You know the importance of exercise in helping you tone down or make the body feel better. However, when thinking of full-body workout exercises, do you think about your eyes? Probably not, and you’re not alone. So with that in mind, today I’m answering the question, “does exercise keep your vision healthy?” Read on to see what I’ve found out. 

Does Exercise Keep Your Vision Healthy?

You probably haven’t heard about the correlation between exercise and vision before. Fortunately, by reading this, you’ll understand how physical exercise promotes good vision and eye health. 

*this is a partnered post

What is Eye Health?

The eyes play a role in body functions, mobility, and enjoyment of life. When their health is compromised, they inhibit these factors and reduce the quality of life. This is why it’s essential to maintain proper ocular health, referring to the eye and its organ system.

The primary task of the eye is to capture light. The various parts work in harmony to connect with neurons that transmit messages and images to the brain. When they’re not at their optimal health, you experience problems like short-sightedness, blurry vision, eyestrain, or dry eyes. Good ocular health means that your vision is 20/20 or better without correction.

Some corrective measures include the use of eyeglasses to balance sight and maintain good vision. Optometrists at https://www.eyeglasses.com/ can give you a prescription based on the diagnosis of the condition of your eyes.

Consider getting a comprehensive eye exam every year even if you have no eye problem. You might be surprised to realize that you can see better with corrective lenses or glasses. Besides, most serious eye illnesses don’t exhibit any noticeable signs.

Physical Exercise and EyeSight

Over the last ten years, there have been several studies that show the connection between regular exercise eyesight. They show that physical workouts help in reducing common eye ailments like glaucoma and cataracts. They also significantly reduce wet age-related macular degeneration.

Aerobics and exercises like the Pilates are incredibly helpful in lowering intraocular pressure in the eyes. This helps to keep the cells in the retinal ganglion in good shape and well protected. Cardio exercises also increase blood flow to the retina and optic nerve.

Due to these effects, physical exercise can help improve overall eye health and vision. Exercise is especially beneficial to people with glaucoma.

Problems with your vision and some eye disease can also stem from high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Having a healthy diet and a regular workout program are two crucial steps you can take to lower both.  

While visual impairment increases with age the world over, you can boost your eye health through exercise. Running or walking is essential in helping decrease the risk of age-related cataracts.

If you don’t prefer walking, consider swimming, bike-riding, dancing, jogging, or a flight up and down the stairs. You can also consider engaging in exercises that make you stretch. While they might target a particular body part, the effects will trickle to the whole body. The idea here is to get on the move and avoid being too idle. You’ll not only help your eyes but improve your general health as well.

If you exercise two or three times a week, you reduce the likelihood of developing wet age-related macular degeneration. Moderately intense, low-impact exercises significantly minimize eye pressure, especially in the young generation. 

Ensure you make time for exercise every week. People claim to be short on time to exercise, but with discipline and dedication, you can work out 3-5 times a week. 

Exercises for the Eyes

As you pick out exercises for your body, you also need a routine for your eyes. Here are some eye-specific exercises you can do daily. 

Flexing

This will stretch and strengthen the ocular muscles in the eye. Look straight ahead of you and then look up without moving your head. Look down while maintaining the same head position and repeat ten times.

 Next, look to the right and left without turning the head. Do this ten times and feel the difference it makes for tired eyes. 

Blinking

Blinking is a great exercise that reduces strain on the eyes. Often when working on a computer, it’s easy to forget to blink. Some benefits of blinking are that it keeps the eyes refreshed for longer. You’ll also be able to focus for longer. Look forward and blink in intervals of five minutes for two minutes. 

Focus Change

This exercise will challenge your attention and should be done in a sitting position. Stretch out your finger and hold it a few inches from the eye. Look at the finger and focus on it only. Slowly move the finger away from the face, maintain your eye focus.

Then look away for a moment and gaze into the distance. Look at the outstretched finger again, focus on it and bring it back to the eye. Look out at something in the space. Repeat this three to five times.

Another focus exercise entails picking something 10 feet away with the eyes. Focus on it for five seconds then trace a figure eight with the eyes. The figure is imaginary but helps your eyes develop focus and strength. Trace for 30 seconds before changing the direction of your eyes. 

Palming

Palming is a yoga technique used to soothe the eyes. It’s a good exercise for people who spend most of their time behind computer screens for long. The exercise helps relieve pressure and strain around the eyes. So when wondering does exercise keep your vision healthy, you can count this exercise too. 

To perform the exercise, sit on a chair with your eyes closed. Place both of your hands over your eyes, covering them with the palm. The fingers should be on the forehead while the base of the palms should rest on your cheekbone.

Check that you don’t apply too much pressure on the eyes and that you can blink freely. Do the exercise for two minutes and repeat as necessary. 

Zooming

Zooming is excellent for focus and strengthening the eye muscles. For the exercise, sit comfortably and stretch out one arm. Raise your thumb in the hitchhiker’s position. Focusing on the thumb, draw it in until it is three inches away from the face.  Keep your eyes focused on the thumb.

 Slowly move the thumb and forearm back to the first position. Repeat over and again for two minutes.

Protecting Your Eye Health

In addition to exercising your body and eyes to promote good health, you also should take precautionary measures. If you’re on prescription lenses or contacts, ensure they’re up to date and designed for the computer screen.

Avoid buying lenses that you buy without a prescription. They can further compound eye disease or increase discomfort, eye strain and headaches. They may also contribute to injuries to eye injuries due to lack of safe vision.

Check Your Posture

When working on the screen, always ensure your eyes are level with the top of the screen. This way, you look at the screen at a slightly downward angle. Also, ensure the chair you use is comfortable and supportive so that your feet are flat on the floor. 

Anti-Glare

Avoid glare from lights and windows at all costs. Always use anti-glare whenever possible.  If your eyes feel dry, feel like they’re straining, or blink more than necessary, talk to your doctor.

Rest

Most importantly, rest your eyes every 20-30 minutes. Gaze into the distance for 20 seconds and take a break from work every two hours. Remember to exercise the 20-20-20 rule. If you’re behind a screen the whole day, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Eat Well

The health of your eyes starts with the food you eat. Some useful nutrients in warding off age-related vision problems include lutein, zinc, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin C and E also help in preventing macular degeneration and the growth of cataracts. So when wondering, does exercise keep your vision healthy? This alongside with other activities are the way forward.

As such, ensure your meals have green leafy vegetables, oily fish, eggs, beans, oranges, oysters, and pork. A well-balanced diet will also help you maintain a healthy weight, lowering obesity which is a leading cause of blindness.

Use Sunglasses

A good pair of shades will protect your delicate eyes from UV rays that are responsible for cataracts and macular degeneration. Go for a product that blocks as much as 99% of UVA and UVB rays. You may also opt for wraparound lenses that protect your eyes from the side.

Remember that polarized lenses don’t necessarily offer added protection, but they reduce glare. You may also need to use sunglasses even if you have contact lenses.

Quit Smoking

Smoking increases the probability of getting cataracts, damages your optic nerve, and causes macular degeneration. If you’ve tried kicking the habit without much success, ask your doctor for help.

Final Thoughts

If you previously didn’t give much thought to the correlation between exercise and eye health, you’re now wiser. As you engage in light or intense physical activities, you also help your eyes stay at their best. When not working out the whole body, there are eye-specific exercises that can help. 

So in answer to the question, does exercise keep your vision healthy? I think we know the answer now. In addition to an exercise regime, remember to have your eyes checked by a professional. Eat a balanced meal every time, protect your eyes from glaring light, and get enough rest. 

Back in January 2019, I took part in Veganuary. I shared my experience on my blog at the time, and lasted well over 3 months on a completely vegan diet. In the end, I only went back to eating eggs because I wasn’t eating enough protein. With that in mind, today I am sharing some ways of checking your nutrition levels when Vegan. Read on to find out how to track your food intake to make sure you’re getting all you need.

This is a partnered post

Checking Your Nutrition Levels When Vegan

I’ve been vegetarian since way back in 2001. Long before it was cool to be veggie and way back when Cheese and onion Walker’s weren’t suitable for Vegetarians! Back then, there wasn’t much in the way of vegetarian convenience food. You couldn’t nip into the supermarket for some meat free burgers in 2001. Fake mince and chicken pieces was all that was available. This meant I ate a lot of cheese and quickly piled on the pounds.

Keeping Track Of Nutrition

Once the weight started piling on, I realised I was eating far too much fat. This was largely thanks to the amount of cheese and peanuts I was eating. So with that in mind, I started writing down what I was eating and tracking the nutritional values using a huge book I got from the library. Keeping track of your nutrition these days is a lot easier, thanks to apps like My Fitness Pal.

I used this information to ensure I was eating enough of all the vitamins and minerals I needed, as well as protein and Iron. Personally, I really struggled to keep my protein levels up, which left me feeling lethargic, and my skin was really dry too.

Getting Your Levels Checked

Getting your nutrition levels checked is MUCH easier now. In America, you can nip into a Health Labs testing Center and either have a blood test, or your urine checked. You can do this without needing to see a Doctor or claim via your insurance too.

These Nutrition tests will check the following levels: Carotene, Folic Acid,Vitamin C, Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and Vitamin A. Additionally, it will check the following Vitamin B levels… Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. They have given my readers a generous 15% off deal too – click here to use it!

Understanding Your Nutrition Levels

Once you get your results, you can either adjust your diet to ensure you’re getting all of the nutrients you need. Alternatively, you can buy multi vitamins to top up your deficits. One thing to think about if you opt for vitamins is that there can be long term issues if you’re getting excessive amounts of certain vitamins. Excessive Vitamin A during pregnancy for example can cause birth defects. Additionally, it is thought to be a contributing factor to osteoporosis in older people.

With that in mind, it is definitely worth checking your nutrition levels when Vegan, or indeed anyone who feels generally unwell. I suspect a lot of people who don’t feel quite right would take a multi vitamin, thinking they aren’t getting enough of something.  How many of those people would consider checking their levels to make sure they aren’t getting too much of something?

Today, I’m sharing why I’m not ashamed of my abortion. I’m 35 now, but when I was 18, I got pregnant. It wasn’t planned and the father didn’t want me to keep the baby. I was still living at home, still in education and definitely not emotionally, or financially ready to become a mum. After much thought and after speaking to a counsellor… I decided to go ahead with the termination when I was 8 weeks pregnant.

Why I’m Not Ashamed Of My Abortion

Until today, my abortion wasn’t something I discussed with many people. I could count on one hand the people who knew about it until 10am this morning. Everything happening in America right now (and Northern Ireland recently) has made me angry. Angry that so many women are being painted as selfish, and even murderers by some people. Yesterday, I saw Jameela Jamil’s tweets. They made me realise it was time to discuss my own experiences, and why I am pro choice. Before I do, please read this…

Why I Did It

I didn’t terminate my pregnancy because the timing was off, or because it was inconvenient… I made this decision because I knew I’d end up stuck in the cycle of relying on benefits to raise my child. A cycle I had grown up in. Where it was common to have no heating most of Winter. I had always been determined to work hard, get a decent job and break the benefits cycle. Essentially, I knew I wouldn’t cope alone with a baby – I was barely an adult myself.

Back then, I was studying and earning £80 a week and living with my parents. It wasn’t enough money to support me, never mind a baby too. Definitely not enough to raise a baby alone. So I made what was probably one of the hardest decisions in my life, and had an abortion.

While I don’t regret my choice, I do sometimes wonder where life would have taken us, had I made a different decision. Despite keeping it from my parents, and keeping it quiet until now, I’m not ashamed of my abortion. No doubt some of my friends and family members will see this and be shocked as they had no idea.

I am sure my parents would have supported me if I’d continued with the pregnancy. But I did what was right for me, not them.

My Body My Choice

I find it horrific that Governors in America are making this decision on behalf of all their citizens. Without even putting it to the public vote like they did in Northern Ireland earlier this year. It is still illegal to have an abortion in any part of Ireland. So many citizens head to England, Scotland or Wales to terminate their pregnancies.

Personally, I feel that it is utterly barbaric to force women to bring a baby into this world, which they can’t take care of. What happens if the mother has mental health issues? Or if she can’t afford to feed, clothe or support the child? The baby will end up, “in the system”. The same system, which is stretched to breaking point in both America AND the UK. Don’t even get me started on the women who are victims of rape, or who are in abusive relationships. America doesn’t seem to care what kind of situation children are born into – as long as they are born.

Surely it makes more sense for a woman to make the difficult choice to end her pregnancy than to force her to go through with it? What will the impact of that be on the woman’s mental health? Each woman should be able to decide what is right for her – and make the call without fear of prosecution or judgement.

Your Thoughts

If you’re reading this and planning on leaving a comment calling me a murderer, or bring God into the conversation… Let me stop you there. Comments are moderated, and yours won’t be published. However, if you want to bring a balanced counter view to this discussion, feel free comment below.

Finally, if you are pregnant and weighing up your options, rest assured that although it was a tough decision to make… I’m not ashamed of my abortion and I don’t regret my choice.

One last thing: Check out more of my lifestyle content here.

Life in the 21st century is hectic. Most of us have busy jobs, madcap families, not to mention active social lives to keep up with. This keeps things interesting, but can leave even the most energetic person feeling burnt-out. If your lifestyle is leaving you feeling frazzled, here are a few tips to get your va-va-voom back on track again. Disclaimer: This is a partnered post. 

How to Get Your Va-Va-Voom Back

An alarming study recently found that adults spend around seven and a half years feeling tired. That’s a lot of time spent not enjoying life to the max! There are many steps you can take to combat this feeling:

Take a trip

Firstly, if you can afford it, get away. Go somewhere you’ve never been before, like the black forests of Germany or the Dolomites in Italy. If money is tight, take a day off work and visit somewhere local – a place you’ve always fancied going to, but never got around to it. Changing up your daily routine is a great way to get out of a rut.

Book a spa day (or a DIY version).

There’s nothing like a bit of indulgence to reinvigorate yourself. A spa break is the ultimate in self-care; but even an express facial in your lunch-hour can help. Alternatively, gather your beauty products, allocate an hour of ‘you time’ at home, and recreate a spa in your own bathroom. A spa day definitely helps to get your va-va-voom back, in my case.

Get active.

Tiredness can make you feel sluggish, which in turn, makes exercise seem like an unappealing prospect. Force yourself to get out there and get active, as it can really lift the spirits. Find an activity that works for you. For example, if you love team sports, join a local hockey or football team. If you love running, set aside some time each week to go for a jog.

Check your sleep habits.

Insomnia is a common condition, and it can totally derail your life, leaving you exhausted and unable to cope. Developing a good ‘sleep regime’ is a wonderful idea. For example, don’t watch anything too stimulating on TV before bedtime (definitely not a horror film), and ban all electronic devices too. It really makes a difference.

Keep it casual.

Not every social event has to be a high-energy night on the town. Sometimes it’s just as satisfying to invite a few friends over to share a bottle of wine and watch a film. Try to get a good balance between going out and staying in; and don’t forget to enjoy some quality time with the people that really matter in life, like your partner or parents, for example.

Remind yourself of your ‘happy place’.

Finally, there are various ways you can transport yourself right back to your happy place, which immediately lifts your mood. For example, cooking your favourite childhood meal will take you right back to being a kid again, and all the fun associations that come with it. Fragrance can also have the same effect – for example, Neroli Portofino would transport you right back to the Italian Riviera.

I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted at the moment. For the most part, I’m putting it down to sleep deprivation. Although it’s fair to say I am shattered right now! With that in mind, I am sharing some tips for fighting exhaustion today! I’m 35 now, and have experienced many different kinds of tiredness.

Tips For Fighting Exhaustion – Why are you so tired?

My teens saw me being tired because I’d been out partying almost nightly, and then getting up for work / college a couple of hours later. I’d then catch up on sleep by having a 16 hour sleepathon once a week.

My early twenties saw me feeling exhausted from working shifts. It was common for me to start work at 12pm one day, and not finish until 6pm the next. Granted, I could go to bed at work, but sleep rarely happened when I did.

My late twenties saw me pregnant and then breast feeding, so sleep was minimal. My daughter wasn’t a great sleeper, so I was lucky to get 5 hours a night.

Now I’m in my 30s, my exhaustion is down to a combination of factors. Sharing my bed with two boxer dogs definitely impacts, as does having a son with Autism. Six to eight hours’ sleep a night is the norm for him, so I usually get 3 hours less than him.

Tips For Getting More Sleep

If you feel you’re tired simply because you don’t sleep enough, try to delegate jobs which keep you up late. When the kids were babies, hubby and I took turns sitting up with our youngest. He’d take her from 7-11pm so I could get a few hours sleep. I’d then take over, so he was refreshed for work.

I wanted to punch people who told me to sleep when the kids do – had these people ever been parents? When you have to cook, clean, shop, work and bathe, it’s not that simple! My daughter rarely let me put her down, so my to do list was always ridiculously long when she did!

Image Credit

One of my favourite tips for fighting exhaustion is… Try asking a friend, relative or neighbour to be a “spare pair of hands” during the day. I’d have found it an amazing help if my mum could have watched the kids for a few hours (while I was at home). So I could get the cooking / cleaning / ironing / paperwork done during daylight hours.

Check With Your GP

After 2 years of fighting exhaustion, I eventually went to the GP. He checked my thyroid and we found out my levels were really low. After 3 months of meds juggling, I finally felt awake enough to do stuff for myself again! If you get plenty of sleep, you could be suffering from Chronic Fatigue, low iron levels or something else which they can help with.

I hope these tips have been useful. Why not check out my lifestyle category for more ideas.

In case you haven’t noticed, I am a big fan of taking photos. Admittedly, I am no photographer, but I still love doing it! I have decided to share some of my favourite photos from last month’s Mum’s Night Off trip to the Last Drop Village, in Bolton. My friend Bex and I headed off for 24 hours of peace, and we had a fabulous time! Today, I am sharing my favourite snaps and a little information on our trip.

Mum’s Night Off At Last Drop Village

If you read my blog often, you may already know that as well as working full time and owning two boxer dogs, I am also a mum of two and a wife of one. My son has Autism, and life is pretty challenging around here. We get 3 nights a month overnight respite, so I try to get a night away whenever I can. Last April, Bex and I headed to Last Drop Village, and enjoyed it so much, we booked again!

We snapped up an amazing wowcher deal, which got us both an overnight stay, full use of the spa, a treatment each, a 2 course evening meal with a glass of Prosecco each and breakfast for a total of £149 (£74.50 each)! It was bliss!

As soon as we got there, we unpacked and headed down to the spa. We set up camp by the pool to begin with and relaxed with our kindles, watching the world go by…

The Last Drop Village Spa

We ventured into the spa area after a while, and were very happy to see the Hydrotherapy pool was still as amazing as ever!

We spent a lot of time in there, but we did pop into all of the steam room, rock sauna, bio sauna, aroma grotto, halo therapy and aromatherapy rooms as well. (They are too dark and steamy to get decent photos of though).

I love that the hydrotherapy pool starts inside, but you can go through a little walkway and suddenly, you’re outside! There’s something incredibly peaceful about being submerged in body temperature water, while your face feels the January chill.

We both opted for the hot stone back massage, and it did not disappoint!

Once we’d got changed for our evening meal, we headed down to the restaurant…

The Food At Last Drop Village

I’ve been vegetarian for 15 years, and am trying to make the move to veganism due to my dairy intolerance. In the end, I decided I’d have the day off, and definitely over indulged on dairy. I didn’t regret a single mouthful, though!

For my main course, I had the Mushroom Paella, while Bex opted for the sirloin steak. Both were delicious, but dessert was an absolute show stopper! We were presented with a platter of mini desserts, and every single one of them was amazing! The mini brownie was my favourite, though!

I had my complimentary glass of Prosecco alongside mine, and was beyond full afterwards!

After a wonderful night’s sleep, Bex and I headed down for breakfast. Neither of us was hungry after our belly busting evening meal, but I couldn’t turn down the Eggs Royale…

Last Minute R&R

We headed back down to the spa after breakfast, for some last minute relaxation. We were amazed to find we had the entire pool and spa to ourselves! Nobody else joined us until almost 11am! This allowed us to sneak in a couple of stealth selfies without fear of our phones getting wet…

Needless to say, we had an absolute blast! I am now trying to work out the logistics to get hubby down there for a day of much needed R&R. If Spas in Yorkshire are more your thing, check out Yorkshire Wonders blog post.

Finally, if you want a treat, but can’t afford a spa break, why not consider going for Afternoon Tea instead?

Firstly, although the start of the year can be great for making goals, it can also be overwhelming for those that do not want to set any goals in stone. Whether they didn’t achieve their goals last year, or they simply don’t know what to set… The pressure at this time of year can be unbelievable. With that in mind, today I am sharing some simple tips for a happier and healthier 2019.  If you’ve not worked out your 2019 goals yet, why not work towards increasing your happiness? Sounds perfect, right?

*Collaborative Post*

Tips for a happier and healthier 2019

My main aims for this year are wanting to spend 2019 being both happy and healthy. It involves no high numbers, no crazy goals and absolutely no tracking whatsoever. All I’m going to do is work towards making a few simple changes, while putting absolutely no pressure on myself.

If you want to join in, here are some small changes you too can make, to ensure you have a happier and healthier 2019…

Spend Time With The People You Love

Although it may seem obvious… Spending time with the people you love is one of the best ways to ensure you’re living a life that is happy. If you lead a busy lifestyle, make sure you find time to see your family and friends, as they’re the ones that truly matter to you.

Firstly, you could organise fun get-togethers, or even go on day trips, to make sure you’re spending quality time with people who inspire you and make you happy. These don’t have to cost a lot, either. A Family picnic in the park is just as fun as a theme park visit.

Do The Things That Make You Happy

Similar to the first point, doing things which make you happy is key to having a happier and healthier 2019. Although it may seem like something you may do already, think about whether you said yes to all the opportunities you wanted to in 2018. Did you have a chance to do everything you wanted? Obviously, quitting work and travelling the world may not be doable tomorrow… But you could certainly set about saving up to make it an achievable goal.

Practice Self Care and Put Yourself First

Self-care is an incredibly important practice, and something everyone should be doing every single day. I definitely need to work harder at this! Although self-care may mean something different to each of us… The main “rule” is that you’re doing something that makes you feel as though you’re looking after yourself personally. Whether it’s a hot bath after a busy day a work, curling up with a good book before bed, or taking the dogs for a walk in the morning. Self-care is what you make it.

For more examples of ways you can practice self-care, you can visit this website here.

Ensure You’re Getting At Least 2 Litres Of Water A Day

Whilst it may not make you as happy as drinking wine does, drinking at least 2 litres of water every day is actually great for your body and your mind. If you struggle, try purchasing a water bottle that helps you track your water intake. Or (like me) dunk a herbal tea bag in your water – once it’s boiled of course!

Have At Least 7 Hours Sleep A Night

Your sleeping pattern makes a huge difference to both your mind and body… So make sure you’re getting 7 hours of sleep as often as you can. I won’t say every night, because I can’t remember when my kids last let me get this much sleep for more than two consecutive nights!

Eat A Balanced Diet, But Allow Yourself Treats

Having a balanced diet is great, but allowing yourself treats is sometimes even more important. If you tell yourself that some food is bad and off limits, you may find yourself craving it more and more. Eat the doughnut, have a slice of cake and order that pizza. It’s not the end of the world! (As long as it’s in moderation, and you’re getting plenty of fruit and veg too).

Go For Regular Check-Ups

Your health is extremely important, so attending your regular check-ups is vital. Whether it’s to discuss mental health, contraception methods or your smear test…  Visits to the doctor are the best way to ensure you’re living a healthy lifestyle.

For more information on sexual health, contraceptive methods and the combined contraceptive pill, you can visit the previously linked website. Remember to contact your doctor if you need any further advice.

Take The Time Out To Relax On A Daily Basis

Finally, above all else, make sure you make time for you. Whether that’s through meditation or just relaxing in the bath at the end of each day. You’ll really start to appreciate this time.

Are you looking to have a happier and healthier 2019? Let me know how in the comment section below!

It seems as though January has flown by. I can’t believe I am entering week 3 of Veganuary already. The entire experience so far has been much easier than I expected. I’m sharing some of my highs and lows today…

The worst bits of week 3 of Veganuary

I have had a couple of fails in the past couple of weeks. The first of them was Candy Kittens Wild Strawberries sweets. Admittedly, I have never been much of a sweet fan, and I haven’t really had any in the 18 years I’ve been vegetarian for. These jumped out at me though, so I decided to give them a try, seeing as they were £1 a bag in Asda.

They are really sour. So much so I coolant eat them. Beyond gross in my opinion. I suppose if you’re a fan of sour sweets, they’ll be amazing though. Definitely not one for me though.

The other fail of the week was a Greggs Vegan sausage roll… It was under cooked, cold and really claggy. (That’s a real word, yes)? Up here in the North, it means something that gets sticky. It sticks to the roof of your mouth. BLEAH! I won’t be buying another.

The best bits of week 3 of Veganuary

Where do I start? There have been so many delicious things leading up to week 3 of Veganuary….. I absolutely loved the Aldi Sweet Potato Burgers. I’d go as far as to say they are the best meat free burgers I have ever had. That’s hefty praise, when you think I’ve been veggie for 18 years!

I also loved the Vegan Magnum ice lollies and the M&S Plant Kitchen margarita pizza. Not forgetting the Aldi Moroccan Falafel and Jus Roll Cinnamon Rolls. All of them were amazing! The Sweet Potato Burgers are definitely my favourites though! YUM!

What have I missed?

I ran out of Hazelnut Butter so I haven’t had any Ferrero Rocher Mug Cakes for a while – I’m missing those lots! They definitely aren’t as good with Peanut Butter! Other than that, I’m not missing much. I definitely feel less bloated and tired, which is a good thing!

Any Slip Ups?

I don’t think so! I am still struggling to avoid soya, which I have learnt is a trigger for stomach issues and nausea for me. So I am trying to watch out for products with soya in now.

Any Issues Imminent?

I am off for a spa break later this week, and am worried what I will (or won’t) be able to eat. I know there’s a vegan friendly evening menu, but I don’t know about breakfast. It may have to be a bowl of fruit, but I’ll see!

Finally, What Is Veganuary?

In case you missed my other veganuary posts, the idea is to become Vegan for January (or for 31 days, starting in January). The Vegan diet involves cutting meat, dairy and eggs completely from your diet, and living a plant based life. If you want to take it to the next level, you can ditch Honey, leather and suede too.

Finally… I am feeling confident as we head towards the last third of the challenge. I’ll aim to share another update next week. Meanwhile, you can follow my progress on instagram here.

I can’t believe I have already completed week 1 of Veganuary – it has flown by! I’m going to share my experiences so far in this blog post. The first thing I have found is that after 7 days, I definitely feel less sluggish! I seem to have more energy and am definitely getting more work done. That could be down to the fact I have upped my veg intake massively, rather than cutting dairy out, though.

Biggest Fail Of Week 1 Of Veganuary

My week started with me swapping cow’s milk for soya milk. By day 3, I was feeling really poorly. I was itchy, had stomach cramps and nausea. It got to the point where I was being sick when I added soya milk to anything, so I realised I must be Soya intolerant. Typical! If anyone’s going to be allergic to the most popular dairy substitute, it’s me!

Once I ditched the Soya Milk, I immediately began feeling much better! By day 5, I felt better than I have in a long time! On day 5, I ate the Marks & Spencer Vegan lasagne I had purchased on day 1. I quickly realised this was a mistake as I felt poorly very soon after. After checking the ingredients, I realised its made from soya milk. Whoops! Thankfully, the stomach ache passed within a few hours this time – I won’t be buying that again, though!

Favourite Foods This Week

I have been exploring a lot of convenience foods this week. I went to M&S on day 1 and bought plenty of bits to see me through the week. The Mushroom Pie was absolutely delicious!

I’d never have guessed it was vegan! I had the Roast Aubergine on a wrap, and it was lovely too. It went really far, and I could easily have made 4 wraps from it if I’d added salad to them.

Not pictured, but amazing nonetheless is the M&S Vegan coleslaw! I’ll definitely be buying more of that!

I blogged about my Vegan Ferrero Rocher mug cake recipe a few days ago. This was by far my favourite dessert during week 1 of Veganuary!

What Have I Missed?

Honestly: Nothing. I thought I’d really miss chocolate, but I have been more than satisfied with Vegan Mug Cakes and the Aldi version of Oreos (Which are vegan). I haven’t even craved pizza yet! It’s weird!

Any Slip Ups?

Hubby pointed out to me the other day that the Honey roasted peanuts I was eating weren’t vegan. I totally forgot Honey isn’t allowed. Whoops. I won’t be buying those again.

I have had to stop myself from finishing the kids’ leftovers a couple of times, but as of yet, I am 100% dairy and egg free – YAY!

What Is Veganuary?

The idea of Veganuary is to become Vegan for January (or for 31 days, starting in January). The Vegan diet involves cutting meat, dairy and eggs completely from your diet, and living a plant based life. If you want to take it to the next level, you can ditch Honey, leather and suede too.

Finally… I am feeling confident as we go into week 2. I’ll share another update next week. Meanwhile, you can follow my progress on instagram here.

I’ve been Vegetarian for over half of my life now. I was Vegan for a month about 15 years ago, for a bet. Other than that, it’s been Cheese for the win. I had some allergy and intolerance tests done recently, and they showed that I am allergic to dairy, and intolerant to egg. This could be part of the reason why my health has been so up and down the past 9 months. So, with that in mind, I have decided to join in with Veganuary.

What Is Veganuary?

Veganuary involves being Vegan for January. See what they did there? The Vegan diet involves cutting meat, dairy and eggs completely from your diet, and living a plant based life. But if you want to take it to the next level, you can ditch leather and suede too.

My Vegan Plan

I am not going into this expecting to make fresh, clean food every day. I am definitely a convenient vegan. So, if you can buy it pre-made, I will do! Something tells me I’ll be eating a lot of Quorn, plenty of chips and drinking tea and coffee with soya or oat milk replacements.

Follow My Vegan Progress

I’ll be doing a weekly update with my progress throughout January, so do check back to find out how I have got on.

I may follow a few quick recipes, and I will be sure to share any recipes and products I love on my blog as well. As a result, I have set up a new Instagram account just for sharing my Vegan journey – you can follow that here.

Sneaky Animal Products

When I became Vegetarian, I was so shocked at how many products contain Gelatine. (This is thickener which is made from animal products). It is found lurking in so many foods. For example Jelly, Jelly Sweets and lots of low fat or fat free yogurts. The same can be said for Dairy products. I have spotted it hiding in lots of things!

Check The Labels!

During Veganuary, I am focussing purely on the food I eat. The list below is just some of the sneaky items to look out for on ingredients lists. You can find a full list of things to look out for in foods, cosmetics, drinks and more here.

• Whey – from milk. Whey powder is in many products, look out for it in crisps, bread and baked products etc.
• Collagen – from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals such as cows, chickens, pigs, and fish – used in cosmetics
• Casein – from milk (a protein)
• Lactose – from milk (a sugar)
• Lard/tallow – animal fat
• Honey – food for bees, made by bees
• Cod liver oil – in lubricating creams and lotions, vitamins and supplements
• Gelatine/gelatin – obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones and is usually from cows or pigs. Used in jelly, chewy sweets, cakes, and in vitamins; as coating/capsules
• Vitamin D3 – from fish-liver oil; in creams, lotions and other cosmetics
• Albumen/albumin – from egg (typically)
• Isinglass – a substance obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish, and is used mainly for the clarification of wine and beer
• Elastin – found in the neck ligaments and aorta of bovine, similar to collagen
• Aspic – industry alternative to gelatine; made from clarified meat, fish or vegetable stocks and gelatine
• Pepsin – from the stomachs of pigs, a clotting agent used in vitamins

Finally: If you’re joining in with Veganuary, do let me know! I’d love to follow your journey too!