Then and Now: My Journey Thus Far :)

Every once in a while, it's a beautiful thing to look back and see how far you've come from the person you were only a few short years ago.

My 21st birthday was a time of great joy and excitement. I had my own apartment, a great job, my amazing boyfriend, and a supportive family; life was really just beginning for me.  I was a point in my where I was just comfortable with everything around me and I let life take it's toll. Enter: alcohol calories, bar food, greasy hangover breakfasts, you get the idea. The weight slowly crept on and before I knew it, I was the heaviest I have ever been.

I'm not proud of the decisions I made back then regarding my health, but I am proud of the one decision I made that changed my entire life: Get healthy. I started a program in May 2012 that was a strict low-carb, nearly no carb diet. I avoided bread, rice, and pasta, and consumed only small portions of fruit and vegetables. My main caloric intake came from protein. Lots of lean chicken breast, turkey, salmon, cheese, and yogurt. In 6 months I had dropped 40 pounds simply from changing the way I ate. I went on the occasional walk during this time, but did little to no other form of exercise. As soon as I ended this program and began eating normally again, the weight began to come right back. Although this diet provided me with drastic results, I've come to realize that this is not a sustainable way to eat or live as a healthy individual. I spent the next several months trying to balance a social life, a full-time job, school, and everything else in between. I found myself stuck and unable to commit to eating right or working out.

Fast forward a few months later to May of 2013, when I found Tone It Up through Lauren Conrad's website. The founders of Tone It Up, Karena and Katrina, two beautiful, fit women had created an online community across the world of women who inspired each other to become the healthy and happy individuals I have grown to admire and draw strength from every day. After trying some of their workouts and recipes, I immediately purchased the Nutrition Plan and dove head first into one of their "Slim Downs". The wealth of information about health and nutrition they provide in the plan really gave me a strong base to start eating healthy again - the right way.  I learned to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats - even a few sweet treats as well! I discovered that being healthy is a daily commitment, and  you have to constantly work at it. Through Tone It Up, I have connected with like-minded women in my area who have become great friends, and an amazing source of motivation for those days when I just don't feel up to the task.

   2011                                           Today!

Since starting Tone It Up, I have not only began eating healthy again, (and going vegan!) I also started incorporating different types of work outs. I didn't want to just lose weight, I wanted to be strong and fit.  I began boxing at a local gym, jogging (yikes!), and strength training. I now have four 5k races, and a 10k under my belt, and this Saturday I'm doing a 5k obstacle course/mud run with a few girlfriends. In the coming months, I have another 10k lined up, and I also plan to sign up for a half marathon by the end of the year. Health and fitness has not only just become a daily part of my life, it is now one of my greatest sources of happiness. I've grown a lot over the past few years, and I've learned to fall in love with my body for the amazing things it has shown me I can do. I've managed to drop the 20 pounds I gained back last year and then some; plus now I've got some baby muscles!!

The past couple years have been a roller coaster, but I'm glad to say that I've found my stride. I've not yet reached my goals, but I'm a lot closer to them then I have ever been. Even when I do get there, I'll just be ready with some new, more challenging goals!  I've already come this far, and I can't wait to share the rest of my journey with you :)

True Life: I'm Addicted to French Fries

As I sit here eating my delicious Vegan Chocolate Cupcake, I am reminded that tomorrow marks the first day of Lent. I have struggled over the past few days with feelings of guilt about what kind of food I eat on a regular basis. I realize that while I do my best to be healthy (like still drinking one green juice a day!), I could definitely make some better decisions when it comes to food. Yes, it may be vegan, but that doesn't mean it is necessarily good. So, for Lent I've decided to give up my most recent vice: french fries. I don't know what has gotten into me, but I'm finding one way or another to get myself some french fries on a much too often basis. Like, almost daily. Its bad. My stomach hates me for it. My skin hates me for it. Generally, I feel pretty shitty about it, but I can't stop myself! I brought lunch to the office today; a healthy and savory eggplant tomato stew. But what did I do instead? I went to get myself a falafel pita and a side of fries... At least it was the "small" size, right?! I swear I could feel my eggplant stew silently judging me from the fridge, uneaten. Anyway, it's clear I have a problem. So I'm making it my mission to avoid the fried sticks of deliciousness for the next six weeks.
I'm pretty competitive by nature, so I feel like this will be an excellent way to challenge myself and start making better choices. Even if that choice is simply not to eat the damn fries.

What will you be giving up for Lent this year? What other ways are you encouraged to say adios the not-so-healthy foods?

Recipe: Vegan Black Bean Tacos

Ahhh! I knew I was putting off a blog post, but I didn't realize how much time had passed. I'm adjusting to a whole new schedule and it has definitely thrown me off my game.
I wanted to share a super simple recipe for a quick weeknight dinner!
I've definitely been in the mood for Mexican food lately, as I've had some variation of it several times within the last week. I got the original idea for tacos from Pinterest, and put my own spin on things :)

Vegan Black Bean Tacos (serves 2)

What you'll need:

4 corn tortillas (I used gluten free tortillas from Whole Foods)
1 can of organic low sodium black beans
1 tomato
1/4 of an onion
1/2 an avocado
Vegan cheese of your choice - I used Daiya cheddar shreds
Optional: add salsa, jalapenos, lime, or vegan sour cream for extra flavors

Instructions:
Rinse and drain can of black beans. In small pot, heat the beans on low. While you're warming the beans up, dice your tomato and onion and slice up your avocado. Warm tortillas in a pan or skillet until nice and hot. Layer beans and then toppings of your choosing and enjoy!

This recipe was so stinkin' easy, filling, and delicious! I'm the laziest cook on the planet, especially when it comes to dinner. The faster I can make it without sacrificing health benefits or flavor, the better. I absolutely enjoyed this dish to the fullest, as did the boyfriend.  I will definitely be making these tacos again in the near future :)

What are your favorite quick go-to dinners? I'd love to hear more ideas!

A juice a day...

As many of you know, I was able to make the trip to Connecticut over the weekend to say goodbye to my Grandma as well as meet most of my Dad's side of the family. I knew that my Grandma had been living with diabetes for quite some time, but I had no idea how prominent it was within the rest of the family as well. Come to find out, several other family members are also living with Type 2 Diabetes.  Not only that, my Mother's side of the family also has a history of diabetes.
 
Finding out this information brought me back to when I was in elementary school. I can't recall exactly how old I was, but I remember this one particular doctor's visit well. I was in for a routine check up, and it was no secret that I was overweight. I could hear the doctor telling my mom that I was on the borderline for developing diabetes. The weight of that statement did not have the effect on me then as it would today. Shortly after, we met with a dietician who gave us guidelines as to what I should be eating on a daily basis. I can remember logging everything I ate for the next couple of weeks to show my doctor on my next visit. Apparently, after a while of doing this I was in the clear because nothing ever came of it even though I was still overweight.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2012. At 22 years old I was at my heaviest, weighing 243 lbs. I noticed my left foot had become swollen, and I developed a dull ache in my entire leg up to my thigh. I hadn't injured myself so I was completely baffled as to why this was happening. The internet was my worst enemy because when I Googled my symptoms, it pointed to terrifying outcomes like a blood clot, or I'm sure you can guess it, diabetes. After a few doctor's visits and an ultrasound in my leg, I was diagnosed with a peripheral venous insufficiency.

What that means is:
"Your arteries carry blood from your heart out to the rest of your body. Your veins carry blood back to the heart, and valves in the veins stop the blood from flowing back. When your veins have trouble sending blood from your limbs back to the heart, it is called venous insufficiency (VI). In this condition, blood does not flow back properly to the heart, causing blood to pool in your legs."

The pooling of blood in my leg is what was causing the swelling and pain. I was told my options were to lose weight which would help the symptoms, or surgically block off that vein. This was my rock bottom. I knew right then and there things had to change. I started a diet program and successfully lost 40lbs. When I found Tone It Up in May of 2013, I was inspired to not only lose the rest of my weight, but to do it in the most healthy way I can.

This weekend was a huge reminder to me of one of the most important reasons that I need to stay healthy. I absolutely have no plans for developing diabetes, and I am going to do everything in my power to avoid it. I decided I want to challenge myself by drinking one green juice every day. Juicing is such a fantastic and delicious way to deliver a megadose of vitamins and minerals to your body. It combats illness and is a great way to facilitate weight loss as well. However, juicing isn't a quick fix-all solution to any problem. I fully believe that juicing combined with a plant-based diet and regular exercise will provide me with the health benefits that I seek.

What is your story? What kinds of ailments have you been able to overcome, or are on your way to overcoming with a healthy diet?

Love Your Body

New Years Day marks the beginning of Tone It Up's annual "Love Your Body" series. It is a 6 week fitness challenge designed by Karena and Katrina of Tone It Up to inspire you to strive for your goals of getting lean and healthy. This is actually the first year that I am participating in this particular series, and it strikes a chord with me more now than I ever think it would have before. We are given these choices and opportunities in our lives for a reason; to either teach you something, or remind you of what you already know (even if you didn't want to admit it yet!) . This challenge for me is the latter.
Loving my body is not something I have ever done. I have always managed to point out everything I hated about it when I looked in the mirror. (As many girls do, unfortunately). With the help of the constant and amazing support from Tone It Up, the girls I have met through the program, and deciding to pursue a vegan diet, I can say that I have truly learned to love my body. I'm not even at my goal weight or where I want to be yet, but I have learned to appreciate myself on a whole new level.
My life has changed for the better. I'm happier with the way my body is looking, the sharpness and clarity of my mind, and simply for knowing that I'm consuming the best possible foods for my health. While prior to deciding to eat vegan I was still eating "healthy" as far as I was concerned but didn't realize there was a much better option out there for me. It was something I had never even considered. Now, with nearly 6 weeks of vegan eating under my belt, I truly do have a greater appreciation for my body. Within those 6 weeks, I ran my first 5k and 10k both! I've lost a good deal of weight, and I've realized how amazing our bodies truly can be when you treat them right.
So this challenge really couldn't have come at a better time. Loving my body is a whole new concept to me, but I feel more beautiful and confident than I ever have. I know now that I CAN push myself, and I CAN absolutely love myself no matter what that damn scale says. I have the diet portion of it under control at this point, so with the challenge my goal is to stick to the workouts as best as I can.
I can't wait to see what this series, and this year will bring :)