2021 RESET

Happy New Year to all. Let me begin with prayers and thoughts for all of those who lost loved ones, battled illness, and had anxiety and depression in 2021. It was a collective difficult year for all, and I send love and healing to those who are feeling the wrath of the past year. For some of us, like myself, we let our healthy lifestyle slip by the wayside during lockdowns and endless emotional, physical and financial stress. It was not an easy year to say the least.

My healthy lifestyle held on until the end of summer. Since August my weight went from 169 to 187. That’s a lot of weight. I didn’t exercise and I ate a lot of sugary vegan junk food. I’m human and it happens. I forgive myself and I’m moving on. I’m so ready for a healthy reset in January and I’m starting today. It’s about my health. I plan to document everything and share everything I do. I know I’ve dropped the ball many times since 2017, but my why is different now. I want good health, happiness and the ability to be creative without stress and anxiety. I’m going to really do my best to tackle my whole mind/body/spirit/creative passions.

To start January we cleaned the apartment, took down all the Christmas decorations and bought new flowers for the balcony and master bath. I meal prepped and we bought a blender. James my hubby gifted me a fit watch and a cleverfox planner to really get the new year going. My first goal is my health, to feel well in mind/body and spirit, so I begin this new blog journey with that. It begins with clean plant based food and movement, with stretching and meditation. Here’s the plan.

Current Weight 187 lbs

First goal 165, second goal 150, third goal 135-140.

Here are five things I’m doing in January to reset my body

1.Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen and a food journal, I will go into detail on my next post.

2.Meal Prep

3. Daily exercise, stretching and meditation, using my fit watch to track steps.

4. Smoothies! We bought a new blender and I am so excited to make nutritious and delicious green smoothies.

5. Whole food vegan diet no oil, with 1/3 tsp salt for iodine and no sugar except 1 teaspoon in my coffee with my soy milk. I plan to food journal.

This is the beginning. There’s so much more I plan to do but this post is about the basics. This is the reset, with brand new beginnings. January is for starting over brand new.

“Let Food Be Thy Medicine and medicine be Thy Food.”

Hippocrates

I wish you healing, love and light.
With Gratitude,

Rose

MY CHANGE FOR A TEN

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Happy Tuesday. This is the second week of my second half of my wellness journey ( as a vegan) and I’m starting off strong with a positive mindset. I began this blog in 2013 and I helped a new charity with each ten pounds. I lost a significant amount of weight and helped several charities. I was in the best shape I’ve been in since my twenties, and I regained my sense of purpose in the process. I had a lot of help from others in fitness and philanthropy. It was a team effort from friends who got involved.

When I decided to go all in on this blog again ( for real this time) I didn’t think I could take on a charity with each ten pounds. I am still doing charity projects separately, but I wasn’t sure one charity with each ten pounds could be managed, until I came up with a fresh idea to accomplish my original mission with a new twist. My new my change for a ten plan is to donate something every ten pounds, with the number ten. For example, ten cans of food to Food bank or homeless shelter. Ten pounds of cat or dog food to a animal rescue. You get the idea. I would also like to start a movement to get others to do the same. Challenge yourself to do something for others using the number ten. Send ten cards to family members, ten blankets to a homeless shelter. You can do what I did originally and motivate yourself to lose weight by helping others. It worked for me then and I believe it will work for me now. I weighed in yesterday and my current weight is 169 lbs. When I get into the 150’s I will be doing a giving back to an organization I am passionate about. I’m yet to decide my first ten pounds donation, so stay tuned.

I’m also running the Facebook group I founded called Letters From Uncle Louie, we send cards and letters to seniors in homes to let them know they are not alone. I feel like teaming charities with weight loss really helped me be successful the first time around, and keeping it up is very motivating to me now. I would love to inspire others to do the same. We get healthy and it helps us be happier, and helping others is so rewarding; it’s a real win win.

Have a wonderful day.

With Gratitude, Rose

BENDERFITNESS COLLABORATION

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http://www.benderfitness.

Happy Sunday to all. I have exciting news. I’m collaborating with Melissa Bender Fitness. I will be contributing one vegan recipe each week to be shared on her website. I love this because I admire all that she does. Her fitness website and YouTube channel are game changers. She’s completely authentic, real, and professional. Not only is she a fitness trainer, she’s a certified yoga teacher, a running coach and an Occupational Therapist. Her website has a wealth of knowledge and videos for any type of workout you are looking for. She’s my go to for yoga, workout videos, and professional advice and recipes for wellness. She has guided my journey and is one of my inspirations in life. Benderfitness is the complete package and it’s all free. No fees needed. I suggest you check it out.

Happy Sunday. I look forward to sharing my vegan recipes. Some will be healthy and some will be vegan comfort food because I’m a firm believer that living a life of balance creates joy. We all need more joy going forward.
Namaste, Manga, and Happy Cooking.
With Gratitude,

Rose

NATIONAL COOKIE DAY

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Happy first day of October. I get so excited at this time of year, I can’t wait to visit Trader Joe’s to see all the deliciousness of the season. It’s also #nationalcookieday. One of my favorite healthy chocolate chip cookie recipes I bake often I posted on this blog when we lived in San Francisco. I also used the cookie recipe for when I helped my friend with a bake sale for her dog Oreo. I know, it’s too perfect of a dog name on National Cookie Day. By the way, Oreos are vegan as are my cookies. I’ve included a screenshot below from my original blog post if you would like to try the recipe. They are healthy and I believe only 3 ww points per cookie. Made out of mashed bananas and one of my favorite cookies to share with my friends. My non vegan friends go crazy for them. I hope you are having a fantastic beginning to October. I find it’s the perfect time for me to begin anew on this blog, I just love the Autumn. Happy October and Happy Cookie Day to all. Love and light, Rose.

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WEIGHT WATCHERS VEGAN

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Happy Wednesday to all. I restarted my wellness journey after a long hiatus, and a lot of attempts to begin again. In that time period I did lose some weight, but I was not consistent and my fitness journey became non existent during the pandemic. That, coupled with a few minor health snags messed with my positive mindset. Now I’m back in a new frame of mindset, in a new apartment ready to make a fresh start here in Texas. I am a vegan and I’ve written for VegWorld Magazine. I’m proud of my vegan lifestyle.

I’ve decided to use the WW ( Weight Watchers) app to keep accountable. It really helps when you are trying to lose weight. My starting weight a week ago was 174 lbs, and I currently weigh 170 lbs. My short term goal is to be in the 150’s, and my long term goal is to be around 135-140 lbs. I have wellness goals and fitness goals that I will get into at a later date. I’m chasing the whole package ( happiness and health) not just the shiny ribbon. It’s great to look better but so wonderful to feel better.

If you are wondering how WW online works I will share my plan. I signed up for online only, which is $19.99 a month. With that I downloaded the free app and there I count my daily points and journal my food. The app tells me how many points my food costs, and the search engine has most foods listed so it’s a seamless way to stay accountable. My budget is 30 points because I chose the green plan with the most points but less free point foods. Fruits and veggies excluding corn and avocado are all free. Once a week ( Monday’s) I weigh in and record my weight.

There’s two other plans too, Blue and Purple. Purple has the most free foods. A lot of vegans choose that plan but Green works for me best. I don’t need brown rice to be free.

That’s how I’m beginning my blog this time around. If you followed me before I sponsored charities with each ten pounds I lost. Now I’m working on my weight loss, wellness, and overall happiness and doing charities but not at every ten pounds. Is National Love People Day so it’s the perfect moment to share. I founded a Facebook group called Letters From Uncle Louie and we send letters to Seniors in homes. It’s really growing and I could be prouder of what we are accomplishing. If you would like to write to a senior twice a month come over and join our page, and message me and we can pair you with a senior. Giving back is part of my happiness journey, to be of service to others, so it’s completely relevant to this blog. I’m working on my outer and inner health. Let me know if you are beginning a wellness journey despite the crazy year we are having. It’s made me realize the time is now. Happy Wednesday to all and love and light.
With Gratitude,

Rose

THE TIME IS NOW

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Get busy living or get busy dying.
The Shawshank Redemption

I often here people say they wish they would have started their health journey a year ago. If I learned one thing from the last three years it’s to live that quote from The Shawshank Redemption with a vengeance, so next year I don’t have to wish I would have already started my wellness path. So much has happened in the last few years yet I feel like I could have accomplished so much more. I am proud of my writing and publishing credits, and I worked hard and kept my family from sinking in a crisis. These are all things to be proud of, but I wasn’t consistent here on this blog. I gained half my weight back and did not keep up with my fitness journey. So today here I am, at 170lbs ready to get busy living my healthiest life. It’s going to take work to be consistent again, it’s been years since I’ve been successful at being consistent. What else do we have but time? So here I am, starting now. I’m done with waiting for tomorrow to come. Tomorrow is today. Are you with me?
With Gratitude,

Rose

THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE

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Let Food Be Thy Medicine and Medicine Be Thy Food.
Hippocrates

Monday, I’m here for you. I’m starting brand new on Monday. I need a health reset, a 30 day challenge. Something to motivate me going forward. Since my Candida I’ve expressed I do not feel my best. I’m having gastrointestinal issues. My fun vegan foods do not make me feel any better, they need to be once in a while occasional treats. It’s time to get back to nature and food in it’s most pure form. So for thirty days I’m going to get back to whole foods plant based meals with no oil and very low on salt and no sugar. I can do this. Monday it begins along with my restart of my fitness journey, and better time management of all my goals. I’m working on my life as a whole and tackling each area individually, beginning with wellness and health. I’ve broken it all into categories that I will share later this week. The first category is the most important, wellness and health. This weekend I’m doing a few healthy grocery store hauls. I plan to eat clean whole plant foods and move a lot more. Hello Monday!! Hello blog, I’ve missed you and treated you like a fair weathered friend, but that’s about to change starting 8/10/2020. I challenge you to try this with me, just for one month. Happy Monday to all and Happy Health.

love and light, Rose

REFRAMING

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It’s been forever and I day since I’ve blogged. To be frank I lost my way in my fitness journey when I got Candida Oral Thrush. The anti-fungal medication caused me to have some gastrointestinal issues that are still lingering now. With that a bit of health anxiety, worrying that aches and pains could be something more. All of this just became too much, and I realized I need to be my own health advocate and get back on track. Down the line I will have my back checked to see why it hurts, but I believe I can heal it with fitness.

My new way of blogging won’t be about the scale. I’m going to be focusing on my wellness/fitness/health/and happiness. I’m going to build good health from the inside out. My focus will be fitness and clean vegan whole foods plant based way of eating. I’m going to limit oils, sugars and salt. I’ve not felt well in a while and that is my motivation. I recently had all my bloodwork come back stellar and now I need to get back my strength, fitness and flexibility. No more inconsistencies. I’m going to break out the juicer a friend gave me. I’m going to purchase a water filter. I’m going to treat my body like a temple and not a trash can. In the months I’ve not blogged I’ve kept busy with writing projects and a new wonderful charity. I will post a link to that soon. I will be blogging and sharing my new journey to health. Happy Tuesday to all.
Starting weight 167 lbs

workout to start is this video, yoga sun salutations and speed walking. https://youtu.be/WDQWjiOhHbc

FIVE POUNDS CHALLENGE

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Happy Friday to all. I have been a bit under the weather through lockdown, allergies and now I’m being treated for a Candida infection. I got oral thrush. I’ve been on anti fungal meds now for one week and will continue to take them for another week. I’m finally starting to feel better. I’m not completely healed but I’m improving. My health anxiety through all of this has been a bit incapacitating. I haven’t been happy and worry consumed me. I’ve been somewhat productive in these last months, a few of my articles were published in VegWorld Magazine, and I’m writing three more for the year, and my poems were featured in two literary journals. However, I dropped the ball with working out, blogging and health. Anxiety held my happiness hostage.

It’s time for me to take back control of my thoughts and my health starting today. It’s time to get it together and chase happiness and peace of mind. I’m starting an after lockdown weight loss challenge and you are welcome to join me. I’m going to lose 5 lbs at a time, drawing this diagram in my notebook. My goal weight is 137 lbs and I’m currently 172 lbs. So in my planner I will draw 8 squares. Each square is 5 lbs. That doesn’t sound that difficult. I’m watching my calories on the Loseitapp. Dealing with Oral Thrush has caused some difficulties eating but I will get through. I’m also going to work on my fitness. I’m starting with 1 mile a day of running or walking. I will probably do more but that’s the goal. More meditating, yoga and finding my way back to myself. So much to work on but health is my why. I want to be healthy, and I’m talking control of that with healthy vegan eating and getting my mind and body back into shape. Are you with me? If you find having a lot of weight to lose is intimidating, start with me the 5 pound challenge. We can do it, our health depends on it. Daily small steps become big leaps later. You just have to make the decision to start. Love and Light, Rose

WEEKEND NURTURING

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Weekends were special occasions in my childhood home in Cleveland, Ohio. They were simpler times, but definitely special in a unique way. Fond memories of my Mother nurturing us through food. I’m transported back to our living room on a Saturday night, getting ready to watch Love Boat and Fantasy Island, the popular television shows of the time. I can almost smell the delicious cakes my mother often baked. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon enveloped our humble environment and made home feel extra comforting. We may not have owned the fanciest of furnishings, but her food made our home a popular destination with all of our friends. There was always enough to share when they showed up on our doorstep, and show up they did. The way she nurtured all of us through her love of sharing what she did best has resonated with me throughout my years.

Sharing your gifts is an important virtue I’ve learned, as well as cooking and baking. I’m still friends with all of my childhood friends, and they too continue to share their gifts with others. In a time when we are focusing on a virus that multiples silently, I prefer to try to focus on how kindness multiples; kindness feels better than illness. Of course we are taking it seriously, praying for all and social distancing; I just wish to redirect my energy in more positive pursuits. More joy and less worry. My anxiety needs a break.

Through this quarantine I’ve been cooking a lot more, and baking. Before the Pandemic began I often baked vegan goodies for my co-workers. There’s nothing like sharing your homemade creations and sharing smiles with those around you. Last week I baked a yellow cake, per request of James, and the scent of deliciousness brought me right back to those moments with Mom. He loves when I cook for him and I love nurturing him through food. These are the moments I’m trying to recreate and relish as we retreat within the safety of our four walls of domestic life. It’s these homebody moments that brought me back to my childhood.

Going forward I plan to take some of what I’m doing and try to have more of a domestic life, even after the world opens back up. Slowing down had its benefits. I bought new bedding in December, nothing expensive, but I was saving it for the next move. I decided to do some spring cleaning this weekend, and make the bed to enjoy now. My dear friend Kristen gave me the loveliest set of dishes, I think I’m also going to unpack those. I’m going to make home as homey as it can be. Get busy living, right?

Of course I’m going to be cooking and baking healthier versions of treats, it’s too easy in quarantine to make unhealthy comfort foods, and I’m practicing portion control for those moments I do cook vegan splurges. Balance is as important as good health. Today is day three of starting my new wellness journey and I’m feeling very confident in my ability to go the distance again as we continue to social distance. Stay home and stay safe!!
Love and Light and Happy Cooking And Baking, Rose