skin and other things

relocated

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:44:41 -0400

Howdy! skinspot has moved locations- please come and visit at the new locale. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Well, you might be, but at least you gave it a whirl.

The address: www.fullspot.me. See you there!

Insanity!

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:16:55 -0400

If you saw my post from yesterday, I was about to embark on the Insanity madness for my exercise of the day. I did the Pure Cardio DVD from the Insanity DVDs yesterday and I have to admit they weren’t as awful as I remember, but I am sore today. A hurt-so-good sore.

I sure did look Insane post workout. My frizzy hair was everywhere. This picture doesn’t quite do it justice.

The Pure Cardio DVD is 38 minutes long and there is about 8 minutes of stretching and at least 30 seconds worth of water breaks, so, all-in-all, you are only “insane” for 29 minutes. I was feeling crazy after the Insanity session, so I decided to try cardio yoga on- On Demand. This was actually a nice little wrap up to Insanity. I really like the On Demand Exercise TV workouts- especially Jillian Michael’s Metabolism Boost (the 56min version). If you can workout at home both the Insanity DVD’s and the On Demand exercise TV workouts are really effective- well some of them are. Both will probably get you in better shape than going to the gym and just doing cardio everyday- diversity is key or so I am finding out. The great thing about working out at home is the cost and convenience. However, it does take a little getting use to. I can’t do a home workout everyday, but I defintely want to start doing more of them.

All you need…

And this guy helpful to cheer you on.

Toodles!

Primal Challenge- Day 4

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:38:46 -0400

Ok so I am currently getting off of my high horse. Yesterday was a struggle. I still stayed “Primal,” but I so desperately wanted pizza or a bowl of oats. Although I technically ate Primal all day yesterday- I ate A LOT and I am fairly certain my hunger did not match the amount of food I ~~inhaled~~ consumed. Lets just say at the beginning of the day there were four Paleo, carrot & banana muffins and at the end of the day there was zero. Two of these delights were consumed 30 minutes prior to bed, which made sleeping a little tricky. Despite eating enough for a small village yesterday, I did not wake up feeling bloated and large. A small victory? I have to say that I don’t think my food overload was driven by cravings, but more by frustration that has nothing to do with food. For the past three days I have really scaled my workouts back. Yesterday my exercise was a 90 minute leisure walk with the pug and all though I truly believe this is just fine for exercise, I need to get my sweat on. I literally go a little crazy if I don’t get my daily endorphin rush. I usually get my endorphin rush from running. However, I have bad feet, which in turn means I have bad knees, so if I keep this running up I will insure my place in the operating room in a few years. I would prefer to decline this invitation, so I need to find another form of exercise that will be good for my mind and body. I have seriously considered power yoga, but everyday I say I am going to go and everyday I don’t go. I hope this might change at some point, but there must be some reason I currently have an aversion to it, so I am exploring other avenues. My solution: I am going to give the Insanity DVDs a whirl again. I own them and I tried them last year. They definitely allow me “to get my sweat on,” but I want to die for the duration of them, so rallying the motivation to do them has been less than easy. However, I am willing to give it the old college try. Again. Stay tuned. I know that these workouts are probably not the best for my ailing knees, but they are a step in the right direction. Right!?

Sorry for the lack of pictures and my ridiculous ramblings.

Moving on…

Breakfast today was the exact same as yesterday. I am obsessed with this breakfast and will probably be eating it for many mornings to come. I decided to spare you a picture.

Moving on, again.

I haven’t talked about what I normally eat for lunch. I literally have the same thing everyday. I guess if I eat the same thing for breakfast and the same thing for lunch, I might be what some would call a “creature of habit.” This is probably not the most optimal way to eat, but my routine will probably change next week. Maybe.

Lunch EVERYDAY:

kale, spinach, peach, banana smoothie.

The goods:

The recipe:

3 stalks of organic kale
handful (or so) organic spinach
1/2 c (or so) frozen, organic peaches
1/2 organic banana- usually frozen
1/2 c sugar free coconut milk- there is stevia in this. I am ignoring that fact
1/2 tsp of matcha. Matcha = anti-cancer powder.
1/2 tsp raw, organic honey
1T sunflower butter
1/2 c (or so) 2% fage Greek yogurt.
a lot of cinnamon
dash of sea salt- brings out the flavors of the food- or so they say.

Put all the goods in blender. Liquid first. Side note: A high speed blender like a Vitamix works best because it chops up the spinach and kale marvelously.

blend

Drink:

off to do Insanity!! Say a prayer.

Primal Challenge- Day 3

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:23:29 -0400

Well color me Primal. Yesterday went swimmingly. I had oodles of energy and I was not tempted once. I realize that was only day two, but I am very eager to pat myself on the back. Part of the reason my temptations were absent, was the superb dinner I made. I would love to take credit for this recipe, but I can’t because I didn’t invent the sucker and this recipe is so simple it is virtually impossible to mess up. The dinner I speak of is a spinach, chicken, mango, avocado and pecan salad with a homemade dressing. Here is the link to this delightful creation.

Pre Dressing

Dressing

All together now.

Notice a certain pug admiring this masterpiece.

I also enjoyed a nice glass of $3 red wine with it.

For dessert I enjoyed another glass of $3 red (a very teeny tiny one) and a couple of pieces (probably too many) of my favorite brand of dark chocolate- Theo. If you have not tried this chocolate, you must. My favorite is the salted almond.

For breakfast this morning I pretty much ate a duplicate of yesterday’s breakfast except I used kabocha squash instead of butternut. This was my first time with kabocha and I adore it. I roasted that bad boy last night, then pureed it with apple and coco milk then heated in a small sauce pan. Good Lord I love this concoction.

Mr. Kabocha

Primal Challenge- Day 2

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:21:12 -0400

So far, so good. I made it through one day! Yee haw! To boot- I feel great and I didn’t have a moment at 9:00 pm where I might murder someone for a cookie, so all is well in Primalville. I really hope I am not getting a head of myself here. I know I am supposed to focus on Day 2 at this point, but allow me to share one pretty delish primal din-din. The husband even enjoyed it and he is not on the Primal train.

Without further ado:

Dinner from day 1:

roasted butternut squash

cut squash in 1/2. I cut it in 3rd’s because I made one half way bigger than the other.
scoop out seeds
coat inner portion with coconut oil- sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper. If you so desire.
bake at 450 degrees for 25 (or so) minutes.

The second part of din-din was a sort of coconut, shrimp, veggie, curry concoction.

Ingredients: beware I didn’t measure anything, so these are approximate amounts

20 wild caught, Alaskan, uncooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
1.5c organic cut-up mushrooms
3/4 c leftover cut up organic red onion, zuch, asparagus, green & red pepper
1/4c remainder of frozen, organic veggies- these are not required I jist wanted to use them up.
1.5c organic spinach
2 cloves organic garlic
1/3c organic coconut milk (full fat from the can)
1T curry powder
sprinkle of cayenne powder, sea salt & pepper
1T organic currants (these are optional, but they really made the dish)
1/2T organic, grass-fed butter (to grease the pan)

thaw frozen shrimp for 15-20 minutes (if frozen)
put in butter in large fry pan ( my fave type of pans are Les Creuset) on med heat then put in minced garlic for about 1-2 min
put in mushrooms for 1-3 min,
add 1/2 of the coco milk & curry powder
add frozen & cut up veggies for 3 min (stir often)
add thawed shrimp and rest of coco milk for 3-5 min (stir often)
turn heat to low-med and add cayenne, salt &pepper
add spinach stir until spinach wilts
add currants and stir
put lid on and simmer for 3-5 minutes
serve and enjoy

all together now. I enjoyed din-din with a cranberry kombucha

Now onto breakfast this AM. This breakfast seriously made me want to do a little jig. It definitely feels like fall here and my favorite breakfast to eat any morning, but especially on fall mornings, is oats of some kind. However, there are no oats in Primalville, so I decided to make a steamy bowl of creamy, butternut squash. I am so glad I did.

The goods:

the other half of butternut squash from last night’s dinner
1/2 organic apple
approx 1/2c of coconut milk- I used the sugar free kind from a box
1 scoop vanilla primal protein powder (this could probably omit this or use any quality vanilla flavored whey protein. If curious, refer to this post on whey protein powder)
lots of cinnamon
pat of grass fed butter

Here is how it all happens:

put leftover squash (make sure the skin is off) in food processor with 1/2 an apple and a dash of coconut milk. Puree.

2.take pureed mixture and transfer to small sauce pan add a little more coco milk & cinnamon and heat for 5 (or so) minutes.

3. add 1 scoop protein powder and the rest of coco milk.

4.top with a pat of grass fed butter and more cinnamon. (optional)

This bad boy was followed up by a coffee with 2T organic heavy whipping cream. If you have not tried whipping cream in your coffee. YOU MUST!

A challenge- Day 1

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:23:00 -0400

Good news: a good friend of mine got married in Chicago this past weekend. Bad News: I am feeling less than stellar today, so after a weekend of too much sugar and alcoholic beverages, I have decided it is time for a challenge. In past blogs I have made mention of the Primal diet; however, I have only been a part-time participant in it. This is stopping as of today. I am giving myself 30 days of honest dedication to the Primal diet. Having read and participated in so many different diets, most of these diets were vegetarian and grain based, so going Primal felt rather naughty at times and I doubted it’s healthful benefits. Furthermore, I like pizza and sugar, so I cheated a lot in other attempts to “go Primal,” but as of late, I have noticed how sugar and grains make me feel, and they do not make me feel amazing. Here’s why I am giving Primal the ole college try:

Sugar is the devil- and I have a real love affair with it. This diet helps to squash this affair.
I have been doing oodles of research in the past two months about this lifestyle, and it just makes sense. I feel less terrified of chicken and butter.
The most convincing reason, the acupuncturist (Jana Capristo, LAC) I work with has been on the Primal train for several months and has had such great results. These results include weight loss, significant decrease in shoulder pain, and clear skin. Mrs. Capristo believes in this lifestyle so much she has put together a 30-day Primal challenge that she is offering to her clients. If you live in the Portland area and are interested in one helluva challenge, I would sincerely look into this. * side note, I am not following her challenge per se because I think I have a good handle on what I need to do to via my past 2-4 month obsession with this diet.

In a nutshell, here is what my hopes and dreams are:

First and foremost: Although obsessed with food and nutrition, I am not certified in this subject, so please take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am not suggesting anybody do what I am doing.

Anyway, back to my hopes and dreams:

no grains.
lots of veggies
fruit is ok, but don’t go nuts
nuts and seeds are a-ok too.
eat your meat and eggs- however, only clean and know the source. Ideally.
dairy is cool, but, again, try not to go nuts and know the source. However, expect to see Greek yogurt and whipping cream as a daily staple.
Organic coffee and alcohol in moderation- no more than one of each, each day- Max. All alcohol is not created equal. Red wine and clear spirits with no mixer are what I consider alcohol.
try new recipes and make as much as you can from scratch.
no sugar or stevia. Honey and Maple syrup in small quantities is cool. I know sugar is sugar, but at least Maple syrup and honey offer some health benefits. *side note about stevia, it is in the Primal Protein powder I use, but that is the only time I hope to see it show up.
Simmer down on the running- my knees can’t take it. Try new exercises- hopefully yoga
drink water with lemon in it every morning.
Blog everyday for the next 30 days (except saturday and sunday) about my Primal progress.

OK so now that I have bored you to tears, here is what I had for breakfast on day 1:

2 poached eggs w/ sea salt & black pepper
1 paleo carrot, banana muffin- you must make these! my love goes deep for these guys.
2T heavy whipping cream in approx 10oz of coffee.

Just for giggles:

Burt (our pug) was Mr. Curious last night and got caught in the duvet. Being the wonderful mother that I am, I died laughing, snapped a video and oodles of photos before rescuing him.

Where’s Burt?

off to walk the pug.

This soup looks awesome! I can’t wait to...

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:11:39 -0400

This soup looks awesome! I can’t wait to make!

nutritionista:

YES! I’m so happy to have another soup enthusiast on board. Thanks for sharing your recipe… I love the idea of combining sausage and sweet potato in a soup — a combo I don’t think I would have thought of!

goodhappyfit:

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

So I just noticed today that fellow blogger and soup enthusiast Nutritionista is doing this really cool thing where she plans to cook at least 25 new soups this winter. Seeing as how I, myself, am obsessed with soup and usually make at least one pot every week anyway, here is my little contribution to Season of Soup. I can’t wait to see what other recipes people come up with and try making them myself!

There are a few things that I really love about fall, and most of them are some sort of food item. One of them is squash. Another? Sweet potatoes. Last week at the grocery store I got all giddy when I realized, OMG sweet potatoes! I kinda forgot about them over the spring/summer! I stocked up on quite a few, and I knew right away that one of the first ways I wanted to prepare them was in a soup. I did a little researching online and found lots of different recipes for soups using sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc., but I just ended up kinda making it up as I went along, which is one of my favorite things about making soup (it’s really hard to mess up).

Ingredients:

olive oil

1 smoked turkey sausage, chopped into small pieces

1 or 2 small onions, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium russet potato

2 medium to large sweet potatoes

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, other seasonings

approx. 6 cups liquid

2-3 dollops nonfat or 2% plain Greek yogurt

Other items:

Large soup/stock pot

Immersion blender!

What to do:

Coat your pot with olive oil and heat over medium heat.

Add the turkey sausage (I’ve been on a real sausage kick lately. It’s just so easy to work with) and let it brown.

Roughly chop the onions and garlic. Add to pot.

Try your best to remove the majority of the sausage from the pot and set aside. You could do this before adding the onions and garlic, but I wanted to let the flavors all cook together before removing it.

Let the onions and garlic cook while you peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Add those to the pot, too. Stir.

Season with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, a bit of cinnamon, and/or whatever else you have a taste for.

Add liquid. I used about 3 cups water and 2-3 cups vegetable stock. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are nice and tender.

Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and carefully puree using an immersion blender.

Slowly whisk in 2-3 dollops of Greek yogurt. It’s important to add it a little bit at a time, and while the soup isn’t too hot, so it blends in smoothly without curdling. Or, add the yogurt after serving into bowls. That way, you can adjust according to your individual tastes.

Return to heat and bring back to serving temperature, if necessary.

This soup was very yummy and definitely hit the spot on this cold, rainy day. I’m slightly obsessed with soup. Not only because it tastes delicious, but it’s also fun and souper (see what I did there?) easy to make!

This reheats well in the microwave, too, so make a big pot and have it for lunch throughout the week!

Bali, Indonesia at a glance

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:11:19 -0400

We went to Bali for our honeymoon. Bali is amazing! However, it is different than we expected. I was picturing this remote place with beautiful beaches and oodles of culture. While Bali is beautiful, its beaches are more for the surfing enthusiasts, rather than the lie-on-a-chair-like-a-sloth type. l fall into the latter category, so the beaches did not blow me away. The Island is home to some 2.5 million people and the distance from East to West is under 100 miles and from North to South it is under 80 miles. Long story short: Bali is crowded. Ok now that I have gotten the negative out of the way, lets focus on the positive. I would say the best part about Bali is the people! The Balinese are unbelievably kind and we felt so safe there. The rice fields are pretty darn awesome too!

We spent 5 days in Seminyak. Seminyak is the more Southern part of the island. The beach-y part. Seminyak is a nifty place, but it is pretty touristy.

We spent the last four days in Ubud. Ubud is the place where Liz from Eat, Pray, Love goes. It is the cultural heart of the Island and one spectacular place.

My honey and I at the most adorable cafe in Seminyak!

Dinner on the beach!

dinner!

beach

The pool at The W hotel. We paid a pretty hefty fee to lie here, but it was worth it.

tour of hindu temple

monkeys everywhere!

the beginning of the dance at the temple

Dinner at one helluva a pizza place.

Dinner at Sardine. The food here was amazing!

The healer we saw in Ubud

Rice fields in Ubud. So pretty!

Our Hotel in Ubud

These offerings are everywhere in Bali.

our last night in Ubud at a juice bar.

Thank you for having us Bali!

Nordstrom Rack

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:55:12 -0400

So last night the new Nordstrom Rack in Tigard, OR had a little pre-opening for a few people. I have to say that, prior to last night, I have only been to one Nordstrom Rack and it was definitely a little on the older and crusty side and you had to DIG to find a goody, but Tigard’s new Rack is something pretty spectacular. It is so organized and clean and the merchandise is pretty dang up-to-date. The designer jean selection is worth a trip out there! It’s grand opening is Thursday at 9AM, so get your fanny there!

Thank you Nordstrom Rack for a fun night with friends, cocktails, and shopping!

And we're back...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:58:53 -0400

Hellllllloooooooooo to all. Sorry for the blog hiatus. I got married in Michigan over labor day then went straight to Bali, Indonesia for a honeymoon for 10 days, so my blog time kinda took a hit. But, fear not, skin and other things is back. Phew.

Just so you don’t feel left out, here is a brief look into the best day of my life. We got married in a barn in Michigan and I am ~~slightly~~ really bummed it is all over, but I am very excited to be done planning the damn thang. Although I had so much help from our wedding coordinator Mandi Buckland, from Element Event Design, who was nothing short of amazing. Seriously if you are getting married- use her. I don’t care where you live.

Beware I don’t have the professional photos yet, so my pals’ photos will have to suffice

My HUSBAND and moi.

behold the barn…

more barn… sigh

outside of barn

signage at the barn

The wedding party. If you think it looks huge, you are correct. We had 11 on each side. I know it’s obnoxious.

oh, so many of my favorite people.

chatting up with our photographer. Also a really good friend.

The goodie table.

A serenade from our rockin’ guests

doing a lil’ jig

the ring bearer (my nephew) doing his lil’ jig

I’ll leave you on that note. Stay tuned tomorrow for out Bali pics. I know you’re on the edge of your seat. :)

Primal Blueberry Muffins

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:21:00 -0400

So I have been floating in and out of primal-ness. Recently, I have been more in the Primal zone than out, so I have been trying to find recipes that will help keep me on the Primal Bandawagon. Side note: If you have no idea what I mean by all this “Primal” talk see this post or this website. One of the areas that I struggle with on this “diet” is breakfast. I am more of a sweet than savory breakfast gal, so eggs every morning just wasn’t cutting it. As a result, I found out that coconut flour is completely legal in the Primal world. Coconut flour is simply just ground up coconut that is high in fiber, healthy fats, and very low in carbs. And my is it tasty. So with this new found love on my side, I tried making pancakes with it. The pancakes were tasty, but they never came out quite right. Honestly, it was probably me just being impatient. Anyway, I decided to try my hand at muffins made with the beloved coconut flour.

I adapted my recipe from a recipe from The Primal BluePrint Cookbook’s Pumpkin Cupcake recipe.

Forgot about these two guys:

This recipe contains:

5 Tablespoons coconut flour, sifted

3 scoops primal protein powder- I am sure any good whey based protein powder would do

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

6 eggs, beaten

4 Tablespoons coconut oil, gently melted

1/3 c maple syrup- grade b or less.

1tsp vanilla

approx 1C blueberries

Pre heat oven to 400F

grease muffin tin w/ coco oil or organic butter

combine dry ingredients in one bowl

combine wet ingredients in another bowl. Add eggs one by one mixing other wet ingredients after each egg is added.

combine wet and try ingredients together then stir in blueberries. Place in muffy tins.

Makes 12 good sized muffins. Each muffin contains approx: 150 calories and 9g of protein. Not too shabby.

cover with a little nut butter or org butter and enjoy!!

I love Nutritionista's blog post. This is a great article.

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:46:45 -0400

I love Nutritionista's blog post. This is a great article.:

nutritionista:

The New York Times is finally acknowledging something I (and others) have been saying for quite a while now: Calories aren’t everything!

The old adage “everything in moderation” is just simply wrong. There are some things you can eat in abundance, whereas other foods you should avoid as…

Run, don't walk

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:04:29 -0400

to your nearest Whole Foods if you live Oregon.

local, organic lavender is on sale at Whole Foods for 6.99! It is so dang pretty and it smells delish.

Ahhhh

Ingredients to avoid if have a bun in the oven

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:02:22 -0400

GIANT DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, so any advice I give here, must be

discussed with your medical professional.

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of women who are newly pregnant or trying to get pregnant and they are experiencing acne for the first time in their life. Ahhhh hormones. This does happen because many women when trying to get pregnant have recently gone off birth control, which cause your hormones to readjust themselves. With that said, a lot of women experience a spike in androgens, which equals more oil production, which equals blemishes. Unfortunately, pregnant ladies cannot use the typical ingredients one would use to fight that dang blasted acne.
The 4 major ingredients to stay away from include:
salicylic acid (usually less than 2% is ok)
glycolic acid (some doctors are ok with this ingredient, some are not- usually mild percentages are acceptable)
retinoids (usually there’s no negotiating this one)
Benzoyl Peroxide

The other problem women run into when they have a bun in the oven, is pigmentation. This has been dubbed as pregnancy mask, which manifests as brownish spots on the forehead, above the lip, cheeks, or all of the above.

Note: you don’t have to be pregnant to experience this delightful condition. It’s hormonally related, so often any flux in hormones can create it. It happens most often after a woman has gone on or off birth control, then goes out in the sun. The jury is still out as to why this happens, but it has been linked to a surge in estrogen.

The usual treatment for this condition is a combination of AHA’s ( glycolic acid), hydroquinone, and retinol, and of course sunscreen (because the sun or any light brings it out). However, if you’re pregnant you can only use one of those ingredients and that is sunscreen.

hydroquinone is a big no no to use while pregnant, as is retinol, glycolic acid is possible based on your doctor’s insight.

So what does a gal do if she’s expecting and experiencing breakouts and pigmentation?

There are a few ingredients to work with:
lactic acid- brightening, exfoliating, so it helps with pigmentation and acne
licorice root- helps to stop the pigmentation from reaching the surface of the skin
azelaic acid- (mild percentage) anti-bacterial, lightening and brightening. Great for acne and pigmentation.
willow bark- this is what salicylic is derived from, but a milder version. good for acne
enzymes- bromelain (pineapple) papain (papaya)- these guys work like little pac men to come in and eat the dead skin cells. great for brightening the complexion and helping to prevent acne.
mushroom extract & arbutin- helps to stop pigmentation from reaching the surface.
vitamin c- brightening, mildly exfoliating, and further protects the skin.

some products that contain these ingredients:
Is clinical cleanser
Is clinical white lightening serum
Is clinical active serum
- last I checked the entire IS clinical line was deemed safe for expecting mamas, but I would be nervous to use the Youth Complex by them. Before you buy check with your doctor.

other products:
Image’s lightening serum -great for irritation, acne, and pigmentation)
Image’s hydrating serum - great hydrator and gives your skin a good dose of vitamin c
Image’s enzyme mask- use 1-2 times a week to help with pigmentation and acne

going primal

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:51:00 -0400

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, MD, RD or anything else that requires a degree in the world of nutrition, I am just a gal who loves nutrition and food.

The acupuncturist I work with and my sister got me interested in The Primal Blue Print diet. What is this primal-ness I speak of? Well it’s a diet essentially based on how our much more primal ancestors lived. It is a low carb diet of sorts. Basically our primal ancestors did not eat grains, so we are not genetically prepared to be eating such things. So this diet (or way of life) focuses on eating meat, veggies, good fat, and minimal amount of fruit. I heard about this diet 6, or so, months ago and I thought it was crazy talk. However, 6 months ago I was a grain lovin’ vegan, so the thought made my skin crawl. Within the last 6 months I have gotten off the Vegan train and started incorporating dairy in my life, this actually proved to be a good move. I eat minimal amounts of dairy and mostly in the form of greek yogurt, half &half, or goat cheese, so I am not consuming massive amounts of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese or anything. With this addition to my diet I started to eat and crave less sugar. A huge feat for my sugar loving inclination. Recently I started dabbling in the carnivore world, which actually happened because I was constantly seething for a rotisserie chicken from WholeFoods, so I caved one day and the rest is history. I also started exercising less I cut my 60-90min cardio sessions down to 30-45 min of cardio and strength training mix and a few days of vinyasa yoga. In the midst of these changes, I started bingeing on sugar less and I started to loose a few pounds. I started wondering how eating full fat dairy and meat again in combo with exercising less actually was causing me to lose weight especially given conventional weight loss wisdom. Well The Primal Diet explains just how all of this is possible. I’ll let you refer to the website to get the deets because I won’t do it justice and I am getting tired of typing. Anyway, short story, long. I have given up my beloved grains, beans, and cookies and gone primal. I started on my full on primal-ness yesterday, so I am only 1.5 days in, but I’ve got to say, so far so great. I have more energy and I crave sugar so much less. I still want it, but it doesn’t take infiltrate my noggin’ like before. I am hoping that the more I do this, the more the sugar desires will fizzle.

Here is a breakdown of what I ate on my first day as a primal being:

Breakfast:

6oz 2% fage Greek yogurt

1/2 organic pink lady apple

1T organic, ground flaxseed

1T organic, sunflower butter

dash of stevia and cinnamon

sorry I consumed before I got a chance to snap a picture.

Snack:

handful of raw, organic walnuts and cashews

again, sorry about the lack of photo

Lunch:

Primal Protein Shake

2 scoops vanilla primal protein powder. I ordered this off the primal blueprint website. It is pricey, but by far one of the best protein powders I have ever tasted.
1/2 c organic berries
2c organic spinach
1T organic chia seeds ( I would leave these out next time- they made it too thick)
dash of coconut milk
1/2c water
dash of cinnamon and sea salt

Sorry these pictures are less than good

Snack:

handful of almonds

Dinner:

big salad with greens, peppers, figs, and cucumbers

followed by the star of the show, Chicken Curry Calfouti. I made this and it was delish. Gasp.

This was the first time in my life that I have cooked meat from scratch. I am big time.

For dessert:

1 piece organic dark chocolate

1 glass of skinny girl margarita- the love of my life. This stuff is awesome and Oregon finally started selling it. It is essentially a clean, low sugar margarita that is ready to go at any second of the day. Heaven. Thank you Bethenny Frankel for being alive.

In other news, somebody got a new bed:

I love it, Burt does not.

What Should my skin care routine include:

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:05:08 -0400

In case you missed it the first time, it’s back!!

what should my skin care routine include?

This is probably the question I hear the most. And honestly, everybody’s skin care routine is going to look a little different. However, if we’re going for an overall general routine, I would say everybody should incorporate a cleanser, a vitamin c product, a retinol product, a sunscreen, and moisturizer, if needed. Here’s how the routine would look:

AM Routine
1. cleanse- if you have acne, oily, or are acne prone, use a cleanser with a mild salicylic acid in it; if you’re dry use a creamier cleanser. Cleanse for 1-3 minutes. No, I’m not joking.
2. apply vitamin c- if you have acne, are oilier, or acne prone go with a serum based vitamin c, if you’re dry you could use a cream with a vitamin c in it to eliminate an additional moisturizing step.
3. sunscreen- spf 15 or 30 will suffice as long as its a zinc based sunscreen. What do I mean by zinc? zinc based means you’re getting your sun protection from zinc oxide instead of chemicals like: oxybenzone, avobenzone. A sunscreen is a necessity when using a retinol, as the retinol is going to make your skin more sun sensitive and you don’t want to damage that new skin the retinol is helping to bring out.
Obsessed with this sunscreen. It’s Image’s Daily Defense Ultimate Preventive Moisturizer SPF 35. Seriously the best sunscreen I have ever used. It is for every skin type. I love all of Image’s products, but they have really out done themselves with this bad boy. This particular sunscreen also has titanium dioxide in it- another physical sunscreen.
PM routine
1. Pre cleanse- remove make up with an oil-based cleanser, or simply wipe make-up off with wet cotton pads. Even if you do not wear a ton make-up this step is important, because it allows your cleanser to do its job: cleanse your skin.
2. cleanse- cleanse with the same cleanser in the am for at least 1-3 minutes- Again!!!
3. apply a retinol based product- this could be a prescription based retinol or over the counter.
4. moisturizer- oil based moisturizer if you’re dry, water based if you’re acneic, oily, or acne-prone.

Why use a Retinol? Retinol helps you look younger by exfoliating the top layer of your skin and helps to stimulate new collagen and elastin. You want new collagen and elastin because those are the guys (when broken) that are responsible for sagging skin and wrinkles. Retinol also teaches your skin cells to behave, so those with acne benefit oodles from this.

Why use a Vitamin C? Vitamin C helps to brighten the complexion, mildly exfoliates, and protects the skin against free radicals. Free radicals are the devils that age the skin, so you want as many shields against them as you can and vitamin c is a good place to start.

Fine Print: I am not a dermatologist, so this is not medical advice I am dispersing. However, I am a skin obsessed aesthetician.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this post or any other questions that might be rolling around your noggin’.
Just for giggles:

sweat it out

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:26:00 -0400

Lately I have been making good on a promise that I a have made to myself a dozen, or so, times. I am going to yoga regularly. By regularly, I mean I have gone the past two days in a row and I plan to go two more times this week. This is big time for me. While I have no problem getting my fanny to the gym, I really struggle with going to yoga. The thing is, my body needs yoga more than it needs the gym, so this something I have been desperately been trying to incorporate into my routine. My main struggle with yoga is I don’t feel like I get a very good workout (I know this isn’t true) and I do not look like I just took a dip in a pool when I leave a yoga class- meaning I like to sweat. However, I have found the answer to my conundrum. Core power yoga. Most of the Core Power classes are based the vinyasa style of yoga and they heat the room. This dubious combo equals sweat- buckets of it. Important point: A great way to keep skin glowing and clear is to sweat like heck on a daily basis. Bye, bye toxins.

Quick and Dirty

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:04:00 -0400

So I know the world is against processed foods and I get it. However, sometimes you just need a quick and dirty snack. My Q and D snack of the moment. Kombucha and a Zing bar.

Most are familiar with Kombucha, but if you’re not here are some of it’s benefits:

aids in optimal digestion
aids in optimal metabolism
aids in appetite control- I don’t agree this one
aids in weight control- again, not so sure I agree with this one
aids in optimal liver function
aids in optimal body alkalinity- cancer can’t live in an alkaline environment
aids in anti-aging- aka LOVELY SKIN
aids in call integrity- aka LOVELY SKIN
aids in healthy SKIN and hair- enough said

What is Kombucha? According to the Kombucha bottle it is a handmade Chinese tea that is delicately cultured for 30 days. During this time, essential nutrients form like: active enzymes, viable probiotic, amino acids, anti-oxidants, and polyphenols. All of these combine to create an elixir that immediately works with the body to restore balance and vitality. Essentially: health in a bottle. I hope.

My favorite flavor by Synergy is Guava. However, Portland has oodles of others of local brands like Townshead and Eva’s Herbucha. Both of these brands are awesome, I just drank them do death and now I am trying to switch it up.

Anyway, onto the Zing bars. There are not a lot of healthy protein or energy bars out there. Most contain soy isolate, oodles of sugar or whey isolate. Those three ingredients do not scream health to me. However, if you have one from time-to-time, no biggie, but I know a lot of people who uses these bars as a staple in their everyday diet. So what’s so great about Zing bars? Well all of the flavors are gluten and soy free. Woo hoo! and some of the bars are dairy and peanut free (if you’re worried). My favorite flavor is the peanut butter chocolate chip and the coconut chocolate- this one seriously tastes like a mounds bar. These bars also boost at least 10grams of protein derived from rice or peas, and they use agave to sweeten- better than sugar in my book. The only downside, is they are spendy, but so worth it.

Not too shabby!

to cleanse or not to cleanse?

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:57:24 -0400

lately, I have pondering the age old question: is it time for a cleanse? Alright, maybe it’s not so age old, but every year I can an itch to cleanse. However, every time I get said itch, I start a cleanse, invest oodles of money, then fall off of the wagon within 24 hours, which is a bummer because these cleanses are suppose to do amazing things for one’s skin and energy. The thing is, I don’t eat so bad, so maybe a true cleanse isn’t the answer. However, I do have a wee bit of a problem with sugar and I have been feeling a little on the sluggish and evil side as of late. I also wouldn’t mind dropping a pound or two. With that said, I’ve decided to create a hybrid cleanse of sorts. This is a cleanse and non-cleanse combined. Sound weird? Maybe it is. With most cleanses you eliminate common allergens such as soy, wheat, dairy, sugar, corn by products, coffee, alcohol, and most meat. However, I don not believe I have an allergy to any of those guys, but I do think any of them eaten in excess will make one feel less than optimal, so on my hybrid cleanse I’ve decided to minimize the above allergens and up the intake of greens.

Here is an example of breakfast

on hybrid cleanse:

Breakfast:

Green Smmothie

2 scoops metagenics ultra clear protein powder. This is a great protein powder that is made without soy, or dairy forms of protein. The protein source comes from peas and rice.

4 frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

a lot of spinach (approx 3 cups)

1T sunflower butter

1T organic, ground flaxseed

water to taste

a pinch or two of stevia and cinnamon

ta da……….

I am getting really into smoothies for breakfast because I don’t feel the need for coffee and at 8:00am I have already had one serving of greens. Yippie!

I’m off to the gym to get my sweat on.

to cleanse or not to cleanse?

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:57:00 -0400

lately, I have pondering the age old question: is it time for a cleanse? Alright, maybe it’s not so age old, but every year I get an itch to cleanse. However, every time I get said itch, I start a cleanse, invest oodles of money, then fall off of the wagon within 24 hours, which is a bummer because these cleanses are suppose to do amazing things for one’s skin and energy. The thing is, I don’t eat so bad, so maybe a true cleanse isn’t the answer. However, I do have a wee bit of a problem with sugar and I have been feeling a little on the sluggish and evil side as of late. I also wouldn’t mind dropping a pound or two. With that said, I’ve decided to create a hybrid cleanse of sorts. This is a cleanse and non-cleanse combined. Sound weird? Maybe it is. With most cleanses you eliminate common allergens such as soy, wheat, dairy, sugar, corn by products, coffee, alcohol, and most meat. However, I don not believe I have an allergy to any of those guys, but I do think any of them eaten in excess will make one feel less than optimal, so on my hybrid cleanse I’ve decided to minimize the above allergens and up the intake of greens.

Here is an example of breakfast

on hybrid cleanse:

Breakfast:

Green Smmothie

2 scoops metagenics ultra clear protein powder. This is a great protein powder that is made without soy, or dairy forms of protein. The protein source comes from peas and rice.

4 frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

a lot of spinach (approx 3 cups)

1T sunflower butter

1T organic, ground flaxseed

water to taste

a pinch or two of stevia and cinnamon

ta da……….

I am getting really into smoothies for breakfast because I don’t feel the need for coffee and at 8:00am I have already had one serving of greens. Yippie!

I’m off to the gym to get my sweat on.