VeganOptions

A new vegans journey

[veganops]

Veganism: It’s bigger than food 11.8.18

Today’s update is a mash up of sorts. VeganOps is evolving into more than a simple food journal. Of course veganism is the culprit for all change and the light that’s leading me to new experiences, but now I feel comfortable enough to share more with you guys. So here goes...

I’ve had the opportunity to try the grape cure a few times. I’ll say that it is a wonderful experience and you can see changes in your body right away. I fully intend to utilize the grape cure with every season change. Just as a way to reset my body until I fully transition to raw vegan. That’s my two year goal. October 2020 is the date. As with everything that I’ve changed with my food consumption, this is just another transition and mental challenge that I want to conquer.

Other news....

I’ve started my loc journey. So being a vegan opened my eyes to many things and has afforded me new interests. One of those was allowing my hair to return to is natural state with no chemical relaxers. I made that change last year and it’s been great. I grew it out and clipped all the permed hair away in July 2017. March 2018, I big chopped into a cute style that made me feel amazing. I’ve maintained it until this past Sunday. I’d been thinking long and hard about locking my hair and almost did it last year, but Hurricane Harvey threw a monkey wrench in that plan. So here I am today 11/8/18, with my starter locs, loving every second of it. I don’t know that I’ve ever said this, but I am so unapologetically black. I was asked by a friend, “what kind of man do you expect to attract with your hair like that?”. I know it sounds like a shitty question, but he was really concerned. Lol. I simply said, “the kind that will love and appreciate my choice to be me, the kind that won’t make my hair about him, the kind that will bend me over whether my hair is straight, curly, or loc’d.” That’s the only answer that I can give. It’s not up to me to decide what man will be attracted to me. I’m attracted to me. I love the fuck outta me. When the time is right, so will a man. Until then, fuck it. My head, my heart, my soul. They are all aligning and it feels so good.

And speaking of aligning, whew Chile let me tell you about Selu’s Vegan Market. Opening this store has brought me so much joy. This journey really does get better by the day. I have stocked crystals, sage, palo santo, and abalone shells so far. Each item that I stock, I study. I don’t want to just peddle these wares. I want to understand their power and share that with people. My personal favorites right now are Obsidian and Rose Quartz. Everyday I wear obsidian, Rose Quartz, red jasper, moonstone, and chakra bracelets. I typically carry pyramids either in my bra or my pocket and I have Amethyst and Citrine keychains. Sounds like a lot when I list it out but you can’t understand the peace that comes along with it until you delve into it. They speak to you. They charge you. They ground you. It’s really a fascinating experience, but the best part of it all is the way I’m able to nurture new and old relationships now. I’m connecting with people on a different level. I’m allowing energy to guide me. I’m listening to the vibrations of others. Im feeling the moon and listening to the earth more. The magic within us all is so strong, but we’ve gotten so far away from it. I’m blessed to be able to return to nature.

There’s still so much for me to learn about food, myself, and my crystals. I’m excited and very thankful that God allows us to see the world and the gifts that he’s left us. I’ll keep you updated and the twists and turns. I hope you’ll stay along for the ride.

Stay in the light, xoxo

CryssiNicole

[veganops]

Trial 2 Grape Cure Conclusion

So right off the bat. Your girl is not good at this Grape Cure business, but I do like what it does to my body. I’m so half-assed and the results are still great. I can only imagine how it’ll be once I get it together. I eat the grapes and I enjoy them. I just WANT other foods to go along with it at the end of the day. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I’m still going to periodically work towards that full 30 days, but for now I’m heading back to my intermittent fasting. This having to eat every two hours is exhausting.

Another great thing about the grape cure is that it has helped me to better understand my emotional ties to food. I’m starting to really be aware of how my feelings impact my food consumption.

- Anger or frustration triggers salty snack cravings.

- Joy and excitement no longer trigger sugar cravings. I’ve been working on that one.

- Disappointment still makes me want sugar. 😒 I’ve been able to ignore it most of the time. The craving, not the feeling.

- Cold weather or feeling tired makes me crave warm, starchy foods.

With this awareness, we’ll see how fall and winter starch consumption goes. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make good food choices as I continue to work towards raw vegan. 🍋🥗🍑🍒🌶

I’ve also added a waist bracelet to benchmark my progress. My waist string measures at 42 inches. My waist bracelet is 37 inches. Check it out. I’m making strides. The target is always to simply live a healthier life, but weight loss is totally a fantastic bonus. Ignore my ass, I’ve got some shaping to do. Lol.

Let me know how your journey is coming along. Remember... it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

[veganops]

Trial 2, Grape Cure Day 2

Second start of the grape cure is underway. I have to be honest, I’ve cheated already. 🤦🏽‍♀️ I know, I know. I don’t have an extenuating circumstance, I simply gave in.

Day 1 - was at breakfast and dinner. This made me realize that intermittent fasting is totally my thing. I’ve never had an unsuccessful day with that. However, I’m understanding that once I start to eat, my greedy mind and body doesn’t want to stop. The Grape Cure wants you to eat every two hours. Although the grapes are incredibly satisfying, that type of schedule makes me want to eat grapes and anything else that I can get my hands on. So for Tuesday, day 2, I decided to do a little Grape Cure tweaking.

Day 2 - I tweaked by starting my intake a little after 9am, instead of 8am. I still utilized the full 12 hours. The day went well but it was 3 freaking pieces of CANDY that I allowed to derail me!!! That’s right, candy. The very same sugar that I keep telling myself will be my next goal once I conquer the full 30 days caught me slipping today. I felt focused today and did well at work, but the minute that I was free, my mind went blank. I totally forgot that I wasn’t supposed to be eating crap. I was in mid-swallow before it dawned on me that I was eating. Talk about an “ain’t this bout a bitch” moment. So I finished my 🍭 🍬 and came on home. Once I got here, I really contemplated eating a meal, but I didn’t.

The goal here is to go 7 full days on the The Grape Cure, then eventually go the full 30. I can’t get to the first goal of 7 if I keep cheating. You can’t accomplish anything without working in some aspect. It’s worth the work and tomorrow will be better. I’ll just stay away from the office staff and their free candies. Intheir defense, they didn’t make me eat it. 😎

Take away a for this go ‘round

- still mental

- a focused mind is the only way to do this

- start after 9am, instead of 8am

- a little pep talk goes a long way

- until you’re solid, you might have to hurt some feelings

- I am incredibly aware of my bodies emotional and physical needs. Not the worse thing, just working through whatever come up through full-circle self care

Thanks for staying up to date with me and my journey.

Sending lots of good vibrations your way.

[veganops]

Grape Cure Trail 1 End

My first run of the grape cure was successful in my eyes, yet lacking in the guidelines. I cheated from day one and not because I had to. My flesh is weak. My mind wasn’t strong enough to not give in to my wants. To be clear, I WAS NOT HUNGRY. I ate grapes every 2 hours as prescribed, from 8-8. I attempted to eat two types of grapes. It became clear to me early on that I do not like the grapes used for raisins. 🤢White grapes are my staple. They were sweet enough and quite filling. They were juicy and kept me hydrated. I typically drink 60-80oz of water daily. During the grape cure I drank much less, but I urinated way more often.

Although doing the grape cure wasn’t for weight loss, you do lose weight. I lost 7lbs in 7 days and I didn’t completely behave. The Grape Cure will have a regular presence in my life. I’m restarting my 7 days on Monday. Hopefully you will too.

Join me!!

[veganops]

Grape Cure Day 🍇 part 2

Yooooo, I’m enjoying it. However, my mind wants to eat. I want to eat everything and it didn’t start until I got home. I want to order pizza, make nachos, eat avocado and tomato sandwiches. I just don’t get it. 🤷🏽‍♀️

My body reacted well to it today. I felt hydrated and full. I actually don’t feel hungry. Just SUPER EFFIN MUNCHIE. I want to work out but I’m afraid it’ll just get worse. I already cheated with 2 Ritz crackers. 😒

We’ll see how the night goes. 🤞🏽

[veganops]

Grape Cure Day 🍇

It’s 12:16am, Monday, October 1, 2018. I’m starting the grape cure with the desire to go a full 7 days when I wake up in the morning for work. It’s typically done for no less than 30 days, BUT this is my first time and I’m trying to be realistic. 7 days is a solid start. As the The Grape Cure by Johanna Brandt reads, you are supposed to enjoy this challenge, so I don’t want to pressure myself too much. I’ve been intermittent fasting for a few weeks so eating something every 2 hours will be a change.

Sidebar: I really like intermittent fasting. I give myself 8 hours to consume food with some restrictions, 2pm-6pm is only fruit if I feel snacky and 6pm-10pm is reserved for a meal.

I’m excited about the grape Cure and have attempted to no avail to recruit friends. No takers as of yet, but no worries. I’m solo dolo in this vegan thang too.

I’m choosing a variety of grapes and organic grape juice to get started. I’m excited and a little nervous. I see myself as pretty healthy, but the amazing thing about the grape cure is its ability to bring up those dormant illness lingering in the body. I’m not sure what kind of results I’ll get in 7 days but I’ll try to update you all as much as I can.

Oh and last but not least... Selu’s Vegan Market is open for business!!! Wooohoooo!!! This thought-baby started growing in my mind a year ago and in August I launched on instagram with a very small inventory. The website went live in September. It’s an incredible feeling to say this thing is mine and I believe in it.

Keep up with me for my Grape Cure updates and check out SVM at www.selusveganmarket.squarespace.com for crystals, smokies, and all things healing.

Love and Gratitude Rocks,

CryssiNicole

[veganops]

Refocusing

Lately I’ve been in a different headspace and have allowed myself to consume dairy cheeses on and off with no real reason. I’ve held onto not consuming other dairy products, but cheese came back with a vengeance.

A few days ago, I refocused myself and have not purchased any dairy cheese for home consumption since June 20th. As of last week I’ve stopped allowing purchased meals containing cheese to not be modified. I think it was just a rough patch for me. I’m committed to being eating vegan/plant-based. It was laziness and a lack of accountability on my part that let me make those unhealthy choices. Either way, I’m over it.

[veganops]

Food journaling 📓

So maybe I should start keeping a food journal. I've typically done that when I was "dieting". Now it seems that a journal would be a great way to document recipes and cooking experiences. I've converted spinach and artichoke dip and macaroni and cheese to plant-based recipes, but pretty much everything else I eat is all veggie already. Stay tuned, I'll start posting pics of my creations. Good or bad. 😬

[elephantsarevegan]

@The Other two anons; If your goal is vegan then you should be careful with morning star products. A lot (not all) of their fake meat products contain dairy, egg, or both. I heard they are starting to transition out those ingredients but it's best to check the packaging anyway since they have been known to mislabel their vegetarian products as vegan even if they contain egg whites :(

^

[veganops]

You’re right. I purchased a few this week during the Hurricane Harvey flooding in Houston to liven up my meals. I didn’t look at the packaging, since I ate them all the time as a vegetarian. For some reason I was curious once I got home. EGG WHITES!! I was so annoyed. I’ve only been vegan for about 2 months, so I’m still learning what to look for, but morning star blows.

[veganops]

Post Harvey Grocery Shopping

So today life was pretty much back to normal. I went back to work; half day. I had some times with a good friend; pre-work pep talks and I went to grab a few groceries after work. I chose Kroger today. It's the closest to me and usually has the items that I'm looking for.

Well today, post Hurricane Harvey, was a slightly different story. I went in search of (vegan friendly) salad dressing, veggie pastas, bread, cheez, something sweet, and personal care/household items. Seems like a quick trip right??? WRONG! I still have to read ingredients on unfamiliar brands. How long must I suffer this horrid task??? Plus, the Hurricane panic has left the shelves quite empty.

I started with produce since none of those items have changed but I was also looking for vegan friendly salad dressing. After several bottle investigations, I found two that seemed interesting.

I strolled over to the pasta section hoping to find decent ramen 🍜 not Nissin and some veggie noodles. No luck with the ramen. (I later discovered a trick to home made online. Will post about it once I try it.) I found the veggie pasta in rotini and spaghetti. I could only find regular angel hair though. #bummer.

I attempted the bread isle, which should now be referred to as the isle of lost sandwich dreams. I found tortilla wraps.

So, so far, I'm doing okay, not stellar. Then I head over to find something sweet. OMG!!!! I got tired of reading label after label to only be disappointed each and every time. Needless to say, I didn't find one sweet snack. Which means I'm going to restock my pantry soon and start baking my own vegan treats with the help of Pinterest.

I was lucky with my household items, but vitamins and deodorant were a bust. Do you have any recommendations for vitamins? Do you use vegan deodorant or other care items?? Right now I'm still using my previous items. I want to try some vegan friendly ones, but this is where the "if it ain't broke" part rings in my ears.

How long did it take you to switch to vegan personal care and household items? I'm at a point where I'd like as many of the things that I use to be plant-based if possible, but what kind of timeframe should I be looking at?

Drop some tips below. You're apart of my journey now. I'd love to hear about your experiences.

[veganops]

Vegan in a hurricane 8/27/17

So Hurricane Harvey is plummeting Houston with a monumental amount of rain. I'm safe and sound in my home, but what am I eating??? Just to give a little background... I've been a vegetarian since October 2016 and vegan for a little over a month. However, this is my first natural disaster as a vegan. Let's just say grocery shopping to be prepared was a bit tricky. So I bought bagged salads, more bread, water, and canned goods. I had other items for quick meals, but I just don't feel like I have the best vegan options right now. I love to cook and I still have power, but here's the problem... I don't want anything in here. I want ramen and veggie burgers and all the things that I don't have. What's a girl to do? 🤷🏽‍♀️ I feel like I need to make a emergency preparation list for grocery items. Are there any vegans in Houston going through the same dilemma? How did you prepare? Are you happy with your food choices?? Shoot me some ideas cause I'm so over my options. Lol. Today's menu consisted of cereal and flax milk for breakfast, lunch was pre-bagged Greek salad, and dinner was, don't judge me... jelly and vegan cream cheese grits. Just sounds boring doesn't it. Lol. The Greek salad wasn't very tasty by itself so I added chickpeas and sunflower seeds to pep it up. The grits were cooked with vegan butter and I added vegan cream cheese, strawberry and apricot jelly. Now those grits were delicious and pretty much the highlight of my very Hurricane Harvey flooded out streets day. What did y'all eat today???