Introducing FITGREETINGS!

In 2002 I was in need of a holiday greeting card that was specifically geared for the fitness industry, but I couldn’t find one. So I designed one, hired an artist, and had it printed. The next day I filed for a trademark for FITGREETINGS with the intention of one day selling these products. Fast forward ten years… and that day has finally arrived! With the help of websites such as Zazzle and Café Press I am now able to begin to sell the creations I’ve been collecting over the years. I’m also able to expand the designs to other items such as clothing and gifts.

This is special to me because each of these cards were designed and used by me with a particular client, group, or event in mind. Some of you have even been a sounding board for feedback and ideas about the designs. Furthermore, some of you have even received these cards in the mail from me!

The Holiday card (Yoga Santa) is the first one I had made ten years ago, so it is only fitting that I bring it back to launch the store. It still makes me chuckle and is one of my faves.

So, the next time you’re in the market for unique health and fitness cards, shirts, etc. keep FITGREETINGS in mind. I will continue to upload the many other designs I’ve been stockpiling for years – plus more that are in the works. I’ll continue to post new items on Facebook as they are uploaded.

Check out the sites below. They will both carry the same designs but on slightly different products. The sites also vary in price, but they both run constant promotions so you can always find one of them running a sale on the item you want.


See other gifts available on Zazzle.

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

Thanks for taking this journey with me!

What do vegans eat?!

I’ve been meaning to address this topic for a while but since today is World Vegan Day I thought there was no better time! 

I follow a 99% vegan diet*, and have done so for about a year and a half.  Prior to that I followed a strict vegetarian diet for 10 years (except for one possible slip in St. Lucia years ago after a few too many cocktails…but that hasn’t been proven…although it is a funny story….I’ll save it for another time!)  Prior to that, after viewing a 20/20 special at the age of 16 I made a decision to never eat a cow or pig again.  So basically, every 10 years I seem to make some sort of shift in my diet! 

I’m forever amused by the response I get when people find out about my diet.  In fact, as each shift happens, so does the response. When I was a teenager the question seemed to be “why?” or “how long is this going to last?”  When I became a strict vegetarian (no meat or fish or anything that had a mother or a face) the number one question became “how do you get your protein?”  But now – now is the best!  The most frequent question preceded by a blank stare and a long pause is “wait, so, what do you eat….what’s left?” 

I guess I find it amusing because, to me, I have a perfectly normal and fulfilling diet.  Eating a plant-based diet is a choice I made – not a restriction!  In fact, looking back on my life so far it ranks up there as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and one for which I’m most proud.  It’s my version of preventative medicine, and even more importantly, it’s the best way I know to contribute to a better environment, economy, and of course, animals. 
So, the purpose of this post (and the subsequent related posts) is to bring light to the above question – “What do you eat?”   The funniest part of the question is not that someone actually asked it.  The funny thing is my response!  For as many times as I’ve been asked this question, I’m always taken aback.  How do you answer in one sentence all the things you eat?  Where do you start?  Do you categorize things by groups, or by meals (breakfasts, then lunches, then dinners?)  Ever darn time I respond with a shrug “uhhhhhh….I eat plants.”   It’s not a satisfying answer, and clearly just hearing “plants” seems dreadfully boring. 

As I mentioned before today is World Vegan Day and is followed by Vegan Awareness Month.  I thought that perhaps it would be helpful to those who wonder “What vegans eat” if I chronicled my meals for the month.  This is not to infer that this is the perfect vegan diet - it's simply to give you an idea of some of the tasty and satisfying meals that come from plants! 

Oh, and while I’m at I’ll hopefully clear up the misconception that vegans don’t get enough protein by monitoring my intake for the day.  My body requires between 40-50 grams of protein a day (and that’s being generous.) 

*In the interest of full disclosure, and keeping the integrity of the word “vegan” I wrote that I follow a vegan diet 99% of the time.  Occasionally dairy products will slip into my diet – mostly by accident, and twice a year on purpose.   I haven’t earned the right to call myself a “vegan” because this word goes beyond just diet.  A true vegan is diligent in buying, wearing, and using only products that contain no animal products.  This is not nearly as easy as following a vegan diet, and I’m not there yet.  Maybe in another 10 years! 

 So, here goes....

Nov 1^st:

Breakfast: Whole oat groats and almond milk

Lunch: Vegetable lentil soup - an enormous bowl! 

Dinner: Whole wheat wrap with mixed greens, roasted red peppers & balsamic glazed organic tofu, Purely Decadent Ice Cream (pictured below - woo hoo!) 

Daily protein: 54 grams

11/2: 

Breakfast: Buckwheat groats and almond milk, chia seeds

Lunch: Huge mixed green salad with lots of veggies, and tossed with pasta and homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: Stir fry and brown rice, vegetable spring roll, edamame (ate out)

Daily protein: 41 grams

11/3:

Breakfast: Green smoothie (kale, dandelion, cucumber, celery, kiwi, grapes, chia seeds)

Lunch: Huge mixed green salad with lots of veggies, and tossed with pasta and homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: Black bean quesadillas with chiles, vegan cheese, lettuce, salsa on corn tortillas

Daily protein: 52 grams

11/4:

Breakfast: Whole oat groats, almond milk, flax seed

Lunch: Smoothie with strawberries, banana, spinach, almond milk, chia seeds

Dinner: Grilled vegetable panini and french fries (ate out) 

Daily protein: 45 grams

11/5:

Breakfast: Buckwheat groats, almond milk, flax seeds

Lunch: Leftover vegetable panini and bowl of mixed greens with homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: Cashew carrot ginger soup with whole wheat crackers and Purely Decadent Peanut Butter Zig Zag (pictured - woo hoo!)

Daily protein: 62 grams

11/6:

Breakfast: Vegetable lentil soup

Lunch: Green smoothie with kale, dandelion, cucumber, celery, apple, chia seeds

Dinner: Grilled vegetable fajitas with rice and black beans (ate out)

Daily protein: 65 grams


11/7:

Breakfast: Kashi Go-Lean cereal, vanilla almond milk

Lunch: Grilled veggie wrap with lettuce - doesn't even need cheese! 

Dinner: Mixed green salad with lots of veggies and quinoa & chickpeas, tossed with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. 

Daily protein: 67 grams

                                      Can you tell I'm a fan of ice cream?