thisveganthang-blog

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1st Week Down

It has been officially one week since I started my weightloss journey and I am down 8lbs. The food has not been difficult; meal prepping has made it very easy. I will say that I have missed having a few cookies and twizzlers but I know it is for the greater good. And I will be able to enjoy those foods once more just in moderation. I also realize I cannot let the thoughts of processed foods consume me. In order to get through these 6 months I must put those thoughts out of my mind.

On Saturday I meet up with a good friend and we had brunch at Four Friends Kitchen. I ordered the portobello grits, which was delicious along with a pear vanilla mimoso which was very good. The wait was a bit long but well worth it once we got our food. My food was quite filling and I got hungry in the evening about 7pm so I made myself a smoothie with just bananas, cacao powder, and almond milk. It hit the spot and I was still under my calorie intake for the day and was still able to hit my macros. I was very proud of myself and the choices that I made because I know it could have been so easy to indulge.

Exercise was good but tough getting back into the swing of things. I knew I was out of shape but my goodness this was a rude awakening. I generally like to workout in the mornings to start my day off right but have found that working out in the evenings has been good. I have completed phase one and now almost complete with phase two of the Slim in 6 series my first of the three Beachbody workouts I plan to do whilst I wait for the weather to get a bit better.

I decided to create a vision board of sorts for myself; a constant reminder of where I was and where I am headed. The board consists of the guidelines I wish to abide by, tracker of my progress every 2 months, goals I set for myself during the first 6 months, rewards for my progress, and a quote from Eartha Kitt that I like…”I fall in love with myself and want someone to share it with me” I also plan to print off before and after pictures along the way. Having more than just the scale to see my progress will be good for my state of mind.

Now onto week 2 I cannot wait to see the strength that I gain and the progress I make as I push myself more and more.

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New Year New Perspective

2018 is now behind me and 2019 will give me 365 opportunities to do something with the life I am living. My #1 goal is to take back my health. I have fallen so far down the rabbit hole in regards to my diet that it shows. When I moved to Denver I had been vegan for a year and had lost 75 lbs that was in 2015. In the three years that I have been here I have gained back 38lbs. Seeing it in black and white is just so disappointing. After flying to Georgia for the holiday I knew something had to give. I know that I need to step away from the delicious vegan junk food that has run a mock in my life. Although I have not had to buy new clothes due to the weight gain (had not bought too many clothes when I was 219) I am definitely ready to put in the effort and determination to transform my body. I know this will have to include my mind set; it is going to take a moment to reset my mind and taste buds but I have the motivation to do so and a goal set.

My first point of business is to clear out the pantry, freezer, and fridge. I am overhauling my diet to only include plant based whole foods. I will not be consuming any processed foods or pop. I will also be using MyFitnessPal (jaimchl) to track my meals and workouts. I have opted for a combination of meal and food prepping and working out at home versus the gym. I have a lot on my plate with the business, work, and taking care of the pups. I would just feel too guilty leaving them in the evening after being gone all day at work. I have a few workout programs that I will be using as well which will take me from January to July. Plus once the weather breaks I will be able to incorporate running into the game. This allows me to clear my mind and exercise the boys first thing in the morning.In July I will reevaluate my progress and where I want to go as far as reshaping my body at that point.

I am so focused on this goal right now and making my 2019 the best I can. I have just realized how important it is for me to be kind to myself and this includes my temple. You know the saying you only get one. And I plan not to mistreat her again. I know what my challenges are going to be seeing that I have been stagnant for so long. But I also know how good it is going to feel to get my body moving again. And plus I have some really cute clothes that I want to wear again. Especially the new stuff I just got from Adore Me. At my current size I just wear the same thing over and over.

I am excited to share this journey with you and plan to post every Wednesday of what my week looked like (meals, workouts, and mind set). And at the end of the month I will post progression pictures. I know the scale is just a part of the weight loss journey but it is not the end all to be all. Some weeks I know the scale may not move but I would have loss inches; so in this instance pictures would be nice. Wish me luck and if you are starting your own journey in 2019 best of luck to you as well. You got this!

#weight loss #journey #new year resolution

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Daniel Fast Food Inspiration

As I was flipping through the pages of a Good Housekeeping magazine that I finally got around to reading I came across a soup that looked really delicious. It was a roasted red pepper and tomato soup.

Personally I love taking a non-vegan recipe and veganizing it for selfish reasons (I am usually hungry) But really I love how it forces you to be creative in the kitchen. I can be a real creature of habit as far as my meals are concerned. A co-worker once asked me how can I eat the same thing over and over. My response is usually the same, when I find something I like I continue to enjoy it.

Now back to the soup; I decided that this looked yummy enough to duplicate and so that is what I set out to do. This particular recipe was not very difficult. I just needed to remove the dairy which was optional and the olive oil. I did not have any basil on hand but that’s okay.

For the recipe I used:

4 organic tomatoes

3 organic red peppers

½ large organic red onion

3 cloves of garlic

15.5 oz organic tomato sauce

1 cup water (you can use veggie stock too)

Various seasonings (paprika, italian seasoning, pepper, & tumeric)

I roasted the peppers, tomatoes, & onions for 45 minutes in the oven. Then I added the roasted veggies to the pot with the other ingredients. After about 20 minutes I used the immersion blender to make the mixture smooth. I topped with a teaspoon of hemp seeds and nutritional yeast.

When I have the soup for lunch at work, I will add avocado for a little healthy fat to keep me fuller longer. I was also thinking I could add pasta to the soup and a potato cheeze sauce for  a tomato mac n cheeze. In my mind this sounds really yummy so I am hoping it all comes together for a delicious meal.

I am really pleased with how everything came out with the soup; it is super yummy, filling, and a quick meal to whip up.  And the ingredients are things I have on hand regularly in the kitchen from week to week so it would be a great addition to my weekly rotation of meals.

I hope this inspires someone to think outside the box when you see a meal that just so happens to be or not be vegan.  Just remember to have fun in the kitchen!

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What I Eat in a Day 'Daniel Fast Edition'

Happy Wednesday! I thought I would share with you some of the meals I am currently enjoying on the Daniel Fast. I know it can be helpful to see what others are doing as a way to inspire your meal choices. It can be easy to get stuck in a rout.

Since it has been so cold out, I have been gravitating toward warm and comforting foods. So these meals below can keep you fuller longer, help to sustain your energy, and provide the warmth you need  on a chilly winter day!

I am usually hungry first thing in the morning but before eating I try to make sure I hydrate myself so I will have a glass of warm water with lemon. This does a couple of things; helps to flush your digestive system, re-hydrate the body, boost your energy,  and bumps up your vitamin C. Also because lemons contain pectin (a type of fiber) it keeps you feeling fuller longer; this allows me to go about my morning routine. I generally fix my breakfast of oats at 6:30am. Before the fast I would eat at home but since I am trying not to snack between meals, I either eat on the way to work or once I get to work.

Oats are my go to and this morning I decided to have cinnamon apple oatmeal. I do not measure out my food, I just eyeball it but I usually have about 1 cups of oats. I place my kettle on the stove to heat my water. While that is going I place my cinnamon, powdered vanilla, and sliced apples with a bit of lemon juice in a pot on the stove and let them cook to bring out the natural sugars. Once the kettle whistles I add the water to my bowl of oats and let that steep while the apples cook. And when they are done I add them to the bowl and mix together. That’s it! Super quick and easy plus tasty.

During the week lunch is usually leftover dinner from the night before. This just makes my life easy and for this day we have corn chowder on the menu. I made the chowder in the Instantpot which is a total lifesaver and includs yukon gold potatoes, carrots, red pepper, red lentils ( I know but adds to the thickness, protein, and fullness meter), coconut milk , garlic, onions, seasonings and sweet corn. I did not have any celery on hand but that’s okay. Oh man this chowder came out so stinking good I think I will make some brown rice to go on the side for later in the week but alone it was very filling.

Lastly dinner; during the week I am just so busy, which means I am looking for 30 minutes or less meals. This evening I decided to do my own take on tabbouleh. I pretty much had all the ingredients but I wanted it warm. I decided to added fresh spinach, which I sauteed with onions and garlic. Once the veggies were done I turned off the stove and added the cucumbers and tomatoes just to warm them. The quinoa I cooked in the Instapot (8 mins y'all) with just water. Everything was done at the same time so I just placed the quinoa in the pot with the veggies added the parsley and viola! Dinner was done, I had an avocado that I needed to use so I decided to add that on top for some healthy fat.

I am enjoying my food and all the vibrant colors makes me so happy. I hope I inspired someone to try something new, it really is fun getting in the kitchen with ingredients that motivate and energize ...see you soon!

#vegan #Daniel Fast #weightloss #breakfast #lunch #dinner

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Daniel Fast: Week 1 wrap-up

 We have come to the close of week 1 on the Daniel Fast. It has been a week, but I tried not to get discouraged and take each day as it came.

Again I started on the fast on Monday, January 8, 2018 and I was a bit under prepared as I was just getting back into town on a late Sunday night (I was gone for about 5 days). With not alot of compliant foods in the fridge I had to make an executive decision. I decided to eat a few of the foods I already had on hand like flavored oatmeal for breakfast, fruit cups in coconut water, and frozen fries. I am very aware of the decision and realize how this will affect any weight loss for this first week. I did go to the grocery store after work on Monday for a very quick trip to grab more compliant foods.

With getting back into the swing of things it has been a hectic  but I was able to sort things out by Thursday!

Let's start this off by getting to all of the good things for the week:

I was able to save money, by using what I had already on hand and just purchasing a few items from the grocery store. Although it was a hodgepodge week I made it through with a few coins in my pocket. I was also able to meal plan for a few days which is always a good thing. It saves you so much time during the week and being a busy bee I need all the help I can get. Which is why I spent a few minutes writing down meal plans and a grocery list for next week. This will maximize my savings, time, and accountability.

Next, although I did eat non-compliant foods I still felt good. Sometimes eating while you travel can be a daunting task especially if you are vegan. But I tried to make good decisions every chance I got while trying to keep it simple and easy. But eating more whole foods always makes digestion easy for me and my skin really appreciates the lack of processed foods in my diet.

Lastly, I was able to read a few chapters from the book of Daniel...this is of course the Daniel Fast! But building a closer relationship to God is one of my goals during this time. After reading I decided to write down one of the verses that resonated with me into my planner. I am really happy about that decision. Everytime I open my planner for that week I read that verse and it sparks a joy within me.

Coming from a very stressful event in my life and beginning this fast I knew there would be struggles and I would like to share those. Not having the time to meal prep was a drawback because I felt as though I did not have plan for my week. Even though I made it thru I know that having a plan definitely makes you more successful.

Returning from out of town and getting back into the swing of things has been a little tough and staying true to the fast was not a top priority. I feel sad to say this but it is the truth. I had to go back to work straight away, I had to unpack and wash, I was staying up late with my thoughts, I had to get the dogs back onto to their schedule, which can be stressful for them because I am away again after being gone for days.

Since I had so much going on for the week I felt rushed in a sense. I felt as if there was just not enough time in the day and I know everyone can say that but my hope is now that this first week is past me I can be more successful in my second week.

For the New Year I decided to get myself a planner, best decision of my life. I have always gotten those Dollar Tree planners (which are nice) but this year decided to go for something with a little more sustenance. This has helped me a great deal with my second week of planning. I was able to write out my meals for next week, create my grocery list (went shopping on Sunday), and jot down any other ideas.

After all of this I was still able to lose a little weight, maybe not as much as I could have but a loss is a loss in my book.

My starting weight: 241.5 lbs

My ending weight: 240 lbs

I am super excited for the new week ahead...armed with the right tools success is on the horizon.

 Wish me luck!

#vegan #weightloss #Daniel Fast

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Daniel Fast Intro

Last year my cousin Darci sent me a text asking if I wanted to join her husband and herself on the Daniel Fast. I was unfamiliar with what exactly that consisted of so I asked her to send me some information on the fast and I would check it out to see if it was something I could do. To my surprise I was basically already on the Daniel Fast except I was indulging in processed and sometimes fried foods. But I was excited because I had been wanting to do away with so much processed food in my diet; mainly BBQ pringles and Hot Tamales!

I told her I was on board; I asked her when do we start. She told me January 1st and the fast would last for 3 weeks. As you all may know 21 days is the time needed for a new habit to stick. My hope was that I could reset my eating habits because ever since I moved to Denver junk food has made itself a staple in my diet and so has the twenty pounds I gained. Well I had success during that time to the tune of 12 lbs. But here we are again in 2018 and I have back slide so much I do not think I have gone without some of form of junk food for a least a week. I am so ready to shed this excess weight, get on task with eating 90% whole foods, and get back into the kitchen to create some tasty meals for myself. Although a bit late this year (started January 8th) I am still excited.

 The Daniel Fast was a Spiritual Warfare Fast that Daniel needed to do in order to battle a great spiritual hindrance that he was dealing with which was the Prince of Persia. During the Daniel Fast you are encouraged to read the story of Daniel, pray, and build your relationship with God. It is an opportunity to receive personal healing, understanding, and/or clarity. I think that this is exceptional because at the beginning of the year you get an opportunity to reset not only with your diet but also your relationship with God. So many times life gets in the way and we fall short of cultivating the type of relationship we want with him. So I am thrilled to put this into action as well.  Although I do not have a church home I am doing the fast with; I can still create how I would like to study the story of Daniel and how I would like to add prayer into my day.

When you look at the list of things that you cannot have on the fast it looks daunting but it really is not. My only concerns were the mixed reviews that I saw on whether you could have vinegar and nutritional yeast. Vinegar I will be ok with because I could substitute lemon or lime for a splash of acidity. But the nutritional yeast is my real concern since I use it in and on pretty much every dish. Yeast is one of the items on the list that you cannot have but nutritional yeast is deactivated so I figured I could have it. Not only does it have a cheezy flavor but it provides me with essential B vitamins.Last year I used it sparingly but I have decided that this year I would omit it since I am still not sure.

Also this year during the Daniel fast I will document some of my meals, weekly wrap ups, and weigh ins. I want to be held accountable for trying to adhere to this fast. I am hoping that by sharing I will be able to inspire someone else to start the Daniel Fast and give them ideas of what types of foods are available to them.I want to also incorporate exercise into the daily regimen. This will begin next week as I re-adjust to daily life after being out of town last week.

 After the completion of the Daniel fast on January 28, 2018, I will begin the potato cleanse. I belong to a Facebook group and it has been dubbed the potato reset. I will focus on this for 30 days.

With a bit of traveling in the future of 2018 I want to be in the best possible shape I can. Not only for my health and happiness but one of my New Year’s resolutions was to be the best version of myself and this starts with how I feel everyday.

 Wish me luck!

#vegan #Daniel Fast #spiritual #weight-loss

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My Day of Thanks Vegan Feast!!! (at Denver, Colorado)

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Sometimes you just want a pumpkin waffle for breakfast! Thanks @traderjoes (at Denver, Colorado)

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Grab this today from @mykingsoopers! They had a cpl more flavors but I'm partial to chocolate 😊 was good will definitely be trying the others! (at Denver, Colorado)

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Happy #NationalDogDay to my 2 favorite #dog-phews Midnight and Rambo!!! I just love these goof balls😘

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Rambo's Vegan Story

Rambo is my sister’s dog which makes him my dog-phew. In November my sister had to move unexpectedly and the new home she found did not allow dogs due to the previous tenants. I tell you what; I sure hate when other folks mess it up for the people who follow. Anywho my sister and her family’s move in date was December which meant I got a new member added to my little family. Midnight and I welcomed Rambo with open arms.

Rambo’s story is a little different than Midnight. While Midnight was able to transition to a vegan diet Rambo was converted overnight. And let me tell you I have never been so proud of him. He did not miss a beat or a meal! My sister affectionately calls him Tater Tot (I think it has more to do with his roundness and color!) and although I was worried that the vegan kibble would not go over smoothly with him I am proud to say that it has. Although I do not measure out his food he does eat twice a day.

Our schedule is consistent during the week because of my work schedule and so we rise pretty early in the morning between 4-4:30am and I leave the house at 7:30am. During that time I feed the dogs since I will be gone during the day and they do not have access to their food. Midnight is use to this schedule because we have done it since I gained guardianship of him 2 years ago. But I was a bit worried about Rambo because I did not have the luxury of prepping him.

The first day he ate at about 6am but on the second day he chose not to eat in the morning. Oh man when I got home and after we returned from our walk, Rambo dashed to his bowl. I believe he was hungry and ever since that day he makes it his business to eat in the morning. He also receives treats to snack on while I am work. His last meal of the day is dinner at about 6pm and about 2 times during the week I add wet vegan food to his diet in which I mix in an oil.

With the introduction to a different diet and more exercise Rambo was able to shed a bit of the weight he put on from his man surgery! Although the vet would like for him to lose 2 more pounds (bringing him down to 14). Because we walk quite often (4 times to be exact); I am going to have a hard look into his treat intake to try and make this happen. Because Rambo has broken a couple bones arthritis is in his future and shedding the excess weight will be beneficial for him. Also his shedding is a bit more under control than when he first moved in. I could not believe the amount the fur coming off Rambo! But with regular brushings, baths, and fatty oils (coconut & flaxseed) added to his food he does not leave a trail of fur everywhere he goes.

Rambo is such an easy going dog and not too much rattles him except people walking past our window! He has taken on my strict schedule, our numerous walks during the day, our trips to the park,buying him clothes and having him wear them, feeding him fruits and veggies; by the way he would not eat a single fruit or vegetable I put in front of him the first couple months and now he loves sweet potatoes, bananas, frozen green beans, broccoli along with a few other goodies. He loves his trips to the pet wash (except the dryer), meeting new dog friends, car rides to the pet store, and access to endless treats.

I have seen a different side of Rambo over these last few months. He loves messing with Midnight by stealing his toys, he goes to bed by 9pm every night (even on the weekends), he has learned quite a few tricks, and has been able to go off leash at the park. I am truly amazed by his adaptability to a new environment and willingness to try new new things. I not to push him too hard because I realize how difficult it must have been to leave his home and family of 6 years and come to us.

My sister does plan to move once her lease is up at the end of November and I will say Midnight and I will miss Rambo when he is gone. I do not know if his diet will change once he moves back home and honestly that is not my call but I do know he will be loved just the same. Rambo has such a pleasant and loving spirit and has been a great playmate for Midnight. We will have to do a sleepover at least once a month with Rambo!

Now you know Rambo’s story and it is just as amazing as Midnight’s. I realize just how different dogs and their personalities can be. Rambo sometimes reminds me of an old man and I would not change him for the world.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_s8lnQShGbyZ1FFVnhGTFoxLUk

#vegan #dog #pet #transition

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Eating nachos with my niece and watching Dinosaur Train @pbskids on this beautiful Saturday! (at Denver, Colorado)

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Potato Cleanse 'Week 2 Reflection'

Its week 2 of the Potato Cleanse and I am down 4 pounds! Not too bad of a week; I know I could have done a bit better especially with my exercise routine but it was a busy week and I did the best I could. I am learning that I have to take everything in stride; I cannot beat myself up if something does not happen as planned.

My diet was still good, having a variety of potato dishes really comes in handy. And in true Gina fashion I find myself loving home fries with onions and peppers. I basically have that dish at least once a day. Its super easy to make and convenient when you make a big batch.. Which I do because I am totally obsessed.

I did have a slip up over the weekend. I made my niece a smoothie to go with her dinner. I filled her cup but there was still about 3-4 ounces left. I am not a waster of food and so I drank the rest. I have to say it was quite yummy! man how I miss banana ice cream and morning smoothies.

Although I feel like I am doing well; fruit is a staple in my diet. I did not realize how much I missed fruit until Sunday. I do not want to indulge my cravings so I have put that behind me with the baking of sweet potatoes! I did not think the sweet potato would do the trick but turns out it's a great alternative.

I am proud of myself because this could have gone differently and I would have made some decisions that could have caused me to quit the cleanse altogether. So I am patting myself on the back.

I am looking forward to week 3 with the hope that I can incorporate more exercise on a more consistent basis and add a few more potato meals to the mix. I am so excited about my progress and may even decide to go another week or so.

I was thinking maybe I would take a week off to give myself a break; have a week of morning smoothies, nice cream, stop at Native Foods for Dinner, and Papa Murphy’s too. I do not want to go over the top but these are the things I have been craving the most since starting the cleanse. I know this may all change by next week as I stay committed to the diet and the process.

Wish me luck!!!

#cleanse #vegan #weightloss #potato

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Ruff Puff Review

With me being on the Potato Cleanse I am at the grocery store every week. Today while at King Soopers I went down the pet aisle to just peruse the items. I stumbled upon these Ruff Puffs; they looked like cheese puffs but for dogs. There were two flavors on the shelf, white cheddar and sweet potato & apple. I went with the latter because of the vegan friendly ingredients. I was very excited to get these home to the doggies.

Once home I read a bit more of the packaging I realized that the treats were made in the US and by a local company Buckley Pet in Boulder, CO. The company seems to be about the outdoor life, adventure, and fueling those expeditions with quality healthy foods. I can really appreciate that so I do not mind supporting a brand with purpose, especially a local company.

The doggies were excited to see the new treats which always makes me happy. I do my very best to make sure I provide nutritious, high quality, and fun treats for them. Although I make the majority of their treats it is always nice to have a break from the kitchen and give them something new and exciting to try. I am also able to do this because of the money I save by making their treats.

I budget their food, treats, and miscellaneous every month so when they have extra funds I like to treat them to something special. I would assume they have no idea but it makes me feel like I am doing something nice for them!

I always do a taste test after they have eaten breakfast or dinner. This lets me know that if they really do like the treats and are not just eating them because they are hungry. The taste test went superb; the doggies really enjoyed them and I will be adding them to the their store bought treat list.

I linked a video (my very first!) of the taste test for your enjoyment.

  All in all I am so excited that I stumbled upon these treats for the boys, sometimes store-bought treats can be hit or miss with them because they are picky little eaters. But when I find one that they enjoy it almost feels like I have hit the jackpot. So if you have a Kroger affiliate in your area please stop by and see if they carry these treats and if not you can purchase them on the company’s website: https://buckleypet.com/collections/all/products/ruff-puffs-natural-dog-training-treats?variant=17488452933

I would just like to note that this is not a sponsored video I purchased these treats with my own money and all opinions are my own. I just wanted to share some options with you.

#dogs #review #treats #vegan friendly

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Midnight the Vegan Dog

Look at that cute face; would you ever think this miniature poodle was vegan. I know, I know it is hard to believe but he is. And his transition to the lifestyle has been superb. His diet does not come up in conversation very often until people begin to ask me questions about him.

Let me give you a little background; Midnight has always been a picky eater and I later learned that is the nature of the breed. But his food would change pretty regularly because he would decide that he was not interested in that particular food any longer. This can be very frustrating to any pet owner. You want to feed your pet the best possible food you can and you also want them to enjoy it. Midnight did not appreciate this and when he does not want something he will not eat it; unless he has gone all day and gives in to his hunger.

When Midnight began to live with me full time (end of January 2015) he was eating Pedigree for Small Breeds. I had purchase a 16lb bag back in December 2014; he liked it and I figured it would last him about 3-4 months. He only eats about 1 - 1 ½ cups per day so I was thinking longevity and saving myself some funds.

Once my brother moved; Midnight had run out of treats and I decided to do a little research to find out what would be the best treats for him. In my research I discovered a few of his favorite treats had been recalled and it made me look deeper into the ingredients that were in some of the treats and ultimately his dog food. What I read scared me; I thought this is really sad. I am feeding someone who I love and consider apart of my family BS. My first mind told me do not go out and buy all this new stuff because he is not staying; my brother will come and get him and so there is no need to feight. But that little voice in the back of my mind told me how can you not.

Sooo, to the web I went searching for ways to transition Midnight to a vegan diet. Some of the information that I read was conflicting but a lot of it was promising. I knew that for him to be successful I needed a game plan. I decided the plan would be a slow transition using rice, peas, pinto beans, and blueberries. I know you are thinking what??? But let me explain. The “human food” will be my buffer so that I can lessen the Pedigree and begin to replace it with the dry vegan food (Natural Balance) that I purchased for him. The end result I was hoping for was to just have the vegan food left and him eating that by itself.

The transition went beautifully, I could not have asked for anything better. We did have a few rough patches with him not wanting me to grab his food bowl. But we worked through it and came out on the better end. Now with said I had the food thing down and every week I would treat Midnight to a meal of vegan food. It was the usual suspects but I always made sure it contained a grain, plant protein, veggie, fruit, hemp & flax seeds, and coconut oil. He loved it with a usually second helping.

The last thing to tackle was his treats. Midnight is treat hound and yet very particular about the treats that he will enjoy. So I had to be creative and since I could not find what I was looking for in the stores I decided to make his treats. His everyday treats and ones for fresh breath. The great thing about making your dog’s treats is that you usually have all of the ingredients at home. The upside is your costs are pretty low; the downside is the shelf life is not very long. With that being said I had to find a few store brand treats that I could have on hand when I did not feel like making treats, have time to, or just because it is nice to have variety in your diet. I was able to find 5 different treats that he likes which I purchase pretty regularly. They are not the cheapest but he enjoys them. I purchase the 2 bag treats plus 2 dental treats once a month and the other dental chews every two weeks (I only give these to him once or twice a week) because I cannot find them in a bag. We also rotate frozen peanut butter in a kong for him as well. I only give him these specifics treats during the week while I am at work. On the weekends his treats consist of frozen broccoli and mango (he loves them so much).

Now for the bad Auntie part; because Midnight has transitioned so very well. I indulge him in some meaty treats every so often. I purchase 1 or 2 bags and just keep them in the house. I do not give them to him often and so because of this it is definitely a high value treat for him. To be honest he usually gets the bag when he goes to my sister’s house for overnight visits because he gets to share them with her dog.

This has not tarnished his diet in any way; with his new found diet Midnight managed to lose 3 lbs and has maintained his weight loss for over two years. I know 3 lbs may not seem like a lot but for a miniature poodle it definitely is. His vet kept telling us that he needed to lose a pound or two and overuse of the treats were contributing to his weight gain. Now Midnight is in his ideal body weight category for his breed, he has so much energy that when I tell people he is 7 years old they will not believe me. His treats habits have not changed and he has yet to gain a stitch of weight. He still eats the same amount; I do not measure his food any longer but his bowl only holds 2 cups of food. He eats twice a day with about 5 treats (4 chewy and 1 dental stick). He is happy, playful, vibrant, and his coat is shiny and grows very quickly.

Like I have said he has a ton of energy and I have to manage this or he will drive me crazy. Exercise is how we manage his energy, he goes for a walk three times a day. In the morning we walk 45 - 60 minutes, in the late afternoon we walk 45- 60 minutes with a trip to the park to throw around his ball and see doggie friends, and then in the evening before bed 15- 20 minutes. For some owners this may seem like quite a bit of walking but for our lifestyle it works. He enjoys going for his walks, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and fresh air never hurt nobody. In the very near future I would like to get Midnight a dog walker for the middle of the day. I work a full 8 hours which means I am away from the house for about 9 give or take. He has never had any bathroom issues but I do not think it is a bad idea and one that we could both benefit from.

Now you know the whole story of my vegan dog-phew Midnight. I am totally in love with him and do everything in my power to give him the best life I possibly can while he is with me. He may be a bit spoiled with his doggie clothes, shoes, plenty of toys, and whatnots. But he is a member of my family and I would not have it any other way.

#vegan #pet #dog food #dog treats

[thisveganthang-blog]

The Potato Cleanse 'Week 1 Reflection'

I decided for the month of May I would embark on the Potato Cleanse. I participated in the cleanse with High Carb Hannah for just two weeks and lost 10lbs. I was really excited about my success on the cleanse but due to poor planning I was just not able to continue past the two weeks. This time around I decided to give myself two weeks to come up with a few recipe ideas and a grocery list over the next 4 weeks.

Let me tell why I failed the first time; with poor planning the daily eating options were not very diverse. This was a major problem for me because I did what was easiest, which consisted of steaming my potatoes in the Instant Pot for lunch and dinner. This is not very helpful when eating potatoes you definitely need variety. So after two weeks I was completely done I could not eat another steamed potato.

I felt like a failure for quitting without seeing the end result of the journey but I just could not force myself to continue. It turned out to be quite awhile before I would eat another potato. I will say this; I learned a lot about myself during the 2 weeks. I was able to reduce my salt intake (I would add salt to the beginning and end of the cooking process), I realized I need my food to be a little more interesting, and food prep is a life saver.

Now I want to share why I am excited this time. I am so much more prepared; cranking out those meals worked like a charm. I was feeling good and fortunately I was not bloated or having any tummy issues. The excitement goes further; I needed to revamp my diet in the worst way. I was eating so much vegan junk food. Which caused me to have some tummy issues almost every single night. After the 4th night I knew a change needed to happen sooner than later.

I cannot express to you how wonderful I am feeling, my energy levels are high, I am very satisfied after every meal, and so far no cravings of junk food. Although I have not posted on the facebook group it has been a help to read others stories and look at all the potato dishes everyone is cooking up. I am extremely proud of myself and without adding too much exercise to the mix I have released 6 pounds in my first week. I look forward to the next week because I plan on raising early in the morning and start my workout regimen for the next 3 weeks.

If you are looking to overhaul or reset your diet the potato cleanse might be what you are looking for. I feel like it really gets you in tune with listening to your body while eating clean and well balanced meals.  

 Please comment below if you have tried the Potato Cleanse and how successful you were. And come back next week for another update.

#cleanse #vegan #lifestyle #benefits

[thisveganthang-blog]

My neice is enjoying our potato cleanse lunch while she watches dinosaur train on @pbskids