Finger-lickin-nutrition…(Caution: Potty mouth ahead)

Fingerlickinnutrition? What in the heck is that?

Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that one out. I had big dreams of turning this blog into a meal prep, work out central, weight loss support, da-bomb-diggity-one-stop-shop for all of your health needs and so much more. And then…I disappeared for two years, no sorry, FOUR YEARS! I was in no position to try to tell anyone how to change their lives when I was struggling to change my own. I thought that if I wasn’t perfect, then no one would listen to me or care about the ideas I was trying to put out there into the world. Hey, there’s still no guarantee that anyone will read this, but I’m going to write it anyway. And I’m just gonna keep it real with you, I’m still trying to get my shit together.

I dreamed of telling all of you how the girl down there…

August 2010. Still hovering around 200 lbs after regaining a few pounds.

Transformed to this girl…

New Years 2012

To this health nut…and maintained…

2013

But here I am now. This exhausted, anxious dreamer right here with exceptionally wild hair and a slight obsession with fringe…

2017

I’ve been struggling with weight gain over the past three years and lost focus despite the fact that I know what I need to do to make “healthy living” a lifestyle. I repeat, ‘a lifestyle.’ My excuse? Hell, life just happened. I moved to a new city and got wooed by a lovely “boy”, moved in with that lovely “boy”, started a job and met some wonderful people. Years later I was diagnosed with anxiety and just simply shut down. I felt lost and forgot how to navigate through change, family issues, questionable friendships, doubting my career choices. I lost focus and started to put the weight back on. Now an engaged woman at the awesome age of 34 with belly bloat, Eustachian tube dysfunction (never knew such a thing existed) an achy foot, knee, back and fatigue… I feel like poop. I’m tired of being tired and feeling like poop. And I’m also so damn tired of thinking about food “all of the time.” EAT THIS, NOT THAT! FAT CAUSES CANCER, SUGAR CAUSES CANCER, DAIRY CAUSES DIABETES, FRUIT CAUSES DIABETES. I’ve heard it all and I feel trapped in this world of super saturated food facts and “Google-litis”.

It is absolutely exhausting to try to live within these rules that may or may not even work for you in particular.

So what happens when we flip the script and break the ‘food obsession’ cycle? Or a better question, ‘How’ do we do it?

What if food and exercise weren’t the main ingredients for weight loss or good health in general? What happens when we stop reaching for our iPad and plugging every ailment into a search engine, looking for that magic elixir that will make everything in the universe okay? What happens if we just…stop? If we do something different like go for a walk after a rough day at work instead of heading straight to the fridge the second we enter the door?

Or hey, how about doing nothing at all. At least for the next five minutes. Just chill. Let the madness pass, let the anxiety or whatever is bothering us just complete itself and then and only then do we focus on the real issue at hand (boss was an ass today, boyfriend was an ass today, you were a jerk today…whatever it may be.)

What if we feed our bodies and minds with more positive thoughts, positive habits to override the old, shitty ones? Do things that make us feel sexy and good about ourselves? Become honest with others, honest with ourselves, choose exploration over fear, challenging ourselves to go above and beyond the norm despite everyone’s expectations? What if those are the missing ingredients to happiness and great health and indirectly, weight loss? To look our core issues in the eye and tell them to f** off, we’ve got better shit to do. I’m not going to sit in self-pity and stuff my face with cookies today just because I made a mistake at work, I’m going to Zumba instead.

This is what Fingerlickinnutrition is all about. Positive, mental and spiritual nutrition for the body and soul! Nutrition beyond the plate. Honesty about our struggles and seeking fulfillment, not perfection. With a side of cake, of course (every once in a while)!

I want to explore these ideas and share my journey with you. And you, share your journeys with me.

So raise up your glasses of kombucha or red wine or hell, skip the extra glass of wine and take a bubble bath instead (Did I go too far, wine lovers?)…here’s to a

Healthy Journey!

****Disclaimer: I am not an expert by any means.  All of the information presented are based on my personal experiences and resources that I come across via online sources, word of mouth, and trial and error.  As with anything related to fitness, health, and your safety, consult your doctor before giving it a go.

Wishing you the best and a healthy journey!

Inspired By a 4 Year-Old

Sweat.Eat.Transform.

Gluten-Freak

I have to confess that I haven’t been focusing so much on losing weight these past few months.  In May, I was totally stoked and energetic about cutting calories (well, not really) and getting fit with Shaun T, but then I realized that I’ve got bigger problems.  My food is attacking me.  At first I thought that if I made a few adjustments, ate less dairy, less cookies, less this and that, I would start to feel better.  That didn’t work as well I would have liked.  Folks, when you’re waking up every morning with stomach pains and there’s no pill that can make it all better, there’s really only a few ways to rectify the situation.  One, start from scratch!

I did a cleanse last year from the CrazySexyDiet book by Kris Carr and had amazing results, but I had the discipline then.  I wasn’t living with my soul and foodmate at the time so I wasn’t easily influenced by temptation (love you, Baldy).  In other words, I was a badass-juicing-raw-vegan-gluten-and-dairy-free-running-strength-training-detoxing machine.  Mentally and physically, I was in the zone.  My energy levels were super high, I felt sexy, and unstoppable.  Then my 21 days were up and I had a hard time keeping up the new lifestyle.  I wasn’t ready to go completely vegan let alone raw vegan.  Day by day, I began to slip back into my old habits.  I gained all of the weight I lost and then some.  Not because the detox sucked, but my inner rebel resurfaced and I wanted what I wanted, when I wanted it.  Helloooooo, cupcakes!

The good thing about the cleansing program is that I kept some of those healthy habits and found that I really enjoyed juicing.  I continue to juice several times a month and oddly enough, my body never looked at dairy the same.  I still eat a little bit here and there, but it’s not the star of my food dreams anymore and thank goodness for that.

The point of this post is that I need to detox again.  It’s possible that gluten is trying to kill me and I think the stomach pains and feeling crappy is my body’s way of saying it needs a break and soon.  It’s going to be a challenge, but one worth trying.  Decisions, decisions.  Am I ready to do this again?

Sweat.Eat.Transform.

Heeeere, Chickpeas, Chickpeas, Chickpeas!!!

I strongly believe that the more we learn about food, the healthier we become.  Learning about the history, benefits, and how to prepare different foods helps us to make healthier choices and to step outside of our comfort zone.  Maybe the next time you’re cruising around the grocery store, you’ll pick up that pint of blackberries or bunch of cilantro you’ve been eyeing for a while.  Many people are curious about certain foods, but have no idea how to cook them.  Each week I will show you how to cook one basic healthy ingredient such as oatmeal, fennel, almond butter, or chicken.  You can find videos on how to prepare the mystery ingredient on my Youtube channel (links provided below).  I will also add videos that show you five different ways to incorporate them into any meal whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, or even dessert.  Chicken for dessert?  Hmmmm, maybe not!  This series is called ‘(food name) All Day, 5 Ways.’

This week’s mystery ingredients are the awesome garbanzo beans also known by many as Chickpeas.  Now I understand some people have never ventured over to the world of chickpeas or have no idea what these things are.  Maybe you’ve dipped a few baby carrots or celery sticks in a pool of hummus, but never knew the primary ingredient, but if your only understanding of hummus comes from a certain movie…well then I hope I can help you out a little bit.  No, I will not teach you how to make a hummus hose!

Here’s some cool stuff about garbanzo beans.  Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are from the legume family meaning they are the fruit or seed of a plant.  Many sources trace their origins back to India, but you can also find variations in areas of the Mediterranean, north Africa, and Mexico.  I won’t bore you with extensive fun facts about these beauties, but there are many reasons why you should consider including them in your diet.

Healthy Benefits

1. Just two cups of these babies will provide you with your entire daily value of fiber.  This in turn could help better regulate blood fat, lower LDL (the bad stuff) cholesterol levels, and lower triglycerides.
2. Studies have shown that in a short period of time, consuming garbanzo beans could possibly control blood sugar and insulin secretion.
3. Can reduce the risk of heart disease due to their unique supply of antioxidants.
4. Also aids in weight loss.
5. It’s also a great meatless options for vegetarians and vegans.  Heck, if you just want to take a short break from consuming meat, this is the way to go.

• For more mind-blowing information, check out the following links below.
• Learn How to Make Chickpeas

Sources:

Photos Courtesy of:

http://www.empirecityblog.com/2011/08/you-dont-mess-with-zohans-head.html

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/playful-sculptures-feature-chickpeas-for-heads

The World’s Healthiest Foods: Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=58

Health Magazine

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20475957_25,00.html

Youtube Videos

How to Make Chickpeas

Day 14: Elite Week

This week I’ve added quite a few recipes from the Elite Nutritional Plan (Insanity) to my weekly meals.  I wanted to simplify my meals even more because I need a tiny break from the kitchen.  I’m still eating a lot of fresh food and staying away from the fast food.  With the Elite plan, the meals are very basic, nothing too special except the ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins.  They’re pretty spot on in terms of getting what you need to survive throughout the day, but I just don’t like the fact that it’s the bare minimum when it comes to flavor.  I’m kicking things up a notch!  Many of the recipes from the Elite plan call for ready-made items.  I used some such as veggie patties that were made with all natural ingredients, but I skipped the canned bean soup and opted to make my own.  Black beans mixed with fresh salsa and lime juice.  Boom, Bam, Done!

INSANITY UPDATE:  I killed my second Fit Test.  I don’t know what got in to me, but I did much better this time.  I’m feeling stronger and able to go through most of my workouts without taking too many breaks.  I’m definitely crediting my Super menu for my success.

Proatmeal w/ Raspberries and Hemp Seeds

Fruit & Nut KIND bar w/ Greek Yogurt and Chia Seeds

Black Bean Soup w/ Veggie Sandwich

Banana Protein Soft Serve w/ Raw Almonds and Coconut

Lemon Cod w/ Broccoli and Baked Sweet Potato

Day 10: Power, Baby!

 

Still feeling a little hungry after work (10 p.m.), but trying to find ways to fuel up without losing progress.  I seriously think my body is just confused and wanting sugar, but I’m not craving it.  Here’s what I think I should do as far as the junk goes.  If I’ve eaten a good meal and feel satisfied, but really, really, really want a cake pop (Best thing ever!) or whatever’s calling my name, then I will have a piece in moderation and enjoy it.  Just as long as it’s not an everyday thing.  I’m also trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet, which is why I opted to have a tomato-orange pepper salad with my breakfast.  It was an awesome decision.  I made the same breakfast this morning for my boyfriend and he loved it.  Hey, I’m trying to make my family healthy one bite at a time.  We’ve all got a lot of work ahead of us, but hey, it’s worth it.

I rocked Insanity yesterday.  I’m still struggling with the floor exercised, but everything else is going well.  I’m feeling stronger in my back and upper body and my thighs are definitely feeling the burn.  My goal with Insanity is to do all of the exercises at least 3-5 reps before passing out onto the floor.  I make a deal with myself.  If I can do 3 ski-abs back-to-back, then I have permission to fall onto the floor unless I feel like pushing for more, but I don’t rest too long.  I get back into it and try to finish strong.  However, tomorrow is recovery and I am in dire need of this break.  Seriously!

 

Scrambled Eggs w/ Ezekiel Toast, Tomato Salad, Strawberries and Grapes, Avocado Slices

Blueberry Pie Protein Smoothie

Leftovers: Ginger Tofu w/ Bok Choy and Red Quinoa

Papaya and Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Quinoa

*Snacked on raisins, steamed broccoli, and almond butter-jelly sandwich!

Healthy Journey!