Easy changing!

I have gone two days without pepsi. I still crave it - especially when I watch NCIS. (Caff-Pow!)
But other changes are coming along nicely. I actually look at ingredients to make sure what I am buying doesn't contain HFCS or any animal ingredients (sigh, so long Stove Top - has both!)
But I always find tons of new items that make the vegetarian transition easier! Sunsational sunflower seed milk is awesome - as is the Silk Nog!
Am I going vegan? Not yet, but when I find things that help replace animal stuff and make life a little easier on the cows, well that makes me happy. Even though I only eat/drink organic dairy when I have it, every little bit counts.
I think thats about it - off for the night - and to my homemade apple crisp!

It's a blah day-but I can put some pixie dust in

Yeah, it's one of those days. I just feel like I'm in a rut. Perhaps if I just do a bunch of creative stuff tonight it will get better. I want to get a couple craft projects going to upload to etsy tomorrow. I also want to get some writing and research done. Three hours til I get home. Then let the fun begin!

Motivation

All today at work I have been so motivated! Well not for work here, more crafting at home, but I digress. I can only hope I can keep this wave of motivation going through dinner and get a bunch of stuff done this evening! Keep moving forward!!! :)

It's a brand new day

Wow!!!! I crafted and I shall continue today. Started an excel spreadsheet to track expenses and income. I believe most everything is getting going. In the words of Winston Zedemore "we have the tools, we have the talent". Oh yeah about that meat eating business - I have since stopped and realized its just not good. It was a momentary weakness and I now remember the many reasons I stopped. Moving forward!

Oh the fun

So I went backwards a bit - and had a little bit of chicken in my sandwich. And yes, today I had a ton of vegetarian remorse for that.
But tonight I will be moving forward in two ways - vegetarian panini - homemade, and getting some things ready to craft tomorrow! Etsy here I come!
I also plan to get some more clutter clearing done tonight and tomorrow- love this kick of cleaning - some days it isn't as strong - but I keep plugging nonetheless! Yay!

Delutter = Destress

Whoa! More decluttering everywhere I go - and more to be done it seems! I love the feeling after getting things organized, even if I realize there is more to be done! I just want to tackle the coffee table and secretary desk - those are like weekly things - and then I am set for the day. After that its....drumroll please - crafting time! I have finally set up my etsy account and I need to get down to business! Lots of seriously great ideas - just need to get going on them! Well enough typing for now - there's cleaning to be done!

My Ode to the Bean Burrito

In my quest to go vegetarian - I have found what could be labeled as my go-to fast snack/meal. It is the bean burrito.

Bean Burrito, you are so easy to make.
I whip up some refried beans, with added garlic seasoning to taste.
All I add is guacamole and sour cream, wrapped up in a tortilla.
In less than five minutes, I have something healthy and yummy!
Bean Burrito, you fill me up without making me feel icky.
My belly reacts happily after my burritos.
You taste amazing and are easily changed up.
Sometimes I even get crazy and add tomatoes -fresh chopped.
So thank you, Bean Burrito. You are my new best friend.

Weekend of Awesome

Oh it was a wonderful weekend! Chip and I spend Saturday just being together and relaxing and having a great time. We went to Cracker Barrell for lunch and I found myself reading even the candy labels - that whole vegetarian thing. Sure, it was hard to resist the gummies, but I did find some other tempting treats - don't worry.
Today was UU Church with the water ceremony and the annual picnic. Now that was tons of fun! The food was amazing, and Chip's pasta salad was a hit! Our scavenger hunt team did wonderful - I even found a thistle! (pretty sure the first one I have ever found - thanks Mother Nature for helping us out!) We met a lot of wonderful people - and I am sure we will be seeing them a lot more!
But the weekend is slipping away - sigh, but tomorrow brings another day of doing fun things. Hopefully some creative things tomorrow!

Whirlwind!

Today I decided to tackle the clutter around the house. And tackle I did!
Moved around some magazines, did a bunch of laundry and dishes that piled up over the weekend (picnic at the house). I also went through all the junk mail, catalogs and miscellaneous mailings in the downstairs enough to recycle, shred and file the important stuff. The mega task was the ominous seven plastic sterilite drawers that continuously block my scrap area. Four are empty with contents put in better places. One has miscellaneous arts and craft supplies, but located under a table in stealth. The other two that remained are now in the basement with miscellaneous yet organized school supplies that need not occupy space in the upstairs. I still have much more to go - but I am loving this organizational kick. Last week I tackled parts of the bedroom - and that still needs more work too. But these dents are very visible. Can't wait to see the finished product. Goal date - mainly end of the week - I want to get some serious crafting done on the long weekend! :)

Overhaul

What an overhaul weekend. Finally committed to eating healthy and vegetarian - and I haven't really had any breaks (ok the pepsi on saturday was bad- but the vegetarian thing has been working for over a month now!)
I am also in the process of overhauling the house. Nothing crazy - just trying to make the space less cluttered and more welcoming. And workable. I have a fantastic space for crafting that rarely gets used. Bah.
To finish up, here are my wonderful random things of the weekend -
Bearitos refried beans, organic curried cashews, and local organic-multi-colored cherry tomatoes!

Moving right along

It was a stressful day. I even drank a pepsi. Yuck. However, I'm not tired yet, and I decided it would be a good night to devote to some writing - maybe book one or two - not sure, maybe both. I need to keep moving forward if I ever want to break out. I feel like I have hit the rut again - but the prospect of going to Florida in about a month makes it a little better. I have to get some outlines going for book research that month too. Thats about it for now - hopefully tomorrow I will write even more. Note to self - set up writing area on the front porch.

Haven't changed in a while....

Ok, so I got off track and started eating not-so-wonderful things again. My motivation has returned - it is the call of vacation and the promise of bikini weather.
I have decided to break out the super healthy diet - including mostly water to drink (occasional iced tea and milk in cereal and stuff) and getting rid of soda and junk that has crept into my diet. I took a break from derby because life got hectic. Chip needs to work on his wellness, as do I. We shall conquer together and get healthy together. Yay!

My stomach has ceased the assault

Feeling better today. Perhaps some sort of fiber overload, as my system is not super accustomed to the whole vegetarian business yet. But I digress..
Finances are actually coming along a little better than I expected. Sure, I am trying to figure out the next few months, but it will come along. And school is finally DONE, which means I can actually focus on reading and catching up on all of the wonderful things I have missed over the past almost seven years. Like reading lots and lots, watching some good tv and movies, gardening, etc. The list goes on. On that note, I made a stack of books that I have neglected and will finish them within the week. Yay!
On to a somewhat healthy evening snack and perhaps a little straightening.

What the?

Seriously...I ate healthy food today and somehow I feel yicky. Like my tummy hurts a lot yicky! Hmmm...what did I eat yesterday? A couple healthy snacks, good breakfast, salad for dinner.....nothing too crazy at all! Is this some kind of weird detox prank? Ah well. I will take it if it means that I will eventually feel better and have less of these shenanigans. After the belly calms for a bit, I will probably hike to the kitchen and make a light snack to further the calming.

Almost there......stay on target

Final draft has been submitted....almost done. Just in time for the #PG 1Wk challenge. One week of excercise, super healthy eating and meditation. I am soo ready for this - and I have goals like crazy!
I'm gonna clean, and garden like there's no tomorrow. I want this place to be a true reflection of me, and not just a jumbled mess.
Now that one hurdle is almost complete, I have to focus on my dreams. Keep moving forward.

Live and learn

Ok fine. I deviated from my healthiness for a day of pizza, microwave popcorn and soda made with the mother of all bad stuff (you know what I mean). I paid for it with one of the worst bellyaches in quite some time, possibly in years. You get to a point where you feel so good from eating the good stuff that you feel invincible. I was at that point. What the heck, I said. Just a little won't hurt. Sure did. Ok healthy food gods. I get it. If I want pizza and popcorn I will make it for reals, and not the junk way. And soda is slowly on the way out - but I still love my old fashioned stuff.

War on Junk

Oh I was good this weekend. We went shopping and bought most all healthy foods. I also cleaned out part of the kitchen and rid ourselves of anything that could be constituted as junk. I tried out Earth Balance buttery spread and it was suprisingly yummy! (again, no guilt with butter..well less than regular anyways). We also tried these kale chip things.....OMG! Delicious! I want lots and lots of them. It's amazing how many cool healthy foods and snacks are out there! Still looking for more...but right now the kitchen and dinner calls!

Merrily on my way to nowhere in particular~

I am working on the serious business of budgeting, trying to whittle down the bills and finishing schoolwork so I can graduate on time. Great. But the wheels in my head have been cranking away -and I have like ten or more plans of things I would want to do. And it doesn't seem to all mesh together. Hmmm.... But I will be consulting with two trusted friends to see how to make it all work. Will there be some sacrifices? Most likely. Will I have to give up some things in the short term to make the long term goals happen? Yeah. But I am convinced it will all be worth it. My first goal is to go through my house and organize. Yes, just that. If I know where things are, and everything is readily available that I need -things will run a little more smooth. Pics to be posted whenever this is done. :) For this week -it's all cleaning and research. Let the fun begin!

As Chip said...."Oh H.R. Puffinstuff!"

Today was such a good Monday! It was beautiful out and work went well. I had a mega healthy lunch - and vegetarian too! It would have been vegan, but the only mayo I had was regular. Note to self - Vegenaise on shopping list. Then I went home, windows open, and cooked a super healthy dinner of cabbage, potatoes and peas. Vegetarian again - I love butter - I admit it. But I am making progress. Chip did too - realized that chicken nuggets do not healthy make him, and chucked them out. And then I wrote in the book I wish to eventually have published. No leaks yet, sorry....lol. I accomplished things tonight. Oh yeah, while dinner cooked away I did some dishes too. Let's see if this trend continues tomorrow. I am gonna try the whole walking to work thing again too. Sweet! Off to make a healthy lunch ready for the morning!

Still not the changes I want

As I sit here, I realize I too often let time tick away while I check out in front of the television. There's a whole big craft room next door not being used. And I sit in bed and come up with great writing ideas that are trapped in the recesses of my brain. What did I change today? Sure my eating habits are a lot better, but I whine about fatigue that is mainly created by my sedentary-ness. What the heck. Ok I really want to see the rest of this show, but after I am going to plunk my behind in the craft room. To make the transition better - I will bring in the laptop, maybe put on something on netflix or pandora.

Halfway

Aside from the amount of soda I drank today, I ate healthy otherwise. Especially the mango I decided on for a late night snack. Trying not to eat way heavy stuff, like the french fries some unnamed subject likes to taunt me with in the evenings. I wanted to do a bunch of big projects, but I decided to do some other little ones I have been neglecting for way too long. These little neglected projects took me just as long to accomplish, maybe more but I am glad they are done. Maybe I will get some done tomorrow.

Recharged

I mostly ate healthy today and tried some new stuff too. Like drinking water throughout the day. And I made some stir fried bok choy...yummy. Homework is getting done, and I am starting some other projects as well. I have tons of ideas and it's time to set them in motion. Especially if I want this super awesome life I dream of. Will there be tough decisions ahead. You bet. Will I be sad at times or confused? Probably. Do I have more conviction about moving ahead every day? Definitely. No more waiting for the right time to start; I'm starting now. Oh yeah - from now on I am drinking more water, less Pepsi.

Whoops

It's been a long week and I was exhausted for most of it. Instead of eating healthy foods, I broke down and ate pizza, subs, and other totally not-good-for-me stuff. Today I did a little bit better and decided to snack on some Mary's Gone Crackers (yum!) and Tofutti cream cheese. Dinner is being warmed as we speak - rosemary potato wedges and Morningstar corn dogs. All frozen? You bet, but on a Friday night after this long week - it's so healthy in comparison! I will probably finish out the evening with some berries or something else healthy for a snack. Nice.

New start? Just maybe....

Ok so, its been a tough month. But last weekend I did some spring cleaning and got a bunch done. Especially my craft room which will be complete this weekend!!! Anyways - it's gonna be a solid week of homework, work, derby and such. I don't think I have much time to myself, but I will probably carve out Saturday night for a movie night with the guy. I have to look at the upcoming weeks to get things ready for my garden and stuff - and most important to get school work done and carve out a weekend just to myself and what I want to get done. Busy, busy, busy!

Healthy Yummies

I decided to forego the list and do the grocery shopping without buying all the usual stuff. Try something new for a change. I went to the Asian market first -and found some delightful goodies in the form of tofu, veggie gyoza and umeboshi plums. Other snacks found their way into my basket...but I digress.
Then I went to the grocery store and bought tons of veggies, some vegan cheese slices, seitan, etc etc. Considering what I bought, only a few not so healthy things made it into the cart. The best part? I feel so much better eating this stuff!

Tomorrow-
1. Get planting stuff ready for Saturday
2. Get a jump on the spring cleaning
3. Eat a nice breakfast (I put this in a different place...maybe that will work better)

2 outta 3

From yesterday's list -
finishing homework
read at work

that whole walk thing didn't happen - didn't sleep well and winter came back to NY. Excuses ? Heck yes. One day I need to wake up and say no more. Is that tomorrow? Who knows. I didn't eat great today but I at least got some healthy stuff in for my lunch(adukis and some fruit). More healthiness tomorrow and most likely another healthy grocery trip on Friday. Whataweek.

Tomorrrows list
1. Healthy breakfast
2. Get school questions answered
3. Clean fridge and make list
if time permits - go to practice

Holy Upside Down!

The detox has gone awry, I ate copious amounts of notsogreat food.
I am so behind in my classwork, mainly because I have lost focus.
I have ideas, but I feel that I don't have the time to really do anything.

It's ok though. It's spring and time for changes. I think a small to-do list would work nicely every day. Today it's finish homework and start to clean scrap room. I have a beautiful new desk to work at. And we have a nice little work room upstairs, set up by Chip and decorated by me. I think I will finish the evening by packing some healthy lunches and getting my clothes ready for the rest of the week.

Tomorrows list
Wake up and take a walk, eat a decent breakfast.
Do some reading on my lunch at work.
Finish my homework for Thursday.

Thats it. If I do more, great.

I sorta behaved

Today was the Meet John party....and I behaved myself pretty good! Ok so I had a couple pepsi's, but all of my food choices were vegetarian. Some lovely mini quiche, hummus and pita, veggies and dip, pizza, the list goes on. Now, I'm relaxing before bed with my midnight snack of a grilled cheese with seitan. Perfecto! This vegetarian thing is getting easier and easier!

Super Health

OMG this is sooo cool. I have been mainly vegan/vegetarian for the last couple weeks and I can't believe how great I feel! Sure, I indulge in some not-so-healthy goodies once in a while, but since I eat so much healthier it doesn't seem to affect me as much! I have discovered Tofutti cuties- delightful soy ice cream sandwiches....and Lightlife veggie bologna (don't tell Hapanowicz). Thanks to the Kind Diet book, I also found Rice Dream mint pies....and they are delightful! So it's really cool to find all these new healthy things - so much more variety in my diet!

So it has been a while

Since my last post, I don't think I have eaten much meat, if at all. And I feel better for it. And so does my conscience. I read a lot of vegetarian stuff (the Kind Life website, Vegetarian Times, etc.) and continuously find tons of new food to try out! Just watched Spice Goddess this morning and she made this lovely cauliflower and sweet potato dish which will be our dinner tonight I think. Am I eating some cheese this morning? Sure. I admire people that are vegan but I personally love my dairy and eggs. Maybe one day I won't. I still plan on raising my own chickens for eggs - possibly this summer even. That way I would totally be able to know they were certified humane! And no, I would never turn them into an entree.
I have succumbed to the occasional pepsi. Would it help to think of it as throwback - with real sugar and not the dreaded HFCS? sort of. I love how the books I read discuss healthy eating as a journey and not an ultimatum. My mind wants me to stop it all right now, but in reality, I have to make changes over time. So yeah, the small changes are adding up. And I am feeling better all the time.

Day 2

Well today's changes hit kind of a roadblock. It looked to be an easy day but my puppy decided that it was also a good day to present some new challenges (in the form of figuring out how to go over and under the gate to the kitchen). Plus hubby is sick, and I am trying to make him eat healthier so that this whatever-he-has goes away soon.

I read all of my new Vegetarian Times magazine and continue to read The Kind Diet and I am continuously inspired. I was even checking menus in Arizona and Walt Disney World for entrees that I can try while I am on vacation, and it actually looks wonderful. I am trying more and more to be a vegetarian, but I cling to the dairy, eggs and seafood. Honestly though, regular meat products don't really appeal to me as much anymore.

Today I had a bagel with butter in the morning, with juice and a PBJ for lunch. Dinner was a simple brown rice and quinoa (Seeds of Change precooked packets!) My only vices today was a Pepsi (throwback, no HFCS) and a couple of Ghirardelli chocolates. Every day I feel better as I eat better, and that's pretty dang cool.

I didn't make it to derby practice, which bummed me out, but I will go on Tuesday. I will probably do some Wii fit in a while to get some exercise in, and then get my healthy lunch ready for work. Yeah, thats about it for the day.

Entry #1....the change begins

Why was it this year I decided to make some serious changes? I have no clue....no big life events, except finishing school pretty soon and getting a new job. I kind of got into a rut of eating crap all the time and I wanted to feel better more than I felt sicky. I also see people doing exactly what they want to do...and at 33 I'm still not sure what that will be for me. That's ok though - hopefully this blog will help me figure that out.

Today's changes: I worked on my scrapbooking for a while, worked with my puppy (for a while he got the whole fetch game...then it turned into just running back to me without the toy), and eating better...especially after I tried a Pepsi to discover that even one affects how I feel...and its not a positive impact either.

Aside from the Pepsi, I was pretty good on the eating front. Some Bolthouse farms juice, ravioli and shrimp for lunch, a Boca burger for dinner (celery and PB, and some guacamole on the side). For a snack I had some honey mustard pretzels, and a bite of a Toblerone. And I love to look in my fridge, freezer and cupboards and see loads of healthiness to choose from!

What will I do with the rest of the day? Who knows....but I will probably blog about it later.