Kereth Jackson

The holidays normally bring major stress and anxiety. All the “bad” foods, alcohol and zero routine send me spiraling, BUT not this year. I can honestly say this is the calmest and most at peace I have been during the holidays since I was a little kid. Although things looked a little different this year, I couldn’t have had a better Christmas. For as hectic as the world is, all I felt was love and excitement. I haven’t been worried about sticking to a routine, I’ve been eating all the foods that make me happy and relaxing with my family. I haven’t felt guilty once or felt I NEEDED to workout. I’ve taken walks for mental clarity and fresh air, not because I think I’m gaining weight. ⚠️TW⚠️ As 2020 comes to a close, I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on the past year and I honestly started crying the other day. 2020 obviously had its lows but it also had some of the greatest moments and wins of my life. 2020 was the year I healed. 2020 was the year I chose to stop cutting myself as a form of punishment/coping. 2020 was the year I finally let go of toxic habits and relationships. 2020 was the year I found the love of my life. 2020 was the year I moved out of my parents house with said love of my life. 2020 was the year I graduated from college. 2020 was the year I put myself and health first. 2020 was the year I found genuine happiness. Aannnnd writing this has me crying all over again 😂. It’s easy to forget all the good when life gets hard and when we’re constantly surrounded by all the bad happening. I just want to remind everyone that celebrating and acknowledging your wins and highs of the year is just as important as realizing and acknowledging all the bad. I’ve been relaxing and spending all the time with my loved ones that I can which is why the content has been lacking and probably will continue to not be abundant. I’m working on a few exciting things and will be back to consistently posting after the new year!!!🤩 #positivelyplantbased #2020 #nye

First workout since getting my appendix out🤩 • Round 1x3 * 50 jumping jacks * 10 burpees * Dumbbell row into squat and press * Jumping jack side lunge Round 2x3 * 15 5 lbs punches * 15 front raise to side raise * 15 bent over lateral raise Round 3x3 * 20 banded in and out jump squat * 15 banded single leg glute bridge per leg * 12 banded kickbacks into 10 hydrants each leg (not pictured) • This was my first workout in two weeks (!!!). It took longer than I expected to recover from getting my appendix out (still not 100% 😭) but I knew I had to attempt a workout. Having little to no appetite + not working out has me feeling tired, flat and just blehhhh🥴. I was planning on a very light workout, I just wanted some type of movement, but this was more intense than planned 😅. This was one of my favorite at home workouts & it was exactly what I needed!! This is a perfect little quick workout to squeeze in your day and it’s perfect for both small and large spaces 🤩. #kjthevegan #athomeworkouts #positivelyplantbased

D I N N E R 🍝 The cold weather has me craving yummy, filling comfort food 🤤. Dinner the other night was @traderjoes brown rice pasta with my homemade roasted red pepper cream sauce. Obviously added some @beyondmeat sweet Italian sausage and some oven roasted veggies 🤤🤩. I’m going to be posting a reel on how to make the sauce, I promise it will be a winter meal staple!! #kjthevegan #veganeats #positivelyplantbased

One of my favorite breakfasts 🤩 • Quinoa, bok choy, spinach- or any veggies you have laying around- @traderjoes EBTB seasoning, avocado, hot sauce and @beyondmeat breakfast sausage. Easy, delicious and filling 🤗. • I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving filled with yummy food and some much needed downtime!! Last week was rough for me, but I’m slowly working my way back to normal 😅. A week of no appetite and doing nothing has me wanting to cook and bake allll the holiday foods so that’s exactly what I will be doing for the next few weeks! #positivelyplantbased #veganeats

Hellooo everyone 🤩🤗 I dyed my hair red 🍒♥️ &I had my appendix taken out early yesterday morning and let me tell you it is PAINFUL. With that being said, I will be slightly less active due to the fact of not having much content and not being able to move around as much as I would like. I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!! I know things most likely look a little different this year, it’s still important to appreciate and be thankful for the blessings you have in life 🤗. Also remember to eat alllll the yummy holiday foods and not feel bad!! The holidays are meant for celebrations and happiness, don’t let food and working out get in the way of all the holiday fun!! I love (vegan) mashed potatoes 🥔. I truthfully have yet to find a yummy vegan turkey substitute so I fill up on mashed potatoes and veggie based sides. What’s your favorite thanksgiving food/best turkey substitute?? #positivelyplantbased #happythanksgivng

D I N N E R • @traderjoes brown rice and quinoa spaghetti with @traderjoes roasted red pepper spread, cannellini beans, broccoli, bell peppers and @goodplanetfoods shredded mozzarella cheese. This was super easy to make and soo good. Pasta is always my go to lazy meal 🙌🏻 • #photooftheday #instagood #healthylifestyle #health #healthyeating #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #plantpowered #traderjoes #bossbabe #mentalhealth #love #healthyweightloss #pasta #goodvibes #holidayseason #blogger #veganblogger

It’s crazy to look back on the past year and realize how much you’ve changed and how different life is. I look back on pictures and memories and I barely even know who I was this time last year. • ⚠️ TW ⚠️ This time last year I was so unhealthy but didn’t even realize. I was depressed and would isolate myself. I was constantly tired and unmotivated. I would result to self harm in my lowest days and constantly feel guilty about what I ate or how much/how little I worked out. But there were aspects of my life that made me happy so I chose to ignore the bad and push my mental health to the side. Instead of letting myself have bad days and cry as much as I needed, I let all my problems build up which resulted in crazy low breakdowns. Fast forward to now and I can honestly say I haven’t been this healthy in years. I’ve made so much progress with my relationship with food and my body image and I’m happy!! Trust me I have my days- and those days are HARD- but I rarely resort to my old unhealthy habits. I know how to work through the tough times and in one week it will be a year since I have resorted to harming myself as a coping mechanism. On the bad days I remind myself how far I’ve come and I truly cry happy tears. Moral of this post is I never thought I would make it to where I am today, mainly because I didn’t realize what a bad place I was in until I got out of it. I have more good days than bad now. Most days I look at myself in the mirror and love what I see, even all the stretch marks on my butt and thighs. I don’t obsess over everything I eat and working out. None of this would have changed had I not decided to work on myself and strive to be better. I promise no matter what your situation, it will get better. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut or trapped in an unhealthy cycle I promise baby steps towards your goal every day will make the biggest difference over time. Also remember, you’re never alone 🖤

My favorite snack right now 🤩 • Carrots, celery & bell peppers with @kitehillfoods ranch. This was my first time trying this ranch dip and it is one of the best vegan ranch dips I’ve tried 🤩. I love snacking on bell peppers and carrots because they literally go with pretty much anything and they actually keep me full unlike chips and pretzels. • Would love any and all vegan dip/sauce/condiment recommendations or good snack ideas for future snacking 😇. • #healthyfood #healthysnackideas #healthysnacks #vegan #vegansnacks #plantbased #plantbasedmeals #edrecoveryjourney #edrecovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #veganblogger #mentalhealthblogger #healthylifestyle #healthyweightloss #goodvibes #snackinghealthy #veganinstaclub

It’s so important to celebrate your small victories. • It’s no secret I have struggled with disordered eating for years now and though I have made major strides in my recovery process, certain habits have stuck with me. Habits like measuring out certain foods before eating 😬. I used to always measure every single thing I ate- whether I was counting calories or not- and not measuring would lead to major anxiety. Thankfully, I have overcome my fear of food and don’t even think to measure 90% of the foods I consume. But, there are still foods I have struggled to stop measuring. • Today, for honestly the first time in probably years, I had peanut butter and didn’t measure how much I was using. Whenever I eat peanut butter, I make sure to have EXACTLY one tablespoon. I could never even think of using a normal spoon to get peanut butter because if I use too much it’s high in calories (at least that was my thought process). But this morning, without even thinking about it, I scooped peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon instead of a tablespoon. I know most people won’t find the significance in this but it’s a huge deal for me. I didn’t measure out a single thing that went into my oatmeal this morning, don’t have the slightest clue how many calories were in my breakfast and I’m okay. I still have my days where it is a STRUGGLE to eat certain foods or eat at all but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made. • If you are struggling with disordered eating, please know you will get through this, it will get easier and you are not alone. 🖤 #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealth #disorderedeatingrecovery #disorderedeating #edwarrior #eatingdisorderrecovery #healthylifestyle #selflove #loveyourself #vegan #veganblogger #happiness

Sushi bowl for last nights dinner 🍱🍚🍛 • This is definitely going to be one of my new go to meals, so simple and delicious. All you need to do to recreate this dinner is cut and roast some sweet potatoes at 450 degrees, chop up some green onions+ carrots + cucumbers, cook some rice- I used @seedsofchange brown rice and quinoa mixture- heat up some edamame, mix vegan Mayo and sriracha and add everything to a bowl + top with seaweed and that’s it! This meal is so versatile, you can switch up the protein, veggies, sauce, etc. It’s also easy to throw in some chicken or egg for non-vegans (that’s what I did for my boyfriend). • I will be including easy swaps/ad ons in my recipe descriptions for those who live in a household with others who may not be vegan but want to make one big base meal everyone will enjoy! • #vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganweightloss #sushi #sushibowl #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #healthylifestyle #weightloss #weightlosstips #edrecovery #vote #veganblogger

The world is such a toxic, negative place right now and it’s so easy to get caught up in it all. • Every day is essentially the same routine of nothing. Every week the same. My life is on such a schedule between work and my internship and then being limited to what I can actually do due to COVID, it’s tiring. Today was really hard and I think I finally hit my breaking point. I’m sure almost everyone feels the same and that’s normal given the state of the world. • To be very transparent, I spent most of my day crying on the couch. Too mentally drained to do anything I didn’t have to. I sat back and vowed to start doing more with my days, even if it’s running a different route than usual or taking a bike ride or just driving around. I want to wake up early and feel the stillness on the beach and that’s exactly what I’m going to start doing because I know it will make me happy. • The point of this post is to remind anyone reading this that your feelings are valid, you are not alone and baby steps and small changes in routines and habits can make the biggest impact. • #mentalhealthawareness #itsokaynottobeokay #mentalhealthmatters #vegan #mentalhealthblogger #vote #selflove #goodvibes #positivity #loveyourself #veganblogger

HELLOOO HAPPY FRIDAY🤩✨ • It’s been a rainy miserable day but to be honest, I love a chilly rainy Friday. It finally feels like fall and I definitely needed a day to just lay on the couch with a cup of tea. It’s been a hard week and if I’m being honest, I have nothing of substance to say, I’m feeling very numb and drained but I know things will get better 😊. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to make soup without a recipe, just random ingredients I can find in my fridge/cabinets, so that is what I will be doing tonight 🙌🏻. If all goes well I will be posting the recipe later!! • I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and even if you’re going through it right now, try to do at least one thing that brings you happiness and joy today 🤗 • #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #happyfriday #goodvibes #staypositive #postivevibes #positiveenergy #vegan #veganblogger #healthylifestyle #wellnessjourney #loveyourself #edrecovery #depressionawareness #anxietyawareness

One of my favorite snacks at the moment 🤩😋🤤 • • Sliced tomatoes with @violife_foods mozzarella, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder and then broiled in the toaster oven literally sooo good and simple! • • #vegan #vegansnacks #vegansnackideas #vegancheese #veganmozzarella #plantbased #plantbasedmeals #plantbasedsnacks #healthylifestyle #plantbasedlifestyle #veganblogger #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #veganyogi #southjerseyvegan #southjerseyeats #goodvibes #margatenj #positivevibes #positivity