this is it.

many of you may know that just after 4th of July, i started my Master Cleanse. this was not my first time on the cleanse, but it Was the first time i did it right. the first time was just to lose weight in a short amount of time and i really didnt educate myself on it. once i decided that i couldnt take not-eating anymore, i stopped [2 days short of my 10 day goal] and went straight back to eating the exact same foods i was attempting to get rid of. then came the 10 pounds over the next two years. it didnt matter what i ate, the pounds continued to pile. never had i reached such an all-time low [or high, in pounds depending how you look at it]. i had never weighed that much and although the pounds did have the perks [mainly being a bigger booty], i could not sacrifice my health for vanity. i wasnt feeling good, i had been getting sick so easily, i was always tired, and the times i attempted to work out, i became so discouraged at the fact that i got tired so quickly and eventually became unmotivated to a point where i stopped working out altogether.

i then felt it was time to take measures into my own hands. literally. luckily for me, and perhaps thanks to a higher power, things personally for me started falling into place and i felt happy about life in general. and then came a new co-worker.

now i have had my moments of thinking at 25 i have reached my peak, and that everything was already set in motion for me. my life was already on course of the direction it was heading.

thank heavens i was Wrong!

D, i will call her came to our firm a few months ago and mentioned during one of our staff breakfasts that she was a Vegan. so for her dish, she made [simple enough] spanish rice and a mango salad. the rice was delicious! no one could tell it hadnt been made with any animal products. the mango salad i didnt try bc at the time i was still a little picky eater and i just piled on the bacon! :(
months later i decided to start my cleanse. and during these 12 days i hadn't eaten any of the foods i was used to eating, the foods i grew up on. i started thinking of all the crap i had been putting into my body and all the potential health risks i was causing to myself. i started thinking i didnt want to be in my 50's and in horrible health. so i then started asking d a whole bunch of questions in regards to her lifestyle. in addition to being Vegan, she doesnt drink or smoke. the woman is 50 and looks in her 30's!!! i never would have guessed!! but she told me that once she had her son she wanted to set a "Real" healthy example for him to have the best possible life. and thats when she made the switch. and it hasnt always been easy she has had her mishaps, but in the long run and in comparison to other 50-year-olds, she is just doing an amazing job, seeing the benefits and living a great life. the way it should be.

so once i finished my cleanse, i weighed myself and saw that i dropped 15 pounds! it was extremely hard, especially attending a dodger game. especially attending my newphew's first birthday. but i had set my mind to something and i'd be damned if i was going to let my former bad habits deter me from my ultimate goal. i hadnt set out to lose this much weight, i wanted to feel better. physically as well as emotionally. and 15 pounds, or 10 pounds really didnt matter- i had accomplished my goal!

now if that wasnt enough motivation..

i have decided to make the swicth to Vegetarian. now ultimately, i wouldn't mind going Vegan, there are substitutes for just about any of your faves out there, the trick is to Really Educate Yourself. for me, i dont want to overwhelm myself with "you cant have this..", "you cant have that..." i really want to do this right, so i am setting little goals for myself. but seeing what eating unhealthy can do to you, it really motivates me to make the full switch. i also found it was less of a problem having completed the cleanse beforehand. now i feel better, i dont feel bloated, I Dont Want to eat those foods i used to eat. just think about the crap they put in foods to keep them preserved and last longer. and then think about what that is doing inside you. it was that simple for me to decide this was the right choice.

and with D's help, i am finding websites with recipes of food that looks delicious! and are good for you! she is really educating me in staying on the right path and i am forever grateful to her for it.

im starting to brush up on my cooking skills as well, hoping that by setting a good example, other people in my family will be motivated to switch to healthier eating habits as well. did you know that you could still eat chocolate brownies and chocolate chip cookies while still remaining on a Vegetarian or even Vegan diet? or how about chips and salsa? and pasta, and yes- Even, Pizza!!! the trick is To Educate Yourself. all the information is out there! it is up to You to take control of your life and what should be most important to you: Your Health! and i hope you decide to do so.

i am posting a couple links to websites that have been so helpful to me and are now forever present in my Favorites tab!

Vegetarian Times

Whole Foods - Recipes

i hope these sites are as helpful to you as they are to me. and please, if you know any sites that you think would help me out, send them this way!!! thanks lovers and happy hunting! [so to speak lol]

NOTE: header is a pic of Baguette with Roasted Red Pepper Spread from Vegetarian Times. you can eat that and remain a Vegan!! :) YUMM!