1 Year Vegan Anniversary

And they said it wouldn't last... That it was just a fad... That it was a diet... That I would get bored... That I would break down & have a burger... To all the naysayers I say... Haaaa Haaaa!!!!

I DID IT!!! 

One full 365 day year of being Vegan & I'm still loving every bit of it!

I love that I'm eating clean & organic.

I love that I have more energy than ever.

I love that I'm stronger & exercising at my  most challenging level.

I love that my diet does not hurt 1 single animal on this planet.

I love that my diet does not destroy the environment.

I love that I'm getting all the protein I need through plants.

And I also love that I'm comfortable with my body & that my diet suits me like no other ever has.

It's also extremely motivating that I'm dating someone who (although he isn't vegan) eats clean & works out as much as I do! He is my rock & my support system & he cooks for me ALL the time!

Like scrambled "eggs" tofu...

Raw Veggies that I slice up...

And he grills up!  Grilled Vegetables are my absolute favorite thing to eat right now! Trent just brushes them with olive or grapeseed or avocado oil & then he throws them on the grill on medium-high heat, flips them until they are nice & cooked perfectly to my taste! The whole cooking process takes less than 10 minutes! And the prep time is just a few minutes of slicing up veggies! 

So I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised when he agreed to do a 3-day juice cleanse with me! Now I am NOT the type that does a cleanse! Seems too extremist to me normally...

But after a year of completely changing my diet, it just felt like it was time to go to the next level & do a REAL detox!

The couple that cleanses together -- stays together!! Ha ha he he 

We are currently on our last day of the cleanse & so far, so good! I'm not hungry & I'm not too tired. I feel a bit off balance because I miss chewing food & I definitely miss my daily cup of coffee. I have been sleeping more, but that's a good thing for me! And I have only had 2 slight headaches. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to re-joining the food world tomorrow!

And true-to-his-form... Trent has been all gung-ho about this cleanse! He has inspired me to stick with it & not give up & he has even worked out while on it! I have not. I worked out 5 days in a row before the cleanse so that I could take 3 days off, if I needed to. I feel ok on the cleanse but not good enough to exercise. My fear is that I'm not taking in enough calories to sustain the work-outs I usually do & then go to work all day, as well.

This cleanse is also kicking off a month of "going dry"... You heard right... I'm taking a break from alcohol.

Trent & I have had A LOT of fun at the Las Olas Wine & Food Festival...

The Jimmy Buffet Concert...

And plenty of other social events around town! But I have noticed that being social, often includes drinking a cocktail or 2 or 3... & I need a break! For my health & well-being, I'm skipping the champagne & doubling up on salads!

And other healthy choices...

Even being Vegan requires making the right food choices, otherwise you can overdo the carbs & the calories too! So once my cleanse is over, I'm back to my lifestyle of moderation which is essential!

And when my life is in balance, I tend to smile more... Don't you?!