Hey everyone!

I thought I would touch on a topic that is..uncomfortable for a lot of people.  And that topic is pushing yourself.

It is so beneficial to push yourself, that is how we will grow.  We cannot lie dormant in our comfort zones forever, always being content and "fine" with life.  There is a whole wide {new} world out there, full of brand new things for us all to experience.  Push yourself to do something different.  This could be taking a new fitness class at the gym, cutting out meat and dairy, switching from machines to free-weights, or even just adding more perfectly sweet and ripe fruit to your day.  Whatever the change is, do it!

Oh sure, you may be uncomfortable at times.  But with discomfort comes strength.  Maybe, right now, you can reflect on something in your life that you've been interested in but have yet to experience.  I know for me, it is writing more and more on this blog and starting a youtube channel; just getting more involved in the vegan and fitness communities.  I'm kinda terrified to put myself out there, but I feel like I have knowledge and advice and experiences to give, and hopefully I, too, can learn from others.  So, we must find the courage that is in ourselves and take the plunge!  In the wise words of Shia LeBeouf:



Right now, {like, literally at this very moment} I am in the process of starting a youtube channel!! Yay!  For some reason, the hardest part right now is finding a name {oh and editing the videos and such..}.  Should I go by TheFitVegan?  Should I change it?  Ah, decisions, decisions {fun fact: it took me so much longer than it should have to figure out how to spell decisions..}

Well, hopefully you all learned something from Shia LeBeouf today, I know I did :)

Hi everyone!! So sorry I've been M.I.A for a bit.  I was in Maryland for my boyfriend's uncle's wedding!

It was absolutely gorgeous! The bf's uncle and his now husband {let's call them J&R} have two pooches {Prada and Dior} that walked down the isle with the Maid of Honor and the Best Man, so that was great.

We flew out to Washington DC then drove to Annapolis to stay at the hotel that the wedding was at.

I woke up around 7:20am the day of the wedding so I could get a workout in.

Ceremony with flash and regular lighting/Ceremony with no flash and dimmed lights/Flower Centerpiece

My just-let-me-stare-off-into-the-distance glamour shot

Forcing some hand-holding/Comparing skin-tones

Now that I'm back I decided to use my camera that I found {yay!} to start making some videos!!

If anyone is interested, please let me know what videos you would want.  I'm thinking some What I Ate and How I Exercise vids, and maybe even some vegany rants :)

Until next time, friends,

Hey guys!

I was at the gym the other day and I was trying to Super-Set Leg Extensions and Decline Situps buuuuuut I couldn't.  This guy was sitting on the Leg Extension machine dickin around on his phone in between each set.  Not only that, but he would spit out 2-5 reps of extensions and then go back to diddling for MINUTES.  Eventually, he finished doing what he was doing and got up and actually wiped his seat down, so that was cool.  After he left, I walked over there to do my thing and saw that he had 50lbs racked {which, for anyone who has never used this machine, it's not a lot}, but maybe he was nursing an injury or something. Who knows.  

 The point to all my rambling is if you are an inconsiderate butt hole at the gym, I will write a blog post about you.


The same day, though, I had one of the best workouts ever!

Does anyone else ever have those days where you just absolutely crush a workout?  I made sure to really focus on each movement and get my mind-body connection going and it was amazing.

I was feeling so good that instead of heading straight home I sat by the river and read for a bit.  It was really nice!

Speaking of reading, I just started Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.  The language is pretty dense, but its good so far :)

Oh and one more thing...this week is MELON week at my local grocery store so I've been eating a bunch of different types of melons for breakfast all week and it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!

Alrighty, I'm gonna go put some insoles in my shoes and then go for a run :)

Hey guys!

So I'm FINALLY posting after being back here {school home} for a week. oops..

Well, I'm trying to get back in the swing of things and get on a good workout/eating schedule.  I don't rigorously plan things and I'm pretty good at listening to my body, but I do like to have a bit of an outline to follow {workout at least 4x a week, fruit for snacks, dinner salad, what to bring when I need to eat at work, etc..}  This keeps my accountable.


Okay, feel free to skip this chunk of nonsense and get to today's workout, but I really must vent:
So, it's not new that my computer webcam is butts..it does thing thing where it will work for a couple days then just stop working and tell me it's disabled {...}.  I wanted to record a video about my workout today but, whatdoyaknow, I couldn't.  I know, I know, I really need to get some sort of Smart Phone or video camera but Do You Know How Much Those Cost?!  I guess I'm just stuck blogging old-school.

• 10 Jumping Lunges
• 5 Box Jumps {on knee-high bench}
• 10 Bench up-and-overs
• 5 Pushups
• 5 Dips

Repeated this sequence 3-4 times and jogged back home.

In total, it took me 1hr and 20mins {including the time I took to stretch at the end} and my Garmin HR monitor said I burnt 812 calories, so that's neat.

I showered and made a Cherry Chocolate smoothie for S and I  of:

• Bananas
• Kale
• Frozen cherries
• Oats
• Cacao powder
• Chocolate BodyLogix vegan protein powder
• Water

It was thick and creamy and delicious!

Well until next time,

Hey guys! Hope everyone is doing swell.  Just wanted to quickly post about my workout today and for the past couple of days.

First off, I would like to mention that I do not have a set number of days I workout in a week.  I am very much in-tune with my body and if my body wants a break, I take a break.  Now, a break isn't sitting on my tush all day binge watching Netflix or youtube videos {if, if it is, I try to keep myself active while doing it by hula hooping or something}, but I will go on walks or do some yoga. Something to keep my body moving, if only just a bit.

In the past, I have tried to go by a set schedule; 5 workout days, 2 days off; 2 days on, 1 day off; etc, but so far I feel that being intuitive works the best for me.  I am able to rest a day or two if I really need it and jump in stronger and fiercer the next.

For example, it's Tuesday today and I didn't workout at all Sunday and I tried to force myself to workout yesterday but it just would not happen.  So I said screw it! And went to the BF's house instead {he's back home visiting family too! So blessed that we call the same place home!}  So, today I felt a bit better about working out and didn't have to force myself too hard.  I did an hour and 15 mins {NOT 100 and 15 mins...I'm not that insane!} of HIIT from this guy {thanks for kicking my ass Mill Hoy, you crazy bastard!}  It was one of his 1000 calorie workouts. I burned 868 cals and didn't finish the video cause I had to go hang out with my maam and brother.  Anywho, here's a little vid of me after the workout

The potato quality doesn't convey how soaked I was! Oh.my.god. I don't think I have ever sweat that much ever.  I might do another one of his videos tomorrow along with a strength workout that I am gonna try to convince the bro to do with me but we'll see...it will take some convincing since Jerry Springer will be on and of course that's way more important that working out ;)

Alright, I'm gonna go figure a workout for tomorrow then go to bed.

Catch ya'll on the flip side!

I'm baaaaaaack

How is everyone?

So, I'm back home with my family for two weeks and it's really great.  There are so many vegany things here that aren't up at school at all.  Like Vegan Fest!!!

This year was the third year that my brother and I have been going and it was PACKED! I'm stoked about the growing number of attendees!  But jeez was the wait for food atrocious.

Food I had {all Vegan obviously}

• Gluten Free Mac & Cheese 
• From Ste. Martaen
• Rib Tips
• Also from Ste. Martaen 
• Espresso Oreo Soy Ice Cream
• From Chocolate Shoppe
• And, uh so many other goodies!  Seriously, it was all so amazing and the best part is...

IT WAS ALL VEGAN!!!!!
 It's so freeing to go to a place and not have to question the contents of my food.

All in all, it was an amazing time full of wonderful like-minded people eating delicious cruelty-free treats!
...
Unfortunately, I will not end this blog post on a happy note.

One of the tables had a Gestation Crate Challenge {when one of the girls running the stand told me about it, I thought she said Grapefruit Challenge and I was like, sweet, I love grapefruit...}



I was only in the crate for a minute.  For reference, I am 5'2" and about 115-120lbs and there was absolutely no way I could turn around or move much at all.  Side-to-side, that was it.  When I was in there, I was speechless, but as soon as I came out, I burst into tears.

They give you the opportunity to write a message to the pork industry, but at the time I didn't know what to say so I would like to take this opportunity to speak my feelings in poem form {this poem is in its raw form-unedited because I don't care too much if it sounds good...I want it to convey how I feel at this moment; shocked, confused, heart-broken}

0.
Not able to communicate with words,
I felt the metal bars close me in,
cold on my bare skin.
unable to move, to turn around, to face my fate.

10 seconds.
But you, you like that, don't you?  
You don't want to see the terror in the eyes of all the pigs you secure into those crates.

20 seconds.
Locked in, no way to run.
Nowhere to run to
30.
You hear their frantic squeals, their pleas for help
but do you listen?

40.
There are unidentifiable sounds around but my only focus is on the pressure of the bars against my stomach and back 
and the light brushes of steel on my shoulders every time I try to move

50.
Silenced.

60 Seconds.
And the bars are open and I am freed

but for all those living, breathing, feeling, suffering pigs

freedom is a warm oven
and smiles on the faces of their dinner guests.

Me in the crate right before my release

Wish I could end on a better note, tonight, but I think it is important for us all to really reflect on the needless suffering of others.

Maybe next time I can write a happier post..
TFV

Hi everyone!!

Just wanted to wish all the fathers a very Happy Father's Day!!

AND I wanted to wish all the yogi's a VERY  Happy National Yoga Day!!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get my yoga on!

I'm going home in two days, so I'll post more about my adventures there and all about VEGAN FEST!!!!!

But, until next time,