I have been on a plant based diet for almost 2 weeks! In that time I expected to gain weight from detoxing, but I actually lost 5 pounds within the first week. My diet has consisted of mostly bananas and mangoes throughout the day. At night I have been eating rice with tomatoes and avocados, pasta with carrots, mushrooms, and spinach, and baked french fries with salad. This diet is basic and clean, but it does present some problems. Our main problem is having to go to the store a couple times a week instead of once a week. Kicking cheese has been easier than it was last year, but I have been craving Chick Fil A chicken nuggets since I tried them for the first time before I went back on my diet. When I am not on a plant based diet, I still like to restrict the amount of meat products I consume. I would usually eat chicken once a week or so.
I have been enjoying my fruit bowls in the morning. After filling them up with fruit, I pour in some cold pressed juices about a third of the way. This is for me to get in some extra calories quickly since it takes me a while to get energy to start my day. I also don't eat as much fruit as I am supposed to because my stomach gets full quickly from years of dieting. So adding some cold pressed juices helps me get extra vitamins and calories I need.
I have also gotten a new scale! I have had 3 new ones within the past year, but they all still work perfectly fine. I have not gotten a favorite yet, but they all have their upsides. My new scale is a smart scale! It is called Weight Gurus Digital Body Fat Scale. The best part is that I can keep track of my weight on my smart phone through their app. The bad part about this is that I have to scan the scale to sync with the app instead of it being automatically added. The scales that do that start around $100, so I think it is a decent trade off. The screen is easy to read LCD screen and you can see how much you have lost instead of your actual weight. One thing this scale has that my others don't is that it measures lean mass, body fat, water weight, and bone mass. For a scale that costs $39.99, it brings a lot of features compared to my other ones. It also looks pretty nice in my new bathroom! The only downside is that it takes about 30 seconds to measure everything.
It is very rare that i get an item that I don't love. Unfortunately, I got an infuser water bottle that didn't meet up to my standards. If you read my other post about water bottles, you know that finding a water bottle that I love is very difficult. This is not to say that this water bottle is bad. It infuses that water perfectly fine. My main problem with this water bottle is that it spills water very easily. The cap does not stop the water from it coming out if it tips over. The cap itself takes a few tricks to figure out how to unlock. The bottle comes with a set of instructions, but if you are in a rush, this water bottle isn't for you.
On the other hand, Hubby uses this water bottle a few times a week. He likes the cap pop feature, but he also has problems with it spilling. He also works in a hot kitchen. This makes the water warm very quickly since it is not insulated at all. Customer Service quickly responded to my issues privately as well as though Amazon. While this water bottle is not for me, it has pretty decent reviews on Amazon so others might still like this water bottle for making your own flavored water. Let's face it, MIO is not the best water flavoring liquid.
Give your water a Kick with the 25 oz FlavFusion (TM) Infuser Bottle by Big Easy Brands. It's BPA Free and made of Tritan Plastic.
This bottle makes Delicious and Refreshing Fruit Flavored Beverages and is great to use at the office, the gym, the lake or anywhere you would take a cold beverage.
Just Flip and Sip! It Features a Locking Flip Top Sipper Lid for Easy Drinking on the go and a Large Opening for Easy Filling and Cleaning. The loop at the top provides a great way to carry it. You can hook it to your backpack when taking a hike. If your hands are full you can grab it with a finger and carry it with ease.
The bottle is Light Weight and Easy to Use, can Go Anywhere and it Fits most Cup Holders so No More Messes and Spills!
Just Fill With Water and add Your Favorite Fruit whether it be Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Lemons, Limes, etc. Cucumbers are also great. Close the Lid, Shake and ENJOY! Leave it in the refridgerator overnight for an Intensified Infusion!
I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.
Today we were in the garden getting our garden bed situated and prefilling the box with grass cuttings, branches, and leaves, and peat moss. We continued filling it up with garden soil and compost. Unfortunately we didn't buy enough garden soil so we will have to buy some more tomorrow to finish it off before planting my seedlings and other seeds. After they continue growing, I will install a trellis to help the beans and peas vertically.
Here is an update on the beans I started indoors. I transferred them into cinder blocks by the wall. A few of them are getting too much sun in this location and need more watering than the others. I have a raspberry bush growing in another area, a lemon tree, and a pomegranate tree as well. All of these plants and trees are in different areas of our yard, so now I have an expandable hose to be able to reach everything. I got the 100 foot expandable hose, which is more than enough for our yard.
Expandable Hose 100 Feet Green
Strongest Hose Available at 100-PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) Working Pressure
300-PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) Burst Pressure
Starts Out 33 Feet and Expands to 100 Feet with Water Pressure, Release Pressure and Hose Returns to 33 Feet
Lightweight will Not Tangle, Twist, or Kink
100% Money Back Guarantee For A Risk Free Buying Experience
I've seen similar hoses sold on TV, so I knew I wanted something similar. I remember my dad used to have a pretty heavy hose when I was a kid, and it was a drag to carry around. I knew I needed something that wasn't heavy because of my mobility issues. This hose is very light and easy to carry around, but at the same time it is strong. I have not experienced any leaks in the past three weeks I have used it. I was also able to use it without a handle. It has a little switch that releases the water depending on how far the switch is open. When the hose is in it's original form, it is about 33 ft long, so it is easy to store. The hose expands rather quickly as the water fills it. Check out this Instagram video...
Convenience foods are incredibly .....convenient. When you are a mom on a rush, prepackaged foods are a must. String cheese, juice boxes, fruit gummies. There are a ton of prepackaged foods out there that help the everyday busy mom. The only problem is that most of them have unnecessary chemicals that a little body does not need. Not only that, but you run the chance of machine malfunctions by the companies that make these products.When Aiden was younger, I had given him a food pouch that had mold inside. Luckily Aiden didn't eat it, but if he did, who know what might have happened. I won't name the company, but I did post pictures of the accident on my personal Facebook when it happened. After this accident, we are very careful about what prepackaged products we do buy. We rarely buy juice boxes, but we drink out of them first when we do to make sure there is nothing wrong with it. We also now make our own fruit and vegetable pouches ourselves. While this takes a little more work in the kitchen, I can still have convenience foods for whenever is needed.
Using food pouches is extremely easy. You simply fill the pouches with your own food. You can make the same variations of food mush as there is on the grocery store shelf with a food processor. Now if time is a problem, you can buy a jar of premade applesauce to pour into individual food pouches. I also pour some of my smoothies into one of the pouches and freeze it for hot summer days. Taste just like ice cream! I use the food pouches myself when I am in a rush. It is an easy way to get some vegetables in on a busy day or into a picky toddler!
I do have a few problems with this food pouch. First, the cap completely comes of. If it was semi attached, I wouldn't lose it all the time.This is specially stressful with a toddler who throws everything. The other problem is that the place to put the food inside is small. So sometimes it makes a mess while I'm filling them up. Aside from that, these food pouches are a really great product to use instead of buying prepackaged overpriced food pouches from the store.
I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
In the home culinary world, there are many gadgets that come in handy to make some tasty meals. I have had a few favorite items and a few items that I use regularly but aren't completely great. The Kitchen Supreme Spiral Vegetable Slicer is one of those items. This vegetable slicer is like any other $15 Spiral Slicer. It gets the job done. That is not to say that the spiral slicer is a bad product. Not at all. I make delicious lunch salads with it and have made zucchini noodles with them as well. I do like that it comes with a brush to help clean it because it is difficult to clean the metal without it.
My favorite thing to make is a cucumber salad. The noodles come out great until the middle of the cucumber is reached. The middle starts getting stuck in the blades and the middle of the handheld device. But I just add those pieces to the salad and eat it. This device is also great to make healthy, low carb pasta. Just Julienne some zucchinis and add some sauce! A spiral slicer is a must have kitchen product.
SUPERIOR VALUE for the Complete Spiralizer Bundle: The Kitchen Supreme Spiralizer + Flexible Cleaning Brush + Storage/Protective Bag + Spiral Slicer Recipes Physical Cookbook + Rapid Results Digital Guidebook - 101 Power Tips for a Fitter, Healthier You !
VERSATILE: Create NOODLES and JULIENNE SPIRALS from a great variety of vegetables: Carrots, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Squash, Radish,
Sweet And Regular Potatoes, and lots others. 2 Julienne Sizes (1/16" x 3/32" and 1/8" x 3/16")
RELIABLE: Built from BPA-Free ABS Plastic and Heat-Treated Stainless Steel. Two High Class Japanese Razor Sharp Blades, guaranteed not to rust or loose sharpness qualities in time. Built-In Finger Guard Protection And Safety Cap. | CONVENIENT & USER FRIENDLY: Comes assembled and ready to use ! No Annoying Extra Attachment to set up, that take up your space and time. It's Dishwasher safe and Compact, easily stored in the kitchen drawer. Super-easy to use !
THE BEST CHOICE: Best spiral slicer for anyone on a Raw Food / Low Carb / Gluten Free / No Wheat / Paleo / DIET ! A PERFECT GIFT for Moms, Cooks and healthy-conscious people, making their life fun and easy. Most important for parents, it makes vegetables fun and attractive for children. PERFECT GIFT for FAMILY and FRIENDS !
HELPS YOU TO: ENJOY YOUR MEALS, even if you are on a DIET (Raw, Vegan, Low Carb, Gluten-Free, No-Wheat, Paleo, etc.), REPLACE HIGH CARB Pasta or Noodles with healthy and colorful veggie ones, Get your picky CHILDREN and FAMILY to EAT plenty of healthy VEGETABLES in disguise, SAVE TIME from slicing, dicing and conventional julienning methods, CRAVE for VEGETABLES ! Your veggies will look mouth-watering and still keep nutrients and minerals alive. Buy with confidence: We have thousands of Happy Customers and over 500 positive reviews!
I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a postitive review. All opinions are my own.
Here is another great product from Francois et Mimi. These 700 Thread Count Luxury Soft Cotton Silky Sateen Sheets have been amazing. I rarely buy new sheets. I think the last time I bought a sheet set was 5 years ago. But when I buy anything for my home, I make sure it is the best quality I can afford, which usually ends up being flimsy material that doesn't last long. Francois et Mimi sent me their brown colored sheet set, and I am not looking back. Now I know what all the fuss about thread count and Egyptian cotton is really about. These sheets rock! Now, I don't have a King sized bed, but that doesn't really stop me from getting a bigger size. Let's face it, it is easier to make the bed with bigger sized sheets! The set comes with one fitted shit with deep pockets for deep mattresses, One flat sheet, and 2 pillow cases. I suggest tumble drying them for 5 minutes to loosen them up when you received them because they are stiff from being packed up.
These sheets are so comfortable and soft, which was a welcome change from my previous sheets. The best part about these sheets is that they keep their temperature, unlike other kinds. I once had jersey sheets, and I would wake up sweating! Horrible! And since I have been having hot flashes, these sheets have helped me get better sleep since I don't have to twist and turn to reach the cold side. I did not get to chose the color the company sent me, so the brown doesn't really match my bright colored comforters, but that doesn't really matter to me. If I had chosen, i would have gotten the lavender because that would fit me better. But since I cosleep with my son, the brown ones might get a little more life out of them.
I announced on Facebook a few days ago how I am starting my "new diet." It is called Raw Till 4, or 801010. I first came across this lifestyle when I saw a Youtube video of the famous Banana Girl. While highly unconventional to today's way of eating, a lot of it made sense. Freelee the Banana Girl is dedicated to show everyone this raw vegan lifestyle. I was on this diet for most of last year and it greatly improved my energy levels and gut health. After a few months of going back to organic, but regular American Diet, I gained weight and now I am looking to go back to this lifestyle. Here is how it works.
A photo posted by valerie moreno (@hippie7love) on
While this may seem boring to be eating a mostly raw, I have fallen in love with food. Real food. I always HATED mangoes, but after switching to this diet, I couldn't get enough. My taste buds started surprising me, as I became craving fruits and veggies I never used to eat. Bananas, mangoes, potatoes, rice, and pasta became staples in our household. After a few weeks, we lost our cravings of fatty foods that we used to love. My skin cleared up quickly, and my energy levels were on a regular level almost every day. Then our favorite farmer's market place closed down and the nearest one is about half an hour away. We slowly went back to adding cheese and meat products into our diet and the effects have been horrible. Now I'm choosing to get it back. It will be hard, but it will get done!
I have already started easing my way into it. I got these beautiful 20 oz soup mugs to put my chopped up fruit in to eat while I work, and to eat our rice in. I have been trying to use up and give away all the products in the house that will temp me. So for my first day, I started with an apple, bananas and grapefruit. For lunch i made 2 soup bowls of fruit to eat! In one bowl I fit an apple, a mango, 2 bananas, and a handful of strawberries. Amazing!
Later on, for dinner I made rice and chili beans. Since I still have a few items that I need to use up before they go bad, I added a little shredded cheese on top. Cheese was the hardest thing to give up last year. I'm hoping it will be easier this time!
These soup mugs are by the same company that makes my favorite water bottles. Francois et Mimi makes great products, and I have loved all of their products. The soup mugs are vintage style and hold up to 20 ounces. Find these lovely soup mugs on Amazon.
About Francois et Mimi Soup Mugs
~~Includes 4 Jumbo Mugs
•Lead-free product
•Dishwasher and Microwave Safe
•Made of Stoneware
I received these products in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
