Hello to the mamas and non-mamas alike!
Some of you may know that I've been vegan since March of 2013. Since that time I became fascinated with all things health and wellness, because that's when I started learning how everything was so connected. Foods affect more than just your big picture health... it affects your mood, your energy level, your allergies, everything! But there are a lot of people who misunderstand the simplicity of veganism. And for the sake of my clients, I promote a plant based diet- which is different. But if they think I'm promoting veganism, they assume they can't do it. For them, it's more about change than anything. If you've always grown up eating a certain way, or living a certain way, change is scary. But if what you've always done isn't working for you, then don't you owe yourself a change? Even beyond the fear of change, they think it's too expensive. That being said, I want to share something profound about eating a plant based diet. It's available for everyone. It's not something that only A-list celebrities can afford. It's not something you have to spend hundreds of dollars a week to do. In fact, eating a plant based diet is not only the best thing you can do for the planet AND your health, but it's actually much, MUCH cheaper than eating an animal based diet! This misconception about veganism, or a plant based diet, comes from the belief that food products are the same as food. They're not! Food products are processed things we eat. If you're vegan or plant based, you know that those products tend to have a special label on them, which increases the price (because they have to be certified vegan by an outside company). In addition to that, veganism is a niche market, which makes those companies able to charge a premium. For actual foods that aren't processed food products, you don't need a special label. For actual foods, you go to the produce section and pick it up, then pay. That's it. No massive ingredient list to decipher, no special labels to search for, no obsessive worrying about cross contamination. There is a lot I want to bring up from here, but this whole post was inspired by Cheap Lazy Vegan on youtube, so please watch her video to learn 10 tips for eating a plant based diet on a budget! Click here. Thanks for reading, and be well, Health Coach Carlie
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Happy August everyone!
Today I am reminiscing on last summer, when I spent two whole months traveling. It's a rare opportunity, which makes it extra special. I'm thinking about the experiences I had, and how precious the memories are to me now- but they didn't all feel that sweet at the time. This has gotten me to thinking about rear-view mirrors. I recently heard on a tv show "everything looks better in the rear view mirror" (referring to the past), and it struck me as so true, but sad. Today, while I'm missing my friends in Brazil and crunching numbers like mad to see if I can go back next year, I'm thinking about how much I struggled during that trip. The struggles themselves are not what's important, here, though. The thing that's important is that those struggles, at times, kept me from seeing the beauty around me. Those struggles prevented me from taking it all in, from loving every moment in my international paradise. Things could have been more beautiful, kind, loving, peaceful, joyful, and all around incredible if those struggles hadn't held me back. But did they have to? So what I want you to take away from this post is that no matter where you are or where you're headed, rear-view mirrors make everything look better. (Even things they shouldn't...) So no matter how tired you are, or how many chores you have to do, or how bland every day life might seem, it's time for us to learn how to savor the moments. Taking your kids to sports practice can be a time for you to sing together, or cooking dinner for your family could be a time to teach your little ones how to cook with love. Or, if you're like me, being depressed in Sao Paulo can be a time to learn to love yourself, be gentle with yourself, and open your eyes to the beauty surrounding you, even if you can't feel it. That's all I wanted to say today. Life is hard. But life is also beautiful. Be well, Health Coach Carlie |
Health Coach Carlie
I'm the Health Coach of Craving Wellness, and lover of all things motherhood! Archives
January 2017
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