Wishing you all a successful and happy year! Don’t forget to pursue your dreams š
Almost every year, I watch the countdown (except one where I fell asleep before midnight) to cheer in the new year.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3…2…1…Happy New Year!
Sure, it might be happy. A set date for a fresh start. New resolve to join the gym, start a new career..or simply to put the negative things from the past behind you. But you probably feel the same way as I do…another year and in this case, a year plus a decade gone by in the blink of an eye. That’s life. There is NO turning back the clock.
My blog
I have been writing entries for my blog for over a year now. It has been a great forum for me to communicate and express myself. For me, writing is therapeutic. Plus I enjoy sharing things that I learn from life. Thank you so much to those of you who took the time to read my musings. I appreciate the support.
Why I titled my blog “This Thing Called Life”
I titled my blog “This Thing Called Life“, because life is just there. Everything can happen in this thing called life. Life is constantly changing and throwing things at us. Parts of it we can control, while others we cannot. We just have to deal with life as it comes. I was so inspired by my tag-line that I tattooed it on my leg last year. No matter what crap happens in life, I can sum it up as something that happens in this thing called life. So, it’s ok. I can move on.
In this thing called life, perfection cannot always be achieved. It’s your determination and effort that count.
I dedicate this post to my sister, Annette (Instagram: @showmerockieshikes), her husband, Gabor (@grizzlymedve) and Jonathan Fast (@jonathan.fast). I check out their gorgeous landscape posts whenever I am itching for nature but canāt get out. There is nothing more satisfying and humbling than being at one with nature.
Saying goodbye to 2019
What better way to say goodbye to 2019 than a post about what I love. Below are a few tree photos that I put together. Trees make great “models” – they stay still for the most part and they charge nothing to photograph them. Aren’t trees just amazing?
The photos below were taken from my hikes/travels (including Rattlesnake Point, Killbear Provincial Park, Fernie (BC), Toronto, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park). When I look around, a unique tree or arrangement of trees might catch my attention. It’s important to always have your smart phone (with camera function) with you – as you NEVER know when that special tree will come into your life – kinda like people.
If you have never hiked before, I highly recommend you try it. If you are afraid to get lost (like me), there are usually some hiking groups/clubs that you can join. Or just take a friend.
There are so many reasons to love trees. Below is a list of 10 things that I came up with.
10 reasons to love trees:
they provide life-giving oxygen.
they absorb poisonous carbon dioxide from the air.
their foliage gives shade.
their roots prevent soil erosion.
they give shelter to animals and insects.
they are beautiful and unique.
they tell us the age of the forests that surround them (tree rings).
their forest provides great footage for films.
their beauty inspires writing and photography.
maple trees give sap for making maple syrup.
In this thing called life, you have to take the time to hug a tree, enjoy Mother Nature at her best, and help to preserve the beauty for everyone and future generations.
I am a lover of trees. No joke. I have a bigger collection of tree photos from my travels, but include a few here. Trees are life-giving (oxygen), stand the test of time, don’t talk back, are unique and majestic. Ever try placing your hand on the trunk, closing your eyes and feeling the power of the forest within the tree? If not, I highly recommend it. You will feel a vibration surge through your body – a recharge.
Year-end self reflection
I self-reflect daily, but thinking about year-end always seems to bring up a lot of events from the past. Now it’s DECADE end. That requires even more thought! My son always asks me why I post daily on Instagram/Facebook – and I tell him that it is therapeutic for me, and I like to share with others. Maybe someone out there just needs to hear that they ARE good enough.
Top 5 things to leave behind this decade:
Mean and hurtful words. Mean and hurtful words cannot be taken back once said. Think before you speak. Don’t say them. In my teens my mom basically said I was stupid (because I was not as academic as my older sister who got awards for this and that). In grade 2, I struggled with English (so my teacher let me borrow a dictionary). In my weekly Chinese school, I truly hated and struggled every single year (my friend classmates were witness), but was relentless and made it to Grade 11 (with the help of my friend – “look at my paper”!). In high school my overall grades were passable, but got high 90s in English lol. Got a Bachelor of Arts in University (Major in Sociology). Graduated from a certificate program in Interior design. Got a Law Clerk Certificate. And now, work as a Law Clerk, speaking Cantonese almost every day. The point is, growing up is already so hard. We don’t need to carry a stigma our whole life.
Bullying others. If you have no self-confidence or have personal issues you are dealing with, don’t take it out on others. Growing up people made fun of me for being Chinese and fat. I was a painfully shy kid with a heart, so I internalized everything and it really ate at me. Even relatives were abusive about me being fat. It took me decades to come out of my shell, as well as to not care what people thought of me.
Negative words. If you have nothing good to say, don’t say it. This one is self-explanatory.
Negative thoughts. A new decade is around the corner. Give yourself a break. It’s okay to make mistakes.
Self-doubt. You are the only person who can doubt yourself. When in doubt, pretend you are confident and just do what you set out to do.
In this thing called life, a new year is a chance for a fresh start. Leave behind everything negative!
This post is dedicated to Neon Dreams and those who dare to dream.
I only discovered Neon Dreams (www.neondreams.ca) a day before Tyler Shaw’s concert at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, when I got the concert reminder notice and saw they were one of the opening acts. Craig Stickland was the other opening act. As most people would probably do these days, I did a quick Google and started to dance, clap and snap my fingers the moment I listened to their song, About You. Take a listen below.
What’s bonus? They are Canadian!
I am like a big kid at these concerts and LOVED the opportunity to meet all the artists (Neon Dreams, Craig Stickland and Tyler Shaw). My daughter knows I am a suck and teases me about it. This morning, she was like…Adrian…haha!
It was really great chatting with Frank and Adrian about their musical inspiration; and learning what a kick-drum is lol!
Neon Dreams
Neon Dreams is made up of Frank Kadillac (singer and Eukele player) and Adrian Morris (drummer, guitarist, etc.). There is just something really special about this duo. Watching them on stage was almost a surreal experience. I found it difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was that made me feel the way I do. So, I kept thinking about it…
This is day 3 after the concert and I am still trying to figure it out. I guess it’s a vibe…
But here’s what I did come up with:
Their music is fresh and has an upbeat vibe. What a difference to listen to ‘happy’ music instead of sad love songs.
Frank is totally charismatic and approachable. His smile is heart-melting š
On stage Frank was totally commanding the crowd – we could all feel the energy in the audience. Everyone was having a good time.
In terms of arrangements, the drums were close to the stage (versus in the back) – which really showcased Adrian.
I have always been a huge fan of the sound of drums. Adrian is the best and coolest drummer I ever met. He was just part of the drums. I never heard the array of drum sounds (I didn’t know drums make those sounds) that he played, so it blew me away. He was just bouncing around and crossing his arms to bang the cymbals on the opposite side with amazing power and ease. Adrian makes it look so easy – just for fun I tried to cross my arms the same way, but they are so stiff! What’s a bit embarrassing, he probably noticed me staring at him, because he pointed out that I was in the front row lol!
Here are 2 of my other fav songs so far:
In this thing called life, we never know who or what might inspire us – but it’s important to have an open mind and just go where the wind takes us. Thanks Neon Dreams for giving my brain some stimulating new tunes. Cheers!
Every year around this time I get really depressed. Not just because I will be a year older on September 11th, but I am reminded that humanity has manifested itself into a complete monster. There are daily reminders as well that our world is in chaos and trouble (Amazon rain forest fire, wars between individuals and countries, death and torture of billions of animals for our food, and on a micro-level: individuals bullying others – need I go on?).
The Attack
The 9/11 attack took place in 2001 in New York City, USA. I remember the day so clearly, because it was my second day at work in a new city and my birthday. One of my colleagues had a portable radio on and she called everyone over when the news came in. It was so unreal to hear that the terrorist planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center – killing about 3,000 people.
There is no doubt that humans are geniuses (as evidenced by everything they have managed to create: from inventing the telephone, cars, airplanes, modern science fighting disease and resuscitating the dead and so on) – yet, there is the evil side – greed, corruption, jealousy, hate…
As much as I would like to believe that humanity is fundamentally good and can change – looking at current world events such as the burning of the Amazon rain forest and mass destruction of earth’s inhabitants and the earth- I am not optimistic at all.
But I am just one person…
While you might think that one person cannot effect change – it is not true. There is a ripple-effect that can create positive changes. We are all part of the collective whole.
In this thing called life, we all need to do our part to preserve the earth for future generations. We need to be kind to each other. We need to recognize that animals are here with us and not for us. We need to stop consuming material goods that create the landfill and drain the earth’s resources.
I leave you with just one image: picture all the digging below the surface of the earth (gold, metal, minerals, etc.). Eventually, the top will cave in…
Freshii cold-pressed juices Part of the 3/5-day cleanse (you can buy at Freshii, but some Walmarts may carry them too)
Breaking an emotional tie to food, is NOT a ribbon-cutting event!
For anyone who is an ’emotional’ eater (or a closet eater) like myself – you will totally get this post. Think – munching down a whole bag of chips and/or box of cookies in just one sitting…all without much thought. For myself personally, I eat when I feel stressed or bored.
The guilt that follows is incredible. Yet, it’s a vicious cycle. You feel stressed, inhale the snacks, say you won’t do that again and guess what? YUP…it starts all over again. Not only is your mind affected – but your body as well. Most normal people gain weight when they eat over-processed junk food.
So, now the cycle becomes more complicated very quickly:
You eat junk.
You gain weight.
You feel like crap.
You eat some more because you feel like crap.
Well, breaking our emotional tie to food and re-programming our brain is REALLY hard. Probably one of the hardest things that we ever need to do. I know because I worked on it for almost two years. I was lucky that I managed to breakdown part of my insatiable need to stuff my face. Still working on it because it’s a life-long process for me.
How did the tie get so strong?
Long story short, if I psycho-analysis myself, it started when I was just a kid. I learned that if I wanted to eat something, I could eat unlimited quantities. My grandmother allowed me to eat steak after steak because I liked the taste. It didn’t help that we worked at my parents’ convenience store with tons of candy, chocolate, chips, popsicles, etc. at our fingertips. Anyway, needless to say, I had lots of cavities and gained too many pounds. As I was growing up, I was made fun of for being fat. The lack of confidence and stress continued the negative cycle of over-indulging.
Break it down!
My very first blog back in November 2018 was about my experience with the Freshii 3-day juice cleanse. I would say this was the ‘beginning’ test of my willpower. I chose the 3-day cleanse because I knew I could not survive for 5 days.
So, how?
I highly recommend trying a juice cleanse. One of the guys at Freshii said he managed to quit smoking after a 5 day cleanse. It really helps to reset your brain. Mind over matter.
It was really, really hard. But I did it. My mental willpower could barely stand up to the overwhelming want to grab and eat everything. It was so hard sitting with people who were eating food while I was cleansing.
I know we all have our stories why we are “psychologically” dependent on food. But I do believe that occasionally, we just need a re-set. Something to test our strength and ability to control what we eat – and indirectly, take control of our lives. I say this because I believe an underlying issue for a lot of things in life (for me weight gain) is about not feeling like we are in control of our lives. Working at getting to the root of the problem is also recommended.
That was then, this is now
Recently, I decided my body needed a boost of nutrients and a rest from eating solid foods. I have followed a vegan diet for over 8 months now, so the extra attention to my meal planning and preparation has helped to fight off my food’s mental grip on me.
I decided to do the 3-day cleanse again, but slightly modified. Basically, I drink 3 juices (breakfast, snack and lunch) and eat a generous salad for dinner.
I am on day 1. This time around, I have absolutely no issues with drinking my juice in lieu of eating solids. It’s a breeze taking a juice instead of a meal. I don’t even need to think about what to eat! I am also enjoying the feeling of not over-eating – especially at dinner.
Tomorrow is another day
I envision myself getting a badge or token for job well done. But the reality is, it’s another day of resisting the urge to conquer the bag of Lay’s Original chips (my fav BTW).
In this thing called life, you have to treat yourself as a pet-project. Try different things until you find something that works for you. Good luck on your own quest to cut the ties…
It may sound weird – but it just dawned on me this morning when I was driving my son for his early a.m. workday, that “the roads connect”. I mean both literallyand figuratively. I was picturing myself driving and everyone else on the road for that matter. And then I visualized a satellite view of us all from above, looking like frantic army ants. Anyway, long story short, there is an extensive network of roads all the way across our Earth; and where roads are not possible we can fly, take a boat, etc.
The thing is, we might just drive back and forth on the same roads our whole life. The paths are available to us, but we decide whether or not to take them. In life, this translates to a much deeper meaning…
So the question is – do we:
A) Maintain status quo?
B) Travel the path less traveled?
I encourage everyone to take a closer look at their lives. While we may feel we are part of the rat race, it’s good to remember that we can occasionally find a route of escape from the box.
In this thing called life, we can be the jellyfish swimming in the vast depth of the ocean (unfortunately the one pictured above was held in captivity and may never see the ocean again). So same thing goes for us – can we escape?
This post is for those of you out there who may be struggling to have a baby. P.S. I am so sorry it took me so long to share this.
I have been thinking of how to spread the word, since I learned about it in university. I took a course about sexuality and sexual health (sociology as my major) and during one of the classes, my professor spoke about the biological process of conceiving a baby. It was so very logical to me after that. And my proof that the ‘secret’ works (maybe luck, maybe not?): 3 kids on first try lol. Keep in mind that I am not a doctor, so this blog is written in very easy to understand terms.
Over the years, I heard about so many people trying to conceive but without luck. Yet, it’s not something people are open to talk about (understandably), and it definitely not exactly a conversation that I feel comfortable to talk about unless someone wants to listen…
Biological process in a nutshell
As you probably all know – to make a baby, you only need one sperm to fertilize one egg. The problem is that following ejaculation (by the male), there are millions of sperm fighting to swim to the female fallopian tube. Like survival of the fittest. The strongest sperm will likely experience victory. But how can you help the process?
The secret?
Ladies – have an orgasm during or immediatelyfollowing ejaculation. The biological function of an orgasm aids to neutralize the acidity in the fluids.
Very simply, the environment that the sperm swim in is acidic and neutralizing the fluids helps to increase their chances to survive the journey. Logic right? I thought so too!
But how do I do this?
Ladies – use your imagination. The means does not matter – just the ends!
No guarantee…
I cannot guarantee that this will work, as there could be other biological issues surrounding ones inability to conceive. Or could also be stress, lifestyle, etc. causing issues. But I do believe that it’s definitely worth a try before investing in expensive infertility treatment or giving up. And seriously ladies, if it doesn’t work – at least you had some fun!
P.S.
Once pregnant, here is my extended theory for a making a happy baby: have many orgasms. The body releases the ‘feel good’ endorphins during the process and thus in turn = happy baby!
Here’s a link to CBS News for some interesting info about sperm:
This post is dedicated to my new friend, Kelly Ann Charleson, who took the time to DM me on Instagram — pointing out that we are both children book authors, plus HUGE fans of Matthew Good! On top of that she has the same name as my daughter and has two sisters as well!
Photo credit: Kelly Charleson
Kelly Ann Charleson is the author of āIf I were a Dinosaurā, and The Woodland Series: āThe Deerā, āThe Denā and āThe Socksā. She is a passionate writer and illustrator. Kelly is originally from Australia, but now lives in Ottawa.
You can follow her on Facebook: Kelly Ann Charleson and Instagram @kellyanncharleson
I am very lucky to have the opportunity to interview Kelly, as she is one busy lady!
I wanted to share Kellyās story, because she is so genuine and
has such a lovely message behind her books.
As well, her stories are not ātypicalā – three of her books deal with
difficult life issues written in a way that children can understand and relate
to: such as miscarriage in pregnancy/loss of a sibling (The Deer), living with
an auto immune disease (The Socks) and loss of a parent/adoption (The Den).
Me: Recently, you posted a copy of an āold treasureā – a book titled: āKellyās Holiday Story Bookā on Instagram. You wrote: āLooks like Iāve been an author/illustrator from the start.ā Itās amazing what children are capable of creating on their own, if left to their own vices. I find that these days, kids donāt have a lot of down time -just a chance to sit down and be creative. I remember spending my childhood engaged in creative play and drawing, but my own kids donāt really like to read (think electronics!).
So, what exactly motivated or inspired you to begin writing
and illustrating for publication?
Kelly: Iāve known for years that someday, I would
like to be a foster mom, so until Iām in a position to do so Iāve joined a few
groups so that I can learn more about the reality of it all. One thing that
stood out to me was the amount of parents asking for recommendations of books
that deal with issues relating to foster care and adoption, and how few
fictional resources there were to meet those needs. Initially, I was making
books for the little ones in my life just for fun, but once I realized that
there is need for these very niche, touchy topics to be addressed, I decided to
create The Woodland Family series, and started making my books available to a
wider audience.
Me: Itās hard enough to be a self-published author
and your book content is very unique. I
asked you why you included a full free preview of your books on blurb.ca, and
you replied that you wanted to āmake sure that any child who could benefit from
reading one of my books is able to access it, whether or not an adult can buy
it for them.ā That is ABSOLUTELY
amazing! So, with this in mind, what are your plans to reach your target
market?
Kelly: Once I start taking my books to markets,
libraries, schools, etc., Iām hoping that the exposure and word of mouth will
help the books to find the children who might need them. In addition to that, I
hope to continue teaming up with local organizations that are relevant to the
topics covered in my books. I really enjoy supporting worthwhile causes, so if
an opportunity for working together to bring attention to an important issue
arises, Iām more than happy to go for it. My latest book was loosely based on a
local project, and weāve both been able to see some of the impact that
partnership has had already, which has been really exciting.
Me: I learned about your books because of your DM
through Instagram. Do you think that
social media is a helpful venue for you to market yourself and your books?
Kelly: At the very least, itās great for networking.
I created an Instagram account to promote my work, but have found it to be more
a place of community and support than a marketing tool. Itās great seeing all
of the other authors on there, and sharing/receiving tips and encouragement.
Having said that, hash tags do seem to attract people to the
themes of my books when itās something the individual has a personal connection
with, and Iāve found Facebook helpful for advertising and promotion. I am
rather oblivious when it comes to any social media platforms outside of those
two!
Me: I saw online that the first book you wrote āThe
Garden Thievesā is no longer available.
Can you explain why?
Kelly: The Garden Thieves was originally written a
year prior to publication under the title Princess Akeeba and the Night
Thieves. The first edition was created as a gift for a little girl who I loved
very much, and I re-designed the illustrations of the book as a part of my
grieving process when I lost her. Removing the book from circulation was a
tough decision, because I really liked the book, but ultimately I realized that
it was an important step in that process for me.
Me: I am very sorry for your loss and hope that your book has helped you heal. I love that you allow people to contact you with special requests for book topics (a note at the end of each of your books). For āThe Deerā – you mentioned that you were asked by a mom to write a book about miscarriage, after she suffered the loss of her baby and didnāt know how to explain to her son why his sister would not come home.
There are so many sensitive issues that we might experience early in life, so I am thrilled that you have found a way to address them in your books using very simple language and illustration. Reading, āThe Denā brought tears to my eyes ā children not feeling ālovedā because of a new addition to the family. I believe that life is uncomplicated from the view of children, so parents paying more attention to the ābabyā is equal to them no longer being loved. But in real life, this is not true at all, yet it takes growing up to learn this.
I have two suggestions for book topics: 1) death of a parent/sibling
2) divorce of parents. I have seen the
impact on friends/family who experienced these traumatic events as children.
That being said, are you working on your next book?
Kelly: Thank you
for your feedback ā those are definitely important topics, and Iāll see what I
can do with them.
Iām taking a bit of a break over the summer (I canāt believe
I ever took sunshine and warmth for granted! Living in Canada makes me want to
LIVE outside between April and Novemberā¦), but Iāve started putting some notes
together for the next stand-alone book. Iāll be diving back into my counselling
study notes for this one, but itāll be an easier read than The Woodland Family
books, in more ways than one!
Me: Kelly, thank you so much for taking the time to
answer my questions. Itās been great
learning about your creative process and hopes of helping children deal with
real life issues. I wish you the best of
luck in your future endeavours!
Kelly: Thank you so much, Monica! It has been an
absolute pleasure interviewing with you.
In this thing called life, you never know who you might touch with your words.
This post is dedicated to lifelong journeys of finding balance.
Pictured above (top from left to right: me in September 2010; May 2018; August 2018 and September 2018).
OMG!
It’s a bit embarrassing to post these photos of me – but I am trying to make a point here! The point is that we all have control over our bodies and can change our lives just by making some lifestyle/eating changes.
Lifelong battle…
…with my weight since I was a young kid – probably by about grade 5 (I determined this based on looking at my old school photos). I was made fun of by relatives and people at school. People thought I enjoyed being squeezed on the cheeks – like chubby is cute? My own aunts would say that I am “soooo fat!” (of course the same aunts that normally say nothing to me); a cousin that I never met before until we visited China called me “fay fay” (fatso) when I was 11 years old. So traumatic!
First major change
When I was about 19 years old, I joined a weight-training course in CEGEP (basically college in Montreal between high school and university). I enjoyed the class a lot and felt good. My teacher at the time (a 70 year old former weight trainer) pulled me aside and told me that I was a nice looking person, but there was no room for ‘fat’ people in this world. I felt so ashamed after that incident, that I signed myself up for another session the following semester. I managed to lose a lot of weight at that time. University life found me “thinner”, but I still felt like I was overweight. Body image is so skewed…because that was my ‘normal’ weight back then (but I still felt ‘fat’).
Pregnancy and life
After I got married at age 25, I became pregnant and gained a bunch of weight. By the time my second was born a couple of years after, I gained even more weight. When my daughter was about 8, she asked me why I was so ‘big’. I had no explanation.
I joined martial arts with my daughter and successfully lost 10 lbs in about 3 months.
Then I was pregnant with my third. I was pretty heavy at the time, so by the time I reached full term, I had only gained 10 lbs. When my son was born, I actually lost about 15 lbs – feeling like my body almost returned to my ‘normal’.
June 2017
Then more life happened. By June 2017, my weight had ballooned to the point of no return. I could feel that my skeleton could no longer bear the excess weight. When I went to Montreal to visit my grandma and met up with my sister’s friends for dinner, I was wearing a skirt and I felt incredibly uncomfortable -like I couldn’t sit anymore, and my legs were kinda tingly. When I returned home, I tried to play with my babe on the floor and could barely kneel down (due to discomfort). That’s when the gears in my brain started to churn. I needed to do something and QUICK!
September 2017
In September, I was about to take a 360 turn in my life. It just happened that my brother-in-law was talking about his own diet (Paleo) over a birthday dinner. The next day, I decided to cut the carbs and focus on eating meat and veggies (breakfast, lunch and dinner). After a couple of days, I swore my stomach was flatter! After I lost my first 10 lbs, the usual ‘plateau’ where weight does not come off as quickly. I then tried the Bulletproof coffee recipe for my breakfast. Basically, it was black coffee plus a tablespoon of grassfed butter plus two tablespoons of MCT (medium chained triglycerides) oil (pure coconut oil). After taking that for a couple of weeks, I lost about 5 lbs more.
then…25 lbs lighter
By May 2019, I had lost about 25 lbs. I still wanted to go for another 10 lbs to get closer to my “ideal” weight (and cut body fat), but I knew I needed some help. I saw the 42-day challenge at Anytime Fitness gym (Richmond Hill location) on Facebook and requested to join. I got a text shortly after and scheduled an appointment for a consult. The following Monday, I started my program.
then…7 lbs lighter
At the end of my 6 week challenge, I lost 7 lbs plus about 2% body fat. I just cannot believe that I am almost there…
MERCI! MERCI!
A great big thank you to Maz, Liam, Dan (who is no longer at the gym), Taylor and Leah at Anytime Fitness Richmond Hill, for pushing me to work my hardest and be my best self. The best part of the challenge was being held accountable for my goals. I had the gym staff to help keep me motivated and on track – plus the weekly weigh-ins were a bit of pressure.
What I have lost and gained during my 42 days
Lost:
7 lbs about 2% body fat My grandma (she passed away the day after Mother’s Day)
Gained:
Muscle Confidence New friends A new tattoo (in memory of my grandma) A huge inventory of new exercises that I can do at home on my own
This past year and a half
I have dropped 3 pant sizes (crazy eh?). I know how people love to see photos of before and after, so I will be bold and show them here. Pictured on the bottom left: 2 pant sizes, centre: 1 pant size and right: now. I didn’t even take a photo of 3 pant sizes because they ran out of that size!
Exercise
It is not just about diet – exercise is critical to weight loss and sustainability of ones’ weight and health (both physical and mental). That being said, diet is a HUGE part of it! You cannot pig out on junk food and expect to lose any weight. Our “body is our temple” and we need to fuel it up with healthy food.
Veganism
I have also been vegan for over six months’ now. Being vegan is not just for the environment and the animals, but makes one more conscious of what you feed your body.
Lucky duck
I was really lucky that even at my maximum weight, I did not experience any health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. For that, I am truly thankful. Both of my parents had strokes (my mom in her fifties and my dad in his mid-sixties); and my mother has diabetes and high cholesterol, so I am probably more susceptible to these conditions. Gotta stay healthy for me and my family.
Here’s me yesterday, after my home workout. Not the greatest pic, but whatever – I don’t give a damn!
In this thing called life, you have the power to change. No one can force you to change, so you have to change for yourself. No one can want it more than you.
