Magic Smoothie

Does anyone get sick of chewing? Okay, that was weird. Let me explain further. Lately, in the morning, I do not have the desire or the energy to chew anything. It is also still 99 degrees outside and I have no interest in hot food. So- I've been making various smoothie combinations. They are smooth, refreshing, and with the right ingredients, can keep you satisfied and full. Today, I woke up dreaming about fall. I put on an orange tunic and made a smoothie to match (recipe below). Then I went outside and was inundated with hot, wet air. Ick. 

Magic Smoothie

Magic Bullet, or other blender

Ice

Two Eggs 

1/2 cup pure pumpkin purée 

1/2 almond milk, or other liquid 

1 small-medium banana 

1 tsp cinnamon 

Enjoy. 

Eating without Rules: Why I will never do another Whole30

I don't like rules, I don't like people telling me what to do, and I hate being controlled.

That said,

I do love to learn and accumulate as much information as possible. One of things that I love to learn about is food and nutrition. I love food (ALL FOODS "healthy" or otherwise) and I am interested to see how it works in the body and how certain foods can make us feel certain ways physically and psychologically. I also have a profound interest in health, for lots of reasons, but mainly because I have this strange personality quirk where I am concerned with being the best I can be. And in my heart I feel that a solid diet of good foods has helped me achieve a lot of my goals.

A year ago I discovered the Paleo diet and since, have read numerous books explaining the ins and outs of this lifestyle. So many things about it made sense to me and I knew it was a lifestyle that I'd adopt and keep... but only to a certain extent.

Today my mom texted me and asked "Is quinoa Paleo?" I responded, "No. It still can be problematic to the gut but if you can tolerate it then there is no reason why you shouldn't incorporate it."

I am happy to answer any questions people have but I don't feel comfortable labeling myself "Paleo". I hate it because of the stigma that I will force my lifestyle habits on you, or come off as elitist.  Or maybe you'll put me in a box with all those other Paleo/vegan/raw food folks who you have nothing in common with.

Second, is that Paleo, though a miracle for some, in not a magic bean that you pop in your mouth and suddenly become a beaming ray of light. It is a way of eating that cleans the diet in a way to remove harmful toxins and inflammation from your body. HOWEVER, I still enjoy other foods happily and peacefully and I don't go running to the bathroom, or develop and ulcer, or have my thyroid implode, or get stricken with the Big C because I eat some soy sauce or a corn chip or some vegetable oil . I eat moderately. And yes, I do believe in moderation. And I trust myself around all foods. And so should you.

One of the strictest diets out there is the Whole30. It's a strict version of Paleo where you follow a set of rules for 30 days. I hate rules, like I stated above, but I tried it because well... I wanted to see what would happen. I think it is a good foundation but I believe that it supports a greater theme in which I don't support: FOOD RESTRICTION.

I believe in health. I don't believe in restriction. I am extremely independent and individual  and I believe that, from the bottom of my heart, that you should do whatever works for you.

With lots of love
F

A Quick Recap

It has been just over 6 months since I've written! I'll admit, I have thought about writing so many times, however, I have been terribly preoccupied. Just about the time of my last post, I met my now boyfriend Chris [who is the most wonderful man ever!], started a new job teaching at my university, started CrossFit, and continued to go to school full time. The summer didn't slow down either. I was interning, traveling, and schooling. Today, I took my last final of the semester, finished up my internship, graded final projects, and for the first time in many nights have "nothing to do". It has also a year to the day that I started eating "Paleo" and a year since I started graduate school. It has been a whirlwind to say the least and a job in itself just to balance the stress, but the commitments I've made [to my studies, my boyfriend, and my lifestyle] have been more than worth it.

I plan on writing more soon because I have many topics I want to talk about, but for now, I am going to take this night and do nothing for once ;-)

The 21 Day Sugar Detox, Part III: Change is Inevitable

I don't always have a plan about what I'll write in these posts. Usually an article inspires me or something eventful happens and I can relate it directly back to what I am eating (or not eating) at the time. And sometimes, like most recently, I'll have a random breakthrough about what the meaning of life is. This time it came to me in yoga when I was desperately trying to get deeper in my crescent lunge.

Randomly this thought came into my head: This life is not about feeling comfortable or constant. Perplexed, I thought how most of the personal efforts in my life have been to make myself feel more comfortable: stay at the same university for graduate school because I know the area and it just makes sense, or in this case eliminate sugar to reduce uncomfortable cravings. I'm not saying my efforts aren't valid or smart, or make sense, I'm just realizing that these efforts have been mainly practiced to keep a homeostasis. And though science may argue that the body wants to be in a state of constant homeostasis, the heart craves change and periods of instability. That's how we grow.  What is life if we constantly deal with the same challenges over and over? It's boring. At least I think so.

So in my effort to stabilize my mood, sugar, cravings, weight, I had to change something to stabilize something else. That means, change is inevitable. And I need to welcome it instead of resist it.

So yes, my 21 day sugar detox is over... it ended on January 21st. But it still sticks even now as the middle of February approaches. Maybe thats because changing back into old habits takes more effort than sticking with new changes. And instead of being overwhelmed, I've welcomed even more changes into my life. I am starting a Crossfit foundations course on March 2nd and I have welcomed a new relationship into my life that I truly believe will lead to the betterment of myself.

The 21 Day Sugar Detox wasn't just a way to change physically and mentally, it was a catalyst for other changes that my heart wanted but was scared to make. Like they say, "your journey starts with one step".

21 Days Without Sugar, Part 2: I Met a Man For Coffee and Had a Revelation

Yesterday, I met a man for a coffee date and since the conversation was boring and the coffee was lackluster, I was staring at this man's mouth move while simultaneously listening to every other persons conversation in the cafe. 

The lady behind the counter, who I'm guessing was the owner of this establishment, was talking to the other barista about how she no longer takes any sugar in her coffee. She went on to say that she was dismissing the sugar in her then sugary coffee like it didn't really count. And that she'd rather have sugar "where she could really see it, like in a pastry". And right then and there, she cut sugar out of her coffee. 

And then I realized, not less then a month ago, I couldn't imagine my coffee without sugar. 

And then I thought about that time over Christmas break where I tried Stevia at a friends house and even though it is supposedly a million and fifty times sweeter than sugar, I found myself adding like 3 more packets to make it taste the way I wanted. And it still didn't work. 

And just now I thought about how many coffee and sugar references I've made in these last two posts. And I'm sorry about that. And I'm also sorry for all the run on sentences. 

But back to this lady and her sugar revelation. What she was doing while referencing sugar, was referring to those little things that creep up on you. Those things that happen when something becomes so second nature to you that you don't even notice it. 

I realized this was me. With sugar. And with so many other things, I'm sure. So here I am again, realizing that food can lead me to the center of so many bigger issues. Like feelings. Like things you brush off your shoulder because you are just so used to feeling a certain way. 

I am on day 14 of my sugar detox. 7 days left. But I won't go back to sugar. I will go back to wine... and vodka. But not the white stuff. 

And since I know you are dying to know, I will not be going on another date with the man mentioned above. Even if his doppelganger was Tom Cruise. 

21 Days Without Sugar: Part I

We all do it. Even if you don't think you do, you probably do. Numb yourself, I mean. Try to desensitize your body's deepest feelings and desires- with alcohol, drugs, sex, sugar. And, ok, I'm not saying its a big deal if you have a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee everyday or a cookie before bed time. I'm all about moderation. In fact, I think moderation in all aspects of life is key. 

That was dramatic. 

Anyway, by eliminating sugar my hope was to dispel a feeling that I have always dealt with.
Only time will tell. 

It's day 5. I've felt... okay. My head hurts in the morning and I feel like I need a little something after meals. But I breathe through it and the craving subsides.
I will be posting my progress. 


But this post isn't about moderation it's about elimination. Because every now and then we need to completely ELIMINATE some things from our lives. For a time or forever.  I certainly feel like something's are not worth keeping around. 

This is why I decided to do Diane Sanfilippo's 21 Day Sugar Detox. Admittedly, I can think of other things I should probably eliminate. My Facebook. My inordinate amount of shoes. You get the point. But sugar is a good starting place, right? I mean studies show it's linked to diabetes... And death. 

It's called being "HANGRY" 

Hungry and Angry. 

My mother can attest to this. When I get hungry you know it. My face tightens, my brow furrows, and I become very quiet. I get HANGRY!!! 

In my quest for perfect health (impossible, I know) I wanted to completely eliminate all forms of sugar and see what would happen. Would my blood sugar normalize? Could I skip a meal and those around me wouldn't fear for their lives? Could I end my obsessive Orbit habit? 

A Story About Giving

I recently had my tarot cards read by my friend Mary who is in that sort of thing. She actually threw a tarot reading party--wine, tacos, and tarot! I'm not really into astrology but there was wine there, so naturally, I went.

My Cuban abuela always had a deck of tarot cards out and I'd ask her to tell me my future. Clearly, I was a born planner. She wouldn't say much of anything though. She'd flip 10 or so cards and say, "You're good, no evil cards here." I'd just stare at her quizically, one eyebrow casually raised and think, I need more than that, lady.

Moving on. So, Mary flips my cards, 13 of them, and she looks at them with that look that doctors give you when something is terribly wrong. And then she says, "Can you give me a moment alone with the cards?" "The cards?" Jesus. 

10 excruciating minutes later, I sit back at her table staring at her with anticipation. She looks at me and says, "The cards are telling me you are at a transition point in your life--[Isn't everyone?]-- also, there are a lot of giving cards here. It means you keep giving and giving but you're not getting back what you want in return." Well that was vague and anti-climactic, I thought.

When I got home that night, I thought about what it means to give. You can give things-tangible objects that may or may be useful, you can give love or other abstract emotions, you can give me heartburn because you are a pain in the ass, AND, my favorite, you can give the gift of food!

I think "things" are stupid. I do not want another thing to clutter my apartment. Giving the gift of food is not only thoughtful, it's helpful. I am providing you with the basic need of satiating your hunger. Food is also an extension of myself. So technically, I am giving you myself. Lucky you!

My favorite part of the holidays is cooking yummy treats for others. I will be writing a post in a couple weeks with my finished products- recipes and photos!