Starting Off October 5, 2007

So I’m starting off again.

I weighed in around 136-137 yesterday. More than every, ugh ugh – but I’ll get back on track soon and get the weight off. I suppose my goal weight is the same as it was previously 128-130lbs. That 6-9lbs is going to be work and definitely take time – a full month at least of hard work. Anything, anything to get rid of the newly appeared cellulite on my thighs. I finally get IT now, because I have IT now, and eh eh cellulite be gone!

I ate completely raw yesterday and plan on just eating light today. I used to be very preoccupied with working out, but I think the best route for me this time around is to just eat less. The New York Magazine article in my last post talked all about how exercising doesn’t make you lose weight (the author was obviously trying to make a strong point – I have no doubt that exercising helps your body stay healthy and go through the transition of losing weight better) and it made me realize that I cannot just try to exercise those slices of pie. (My new boyfriend works at a restaurant famous for its pies. Off course as his lady, I get free and unlimited pie – so bad, but oh soo good… a la mode s’il vous plait) I think I might have better success trying to limit my calories a little more rather than obsessively go to the gym. Considering how I’m so busy, I think if get gym-crazy again, I will 1) Have no free time ever 2) Get stressed out and eat more 3) Get overwhelmed and give up on my diet.

It’s always good to use moderation in hopes of a gradual change, then get all crazy-like trying to turn into Jane Fonda in a week. Wish me luck!

Back to Black (or perhaps back to RAW?) October 4, 2007

So my first post in months, hurray. Been so busy, that it didn’t seem like I had any time to post. Priorities= school, job#1, job#2, boyfriend, getting ass to gym… seemed like posting got lost!Anyways, my weight loss goals have gone gone gone. I am around the same-ish weight, but I think possibly even more fat ehh. Posting (as fellow bloggers know) is so great because it increases my consciousness of how much I eat, what I’m eating, how much exercise I’m getting etc. So, I tried out a full week and a half of raw foods a few months ago and it truly truly felt great. I am actually giving a persuasion speech all about raw foods today (wish me luck). For this speech, I did in depth research about the raw foods movement and actual studies contrasting raw foods with cooked etc. What I found is that there really isn’t much pro-raw foods research. There are a few studies who say that raw food diet isn’t necessarily more nutritious. From my own experience, I felt SO amazing eating raw, but I don’t think I am ready to attempt a full raw diet (The transition is supposed to be gradual). I would like to do at least a 50% raw diet, however. I have never digested food as well as when I was eating raw (even for the short period of time). Oh and as far as my measurements go, I don’t even want to think about it. I have really lost my waist. Back to the gym. Eating less. So simple, but damn, it’s hard. Also check out this article from New York Magazine!     

The Scientist and the StairMaster

Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we’re wrong. http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/ 

Fiesta Time! May 23, 2007

Sorry I have been absent from my posts… I have just started up a new job. Nothing fancy, I am working at an upscale Mexican restaurant down in Soho and tonight. Tonight was my first night. I work part-time during the day and take a summer course so this will just be 3 nights a week. I had a really great first day though. The restaurant is very easy-paced and because it is more expensive I still make a solid amount in tips which is rather important for the impoverished college student. It was so funny, the first person I really spoke with (the bartender) told me he had gone raw for 5 years and worked in all these juice bars and basically we just chatted about wheatgrass and nutrients for twenty minutes- I was so happy! Anyways, I have yet to decide whether the temptation of mexican food so frequently will be good for my diet plan or bad, but I actually think it’ll be good. I’ll be kept very busy running around, which will keep me from binge snacking and just binging in general. MOST of all, (and one of the main reasons I got a part-time night gig) is that it will keep me from going out with my friends most nights (like I have been) therefore keeping all that alcohol and late-night 2nd dinner away and save me a bit of money too. Overall, I am very pleased…

Unfortunately, however; I haven’t been to the gym for a week. I have just been lazy, but I figure I will work it into my schedule and get back on track. It’s funny, I actually started this blog when I was about a size 6 and since have grown to a size 8, and even though my goal is to slim down, I really embrace my bigger size as well. It’s strange because all my friends are so skinny, but I still feel and feel like I look so sexy. I am actually RATHER curvy right now, and I am such a curve lovin’ gal that I Can’t Help but love ‘em. I don’t feel as strong physically though, soI will definitely be heading back to the gym. Life is just so much better when you stop being on a diet. I have decided no more crazyness – just eat less, exercise M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Lately, I haven’t been concerning myself with food, nutrients, starving, cooking etc. and life has been so much better. WEll, I’ve also been going out a lot, but still food is such a pressure and a burden in society. Lets just stop it all, enjoy eating, enjoy food and enjoy living! woohoo

Gone for a little, now I’m back! May 8, 2007

Hey! sorry I’ve been absent from the web for a bit. I just finished up my finals yesterday and now post-celebrating, I’m back! The week has been rough, I’ve been eating a ton-going out to dinner, brunch, and not going to the gym. I’ve been having long partying nights too, which just kill your energy, looks and everything. Ahhh, all the lightness of my post-Master Cleanse self is gone.

I went shopping for shorts yesterday and was stunned to see that I have gone UP a size. I am no a sz 30, up from a 28 last summer. I wonder if all my dieting worrying is sabotazing me! My real goal for the next few weeks is to get to the gym at least 5 days a week. I am working more at my job (at a branding company). Luckily my hours are very flexible, I can work either 2-4 days a week, half day or full-day, whatever. So there is really no excuse I cannot get my butt to the gym. I think I’m going to organize a reasonably strict schedule for this week, plan out fun classes to do (I am a crunch member, afterall and they are known for their “superfun classes”).

I’ve been thinking about the Master Cleanse….
One of the reasons I was so happy on it was that I was calm, finally not stressing for once over calories, nutrition and food costs. I was thinking that incorporating similar simplicity into my life might help me lose the weight the best. I was thinking that protein shakes might be the way to go. Limit myself to 1 or 2 protein shakes and as many fruits and veggies as I want. As much as I HATE processed things, protein shakes are very nutritient rich and would help me get necessary protein (and even fat) into my diet. I would do soy protein shakes a la Whole Foods, not SlimFast etc. Anyone have ideas for a similarly SIMPLE diet plans. Honestly, I’d do a mono diet (all apples all day) but it’s not an effective long-term eating plan…ideas?

The (far classier) bikini-before pictures April 23, 2007

Even with these pics, at this weight-I still think I’m damn sexy. Curves are great, but I think mine are growing disproportionally. No for real. Check it out!

Actually, Day #1 Starts Tomorrow April 23, 2007

Okay don’t judge. I am not giving up AT aLL on my cleanse. I did it for the first half of this beautiful sunday and was feeling great when my friend “made me an offer I couldn’t refuse”- to have her make me and another friend dinner and all watch The Godfather. I had a very healthy dinner and got tons of advice from her (she has done the master cleanse many times). So the cleanse starts tomorrow. I figure it will be better to start with the laxative tea tonight, salt flush in the morning and all lemonade, all day!

Here’s a Jane Fonda-tastic photo for ya. Wish me luck!

Master Cleanse: Day #1 April 22, 2007

So today I begin my cleanse. I have been juicing a ton to get rid of all the fresh produce I bought. There is lots left, but I am passing it over to my roomates, because I really want to begin the cleanse. I got way to drunk this thursday, and just felt horrible for the rest of the weekend. Juicing my the way is great for hangovers. You need those vitamins!

So these are my cleansing tools. I need to run to the store and pick up some sea salt (for the salt water flushes) and a more intense detox tea besides this yogi tea. (Does anyone have any recommendations?) At first I wasn’t going to buy the Master Cleanse book by Stanley Burroughs, however; I think it’s a good idea now to do this RIGHT. Anyways, it’s only $5.

I am looking forward to jumpstarting a raw food diet with this cleanse. I don’t want to go 100% raw at at, but more around 80-90%. As far as I have experimented with raw foods, it is so good for you and just a great lite way to eat, especially for the summer!

After this weekend, I just feel bloated and chunky. This is a current pic. I just bought a digital camera (my first!) so I will try not to bombard you guys with pictures.

Me, April 21, at the end of the night at the peak of bloaty grossness! Sorry it’s in underwear, I’ll try to be classy and put on a bathing suit next time!

Juicing IS great, but Woah Not Cheap! April 18, 2007

So, I’ve been experimenting with juicing. The fresh juice is great. I have been mixing it up with carrot, beet, apple juice, V8 types, and all green juice. It tastes great and is easy to use with my handy-dandy Jack LaLanne juicer, but I DID not realize how expensive it would be. I wanted to do a juice fast, but the groceries alone would cost me around $30 a day (making sure I got the necessary calories in). Juicing also comes with the hassle of having to clean the machine after every use, only takes about 5 minutes but often my sink is so filled with my roommates dishes that this alone is a struggle. Also, I am out of the house for long periods, so juicing is not a good option for me being that I can’t carry the damn thing around with me across the city. I still want to do a fast/ cleanse, but unfortunately juicing for a long period of time will not work for me.

I have decided that I will give the master cleanse a shot (though I have many objections). It is easy to do, has many positive recommendations, and will save me lots of money on my food and alcohol bill (no drinking!). I want to incorporate the bikram yoga into the master cleanse, thoroughly detoxing me. I think it will feel great. I do have objections to the master cleanse though. I don’t think that it properly nourishes the body at all, and the idea of all those simple sugars (in the Grade B maple syrup) is scary! The way I have justified this to myself is as follows.. so many people have nutrient deficiencies that they live with for year in combination with a poor diet and lack of exercise etc… therefore, I think that this cleanse being only 10 days will cause no permanent harm to my system. The lack of protein, which also worries me, also will cause no permanent damage over only 10 days. The funny thing is that I don’t necessarily agree with the idea of fasting/cleansing/detoxing etc. I think that a healthy system takes care of these things naturally and that an extreme diet change or fast isn’t necessary to keep the body healthy.. however, I have tried a fast before and the truth is.. it feels great. You sincerely feel light on you feel and alive!
I am conflicted. I bought tons of veggies for this juicing thing and don’t want them to go to waste, however, I really want to get this master cleanse going! I’ve been feeling so sluggish and chunky lately. I’ve put on a bit of weight too. I am up to 136- my all time high (I know not that high, but considering that I eat well and exercise regularly – it is disappointing for me to put on weight, that I know is not from new muscle being formed). I will report with info about my cleanse as I have found other people’s Master Cleanse diaries very interesting and informative.

The power of JUICING April 15, 2007

I apologize for my absence over the past few weeks, I had my traveling part-time boyfriend living with me for three weeks. That was certainly an adventure, especially since I’ve never lived with anyone I was seeing before. Anyway, he is traveling westward and I decided I need to do a bit of a cleanse, to get all the missin’ out of my system.

I just bought a Jack LaLanne juicer after checking out a lot of recommendations online and figuring out pricing etc. I will tell you how it works once I get the ball rolling and put up recipes. Depending on how I do, I want this to either be an all juice fast (mostly vegetable) or an all fruit and veggie diet. I feel like I might crave solid food, and I don’t think a salad would be bad. I don’t want this to be a strict cleanse, but more of a period of very healthy eating.

Additionally, I am going to take bikram yoga at this great new studio I’ve found just five blocks away from my apartment-BikramLES.

I think this will be a great way to get my mind of my departed boy, focus my find, and cleanse my body. Here’s to the beginning.

Just because it’s vegan, doesn’t make it healthy! April 4, 2007

I have hit up (and been dreaming about) Red Bamboo, that vegan soul food cafe I described previously, a lot lately. Even though the food is vegan, that doesn’t make it healthy. I mean the fake meat is breaded, and fried a lot of the time, and I’m sure that the sauces are stacked with calories. I was trying to find some information about the nutritional information of a No-Chicken Parm Sandwich, but couldn’t find much of anything. I think that a lot of people get tricked into thinking that just because food is vegetarian or vegan, that it is automatically healthy. Vegan food in particular can be particularly unhealthy, loaded with sugars and fats to try to entice meat-lovers. I don’t think that vegan food needs all of that and in general really enjoy simply foods, with light sauces, grilled not fried. Please share you comments/ideas on the issue!