Are you up for the Challenge?

I've been feeling a challenge coming on for myself.  But I've been hesitant to start it because one of my focuses this year was to find BALANCE and I've been feeling as though if I started a challenge, I'd fall victim to the "all of nothing" approach which in turn could end up in the "if I have one bad thing then I've stuffed my diet up, and may as well start again tomorrow" territory, which I don't want to happen.  So i've been breathing through these feelings and meditating on the thought of doing a 42 day vegan challenge to make sure that it's not my ego driving my desire to do this, but that it is coming from a deeper desire for absolute health and wellbeing.  I've had to be honest with myself and realise that right now, the way I'm going I'm not feeling my absolute best.  I really want to be a walking advertisement of health and wellness, I really want to practice what I preach in the hope that I can inspire just one person to change the way they view their lives and start living a healthier more abundant life.

So why 42 days and why a vegan diet?

Well studies have shown that creating a new habit takes 21 days to stick, well in my history... I need a bit longer than 21 days.  To be honest, I'm just getting the hang of things at 21 days, but I haven't formed a new habit.  This brings me to doing something for 40 days, research has shown that after repeating an new pattern for forty days, you can change the neural pathways in your brain to create long-lasting change.  Mythical examples range from Moses's forty days and fort nights spent on Mount Sinai to the story of the Buddha reaching enlightenment on the full moon in May after meditation and fasting under the bodhi tree for forty days.  So I'm taking cue from the mystics and committing to a 40 day vegan lifestyle change, and because I like to have things even, I'm aiming for 6 weeks so that makes it 42 days, the extra two days are just a bonus!

Why a Vegan diet specifically?  Well I've been flirting with a vegan diet for a few months now.  I've been having meat and dairy free meals at least 2 meals a day, and the days I fully commit to a vegan diet, I wake up feeling more vibrant and full of energy than the days that some cheese or even some meat may have crept into my meals.  Now I'm coming to understand a few new truths.  Diet and meal choices are not one-size fits all, so while this feels right for me at this point in time, it might not be right to you.  It's certainly not the right fit for my fiancé, he needs his meat and that's ok.  So if you're thinking you want to embark on this 42 day challenge with me, but following a vegan diet isn't right for you, give something else a try.  It might be quitting sugar, or giving up dairy, or following the Paleo principles, or even just implementing one vegan meal into your diet a day / week.  Do what ever feels right for you at this time.

People choose to be vegan for health, environmental and/or ethical reasons.  For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products.  That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products.  Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.

The main reason I'm doing this is for my health, I've lived a vegan lifestyle before and honestly that has been the best I have ever felt.  But it also feels pretty darn good to choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world.  I know that I am not perfect by I believe I have a responsibility to try to do my best, while not being judgemental of others.

The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety.  A heathy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and legumes.  And for me I will still include some eggs.  I have chooks at home, I know how they are being treated and I know what they are being fed, and I am content that they live in a great environment.

If you will be joining me on this challenge.  Take some time before hand to become clear on why you are wanting to embark on this challenge.  Also work out what you want to achieve at the end of your 42 days.  Because if you are not clear in the beginning it will be easier for you not to stick to it and fall back on old bad habits.

Why not follow me on my instagram account for photos of meals and I'll also be loading a heap of recipes up on the blog to give you heaps of ideas and keep you going.  I'll also keep a bit of a online journal of my progress if you are interested in it.  I'll also track down some inspiring vegans and have a chat to them about they reasons for choosing this lifestyle and the positive way it has impacted their lives.

What an exciting way to start Autumn.  Hope you have a great Saturday!

Nic
x

Live a Pure and Happy Life - It's easier than you think.

Waking up each morning with boundless energy and clear skin is starting to become a daily norm for me, but it wasn't always this way and it hasn't been an easy road.  I'm starting to live more in the present and leaving the past where it is and allowing the future to present itself as it pleases.  I can't change anything in the past and I certainly cannot predict the future, all I can do is live in the present and make the most of each and every moment NOW.

By becoming aware of the present moment, I've been able to let go of all the things that hold me down, like fear of the unknown, anxiety and stress.  When I'm living in these feelings, I don't treat myself with the respect that I deserve and I mainly reach for comfort food to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  That warm and fuzzy feeling lasts for all of about 20mins and then the guilt and resentment kick in.  This vicious cycle had to stop, my mind needed a break and I wasn't liking the extra cottage cheese forming on my thighs.

Somehow I stumbled across Echart Tolle's The Power of Now, and downloaded his audio book to my phone.  I only really got about 40mins in, but everything was starting to make sense.  I needed to live more in the present moment and forget about everything else.  So I set about trying to put this into practice.  First I tried walking outside and just taking everything in and being aware of all the sounds around me which was nice at first but I would then find myself looking at all the homes and then becoming really judgemental on the way people were living, how could they leave their yard like that.  That wasn't working.  Then I thought about meditation.  I always loved doing the 10mins of meditation and relaxation at the end of yoga.  So I gave it a try and it works perfectly for me.

Meditation sounds daunting to some, but it is one of the most effective ways to cultivate a happy life. The main benefit of mediation is to teach us how to be okay with just being.  Jess Ainscough's book Make Peace with Your Plate has a great summary on meditation:

When you can close your eyes and sit in meditation, with nothing to achieve and nothing to do apart from concentrate on your breathing and the sensations in your body, you quickly learn how to be content without any of the bells and whistles of our busy modern lives.  You may hate it at first; you may struggle with the silence and stillness.  But trust me when I say that, after a while, you'll notice subtle changes in your everyday life.  Your patience and coping mechanisms will improve, you will be easier to please, you will be able to see the bigger picture, and you'll be more content in the present moment.  You won't need anything else to make you happy - you will be happy for absolutely no other reason than because you are alive in the moment.

Being happy for absolutely no other reason than because you are alive in the moment is a great and liberating feeling.  For me, this state of happiness then flows out into all avenues of my life, I'm so much more grateful for all the little things and my relationships are stronger.

How to meditate:

- Find somewhere comfortable that you can sit and not be interrupted.  You may want to sit on a stool, or a pillow, I sit on the end of my couch.

- Once you are seated in your spot, make sure that you are sitting upright and not leaning on anything, you don't want to be too comfortable or otherwise you may drift off to sleep.

- Close your eyes and focus your attention on the space between them.  This is the 'Third Eye' - it's said to house all your intuitive powers.

- Concentrate on your breathing, listen to the rise and fall of your abdomen.  Become aware of the noises that surround you, listen for birds, cars or people making noises.  Don't focus in on those noises just be aware.

- Your mind may wonder, this is ok and normal.  When it does wander, just bring your attention back to your breathing.

- Try to stay calm and in this position for as long as you can.  Start with 5-10 mins a day then work your way up to 30mins.

Give meditating a try, you will be happier for it, which will spill out into all areas of you life.  Because your more content, you'll make better choices throughout your day, you'll automatically go for foods that nourish your body and you'll be a much kinder person.

I'd love to hear how meditating is working for you, leave me a comment below.

Nicole
xx

PS.  Don't forget about the Potluck Picnic in the Park on the 15th Feb 2014, come along I'd love to meet you.  For more information click here.