Junky Peer Pressure

It’s hard to be healthy!  Put aside for a moment that it’s just plain hard to maintain self-discipline and decline dessert or order a vodka and club soda over a Bahama Mamma at the beach bar.  To drag yourself to the gym when you want to be anywhere else is nothing short of heroic!  This is not the difficulty to which I’m referring.  I’m referring to the obstacle of dealing with other people.

To each his or her own…but this seems to be a one-way street at times in my experience.  So often I’m told to “live a little,” or “not be so rigid with your diet, enjoy life,” or “you can skip a workout today, you go so often,” or “you’re always so good, just eat this.”  The other favorite lines I hear that I absolutely abhor:  “eewww, you’re going to eat that?” or “let me guess, you’re going to order salad?”

To be quite honest, I DO live a little and enjoy life.  I do not want to skip a workout because it makes me feel good and strong.  And yes, I am going to eat that seaweed salad and feel great about it!  This is on a good day.  What is most difficult is how these comments hit on a less than good day.  Of course I want to choose the pizza, or just skip the gym to go to happy hour!  However, I’ve chosen my lifestyle.  I like feeling good and having energy.  I love that I look very close to how I did in high school and I only fight 5 pounds, not 50.  I like knowing I’m doing what I can to avoid the awful diseases debilitating so many around me.

I do my best not to push my lifestyle on those who do not want to hear it.  Quite honestly, it makes me sad to see someone unhealthy or overweight complain about their lack of energy, their inability to fit into their clothes, and the many prescriptions they take while they plow into a plate of pure fat, salt, sugar and empty calories.  I want to scream “you really want to eat that??”  But that’s unacceptable.  So why is it acceptable to say it to someone who’s doing their best to keep healthy?  (*Disclaimer: I do understand not all who suffer weight gain and disease do so because of an unhealthy lifestyle.  I also understand that very few truly want to be overweight or unhealthy.)

Lately, I tend to seek out relationships with other healthy-minded people not just because of what we do have in common, but because there is a mutual understanding.  It’s not easy to make healthy choices MOST of the time.  I like having people in my life who share the value of cherishing the body and treating it well.  That person who motivates you in a weak moment is priceless!  And YES, those like-minded individuals I seek out DO occasionally skip a workout and order the pancakes!!

Peach Ice Cream and Day 1 of my Challenge

Peach Ice Cream

It’s almost 9pm, this is my weak time!  I did very well all day:  no over-eating, all good choices, and had an intense 60 minute boxing workout.  Now as the clock ticks toward my bedtime I can almost hear the contents of my refrigerator yelling my name.  Hummus and rice chips are taunting me, fresh grapes are begging to be eaten!  I will not cave in to the temptation and keep thinking how happy I’ll be in the morning.

I have purged my kitchen of my biggest snacking temptations (cereal, peanut butter, tortilla chips, candy).  However, because I love to cook and eat very little take out food, I do have an assortment of fruits, veges, whole grains, yogurt, etc.  It’s funny, when I speak of this problem to others I hear responses such as “well you’re eating good food, so that’s okay.”  It’s really not.  If I’m not hungry and I’m eating just to eat then I’m sabotaging my weight goals and really disturbing my digestion.  NOT OKAY!

I’m doing this, I’m breaking the habit!

On another note, I took my first stab at making my version of homemade ice cream.  I don’t have an ice cream maker, so this isn’t that kind of recipe.  I really liked it and will make it again, maybe experiment with other flavors or methods.

PEACH ICE CREAM

-4 peaches, peeled and cut up

-1 container of nonfat plain greek yogurt

-2 packets stevia (you can use sugar if you want, or splenda if you don’t mind the chemicals)

I froze the peaches overnight, then thawed them about 10 minutes at room temperature before beginning.  In a food processor I blended it all together and that was it!  It didn’t make as much as I hoped, about 2 servings, so add more to make more.  I ate half of it immediately and stored the other half in the refrigerator for the next day(I was afraid the freezer would make it rock hard and difficult to eat).  This is a fantastic summer treat when you’re craving something sweet, um like ice cream, or as a breakfast.

For those who do not eat dairy, I’ve heard cashew or macadamia nut butter could replace the yogurt.  I don’t have any problems digesting yogurt so that works for me.  It also very much cuts down on the calories.  Enjoy : )

Challenge 1: Breaking A Bad Diet Habit

It’s Sunday, which means in some way or another I probably pigged out!  And by probably, I mean I did.  Bad habit!

It’s 10pm and I just brushed my teeth, so I probably snacked too late tonight.  And by probably, I mean I did.  Bad habit!

Bad habits, we all have them.  I sometimes justify mine as not so bad because I don’t smoke or do drugs…blah, blah, blah!  I am  a firm believer in living a little and indulging from time to time.  However, some when a bad habit starts to sabotage my good effort and healthy goals it’s got to go.  Easier said than done though.  It’s a struggle for me to make the right choices but I’m determined to win the battle.

I’m plagued by the belly blues, haunted by bloating and sluggish digestion.  The past few years I’ve mercilessly attacked the problem through research, doctor consultations, chiropractic care, herbs, colonics, diet, etc.  Hmmmm, could it be the evil of stress too??  It’s a process.  This I do know:  overeating and eating too late are digestion no no’s!  It’s better to hit the sheets on an emptier stomach to allow the body repair and detoxify.  This doesn’t happen when the body is busy digestion a late meal or snack.  At least this is my understanding.

So, this week’s challenges:  I will not eat within 3 hours of bedtime and I will stop eating before I am full.  I love my snacks and I’ve been a night-time snacker since I was a kid.  I blame my father, the original midnight muncher (and by midnight I mean 9pm!)  So maybe this is a genetic disorder?!  Either way, it’s got to go!  Now the question is, can she do it???

Chill Cucumber Mint Martini – I juiced it!

It’s not even 8am and I’m writing about cocktails!  Well I’m not drinking one : )

One of my prized possessions is my juicer.  I bought it over 5 years ago, and never got around using it until about 2 years ago.  Now I’m hooked!  As I peruse the produce sections of the market I often wonder “could I juice that?”  Yes it’s a bit labor intensive, but it’s worth it.  I rarely, if ever, drink pasteurized, processed juices.  I just don’t like them enough to justify the high calories and sugar content.

My initial research of raw juicing was eye opening… Not only does raw juicing provide a major punch of vitamins and nutrients but it’s super easy to digest (which is a HUGE plus for those like me with the belly blues).  J

Juicing is also great because:

-It detoxifies the liver          -more fruits & vegetables that you could actually eat are used      -it increases energy leve ls

-it helps beautify hair, skin & nails       -it rebuilds cells and improves your immune system

A big complaint I hear from people is that they hate buying too many fruits or vegetables because they go bad if you don’t eat them quickly enough.  This never happens to me, I’ll just throw the produce into my morning juice!  I have heard juice fasting provides amazing health benefits, but I’ve never done it.

Before I get to the cocktails, take note:  I bought my juicer for about $50 at Macy’s.  It’s been well worth that investment.  I do know that there are more expensive juicers out there and they supposedly make an even tastier, healthier juice because they do not break any of the fruit or vegetable’s cellular structure.  For now, I’m quite happy with my little juicer and it’s been good to me : )

Anyone who knows me knows I love my cocktails : )  In moderation of course, I do enjoy a high quality martini or glass of wine.  More on that later…

In my ever evolving quest to find healthy ways to indulge, I occasionally mix cocktails using fresh juice from my juicer.  One of my absolute favorites is the cucumber mint martini!  Cucumbers are low-calorie, but high in Vitamins K, C & A, potassium, B-Carotene and more.  They’re easy to digest, great to fight high blood pressure and oh-so-soothing and hydrating to the skin!  Mint contains vitamins, but more importantly to me:  it aids in digestion!

So here’s the fabulous recipe:

-One cucumber

-Bunch of mint leaves

-1 lime

-Your choice Vodka (I LOVE my Kettle One)

-Triple Sec (optional, for a sweeter citrus twist)

-Ice

First thoroughly wash all your produce.  Juice the cucumber (with or without the skin) and a few mint leaves.  Pour the juice into a martini shaker with ice and 2 shots of vodka and Triple Sec.  Add a few squeezes of lime and a few mint leaves.  Shake it up and pour…Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

This is the perfect “after the beach or pool” summer evening cocktail!!

Here I am…

I love strolling local farmer’s markets, biting into an organic apple, drinking green tea sweetened with stevia…and dumping a Splenda packet into my Starbucks grande coffee.  Litter angers me, recycling should be mandatory everywhere, I try to rid my home of toxic chemical cleaning products…but I use Sebastian Shaper Plus aerosol hairspray because it’s the best.

There…I said it!

I am a serial failure extremist.  I fit NO category.  I am not a vegan or vegetarian, yet I’m barely an omnivore.  I very much support going green, but I’m no environmentalist…yet certainly far from apathetic.  I’m an athlete, in shape and committed, but I could eat more junk on a Sunday Funday than growing teenage boy!  I love yoga, but the chanting wierds me out.

But I am a Type A extremist.  I don’t understand “middle of the road” or balanced approaches, so I’m in constant chaos.

So this blog is my declaration to the world that I am my own category, I am Free to be Green and Free to be me.  I will not feel bad when I tell the vegan I bite other people’s cheese burgers.  I will not be embarrassed to order the organic greens when everyone else is chowing down on pizza.  I will wear my high heels to Whole Foods and I will occasionally go out for martinis after my evening work out.  Most importantly, I WILL embrace the fact that I am free to be the green goddess I aspire to be 90% of my life, and free to be the carefree, decadent diva the remainder of the time…I will be free to be me.

For more than 10 years I’ve attempted to strike a balance between fabulous and earth child.  I believe in preventing and curing illness through the gifts of the Earth.  I think natural foods prepared simply do taste good, but the average taste bud is so tainted by processed junk.  I love nothing more than sharing my findings, my recipes, my tips with others.  However, I struggle with not being the perfect health and fitness fanatic…but I know that is also not only what makes me fun but makes me REAL!

Please join me as I try to embrace this with my posts, including my daily victories, observances and struggles.  And please do leave your feedback, as I’m sure there are a whole lot more Green Glitter Girls than me out there : )

Green Glitter Rose...Symbolic of my journey