Juice With Cruice.

I drink juice. So should you. #juicewithcruice

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As some of you know, when I begin working with my clients we do an activity to identify what aspects of your life you are happy with and which aspects you are dissatisfied with.  The answers are forever changing and alter drastically once you put energy into a certain area.

For example: I have always put my time and energy into my professional success.  Needless to say, my social life has taken the back burner…for years. As I put more energy into my social life and my relationships with people, it is possible that I will see a decline in another area - maybe my financial life, because building a social network costs money.  Or, maybe in my creativity as time with friends may consume the time I normally dedicate to that.  

The point is, things shift and it is quite powerful if you can be consistently aware of where your energy is going, what the return is, and how you can balance all aspects to be exactly where you want to be. 

With that being said, here's to a (hopeful) budding social life!  What are you focusing on this holiday season?

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Stress-less Holidays

The holidays don’t have to be a stressful time of year.  Whether you are traveling or staying put, hosting or attending, have a family or fly solo, the holidays can often times be more than we can handle. So how do we do it? How do we plan and execute the coming weeks so that we can look forward to time with our friends and family rather than dreading our list of things to do?

1. Make a plan. And a budget.

Now is the time to sit down and plot out the next 6 weeks.  Start with a list of things to do including events you are attending or hosting.  Identify your budget. And, don’t forget about your daily and weekly commitments (exercise, appointments, grocery shopping, etc.)  Some things don’t change just because the holidays are here. Being strategic can eliminate surprises and unexpected stressors.  

2. Identify your stressors and prioritize. After you make your list of things to do, take a look and consider when they need to be completed to prevent added stress. Adjust your plan so you aren't avoiding the important items that you may not be looking forward to like paying bills, shopping for your in-laws or finishing that home improvement project. Also, consider if anything can wait until the new year.

3. Make time for yourself.

Only you know what you have on your plate on how much is too much.  Create time for yourself to exercise, or for a relaxing night in with the family or fun night out with friends.  Taking time away from our daily stressors can be re-energizing so we can be more productive when we need to be. 

4. Ask for help.

Once you have your plan, ask yourself: what on this list must I do?  What can family, friends or professionals help me with? If you are hosting a holiday meal, ask everyone to bring something.  If you feel like you spend too much time cleaning the house, hire a cleaning service.

5. Keep it simple.

Don’t out-do your self. Consider the time and money you have and what is realistic so you are proud of the end results rather than being disappointed.

Easier said than done? Of course, and that's what I am here for. Click here to schedule your free consultation to explore these 5 steps and how you can enjoy a stress-less holiday season.

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Yesterday's Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

1 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ block extra firm tofu, pressed

1 cup vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini)

handful of spinach

½ t. turmeric

salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over low-medium heat in a medium saucepan, skillet or wok.  Add garlic and sauté for a minute or so.  Add vegetables (if using onions, sweet potatoes, or other harder vegetables - add these first) and sauté until desired tenderness, add spinach.  Add tofu by crumbling the block into the pan.  Add turmeric, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until tofu is warm.

I always make this differently, so feel free to use your imagination and be creative.  And, as always I'd love to hear what you think and what you did differently!

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Sweet potato and kale hash, and cashew chai pancakes with coconut cream! (Not pictured: green smoothie)

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(Adam's) Birthday Brunch! Raw taco meat, tofu scramble, black beans and sprouted grain tortilla.

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A staple in my juicing regimen.

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Day 3 Disclosures

Every body is unique. While exquisite, your body is not only different from all others, but from itself, at different moments. Time, stress, environment, expression, physical surroundings, weather, (and more) all play a role in defining who we are in this moment and the vessel that we live in.

I coach my clients through juice cleanses and set expectations for what they may experience. Fact of the matter is: every body’s experience is anomalous. This includes our individual body. The body we occupy today is different from the body we occupied last summer or will next spring.

With each cleanse I do, I learn. It’s the beginning of Day 3 and I woke up bright eyed, after less than 5 hours of sleep (which is typical of Day 5).  Yesterday was Day 2, but a typical Day 3 (lethargy, muscle aches, etc.) and it forces me to remember that no two cleanses will be the same.  I can not predict the true process my body will endure.  The conscious me is somewhat powerless.  My body is strong, agile, adaptable and complex.  To trust and to honor my body is the true reward of cleanse.  Because it takes not only the hard work of the physical body, but the dedication and commitment of the mind.  To communicate, to love (sometimes with tough-love), to be one with your body. Now THAT is powerful, and quite liberating.

Be happy, be healthy,

Marcy E. Cruice, HHC

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A delicious #superfood breakfast!

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The perfect recovery drink after a long run: #flax milk, #cacao, #almond butter, banana, #chia, maca, lucuma, almond yogurt. #vegan #glutenfree #recovery #breakfast #run #chicago #health #smoothie

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It's not easy.

People ask me about my story all of the time.  They wonder if I've always been a healthy eater, if I ever felt like an alien, if I just woke up one day and changed my life.  While I have had a few of those days, my path is not a short story, it's a novel about how I got here.

A little over 10 years ago, I made the first step towards living a healthier lifestyle when I became a vegetarian.  Little did I know that it was only the beginning.  To follow, I finally figured it out and committed 100% to veganism 3 years ago.  1 year ago, I transitioned from vegan to a plant-based lifestyle.  Then gluten-free, then soy-free.  In a couple of months I will begin a sugar-free stint.  This will be the hardest of them all.

Making any change to your diet is hard.  Whether it be a cleanse, an elimination diet, or cutting something out that you love but you know is killing you.  But like anything, if it isn't difficult, it isn't worth doing.  We all want the meaningful stuff to be easy; getting promoted, running a marathon, eating right, nurturing loving relationships, parenting, therapy, making more money, having more friends... But let's face it, it isn't easy to live a healthy and happy life that allows us to feel fulfilled each and everyday. 

It comes down to how badly you want it, what your motivation is and how willing you are to put the work in.  Anyone in your life who seems to have it all together A.) doesn't (because he or she is probably the kind of person that realizes there is always work to be done.) and B.) has busted his or her ass to get there.

I used to ask: Do you want to be healthier and happier?  But, who doesn't?  

The correct question is: how badly do you want to be healthier and happier?

[nevver]

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What if...

What if you had everything you wanted?  

No, really. Think about it.  Make a list. What do you want?

I want: to be home, to be more organized, to have longer hair, to make more money, to have a classier wardrobe, the perfect rug for my living room, to know that those that I care about are safe and feel loved, to know how and when I am going to die, to be comfortable letting people in, to let other people take care of me...

How would this very moment be different if you had everything on your list?

What if you owned and felt and embodied everything you dream of?  What would you desire then?  Would you close your eyes and dream of having, or being, or wanting more?  Or, less?  Maybe you would lay awake at night, wondering why you ever wanted it all.  Maybe you would long for the days when you wanted more. Maybe when you are surrounded by everything you ever wanted, when you have the perfect job, have found a perfect companion, when you want nothing and need nothing, maybe that's when you merely exist, and stop living.  When you lose direction. Maybe all these wants, these desires and monumental moments are what set us back.  Maybe we should learn to want exactly what we have. To want nothing more than the journey of getting to what's next. To want this moment, to be grateful for this moment.  To find the joy in the precise circumstance we are in.

I'm not the first to say that the journey is what's important, or that we should want less and do more, or that we should be careful what we wish for.  My thoughts are not unique. But, I don't need to be unique - I don't want to be.  I am a sum of my decisions, experiences, lessons, needs, and wants. 

Want this moment.  Want to be able to take this moment in, as monotonous as it may be, and enjoy it. 

Here's to being grateful and allowing ourselves the space to find joy.

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I love this kid! #kidpresident #awesomeyear #peptalk 

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Meat Free Monday

Monday is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week!

Here are my meat-free picks for the week:

Maitake Fettuccine in Cream Sauce

Yamburgers

Chilled Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup

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When I was a child I would, without question, order Fettuccine Alfredo where ever it was offered.  And, would be routinely heartbroken when it wasn't on the menu.  Why my parents allowed this is for a different blog post, but this vegan, gluten-free spin on Fettuccine Alfredo, just brought me an enormous amount of comfort.  

I've been traveling for work for almost 4 weeks and while I have yet to feel homesick, this dish just gave me what I needed to get through an evening that would have otherwise prompted a saddened nostalgia.

I couldn't find gluten-free fettuccine so I chose a brown rice fusilli instead. Other than that, I didn't make many other substitutions or impromptu additions like I normally do other than eyeballing the measurements.

Tomorrow I begin my gluten-free experiment and I went on a vegan/GF recipe rampage today and this one not only got moved from Recipes to Try to Recipes to Keep, but made me feel much better about being able to find a new balance in the way I eat.

Have stunning, must-try vegan, gluten-free recipes?  Email me at [email protected] and stay tuned for Meat Free Monday posts with weekly featured recipes!

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Day 9.

Well, I intended to update every few days, but this week has been crazy!  

On Monday, I was featured on Chicago's DailyCandy!  I am so excited that people want to learn more about juice cleanses and how they can be utilized as a platform for major lifestyle changes.  I've been flooded with emails, requests for information and people who want to meet with.  (PS. If you are one of the people, I will be in touch no later than Friday.)

So, Day 9!

I am down 11 lbs and my sleep cycle has decreased from 8 hours to about 5 and a half.  That alone is an adjustment.  I went to bed just shy of 11 last night and naturally woke up at 4:18am - an hour before my alarm was set.  It's amazing how much energy I have throughout the day and while I am getting less sleep, it is far better quality.  Someone the other day was explaining that a standard adult REM cycle is 4 hours.  It isn't unlikely for 4 hours to feel more energizing than 6 hours, where you interrupt that cycle.  I've put this on my list of things to learn more about!

Beginning yesterday, I started a slow break.  This upcoming weekend I will be traveling and be away from home and I decided that the logistics (and cost) of juicing out of my comfort zone was not ideal.  Until Friday I will juice most of the day but will introduce 1 blended smoothie and a raw, vegan solid snack.  So, while I will continue my cleanse for 13 days, It will not be pure juice.

Everything has been going well, except a dream that I ate a 900 calorie dinner last night!  Most people would read that as my mind's way of trying to tell me that a "my body needs calories", but it is merely a cautionary tale.  In my dream, I felt awful and wanted nothing more than to undo what had been done.  Luckily, I was able to by waking up.  For me, coming off of a cleanse is more difficult than being on one because you have a lot of important decisions to make: what to eat, what not to eat, how many calories, how fast to incorporate certain foods, etc.  I find that my clients have more questions and require more support here than they do throughout the cleanse process - but, that is exactly why I do what I do!

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I am so in love with this cleanse right now.