Hi there! Well…it’s been almost a WHOLE month since my last post and several things have happened since my last visit.

First…let me congratulate myself for completing my FIRST challenge in this journey!!! YAY!!! I mentioned before I would keep the reward health and fitness related, but I couldn’t think of anything in those categories at the time. SOOOOO…I settled for something else….

Yeah…yeah…more shoes…LOL!!! What can I say??? I’m a shoe fanatic!!! I ordered these from Realtyme Junction…LOVE them!!!

I am so proud of myself for taking charge of my life!!! I’ve already started health-wise…and it’s pouring over into other areas. I have now made giving myself at least one day off a week one of my TOP priorities!!! I’m a busy body!!! Running my own business and having a passion for what I do can sometimes cause me to become engrossed in day-to-day appointments with clients. I sometimes realize I have not taken a day off for myself. I now schedule in my days off ahead of time and they’re written in stone…NO CHANGING THEM FOR NOTHING OR NOBODY! Sorry!!!

I got dressed and attended church one Sunday with an open heart and a longing to leave with my thirst for the Word of God quenched.

I must say…IT WAS QUENCHED!!! I enjoyed the Sunday sermon by Minister Wilson, “Don’t Throw Stones” – John 8:1-7…thank you Lord for the message!!!

I realized I had fallen short and not given the Lord enough of my time. He has given me a wake-up call and I’m listening. It’s time to give more of my time to God…re-evaluating my schedule and prioritizing in order to do just that!!! NO MORE EXCUSES….NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

I have a WONDERFUL husband and I love him dearly!!! He keeps me grounded and he supports me in all that I do. Well…our church trusted him enough and felt he should be the next Superintendent of Sunday School for our church. I’m SO proud of him and he’s been all smiles around here just bubbling over with joy and thanking God for the opportunity!

ON A HEALTHIER NOTE….

Hubby and I have discovered we love curried vegetable stir-fry…Mmmmm…Mmmm….GOOD!!!

We’ve also discovered a new rice blend to have with the delicious stir-fry….Brown and Forbidden Rice blend.

For those of you wondering what forbidden rice is…it is a type of black rice…also called Chinese black rice and is popular with vegetarians and vegans. It has a nutty flavor and turns a deep purple when cooked. Forbidden rice is rich in amino acids, phytonutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants….and the taste is DELICIOUS!!!

PROGRESS!!!

I can DEFINITELY see progress and inches lost from my waistline!!! YES…the muffin top and love handles are a thing of the past!!!

When I lose or gain weight, my face is always the tell tale sign…and from this pic I can clearly see the weight loss. My face looks a lot leaner and my skin looks amazing!!! You are what you eat!!! When good things are placed into the body, good things show outwardly and within. When bad things are placed into the body, bad things show outwardly and within. MAKE A NOTE AND REMEMBER THAT!!!

DOCTOR REPORT – FEBRUARY

Hubby and I had our doctor’s visit this month and I was gearing up to receive a GOOD report….AND I DID!!! My blood pressure was good at 120/68 and I had lost another 7 pounds…YES!!! I refuse to go on medication for high blood pressure when I can prevent it by eating right and doing right!!! Thank you Lord!!!  I look and feel GREAT!!!

I am so glad that my entire family is becoming HEALTHY…thank you Lord!!! I am now in the 170′s…YES!!! I am not far from my goal now…150 pounds….HERE I COME!!!

Well…I had a WONDERFUL Valentine’s Day this week….

I spent some much needed time with my snuggle buddy hubby!!!

IN CLOSING…

I am SO glad I became a Fed Up Sistah and took control of my life!!! In the last month, I have had to deal with 4 family members stricken with illnesses…2 uncles (my father’s brothers), an aunt (my mother’s sister), and my mother. My Uncle James has diabetes. He had not been taking his medication properly and eating the wrong things. He has had surgery to replace arteries in the past and had to undergo the same surgery…plus the amputation of 2 toes. My Uncle Willie had a stroke on his optic nerve. While hospitalized, he has learned he is also a diabetic. The stroke has left him without the use of his right side. He can’t walk!  He now has to undergo rehabilitation in hopes he will regain the ability to walk. Poor diet has played a role in his condition. My mother was hospitalized due to elevated blood pressure and reflux. She has not been eating properly.  Tests were performed and so far they have come back fine. Blood tests are being performed and hopefully may provide answers to her problem. Aunt Doris collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital where she has been hospitalized. She had a stroke which has left her unable to use her left side of her body. For awhile, she was unable to swallow but has since started eating on her own again. She is unable to walk also and she’s going through intensive rehabilitation. ALL of these illnesses my family members have experienced can be attributed to poor diet.  I will continue to press on with this healthy lifestyle change with hopes of it rubbing off onto other family members.

I must admit my family WAS an unhealthy one up until a few months ago…hubby, son, and I…we were all making unhealthy food choices and overweight. I am happy to say that not only have I lost weight but hubby has lost about 45 pounds and my son 22 pounds. We are now making HEALTHY food choices and working towards our weight loss goals.

WHEN YOU GET FED UP…YOU KICK INTO ACTION AND DO

SOMETHING ABOUT IT…MY FAMILY HAS DONE JUST THAT!!!

WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS ON!!!

Until next time….eat well to live well!!!

I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF!!! I am 20 days into my “meatless” diet and 2 weeks into my Forks Over Knives Journey!!! And…look what I discovered….

NO MORE HANDLES TO LOVE…MY LOVE HANDLES ARE GONE!!! YES….I am making progress!!! I am still hovering just over 180 pounds…need to break below that and plunge into the 170′s. I WILL do it and I plan on getting below 180 pounds within the next month. I must press on towards my 150 pound goal!!!

So…time to recap this past weekend!!!

Remember, I mentioned we had a snowstorm come through last week. Guess what showed up on Friday???

MORE DARN SNOW….UGHHHH!!!  This is what I get for living here in the Midwest…I HATE SNOW!!! And…I sure in the heck don’t like driving in it! I had 2 client appointments scheduled for Friday…one in the morning and the other in the evening. I was sure I could take care of my morning appointment and be back home before the weather got bad. Well…that didn’t happen because as you can see from the pics, I was stuck driving in it. My 45-minute drive home turned into 2 1/2 hours!!! I saw 2 accidents and numerous spin outs along my route home. I just thank God I made it home safely! I ended up cancelling my evening appointment.

Saturday was spent digging ourselves out of the snow ONCE AGAIN, along with several client appointments. I was able to stop by The Vitamin Shoppe to pick up a few things on my “eat well to live well” list.

Here’s a look at what I bought!!!

CHIA SEEDS!!! My friend, Sonya, on Facebook suggested I should try these and I’m excited about trying something new! Chia seeds are known to help you lose weight without starving, balance blood sugar, ensure regularity, add omega-3 oil to diet, feel more energized all day, cut cravings for food, and add age-defying anti-oxidants.

I picked these up to add to a recipe for Chia Cereal. Hemp seeds are an incredible vegan source of easily digested protein with all 10 essential amino acids. They are rich in disease-fighting, plant-based phytonutrients and anti-aging antioxidants such as vitamin E. Hemp seeds contain a healthy anti-inflammatory 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat.

COCONUT MANNA!!! This will be my first time trying this, but I’ve heard good things about it…adds a wonderful coconut flavor to your food!!!

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! This is a MUST HAVE, if you want a natural way to bring flavor to your food! I’ve used this for several years now.

WHITE TEA!!! There are so many health benefits to drinking white tea. Ask Dr. Oz…LOL!!!

I ended my Saturday evening with a steamy cup of delicious tea!!!

Sunday was filled with servicing clients due to having to reschedule a couple of appointments from last week’s snowstorm. I ended the evening preparing a delicious batch of Black Bean Soup.

OMG!!! It was some of the BEST tasting Black Bean Soup I’ve ever tasted…and I cooked it!!! Who says choosing a “meatless” diet can’t have delicious dishes…this was YUMMY!!! Recipe will be posted in the Recipe section of the website.

Now…on to today…MONDAY!!!  I was able to sleep in because I didn’t have any morning appointments with clients and it felt good doing so! I woke up and was anxious to prepare my first bowl of Chia Cereal.

Let me just tell you….I have discovered a new favorite breakfast cereal!!! This cereal is absolutely delicious!!! Recipe will be posted in the Recipe section of the website.

Throughout the day, I will snack on various things….fruit, protein bars, and my famous homemade trail mix….LOL!

My trail mix, KiKi’s Trail Mix Medley, consists of Roasted Sunflower Seeds, Organic Raisins, Whole Almonds, and Chunks of Endangered Species 88% Cocoa All-Natural Extreme Dark Chocolate (Certified, vegan, gluten-free, kosher). YUMMY!!!

By this afternoon, I was off to an appointment with a client in Chicago.

As you can see from the pics, today was a gloomy day and so was the drive to my appointment. TRAFFIC…UGHHH!!! Traffic near downtown Chicago is horrible! I eventually made it to my client, took care of her hair, and made my way home to enjoy the rest of my evening.

Oh yeah…I almost forget….I did it!!! I survived my “In It To Win It” Challenge of juicing for 2 meals and solids foods (fruits, veggies, grains and legumes) for snacks and dinner….YAY!!! What shall my reward be??? Hmmm…..let me get to thinking…LOL!

Until next time….eat well to live well!!!

Hi there! So…I’m on Day 4 of this week’s challenge and it’s going well! I’ve been really having fun and enjoying juicing for 2 meals out of the day! I’m on a mission to see this challenge to the end with a wonderful reward. I still haven’t decided what the reward will be, but it will be something related to health and fitness in some way.

On Tuesday, I had a chance to make the homemade protein bars my client, Danielle, gave me the recipe for. YUMMY!!! They turned out great and they make great snacks between meals. I’ll post the recipe in the Recipe section of the blog site for those interested.

Today, hubby and I visited Dr. Nchekwube’s office for our weekly Vitamin B-12 energy shot. We are both Vitamin B-deficient and opt for the shot instead of the pill because it is immediately absorbed by the bloodstream and gets right to work with what it needs to in our bodies. We’ve also noticed an increase in energy, a decrease in appetite, and an increase in weightloss which I think has to do with the Vitamin B-12 energy shot. I’m no medical professional, but I do believe the shot has played a role.

Well…it’s been 16 days since I have consumed meat or dairy products and I feel GREAT…my whole body is starting to feel and look good…even my mood and attitude are at a positive high!!!! You know when you’re “Fed Up” because your determination and willingness to take control pours over into more than one area of your life…LIVING IT NOW!!! Thank you Lord!!!

Until next time…..eat well to live well!!!

Hi there! So….as you can see, I took a couple of days off from posting a blog post…IT WAS FAMILY WEEKEND…WOO HOO!!! Yes…I was excited!!! Being a Woman-On-The-Go running my own business, I don’t always have the luxury of having an entire weekend off to spend with my hubby and son. On Saturday morning, I woke up and juiced me a morning drink…YUMMY!

In the afternoon on Saturday, I headed to Chicago to a relative’s house for a quick spruce up to a cousin’s locks. My son and I proceeded to Trader Joe’s Market in Orland Park, Illinois afterwards.

I continue to wonder why we don’t have stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market in Northwest Indiana. It’s funny…the warehouse for Whole Foods is right in Munster, Indiana…but we don’t have a store here!!!  Ok…enough with the pouting!!! Let me tell you…I learned something QUICK from my visit to Trader Joe’s. I thought I could go there and get many of the things I needed for my new way of “eating well to live well” journey. It was not the case!!! The small produce section had decent fruits and vegetables that were slightly overpriced. The majority of the rest of the store was filled with tons of packaged and processed foods. I was SO disappointed because I had been shopping there before and liked the store…not realizing just how much packaged and processed foods occupy the store. It looks like I won’t be able to get certain things I need for my whole foods, plant-based diet from Trader Joe’s. I realized I must submit to a Whole Foods Market run……UGHHH!!! Don’t get me wrong…I love Whole Foods, but I don’t like the drive…it’s all the way on the north side of Chicago!!! I decided to only get a few things at Trader Joe’s and make a Whole Foods run the following day on Sunday. Until then, it was movie time!!!

My son and I headed back home to pick up hubby and head to the Portage IMAX theater to see a movie. We left the movie pick up to our son who decided we should go see the movie, Contraband. To me, it was a good action-packed movie that kept my attention. I looked over at my son halfway through the movie and couldn’t believe he was asleep…and WHO picked the movie…LOL???

Well…Saturday went down as a decent day mainly spent with my son. It was on to Sunday!!!

On Sunday morning, I woke up with Jesus on my mind and a thirst for God’s Word. I headed to church for morning service. The church service went well and the message brought forth quenched my thirst for a Word and message from God. Thank you Lord!

After church, my family and I headed to Whole Foods where I was sure to find everything I needed for a few recipes I had on hand and wanted to try.

Whole Foods lives up to its name…it is TRULY the place for those who live a whole foods, plant-based diet!!!

They have a WONDERFUL produce section, along with the rest of the store!!! LOVE IT!!! I spent over 2 hours in the store just walking around seeing all they had to offer me in this lifestyle change of mine.

And, all I can say, they have all I will need for this lifestyle change. I’ll be making a visit as often as I can. I just hope one day SOMEONE pushes to have a Whole Foods built in Northwest Indiana.

I came home and made a DELICIOUS and HEALTHY dinner…Paradise Island Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Oven Fries…YUMMY!!! I will be adding the recipes for both to the Recipe section of the blog site.

I must say that, overall, I enjoyed my weekend with hubby and son. I look forward to making more time to spend with them this year!!!

Until next time…eat well to live well!!!

I slept SO good last night….first time I’ve done so in a long time when I don’t have my snuggle buddy hubby with me! He was stuck somewhere in Remington, Indiana due to the snow storm. I slept in a little late this morning. I don’t get to do this often and it felt wonderful to just get the extra sleep. I woke up, got dressed, juiced me up some Green Lemonade, and headed outside to shovel the snow.

Had to get the warm gear on….LOL!!!

And…I couldn’t forget the coat!!!

WOW…look at my skin!!! It’s so clear and looks like there’s a glow to it! It must be the detox and the new way of eating I’ve adopted!

Here’s a look at the snow outside and my shoveling adventure…….

Notice…it’s still snowing!!!

First time wearing these boots…they came in handy for the snow!!! I have to thank my Mommy for them…gotta love her…woman LOVES to shop!!!

I sure hate this white stuff….UGHHH…and I hated shoveling it even more!!! The only good thing out of it….I got a dose of exercise from doing so…LOL.

Sidewalk clear…YAY!!!!

And…the ENTIRE driveway is clear….just in time for hubby to get home from work and park his car!!! SUPERWOMAN….LOL!!! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

I gave it some thought and I’ve decided I’m ready for my first challenge in this journey. UP FOR A CHALLENGE!!! Next week, my challenge will be to juice for breakfast and lunch…and have solid fruits and veggies for snacks and dinner. Challenge starts Monday, January 16th, and ends on Sunday, January 22nd!!! If I complete the challenge, I will reward myself for a job well done.

With the challenge being set, I needed to head to the store to stock up on extra fruits and veggies!!!

Aldi run…LOL…love this store!!! Food here is inexpensive…and they have some decent fruits and veggies.

All stocked up and ready to check out!!! I never thought I would ever leave a grocery store with a shopping cart full of fruits and veggies only…but here I am doing just that!!!

I finished the evening off with a delicious bowl of KiKi’s Salad Creation…LOL…spring mix of greens, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, strawberries, and blackberries topped with raspberry vinaigrette…YUMMY!!!

So, as you can see, I had a LONG day…LOL…about to lay it down!

Until next time…eat well to live well!!!

~KeAndri~