1 Year Fitness Progress (Plant-Based/Vegan, BBG, & "The Pill")

February 2016 -> March 2017

Although I feel vulnerable posting these pictures of myself, I am proud of the work I have done and the progress that I've made choosing to live a healthier lifestyle. I will be talking about this past year, the first real year of taking my "fitness journey" seriously. When I say "fitness journey," I mean eating more fruits and vegetables, taking care of myself physically and mentally, and working out regularly. By no means am I training for a sport or striving to be an Instagram model, I just want to feel good, and I believe when you feel good and you take care of yourself, that reflects on the outside.

In the picture on the left, I had just started nursing school, I had just begun Kayla Itsine's BBG program (previous blog post on that here), and I was still not making the best choices in regards to my food.

In the picture on the right, I am more than halfway through nursing school, I am about 10 months in eating a plant-based diet, and about 10 pounds heavier.

When I look at the differences between the two pictures, the first thing I notice is my stomach. My tummy has always been a source of insecurity for me. I see that it is more defined, I have that "V" now, and my "muffin tops" are a bit smaller! The next things I notice are my legs & booty! My legs look thicker and stronger, and although you can't see my tush here, it is firmer, bigger, and more lifted. My boyfriend has noticed these changes the most and it wasn't until I looked at the difference between these two photos that my body really has changed.

So, what have I been doing differently?

1. I stopped the BBG program several months ago. It is a great program and I still do Kayla's workouts from time to time, but I was getting bored of it and I wanted to try something else. Now, I mostly walk, do kettlebell workouts and other workouts I find on Pinterest. I listen to my body and tailor my workout to that, while still trying to push myself. About 2 months ago, I also started going to yoga once a week. I. love. yoga. and it has helped so much with my balance, listening to my body, and my strength.
2.  I eat a plant-based/vegan diet. I also listen to my body and pay attention to how I feel after I eat certain foods. Within the past couple months, I have especially noticed how my body, particularly my gut, feels after eating carbs and sugar. They tend to make me feel bloated, weighed down, and fatigued so I have been trying to cut those out as well and replace them with vegetables and fruits. I also try not to eat when I'm bored and meal-prep as much as possible. Being a full-time college student and a part-time 3rd shift worker at a hospital, meal-prepping is the key to staying on track.
3. I went off of my birth control pill. I went off of the pill at the end of 2016. After I did this, it was like the fat, particularly on my abdomen, just peeled away without changing anything else. I went off of the pill for various reasons - but mostly I didn't want to be taking hormones anymore. I have been battling with (self-diagnosed) anxiety, depression, and moodiness for the longest time. I originally went on the pill in high school for my acne (this was before I was sexually active) and when I went on it, it was like I bloated up (I gained so much weight) and became a totally different, unhappy person. I felt like I was living in a fog. I finally decided it was time to stop taking it and it is like the fog has been lifted. No, I am not ready to have children just yet so my long-term partner and I have been using other birth control methods. I am so happy I decided to stop taking the pill, it is one of the best decisions I have made, particularly in regards to my mental health.
4. Lastly, I am kinder to myself and my body. I focus on how I feel instead of how I look. Yes, it is awesome to see progress, but it is more important to feel better. I feel myself getting stronger, being more confident, having more mental and physical energy, and being kinder to myself when I slip up (at work, in school, with my diet, anywhere). I try to focus on the long-term as opposed to short-term and that seems to help as well. I want to age gracefully and live not only a longer life but have a better quality of life, too. Age and other uncontrollable health risk factors aside, I believe the work you put into your body is the work you get out. Treat your body right and your body will be good to you, too.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask any questions or share your own opinions or experiences.

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Healthy eating bits & bobs

A couple of months ago I posted about two vegan recipes that I tried and really liked. I also briefly talked about my beginnings to becoming a more plant-based eater and a vegan. I resist saying that word (vegan) because of the stigmas that surround it. It's a personal choice and I will never give someone a hard time for what they decide to eat (except of course for urging my loved ones to *perhaps* eat a little healthier...I want them to be around for a while! :)

Since that post, I have very much enjoyed trying new foods and recipes. Below are a couple of my grocery 'hauls' from Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck because let's be honest, I spend way too much money on food sometimes!). I tend to spend most of my time in the produce department of Whole Foods and find some yummy fruits and veggies to eat throughout the week. Keep in mind these pictures below only include bits & bobs that I didn't already have stocked in the kitchen.

Also in this post are some recipes that i have tried (some multiple times) and have enjoyed throughout the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy this little look into my meals and find something that you might like to try yourself! :)

Yummmmmmm!

Mixed greens with blueberries and strawberries - I prepped these to take to work for 2 lunches, and I brought some balsamic vinaigrette as a dressing for when I was ready to eat these.

One of my new favorite things to make/eat - Thai green curry. Recipe here! I added zucchini to the recipe.

This is stuffed eggplant, I got the recipe from Kayla Itsines' BBG app on my phone (review/progress post here). Delish!

Apples with vegan butter sprinkled with cinnamon (microwaved for about 1 minute) - one of my favorite treats.
Portabella mushroom pizza - recipe here! I just made these for the first time today, they super good and definitely something i'd make again. They are super easy to make, and i like anything I can just toss all the extra veggies that are in the crisper drawer in my fridge into!

I recently bought a food processor and have put it to good use, especially for these "nice" creams. The one on top was made from 2 frozen bananas, oreos (I love that these are vegan), and peanut butter. The second one was made from 2 frozen bananas, dark cocoa powder, and peanut butter. Addicted to these!

My boyfriend surprised me with this water bottle after I had to throw out my Camelbak when going into a football stadium, and I actually love this more than my Camelbak. It is an infuser and I have tried putting lemons and also berries in here. So good!

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Reviewing this post over, I am so happy looking at how colorful all of these foods and meals are. I can genuinely tell a difference in my body when I eat healthily. My tummy is happy with me! I notice I have less energy crashes throughout the day and more stable mood swings/energy levels overall. I have been so happy with how i've been eating lately and i can tell my body is too! I am always updating my Instagram with what I'm eating so feel free to follow me there @lauraw0lf :)

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♥

Vegan Cooking Successes: Black Bean Burgers & Quinoa Crust Pizza

As I briefly mentioned in my previous Kayla Itsines' BBG review post, I recently started to eat a more plant-based, vegan diet. I started this simply because I noticed my body feels lighter and I have more energy when I go without eating meat, eggs, cheese, and other animal byproducts. I also suffer from ezcema, and find that my skin flares up when I eat dairy products. When I tell people I'm eating a vegan diet, the reaction I mostly get is "wow, that must be so hard," and "how do you do it? There are animal byproducts in everything." And although this can feel all too true sometimes, thankfully Pinterest exists. There is a plethora of amazing tried-and-true vegan recipes that offer (often) healthier options than their non-vegan alternatives. For example, black bean burgers and quinoa crust pizza, which I have tried and will be reviewing below!

Pictured above is my rendition of a vegan black bean burger recipe, found on Hummusapien's blog.

This recipe was very quick and easy to throw together, which is great for someone like me with a busy schedule. It yielded 6 burgers, and I found myself quickly finishing them as leftovers throughout the rest of the week. I was surprised at how much these burgers taste like the "real deal".

The toppings I used were: avocado, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and ketchup.

An alternative to the whole grain bun that I used for the leftovers: romaine lettuce leaves (not pictured, equally delicious).

Recipe level: Easy

Time required: about 20-25 mins. total

Rating: 10/10

Would I make it again?: Yes, I already have!

This next recipe I tried may be hit-or-miss for people who do NOT like vegetables and LOVE cheese (e.g. my boyfriend - love you, honey!). And despite not being the most photogenic meal, I found this recipe satisfyingly, amazingly delicious. I found this quinoa crust pizza recipe on Simply Quinoa's blog, and just excluded the cheese and added my own choice of toppings. I was surprised at how easy this was to put together, and even more surprised at the fairly low overall calorie content and the amount of great nutrients you get since this recipe tastes. so. good.

Toppings I used: tomato sauce, zucchini, tomatoes, red & green bell peppers.

Alternatives: The only quinoa I had was a mix of red, black, and white quinoa and it still tasted great; sautéing the vegetables before adding them as pizza toppings if you mind your veggies being raw.

Recipe level: Easy

Time required: soaking the quinoa for 6-8 hrs. (I do this in the morning) and putting together/baking for about 40 mins.

Rating: 9/10

Would I eat again?: Yes, I already have!

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Pinterest is amazing for recipe ideas. I have found healthy, vegan alternatives for so many of my favorite foods, including these pizza and burger recipes. Although eating a more plant-based/vegan diet can be difficult sometimes, I find that when I discover recipes I like and I dedicate the time to make them, it doesn't seem so bad, expensive, or difficult!

What are your favorite healthy recipes? Do you have any kind of diet restrictions you have to work around?
Thanks for reading!