On my quest to healthier eating, I have been doing some research on Vegan foods.  I have also been trying to open up my husband’s mind to the idea of trying to cut back on all the things that are unhealthy and focus on more foods that are healthy.  Yelp is definitely my best friend.  While reading the reviews, I stumbled across a restaurant called Madre Tierra.  It’s a 100% plant based Mexican restaurant, but not all the foods are Mexican dishes.  They have burgers which you can order at anytime and sushi (after 3 p.m.) just to name a few.

For starters, we had two different kinds of Fresca water which offers free refills and are only $2. Mine was pineapple and the hubby’s was cantaloupe.  It was really good and refreshing.  They did offer other drinks such as soda, beer, spirits and wine.  I was somewhat confused at those options but I felt in order to have the true experience, I opted for the Fresca pineapple water.  We also ordered the jalapeno poppers which were filled with cream cheese and vegan crab.  It was so light.  You could see the crab meat but it didn’t have that over powering fishy smell and or taste as a lot of seafood.  I was extremely surprised by how flavorful they were.

Next we moved on to the kids meal potato taquitos that came with a side of red rice. We also tried the loaded nachos with Jackfruit pollo.  We had a side of spicy salsa and a mild green salsa. The spicy salsa was really good but it was seriously hot!  I enjoyed the potato taquitos. I was surprised they were considered Vegan but I guess it’s only potatoes.  The loaded nachos were really good.  The sauce that is in the nachos is made by the restaurant.  I believe our waiter said it was made with cashews. While I did like the Jackfruit pollo, it was a little too much that came on the nachos.  It was a little over powering and I felt it took away from the flavor of the nachos.  Once we removed much of the Jackfruit, we were able to dig in and really enjoy the taste.  I think in the future, I would order the nachos without any meat.

The service is really good. Our waiter answered all of our questions and he was very honest and helpful.  I will definitely be going back as there are a few other items I would like to try.  The price was reasonable and for two people we, dined for less than $45, including tip.  If you are ever in the area, stop by and try Madre Tierra, you will not be disappointed.

I’ve been focusing on a healthier lifestyle.  I don’t want to just diet to lose weight because then I always gain it back after I achieve my goals.  My focus this time is to continue on the path that I am on now as far as my eating habits.  As I get older, I find that eating whatever I want whenever I want isn’t always the best choice for my health and also my digestive system. Over the last year, I have endured a lot of stomach issues and I believe it’s due to the foods I have been consuming.  It has also caused to me gain a lot of weight and I’m really not happy with my inner and outer appearance.

I started this journey on January 2, 2020, at 196 pounds. I am not nine days in and I’m down to 181 pounds.  While this may seem a little drastic, I honestly just cut out all whites.  I am not eating potatoes, bread, etc and I have cut sugar out of my system and replaced it with Splenda.  Splenda is actually really good and I don’t miss refined sugars at all. I’ve replaced a lot of the sugar with fruits such as apples and oranges and I find this still helps to maintain my low sugar intake.  Even though it’s natural sugar, it still helps me to maintain a consistent loss without feeling fatigue and hungry. Since I am not drinking any beverages except water, I can also see a change in my skin, hair and nails.  I normally drink 70-80 ounces per day.

The only issue I have had so far was severe leg cramping.  They are called nocturnal cramps and are extremely painful at night and normally wake me up when I sleep.  These cramps usually occur when you stop eating carbs.  In order to stop the cramping, I started taking Magnesium Citrate and I stopped taking appetite suppressants called Garcinia Cambogia.  I also purchased Blue-Emu which is made with Emu oil to help reduce the cramping.  Over the last two nights, I have been able to sleep much better.  The cramps are subsiding and last night I almost felt nothing.  It’s great, however, I don’t know which of the three was responsible for the cramping to stop.  The cream reads it’s temporary and if cramping persists, I should see a doctor. I don’t know if the Magnesium Citrate worked or if it’s because I stopped taking the Garcinia Cambogia.  I’m going to do a little more research and consult my doctor when I visit her next week but at least for now I am happy to be able to sleep through the night.

I’ll give you another updated in a week or so. I am definitely happy with the progress and looking forward to incorporate this change in my daily living.  I’ve linked a couple of articles to the vitamins and Emu oil for ease of reference.

FOCUS is my word for 2020. One of my goals is to focus on getting a handle on a my eating and drinking habits. I eat and drink whatever I want, whenever I want and at this point, its not really working out for me.  For the new year, I decided to start off with a 30-day detox.  I have given up anything white which means no sugar or carbs. With the exception of my detox tea, I will only drink lemon water.  I can say that after one week, I do feel a lot better.

I also take vitamin supplements but I am definitely going to add a multi vitamin in the mix. I think that I need to make sure that my body is getting the supplements it needs to replace what I am losing by cutting out certain foods.  One thing I did find that drastically cutting out everything except fruits, vegetables and chicken, does decrease my energy level.  I have added a boiled egg in the morning and also raw nuts to snack on throughout the day.  I felt this has helped me not feel so tired.  This change also decreases my calorie intake.  I think that I’m taking in about 500-700 calories per day.  I know it’s half of what I should be in taking at this point, but I feel that for the first 30 days, I need to make this change and then I can incorporate other healthier foods.

Another part of my detox is no social media for 30 days. It honestly doesn’t bother me at all.  I really needed to unplug as I felt I was spending too much time on social media and not enough time doing things that are more stimulating my mind. I am replacing reading with social media and I love it. The first book is called “The Hush.”  It’s actually pretty good. I think I’ll do a review once I’ve finished reading it.

I’m also spending time in my planner and reading the daily word for women. It was a gift from one of my planner buddies and I love it.  It’s a daily reading and at the end of each reading, there is a scripture and they ask you certain questions for you to think about.  I have an inspiration section in my planner so I write down my notes in there.  It’s so much better than all the negativity on social media so I’m loving the disconnect. I do post my blogs on twitter and tweet when and if I watch certain shows but for the most part, I spend about 10-15 minutes on twitter and that’s not every day.

I’ll continue to document my journey and update everyone next Sunday.  Wish me luck!

It’s crazy right? I cannot believe it’s 2020.  The end of a decade or the beginning of a decade? Seems to be some argument and honestly whatever.  I’m just thankful to be alive and I am truly blessed.  What does this new year bring for me?  Is it the same ole same ole?  Nope! Not one bit.  Am I on a weight loss journey?  Absolutely.  However, in all fairness, I have gained too much weight and I definitely need to get it under control.  Am I going to watch my spending?  Absolutely.  I have wasted too much money and have bought a lot of unnecessary things so it’s time to take that money and put it into my savings account.  Now that the obvious is out of the way, I’ll talk about some other things that I will FOCUS on in 2020.

FOCUS is my word in 2020.  I need to focus on finishing school.  I need to focus on being positive. I need to focus on my mental health.  I need to focus on my physical health.  I need to focus on my water intake.  I need to focus on my future.  I need to focus on my finances. I need to focus on being consistent.  I need to focus on staying on track.  I need to focus on me. I spend so much time focuses and worrying about everyone else, that I tend to forget about me.  I am not going to be selfish but I’m going to be a little selfish.  I’m not wonder woman but everyone around me thinks I am and because of this, it has taken it’s toll on me both mentally and physically.

Today I decided to take a social media break.  I logged out of everything.  At first I started to disable my accounts but then I just decided to log out and unplug.  It’s amazing how much social media can consume our lives without us really being aware that it is happening.  I have read today.  Watched a little bit of television.  Cleaned out my closet and did a lot of de-cluttering today.  I gave myself a facial, a pedicure and now I’m blogging.  I want to get back to the things that made me happy and kept my mind in a positive space.  Everything else to me was too negative and I feel I have let it somewhat consume a part of me that I shouldn’t have.  I’m always going to be a work in progress but as long as I keep moving in this direction, I’ll be fine.

What are you doing different in 2020?

The fall semester is almost over.  Only two more weeks before it’s time for finals.  Only six more classes to go and then I’ll have my Associates in Psychology and Sociology and my Certification in Behavioral Science.  I should be jumping for joy.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy.  I see a light at the end of the tunnel but at what cost?  I’m physically and mentally drained.  School is fricken hard!  I knew it would be challenging but I had no clue that I would sometimes feel like I was going to have a nervous breakdown.  Seriously! School takes a toll on your mental health.

It can really wear you out and have you doubting so many things.  Should I finish?  Is it worth it?  How many more hours should I study?  Am I going to ace this test?  What am I doing wrong?  It creates so much confusion that you literally find yourself battling with yourself everyday. The amount of pressure the professors put on their students. The amount of pressure parents put on their children is insane.  Don’t get me wrong, a part of me gets it but I’m not sure this is something I could have handled in my early 20’s.  I think by now I would be bat sh$t crazy.

There is a lot to remember. It seems like every teacher has the same deadline.  Why is everything done at the same time? Midterms, finals, assignments, etc.  It is very overwhelming, challenging but rewarding at the same time. I know I’ll get through it and I’ll live.  I’m glad I’ll have a four-week break.  Not sure what classes I really want to take or how many at this point.  I really need to be strategic and make sure I have a good mix of not too hard but also interesting.  Until then, I’m going to do my best and stay in prayer. That’s all I can do!

 
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a workshop for one of my classes.  The workshop was called “Mindset.”  Before attending the workshop, I was very aware of what the word mindset meant but didn’t realize the depths of how this simple word can really change your mood and attitude of how I live my life.  The dictionary defines mindset as “the established set of attitudes held by someone.”  Pretty simple right?  Actually it is so much more to mindset than just this simple definition.  There are two types of mindset; fixed and growth.

Fixed.  “In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.”

Growth.  “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities.”

I feel like I have been stuck in a fixed mindset for such a long time.  I’ve always seen myself as an intelligent person.  I am familiar with a lot of “things.” I can engage in most conversations and what I don’t know, I will definitely research.  However, that is as far as I’ve ever taken my mindset.  I give great advice but I’m not sure I always follow it.  A couple of years ago, I made the conscience decision to go back to school and while I was doing pretty good in my classes, I still had a fixed mindset. I say this because I didn’t put as much effort into studying. In my mind, I knew the answers or I could search for them quickly and therefore, I wasn’t putting much effort into my studies. As a student, I was just going through the motions of school and while I was learning, I wasn’t growing as a student.

When I changed my mindset, I not only learned the materials and understood them better, I didn’t regret the process. School is a lot of work and it’s a process. It is more than just doing the assignments and physically showing up in class. You have to mentally sign up as well. I learned that if I am not mentally prepared for this journey, then what’s the point. This is growth for me. I show up and I show out. I no longer sit in the back and hope for the teacher never call on me. I am always raising my hand and asking questions, answering questions and engaging in healthy communication and definitely taking notes.

I’m a bad ass now and I’m a loving it!

At the beginning of January, I set out to find me a new planner. I buy a lot of planners throughout the year and I use them for a month or so and then I just say forget it. It seems to be too much work and honestly, it was boring. When I stumbled across the Happy Planner for the second time and all the accessories (stickers, extension packs), I thought to myself, this might work this time. I purchased a few items but I really didn’t know how to start of what to do. I searched in Facebook groups for “The Happy Planner” and low and behold, it was this huge underground world of people who use happy planners. Seriously, I had died and went to planner group heaven. I joined the group and have fallen down the rabbit hole ever since.

The planning community is this phenomenal group of women who not only plan their lives but they decorate their planners. These people use stickers, card stock, washi tape, Cricut machine, Silhouette machine and a host of other crafts and tools to make these spreads not only look beautiful but work for them in their every day life. It’s honestly something that I never thought I would ever engage in or be a part of. I will tell you that I absolutely love the planning community. It’s diverse, it’s fun, it’s creative and for the most part, we can all relate to each other for our love of stickers and new releases. (That’s another blog topic, trust me.)

Since I began using the happy planner, I a more organized. I am on track with errands, appointments and most importantly school. My husband and I have different schedules so I can keep up with his appointments, truck runs, etc. I don’t miss homework assignments (unless I procrastinate) but for the most part, this planner has saved my life these past few months. I am old school so I like paper and pen. I can add a reminder to my phone but once I hit dismiss, I forget about it. I carry my planner with me and I look at it daily so I always know what is going on. If I need to pay a bill, automatic payments, send someone a birthday shout out or whatever, it’s all in my planner so I don’t forget. I’m getting older and I have a lot going on so I can admit that things slip my mind. I can say that I am grateful for the happy planner and the planning community.

Test

It’s been a few months since I’ve written a post.  While I am not into excuses, life got in the way.  One of the reasons I started blogging, I really felt it would help me to release a lot of feelings that I may not always be comfortable with sharing with close friends and/or family.  However, I am not sure why I am comfortable with sharing it with the world.  Maybe it’s because people you don’t know seem to be a little more honest than that ones we do.  People close to you always seem to want everyone to think everything is great when in reality, we are all living in this dog-eat-dog world and doing our best to put on a brave face and survive each and every day.  With so many school shooting, massing shootings, etc, it can be difficult at times.

My son has been home from school for the  summer and he will be going back in a couple of weeks.  While I love having my son home, it can be trying at times.  I can definitely see the change in what type of young man he is developing into.  He is definitely still trying to figure it all out and he believes he’s “grown.”  Until he can’t figure it out, then he calls.  LOL. At any rate, I am very proud of him and the man he is becoming.

I did finish my summer class with a B-. I really should have gotten an “A” but I did procrastinate and because of that, I fell behind.  Once you get behind, it’s hard to catch up.  I did manage to complete the course so I am thankful for that and now fall semester is right around the corner.  I’ve decided to take 3 classes this semester but I would like to add a 4th.  I’m so close to finishing and I really want to move on to university life.  Honestly, I just want to be done with school so I can move on to the next phase of my life.

I had been seriously looking into volunteer work.  I really wanted something that I would be able to use in the future and also gain some experience in the field I am studying.  I am happy to announce, I have been accepted into the CASA training program.  Upon successful completion of the training, passing background check, etc, I will be sworn in and assigned a child to begin working with.  I am excited about this opportunity.  I am seriously considering working with at risk children.  Talk to me again in 4 years, LOL it may change.

Right now, this is where I am in life and I must say I am again finding my inner peace.  I will make sure to blog at least once a week as I feel it does help me to relax.  I love writing and inner peace is about doing things that you love and what makes you happy.

Until we meet again!