Full day of eating

 For an idea of what my meals for the day look like in depth and detail, here are my Cronometer stats and images of my meals. 

I always start my day off with what I call my gross sludge...I'm the kind of person who wants to ingest all those super healthy ingredients without having to taste them! So I put all the powders and such together in my morning Turmeric shot! I then wash it down with a sip of coconut Bai. This never changes, and pulls me through my morning 2hr walk with plenty of energy to spare!

I then take my vitamins with the Nettle leaf tea that I make the night before and let it steep in the fridge until the morning, mixed with a tablespoon of the Beet Crystals.

 

When I return from my morning walk I crave my smoothie bowl Weetabix! I used to have the blueberry as a smoothie, but the Weetabix takes it to the next level and I consume it at a slower pace and get those healthy carbs in too.  Now that it's getting chilly, I still can't give it up! So I heat up a home made corn bag, bundle up and snuggle with a blanket with my puppy on my lap and enjoy my chilly desert-like first meal ^_^ 

In my cronometer I combine this smoothie bowl and my oats together even though i eat them 1-2 hours apart, so the calories and nutritional info is for both dishes combined.

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After about an hour or two of chores or doing something productive I settle down for my warm meal of the morning, my beloved cracked oats with chia & banana!

 The smoothie and oats combine have: 593.3 calories, 23.5g Protein, 89g Net carbs, and 13.2g fat

Then after a workout, usually a Chloe Ting challenge workout, I will have my Meal 2, which is technically my third meal of the day, which gives me the protein I need right after my workout. It's truly my favorite meal of the day, it's like chocolate ice-cream only very healthy!

 376.2 calories, 12.2g of protein, 22g Net carbs, 12.1g Fat

I love my dinner salad! It's always massive but ends up being less calories than any other family member's meal for the night. I added in some mung bean sprouts and alfalfa last minute, not listed in the ingredients. I love chickpeas, so I've been leaving them out and picking them off first, then I enjoy my sweet potato, then the mixed salad:) There is a benefit for adding some fat with your greens for absorption, but I didn't do that today. Added hemp seeds would have been ideal.

 I added sprouts & had some steamed Swish chard, so this is the total tally for my meal: 496 calories, 25.9 Protein, 75.8g Net Carbs, 4.6g fat 

 There's nothing like a delicious, chocolaty, peanutbuttery hot cocoa as a night cap to end the day:) The sleepy tea and warmth is the perfect combination to get me all prepped for sleep.

107.9 Calories, 5.7g Protein, 3.5g Net Carbs. 5.1g fat

 

 With my full day of 100% plant based meals I get all the nutrients I need as seen below:) I make sure that I'm eating over 1,500 calories while still managing to stay in roughly 1,000 calorie deficit for weight loss. This has worked perfectly for me as I've lost 15 lbs in just 2 months! That's roughly 2 lbs a week as is predicted with a 1,000 deficit. I make sure to stay active to be able to eat the amount of calories I do in a day:)

 I shoot to get roughly 50-60 grams of protein a day, but may increase that when I start to eat at a surplus to build muscle after my weight loss phase is done. Eating a fully vegan diet, I could reach this number of protein with foods such as beans, as you can see my dinner salad meal packs the most protein, and although I do include plenty I do love my vegan protein shakes as part of my more dessert meals, but in a whole day I only have a total of 3/4 of a serving of protein powder, so I'm getting most of my protein through foods. I will share my body transformation stats tomorrow and surprisingly my protein measured in my body has only risen since going fully vegan again!

I make sure to get plenty of healthy carbs and fiber in my day! It's very important to get lots of fiber.

I also keep my fats very low, avoiding all fat sources such as oils and choosing healthy fats such as whole nuts and seeds. I eat 1/2 a Brazil nut daily to get my recommended Selenium requirement, walnuts and flax every single day. Along with chia daily for both fats, proteins and omega-3s.  

If you track all your meals you know that it's usually hard to get the nutrients to balance below, but with my favorite meals eaten today I'm perfectly balanced!

My 2020 Health & Wellness Journey

As mentioned in the previous blog post, my recent start to regaining back my health after a year of unhealthy habits, weight gain, and health decline, began on July 7th 2020. Two months later and I'm thriving, feeling mentally clear, physically stronger, and excited for every new day of eating and workouts! 

 

This is what my typical day looks like:

• Regardless of my work schedule not changing, I have been waking up earlier than usual, at round 7:30am-9am.  
  
• The first thing I do when I wake up is drink my Loaded Turmeric shot - Turmeric, Ginger powder, pepper, Ashwagandha, Resveratrol, Trace Mineral drops, Glutathione, Iodine, Matcha, Moringa powder, Alma powder, Amazing Grass Green Superfood Alkalize & Detox powder. I then chase it down with a few sips of coconut Bai drink. I also take some vitamins. A Ritual multivitamin, omega-7, chlorella/spirulina. Although my diet is 100% vegan, I don't need to take B-12 because my foods give me plenty. I take my vitamins with a Beet crystal drink for some extra health benefits.
  
  
  

  
• I then go got a Fasted walk for 1-2 hours most days, time & weather permitted. This walk is after I walk my puppy, which is for about 20-30 minutes. I come home, bathe and feed her, then go for my walk.
  
• Then I eat my Breakfast (right after my walk) - I call this my first course breakfast - Smoothie Bowl - Banana, berry (blueberry or strawberry), Inulin, Prebiotic powder, Maca powder (yellow or red), Garden of Life Greens & Protein powder, almond milk, and one Weetabix biscuit crumbles on top, yum! This can be anywhere from 11am to 1pm!
  
  
• After about an hour of being productive, with chores or other things I need to get done, I do a Home Workout - 30-50 minutes (usually a Chloe Ting workout challenge, free on YouTube) 5-7 days a week.
• Right after my workout I eat my second course breakfast - Oatmeal (1/4 cup Cracked oatmeal, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds, 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds, 1/2 Tbsp Blackstrap molasses, 1/2 Brazil nut, cinnamon and 1 banana. 
  
• I then take an hr to either be productive of spend time with family. 
• Next comes my beloved Chocolate Chia Pudding (1/2 Tbsp chia seeds, 1 cups almond milk, 1 tsp maca powder, 1 tsp mesquite powder, 1 Tbsp cacao powder, 2 Walnuts, 3 Prunes, 1 banana and ice. I actually prepare this first thing as I wake up. I blend it all up and stick the bowl in the freezer. I then take it out and re-blend it into an amazing creamy consistency and add the chopped walnuts and prunes. It's my favorite thing of the day! I guess I can call this lunch. I now just blend the whole banana in to make it more creamy. I used to blend half and chop half for on top. I've also recently added walnuts to it.
  
  
• Extra boost snack, sometimes had during my workout - Green Smoothie - Almond milk, veggies (kale, cucumber, celery, dandelion greens, carrots, fruit (apple, berries, pineapple etc.), fresh spearmint leaves, Bai coconut juice, lime juice.
  
  
  
• What I used to do for Lunch - was have a Sweet potato and any veggie side with nutritional yeast & spices or a healthy sauce, and then a grain (Barley, Buckwheat, Quinoa, etc.) However recently I've considered the chia my middle day meal and just gone all out on veggies in a big dinner.  
• Not too much time between lunch and dinner, then for my Dinner meal- Huge salad - mixed greens, spinach, variety of sprouts, a vinaigrette or other healthy dressing, Sauerkraut, tomato, cucumber, red pepper, basil, hemp seeds, fresh lime juice, strawberries (or apple or orange), and beans (garbanzo, red kidney beans, black beans etc.) & about 5 oz of sweet potato. Alternative dinner, becoming a favorite with the weather cooling off - creamed soup with added kale, spinach, cabbage or bok choy, sweet corn, spices a grain. The creamed soup usually had foods such as sweet potato, beans, lentils and other veggies. I recently mad a slow cooker pot of veggies, freeze sections and portion it out per meal adding in 2 cups of veggie broth to make my soup fresh each time. I liked to keep the added chopped veggies nice and crunchy too.
  
  
  
  

  

  

  
  
• I then sometimes go for a walk with my pup right after dinner, but it's getting darker sooner with winter approaching so weather permitted. 
• Evening drink - If I still feel like having something, I will have a delicious hot chocolate drink comprised of half sleepy tea, half almond milk, raw cacao powder, cinnamon,  Mushroom Extract Powder (Powerful 10 Blend, Organic Lions Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Shiitake, Turkey Tail Mushrooms) & sometimes a table spoon of PbFit organic peanut butter powder if I feel I could use a little bit more protein for the day. I then sweeten it with monk fruit extract. It's super yummy!
• Sauna time - And lastly, before bed I sit in my portable sauna, that gets up to 140 degrees for 30-60 minutes. It's helped me tremendously with sleep and muscle recovery!  
• Next some Veggies that I try eat pretty much Daily or at least 5 times a week minimum in my meals, either fresh in salads or cooked dishes- Dark leafy greens like Lettuces, Kale, Swiss Chard etc., Tomatoes, Spinach, Cucumber, Zucchini, Red/Orange/Yellow Bell peppers...other favorites I like to have on hand for cooking are Red Onions, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli. I also love Asparagus but have it on occasion.Then I try get in a variety of beans each day and healthy whole grains.  
• Then the essential Fruits to Always have on hand consumed frequently in order of frequency - Bananas, blueberries, strawberries, Oranges, Limes, Lemons, and also love grapefruit but haven't had it in a while...others I love to have but not essential to eat daily, often due to being seasonal are mangoes, apples, peaches, papaya, grapes and my favorite fruit, Pineapple.  
• Where I get my protein- Always have Organic Hemp seeds and Nutritional Yeast, Quinoa has also become a staple protein source for me, mushrooms too are an essential in the week. Kidney beans, Chickpeas, lentils, sprouts, and Spinach are also favorites along with all the other beans, and they also packs a good punch when it comes to protein and I love big spinach salad. Also, with the quantity of veggies I eat the protein adds up! I'm never under my recommended amount for the day. I also get protein from Spirulina/Chlorella tablets that I prefer to swallow than crush to mix in smoothies. And although I don't feel it to be a needed addition, I do love my vegan protein powders! Currently, and for many years, Garden of Life Greens & Protein powder. However I've recently loved all the flavors of SELECT PREScience vegan protein powders! They all taste like dessert! I use those in my chia putting.
  
• Supplements- Ritual, which is the only one I really trust to just get what I need (highly recommend looking into them), Seabuck Oil Blend Omega-7 Complete for my omegas, and Citicoline (because I was deficient at my last dr. appointment on my vegan diet early last year. 
  
• Other supplements Active Charcoal pills (when I need a detox from anything ingested or in my system...like a poisonous spider bite, or food poisoning). Echinacea Goldenseal when a bug is going around to boost my immune system. I rarely have these.
  
• Other essential foods- Almond milk is an essential because I do not eat any form of dairy, so it's my liquid for my smoothies, breakfasts and chocolate/mushroom extract drinks or any other dish that requires milk.
• Spices and Condiments- Turmeric, Ginger, cayenne pepper, stevia, monkfruit, garlic powder, ginger powder, onion powder…
• Daily Drink- Nettle Tea...it's amazing for balancing the female body! I drink it either during my workout or sauna session.
  

 *Note, I am in a weight loss phase, so I am eating at a calorie deficit. As soon as I reach my weight goal I will switch to a calorie surplus and work on gaining muscle:)

Nutritarian Diet

 

Garbanzo Girl does a great job in summing up what the Nutritarian diet is in under ten minutes. 

 

Like many others, I too gained some weight through the pandemic quarantine. However, I don't really blame the quarantine because I've been gaining weight off and on for the past year. I included so many unhealthy foods that I hadn't eaten in over 8 years! I knew I would eventually take a turn back to a healthy lifestyle, but let that time come naturally. I decided on the 4th of July, 2020, while suffering greatly from my chronic back pain that returned with a vengeance and left me unable to move without pain for weeks on end. It was time! July 6th, Monday morning I switched to a healthy diet and I've been going strong ever since! Sticking to it 100% for two months now. I haven't eaten a single piece of chocolate, oil, or animal produce including eggs and fish. I did as much research as possible on the 5th and came across the McDougall diet and knew that this health journey was going to be focused on health and longevity, not just weight loss. I was so excited to get started on it, and I did immediately. Several weeks later through continuous research I discovered The Nutritarian diet, and that has become my holy grail. The changes include slightly more fat in the form of nuts, and not quite as much starch, but more fruit. I've stuck to it for two months now and I've never been healthier or happier than I am right now. Every day I get so excited for the food I'm going to eat. I wanted to track this journey and documented all my foods and activity through chronometer and my fitbit. I didn't plan to track everything for so long, but I have to admit I enjoy it so much, so will keep doing so until I decide not to:)

 

Two weeks into cleaning up my diet I also restarted my fitness journey. I hadn't worked out much at all the past year apart from long walks with my puppy. I started going to the gym in January, but got sick after the 3rd time and never went back, as the pandemic came right after that. So, this time my fitness journey started at home and outdoors. I found Chloe Ting's free online workout videos and Challenges on YouTube, and began taking longer walks after taking my pup for her very leisurely walk.  I gave myself a few challenges of my own like 20,000 steps a day, that turned into a ridiculous 30,000 steps a day, and although I loved it so much, I did injure my shin that week from all the stress and toned it down. I've now toned it down to 18,000 steps a day, and believe I can keep this goal indefinitely with several rest days, which I take when the weather is bad, or I work a double shift and am short on time. I will lay out my typical day of eating and workouts in further blog posts. I have a pretty consistent routine now that I enjoy too much to change, so my progress has been amazing. 

 

With my weight gain through junk food I was at my highest weight since 2011, right before starting this journey on July 7th, at 130 lbs. Since 2011 I had been up and down from 110 lbs to 118 lbs roughly. As of yesterday, I weigh 117 lbs. That's 13 lbs in two months, which I find incredible, since my goal was 115 lbs. Not only did I lose fat, but I've gained more muscle than I've ever had, and I feel stronger and healthier. Not too bad for turning 40 this year! My journey isn't over and I have lots of goals yet to reach, but unlike all the other times, I've been happy where I am every step of the way. With my focus on health and not just weight loss my mindset is in the right place and I know this is something I can sustain, because I'm doing it for all the right reasons. For the first time ever I'm also going to attempt to gain muscle and develop my glutes, something I've never done. I have to admit, I've never known how to gain muscle. But thanks to my new found love for fitness with a new mindset, I'm welcoming the challenge. I have many more challenges too, such as flexibility and strength as well. 

 

Back to the diet portion, I am also 100% vegan this time around. For over 8 years, after my 4 months of eating a raw vegan diet, I included fish and eggs. This time around I've gained so much more knowledge on the foods and health and longevity that I've made different choices and I'm seeing results much faster along with feeling much healthier in the process. My energy is through the roof, which is amazing because one thing I suffered from was fatigue. So, here's a start to many blogs to share my new health and wellness journey on the Nutritarian diet with added fitness and mental well being:)

 

 

Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt

When I decided to adopt a whole foods plant based diet I was very excited about making all my foods from scratch. Incorporating fermented foods into my diet was no exception. Store bought yogurts usually have preservatived to keep items fresh, so when I saw a video about vegan home made yogurt I researched so many recipes and watched so many versions that I had a hard time choosing which one to try.
I knew an instant pot would be life changing after finding so many other recipes that I was dying to try, so when I saw it had a yogurt option I purchased one immediately! I look forward to posting many more recipes, yogurt being the first:)  

Inspired by Thomas
Ingredients:


Almond Milk

• 1 cup (140g) raw almonds
• 3 cups (750ml) filtered water

Yogurts

• 2 and 1/2 cup homemade almond milk
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• Probiotics (60 bill)
• 2 tsp maple syrup for the probiotics to feed on 
• Optional: seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
• For my second batch I added a small amount of agar agar as a thickener, this is a vegan option instead of gelatin
  

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Instructions


Almond Milk

1. Soak the almonds for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and add to a blender with the 3 cups of water. Blend on high-speed for 30-40 seconds, until smooth.
2. Place a nut milk bag over a large glass bowl. Pour the almond milk into the bag and twist to close. Using your hands, squeeze to extract as much almond milk as possible. You should end up with about 2 and 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Yogurts

1. Combine the almond milk (2 and 1/2 cups), xanthan gum in a medium saucepan. If you want to make a sweetened yogurt, also add the maple syrup and vanilla seeds. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 185°F (85°C), whisking constantly to make sure all the gum is fully dissolved and don’t stay at the bottom. Remove from heat at soon as it reaches 185°F, or just before it boils. Transfer to a large glass bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until the temperature reaches below 110°F (43°c). This is important, if the milk is too hot it will kill the cultures. Using a thermometer is strongly recommended.
2. Once the milk is at the right temperature, stir in the probiotics or yogurt starter. Give it a good whisk to break any “lumps”, and make it fully smooth again. Pour into glass jars and close the lid, or use plastic wrap to cover if you aren't using an instant pot that has a yogurt potion.
3. Place the jars in a baking dish filled with warm water, they should be half immersed. If you have a yogurt maker, skip this step and just put the jars into your machine.
4. Place the baking dish with the jars in a 105°F preheated oven for 6-10 hours depending on how sour you like your yogurts. Personally, if you prefer them with a milder flavor so I let them culture for only 6 hours.
5. Transfer the yogurts to the refrigerator and let cool for at least 8 hours.
6. Enjoy for breakfast or dessert, sweetened with some maple syrup and topped with granola, fresh fruits, jam or nut butter. Always give the yogurts a good stir before eating!
7. The yogurts will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Save the almond pult to make something else with it.
   
   
   
   
    For a thicker consistancy I drained the whey at the bottom
   
   And for a less thick option I left the whey in one jar and stired it up. They were both amazing! Fresh, with the perfect amount of tang. I enjoyed them with some frozen blueberries and granola.

Potastic 6Qt 10-in-1

Potastic 6Qt 10-in-1 Programmable Electric Pressure, LCD Display,Instant Cooking with Stainless Steel Pot, Multi, Slow, Rice, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Saute, Steamer, Warmer

by Potastic

Browsing healthy plant-based meals, I kept coming across amazing instant pot recipies and new an instant pot would be life changing:) So, after hours of comparing different brands I came to find the Potasitc 6 quart that came at an incredible price! The reviews were great and it had all the features I was looking for. It arrived today and my first recipe is a vegan almond milk yogurt. I'll share the results in tomorrow's blog.

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Price:

$69.99 Free Shipping for Prime Members

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Multi Level Safety and Protection System:

Anti-Block Shield
Safety Indicator & Lid Lock
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Automatic Pressure Control
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Steam Release Vent
Lid Close Detection
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