Thursday, September 10, 2020

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:)