September Surprises....

Hi!
On my old blog I tried doing a post once a month dedicated to new discoveries (mostly food) and lessons I've learned or come across during that month. I did enjoy writing those because it gave me the opportunity to reflect on the past month and really see progress and growth or in some cases just sitting still. So I've decided to bring that concept into this new vamped blog and try to improve upon it each month. Since September is coming to a close next week and since I am trying to write more often what better topic to cover today than my 'September Obsessions' or whatever I will call this type of post. As I said in the first sentence much of these items will be food related, other categories may include music, beauty, fashion and recovery revelations and so on. Also, since this is my first post along these lines in a very long time I will be including items I've discovered before September but only ones that I have continued to use pretty regularly since then.

Let's just get into it.......

1. Zevia Soda Pop: I am not a huge carbonated beverage drinker, in fact the only time I consume such drinks is mixed with alcohol which I don't have very often. So needless to say it's been quite a few years since I've had a can of any fizzy concoction. So about a week or two ago when I suddenly had a craving for diet coke I was somewhat shocked. It wasn't the craving for soda pop that shocked me but which variation in particular that I was dying for...DIET COKE! Before I cut out soda I was a mountain dew or dr. pepper kinda girl not a diet anything but here I was wanting that fake, poisonous shit. Luckily, before I caved and purchased a bottle of diet coke my beautiful, wonderful boi intervened and told me about this carbonated beverage alternative they sell at his place of work called Zevia. And holy fucking shit! It is delish! This better not be like another Clearly Canadian and just fall off the face of the planet. I am hooked :)

2. Avocados: This might be strange to some but I'm calling this one a re-discovery. I love avocados but for a while there I was not eating them. As I began to take a serious focus on recovery I discovered Raw Till 4 and the high carb low fat vegan lifestyle. It worked for a while and not to get into too much detail (I'll save that for another time) but taught me how to eat. But what it also taught me was to fear fats and this included plant based fats such as avocados. But a few weeks ago I thought "enough is enough. I like avocados, so I am going to eat them." And that's what I did. I finally tried the whole avocado and tomatoes on toast and man I have been missing out. Everyone should definitely try that little recipe. It's so simple and so good.

 3. Van's Cinnamon Heaven Cereal: If you're looking for a good gluten-free Cinnamon Toast Crunch alternative I highly recommend Cinnamon Heaven from the brand Van's Natural Foods. They make so many delicious vegan and gluten-free products. I will say the cereal is not as sweet as the original by General Mills but it comes pretty close compared to other options out there. Another good option is Cinnamon Chex, which I have also started eating this past month or so.

4. Increasing weight at the gym: SAY WHAT?! Yes, I lift. Yes, I squat. Yes, I was scared to increase the weight I lifted. I had this fear that if I increased the weights I would somehow grow into a she-hulk. Ridiculous, I know but the fear was there. I got over it when I accidentally squatted more than I ever had before, thinking the weight plates were my norm. I realized that I am capable of so much more than I was doing and that I have a tiny frame and  I am most likely going to remain so regardless of how much I lift. So since then I have been gradually increasing the weight I lift and guess what?! I'm no she-hulk. I hope to be able to squat my body weight by the new year's or so.

5. Halestorm (The band): I could rock out to this chick all day long. While many of her lyrics come across as sleazy or shallow and maybe I'm just a shallow person, but I find her songs empowering and encouraging. 'Freak Like Me' is my go-to song and it plays about 3-10 times on my ipod while at the gym. Not to mention anything loud and heavy with a good amount of base never hurt anyone.

6. Acne Dote and Fast Fix by Alba Botanica: I have been looking for a good vegan face scrub that would be gentle yet affective for sensitive and acne prone skin. Acne Dote is the brand Alba Botanica's strongest acne scrub but it is gentle and smells good. Oh and it sparkles! It's slow to take affect at first but keep using at it and once your skin adjusts it's a solid purchase. A little on the pricier side but I have seen smaller containers but more expensive by other brands. Fast Fix is also by Alba Botanica and is a tinted spot treatment for break outs. This one smells like burning tires but I find it works wonders. You can wear it as make up, under or over make up. I start with it and then put my foundation over. I recommend not using powder with it at first because I found the combination of spot treatment, foundation and powder can dry out your skin depending on your skin type. 

To be continued....

Peace & Love, 

The Punk Rock Vegan

I Can Thank My Eating Disorder For That....

Hi! (WARNING TRIGGERING!!!)

I have A LOT of things that I can thank my eating disorder for. Things like my laxative addiction, anorexia developing into bulimia, my bad relationship with food, my lack of self-confidence and so on...but if it wasn't for my eating disorder (and my constant need to control everything) I would not have found the healthiest way of life for me. I'm talking about veganism.

So how could veganism save my life? And what does my eating disorder have to do with me becoming a vegan? I see it this way, my eating disorder used vegetarianism and then eventually veganism as a way for me to control and limit what I ate. These dietary restrictions gave me the perfect excuse to say "no thank you" when offered something to eat. And it was an acceptable excuse. Being able to decline food with veganism as my reason allowed my eating disorder to take a back seat while tricking me into thinking I was in control. The ED tricked me into believing every time I said "no thanks" I was doing it in the name of veganism and a worthy cause, rather than in the name of starvation and means to kill myself.

So far you probably have a bad view of veganism based on what I'm telling you here but let me continue...

What I am about to say might offend people but it's the truth. Keeping an eating disorder fed rather than feeding your body requires you to be selfish. This is why the ED tries to isolate you from other people, so you feel unsupported and rejected. Eating disorders say it's all about ME ME ME! But here's the switch with veganism. Veganism says it's all about THEM THEM THEM! When you take the focus off yourself and place it on others the eating disorder can't thrive. And that's what I did. I submerged myself into the vegan community and started learning. I wanted to know everything. The good, the bad and the ugly. I learned everything from the horrific, cruel side of the animal agriculture industry and the use of animals in the fashion world, all the way to the positive impact veganism has on the planet. I came to realize that before I liked animals but I didn't care about them. But that changed as my eyes and heart were opened, I began to love them. I began to see that this world is so much bigger than me and my eating disorder.

And as I learned I discovered the health side of veganism and the vegan fitness world. I started to look up to vegan role models and vegans, who just like me, used to struggle with eating disorders and disordered eating. So that ME ME ME chant, turned to THEM THEM THEM and then eventually it became US US US! Which is what veganism is all about; every living thing in the world living together in harmony in a natural and positive way. 

People think veganism is restrictive but it actually taught me how to eat and not just eat, but eat in abundance. Nourishing my body and my mind with healthy, pure and clean nutrients. I learned to feed my body not my eating disorder. This is why when people judge or ridicule me or laugh at me for my veganism it hurts me do deeply. Because without veganism I probably would be dead. 

Yes, I used veganism to feed my ED at the beginning. But then I used veganism to starve my ED.

Thanks for reading. That's it for now.

Peace & Love,

The Punk Rock Vegan