healthy – happy & we know it

Spring into Health: #eatplants

March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 by happycatie, posted in Happy, Life, Nutrition, Recipes

Spring has sprung in Colorado and things are turning green, we’re thinking about our garden, and I’m starting a 30-day Plant based Challenge! Lately, a number of people have been interested in how I eat, asking why, if it’s difficult, sending me awesome articles about restaurants getting more veggie-fied, celebrities going vegan, and snap-chatting me pictures of their all veggie dinners. It’s awesome!

So, why not start an official challenge!

What is this all about?

Starting April 2^nd, I’m kicking off a plant-based, wellness challenge – the #eatplants challenge.
- For 4 weeks, the goal is health, wellness and nourishing your body with more whole, plant-based foods!
- I’ll provide 3 recipes/grocery lists per week – each packed with tons of plant-based, whole food goodness. Goal is to eat as whole, healthy, unprocessed as possible! I’ll post breakfast/lunch ideas as well! During the challenge, try to move as much as possible, get 7+ hours a sleep a night & drink lots of water during the day – a holistic approach!)
What is plant-based? Here’s a definition – the recipes I’ll include will fit this definition (although don’t be intimidated!)
- Plant–based eating isn’t just about the addition of whole, plant foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, but also the elimination of ALL animal products including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, gelatin and other animal byproducts from one’s diet.
WHY Participate!? Believe in Better Health!! Your Health is by far your biggest asset, the most important priority you have. If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live? By incorporating more plants, you’ll have more energy, get more fiber, nutrients and possibly even lose weight (although that is not the goal!).

How do you participate?! Follow my blog Happyandweknowit.com to receive notifications, recipes, meal prep tips, grocery lists, videos of me in the kitchen prepping meals, and healthy tips! I’ll post each weeks’ recipes/grocery lists on Fridays.

I truly believe your health and happiness are intertwined – and your health is tied to the food you eat! (Did you know 70% of your immune system lies in your gut!!!???) This spring, join me in a 30 day challenge of plant-based goodness!

Cheers!

Spring into Action

April 17, 2016 by happycatie, posted in Happy, Nutrition, Yoga

I’ve not written a blog for over 3 months – talk about needing to spring into action! The past few months have been filled with skiing, our engagement (yup, Mike popped the question!) family trips, hikes, snowshoeing, Colorado adventures, cooking, and beer. Lots and lots of beer.

Spring has sprung and I’m ready to dedicate, activate, commit to a healthy intention and spring into action with a 21-day challenge. I find that dedicating 21 days to make a positive change resets my mindset and creates a positive flow of energy in the right direction. Need to jump start a good habit? Want to commit to a healthy goal but only have found excuses? Want to incorporate a daily practice but haven’t found the right time? Join me in this 21 day challenge to Spring into Action!

I’m kicking off my challenge tomorrow….no time like the present, right!? Below are the next few days laid out – feel free to comment with questions, suggestions and how you’re doing!

Day 1 – Set an intention, goal, something you want to commit to for the next 21 days – write it down and find time to do it! My intention is to train for a season of hiking, by incorporating a daily yoga practice, weekly hikes in the foot hills of Colorado, and adding a daily circuit workout to weight train. My goal is to get stronger, lighter, more agile so I can have a summer full of healthy adventures!

Day 2 – Start Early. Whether it’s an exercise routine, a commitment to eat better, practicing yoga, or a meditation practice, try starting first thing in the morning, before you do anything else. Fix your mind around positive change and positive change shall follow you.

Day 3 – Close out the day. Ending your day with intention, with the mindset that you can accomplish all you set your mind to, should be how you end each day.

Day 4 – You’ve got a friend. Our friends are the family we choose for ourselves. Today, share your commitment with a friend, ask them to join you, support you, perhaps to make their own commitment.

Day 5 – Share the love. Whether you bring your husband to the gym with you or onto the yoga mat, leash your puppies and take them hiking, or cook a healthy meal with your kids, bring your loved ones into the mix. The network you surround yourself should strengthen you!

Day 6 – Step it up. Today, take your plan of action and kick it up! Add a mile onto your run or do a longer yoga class, try a new workout, add a morning and evening routine, or meal prep for the next few days. Whatever your intention or goal, crank it up today!

Day 7 – Keep it simple. I often get caught up in an elaborate, over-the-top plan to get where I want to go, so much so that I end up not ever starting or getting burned out quickly and abandoning ship. Today is about going back to the simplicity of your intention or goal, shaving it down to the roots. You do not need to overthink the steps to get you where you envision yourself. All you need is to take one step after the other.

That’s the first week – join me!

Be Light

November 20, 2015November 19, 2015 by happycatie, posted in Happy, Yoga

It’s Day 5 of the Mindful 21 challenge and I’ve been so happy with the amazing people who have joined. Today’s theme: Be Light. This really resonates with me during this time, as I feel I’ve never been surrounded by so many people who lift me up, allow my light to shine. And it’s taken time and practice to know when I need to let go of that which weighs me down.

Today, think about that which lifts you, lightens your load and allows you to shine brightly. Could you shed some unwanted, unproductive baggage? Do you have things in your life that are cluttering your path to new?

This can be metaphoric clutter or actual clutter. Look around your home or office. Do you have space that is clear, clean, inviting? Do you have a place in your home you feel creative, energetic, alive? Could you lighten these spaces, removing unnecessary distractions or paper to make room for creation. I try to clean my desk, lighten it so to speak, once a week at least. If the space is cluttered, how can my mind focus on a single task!? I notice that when there are things scattered about, I feel scattered.

Go through your closets, cupboards, files and clean out what you do not need, have not worn or used in the past year. Donate it to Goodwill and allow light to enter your space.

Sit in a quiet space, that is clean and inviting, and think about how you can lighten your mental load. What are you holding onto that doesn’t serve you anymore? Negative thoughts, unnecessary anxiety, people who leave you feeling drained – these are things you can do without, so lighten your load.

Happy Light!