How to live minimalist in a material world

Family, home

~ Written by Juanita Luna

I have dreamt of living in a tiny house or gypsy caravan in the deep woods somewhere off grid. But I am waayyy to spoiled for that life right now, plus I don’t think I could handle all that work and with a kid! But a city girl can dream. While doing so I try, emphasis on TRY to live minimalistic. We own a small two bedroom house that I have been converting into a bohemian haven one year at a time, think Earth bound trading co. This is my safe place to come home and unwind. Since my home is small, living with less makes it appear bigger. On the flip side if you have more stuff in a small place it will seem smaller. I have adopted this method of thinking for quite some time now, decorating homes is so therapeutic.

Marie Kondo that Thang!

If it doesn’t bring you joy then throw it out! Or donate it which is my favorite way to get rid of unwanted items. Since I LOVE to shop at thrift stores I often remind myself to declutter my own junk. Less stuff in your home equals less stuff to clean up, Ahem! I also enjoy re-purposing a lot because you can come up with great ideas for old items around the house.

My top 5 re-purposed items

  • Candle jars- Once your favorite candle has burned out don’t throw away that cute glass jar (especially those Bath and body works candles because they are always so fancy), instead clean out the left over wax and remove the label. I converted mine into makeup brush holders/cotton ball jars. They work great and are so decorative.
  • Wicker baskets– I must be old school but one of my favorite ways of re-purposing wicker baskets is A.) gift baskets and B.) makeup organizer! OK, hear me out. Grab an old wicker basket with handle(s), add decorative tissue paper or fluff and then top with small gift items. These are always a hit for baby shower’s! Yes, you can see the gift but they also get to re-purpose that same basket (diaper organizer, swaddle blanket holder, etc! Makeup organizer, some wicker baskets have divided sections these look great in bathrooms! They add a subtle homey feel, while still providing you with usable access.
  • Mason Jars– I use a large mason jar to hold my bar of soap’s on our bathroom shelf. So this way I can tell if I’m running low also space save! win win.
  • Picture frames– Shop your local resale shops for cheap frames, or dig out your own frames from home. Paint, add buttons to perimeter, diy shadowboxes, or even pressed dried flowers for decor or present to a family member.
  • Mirrors– Similar to the picture frames you will decorate the perimeter. Craft stores carry stick-on quotes/images which make for unique custom pieces of art. Keep for yourself or re-gift!

Limit your unnecessary purchases

This one is hard I must admit, with black Friday deals and that sale you just can’t miss, we tend to buy more than we need or have room for. It takes time and patience to achieve any goal. Start slow by taking steps towards taking clutter out of your home the rest will fall into place slowly but surely. A good rule of thumb to follow is one in two out, as in take two things out and bring in one thing new.

Learn to love the simple life

Get your family involved in cleaning out the closets and cabinets, I would suggest working from bigger places to small so that first wind will help you get it done, then when you are feeling tired work on smaller locations for a rest. Make a cleaning log/to do list and set a time frame of when it shall be done. That first initial declutter will make you feel accomplished so don’t throw in the towel when you feel bombarded with loads of clothes to sort through. Lastly ENJOY your new free space! Take a deep breath and align your Chakaras if you will.

Happy cleaning!

Healthy swaps: kid edition

food, health

~ Written by Juanita Luna

Trying to get my picky eater to try new things (especially vegetables) is like pulling teeth! Often I feel so frustrated that I want to just give up and accept that he will forever live off chicken nuggets & french fries. But the reality is I am a great parent and care greatly for his health, and sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that! If you find yourself stuck on how to get your kiddo(s) to eat new/healthy things you are at the right place!

You are your child’s biggest influence

If you keep healthy snacks around the house you and your child are most likely to grab them instead of the junk. Start small by adding something new to a favorite snack or meal, just on the side as a new little “treat”. Serve yourself the same thing and reassure them that trying new things expands their minds. No pressure if they spit it out, if they took a bite or even a tiny little nibble that is a great first step! If they refuse stay calm and keep trying. My son took some time to even try new foods but with lots of patience we have finally made some great strides with his eating.

Go on an Adventure

I noticed a DRASTIC change when I started to include my son in the decision making at the store. Local health food stores like Sprouts Farmers Market is one of my favorite spots to shop because there is less name brand junk that he notices. That bright blue box of Kraft macaroni is nowhere in sight and a cute bunny box by the brand Annie’s is in its place with higher quality ingredients. I would call that a success! Now when we go to our local Kroger or Walmart he seems to pick the healthier options. Similar to when we are at a health food store he notices the difference in colors. It is so genius that most of kids food items especially big brand names have really bright and bold packaging, when normally health foods or organic items have a more muted/light color. Kids pick up on these subtle differences and I guarantee the next time you are shopping you will notice as well.

Simple swaps in a new environment will encourage your child to choose new things and have fun while doing it. Make a game out of it, tell them to find three new items that they would like to try, start in the produce section, or narrow it down to one item per aisle. Inform them about the importance of nutrition/vitamins and you both can pick out a new multivitamin (gummies are Eli’s favorite). Instilling a healthier lifestyle will greatly benefit them as they mature into young adulthood.

Get them more hands on

Produce is usually an unlimited item in our household. Try to prepare fruits and veggies differently! We invested in a set of cookie cutters that came in size small, medium, and large of each shape. I love that they are stainless steel, BPA free and have multi colored grips for smooth cutting! This is the 14 count cookie cutter set for kids that I bought for our home. Cut everything into fun shapes! Make easy meals or snacks with your little ones a new weekly routine. They love to help mommy and daddy in the kitchen as much as they can!

Here are some cute ideas to try with your child:

  • Prep a simple egg white omelette and cut a few small shapes for easy grab and eat snacks or breakfast. My son wouldn’t even attempt to eat eggs before we found a method that worked for him.
  • Cut watermelon stars and pair with banana boats! Slice banana in half then put ends face down on a flat surface and slice straight down to create the boats. Smear peanut butter, seeds, dried berries or both on top.
  • Gingerbread (man or lady) pancakes for a fun holiday themed meal. Create eyes, hair, face and buttons with fruits!
  • Chia seed jelly, delicious, easy to make yourself and almost undetectable from picky eaters. Here’s a quick link to a recipe for Chia Jam.

Healthy alternatives that we love

I hope you have found these ideas useful! I would love to hear any of your favorite swaps that you have or will incorporate into your lives. Remember to have positive vibes and patience A LOT of patience! Happy eating!

A stroll in the park

fitness

This morning I had the pleasure of walking with Alyssa, her daughter Lily and Glenda at the Linda Spurlock Park located in North Richland hills, Tx. We got a nice sweat in as well as a whopping 8,000 steps on the fitbit! I would consider that a success considering my average steps are around 5,000! This is why I suggest walking with friends and family because the time/miles fly by in a flash. I’m all for exercising while having fun, this is why swimming is one of my favorite activities.

Park amenities include:

In the fall time my family and our doggos walk this park frequently! It is very pet friendly and they provide pet waste stations and baggies for easy clean up. Local parks are a great way to get in some steps! And who doesn’t love seeing ducks?

  • Big play castle
  • Smaller play castle

Grab your kids, snacks and have yourself a little picnic at this wonderful park! We will definitely be going back soon. xoxo Violet

Back to Basics: Food

food

I’ve adopted a flexible clean eating regime. This means that I eat minimally processed foods, and aim towards legible ingredient labels. If you can read the ingredients and its not a mile long then its less processed. I also indulge in treats here and there and not fret over them, this is where the flexibility comes in. I focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, simple carbs (fruits) and complex carbs (grains). This has been the most beneficial way of eating for my body. Everyone has their own styles of eating, not everyone will be the same this is a key to remember when trying to find what works best for you.

Notice the serving size and servings per container, the biggest mistake is not taking them into account.

We all know that a vegetable is healthier than a doughnut, but what about foods advertised as “Healthy”? This can be a tricky one. Unfortunately we are constantly faced with the difficult decision of sifting through these products. My number one tip would be to really focus on the nutrition label the next time you are in a grocery store. Just a simple glance can provide you with all the information you need.

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed nutritionist by any means, all my information comes from research that I have done first hand. As well as experience with this lifestyle change. Mindfulness plays a big role in this as well. Do you notice after you eat a certain foods you feel extremely lethargic or even the opposite energized? Listening to how your body digests foods and how you feel after consumption is a great tool to mindful eating. If you know that you will want to lay in bed all day from eating some junk foods or feel energized after eating a good wholesome meal which would you choose? Well sometimes the answer is obvious but we still choose the junk food am I right? This is one of my main struggles with food. I call this my addiction because I truly believe it to be one.

Cycles can be broken/repaired but the damage will always be there, its about forming new relationships with foods and understanding them. So this is my mission: to have stability with food and share real life experiences with all of you. In hopes that someone will relate to my struggles and not feel so alone or clueless about options. The world is filled with diets, diets in which I have tried a ton.

Think long term, if you are not happy with your “diet” or x number of days being on it then its not the right one for you. Binge eating and total collapse of your determination will set in. This should not deter you, but ignite that fire within yourself to push harder towards those goals! Don’t be so hard on yourself, fill yourself with new ideas and give them a try.

I will be posting more information on Macros: Carbohydrates, proteins and fats in their own series to come! Comment below on your style of eating!

TOOLS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED

WEIGHT LOSS

HERE IS MY TOP 10 ITEMS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE WHILE STARTING YOUR OWN JOURNEY TO FIT!

  1. FITBIT
  2. MEAL PREPPING CONTAINERS
  3. GYM MEMBERSHIP
  4. SUPPORT PERSON(S)
  5. A GOOD PAIR OF SHOES AND WORKOUT APPAREL
  6. JOURNAL
  7. BATHROOM SCALE
  8. FOOD SCALE
  9. FREE WEIGHTS
  10. MYFITNESSPAL APP

NOW LETS BREAK IT DOWN:

I absolutely LOVE my Fitbit, I can track my heart rate, workouts, steps and so much more with my Fitbit Versa! This is an optional tool but I found investing in one has really helped my motivation for success. There are many other affordable options from high end apple watches to basic low budget step counters. Again these are all optional but in my opinion beneficial to your goals.

Now when it comes to meal prep containers I have tried them all! I am a mother on a budget sometimes and these things can add up fast. My tip is any container will work! My current favorite is Rubbermaid “Take alongs” which can be found at your local grocery stores, so while I’m grocery shopping for the week I will grab a couple packs to add to my collection. They also come is great colors (“Reflecting pool”, “Citron”, “Beet red”, “Pink “, and “Transparent”) which makes it easier to customize meals for your convenience! The food scale ties into this for measurements and tracking food calories/macros in myfitnesspal app.

Gym membership and support person(s) kind of go hand in hand for me. In the beginning having a gym buddy or even just walking outside on a trail was good enough a start. Remember this is a steady ride there is no need to rush into a heavy gym routine if you haven’t been to a gym in years or even ever! So why not start somewhere in your comfort zone? Don’t want to commit to a membership just yet? Try a home work out routine from youtube or make up your own to accompany your free weights. Find an local trail or park, grab a friend with similar goals, family member or go solo. Simple walking is a big step for someone who has lead a sedentary life like I once have. Even a person at home routing for you is great and if you don’t have that there are tons of online forums and groups to join in with people who are going through the same struggles as you are. It really helps to have any kind of solid support.

Talking about support lets dive into shoes and clothing for maximum comfort and accessibility. At first when I started going to the gym and still sometimes now I liked to wear clothing I felt comfortable in and loose because honestly I didn’t want to show the rolls teehee. Now I’m about the the tight workout pants the kind that stretch to unbelievable lengths, my favorite go to pants are from Torrid. They are a plus size store and I can always find great items! They are a little pricey at times so I try to snag a sale when mama needs some new goodies. Other great options for clothing is Old navy, Target, Walmart and even thrift stores (my happy place). Same goes for shoes as well. Some of my favorite brands are Nike, Aasics, any tennis shoe that offer some stability and comfort is a must.

Food logs or daily journals of goals and accomplishments. Are essential to see where you are at and how far you have come! Take pictures, measurements, weight and log it all in. Trust me you will want that info one day. No one has to see any of it so don’t worry just do it for yourself! Home made journals on a plain spiral note book or a professional one from a office supply store works. Here is a free 12 month printable Planner from one of my favorite Youtubers JordanShrinks. Its an awesome easy way to log your progress! Use a tape measure and bathroom scale to show you where you are starting.

If you are still with me then wow thank you for the amazing support! More posts to come i hope you enjoyed this entry. Until next time xoxo Violet.

ABOUT ME

WEIGHT LOSS

I Have loads to write so lets get into it! I am a mother of one boy and am married to an quirky husband. Our house is filled with love, light and faux plants. We live in Texas, where the summers are unbearable and weather unpredictable. Currently awaiting the fall so I can break out the cute sweaters! Photography, singing and cooking are my biggest passions. I try to do one of the three daily.

About a year ago I suffered from my very first panic attack.Since then I have learn to manage my anxiety and change my habits to accommodate a healthier lifestyle. I turned to clean eating, exercise and mindfulness. Within the first few months I dropped 40+ pounds. Friends and family showed me so much support during my journey. Now I am continuing my journey health and fitness day by day.

Don’t get me wrong change is HARD, and I still struggle some days by it’s 100% normal. Having the energy to play with my son and just becoming a better partner has been the greatest reward of them all. This is my life, journey, struggles, goals, FIGHT for fit! Stay posted for more to come.

xoxo Violet

LOVE . FAMILY . HEALTH

Uncategorized

HI, MY NAME IS VIOLET.

I started this blog today to remind myself that healing and knowledge is a journey. A journey in which we all must enter for self growth. My birth name is Juanita Luna, I inherited the name Wild Violet from the universe. Also I had a wild mane of Purple hair at a time in my life when I became very Spiritual. I like to say that it’s similar to the Indians who identified with mother nature as a means of naming one another. This lifestyle blog will be dedicated to Health, wellness, reviews, events and tips that I’ve learned along the way. So with that being said welcome to my blog! Subscribe below to get updates on my posts xoxo Violet.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.