I don’t know how the weather was where you live this winter, but here in the southeast we got tons more snow than usual. Then suddenly spring came, or maybe summer, considering the 90 degree temperatures. That was a quick and drastic change from a month ago, but I was definitely ready for it. Too much snow and too many cloudy days can cause cabin fever and all sorts of ailments. :)
So we decided it was time for a different look for our blog too. We wanted an exciting change with a lot of visual heat. After all, we are Fierce Romance so we needed a fierce look. ;) What do you think?
Now, I’m ready for all sorts of other changes. I’ve recently changed my eating habits in a much more healthy direction. I’m eating more natural, unprocessed food with a lot of nutritional value. I’m eating way more fruits and vegetables. And I’ve cut out (almost completely) white flour, white sugar, coffee, hydrogenated oils and other bad fats, additives and preservatives. If I can’t pronounce it I’m not eating it. But of course eating out is the issue. You never know what’s in restaurant food. Even my husband is in on this and we’re both enjoying the food. The positive results: I feel much better and I've lost 8 lbs.
What about other changes? Maybe I’ll paint every room in my house a different, new color. That would be refreshing. We’re in the process of totally redoing our veggie garden. For one thing, we need more veggies with the new healthy way we’re eating. And I’m itching to start writing a new story. Hopefully more fun, positive, exciting changes will be happening this year.
What about you? Have you recently made big, positive changes in your life? Would you like to? If so, how?
Nicole
www.nicolenorth.com
Is Change Good?
Nicole North writes hot erotic romance for Red Sage, Carina Press/Harlequin and Ellora's Cave. Books include: DEVIL IN A KILT in SECRETS VOLUME 27 UNTAMED PLEASURES,KILTED LOVER, BEAST IN A KILT (the second in the kilted shapeshifter series) SECRETS VOLUME 29 INDULGE YOUR FANTASIES anthology. SCOUNDREL IN A KILT in SECRETS VOLUME 30 DESIRES UNLEASHED anthology, LAIRD OF DARKNESS, STORM OF PASSION, and BLADE OF THE WOLF.
To learn more please visit www.nicolenorth.com
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22 comments:
I love the new look, Nicole! And yes, change is always good! There no better medicine that starting or doing something new! I think I might paint every room in my house- well if I could stand up straight without swaying that might be a super idea!!! Good luck with the new diet!!
Andrea
Love it! I recently gave up my Diet Coke a day. I was getting heart palpitations, and I think it was from the caffeine. Also, I know soda is not good for your bones. I will allow myself one Diet Coke on the weekend, but I think I'm beginning to lose my taste for it. Good luck with your new diet - my husband is a vegan and he still goes out to lunch every day.
I recently started back to college. It has been fun and nerve racking at the same. Right now I'm in German 111 and it has been a struggle but worth it.
I just purchased Eat This, Not That and Cook This, Not That. A recipe is cooking as I type. Hope this will be a positive change for the whole family!
I haven't been able to read lately so I haven't read your latest, but it is on my list.
Hi Nicole! I love your new look! I've been trying to eat more fruits and veggies too, along with just eating more healthy all around. Trying to cut back on carbs, trying to only eat dark chocolate... I'm actually right now having a delicious bowl of plain, fat-free yogurt, strawberries and granola. It's delicious. I read an article recently that you should try to eat mono-unsaturated fats with each meal like olive oil, olives, avacados, nuts, things like that and dark chocolate was on the list too! I'm also trying to be more active. July is coming up quick! Not only are we going to beach (and I'm so not ready for a bathing suit) but nationals too! I'm not going to paint every room in the house, but I am going to go through each room and reorganize, I've been thinking about rearranging the furniture too. Good luck with your new story!
I find eating out is the biggest problem in eating healthy. I would just skip eating out but my family loves it and sometimes it's necessary. I made a big change a couple months ago when I joined an Accountability group and it has really increased my productivity.
Andrea, thanks! And I hope you get 100% well soon! I know I dread all the work of painting but I think the end result would be awesome. Take care of yourself.
@Eliza, I just saw a dessert that was some vanilla ice cream with olive oil drizzled on top and just a sprinkle of seasalt. They say the more combination of flavors the faster your satisfied. I haven't tried it yet, a little weary of oil on ice cream????
Carol, thanks! Glad you like the new look. Good for you in giving up most of your Cokes. I gave up all types of soda and corn syrup about 10 years ago because of a food allergy. I've never really been able to drink diet drinks either because the aspartame gives me terrible headaches. You bring up a great point in that once you start eating more healthy you lose the taste for the unhealthy things. I recently noticed how I no longer liked a certain kind of bread (from a restaurant) that I used to love. I only took one bite and it tasted like chemicals. Ugh. Glad I no longer liked it. Another thing I forgot to mention... the food cravings are mostly gone. I used to crave bad things all the time. But, I suppose, since I feed my body what it needs, it no longer has cravings. I admire your husband and his vegan lifestyle. I'm not a vegan yet. Not sure I could do it but I love eating healthy. :)
Jenn, wow I admire you for going back to college and learning a new language. I love languages. Wish I could do that myself. You bring up another good point. Since I'm no longer eating processed food, I have to cook a lot more. I love creating new recipes myself. I suppose it's another outlet for my creativity. I've made various kinds of soups from ingredients I have including vegetables and spices. The shocking thing is my husband has loved all my new recipes even though he's a picky eater and won't eat anything he doesn't love. But I will definitely look for that book because I need new ideas. Hope you enjoy my book! And best of luck with college!
Eliza, thanks! I'm glad you love the new look! Yes, I do allow myself a bit of organic dark chocolate sometimes. There is one I can find locally that doesn't contain sugar. Mmm! Don't have any at the moment. I have smoothies for breakfast, containing plain nonfat yogurt, fresh and frozen fruit, pineapple juice and flax oil. No need for sweetener because I use banana and/or pineapple and those are sweet fruits. I love smoothies! I love olive oil too. I definitely need to reorganize and declutter. I'm hoping the painting will force/ inspire me to do those things. :) Thanks and good luck with your healthy eating plan as well as your rearranging!
Carly, I agree. I can have a salad, but who knows what is in the dressing? Perhaps all sorts of additives. Where I live very few people are health conscious so very few restaurants serve food that is truly healthy. Recently when we were eating out, I found some bright red, delicious looking strawberries on the salad bar, BUT once I bit into one I found it was as hard and sour as a green apple. I think the color was chemically enhanced (or something weird.) And the cantaloupe tasted like chemicals. I'm thinking it was dipped in a preservative.
Nicole, I love the bright new Fierce look! It's both wild and inviting, not easy to pull off. I host dinner for my writers' group once a week, and the dinner has to be nearly vegan. I panicked at first, but I've found such fabulous recipes, I've included them in our "normal" meals. My husband and I were already eating a very healthy diet, but these new dishes are an ongoing joy to discover. BTW, we have great writers' meetings, too :-) Good luck with the new pages you're turning yourself!
Pat, thanks!! I'm happy that you like the new look. I like your description of wild and inviting! :) That's how a great hero should be, wild and inviting. :) That's neat that you're discovering lots of new vegan dishes that you both love.
Wild and inviting! I love our new look!
Nicole, I admire your new diet. Are you following a program or just reading labels? I'd love to eat more healthy.
My hubby just retired last week - so that's a big change for our family.
Hi Nicole, love the blog's new look. I've also made some changes in my eating habits this year - and in my exercise habits as well.
Since January 5th, I've managed to lose 40 pounds and plan to keep going. :)
Also, my daughter is graduating from high school this year, so we're facing some major changes there - fortunately for my peace of mind, since she's my only one, she plans to attend a college close by. Still...change is good! :)
Natasha, Yay! I'm glad! I love it too.
Thanks! I'm not following a program. I've just been doing some research online and reading books about which foods are healthiest and why. Which ones prevent degenerative diseases, etc. (And which ones cause diseases or bad health.) I do read labels a lot. For example, instead of white bread I eat organic whole grain bread. I also avoid white flour in anything now. There was an interesting segment on Oprah with Dr. Oz about which foods to avoid especially. I can't find the video now but here's a link to the list:
http://www.oprah.com/health/YOU-On-a-Diet-Basics/2
Hope you and your hubby get to travel more and have a great time now that he's retired!
Cai, thanks! So glad you like it!
Wow 40 lbs lost is incredibly impressive! Congratulations!! You go!
How cool that your daughter is going to college close to home. No need to worry as much. Good luck with all your changes!
Hi Nicole,
The new look is fantastic. I love the vibrant colors!
Change - hmmm...I guess it depends on what you are changing. I like the fact that I live five miles from where I grew up. My extended family is here, this is home and I don't want to change that. I still live a rural lifestyle - a 100' x 70' garden, my horse from high school is still alive (he's 38), I can and freeze vegetables, make jam, and get a great satisfaction out of knowing where most of my food comes from. I have fifteen hens laying big brown free-range eggs. Nope - wouldn't change a thing there.
I am coming up on a big change, though. My hair. It has always been all the way down my back. I have never had a perm, gooped it up with gel, or fried it with a hair dryer. Call it a mid-life change, or just not wanting to be one of those women with a gray braid down her back - I have made an appointment for next week to get my hair cut. I will take the cover of Good Housekeeping with Valerie Bertinelli on it as the example. BIG CHANGE! Wish me luck!
Summer, thanks! Glad you like our new colors! Sounds like you live a wonderful life in the country! A hair cut is a big change. I'm sure you will love the new look. Best of luck!
WOW,Nicole. I love, love, love the new look. Change is always good, but hard sometimes. I'm trying to change my procrastinating ways. I tend to wait to the last minute to get what I need done.
Angela
Angela, thanks so much! I'm thrilled you love our new look! I definitely agree that some changes are hard. I always have to combat my procrastinating ways too! :)
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