A New Skincare Regimen

Hi! It’s been a few weeks and I’ve done pretty well with my diet and exercise. I pulled an ab muscle last week during my workout, so I’ve been resting it. It’s time to get started again though. I didn’t realize how much I use my lower abs until I pulled it. Talk about pain when I least expected it! Anyhow, I pretty much have a handle on what I need to do as far as eating and exercising is concerned and I have had a lot more energy throughout the day. So I’m excited about that. So what’s next for me? Skincare. Just this week, I picked up a bar of black soap and have been using that daily. I can’t really say I’ve done much research on it and other options yet, but I know I’ve heard good things about it, so we’ll see. I will probably experiment with other cleansers too, once I sit down and take a look at what’s out there. I’ve also switched to using a blend of oils as a skin moisturizer instead of my trusted Aveeno lotion. The blend I’ve been using is bought already prepared, but I plan to explore making my own. It’s amazing how much money you can save by creating your own products at home. Anyhow, I am somewhat of a moisture freak, so I will definitely only use what I deem is excellent. So far the oil I’ve used has been great. I do need something different for my hands though, since I wash them a lot at work and probably won’t be carrying a bottle of oil around in my purse. Also, my face is not included in this skincare regimen. That will be the next search.

I’ll let you know how the soap and oils work as the weeks go on and what else I may find. I’ll also be exploring the Raw Foods phenomenon more deeply in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for that experience. Have a great week and thanks for sharing my journey!

Basics Update

I’ve had a few questions regarding the detox I’m pursuing this week, so I want to address them. Basically, I’m only eating fruits, veggies, whole grains (excluding products with yeast), nuts and water is my only beverage. So what am I eating this week? For breakfast it’s steel cut oats with apples, cinnamon, pecans and golden raisins. Lunch, veggie burrito complete with brown rice, black beans and tomatoes. And for dinner I sautéed portabella mushrooms with onions and peppers in olive oil and for my side, I oven roasted potatoes…delicious! For snacks I have fruit, nuts, and popcorn I popped myself. There are plenty of options for meals that fit into this detox, but since I’m only doing it for 5 days, I will keep it simple. I guess it’s not a typical detox we hear about like juices or water only, but it definitely gives my digestive organs a rest and rids my body of impurities of a bad diet.

Day 1 down…

Back to the Basics

Happy 2012! A new year calls for new beginnings. I’ve decided to go back to the basics with my journey to natural living. Exercise and diet are the staples for this. Starting tomorrow, I will work out more consistently with the goal of 1 hour at least 3 times a week. Nutritionally, I’m detoxing by removing meat, sugar, yeast, dairy, and processed foods from my diet. I will do this for 5 days to give my liver and kidney a rest from all the hard work I give them when I’m eating poorly. It seems difficult with so few options to choose from, but it really just takes preparation. I’ve decided on a menu and cooked my meals for the week so I don’t have to wonder what to cook and end up picking up the quickest, most convenient meal, which usually means packed with awful ingredients. On top of my diet and exercise, I plan to sleep 6-8 hours a night to keep my body energized.

I believe starting with these basic goals will help me start the new year off right. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for sharing my journey.

Another Year

This is the time of year most of us reflect on the past 12 months, wallow in self-pity for what hasn't gone right, and then vow to do it better next year. Usually, a month later, we’re back to our old habits. I've reflected on this blog’s past year and chose to skip right to what’s going to change in the new year. However, old habits won’t creep back in this time.  This was my first attempt at blogging, and we’re almost at our 1^st anniversary. I’m excited that I still have the desire to live a natural life, and even more excited about sharing the journey with you.

I look forward to posting more consistently, at least twice a month, and sharing information that will fuel a desire in you to live a more natural life. Enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, and thanks for sharing my journey!

Decisions, Decisions...

Hi! So, I’ve spent the past few weeks going back and forth about whether to become a vegan, vegetarian, or stay the same carnivore creature I am. It’s a big decision, and I don’t want to just rush into anything. However, since the time I watched Forks Over Knives, I’ve watched two other food-related documentaries, “Food, Inc.” and “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” and I’m convinced I will be staying away from meat for the most part. My diet since I last wrote consisted of maybe 10% meat, but there was no real strategy to it. I’m hoping to get some decent research in as to my basic dietary needs so I don’t become malnourished in the process. While I’m gathering my info, I will not stress very much over whether I’m eating meat or not. So, the real decision now becomes Vegan or Vegetarian. I really like milk, eggs, and cheese, so I’m not sure Vegan will be my thing. Plus, eggs are a great source of protein. I can’t definitively say though, because I never thought I’d give up meat at all.

Here’s what I’ll do. Starting November 1, I will cut out beef and pork from my diet. I’ll keep other meats to a minimum, but they won’t be forbidden. I’ll probably stay like this for at least the month of November because I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist Thanksgiving goodies. Interesting time to transition to a veggie lover, huh? By the end of this week, I should have an idea of my basic dietary needs and how to fulfill those. I want to stay healthy and fit regardless of my preferred diet. I’ll check in with any updates, as usual.

Have a great week, and thanks again for sharing my journey!

A Change of Heart

It’s been a long time since I last wrote a post. This blogging thing is not easy when you have the disease of “can’t sit still” as I do. Anyhow, I just finished watching the movie, “Forks over Knives” and I just had to share.

When I last wrote, I was in the middle of a Paleo Diet, a diet rich in protein, fruit, veggies, and fats; no sugar, grains, legumes, or nuts. I must admit, I had lost weight, felt, and looked great when I finished 2 weeks. I tried to adopt the lifestyle beyond the 2 weeks my trainer asked me to try, but it was a bit hard because my heart wasn’t in it. I also was a bit hesitant because I couldn’t see how a diet rich in fat and meat could be good for my overall health, especially my heart. So, I figured I’d try to modify the diet. It didn’t work; instead of adding in otherwise restricted foods in moderation, I went overboard and ended up back to my old diet. Fast forward to September, I spent 10 days on a Daniel Fast, not eating meat, dairy, sugar, or yeast. It was very restricted, but I found great recipes and made it through. Once again, I lost weight, and felt better, but it wasn’t even 3 weeks later that I’d gone back into the sugars by telling myself I could handle one or two indulgences here and there. I didn’t mind minimizing my meat intake, but without proper planning, things just weren’t where they needed to be.

While on the Daniel Fast, I wondered if I could become a true vegan. I like meat, always have, so why would I want to cut it out? And ALL animal by-products??? Who doesn’t love a good omelet or mac and cheese every now and again. I have a few friends who have adopted the lifestyle and they all say they love it. After watching “Forks over Knives” I’m not sure I can stay healthy and live longer WITHOUT adopting the lifestyle as my own. Now, I’m not going to get all crazy and dive in tomorrow. I am a researcher by heart, so I need to really take a look at recipes, nutrition facts, and how it will fit into my active lifestyle. I’ve recently developed a love for golf and am also increasing my weekly workouts, so I don’t want to jeopardize the fuel my body needs. I will take the next few weeks and see if this is something I can realistically do. If you haven’t seen or heard about the movie, it is a documentary highlighting a whole food, plant-based diet, based on research and clinical findings. Many diseases we all have, or think just “runs in the family” can be reversed and eliminated by changing our diet. I’m willing to try it now more than I have been before.

I’m not big on tofu or soybean based products, which has scared me away from the diet before, but I know I can tailor it to fit my lifestyle, so that will also be a part of my research. I don’t know what will come of this, but if nothing else, I will eat less meat and dairy and more fruits and veggies.

I hope to write again soon with any findings or just every day natural living thoughts. Please comment if you’ve seen the movie, or even if you haven’t, but have thoughts on the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Have a great week, and thanks for sharing my journey.

Change In Diet- Paleo

So, I thought I'd be experimenting with "Green Smoothies" and telling you all about my adventures with the weird looking drinks, but my personal trainer changed that a bit. A little over a week ago, he asked me to try a new (for me) diet, called the Paleo diet for at least two weeks. It's also known as the Paleolithic or "Caveman" diet. I don't really like the word diet because it always makes me think I'm restricting myself from the fun of food. So I was skeptical before I started researching the plan. What was I going to have to give up this time, only to completely revert back when the two weeks were done? The results surprised me a little and now I'm a week into it and feeling like I could possibly make this a lifestyle.

The Paleo Diet is based on the thought that when humans were created, there was access to only a few foods, and this is how we are meant to eat today. There are a lot of variations, so I'll stick with what I know in the most basic form. You are allowed to eat meat, eggs, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and certain fats. No grains, legumes, salt, sugar, or dairy. There are exceptions within these categories, but that is the gist of it. So far, looking at recipes and planning out my weeks hasn't been too bad. Take this week so far, I've had a frittata with chicken sausage, tomatoes and spinach for breakfast, a variation of the stuffed pepper dish for lunch, and baked chicken breast with sautéed veggies for dinner. Snacks have mostly included almonds and golden raisins, also fresh fruit. Not bad, right? This diet is very "doable" and I'm excited to see the results. Do I miss my bread, pasta, brownies, cookies, oatmeal, etc? (I can go on and on with that list, LOL) I have had a few weak moments where I find myself plotting to dig into one of those restricted groups as soon as I hit my 2 week mark, but quite honestly, I haven't craved any of it like I thought I would. It does take some getting used to, mostly because it's so easy to find something to eat without thinking about what I'm allowed to have. I had a minor victory yesterday when a sales rep brought in free lunch to the office. Sandwiches galore on all kinds of different breads and various fillings, just so tasty looking. Thank goodness though; there was also a huge bowl of salad, with slices of grilled chicken in another bowl. I proceeded to fill my plate with the salad and chicken, skipping their very creamy dressing and opting for my olive oil and balsamic vinegar I had with me since I had a smaller salad I brought from home. I completely ignored the chocolate chip cookies, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I was satisfied and hadn't ruined my diet.

So here I am at the end of week one and I'm not pulling my hair out, so that's a good thing. I've already thought about my meals for next week and I'm excited about trying new recipes. So far, I've felt like I've had more energy, and am less bloated. I'll keep you posted on any weight loss or body changes that take place. I have also had a few green smoothies while on this diet, but I haven't been consistent with them. I'll devote more time to them in another post. I have to give a special thanks to my friend Theresa who decided to take the challenge with me and has been so supportive and encouraging.

I hope you all are having a great week, and thank you again for sharing my Journey!