Raw Vegan seems to be the new "Thing". I have been doing lots of research on the whole concept, different lifestyles {because vegan is more than a diet} and recipes and it has been intriguing me for months. I did a detox the past 2 weeks starting with 5 days of only raw foods. My sister, Andrea, did it with me and we were both SOO impressed with how we felt. Eating loads of whole, natural, organic fruits and vegetables as well as some nuts and seeds, we were filled with energy and clarity. I am sharing my experience and further plans, feel free to join me. Follow my progress on instagram at @sammimcleod. I want to see your stuff by #rawvolution and tag me! 

Juicing seems to be all the rage these days so I have decided to share WHY I juice. The concept behind juicing and what you should know about doing a  juicing cleanse. 
First off, everyone is different. Everyone is in a different state of health. If you see information, videos, stories etc. about a juicing cleanse and are thinking of doing one, I think you need to research and plan properly. There are many reasons for this, so don't just buy a juicer and stop eating food.

Protein shakes are getting VERY popular for all sorts of reasons. Some use them for a meal replacement to lose weigh, some use them to help build muscle, some just because they are quick and easy! 

These are all good reasons but with the growing increase in protein shake popularity, the quality is decreasing. Companies want to make BIG BUCKS. So they add in cheap ingredients that may not be so beneficial to your health. Branding and marketing has made everyone think that they need "WHEY" protein. Well, whey comes from milk. It deteriorates and goes bad faster, and most people have a hard time digesting whey. If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, you want to avoid whey always! This is not the only problem with whey. In many of the most popular protein powders on the market, they have found overloads of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury. These are shakes that are branded as HEATHY and SAFE... even for pregnant women.

Studies show that MOST people already get enough protein in a regular balanced diet. I have 1 Arbonne Protein Shake a day. Why?

1. Because I LOVE them
2. Because it ensures I have 20 grams of vegan protein (Easiest to digest from peas and brown rice)
3. Because it ensures I have 22 grams of essential vitamins and minerals
4. Because it acts as a full meal replacement so it can help with weight loss
5. Because it is Botanically-based, vegan and gluten free
6. Because it contains extras like flax and its sweetened naturally 
7. Because it contains natural ingredients that help curve and satisfy hunger.
8. Because it satisfies my craving for CHOCOLATE :)
9. Because it keeps me full for hours
10. Because it when I'm on the go, this is the easiest option!!

There are several reasons why I am vegan so I will share those. To each their own, but here is what backs my decision. 

1. Animal treatment and processing
Most people know that animals probably aren't treated to well. They hear some of the stories like how the animals and loaded into tiny spaces and cant run around or graze the fields. Thats a start but honestly nothing close to the full truth. Every country is different too so do your research under the regulations your country follows. unfortunately, in most places, those "regulations" look good to the public eye but when it comes down to specific details, they are very vague. We go for "free range" or "Grain fed" because we think that makes the whole problem solved. For canadians, you can read their section "Understanding your choices" for more definitions. As they state, there are no legal definitions for most of those terms and are therefore used mainly for marketing. 

This picture right here from my Instagram is the reason from Sammi's Secrets to come alive. I decided on July 4th, 2013 to make a change in my diet. I was always feeling bloated and I had trouble getting rid of excess fat from my midsection, thighs, booty and upper arms. Sound familiar? I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! I decided I was going to find my solution and stick to it. The first row in the picture is me on DAY 1 of my new lifestyle. After 1 week and a half I took the second row of pictures. After 3 weeks, I took the last row of pictures. I have never had results like this. I felt amazing! I still do!! I can literally notice everyday less and less fat in all of those problem places!! 

I had about 30 people message me asking for what I did so I decided this is my COMMITMENT. I will CONTINUE to post and share my transformation and this is JUST the beginning!! I want to share this with as many people possible! I want to help you reach the goals you want and to get the body you've always dreamed of with me! Once you start following this plan and you find what system works for you, send me your results! I will be featuring some on this blog! Be proud of your accomplishments and share them!! :) 

DAY 1 I cancelled my gym membership. You are probably thinking "This girl is whack." I wanted to see results based completely on my eating habits. Instead of paying $60 a month, I decided to dedicate myself to at home work outs for the first few months. I will start working out again after 1 month, August 1, 2013!!  I will be sharing that progress too through the Fitness page! 

My next secret to optimal health and weight loss: The jar concept. Imagine your digestive system is one big jar. It goes from the top of your stomach down to.. well.. your bum. There's a tiny hole at the bottom the the jar and what you put in it eventually breaks down small enough to empty out the bottom. 

When you look at "The Food Triangle" post, you see the order of foods from fruit to veggie to complex. The way you want to put those foods in the jar is by flipping that triangle upside-down.  Fruit only takes about 30 minutes to leave the stomach because it is filled with enzymes that your body can use to digest easily. You want to eat fruit only on an empty stomach so that its at the bottom of the jar! If you had a big breakfast of carbs (like any normal breakfast of cereal, toast, oatmeal etc.) and then had a fruit salad or an apple and banana at lunch, the bottom of you jar is clogged! That's because it takes the system longer to digest a complex food, maybe a few hours! So if you have a bunch of complex at the bottom of your jar and the new fruit digests fast, it will sit on top until the complex is done. What does that mean? Fruit FERMENTING in the acids of your system! What does that leave you with? Gas and bloating!! Yes, you might be eating all healthy things but for optimal digestion, you have to eat them in the right order!

Vegan/ Gluten-free/ Health people (Like me, and maybe you soon) have a very different food pyramid than the one on the mainstream. I divid it into 3 categories: Fruits, Vegetables and Complex. I call them complex.. you can call them whatever you want. It means they are foods that are harder for the body to digest so you have to eat them with foods that are EASY for the body to digest.