Run Plant Based

Formerly The Raw Project - Running on a Healthy Vegan Diet

Wrapping Up 2018 for the List

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2018 was an odd year, something I feel like I been saying too much the last couple of years. There were a lot of ups and down and I’m ready to move onto a fresh year. There were adventures and fun. But also sadness and negativity. I think I’ve learned to deal with that and anxiety better in 2018. I’ve been listening to a lot of 2018 recap podcasts this week from Rich Roll, Lifehacker Upgrade, The Daily Show, etc. and it seems like 2018 was a tough year for most people.

I have a lot of goals and ambitions for 2019, I want to expand my career further, grow this site further, become a better runner and healthier eater, create better recipes, and just be a more positive person overall which may be reaching. But why not? Most importantly I want to let go of what I can’t control. Focus on the positives more and my own accomplishments instead of everything that’s going wrong in the world. Instead of fretting about what nasty surprises climate change might have for us in 2019. Or the political situation. Being grateful I have a steady job for a good company instead of beating myself up for not expanding my career more. Making this blog more of a celebration of positive changes and a place of inspiration for our health and the compassion for all living beings and the environment.

And that’s about as heavy as I’m gonna get for moving on into the New Year. So lets move into the lighter stuff. Saturday we had the annual vet appointment for pups which they absolutely hated.

Miko gets so nervous, he shed all over hubby’s dark clothes while shaking violently. I hate putting them through that, but it’s a necessary evil for their health. Both pups are the exact same weight as they were for last year’s appointment, how funny is that? And the Virbac C.E.T. VeggieDent teeth cleaning treats I got for them have been working! I got them a month ago because I was concerned about Miko’s teeth and Leela does not like to let anyone near her teeth. But they looked much better at this appointment and the vet says they don’t need to go through a teeth cleaning which is a huge relief!

I have been off work since Christmas, so my schedule is all goofed up as we relax and tackle projects. I have not been as productive as I hoped during this time, but relaxing, playing, spending time with family, and sleeping in has been nice. And it will also be nice to get back into the office routine and healthy debates with co-workers. Friday we decided to head to a popular trail for a hike, but everyone else had that same idea and the parking lot was closed for reservations only. Ugh. So we ended up checking out a new zip line park and shopping sales at the mall instead.

There is a new quarry zip line park here that is pretty crazy looking! Average people get harnesses so they can run zip lines of varying sizes, do controlled cliff jumps, and rock climb. It’s kind of cool and I will be going back to actually try it when we have more time and it’s not as cold and windy.

We headed into the mall next where I stepped into the insane Lululemon clearance sale and left with a new Energy Sports Bra for half price (my favorite bra), thin running tights for summer with phone pockets, a must, and a Lululemon jacket that I would never have bought at full price, but had an irresistible sale price. So that was fun, haha.

Next was the holiday sale at Lush Cosmetics where I loaded up on vegan bath bombs and soap. Then we found a new Tesla store front in the mall where a Model 3 was on display for people to sit in and ask questions, basically my dream car when my current EV lease is up I think. It’s a very different driving experience with no controls or gauges, everything is monitored and controlled through the center screen which would take some getting used to. And it has quirky features like enabling whoopee cushion sound effects on various seats in the car to mess with your friends and turning the entire display into a virtual fireplace for a romantic date. Fun stuff that more traditional car manufacturers would not do.

I’ve been trying to be healthier this week with eats, but that’s not easy with holiday leftovers and family gatherings. There has been leftover vegan lasagna with oranges, salad with avocado dressing and leftover lentils, and a huge tomato curry saute using up potatoes.

We also met family out at P.F. Chang’s on Saturday, another decent option for large groups with varying diets.

I inadvertently ordered the healthiest thing on the menu with the steamed Buddha’s Feast which was basically steamed veggies and tofu with sauce on the side and brown rice. But it was a welcomed change after rich holiday eating.

There has been more running this week with a treadmill run Saturday and long outdoor run yesterday.

I have been working on my pace more with intense treadmill intervals and using long runs on Sunday for an easier pace while enjoying nature and listening to podcasts.

And finally I started working on one of my New Year’s goals of reducing my disposable plastic use further trying a Lush Lavender shampoo bar instead of buying the liquid stuff in disposable bottles.

I was nervous about this and how my naturally curly hair would take to this change, but no problems and I think my hair is smoother. You just lather up the bar in your hand in the shower, than use the lather as shampoo. They also recommend drying the bar off with a towel or washcloth before putting it back in the tin container. I really like that it takes up a small fraction of space in our shower compared to big jugs of shampoo. Next I need to find a less wasteful conditioner solution which will be a bigger challenge. I’m thinking of making my own to reuse existing containers and hopefully save money. We’ll see! But I will be focusing more on less waste and more eco-friendly living in 2019 that will save money and clutter too.

Okay, to the list!

Comments

  1. It was a weird year and I totally agree it’s becoming easier to say that with each ending year! YIKES! Does that mean we are…getting old? Eeeeek! I shut down the thought! LOL