This Sh** Is Hard!

Hello my lovelies! Happy autumn! What have you been up to in the past weeks? I've been wonderfully busy with my health and wellness business, Get This Glow! Health & Wellness. That's definitely a good thing...yet, I've learned that even though I absolutely love what I do, running a business on your own is not easy! Dare I say...hard? I guess that's relative. For me, slaving for hours for someone else weeks, months, years on end...that's hard. Depending on how bad you want something, the definition of "hard" is ironically flexible. I pass the same things I learn from running a business on to my clients when they tell me eating healthy and exercising is hard. Here's what I share:

1. What's the alternative?

When decided to become self employed because after 18 years of the nursing rat race, I knew there was more In store for me, I had to face the facts that I'd have to be more disciplined. No more mindless getting dressed, driving to work, putting in 12-13 hours of what I normally did, and then going back home. I had to be my own boss which meant setting up my own schedule and routine, and being the only one held accountable if I didn't reach my weekly goals. Couldn't blame my boss, coworkers, or even my patients! The alternative was to continue to be unhappy in a no longer fulfilling career.

So you have to cook a couple of meals at home, and choose a baked potato over fries when you dine out. You choose a physical activity that's fun for you, do it at least 3 times per week for 30-40 minutes, and mix it up when you get bored. Flood your body with endorphins while slaying toxin-laden fat cells.

It's really not that hard when you look at the big picture. You decided you needed a change for a reason. Weight loss, less stress, lowered blood pressure, no more diabetes medication...whatever it is that you're fed up with, that's your alternative. Make a few small changes a bit at a time and be held accountable, or go back to your unhealthy and unhappy lifestyle.

2. It's not all work and no play.

Yes, you have to put in the work to get the desired results, but it's all good! Hard work=great payoff. People start to notice. You feel good about yourself and what you're doing. When it is time to relax, you don't have to worry about things falling apart because you've built up a great system and you  now know what works. 

See clients, do the financial paperwork and multiple other behind the scenes stuff 3-4 days per week, and then you can have the remaining days for yourself. You know things are in order. 

Same as with your new healthy lifestyle routine. Eat well and exercise 5-6 days per week, and then take a day or so to relax and enjoy with friends and family. You'll be in a better frame of mind when it's time to hit it hard again, and you'll actually look forward to it! This is not punishment, nor is it a race. Welcome to your new and wonderful life!

Me vacationing with the fam on Tybee Island beach, Georgia

3. You don't have to know it all or do it all by yourself.

Come on...we're human. As much as some of us would like to think we're superheroes, we're kinda not. Sure, we can handle 19 things at once on 4 hours worth of sleep, but what does that get us in the long run? Tired. Cranky. Nowhere. Instead, I like to turn to my mentors and fellow industry connections when I need help with an idea or project. In turn, they reach out to me. We're learning new things every day, and nobody needs to do be on this entrepreneurial journey alone. 

Likewise, when you're learning what the newest superfood is, or how to choose salmon, or even how much exercise you need to do in a week, GET SOME SUPPORT! Emotionally, any major life change is difficult. Going from fast food daily to cooking your meals is a major life change. Don't you dare try to do this on your own. Your health coach is there for you, your physical trainer, your therapist, dietician, and even your supportive friends and family. One day at a time, lovely!

There you have it. Transforming your life in any aspect is not easy. However, when you consider the unhappiness that you want to be free from, it's not entirely that hard either! What other tips do you have to get through the rough patches? Share below!

Until next time,

Love & Happiness,

Nikki

Nikki Thomas, RN, CPN, CHHC, AADP is a lover of life, health, and truth. I strive to help you find your balance and sanity in this occasionally insane world. I am a registered nurse, a board certified holistic health practitioner, life and health coach. Let's talk about health & wellness, fashion, beauty, and food! 

Find me at www.getthisglow.com

www.facebook.com/getthisglow

Instagram: @veganfashionista

30 Day Raw Vegan (Is She INSANE?)

Hello my lovelies! I really have been here, I promise. Life is great and is keeping me busy. I hope all is well with you and that you are rocking this life OUT!

Last week I announced on Twitter, FB, Instagram, etc that I would be starting a 30 day raw vegan challenge, which I started on April 8. Today is day 10 of my journey and I have to say that I FEEL AMAZING. You can check out the video below for some quick info on what this is and why I'm doing this. I will be doing this challenge from April 8-May 8 and it will incorporate raw fruits, veggies and some nuts as well. Raw eating is an incomparable way of living. It's actually a lifestyle, because it impacts every other aspect of your life. I love this blog by 19 year old Em from Vancouver, Canada. She embodies my philosophy and has some pretty impressive raw recipes on her site:

This Rawsome Vegan Life

Wasn't that beyond?? Good for her!!

I thought I would be blogging about my journey 2-3 times per week, but I felt like it would be monotonous to keep posting about what I'm eating all day =) 
So instead, I will blog and vlog periodically with updates (that you may or may not care about..lol).

Days 1-6

Day 1 was pretty good. I didn't feel sluggish or have any detox symptoms. I ate bananas and grapes for breakfast. For lunch I had a green smoothie (spinach, kale, bananas, and pineapple) and dinner was a big salad made with avocado, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage, orange slices, onions, and my homemade dressing made of curry powder, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, spicy mustard, sea salt, pepper, and raw sugar. I slept well and had no major issues.

Day 2 was a bit of a mixed bag. I woke up feeling very positive and light. I had a strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast. I ate similar to above, but I started to feel "snacky". Ha! That means I wanted some pita chips and hummus, folks. I worked that day, so that kept me from focusing on it too much. I ate a lot of raw almonds and raisins to help with the snacking fever. However, I did have to make a pit stop to Sevananda (a whole/heath foods store here in Atlanta), and found some raw vegan kale chips that were amazing. Satisfied that demon! Also, lots of visits to the bathroom (or water closet, as my BFF's hubby calls it-ha!). No details needed.

Day 3 was a sleepy day. My body just felt heavy and foggy. I tried to eat as much as I could, but I mostly just rested. Detox. Yuck. More fruits today than veggies.

Days 4-6 were much better. We were out of town for spring break in the Smoky Mountains! I surely did haul my raw life with me. For the road, I had bananas, grapes, water, and Bolthouse Farms unpasteurized juices (Green Goodness and Berry Blast), along with my raw trail mix. That kept me satisfied. Once we got to the cabin, I made a huge salad for dinner and banana ice cream for dessert. Banana ice cream is the shizzz! All you do is freeze a peeled banana (or several for more people) and let it soften a bit before you blend it. Once it's blended, it looks just like soft serve. It has a great taste, and you've used ONE  RAW ingredient. You can always add peanut butter, chocolate, fruits, etc if you want to, but I love it just like this. So did my future hubby =)
Throughout our trip, I noticed my appetite had begun to diminish, so I would have to remind myself to eat a banana or an orange just to keep my nutrients up. My boo even brought some cognac with us and I just sat back and watched him drink. Didn't even want  a sip. I KNOW....ME! You'll notice that the more natural, whole foods you eat, the less cravings you'll have. True hunger is an amazing feeling. I also slept very well and woke up by 6-3:30 on my own feeling refreshed. That mountain air is intoxicating, by the way. Had a blast.

Days 7-10

Day 7 had me thinking I was Superwoman. I felt so high! I was buzzing all over the place. My poor fiance just wanted to go and rest somewhere after our trip and I was so full of energy. Ha! I had a smoothie made of 1/2 apple, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 banana, and 1 orange. It was sooo good. It reminded me of that old school juice place in the mall, Orange Julius! Remember that? No? Ok, moving on.
We were on the road by lunch/dinner time so I had some more raw trail mix (raw peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins). For dinner, I wasn't really hungry so I had some herbal tea and 2 bananas.

Day 8 was another great day. I woke up feeling refreshed and had some beyond dreams that I won't puzzle you all with. They were dope, though. I had peach herbal tea and grapes for breakfast. Me and the hunny went to the Dekalb Farmer's market and scored big. I was in vegan girl heaven! I've lived in Atlanta for going on 8 years and I had never been there. Smh. We ended up spending about $115, but we got a ton of goodies. Can I just take the time to say how supportive my fiance has been this past week? He has unconsciously joined me on this journey and he didn't have to. Thanks, babe!!!
We came home and immediately, he made a huge salad from our exotic veggies. The most notable taste was the red leaf spinach. I swear it tastes like licorice!! I made another dressing from red wine vinegar, lemon juice, turmeric, cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic, and raw agave nectar. Beyond.
Dinner was a small amount of some more of the amazing salad. It was a great day.

Day 9 KICKED MY ASS!!! I felt horrible! What happened?? And I was funkeee. The fumes coming from my armpits could have won the war on their own. Oh my goodnasss. Since the skin is the body's largest organ, you will detox through it in the form of either increased body odor, rashes, pimples, or a combination of all. I was also cramping in my back, and my allergies were turned all the way up; I couldn't breathe. I felt like utter crap. I really pushed myself to eat, but ended up only having tea, water, 2 bananas, some raw trail mix that the fiance made out of our dried fruits and nuts, and a fruit salad that was the highlight of my day. I was in bed most of the day and finally drifted off passed the hell out around 10:30 or so.

Day 10 (today) is like I'm someone else. I feel like I did on day 7. My energy is through the roof. I was literally doing twirls around the house this morning as I got the manchild ready for school and yapping a mile a minute at my fiance. He just made me the most amazing "berry delight" breakfast smoothie as I'm working on this post. Just what I needed. Sometimes I think we can read each other's minds. Which makes me monitor my thoughts around him sometimes. Ha ; )

30 Day Raw Vegan Challenge Video 

Some of our Dekalb Farmer's Market Haul!!

Raw nuts and dried fruit, red kale, red spinach, organic red chard (hey, we were on a "red" kick), organic seaweed (so good!), fruits-including yellow mangoes, which were DIVINE, avocados, tomatoes/lemons/hot peppers, and my day 9 fruit salad

 

So that's where I am lovelies. I feel good today and hope I have made it through the worst of it. Don't let the funky days discourage you if you're joining me on this journey. It's just your body's way of ridding itself of the ish it doesn't need. Hope you enjoyed the pics, vid, and journey. See you soon!


Love & Happiness,

Nikki