Let's face it. It can be really hard to stay motivated. I have days where I just cannot seem bothered to move from the futon, or get dressed into anything other than a pair of leggings and a t-shirt. I was having a conversation not too long ago about how to stay motivated to get or stay healthy. It had me thinking about some tips I would give, and lead me to create some Do's and Don'ts for staying motivated in life and sticking to a lifestyle change. 

1. DO start slow. This is probably the hardest. Sometimes we quit everything all at once and ban foods right away when in reality, we really should be taking out certain factors first. Slowly getting rid of milk, or slowly making sure to not have a chocolate for dessert can be really beneficial in the long run. 

2. Do remember results don't happen overnight. I'm someone who immediatley wants results. If you start working out and have only worked out for an hour the first day, you definitely won't leave the gym having a six pack. That takes time. 

3. Don't worry if you slip up. I always have to remind myself of this. If I accidently eat something milk-chocolate or something not so healthy, I can't beat myself up. That's not good and you'll end up feeling worse about it. 

4. Do write down your goals. Using a notebook or planner to plan out a daily goal to set like drinking 12 ounces of water or eating more servings of veggies or adding an extra 20 minutes to your workout at the gym can be really beneficial in the long run as well. Usually if you see it, you'll want to do it. Even if you put it off until the last moment. 

5. Don't go overboard. So you want to get healthy and be more active. If you work out a lot in the beginning and don't slow down, truth is you'll get burnt out. I learned that when I started eating clean in January. I was working out everyday and then I got bored with it. 

6. Do set a relaxation day. It's good to keep going and achieve things but give yourself a break once in a while. It's good to just unwind and rest before getting back to the grind. 

7.Do make a public commitment. This can help a lot of people. No you don't need to be that person who constantly posts photos of going to the gym. But if you tell people you know that you're eating healthy and enjoying it, that can be helpful too. Because you've said it out loud and you have to stick to it. 

8. Join a Group. Finding friends with common interests will help you reach your goals. You're encouraging each other not to give up and keep going. 

9. Explore new recipes. This one is for those trying to stay healthy. Exploring new recipes and looking at what other people make, makes me so much more excited to cook and everyone has been loving what I've made so far!

10. Think positive. Getting into the mindset that something might be hard will actually make it hard. If you think about the new things you'll be learning throughout the process it'll make a better result! I strongly believe that positivity is a choice, even though it can be difficult sometimes. 

*Bonus Tip: Start a motivational quote journal. I did this a long time ago and it was really helpful, now I use it to write the quotes on a whiteboard where I can see them everyday!

I hope these tips were helpful! What other tips do you have for someone who is having a hard time starting up a new project or lifestyle? I have been loving veganism so much so far, there are so many different recipes?! I can't believe it. I hope you're all having a great day! Make sure to leave a comment below! 

x Kenzie

What You'll Need: 

A blender or food processor

3 ounces of nuts = about a cup

Choice of nut (in this case Cashews) 

How:

Place little amounts in if you're using a food processor, if using a blender then just pour 3 ounces in! 

Blend until a creamy texture forms

Empty contents into jar

Enjoy! 

Things I've put cashew butter on include: 

These AMAZING blueberry vegan pancakes

Waffles

Oatmeal (the organic kind) 

A spoon (hah) 

I know! It's seriously that easy! I love that my blender makes the butter warm right away so I may or may not sneak a taste before putting it away. It's best to store in the fridge if you plan on not using it in the next week or so. The recipe is completely up to you, if you want salted nut butter then use salted nuts, honey roasted-nut butter, and on and on. Anything is possible. I don't like the salted nuts so I always stick to unsalted cashews! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! I love homemade butter and I hope you enjoy it too! 

What are your favorite nuts? Have you ever made homemade nut butter before? 

           1.)  It's easier than I thought it would be. Not reaching for those milk chocolate candies in the dish at home was really tough at first, but now my body doesn't really crave it. There's a lot of natural sugar in fruits and veggies and after switching out Reese's cups for clementines, it's going great.

           2.) You can still treat yourself. While not having processed and refined sugar maybe daunting and difficult, since a lot of our foods have it, there are plenty of websites that have treats that are just as good. I made some bars for my mom with coconut oil, oats, craisins and nut butter and you freeze them and it tastes just like candy. SO good! 

          3.) My taste buds have changed. While I used to enjoy peanut butter, and chocolate chip cookies, things that were filled with unnatural sugars are now too sweet to me. I love snacking on fruits, and adding them to organic oatmeal. I love adding avocados to my quinoa and experimenting with new dishes.  

          4.) Eating out is tricky. Within the first few days of clean eating, I was invited to go out and went out for some meals. I could still order things like salads with dressing on the sides, salmon burgers, gyros, and other fish which actually made it easy. 

          5.)I love baking. If you know me, you already know how much I love to bake. While the overload of Christmas cookies still sat in the garage and counter, I obviously couldn't make sweet treats like I used to, so I moved over to entrees. They've all been good so far. 

        6.) You can still enjoy your favorite dishes. There are a great bunch of blogs dedicated to clean eating, you just have to sift through their recipes and find some that you want to try out. That cauliflower pizza is probably still my favorite recipe I've done to date. 

        7.) Clean eating at college is a little daunting. I did so well clean eating at home, but when I came back to school, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to and go back to my old ways of scooping spoonfuls of peanut butter into my mouth and eating grilled cheese. So unhealthy. But luckily, it's been a lot easier. I grabbed a few wraps from home before coming back and gather up some spinach, peppers, and other toppings that I want to fill them for dinner. It's great.

        8.) I sleep a lot better. Last semester I would have a hard time going to sleep, and my roommate would come in at 2 or 3 in the morning and wake me up with her noise and I would end up feeling exhausted the rest of the day. This semester I fall asleep fast, and wake up feeling refreshed. 

       9.) I have more energy. I have to walk at least 100 stairs after classes just to get to my dorm, and I don't feel so tired or exhausted after doing it. 

     10.) With more sleep and more energy to get me to and from classes and through the day, clean eating has also helped me feel better. I don't feel like a slug, I think that's the most important thing. It's what I set out to do when I first started this. A lot of people asked "how long are you clean eating for?" Truth is, it's not really something I plan on stopping. Why would I go back when this lifestyle makes me feel way better?

One of the hardest things about changing to a non-processed diet, was trying to kill my sweet tooth. Not grabbing a piece of chocolate for dessert was tough at first, but reaching for a clementine became a quick and easy solution to that. Another tough thing that I've always done is snack. I couldn't just snack on anything and logged onto the internet to find clean eating snack ideas. Here I stumbled upon a few, mixed them up, tweaked them a bit and now I think they're ready for you! 

If you're looking for a new snack fix while at work or out and about, I've got a few ideas for you!

1. Granola

  I love Trail Mix, last semester I went through 3 bags in 2 weeks. It was insane and made me feel really bad. Now that I'm clean eating, I can just make a batch at home when I'm there for the weekend. It's just oats, cinnamon, your choice of nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts). and either raisins or craisins if you'd like! 

( always use sallys baking blog. for ideas and how to's.) Just search granola and you'll come across plenty of quick recipes!

It took some research, and an open mind to search the web and find the perfect recipe for my second clean eating dinner, my first baking experience that wasn't a dessert.
I put this Spinach filled dish as one of the first in this new lifestyle, and it was quick, easy, and delicious!

While there are many New Years resolutions that have been made by us all, eating healthier is one of the most popular ones. I will admit that I am not a health expert, or a nutritionist. I am solely doing this for myself, and to share recipes as I discover them with all of you guys! That's why I have started this series! You can find it in the health bits section of my "Bits of Life" tab!
As I swap those leftover Christmas treats for veggies and fruits, a lot of people might be asking Why?
A simple answer would be: I feel like I was constantly shoveling food into my face for the past 3 weeks, and now I want to cleanse my body. Maybe there are a few more answers that can be explored.

Why are you changing the way you eat? 
Personally, to feel better. I was eating bags of trail mix in less than 7 days. I'm talking big bags. As well as cookies and chocolates by the handful in short amounts of time and I felt awful. My face would break out with how much processed foods and sugars I was taking in. I want to stop feeling disgusting when I wake up and as superficial as it may sound...I reallly want to love myself when I wake up.

How are you changing the way you eat? 
I'm cutting out processed sugars and foods and switching over to natural sugars like fruits and veggies. No more reeses peanut butter cups and pizza for me.

What does clean eating mean? 
Clean eating means no processed foods, things that aren't from nature. The only processed food I'll be putting into my body is processed by the sun

While these three questions might even be ones you hear, here's one that I've heard already.

Why are you dieting? You don't need to go on a diet. 
It's not really a diet, more of a lifestyle change. I want to have more energy that lasts throughout the day as opposed to being tired at one in the afternoon. I don't have the metabolism of a skinny 8 year old anymore, I have to help my body be in shape nobody else is going to do it for me.

Another question you or someone you know, might have about changing to a new diet plan is how. 

How are you going to change your eating?
Firstly, by researching. Being on the internet seems natural to me and why not use it to help me sift out what foods I should and should not eat. Here are some tips I've read so far!

1.  Clear your kitchen: This will help you not eat those processed foods. I know, I have to go to my dorm room and clear that out. Here's hoping my neighbors will be happy with free food. 
2. Plan: So far this is the most fun, at least for me, having a meal plan throughout the week is a good idea to know what you need to get at the grocery store for the week coming up.

While eating clean or healthier may not be for everyone, I hope that you can still enjoy some of the recipes that I've got coming up for you! I've even discovered some sweeter clean-eating treats as well that I really want to try out! Have you done clean eating before or are you doing it now?