Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

 

Awaiting Hurrican Sandy, I decided I would make a whole bunch of my pumpkin pancakes, just incase the electricity goes out, I have a little snack to munch on.

 

Ingredients:
1 can Organic Pumpkin
4 egg whites
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
cinnamon
1 cup old fashioned GF oatmeal
pumpkin pie spice
pepitas
coconut oil
Sun butter
blackberries

Directions:

1. Open can of pumpkin and add to your vitamix or blender

2. Crack open your eggs and add them next.

3. Add your Vanilla and oats next.

4. add the cinnamon, pumpkin spice and pepitas.

5. On your frying pan, add the coconut oil, but make sure it's VERY HOT. Once hot, turn flame to medium. At the same time you are bleding your ingredients in your blender or vitamix.

6. Spoon out a heaping tablespoon for each pancake. My recipe made about 13 pancakes.

7. Once your pancakes are done,  top each one with some sun butter or almond butter and serve with 5 or six blackberries.

 

My little MOJITO!

ahhhhh..... Such a refreshing looking drink, right? So refreshing, so cold, so minty- NOT! Let me just tell you, that THIS GIRL can NOT drink! We went out Friday night for a friend's birthday celebration. We went to Don CoQui in New Rochelle. The place was packed, the music was blasting, and the energy in there was AWESOME! Mario and I NEVER drink anything other than a Prosecco and Mario will indulge in a glass of wine- MAYBE 2-3 times a YEAR. My friend who is pregnant was drinking a VIRGIN mojito- It was sooooo delicious! Oh my! SO I asked the bartender if they had Prosecco, and and she told me no, I was bummed. SO then I firgured, what harm would a little Mojito with NO SUGAR do? HA! We were all so caught up in the moment, with great conversations, laughter and just an amazing night, that I didn't even realize the waiter would come around and fill my glass everytime it was half way done- I don't know how many I had, all I know is that by 11:00, I was sluring my words, and I don't have any ideas about some of the conversations that went on. I was FLAT OUT DRUNK! AT one point I looked over at Mario and he was CHUGGING a shot! WHAT THE HECK!?!?! MY husband doing a shot! Yea, we had THAT great of a time. My stomach hurt so bad from laughing so hard all night.



When we got home, I washed my face, brushed my teeth and hopped in bed- only to find the room spinning- and spinning- and spinning! I HATE that feelinig. So I figured I would just try and stick my fingers down my throat to yack it all up- NOTHING! Now I'm getting fussy because all I want to do is sleep. I paced my livingroom floor until a bright light went off in my head! AH HA! I ran into the fridge and grabbed a slice of Ezekiel bread, and starting muching away- thinking it would absorb all the polution in my liver- and I would fall asleep! It worked! I layed in bed, and while the room was still spinning it wasn't spinning AS FAST- I feel asleep finally!

The next morning, Mario came over to wake me up.... calling me his little "MOJITO". I was whinning about having a headache as I blamed my friend Kim for my drinking those YUMMY mojitos. I totally forgot what a hangover felt like because I haven't been DRUNK in 9 years! I felt like the bottom of a muddy old boot! NASTY! Such a bad headache! SO I scurried into my kitchen, and decided to start with some warm water with a WHOLE lemon squeezed inside, to DETOXIFY my gut! Then I rumaged through my supplements trying to remember what would be best to take. I started with Glutamine.  I should have taken it BEFORE I went out, but I forgot! When you drink alcohol, it inhibits glutamine which is one of the bodies natural stimulants. Once you stop drinking your body hurries to produce more glutamine than it needs. Ya know those nights when you drink and your sleep SUCKS? It's because the increase in glutamine stimulates your brain while all you are trying to do is sleep. This productions keeps you from reaching your deep sleep. This is part of the SHITTY feeling you feel the next morning. SO because I was still naucaous, I figured the Glutamine would help. I took my Multi V, my Vitamin D and my Omega 3's. Sipped my warm water, and within an hour I felt LESS queezy, but still had a massive BITCH of a headache, so I swallowed two advil.  I was ready to eat a little oatmeal with berries- keeping it kind of bland. I took off for Whole Foods, and along the way just kept laughing to myslef about the GREAT night we had.

I was in such a FOG in the food Store, I bought EVERYTHING in site- no seriously. When I got to the register and she showed me my total, I blurted out, WHAT THE FUCK did I just buy?! The girl laughed. UGH! I grabbed one of the Water lemon AGave & Cayenne Blue Print drinks along with a Bar like a Lara bar, and scoffed it down on my way home. All I kept thinking was that I wanted to sweat out this GROSS alcohol in my body. I actually felt dirty.

Mario and I went to the gym, and I beat the crap out of myself, and blasted through a great workout. We came home, I showered and plopped my ass on the couch and fell asleep for an hour.

I think I would have been more prepared had I known I would steer off my NORMAL path when we go out, but this was unexpected and NOW I know, to prepare in the future regardless of whether or not it's a MOJITO or 5 (GAG!) or a glass of Prosecco (I can handle 2). Here is a Great list for you to follow as well!

You must remember that alcohol is really poison- and although you want a nice little buzz and enjoy the night out, you need to learn how to metabolize that poison. You feel like CRAP after drinking because you are dehydrated, hormonal changes are occuring, and yes, inlfammation. When you drink, your body converts alcohol into toxic by-products and produces more free radicals. If you drink way too much, the free radicals are produced in EXCESS (HOLY SHIT!) which can harm your liver cells. This my Goddesses is the reason for your hangover!

TIPS:
1. That day make sure you get in all of your meals including protein, complex carbs and veggies at each meal. With each meal take your fatty acids.

2. you need to pop about 1,000 mg of Vitamin C. I love the chewables! Vitamin C will help fight off free radicals.

3. Take your Multi V & Vitamin D

4. Continue drinking TONS of water so you are DEHYDRATED!

5. Stay away from the sugary drinks like cosmos, margaritas. Those drinks are LOADED with sugar and SUGAR is the root of ALL EVIL in the body! I remember when I would go out with my sister (about 12 years ago), we would order Apple Martini's! You DO know how sweet and yummy they are right? Well, they also got me so hammered that my sister one time threw me on her back because I couldn't walk!

6. I tell my clients that instead of drinking wine, have Vodka on the rocks and sip it all night. No sugar in there, you won't drink as many and you will save so many calories!

7. When you get home from your shin dig, guzzle about 2 glasses of water. Gatorade in the fridge? Sip on  that as well!

8. The WORST thing you can do- and I am GLAD I didn't- DO NOT drink coffee when you get up the next day thinking it will cure your hangover! Um sorry sweet pea, Caffeine is also a diretic! You will be even WORSE!

9. DON"T give your hangover another thought. How gross is it to lay in bed all day? HORRIBLE! Get up, take a shower, MOVE, sweat it out and move on!

Feeling incredible!

Know how you can tell if WHAT YOU ARE DOING is working?? There are a FEW GREAT ways of monitoring your success in the gym and in the kitchen. One is to keep a journal, as you all know I am FAMOUS for! In my journal, I put my weight that day when I woke up, the day and month, the workout I am GOING to do (PLAN AHEAD) as well as the weights, reps and how I felt. Another great way to achieve success is to take pics of yourself. I take them on the days I feel like crap as well as on the days I feel MOST lean, because sometimes you may feel like total crapola, but look at your pics and see a firm tush, ripped up arms and abs, and lean legs- see what I am saying here?? Here are some of my latest pics... Check 'em out !!

I am definitely LEANER, because I feel TIGHT, nothing on me jiggles and well, you can see for yourself, I have lots of definition going on everywhere! I haven't done anything different except for increase my intensity in the gym, since I feel more energized lately. It really feels good to be back to my old self. I know as soon as I am super content with my physique, BAM! I will get the news I am pregnant! Isn't that always how it goes?

SO, of course, I am obsessed with making sure my body is as pure as I can get before getting pregnant, I am reading every single web site there is with info regarding supplements, nutrition, workouts, toxins, soaps, household cleaners... YOU NAME IT, I have read it- Only to find that this Goddess is 90% there and so is My GUY! Mario and I are in super great health and when it comes to food and supplements, we take all of them!

Spoke with Mario's Dr, the other night and my Dr. today, and all together we have agreed to a plan that will have us prego in NO TIME! I won't spill the details yet, as I am VERY superstitious. I promise to keep you all in the loop, but not just yet. My fertility Dr by the way is Dr. Nora Miller from Stamford CT. She came highly recommended from my sister who blessed us with Baby Caitlyn!  My sister had an incredible experience with her, and so I figured why not!?!? I love Dr. Miller. SO far she she has steared us in the RIGHT direction.While I am able to get pregnant naturally, we don't want to keep trying month after month, so we will try and speed up the process. We are thrilled beyond thrilled to add an addition to our family! THRILLED!

If you are a part of my FGG Community,. you need to check out the new workouts I added! Talk about shredding and leaning out! MY OH MY! These are GREAT workouts to do all winter! My thought is this: Bust your ass from September through March. In March, scale back the intense workouts, but continue running 4-5 times a week. When I say scale back the training, I DO NOT MEAN drop the weights- I mean either lighten up the weights if you have been going heavy OR, go heavy and drop the reps of you have been going high reps light weights. I also believe that if you are in the gym working hard Monday- Wednesday, Take Thursday off and go back Friday and Saturday and take Suday off- you will give your body enough time to rest recover and do it's thing! Just saying, that's what I do. Witer for me is when I think about Sumer! It drives me nuts when clients lose steam in the winter and blame it on the holidays. HELLO GODDESSES! Have some will power! A moment on the LIPS.... MONTHS on the HIPS! Shesh! NOO thank you! I could care less what everyone else around me is doing. It's MY mouth, MY body- don't like it? Do't look! I LOVE being able to wear what I want Winter through Summer. I do NOT live for food, I use food as my fuel and my medicine to LIVE- A GREAT healthy life!

My top picks for Ultimate Skin Care.

I am not going to sugar coat anything in this post regarding what it takes to look like I am in my 20's while in reality, I am almost 41 years old. I get compliments ALL the time about what I use to have glowing skin on my face and body. In my case, I am not going to say it's genetics.

FIRST! TO all my 20 something readers, NOW is the time to start taking care of that little face of yours. I would start by keeping those cheeks out of the SUN. It doesn't take much to apply a sunscreen to your face in the morning before you leave the house. Yes, even in the winter. I apply a 35 SPF to my freshly washed morning skin. The next thing I do is apply a tinted moisturizer that also includes an SPF of 35. My lip balm always has an SPF as well. Nothing scares me more than getting wrinkly lips or wrinkly cheeks! I stopped going in the sun when I reached 34 years old- My face that is. I tan my body, as I'm not as disciplined about the SPF- YET.

When I turned 35, I noticed I had the "11" between my eyebrows. I also noticed that when I looked surprised, I had a few fine lines. Also glancing at myself I would see Crows feet when I smiled- It was time to take charge! HELL NO! I met Terry Conrad who became my skin Doctor. My go to for EVERYTHING regarding my face. Within the first 5 minutes of looking at me, Terry noticed all the same lines I did without me even saying a word. This was the end of my 35 year old face! She injected me with BOTOX for the very first time. She did my forehead, my smile lines and my "11". She also did a peel that would take off all the dead skin on my face. I was so excited to see the results! When I left her the first time, I immediately promised myself that I would NO LONGER put my face in the sun, that I will NOW think of Terry's work and this VERY EXPENSIVE treatment an investment in my health and self. 

My experience with Botox has been pretty amazing. Going to someone who is conservative is always a plus, because you NEVER want to look like you are FROZEN! If you look at some women who get Botox, you can't tell if they are happy, sad, or angry, because their expressions never change- YIKES! I try to make my injections last long, as this is very expensive. Now that I have been doing these injections for 5 years, I'm able to make the Botox last MORE than 5 months. Usually, women get injections, but they only last for about 3- 4 months depending on a few things: are they smokers? Drinkers? Bad eaters? Sun worshipers? All of these things in my opinion deplete your Botox sooner, and not to mention, those bad habits will ALWAYS leave you with wrinkles and lines. I get my injections 2 times a year and sometimes 3. 

 It's what you do in between those sessions that I feel is even more important to looking great. I eat a SUPER clean diet. I DO NOT drink alcohol. I am not a party girl, I am a home body. I workout like it's my job (Oh, yea, it is!). I also use products that leave my skin glowing, my pores to be shrunken, and my skin to be overall even and bright. 

Here are some tips for you to get FABULOUS SKIN:

1. Clean: Finding the RIGHT cleanser for YOU is super important. You should always wash your face before bed, and SKIP the morning face wash- Your face isn't dirty in the morning. Just splash it with cool water. Over washing can dry out your skin.

2. Moisturize: A really good moisturizer is NECESSARY! I actually use an under eye cream, as well as an almond oil. It leaves my skin dewey looking. For me, Moisturizers don't work. In the winter, I need an oil that has NOTHING in it. SO I past on my under eye cream, and then while my skin is still damp, I rub in the almond oil. Right away, I have an instant glow. I would NOT recommend an oil for your skin if you have oily skin- Find an oil free moisturizer. Drinking lots of water is another way to keep your skin moisturized. Never wash with HOT water, only cool.

3. Preventive Action: I started with INTENSE treatments like Botox and Micro-derm at the age of 35, so that going forward, I wouldn't allow my lines to get so deep that the Botox wouldn't work. Although you may have teeny lines, now is the time to take care of them, so they don't get deeper. Take the time to really get some knowledge about what products will work for YOUR skin. Once you understand your skin better you can get some products to try out. Like brushing your teeth, you need to apply these products like clockwork, or they don't work. They also don't need to be expensive. CVS has GREAT products! Make sure that you fill your diet with Vitamin C rich foods. 


Some of the products I use and the way I use them:


1. Night time:Wash with Burt's Bees ALL NATURAL cleanser.
2. Then twice a week, I use Weekly Hydroxyacid Exfoliating Solution- This needs to come from your Dr.
3. I then apply C-mollient on the opposite nights.
4. MORNING: I splash cool water on my skin for about 30 seconds.
5. On Monday, Wednesday & Friday: I use Retinol  Emolu Gel. This is my under eye treatment. Once I rub that in
6. I rub in some of my Aura Cacia Sweet Almond oil.
7. I then apply my sunscreen
8. Next goes my Josie Moran Tinted moisturizer

I am OUT the door! SO there you have my tips and secrets for glowing skin!  In these pics, I have NOTHING on my skin except for a tinted moisturizer and MAYBE a little bronzer 

This pic, I have eye shadow on with mascara

OH! Hello Tina.

Oh yes, This Goddess has been out of action lately and in such a slump the past few weeks, I was starting to get a little worried. Was is depression? Was it Pregnancy (I wish). Was it PMS? To be honest, I don't really care what it WAS, all I know is that I am feeling great again.

Does that ever happen to you? DO you start to feel like you are going to LOSE it? My workouts weren't as INCREDIBLE as usual, and I really wasn't amped up to go the gym, write my blogs, cook dinner, NOTHING!

I think when I go into these funks, the easiest way for me to deal is to change something. While I can't change my mental state, which pretty much controls everything else in my life, I can change my hair color! HA! I have ALWAYS been obsessed with being a blonde. It suits my personality, and I feel pretty, elegant and younger. When I am in a funk, I go to my colorist and tell her I want DARK hair. While she probably wants to choke me, because we finally got it the color blonde I love the most, she always gives me what I want.... She is a SAINT- That Jacki from Salon O!



SO I now have this great shade of reddish brown. If I saw it on anyone else, I would want it, but now that I have it, I want my blonde back! It's all because I am feeling better, full of energy and my workouts and runs are insane! My weight is matching how I feel... overall, I feel like I am back to the girl I have always been... POSITIVE, HAPPY, UPBEAT, BUBBLY and FULL OF LIFE.

What do you do when you aren't feeling like.... YOURSELF?

I'm going to be posting some new FABULOUS workouts! You ready to kick some ass in November!?!?!? I will be 41, so you better believe this goddess isn't going down without a fight! I WILL keep my abs, until I am blessed with a peanut! YUP!

It's a NEW DAY!

What a day, huh? Woke up to a dark morning, since I had to be at work by 6:30, and as it got later in trhe morning, my spirit and mood just lifted! It's true what they say.... The weather effects me in EVERYWAY! I can't believe how GREAT today was, and I am very grateful!So grateful that I took FULL advantage of the Sun and the crisp fall air by going for a run. Looking out the window all morning as the sun was beaming on the yello and orange leaves on the trees, I couldn't help but to hurry home and set my self up for what would be an INCREDIBLE run, workout and another run!

I love Alicia Keys, Don't you? I first heard this song about 4 months ago on XM radio, before they played it on the radio, and everytime I would hear it, I was suddenly in a fantastic mood.




To Equinox from home

Running was NOT even on my agenda for today. All I was going to do was work out and do some cardio on the UBE. Instead,  I ended up running from my house to Equinox- 2.84 miles. Took me 24:21 minutes at a pace of 8:35 minutes a mile! DAMN!~ If that's not the sun beaming down and dosing me up with some vitamin D for energy, I don't know what is! I felt strong, fast and in GREAT condition!




When I got to the gym for my workout, I had an allergy attack. My nose started burning, I started whezing and sneezing! GRR.... I felt fine on the run, but once inside, I lost it! Luckily Mario was coming to the gym to workout, so I texted him to bring my allergy nose spray- instant relief!

From Equinox to home

I ended up doing back, shoulders and abs, and on my pull ups, I did 3 sets of 5! Holy CRAP! I mean seriously, my strength came back out of NO WHERE! I told Mario, I was beginning to think I was losing my strength and my "MOJO". HECK NO! I proved myself wrong! I had a great workout, and it was time to bust outta the gym, get back in the sun and run home. I'm not going to lie, it was harder to run home for the first few minutes, I never thought I'd be able to run all the way, but I did!

One Happy girl!

I like these numbers, I can't deny it! When I got to my block, I just smiled, looked up at the Big Man upstairs, and said "THANK YOU".









Are you DIGGIN' the fall veggies? Squash? Yams? My oh my! I am obsessed! green Beans? Broccoli? My wellness clients are getting some pretty delicious recipes from me each week, and they are LOVING THEM! Here are just some of the recipes I have been making in my house:

spaghetti squash

stuffed acorn squash

Paleo cereal

Leaning tower of Protein pumpkin spice pancakes

If you would like any of these recipes, just shoot me an email, and I will be happy to share. I LOVE making these recipes.... Next up tonight, I am making apple pie without the crust and the calories! Ya like apples? How about THEM apples!?!? 

In my Kitchen

My Paleo Cereal                       

So here it is! This was before I cooked it last night. But this was my breakfast this morning along with my coconut milk. Oh my!
It was so amazing! I am sharing with you some really great recipes today! I will also share some changes I will make NEXT time I make this.... VERY soon! PS. This recipe is enough to eat for 3 days, or 1 breakfast and two snacks, or 2 breakfasts and 1 snack, whatever you choose.... REMEMBER, although it's healthy, there are lots of fats from nuts, so DO NOT have more than 1 cup in a serving! :O)

Paleo Cereal

•                  1 cup sunflower seeds
•                  1 cup coconut flakes
•                  1 cup walnut pieces
•                  ¼  cup dried unsweetened cherries, chopped
•                  2 Tbsp. raw almond butter
•                  ¼  cup raw honey
•                  ¼  cup coconut flour
•                  coconut oil, enough to grease the pan

a.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a pan with coconut oil.

b.    Place ingredients in a bowl and mix until blended well.  Press mixture evenly into pan.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned.  Let cool for 30 minutes.  Crumble into an airtight container until ready to serve. 

Directions: pour 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk over the cereal. 

So I think I am going to make some changes to this recipe: Here is what I am going to do next time:

•        3 egg whites- beaten
•        1 cup pumpkin seeds
•                  1 cup coconut flakes
•                  1 cup almond pieces
•                 1/2   cup dried unsweetened cranberries, chopped
•         2 Tbsp. raw almond butter
•                  ¼  cup raw honey
•                  ¼  cup coconut flour
•                  coconut oil, enough to grease the pan

     I will follow the same directions above and see how it turns out. When I ate it  this morning, I was happy I was at work, because I would have eaten the whole recipe. I found this on one of the thousands of Paleo websites I have been on.

fit Green Goddess Salad

        

 Kale & Buffalo Meatballs

 

                                   

Kale Meatballs

   

•            1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and chopped    
•                ½  red onion, finely diced
•                fresh parsley
•               garlic
•                Sea salt &black pepper to taste
• 
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees,.

 mix all ingredients together by hand and form into

meatballs. Place on a baking sheet in a nice couple of rows. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn the  balls over and cook for 5 more minutes. Scoop them off the baking sheet and add to your sauce. Simmer on super low heat because buffalo hardly has any fat. It cooks faster! SUPER LOW HEAT!

Here is the NEW cut! Oh and yes, The Goddess is now a RED HEAD! 

                                               

Got Calcium??

One of Mario's clients, and my friend, asked me today what else she could eat in order to get calcium in her body. She is on a mission to lose weight, and I think she is NOT having dairy (kudos to her). Here is a list for you to look at if you THINK you need dairy to get calcium:


1.Almonds- contains more calcium than any other nut, and a good sources of fiber, folic acid, magnesium, potassium and protein.

 

2. Broccoli-Broccoli is packed with calcium as well as iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and E, this cruciferous vegetable is one nutritional superfood!

 

 

3.The calcium in soy milk and rice milk is equivalent to that of milk. There are enriched varieties available in most brands, including Edensoy, Rice Dream, Silk, Westwood, and Wildwood, just to name a few.

 

 

4. Figs are an excellent source of calcium, supplying the exact same amount of calcium found in a glass of milk in just 10 figs. They are also high in iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous.

***I like mine on top of Ezekiel toast and almond butter!

 

5. Dark leafy greens are excellent sources of calcium, including varieties like kale, mustard greens and spinach. In fact, kale contains more calcium per ounce than milk! Spinach has high amounts of oxalic acid which can inhibit the body’s ability to assimilate the calcium, so it should not be eaten as a main calcium source all of the time. To increase the body’s ability to absorb the many nutrients found in spinach, adding foods high in vitamin C helps to cancel out the effect of oxalic acid.

Dark leafy greens have the highest nutrient content raw or lightly steamed, and rarely should they be cooked longer.

 

6. Soybeans are high in calcium as well as iron, protein and healthy fats. They are low in cholesterol and saturated fats and are sold dried, canned and frozen as well as in curd form(tofu) and fermented (tempeh).

 

 

7. Sardines already score points for having low levels of contaminants and high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, but these super little fish also give you 325 mg of calcium per 3 ounces. That is more calcium than a glass of milk!

 

8.Greek Yogurt has MOST calcium . Eight ounces provide 452 mg of calcium and 127 calories. Low-fat plain yogurt (415 mg of calcium and 143 calories) and fruit yogurt (345 mg of calcium and 232 calories) are not far behind.

Try yogurt and Fit Green Goddess Granola together in a delicious parfait, or add some yogurt on top of fresh berries. 

 

9. Pink salmon a WHOPPING 181 mg of calcium in 3oz.  but make sure you eat the salmon prepared with the bones.  Salmon is also high in healthy Omega-3 fats and protein. ALWAYS buy WILD Salmon- NEVER farm raised! WILD ALASKAN SALMON is YOUR CHOICE!

 

 

10. Blackstrap molasses is the darkest grade syrup that remains after refining sugar, which is done by boiling sugar into cane juice and then spinning the cane juice in a centrifuge. As the centrifuge cycles, the molasses becomes darker in color. The darkest and thickest variety, blackstrap molasses also contains the most minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium, which are extracted from refined sugar in the refining process.

 

Got Grains?

On the nutritional side of my life, I am really loving the Zig Zag cycling appraoch to eating. Seriously, after being a strict vegan for almost 3 years and then adding back in the lean sources of protein (very limited), I am even BETTER able to recognize how MY body responds to certain foods. I will say this, Being a Vegan, I was able to detox from the dangers of Dairy (out of my body for almost 7 years), and I also realized that I was too strict, because I got really sick. NOW, over the past year and a half, I have started with egg whites, then whole eggs, then ground buffalo and the Pole Caught Tuna. Those were my staples as far as protein would go. Significant changes in my workouts, runs and muscular structure. My body changed for the better, as I didn't look like I was starving. My muscles became HARDER, and LEANER from the inside out. In the past month, I have introduced Turkey back in my life. It has to be organic, and it has to be cut right off the bird itself. No deli bullshit! No fake ass meats! THE REAL DEAL.

There you have it: my proteins that I cycle everyday

*Omega 3- Ethical eggs

*Turkey breast off the bone

*Ground buffalo

*Pole Caught Wild Tuna

I had to take some things out, and the resoning behind the deleted foods are because being the Book worm nerd I am, I read so much about food.

Listen, I am super smart when it comes to a few things, but especially nutrition and fitness. It's my life and it's what I get paid to do- I SHOULD know a thing or two, right?

Well, when it comes to eating, we should be mindful of a few things:
1. Understanding what REAL food is. One of the reasons I loved being a vegan was all of the veggies I ate! The fruits! Oh my! But there is more to it than that! How about FISH? Meat? Poultry? Nuts? The other thing you need to know is that while something may SEEM healthy, if it came out of a box, or a bag, foreign ingredients you can't pronounce, um, Goddesses? It probably isn't REAL FOOD.
2. Where the animal you are eating came from and how it got to your plate. Was it raised on a farm? In a Factory? Injected with hormones and antibiotics? Is it organic? free range? Ethical? Pastured? All of these things are super important to me, especially being a Vegan for so long, I became really mindful of all animals, and the process in which these creatures of God go through so we can eat. For me, it's not enough to eat organic meat, but it also has to be ethical. It can't be mass produced! I would rather eat beans!

I know your next question is "what did you take OUT of your diet"?

This is clearly MY decision after reading and researching and reading some more. Think of it as my own personal experiment on ME. I have taken out Grains. I replaced the grains with veggies and nuts and fruits. Before you scream at me, Just read on! Oh, stop rolling your eyes too! Just read!

A little lesson in Grains- Grains 101

*Grains are composed of carbs which turn to glucose which in our bodies is used for energy and other jobs that keep our bodies functioning. Any of the glucose that does not get used..... STORED AS BODY FAT! EEK!

* Grains have Gluten and Lectins in them. As you KNOW so many people like myself are gluten sensitive, and so many others are and they don't even realize it!

*Rye, Wheat, Oats, Barley- all have gluten in them. Let me ask you, do you suffer from joint pain? acid reflux? skin problems? Did you EVER think it could be from the pasta, pizza, and other stuff you eat with Gluten in it? Oh yes, my friend!

*Lectins in the foods you eat prevent the digestive tract from repairing itself. Can you say DAMAGE??

Listen, no one hates hearing this negative news as much as I do! I LOVE oatmeal, I LOVE having a slice of Ezekiel bread here and there, but we just can't be 100% sure all of the gluten is taken out.. and to be honest, I am not risking it anymore! Besides, is there any harm in eating more veggies? I think not! A yam is so delicious when mushy and hot and has drizzled coconut oil on top! OH MY!

Here are some great articles about grains, just in-case you think I bumped my head!

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/#axzz28e3yvP7T

http://www.thepaleomom.com/2011/11/why-grains-are-bad.html

So here is a little list of the foods you will find me eating.

• Meat - Ground Buffalo: GRASS-FED, not grain-fed. Grain causes the same problem in animals as they do in humans.
• Poultry - turkey and only sliced breast from the bird- no FAKE turkey meat
• Fish - Pole caught wild tuna, Halibut, Mussels. Wild fish, as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in farmed fish
• Eggs - Omega-3 enriched eggs, ethical, cage free (NOT in a barn).
• Vegetables - ALL veggies- LOVE THEM!
• Oils - Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil – No seed or veggie oils
• Fruits - Berries,bananas (am), oranges, apples, pears- anything in season. 
• Nuts - High in calories, Macadamia, pistachios, almonds
• Tubers - Sweet potatoes and yams. 

Sounds like the Paleo diet, right? Well, you can say that. I'm not part of any cult, just as I wasn't when I was Vegan. I am just experimenting with what works and what doesn't- FOR ME. 

So far, one week, and I have done Monday-Wednesday- NO GRAINS, no breads, no brown rice rice cakes. Thursday I did Ezekiel toast for breakfast, and did it today as well.... 2 out of 7 days- NOT bad.... I feel better, stronger in the gym and until this morning (My monthly friend arrived), no bloating at all, actually lost about 2 pounds.  This week will be the first week, I really go all the way. Kind of siked!

Sweat it out!

What a crappy weekend for me, on SOOO many levels. I will rant for a few minutes, and then I will be over it, so stick with me here, my friends....
I always look forward to Saturdays because I end up having a GREAT workout, I FEEL better on Saturdays then any other day of the week, I guess because I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. 

Anyway, I woke up on Saturday and got right to my wellness clients and their meal plans for the week. I answered all my emails and cleaned up the house. I pulled out my gym clothes.... LOOKED at them and tossed them BACK in the drawer- Oh, I did! Right in that instant, I KNEW it would be one of those days. I was moody as all hell, I was BLOATED like I was 6 months pregnant, and so lethargic! On my period tracker app, it said 1 more day- (until I get my you-know-what). I was praying and hoping that I was pregnant! I am so ready, and I think EVERYONE is ready for us to have a damn baby! Sheesh!

The other thing about Saturday was that I was hungrier than usual! I woke up and had a shake*. All of the sudden bout 2 hours later, I got the sudden urge for WHAT!?!?! YUP, you guessed it! Fresh turkey breast off the bone! I got in my car and drove to Butler Brother's in Harrison, where I KNEW I would get the BEST fresh turkey. I couldn't wait to get home to eat it! Oh my! HEAVEN! SO When i got in the door, here was my meal:

• 6 slices fresh turkey rolled up
• sauteed mushrooms (from BB's)
• Roasted peppers (couldn't resist, even though they are a night shade veggie)
• a small baked yam

Seriously, what the hell!?!? I ate that like I was going to the electric chair! I HAVE to be pregnant! I am NEVER so ravenous when I eat. Besides, WHO THE HECK craves turkey!?!? Well, I sure do, and I can't even help it!

I chatted with my honey before we parted ways, he went to the gym, and I went to get my hair chopped and colored by no other than the BEST in the business- Jacki P & Dorreen from Salon O- in Byram CT. Sometimes, I worry myself. I sware, I was ready to chop it all off, and then as soon as Doreen cut it, I wanted my pony tail back- Are you people the same way? Well, The color is awesome, and the cut is awesome. Time to move on from that!

Walked into Tarry Market in Port Chester, ready to toss everything in my cart and leave.... I ended up getting a fabulous piece of Tuna, a delicious olive oil from Portugal, some yummy olives, and I even grabbed 3 giant oranges- Is this because I have a baby growing in me, that I was to eat everything in site? hmmm......

Ended up having a very quiet night with Mario, as we switched back and forth between football (KILL ME) and some National Geographic show about birds and nature ( THAT- I love!)

Ok, here is where we all get bummed out. Laying in bed this morning, after getting up to pee 4 times last night, I woke up with the worst cramps EVER! Mario asked me what was wrong and I told him. I could feel the sadness in the room between us. UGH! When I went to pee AGAIN, there was nothing there, so I hoped I was pregnant with just the symptoms of a period, as so many women experienced.  I got dressed in my gym clothes and decided to get to the gym. Just sweating it all out- The bloating, the sadness, the stress, the disapointment.

What REALLY sucked is that I SO badly just wanted to run and do some abs, but I felot as if my intestines were going to fall out of me, I had so much pressure down there, that it was actually painful to even walk, so then I forced myself to run/walk until I hit one mile. AT that pointg, I was in pain, and very umcomfortable, so I went over to the UBE and did that for 10 minutes. Believe it or not, I was sweating like crazy- which felt good, as I really wanted to get the bloating and pain gone as fast as possible. I am not even comfortable in my own skin right now.

Well, looks like we are not pregnant, and so October will be another month we get to try. This time, I am praying, and also keeping track like one anal crazy lady! If we don't get pregnant soon, I will change my mind. I am going to be 41 in November, and regardless of anyone else and their situation, I don't want to be any older with a little baby- That's that.

Although I couldn't run today like I had in my journal, I was able to sweat hard and bust my ass on the treadmill, UBE, and the dreaded stair monster. I feel a little bit better, since I went to Whole Food's, and sucked down a green juice from Blue Print Cleanse along with a Kind Bar (which now has less than 4 grams of sugar). I will continue to drink loads of water today, warm water tonight with lemon and lots of veggies.

Here is a GREAT little recipe if you have bloating or gas:

• Magnesium: 400 mg two times per day on an empty belly
• Probiotics: 8-16 Billion organisims a day
• Evening Primrose oil: 3,000 mg per day

 

 

Continued from Monday...

Ahh, I can hardly believe how hard it is for me now to post on here for my friends and followers. My life is getting busier and busier! I promise though, to not let you down. I will get on here about 3 times a week.
So, doing the lower Carb cycling for me this week so far, is definitely a switch to my body, my strength and my brain. For one, I felt a wee but weaker in the gym on Wednesday. I'm DEFINITELY LESS hungry- that's for sure and I am a little foggy due to lack of Carbs on my brain. It's been easy as far as making my shakes to NOT have fruit, to have snacks, and NOT have Rice cakes or Ezekiel bread, and it's actually been quite fun to switch things up and just pay attention to how my body responds. My abs are really popping right now, and hard as heck! I have missed seeing them so ripped!

What I have decided to do is a ZIG ZAG type approach, but a little more hard core than what I would give clients, due to my picky- ness. I really don't have a lot of body-fat on me to stick with low carb- 7 days a week... I actually NEED some!

Monday- Wednesday- Super Low carbs. 
Thursday- HIGH carb day, 
Friday & Saturday- LOW carb day  
Sunday- High Carb day.

Here is what I ate on Wednesday

Meal one: 6:30 am- Shake
*2 scoops Protein
handful spinach & 1 tbsp green vibrance
water
cherries (frozen)

Meal two: Post Workout Shake
* 1 cup coconut milk (canned)
2 scoops protein
1 scoop green vibrance
Maca & bee pollen

Meal three:
*5 slices rolled up turkey breast with hummus spread on each
broccoli- sauteed in garlic and olive oil
left over baked butternut squash

Meal four: Snack
*3 Glo-Bites
1 cup chamomile tea



Here is my plan today, so you can see the difference in carb levels

This morning.

This morning I started my day with Old fashioned Oats (GF) made with coconut milk (PURE) and dried organic cherries (NOT in sugar or juice). I added crushed pecans and walnuts. My! That sure hit the spot!!
I ended up NOT going to the gym, due to this nausea! So I figured it won't be THAT much of a HIGHER carb day, yet still higher than Monday and Tuesday

Meal two: at work
Kind Bar

Meal three: lunch
*small baked yam
Dr. Preagar's veggie burger

Meal four: Dinner
*1 cup Quinoa
chopped broccoli
1 can Tuna
diced onions

Meal five: after dinner
*1 slice Ezekiel toast
sliced apple
1 tbsp almond butter

Stay tuned for the rest of this week!