In the beginning of September, I decided that this month was going to be different. This whole year I have been telling myself that I was going to make a lifestyle change to focus more on my health and fitness. I always had an excuse for myself, whether it was that I couldn't work out because I was constantly traveling or it just wasn't the right time to commit to a new diet since I was so busy. I finally decided to stop making excuses and totally jump in head first to a new lifestyle of taking time for my health and fitness. Let me just say that I did not decide to improve my health in order to lose weight, but to practice self-love by putting my health above other, less imporant, things. Here are a few ways that I am improving my health this month...

1. Going Vegan
I wrote a little bit about my goal to become vegan this month previously, and since then I have really adapted to the lifestyle! For me, it's not only just being a plant eater, but also using products that are cruelty-free and don't include animal byproducts. I have already switched out my leather jacket for faux, started using vegan skincare, and even started taking vegan probiotics by Smarty Pants Vitamins (more on this later). Going vegan is actually a lot easier then I thought it was going to be! I don't really miss eating the foods I used to eat on an everyday basis such as chicken, yogurt, and cheese, and overall I've been feeling so much better. I feel more energized, focused, and awake during the day now that I have switched to being vegan. 

2. Taking Daily Vitamins
Something else I have been doing along with changing my diet and working out is taking Smarty Pants Vitamins daily. Taking vitamins every day is important to me because I want to make sure that I am getting enough nutrients. I don't know about you, but most of the time I don't give more then a second thought of what I eat for a meal because I'm too busy chasing after my toddler (pretty sure I had a handful of veggie chips for breakfast today). Taking daily vitamins allows me to know that I am getting enough multivitamins throughout the day. Each serving of Smarty Pants Women's Complete vitamins includes Omega 3s, D3, B12, and coQ10 for heart health. Oh yeah, and my favorite part about these vitamins is that they are gummies! Each Women's Complete bottle includes three different flavors -- lemon creme, blueberry, and orange! One reason why I choose these supplements over other brands is because they do not put any junk into their vitamins. You won't find synthetic colors or any artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives Smarty Pants Vitamins, so I feel comfortable taking them!

3. Staying Active
Staying active has been a lot more difficult that being vegan has been, which is funny to me because I would have thought being vegan would be more difficult! But for me, it's hard to find the time to exercise.  Although home workouts are definitely a good fit for my lifestyle (read more about this here), I do enjoy working out at the gym because it motivates me to exercise harder (harder to slack off if I'm in public 😂) . I am really passionate about trying to find the time to do things for myself everyday, because it can get very easy for me to fall into a routine of taking care of everyone else before taking care of myself. I would love to hear about how you all make the time to focus on your health & fitness!
 

4. Taking Probiotics
I also take Smarty Pants Adult Probiotic Complete everyday to help with immune support. This probiotic includes 7 billion CFU's per serving! This all-in-one vitamin includes probiotic DE111, IS2, and Wellmune Immune Support (prebiotic fiber to strengthen immune system). As I said in the beginning of this post, I am passionate about being vegan and so I love how this probiotic is AVA-Certified vegan! Adult Probiotic Complete is allergen free, and they taste great. They also come in your choice of blueberry or lemon creme -- I tried blueberry and actually enjoy taking them every day! Another reason why I support Smarty Pants Vitamins is because they are a supporter of the Vitamin Angel Foundation -- for every bottle sold, they give a nutrition grant to children in need. They also support Turn the Tide Foundation and Charity: Water. I love seeing brands give back!

Within the next couple of days, I am going to be partnering with Smarty Pants Vitamins for a giveaway! Hit that subscribe button so you'll be notified about when and how to enter!

I have been sponsored by Smarty Pants Vitamins for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.