Fit-Ness part 2

My last post was so in the zone. 

So inspired.....then my birthday happened. 

It was a messy affair, on top of that i was at a friends house for the last 2 weeks looking after their Cat while they were away.....and then the old me kicked in.

Being away from the gym and it taking me at least an hour and a half to get home every night (which i know is normal for some people) took its toll on my positive metal attitude(PMA)

Before I went to "The Cat House" (as its known now). I checked to see if there was a gym near by. There was, but pay as you go for just 2 days was more expensive than one month at my regular gym. I took my work out clothes with me, hoping to get some HIIT training in, but with all the train delays (most days) by the time i got home, fed the cat it was bed time!!

So i fell into some bad snacking habits..."it's my birthday", yeah not for two weeks love. I do love to drag a birthday out but i was totally using this as an excuse to just eat and eat!!

On both the weekends i was at The Cat House, i did manage to drag my ass out for a run. The first was great, first outdoor run of the year! I was proud. Then a friend stayed over the next weekend and we headed out to do a Park Run! Again, awesome, ran the whole thing (as did my friend who I'm super proud of)

So now I'm home!!

Its been 4 days. And in that 4 days I've been for a run after work with a friend. Two runs before work (and this morning smashed yesterdays time!!) And been to the gym twice. Fit-Ness is back in the zone!! I had only put a pound back on over the two weeks. And I've managed to shift that so far and another one! So things are looking up!!

Watch this space for more updates!!

As always

Keep it Positive

Nessa

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Veganniversary - One Year In!!

Its been a whole year!! Since i turned Vegan!!

This last year has seen some massive changes in the Vegan movement and thats just from my point of view, i can only imagine how people who've been Vegan for much longer feel!!

This last year has made me feel mad at times, sad at times and believe in the human race again!! Wooo

There's some things I've realised that almost go hand in hand with Veganism. Vegans believe in the equality of animals and humans. So its obvious that vegans would be feminists! To believe in the equality of ALL humanity!!  We shouldn't be abusing animals for our pleasure just like we shouldn't be abusing other humans for our gain!!

Pre-gan (pre vegan) i was oblivious to how much suffering was happening to animals, and honestly, didn't really want to know because that would mean I'd need to change. And i wasn't ready.

When I'm passionate about something, you're gonna damn well know about it. But i know that getting passionate about Veganism only fuels all none vegans arguments that "all vegans are angry, shouty, pushy crazy people" but we're not....

Imagine you've got solid proof that your best friends partner is cheating on them...you go in with the evidence and they don't want to see it or hear what you've got to say. You're gonna get a bit irate, shout a little, all because you want to look after your bestie, you want them to see the truth. So you argue and maybe fall out for a little because you can't understand why they don't want to hear what you have to say....so you're gonna start looking a little crazy.

Well that's how i feel when someone comes at me with "a fact", i say it like this because the things people usually say to me are stuff that's now old wives tales, "eggs are a great source of protein" yeah maybe 50 years ago....we also have to remember that smoking was promoted by your doctor 50 years ago!

"Egg corporations aren't even allowed to say things like "Eggs are an important part of a well balanced, healthy diet" on an egg carton because it would be considered misleading, according to the USDA's National Egg Supervisor since eggs contain significant amounts of fat and cholesterol, and therefore can contribute to the leading killer in the United States, heart disease."

Want to learn some more facts about eggs
.... Eggs - Healthy or not?

I've had my moments over this year...bursting into tears after having a few bevvies with my besties (who aren't vegan) cos i want to teach them all this stuff that's now running round my head. I've got a bit sassy with people because the "facts" they're throwing at me have no context or its "bro science" you know, my mate told his mate who told his mate, so there for its now a fact!!

But I've learnt that i cannot lose my cool, because when i do no one will even think about listening. And I've never wanted to be someone who forces my beliefs onto others. But when people start pushing their way of life on me...or come out with "yeah well, my food shits on your food" (this was said before i even said anything about vegan!!) Prepare for me to start saying things you won't want to hear.... 

To anyone else talk about how nice your steak for lunch was...and I'll nod and smile, so when i say how nice my veggies and rice was, please have the courtesy to do the same!!

As always

Keep it Positive

Nessa

Instagram: endless_night07
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Splitting the Bill - The Taboo of our age!

Been wanting to write a post about this waaaaaaay before i turned Vegan....

I feel its a bit of a taboo in this day and age, a bit like asking for money back that you've lent someone. Or anything surrounding money!

I'm a really straight up kinda girl. I don't believe in letting the elephant in the room grow!

Just like if i lend someone money. When i need it back. I'll ask, but i know so many people who wont. They'll just wait for the other person to offer it back. I recently lent a really good friend some money, and when i felt i could do with it back; i asked. I also said if she couldn't pay me back at that point it was totally cool, and by totally cool i meant it, if she didn't have it at that point, i would have waited. But as Mama Ward taught me, don't ask don't get!!

For instance there's always something going on at work, someones birthday or someone leaving and in the office culture we have, we tend to get the whole team to put in some money. But some people aren't very good at paying up. This Christmas i got the presents for our manager and i asked everyone for the money, only a fiver, until i got it. But i know other people have been in charge of getting a birthday present and because they only asked once, didn't get the money from some people in the team. Now its too awkward for them to ask for the money back.
And that's not fair.

As for splitting the bill, its always annoyed me. If I'm with a few best friends and we all have the same to eat and drink. Split that bill, totally cool.
But when i go out to work with work or a bigger group its a different situation.
If i go out to eat and I need to watch my money, I'll only have a soft drink and a main. And when others at the table are buying bottles of wine and starters and extras. It would make my part of the bill sometimes double what i was planning....trust me if I could afford it I'd be getting starters and all the good stuff!!

But i have specifically chosen the cheap option cos its all i can afford. Me, i'm happy to say i cant afford it, but for some people its a hard thing to say.

Now I've turned Vegan i don't want to split the bill for not only the previous reason, but now for the reason that i don't want to be paying for other peoples meat or dairy. 

This world is supply and demand i totally get that, so i will use the coins i have to demand the things i want.

I urge vegans everywhere, use your money to demand some change!

And i urge everyone to say no to splitting the bill if you don't think its fair!

As always


Keep it positive

Nessa

Instagram : @endless_night07

Twitter:  @endless_night07
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One Bowl Vegan Chilli

Hey Peeps!!

This weekend i decided to embark on a massive cooking fest!! Since the holiday month I've been pretty slack at cooking big batches of food to freeze. Relying on rice packets and kohinoor curry packets (which by the way, if you haven't tried these, they're an amazing alternative to a take away, half the cost and half the calories, I'll pop a post up about them soon)

Anyway i digress.

I ended up making what I'm calling a one bowl chilli. Meaning i don't need to put any rice with it as it's packed full of goodness which should keep me full!!

I got the original recipe from Jamie Oliver and as with most of my cooking, i added extras, because i can!!

The ingredients in black are as per Jamie's recipe, the ones in grey are my own addition or tweek.

3 Small Onions
1 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Chipotle Paste
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons ground coriander
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
½  Teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons tomato purée
500g Tried Green Lentils
2 x 400 g Tins of red kidney beans
1 x 400 g Tins of black beans
4 x 400 g Tins of chopped tomatoes (Extra’s as i’d added so many beans!)
1 litre Home Made Vegetable Stock

400g Frozen Peas

150g Frozen Sweetcorn

50g Frozen Broad Beans

As a total (rough guesstimate) the total pot came to 4535 calories.

I managed to get 11 portions out of it. You could get more if you wanted to have a side of rice or tortillas with it.

So that came to 412 calories per portion, which with a 30g serving of some Gary (Vegan cheese) comes to a well balanced lunch or dinner.

Enjoy cooking (promise I'll get better at taking pictures of my food!!)

Keep It Positive

Nessa