I have to drop some weight before the holidays, so I guess that means better eating. It's that or exercise. I suppose it should be both but I'm trying to be realistic! I ordered a dress online that would be nice for Christmas but I can't get the zipper up.

My fingers were crossed for Nuts in November but I understand the less nutty choice!

Good luck with the 30 day shred, Mihani!

I've been in this group for a long time, but I stopped posting because I wasn't following the plan. I decided to start the 6-week plan on October 31st, so this is my first week. So far so good, and I'm down 2.7 pounds. I decided to blog my way through the 6 weeks and tell as many people as possible so I don't quit lol!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am down 4.5 for the first week! That's the most I've ever lost in one week on anything I've tried. Going to have to start changing the salads up some so I don't get bored.

Congrats, Lia!! Very exciting!

Mihani, fingers crossed for your dress! I have a dress like that too, but it will take until NEXT Christmas to get into that one!

Emmy, fantastic loss for your first week!

Hi Karrie. Looks like a good plan. Orange coconut walnut date balls...yum!

Had some tortilla chips with salsa today, but other than that, not too bad. Managed to stay away from chocolate so far, so that's good! Making good old red lentil cauliflower curry tonight and not worrying about the salt or oil this time around. At most 1 tbsp of oil in a double batch so nothing too crazy. I need it to taste as good as possible so i stick with it.

I'm sipping an anti-inflammatory warm beverage and kinda digging it. Thought I'd share...nice to have something warm to drink with colder weather coming.

2 cups non dairy milk (i tested w/ almond milk)
2 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp ginger powder)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (i just opened a few pods and threw the seeds in the blender) (optional)
2 pitted medjool dates or 1 Tbsp maple syrup (adjust for sweetness preference)

Add all ingredients to blender and blend well. Heat on stove or microwave desired portion in a mug.

Thanks you guys It is still taking some getting used to.

Mmm that veggie stew looks yummy, and easy, which I like almost as much! Thanks for sharing. LEt us know how the meal plans work for you Karrie!

Carla, managing to stay way from chocolate is a huge thing for me! Lol. Also, I'm with you, I totally am prioritizing making healthy food taste good before I get too rigid with my rules again. Sigh. I feel like my taste buds are totally NOT into the healthy food lately, I need to retrain them...

Mihani, I believe in you and your Christmas dress! but also, worst case, there are soooo many gorgeous dresses out right now, it would be kinda fun to have an excuse to buy yourself something extra pretty

Great loss, Emmy!

I finally am getting some cravings for some vegetables again, so that's a nice thing! Good luck to my American friends watching the election tonight, we are all waiting with baited breath up around these parts. Hope you all got to vote! Carla, are you able to vote now too?

Ahh that's so convenient re voting Carla! I feel like that is the way of the future eventually... we have that option in Ontario but only if you're not going to be in your city on the voting days.

Mmmmm coconut stew.....

Ah Mihani, should have instead thought 38 minutes...wow, I'm awesome! I could have done only 30, or 15, or none at all! You rock!
On the topic of voting, I was reading an online article that said voting by mail didn't increase the number of voters...I find that so hard to believe. They said it had something to do with the longer window of voting time. People put it off and then forgot about it. Seems so strange to me. I think voting online day-of would be the ultimate. Other countries already do this.

The coconut stew turned out good, though I overdid the carbs. I made it according to the directions for the most part, but added in some potatoes I had on hand and used veggie broth instead of water. Next time I will use low fat coconut milk and I'll add in some broccoli and skip the potatoes. Decent flavor and a double batch made a huge amount for us. I purchased dried curry leaves on Amazon in order to make the recipe, so I am going to search out recipes that call for them so they don't sit around in my cupboard for too long.

Here's one of my most recent resin pieces. I haven't posted one in a while so I thought I would. Someone asked me about a price for one of them online and I was caught completely off guard lol. I enjoy making them but the part about selling them is not so easy....figuring out how to price them and what to say & do etc.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Lia, I hope you are able to find some time to put your feet up with a nice warm cup of something you like and just relax for a bit

Karrie, I'm so sorry about your hedgehog *big hug*

Hi guys! How is your week going?

Karrie, I'm so sorry about your hedgie How did the kids take it? I can't imagine having to be the "adult" in those situations... I dread eventually having my pup pass away during my time. He's the first pet that is actually mine, and I will be so crushed.

Carla, I'm obsessed with your artwork!!!! it is so beautiful. I realllllly love the resin format. I think I first saw it at this gallery in Hawaii, and truthfully I couldn't afford anything there, but I fell in love with it! Your stuff is so nice. I can imagine how hard it would be to price though, probably with any form of art, because not everyone can appreciate how much time and energy (and materials) go into each one.

Mihani, I still have a weird relationship with veggies but I had my first salad in four months this week!! I thought of you guys, and that you would be proud lol. It's pretty sad, but I think I'm getting back to normal a bit now. I hope anyway. I need to get some serious prep done this weekend. I've been having tomato soups/minestrone like crazy lately, so comforting! How is work going? PLEASEEEEEEEEE my thanksgiving wish for you is at least two days off!!

The kids wailed and wailed in the morning when my hubby told them (I couldn't do it). We all hugged and cried and cried and hugged. It was rough. We had her cremated. My mom is making a stepping stone for her and we are going to bury the ashes under the stone out at the cabin (I didn't want to bury her little body because I was afraid something might try to dig her up which would be a nightmare).

I'm slowly getting back on track. I'm about 50% right now. But I made some hummus last night - so tasty when it's homemade! And I just had carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and hummus (would have had more veggies if they were stocked in my fridge...)

So the weekend is for grocery shopping and food prep again. we'll see if round #2 is any more successful....

Hi guys! Is it Christmas yet?! I'm dying for it.

I am finally feeling mostly normal again!! Yayyyy. I need to work on my eating though. I'm eating less than I was before, but it's still not all healthful. Cookies follow a lot of meals lol. And my stomach is starting to stick out, which is weird, because isn't that what we always want NOT to happen?! Lol. I've been dieting pretty much since teenage years so it's weird that it's okay for the opposite to happen? Oh well. I am really hoping for some online black friday sales so I can get some clothes.

Anyone else black friday shopping?! US friends, I hope you guys have an amazing holiday! Lots of R&R because you guys definitely all need and deserve it. What will be on your menus??

Sorry to hear about the kids, and so nice that you have a nice place to bury here. We did the same with our family pets! Cremated with nice memorial stones. It's good closure

Carla, so exciting about your artwork!! I would be in awe going into an office and seeing that on the wall lol. It will probably look so fresh and clean in a spa like place.

Mihani, hope you can get some peace at least on Thursday. Do it for us!! Haha. You do so much for other people as it is, might as well do something for US! Hehehee. Does that work?!!?

xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Enjoy your day off Mihani!

A baby bump is so cute Lia! Does that make it feel more real? Good idea stocking up on some clothing deals on Black Friday.

Joe and I usually celebrate both the Cdn and US Thanksgiving, but this time around we didn't/aren't doing anything for either. We have yesterday through to Monday off and we're just relaxing with no set plans.