisoned by. To all the vegans out there did you experience this so-called "with-drawl"? Very interesting.

On a side note: Tonight I made spaghetti with tomato sauce and veggie-"ground beef" for lunch tmrw and it tasted like the REAL thing! ((score)) I also washed an organic potato and diced it and sliced it. Sprayed light olive oil, topped it with sea salt and fresh garlic and baked them to perfection for 10 minutes at 350 in the oven. The best part? They taste amazing!!!

More updates tomorrow! p.s. the video's aren't loading on here for some reason so I'll be posting them onto my fb page till I get the bug fixed! Godbless!
                       Love, Michelle

Going Vegan in Julian!

Since Julian offers no organic coffee beans, JT and I have chosen a delightful Iced New Zealand Berry Tea! (Of course his is always gone first and I usually baby mine for awhile)

Greetings from Julian! It's B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L up here today!   

Love, Michelle and JT!

P.S. Tune in for a video of JT talking about the "Forks over Knives" video! Godbless!

I'm going Vegan for 30 days!!

 It's true. This meat (well, mainly turkey and chicken) loving girl and dairy loving girl (especially ranch) is going VEGAN. yes. for 30 whole days. 

Why you ask? Well, after watching this movie called: Forks over Knives (Thank you to Matt and Jessica) it really opened up my eyes to a lot of huge, and BOLD statistics that doctors are in fact claiming are true and tested. 

So, I have decided to become the guinea pig and test these ideas and theories out! 30 days seems like a long time...but who am I kidding? Anyone can do anything for 30 days if you put your mind to it! 

So, for the next 30 days I am pledging not to eat:

1. ANY meat.

2. ANY dairy (including ranch).

3. ANY canned foods.

4. ANY processed food.

5. ANY refined sugar.

I plan on being real. raw. honest. and open to a       plant-based diet.

 I promise to eat:

1. ALL organic fruits and veggies (lots and lots of them!)

2. Whole wheat bread

3. A daily multi-vitamin, b-12, D, calcium and a table spoon of omega-3 and flax seed oil ((every)) day.

4. Tofu (baked)

So, here we go! 30 days of being a Vegan. Let the good times roll! 

p.s. Each day I will let you guys know what I ate, how I'm feeling and at the end of this month I'll get my blood re-taken and we will compare the blood results to the results I have now! Godbless and enjoy!

Keep Walkn' in His Grace,

Michelle