Putting My Money Where My Weight Is

I've gone all crazy this year!  Ok - not really but kind of for me.  I decided to join the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans Weightloss challenge and with that Diet Bet.  Ever heard of it?  Me either!!!

So basically, you pay $25 to join.  Then you weigh in (based on their guidelines) and if you lose 4% of your body weight within the challenge deadline - you get paid from the pot.  I don't have to lose a whole lot to win a share but I can't be lazy either.

Goals

1. Start juicing and eating vegan again.  
2. Exercise daily.
3. Use my dehydrator at least once a month.

Challenges

1. The expense of a vegan diet and the complicated aspect of the same.  
2. Making time for exercise and cookng.
3. Keeping my energy levels up for all of the above.

I'm considering the Fluidity Fitness program.  If anyone knows anything about it or has experience with it - let me know.  I'd be interested to hear if it is as good as it seems.  It looks like it would be really good for my back.

Effective Treatment for Alopecia - Part 2

I am not a doctor. I am not prescribing this plan in an attempt to treat a disease or illness. This is merely my opinion and the results of my own experience. Consult with your doctor before ceasing any medication.

Here we go, Part 2 of this blog series on how I effectively treated my Alopecia. I have gotten a few questions, so I wanted to address those in this blog.

How long were you on the diet?

I have now been on a modified version of the vegan diet (as mentioned in Part 1 of this blog series) for nearly a year now. I say modified because I cheat - often! I cheat out of laziness, being so busy, and pure cravings. However, I eat vegan more often than I do not.

How much hair growth did you have?

I only did the Fish Oil for about a month. I gave my bottle to a family member who needed it worse than I did. However, I am buying a new bottle today. That said, in the month that I did the fish oil, I did have peach fuzz on my head and nothing more. This is significant because I have had AU for over 25 years with no regrowth.

I am not going into this to grow hair but rather to build my cells and immune system. Hair growth would just be the icing on the cake.

Where do you get your calcium if you are not drinking milk?

This is a big one! Here is a FAQ that answers the why and now I will answer the what! I get my calcium through natural plant sources and then supplement with Vitamin D so that it is better absorbed.

Here are some plant sources of calcium (as found on Livestrong.com):

• Green Leafy Vegetables
• Legumes
• Nuts and Seeds
• Whole Grains

In Part 3 of this blog series, I'll answer more questions and maybe even throw in a delicious non-dairy milk recipe!

Vegan Report Card - Target

Store: Target
Location:  Gastonia, NC 
Vegan Friendly Grade:  C


When this brand spanking new Target (now with Fresh Grocery) opened - the whole town got excited!  Yep - me too!  As nice as it is, I would have to give it a mid grade.  The vegan selections were not as impressive as I had hoped they would be.


Here are the vegan pros and cons of this Target store.

Let's start with what is missing:

• No refrigerated faux vegan products - no soy dogs, Vegenaise, or Daiya cheese.
• No vegan or organic pet food.
• Very weak organic make-up selection.
• Most disappointing gluten-free offering.
• Very limited (if any) organic produce.

What was all right!

• Vegan snack options galore, include smoothie drinks for kids!
• Decent selection of "milk" options.
• Several non-chemical based cleaning product options.

Huge Redeeming Factor!!!

This Target store had a massive spice section with affordable spices.  I loved the little bottles and found msyelf really wanting to buy one of each.

All things considered, I would shop at this store to purchase snacks and spices but I would not use this Target store as my grocery shopping destination.




Code Red Alert!


Lyvie loved the Cutie drinks (made by the same folks that bring you the Cutie clementines) - I read the ingredients and they were all approved ingredients.

It wasn't until I went to the website that I found that some of them are not Vegan Approved!  New blog to come on that - the site says that each drink has 10 grams of Whey protein!  The one that Lyvie drank, Tangerine Pineapple did not have that ingredient on the label.  I'm looking into it!

WHAT?


Disclaimer:  I do not own, represent, or work for any brand mentioned in this blog.  I was not paid or provided with product to write this review.  This review is pure opinion based on my own shopping experience.  To submit your product for review, click here.

Breaking a Family Curse - Belly Fat!!!

EE and my beautiful Mother in 1964

All the ladies on my Mother's side of the family make reference to "Voncile's Belly."  My grandmother, who I affectionately referred to as "EE" was cursed with a bloated belly.  She was a thin, attractive lady but still had a belly.  I have always seen it as always looking like we are 4 months pregnant.  We have all allowed that characteristic to remain in our appearance because it we viewed it as a physical curse passed on from EE.

I can recall being a size 6 and still needing to wear a girdle.  That was so frustrating!

I've switched to a vegan (plant-based) diet in the last year and I've been surprised at how I lose weight but the belly fat remains.  WHAT?  That didn't seem fair that I was depriving myself of cheese and still have belly fat.  (The reminder of the cows not suffering engorgement for my cheese consumption brings me out of my pity party.)

Someone at my work mentioned that gluten is a common culprit in keeping belly fat - well, fat.  A light bulb went off!  Don't worry I'm bald so nothing to catch on fire...

So I tested this theory!

I woke up one morning after not having any gluten the days before and was amazed when I put on a dress with no girdle and no belly fat.

Keep in mind, I am the biggest I have ever been and I am trying to lose weight.  I have been wearing a size 12 dress because of my belly.  This was an empire waist dress so it was a size 8.

I looked in the mirror and saw a clean line.  No belly fat!  The dress looked very nice...

Two hours later I ate some homemade zucchini bread and guess what?  I found myself trying to hide my protruding belly under the conference table in our meeting.  That light bulb turned on me, busted me over the head and said, "I told you so."

So - this week without gluten, I have lost 5 pounds and the bloating is gone!

I know it is hard to imagine a life without gluten but it can be done and it is so worth it!

Holiday Food Rant...

I had a bad week on the diet front. I ate horribly because of a super busy schedule. I am paying for this physically!!! Now on to my rant!

If I can't handle eating right when I am busy, what am I going to do about the Holidays? Food is huge during the holidays for my family. This is what we do! We have so many traditions that are focused on food. I am on the quest to find replacements for all my traditional Holiday favorites!

I know I am not going to find a Turkey replacement but what about everything else? Suggestions are appreciated!

I have found a Raw Pumpkin Pie and I just found a Gravy Recipe today. Oh, I totally plan to make this Sweet Potato Casserole because I LOVE coconut. Also, I can make cranberries by using agave nectar and oranges. So, what's left?

Vegan Versions of the Following:

1. Really fluffy mashed potatoes
2. Magic Cookie Bars
3. Green Bean Casserole
4. Stuffing
5. Pecan Pie
6. Some type of whole wheat dinner roll

Do you have a great vegan holiday recipe? If so, please share!

Keeping My Word Y'all

A couple of blog posts down (stay with me now) I promised to exercise. I'm so doing it!!! I found a co-worker willing to walk with me each day. So, I eat while I work and then use my lunch hour to walk. We walk an uphill/downhill trail for 2 miles at The Villages of Hallelujah Acres. Monday, we did this in 45 minutes. Yesterday, we did it in 35 minutes. I am hoping that soon I will be doing a 10 minute mile. That's running you know?

I've had quite a few views of my blog - to you all I say "THANKS!!!" I even had someone in Germany view the blog. To you I say "Danke!" (I took German in High School - loved it! I don't speak it fluently though because I was not one to do homework.)

Talk to me:

Are you exercising? Do you speak German?

How's that for random!?!?!?

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica!

I can't even look at a beet without thinking of Dwight Schrute. In fact, when the kids and I are in the grocery store, we pick up a beet and announce, "Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica!" It's an automatic response for us. SO, you can imagine their surprise when after making my proclamation, I placed the bunch of beets in our buggy.

The boys have stared at them in the fridge now for two days. I plan to wash them and juice them tonight. We've seen scenes in the Office of Dwight eating the beets raw and Angela with red teeth from drinking Beet juice. I am sure this little experiment will prove very entertaining in addition to being nutritious.

Dwight Schrute would be so proud...