Sunday, March 9, 2014

Beets!!!

I love these beets!  I used to grab them all the time and throw them into my shopping cart without looking.  Now that I am reading everything before buying, I decided to check out the ingredients.  The ones I picked up below are perfect.  Very tasty.  They have other flavors that I used to buy and when I went to look at the ingredients on those, they all had added sugar.  So, I put those back.  Beets naturally have enough sugar in them, so there is no need to add it.  They are also very high in Vitamin C and Iron. As well as a good source of dietary fiber, folate, potassium, and manganese.  Theya re great to throw in a salad, or eat on their own as a quick afternoon snack!






New Kitchen Gadgets!


Since going raw/vegan I have been making tons of salads!  That can get pretty lame and boring after a while! So I have been getting creative with my ingredients. It's also more time consuming then you think.  I was cutting/chopping each individual vegetable or fruit that was going into the bowl.  Until…. the Salad Chopper from Prepara!  




I love this!  Now, I can throw everything into a bowl, and chop it up quickly and easy!  I had marinated beets, broccoli, shitake mushrooms, with a mix of lettuce.



Here is my end result! I put a little Balsamic Vinegar on top and was ready to go.  I used to use olive oil  on my salads as well.  I thought it was considered a healthy oil.  While it is still a "healthier" choice then animal fats, it is not necessary in our diets.  While it is made up of mostly mono saturated fats, it is still 14% saturated fats, no nutritional value, and a whooping 120 calories per tablespoon.  Here is a quick easy read on olive oil



Sunday, March 2, 2014

Food Shopping!




Well, I'm finally over my cold, at least the worst of it.  I worked out yesterday.  It wasn't the best of workouts.  Simpler, yet hard, body weight exercises.  Tried to run after, but I have a shooting knee pain, which is something I have never had before and it just came on last week for a day, and then again Saturday.  Not happy about this, as I can't run with it.  I can usually work around injuries, but this one is a B!#@H.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.

After the gym, I headed to Trader Joes.  It was so much fun buying foods I knew were good for me.  I went organic with raw and frozen fruits and vegetables.  I picked up sprouted Hemp Seeds and raw almond butter, checking to make sure the only ingredient was almonds.  So I basically went mono-ingredient.  Its surprising how so many foods I thought were "healthy" had ingredients that I could pronounce, nor had I heard of!  So I put them back on the shelves.  I managed to find one bag of raw, unsalted mixed nuts.  I left with two full grocery bags, and it was $75 total.  Much better then my trip to Whole Foods.

It was a nice day yesterday, so Shorty and I headed North up into the 30's from our Soho block and then down the West Side Highway.  The walk was beautiful and I even felt a little over dressed. Then we spent a quiet afternoon home.

Today, Sunday, We headed to the gym for Shorty training.  He did so good today!  He was on fire.  I recently changed his diet back to Honest Kitchen.  It is a dehydrated dog food made with meat and veggies.  I'm wondering if this is way he has a sudden pep in his step.  I felt the change in me when I got rid of processed foods and went raw/vegan.  After training we took the long way home up the WSH.  I had a client, and a class to teach at the gym today so I wanted to get him tired out while I was at the gym.

A sad ending to the day.  I attended a memorial service for friend and fellow co-worker Lance Turnbow. I am never good with these things.  Really, who is? Rest In Peace Lance.


Friday, February 28, 2014

Home Sick Tonight!


Uggggg! Can you believe just 2 days after I finish a 30 day Juice Cleanse, I have come down with a terrible head cold and body aches.  I didn't blog last night because I started to feel it coming on.  So I went straight to bed.

I was able to train this am, and had an apple with a bit of almond butter and a banana.  I swung by Juice Press for lunch to grab a Hawaiian Healer along with The Remedy for it's anti inflammatory properties. I am hoping this will do the trick.

No picture really of today.  The only thing I love about being sick, is I get to stay in bed with Shorty.

Training:

3 mile run
Zercher Squats Barbell 95lbs
Bet over rows, double bells 18kg
Ratchet Turkish Get Ups (move through each movement and return to the floor.  So, step 1, back down.  Step 1, 2, back down. Step 1,2,3 back down so on and so forth until you are fully standing.) 18kg

Juice:

Hawaiian Healer, The Remedy, Pink Punk

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Lunch With The Girls!




Starting to eat whole foods again today!  I still started the morning off with GLO from Juice Press.  I love this juice.  It is the perfect way to start my day.  It taste so clean and refreshing.  One of my best friends and her daughter wanted to celebrate my return to foods as well as a fresh start to eating vegan and as close to raw as I can.  I'm thinking 70% of the time is a good aim!  We went to One Lucky Duck.  A raw/vegan take away stop that is the sister to New York's Pure Food and Wine.  They have a small eating area inside which was perfect for us.  Very comfy and cozy on yet another snowy NYC day.  There have smoothies, juices, cookies, and desserts, plus a variety of supplements and even dog treats and toys!  I knew I'd love this place!!!

We decided on the Portabella and Hemp Seed Burger and the Zucchini and Greenhouse Tomato Lasagna.  These dishes did not disappoint! What I loved the most was, I could taste all the different flavors of the vegetables.  They were so fresh and popped in your mouth.  Definitely a different taste from cooking veggies.  The 3 of us wiped the plates clean!  It wouldn't have been a celebratory lunch without a raw/vegan dessert.  Ryo and I decided on the Raspberry cheese cake pop and Passa had the peanut butter cupcake.  We all tasted both desserts.  Before this experience, I was a dessert freak!!  I could eat cake and cookies all day if you would let me.  These were very nice.  Not too "sugary"  It was a nice change from the sugar spike of the desserts I once had.

Training:

1 Mile Run
Snatches and Handstands.  10 Snatched R/L with 14kg bell.  30 Sec Handstand Holds in between sets. 5 sets total.

Headstand leg raises for core work

Muay Thai:  Pad work!! 5- 4Min Rounds with my Trainer.  Then I held for him.  We both laughed as I went flying on his first kick.  I am definitely lighter!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Day 30







I made it!!  My 30 day Juice Cleanse from Juice Press finished up today.  I feel great!  I continued training while on the juice, making gains in my lifting and still kicking ass in the ring!  I have to thank Marcus Antebi for this opportunity and creating a well balanced juice company.  They leave nothing out.  Everything you need to lead a healthy lifestyle is in these juices.  I am also thankful to my trainer Steve Milles who did the cleanse along with me.  He will continue to encourage me to make healthy choices, and stick to vegan, and mostly raw options.  I did a beef question/answer for Juice Press.  I feel it covers everything I'd want to say.  So here it is…………..


What was your motivation?
I’m a big fan of Juice Press products; from juices and smoothies, to the raw food options, soups and snacks, I’ve tried them all. My most recent experience with juicing was last summer when I had to cut 12 lbs for a fight. (I’m a professional muay thai fighter and losing weight before fights is just part of the job.) So, I did a 6-week stent of juicing half-days. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was amazed by the outcome. I not only lost the weight but also felt great — full of energy — going into the fight.

When I was given the opportunity to do a 30-day full on juice cleanse, I was both excited and nervous. Excited because I knew it would be just the thing I needed to clean up my act, as I was, sad to say, still eating and drinking as if it were the holiday season. The few extra pounds I had put on were making themselves known: My jeans were getting a little tight and my energy levels were down. I was also nervous because I didn’t know if I could truly do a juice cleanse for 30 days and still maintain my workout schedule.

Weight before and after?
As I mentioned, part of my motivation to do the 30-day cleanse was to lose weight. However, I actually don’t weigh myself unless it’s for a fight. Instead, I go by how I’m feeling (energy, mood, etc.) and how my clothes fit. And, I know I’ve lost weight because my clothes definitely feel more roomy and comfortable since being on the cleanse. Also, my friends tell me I’m “deflating.”

Favorite juices?
It's really hard for me to pick a favorite juice! They’re all different, with unique tastes and vibes. dr. earth is a great combo of mother earth and dr. green — blending super greens and sweet fruit with a zing of ginger.

Favorite smoothies?
Wow, so difficult to choose from so many great-tasting smoothies. If I were forced to pick one, I’d go with fountain of youth. It’s a complete meal packed with protein, omega 3 and 6, amino acids, electrolytes, antioxidants, and fiber. The hemp protein is easy to digest and readily available for my body to use. Not to mention, it’s pre-bottled, so I can grab and go!

Did the cleanse affect your lifestyle?
These past 30 days have blown me away. I thought I’d drop a few pounds while trying some great juices and smoothies. I never expected the ride I’ve been on since I started the cleanse. My energy levels are at an all time high, and they’re consistent without the ups and downs I typically experience throughout a day. My job has me awake bright and early in the morning with a late bedtime. In the past, I’ve coped with this by taking a nap during my mid-day break. Not so on the cleanse! I never hit the afternoon slump so could get things done during the day instead of napping. And, at night I feel like my sleep is so much deeper and more efficient.

Other effects: I’ve maintained my normal training schedule, and made gains during them. Also, my friends have commented on how my skin is glowing. And, something I never expected happened. I never hit the winter blues. Like most people, I hit a slump come February/March when the holidays are over, and it's dark and cold outside. I was able to find a natural buzz that kept my spirits lifted through one of the longest and coldest winters in NYC to date.

Do you plan on changing your eating habits after the cleanse?

I’ve spent a lot of my free time researching new smoothie recipes and raw food options. I’m now much more aware of how dairy, sugar, and processed foods impact and limit my health and happiness. After the cleanse, I plan to remove dairy and processed foods from my diet and explore new ways to prepare and enjoy foods. And of course, I will do a week juice cleanse here and there to keep me on track!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Day 29


It may not look like much…..but this Fountain of Youth was made for me tonight.  My last night picking up juices for a full day cleanse.  On my way home form work, I stopped into my local Juice Press to grab my juices for tomorrow.  The people there are always so friendly and have been so supportive of me during my cleanse, they have cheered me on along the way.  I was looking for my favorite, Fountain of Youth.  It wasn't there!!!!  In fact, they were a bit low on juices in the refrigerator. That's actually a really good sign.  Because the juice have such a short life, 3 days, they are made fresh everyday.  So they really try to make only what they need.  If they happen to be out of what I am looking for, I can easily grab something else.  But……. Fountain of Youth is my FAVORITE!  I wanted to make sure I had it my last day.  (I'll probably get it Wednesday, Thursday, Friday….etc)  The girls behind the counter said she'd make me a fresh one for tomorrow.  I told her not to worry, I'll pick one up in the morning.  It was 9:00pm when I stopped in, and I always see the Juice Press mobile loading the refrigerators when I leave for work about 5:30 am.  She wanted to make me one.  It was her way of contributing to my last day on the cleanse.  It was so sweet, so I happily waited for it.  I know this will be the best one yet!

I have so many mixed emotions.  I don't want to come off the cleanse!!!  Can I be trusted?!?!?!  I know I go vegan.  But how raw can I go?  And will I feel this good after I'm off juices?!  I will take it one day at  time.   I still plan to drink a lot of juices.  Some I will even attempt to make.  I am excited to try raw recipes, and get back to making my own foods.  Plenty of restaurants in NYC that offer only raw food. My friends are excited to try them with me.  So I know I can do this!!!