EAT CLEAN - No, it's not eating while you are cleaning!! :)

What's clean eating?  A lot of people asked me that question quite often lately.  Some people think it's a passing "trend", the flavor of the month, or just one of those diets that come and go. 

I'm not sure what clean eating will be for you, but for me it's my new way to eat.  It's not a diet and shouldn't be a passing trend, because clean eating can save a lot of people from diseases that will claim their lives sooner or later.

Why am I passionate about this?  Because it really works and changed my life forever.  Why am I sharing this information with you?  Because I care about my friends and family and if something has the potential to better their lives, you better believe I will be looking for different ways to let them know about it.  So, this is me saying it OUT LOUD, CLEAN EATING is pretty AWESOME.  GOT IT? OK, let's get to the details!

Clean Eating is a very simple concept, just like the name itself, but it requires knowledge, discipline and will power. Especially at the very beginning of the process.  What I will try to do in here is sharing a very basic guidelines of what clean eating is, few start-up steps and some links to educate you on the subject.

CLEAN EATING DOESN'T MEAN 

CLEANING YOUR FOOD BEFORE EATING IT!

Clean Eating is the act of basing your diet on whole, unprocessed, preferably organic foods.  In other words, when you eat clean, you try to eat as low on the food chain as possible.  By focusing on whole foods, your diet automatically become higher in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals and lower in refined sugar, bad fats and food additives. 

The basics of the eating clean lifestyle are:

• Eat whole, unrefined and unprocessed foods that are low on the food chain.
• Eat a wide variety of unprocessed foods. (Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, Healthy Fats, etc.)
• Avoid artificial substances, including artificial flavors and colors, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
• Cut back on sugars, especially processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.
• Avoid trans fats and artificial fat substitutes. 
• Choose low fat, or non fat, dairy products.
• Choose foods that are nutrient dense. 
• Combine proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fat at every  meal for the most satisfaction.
• Drink lots, lots of water.
• Eat five or six mini-meals a day rather than three large meals.
• Practice portion control, especially when you eat more than three meals a day. 

I know what you are thinking... "Dora, that's not easy."  And I will be brutally honest with you here, it's a little difficult at the beginning, and that's mainly because you are not only changing old (bad) habits, you are also learning something new while you are making all those challenging changes.  

Cutting processed foods is like detoxing from a drug addition.  It has been describe like that by many experts and I think it's pretty accurate.  That's why I'm recommending for you to read about clean eating first, know what's going to happen, what you need to change and how you overcome the challenges.  

It can be done, it's just a matter of discipline, will power and a true desire to better your life for good!

 

CLEANING YOUR DIET WILL CLEAN  YOUR LIFE!

Eating clean is a lifestyle change, not a diet.  To be successful, you have to think about food and eat differently, which will no doubt prompt changes in other areas of your life.  Remember that these changes won't happen overnight.  But if you have been relying on a diet of heavily processed foods, with refined sugar and flour and lots of additives and preservatives, you may see dramatic results in a short period of time.

As you adopt an eating clean lifestyle, you may also notice:

• Weight loss.
• Clearer skin. 
• More energy.
• Healthier hair and fingernails.
• Stronger muscles.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Stronger immune system.
• Lower cholesterol levels. 
• Clearer thinking. 
• Feeling like a million dollars, for real!!

 
In my experience the first two weeks were the most difficult ones, I was breaking my addiction to processed foods, and most importantly starting to cut sugar out of my diet.  Sugar is the most difficult component to let go, but I can guarantee you, it will change the way you eat for ever.  

I noticed changes on my energy levels within the second week.  It was a pretty amazing feeling!  A feeling I want you to experience.  

Do I still eat processed foods?  Do I drink alcohol? Do I eat sugar?  The answer to all those questions are YES!  But my taste buds have change so much, I can't really eat much of those foods anymore.  Not even wanting to. (Seriously!)  

I do eat processed foods very seldom, during the holidays, vacations or special occasions.  Those foods don't satisfy me the way they used to months ago.  So, I became very selective about the kind of processed food I decide to eat.  It has to be VERY GOOD!

I love having a glass of wine once in a while and for those who knows me well, more than a glass! :)  Even that changed after adopting this lifestyle.  I can still drink but I can't drink as much as I used to.  Another interesting thing is the kind of drinks or wine I'm able to drink.  I used to love semi-sweet wines, now I just drink dry wines.  Why is that?  My tolerance to consume drinks high on sugar content changed as well.  It's something that gradually happens with time as you get used to your new eating style.  

Hope this blog clarified some questions about the clean eating lifestyle and maybe motivates you to learn more about it.  At the bottom of this blog I'm including some resources to help you start this process.  You won't regret it!! Good luck!







WEBSITES
Eat Clean Diet Website   
Gracious Pantry - Clean Eating 101
Clean Eating Magazine 


BOOKS
Eat Clean Diet - Recharged 
Eating Clean for Dummies 
 

If you have any questions about the clean eating lifestyle, 

feel free to email me those questions to my page in Facebook!  

 Losing it with Dora - Facebook Page   

Rock of Ages! - Bringing back the 80's

WARNING! 

You will enjoy this blog a little bit better if you are a "children from the 80's"!!!

Can you find a movie that's equally AWESOME and AWFUL?  The answer is yes, and the name of the movie is "Rock of Ages".  Before you start attacking me about the "awful" part of my commentary, I want you to understand that I'm a "TRUE" fan and "CHILD" from the 80's.  

Let's be honest people, the movie script SUCKS!, like really bad!  I can totally see it being a success in Broadway but the adaptation didn't translate well, and that's what make this movie AWFUL!  Yes, silly AWFUL! The only way you can overcome this awfulness is if you are a true, die hard 80's fan.

The movie is around 2 hours long, and we started to watch it around 11pm.  Within the first 10 minutes, there were people singing already in a very weird setting... A BUS!  My husband and I looked at each other and were almost certain that we will fall asleep within the first 30 minutes of the movie.  Fortunately our movie experience changed when we found ourselves in a Karaoke movie!! woo hoo!!  We sang every freaking song in the movie, and had a blast!  

Rock of Ages takes one of the best artists from the 80's and used their hit songs as a music platform.  Journey, Foreigner, Def Leppard, Poison, Pat Bennatar, among few others.  Even the music arrangements and medleys were awesome, considering the actors were the ones singing.  Again, musically this movie was AWESOME!! 

Overall acting, considering the story line was ok.  Talented and not so talented actors were brought together, which is expected and ok.  I was pleasantly surprised with Mary J. Blige's acting.  I only like Russell Brand if he's acting like a nut, which doesn't translate well to the real life, but for the movie it was brilliant.  But who really, really, really, really (seriously really) surprised me was TOM CRUISE. Oh lord!  


I have never been a die hard fan of Tom Cruise.  I think he's a great actor, but never really care much about his career.  Fortunately for Tom and for all of us, he has been taking on very different roles lately, and I'm really enjoying watching him playing funny, crazy people on the screen.  In this movie, he plays a heavy metal rocker-star named Stacey Jaxx, and what I'm going to say now make me feel a little dirty... but it's honestly true!  HE WAS FREAKING HOT!!!!  He doesn't only looks sexy on the movie, he shocked me when he started to sing.  YES! he sang pretty darn good!!  I have to say that after seeing this movie I have a new found respect for Tom as an actor.  He can truly play anything. (loved his crazy role in Knight and Day!)  He's good with crazy... we kind of know why, right? ;)

At the end of the movie, my husband and I were browsing the internet for songs that we didn't remember well, buying some of them in iTunes and just commenting on it.  I had a blast singing the songs and watching my husband singing along with me.  After 7 years together, it was the first time I saw him singing like that.  

Rock of Ages movie sucks, but it's a total must see!! :)  

I WANT TO ROCK!!! ROCK!!!

SUPERFOOD - QUINOA

SUPERFOOD - QUINOA!

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for over 6,000 years. (Impressive!)  Widely produced in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, Quinoa is becoming more and more popular in North America. 

This frequently overlooked grain-like crop, pronounced "keen-wah", is a true Superfood, providing a stunning array of minerals and vitamins for your overall health.  Quinoa is an excellent source of protein (yes, you hear that right...), which helps your muscles recover after a workout and can help fuel you throughout your day.  It also contains a healthy dose of dietary fiber, an important factor in slowing digestion that helps keep your waistline slim.  

This fascinating "pseudocereal" can provide improvement for those suffering from migraines,the magnesium found in quinoa seems to reduce the frequency of migraines headaches.  Magnesium has also been known to substantially lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and boost your overall heart health.  

Try eating quinoa in the evening - it's an easy-to-digest food, so it can encourage a good night's sleep. 

STAR NUTRIENTS

Iron, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B9, Manganese, Potassium, Copper, Magnesium and Phosphorous. 

ENJOY IT!

In soups, stir-fry, pilaf, cooked like rice, cooked like oatmeal, or as a dessert. That's what I call a versatile food!!

FUN FACT

In ancient Incan society, quinoa was revered as the "mother grain" and considered sacred.  It was tradition that the Inca leader plant the first seed of every planting season using a golden shovel.

 

RECIPES

10 Quick Quinoa Recipes 

Quinoa with Sundried Tomatoes 

Clean Eating Banana Almond Quinoa 

 

MORE INFORMATION

Wikipedia - Quinoa Information 

WHFOODS: QUINOA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 42th Birthday... but I feel 28!

Little Princess - 4 years old

When I was younger, older people kept saying that age was relative to how you feel not how old you were.  It was an interesting concept that's difficult to understand unless you are the one getting old.  But it was true, as you get older, your brain kind of stays at certain age, in my opinion an age you felt comfortable with.  Guess that's the way your brain cope with the fact that you are getting old, and I think it's BRILLIANT! 

My family, I'm the little one!

Today, I'm celebrating my 42th birthday, but I truly feel like in my late 20's.  I was born 42 years ago in a small town in the north coast of Puerto Rico.  Arecibo is the name of my hometown. I spent there the first 20 years of my life.  Most of my family and good friends still live there and I try to go back as much as I can.  

As you get older, you learn to appreciate things in a different way.  Now when I go back to my hometown and spent time with my family and friends, I experience my time there differently.  I love the smell of the sea breeze early in the morning, my mom's coffee and that feeling of ownership because you belong there.
  

In my 20's, back in San Juan, during my college years.

It wasn't until my mid 30's that I moved permanently to the US, and with that move lots of changes.  Climate changes, professional changes, friends changes, family changes, everything was new.  And even though changes proved to be challenging and stressful at times, having that young woman who still lives in my brain help me cope with all.  

In my early 30's playing with my baby Doggie.

That girl in my brain is optimistic, positive, energetic, fair, compassionate, hard working, funny, audacious, resilient and playful.  I like her a lot.  She's the one who pushes me to be better, to conquer my fears and to see the glass half full all the time!  I'm lucky she stayed with me all these years and I truly hope to have her for many years to come.

In my early 40's, celebrating Halloween in Germany.

I'm incredibly content with my life.  I dont feel like I have to prove anything to anybody but myself.  I don't feel in a race to be better than anybody because I'm not.  I realized that the only way you can feel realized as a person, is learning to love yourself just the way you are. Getting older has many benefits, and for that I'm so grateful.

In my late 20's, with my family.

At my 42's I'm in the best shape of my life, surrounded by wonderful people and at peace with the person I became.  I know I have the potential and the skills to reach many new goals, and with time I will get there.  I'm not in a rush!  There is a time for everything and everything has a time.  
 

Celebrating my 42th birthday!

Today I want to Thank God, for a life full of blessings and love. I'm grateful for another year in this world, for my family and my friends all over the world. 


I'm lucky to have health, a loving husband, my crazy pets and that young girl in her late 20's still living in my brain.  That same girl that reminds me every single day to stay FOREVER YOUNG!

Happy Birthday to me!   And let's stay Forever Young!

I wanted to share this song, because it has one of the most beautiful lyrics I have heard in a long time.  Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do. 

SUPERFOODS - Mr. Broccoli

Eating healthy comes with some acquired responsibilities.  Some of those are related with learning more and more of what you put on your family's plate.  Eating healthy isn't about being on a diet at all!  

Since I started to change my eating lifestyle and trying to become more health conscious, I have been learning tons of information about nutrition and what it can do for you physically and emotionally.   At some point it stops being about losing some pounds, but more about feeling good and satisfied as a well. 

It's amazing how much good stuff is out there, and it's available for all of us to use whenever we are ready to adopt it. 

Superfoods are not "superheroes" tiny cartoons in a shape of carrots, tomatoes or a banana,  :)  but that will be cute, right?  Still, these "foods" provide with so much to your body that in a way, they are SUPERHEROES!  They are saving you from diseases, unhealthy habits and overall frustrations about your weight.  

Superfoods or Powerfoods influence your weight and body-fat, but also are high in nutrition, providing health benefits beyond just the vitamins and minerals they contain.  Superfoods can help to prevent heart attacks and various forms of cancer. They can also decrease blood pressure levels and improve the immune system function.  Again the benefits are endless. 

For all these reasons I decided to share some of this information with you.  I love to feel healthy and want you to feel the same way too.  I will be posting general information about each of these Superfoods on my blogs, hope you all enjoy it and maybe challenge yourself to include some or many of them on your daily meals.  

I decided to start with Broccoli, just because it's a easily available veggie that I didn't like much in the past.  Now, I love broccoli, not just because of what it brings to my nutrition, but because I found delicious ways to cook it.  After all, you have to like what you cook, right?  If you dont like broccoli, you wont eat it, even if it's the best food out there!! 

SUPERFOOD - MR. BROCCOLI!

Just one cup of Broccoli provides you with 150 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and 20 percent of your required fiber.  (Vitamin C is not always linked to fruits my friends!!)  Broccoli contains beneficial amounts of phytochemicals* that repair DNA, block the development of cancer cells and support the immune system because of their antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer properties.  The benefits of this veggie are endless!

The amount of fiber in broccoli keeps you satiated for hours, while the digestive benefits from the phytochemicals aid in the absorption of other nutrients. 

 *phytochemicals or phytonutrients, are neither vitamins nor minerals; they are substances that plants manufacture to protect themselves from viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects. They may help prevent some cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, cataracts, osteoporosis, and other conditions.

STAR NUTRIENTS

Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Fiber

ENJOY IT!

Steamed, Roasted, Stir-fried.

FUN FACT

Broccoli is named after the Latin word BRACHIUM, meaning branch or arm.

RECIPES!

Roasted Broccoli - By Clean and Delicous 

Broccoli & Cheddar Potato Skin - By SkinnyTaste 

Broccoli & Cheese Mini Omelets by SkinnyTaste 

A drug called... SUGAR!

It's 2pm in the afternoon and you are craving one of those donuts that your colleague picked up this morning at Krispy Kreme.  You have been thinking about it all day long.  You are actually salivating just at the very thought of it.  Finally you decide to go for it.   You ate the donut, felt the rush and excitement while your mouth watered while eating it.  GREAT, right?  But at 2:30-2:45pm, the rush is over and you just want to find the closest bed available to take a power nap.  You are tired, sleepy and worst... HUNGRY!  You really want to go for the rest of that box of Krispy Kreme!  

You are not alone, we all have been there, feel that and done that!  Sugar is a Drug, and that's why once you get hooked, you need more.  It's not rocket science.  The more you get, the more you want and it's a never ending cycle. 

I'm not trying to lecture you on eating sugar!  I'm living a clean eating lifestyle, but very seldom I eat sugar(the bad kind).  Not because I look forward to it, I do it when there is a special occasion. 

Today, and only if you are interested in reading it, I would like to share with you why I quit eating sugar. (refined sugar, anyways!)   And most importantly, I would like to share how AMAZINGLY GOOD I feel since I brake the SUGAR habit! 

Why SUGAR is bad for you?  

Oh well, there are tons of reasons.  Mainly health related reasons.  What about if I tell you that sugar consumption is link to obesity, diabetes, inflammation, heart disease, cancer, just to name a few.  I can tell you personally that eating only natural sugars really changed my life.  My joints and back pains improved 100% since I change my eating lifestyle.  Not to mentioned the level of energy I gained since the change.  There are tons of articles that talk about these very topic, and I will be including some at the bottom of my blog for your reference.  Remember "knowledge is power", educate yourself so you can make better decisions. 

Where in the "label" is SUGAR?

Let me start by saying that not all sugars are created equal.  Natural sugars are OK.  Our problem with sugar and many other foods is MODERATION... yes! and don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about.  It's obvious that we are adding sugar to everything these days, and to make the situation a little bit more complicated, the sugar is added before we even buy the product.  You will be surprised by the many names "SUGAR" uses on labels.

1. Barley malt
2. Beet sugar
3. Brown sugar
4. Buttered syrup
5. Cane juice crystals
6. Cane sugar
7. Caramel
8. Corn syrup
9. Corn syrup solids
10. Confectioner’s sugar
11. Carob syrup
12. Castor sugar
13. Date sugar
14. Demerara sugar
15. Dextran
16. Dextrose
17. Diastatic malt
18. Diatase
19. Ethyl maltol
20. Fructose
21. Fruit juice
22. Fruit juice concentrate
23. Galactose
24. Glucose
25. Glucose solids
26. Golden sugar
27. Golden syrup
28. Grape sugar
29. High-fructose corn syrup
30. Honey
31. Icing sugar
32. Invert sugar
33. Lactose
34. Maltodextrin
35. Maltose
36. Malt syrup
37. Maple syrup
38. Molasses
39. Muscovado sugar
40. Panocha
41. Raw sugar
42. Refiner’s syrup
43. Rice syrup
44. Sorbitol
45. Sorghum syrup
46. Sucrose
47. Sugar
48. Treacle
49. Turbinado sugar
50. Yellow sugar

AMAZING! Right? So, how you know which ones are good and which ones are bad?  The answer is NATURE or as close as natural as possible.  Honey, Maple Syrup, Molasses are great options, but they are high in calories, so you have to exercise moderation.  Stevia (and its many brands) is another very close to a natural option, excellent for weight loss because it's low or non calorie.  Look for a brand that offers a low calorie count and very little extra artificial ingredients.

During your next trip to the supermarket, take a moment to read some labels, you will be surprised where you will find some form of sugar.  Alcohol, Breads, Deli Meats, Ketchup, Granola Bars.  Another good advice, if you don't understand what the ingredient is, or if it has a chemical name... DON'T BUY IT!

The Artificial cousins of SUGAR!

You know them... Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, Xylitol, NutraSweet.  I'm going to be short and sweet with this one.  They are artificial, they are not good!  They have to go!  I know what you are thinking in this very moment, and I know it because I was there few months ago.  How can I quit my EQUAL?  My problem quitting artificial sweeteners wasn't about the 0 calorie benefit, my problem was deeper than that...  I LIKED THE FLAVOR OF EQUAL! (Yes, it was an addiction!!)  

I started to use Stevia for almost everything but coffee.  Coffee with Stevia didn't tasted good to me.  To my surprise after few weeks, I had to adjust the amount of Equal I put on my coffee until I started to drink coffee without sugar at all.  And you know why?  Because I couldn't stand the flavor of Equal after few months on clean eating!  Believe it or not!!  I'm telling you, you can change or break any habit if you are focus, determined and strong.  

SO NO SUGAR FOR ME, FOR REAL? FOR EVER?

I would love to say YES! No sugar for you ever, just to see your faces!! But because this is a blog, I won't get that satisfaction.  The answers is no, we dont have to go to that extreme.  Just stick to what's natural as much as you can.  Let me give you few examples, based on my daily decisions on how I handle and consume sugar.

Example 1

MILK

Most milks have sugar, it's a natural component of milk.  Just make sure you pick options that are low fat, unsweetened or plain.  That way you are avoiding artificial, added sugars.  EASY RIGHT?

Example 2

CHOCOLATE 

I like to have chocolate once in a while, so I choose Dark Chocolate - 70% or higher cocoa.  The higher the percentage of Cocoa, the lower the added sugar content.  YES! it has added sugar, but I'm ok with it because I have a piece or two with my coffee when I'm going through a craving phase.  SEE?  I'm not killing you here, right?

EXAMPLE 3

CARBOHYDRATES(HEALTHY CARBS!)

Our bodies need carbohydrates to function.  Carbohydrates have sugars.  But when sugar is consumed as a carbohydrates you are getting lots of others nutrients, so it's ok.  The important thing is to see what kind of sugar the carbohydrate has, always choose a natural or clean option. The trick with carbohydrates is moderation.  You don't need a truck of bread in other to function.  Moderation!! Moderation!! (Examples of carbohydrates - FRUITS, GRAINS, VEGETABLES, etc.)

BOTTOM LINE 

When you modify your diet, consume a moderate amount of sugar and cut all the added/artificial ones, you are going to notice amazing changes.  Your taste buds will change, you will have a level of energy you won't believe, and most importantly you are going to start losing some weight. (if that's what you want!)  

Few weeks into my eating lifestyle change I decided to treat myself with a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream at Baskin Robbins.  It didn't taste the same.  I didn't enjoy it as I used to.  I was in shock but happy!  Now, if I want to trash my eating, I just try to make it count!! :)  Do I eat bad sugar once in a while? YES! (especially if I'm in Puerto Rico!) But I try to enjoy every bit of it, even though it doesn't feel as good as it used to anymore. 

I don't miss sugar, believe it or not.  I appreciate more what I have now.  I'm more energetic, my brain is sharp, not foggy, and I feel like WONDER WOMAN! 

READING & EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL!

NUTRITION DIVA - Why is Sugar Bad?

SUGAR! The legal heroin? 

Mayo Clinic - Don't get sabotaged by sweeteners! 

WebMD - Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

Just as a disclaimer, I'm not an expert on nutrition, I'm just sharing my life experiences and hoping those experiences can help my friends and love ones!! 

If you want to learn about Clean Eating and how it can help better your life, you have several options.  Look for Tosca Reno's book - The Eat Clean Diet - Recharged.  You can access their website as well for recipes and additional interesting information.   

If you are looking for clean eating recipes, these are my favorite websites:

• CLEAN EATING MAGAZINE
• THE GRACIOUS PANTRY
• CLEAN AND DELICIOUS WITH DANI SPIES

HAPPY EATINGS!! :) 

DORA

The New & Improved Dora!

A year ago I started a journey, I wanted to lose some weight and trying to become a healthier individual.  Last May 0f 2011 losing weight stopped being my eternal need to feel skinny and became something bigger.  My goal - "I want to be healthy and pain free".  Yes!  Pain free!  

I have been dealing with a pretty "screwed up" lower back for a while now.  And even though I was told that I had a degenerative disc disease back in the early 90's, I was young and naive.  And you know what happens when you are young, right?  NAH! I thought I was immortal!  (The superwoman kicked in!) 

With time, age, bad posture, weight gain and careless behavior, my lower back pain started to have relapses more and more often.  Last May the verdict was pretty bad, my 5 lumbar discs were herniated and the lower thoracic ones were showing signs of degeneration.  Imagine how I felt.  I woke up every single morning feeling some kind of pain, sometimes more or less pain, but it was there and it was constant.  I didn't like it a bit!  

I cried for days, feeling sorry for myself, but soon I got tired of complaining about it, nothing can't be fixed if you just sit and do nothing.  You have to choose quick if you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution.  It was an easy decision for me, my glass is always full!  I'm an eternal optimistic!  

In that very moment I decided to focus on what I could do... So I asked myself, "What can you do to improve your lower back? What would you like to accomplish? What tools are you going to use?  

It was easy, I needed to lose some weight, get some lower back therapy and started to do weight training in order to improve my muscle structure and strength. In summary, focus on everything around that screwed back!  

First I started with my diet.  I decided to start a diet named "The 17 days diet", it's a lot of common sense stuff as it focus like many other diets on eating less processed food, portion control and balance food groups.  I picked this diet because it fits my particular needs at that  point.  I'm the kind of person who needs structure when it comes to diets.  Also, I completed my physical therapy program and started to do more overall exercises.

By Sept 2011 I was 16 pounds lighter and feeling significantly better.  

Something I realized during this process was that in order to make this permanent I needed to change my eating habits permanently.  Following a diet long term won't solve the problem.  People get tired of diets and structures.  That's probably why the trend now is to avoid calling it a "DIET".  

Soon after Sept 2011 my friend Jill Cowart introduced me to Clean Eating magazine and Tosca Reno.  From that moment on, I stop feeling OK and started to feel pretty AWESOME!

Clean eating is another common sense concept, but for most of us doesn't come easy.  After all we are surrounded with temptations, so it's difficult to commit to clean, non processed food, eating.  Clean eating is without a doubt over 60% responsible for how I feel today.  I'm pain free!  I don't take any medication unless I have one tough day and my joints are hurting a little (it happens to everybody!, right?) The other responsible part is my strength training.  

As you see there is no magic pill, intestine cleanse or killing workout.  It's not rocket science.  It's good old clean eating and weight training. 

Right now I'm still on the weight I reached back in September 2011.  I want to lose another few pounds, my goal is 140 pounds.  But you know what, I know it will happen eventually, I'm not in a hurry because I have been working on my health, and good things take time.  I'm way stronger, and slimmer due to my weight training. (and the help, work and motivation of Ms. Lindsey Wallace)

A lots of girlfriends asked me everyday in Facebook what I have been doing, some of them are more interested than others.  All of them want to do something about their weight, how they feel and how they look.  That's the reason why I'm writing this blog.  I would like to share all the resources I have been using in order for you to start your own journey.   Losing weight is a very personal process, you need to prepare and have resources, so you can be successful long term.  

Here are some of the stuff I learned, a few advices and the resources I found useful during my journey: 

First start by getting to know yourself.  Why do you want to lose weight, what do you like about yourself, what do you want to change and why,  what did work in the past while trying to lose weight, what didn't work well.  In my case, I didn't want a diet that block indefinitely certain food or items.  I like my occasional glass of wine, so if a diet treats wine like EVIL, it's not the diet I want to follow.  Sometimes you will have to block stuff while you are learning to control yourself, but it's always good to know that eventually you can have that food you like in moderation and it won't hurt all your hard work.

   

Looking good on your jeans or bikini is a good reason to lose some weight, but you  have to find something more important than that.  Otherwise it won't stick!  As you already know, for me it was about my health. What would motivate you enough?  Your health, your kids, your self esteem, your career?  Find that motivation that will make you commit!  In my opinion, this probably the most important component of the process. 

Find the diet or eating structure that fit your personality.  Now, remember you will need to challenge yourself as well.  You are going to be breaking bad eating habits, it won't be paradise!!  Well, it wont be paradise at the beginning, I promise it will change! 

Find the workout or exercise routine that fit your personality and your lifestyle.  Once you find that, make sure you start slow.  Make sure you alternate your options so you don't get bored.  Research the internet for new ideas and routines.  Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, Kickboxing, Weights, Circuit Training, P90X, Insanity, running, swimming, walking, jogging.  There are so many options, the more alternatives the better!  :)   

Once you are ready to start, remember to set small goals.  Don't focus on the big number first.  Set goals short, medium and long term.  Take before photos, it will help you to realized your accomplishments.  Remember that for girls weigh loss comes in many forms.   You can see changes in your clothes and not on the scale.  Focus and celebrate your small victories!  

   

  

If you cheat on your diet at lunch, don't drop it for the rest of the day.  One meal cheat is better than giving up all!  Try to stick to your diet as much as you can especially at the beginning.  Those first two weeks will be crucial for your long term success.

Tomorrow is always a new day.  You can start all over again.  Just don't give up!

   

 I don't like to keep food logs but I found the next best thing, an accountability partner.  I sent my friend Jill everything I eat on an email every night.  We discuss back and forward what was good, bad and ugly.  We both learn from each other mistakes and gather ideas for meals, exercise and overall eating habits.  Going through the process of "confession" makes you more aware of your areas of improvements, not to mention all that good feedback and motivation you will get from your accountability partner.  

Be patient!  You won't lose all the weight you have gained within the last few years in a week.  Be patient! You will hit many plateaus, and that' ok because it will let you know that you have to shake things up!  

I'm currently going through one right now, and after few weeks I decided to do some changes to my diet and commit to do more cardio.  (I wasn't doing much at all) 

 Celebrate your small victories and share it with the world.  When you eat clean food, you will feel healthy, energetic and beautiful.  You have to feel it to understand it!  Go for it!   

Love Jen Hudson's story.  She found her structure and conquered her goal even when she was facing true life tragedy.  She wanted to become healthier for her baby boy!  A goal bigger than life!!

Resources

• The 17 days diet  - I started buying this book and then move to Eat Clean Diet.  You can also start with Eat Clean Diet right away.
• Eat Clean Diet - Tosca Reno  - I started with the "Eat Clean Diet - Recharged" book and lots of online articles.
•  Clean Eating Magazine - I use this website for recipes but it also has valuable info about the clean eating lifestyle.  The actual hard copy magazine is pretty good.   

• The Gracious Pantry - my favorite recipe website.  You can also find lots of information about how to learn and start the clean eating lifestyle.  Since I started to cook clean I do my own pesto, hummus and granola.  It's WAY better and healthier if you know what's there.  :)
• Clean and Delicious with Dani Spies - If you need visuals to learn, this is a great website.  Dani has a lot of "How to Cook" YouTube videos.  Really good and educational.

Well, what are you going to do?  I think you have enough material to start your journey.  If you need help I will be here to cheer you up.  

I don't know all the answers, I still have difficult days, I still eat some processed food occasionally, but when I fail or fall I just go back straight to my initial goal...  Be healthy and pain free!  That's my north, and motivation enough to stand up, look forward and keep walking towards a healthier lifestyle.    

TOSCA RENO IS MY INSPIRATION

Tosca Reno was overweight and depressed at the age of 40.  Tosca is 53 years old and in addition to be a best selling author, she's a professional body image competitor.  YES! the photos in the background is her in her early 40's!   Freaking amazing!!

Movie - THE AVENGERS

You all knew I was waiting this movie with crazy passion.  I'm not sure why I like super heroes stories... maybe it's the feeling of "saving the day", be relevant, be resourceful or just those freaking abs!! ;)  I know the girls are like - "Hell yeah!".  I do like super heroes movies, and deep inside I think they make me feel like a kid again, and I'm sure that's a feeling we all enjoy. 

The Avengers got SOOOO much marketing and anticipation that I was starting to be a little concern about the content.  Within the last few years we have been hearing about this movie and seeing bit and pieces after all major "super hero" movie.  Expectations were very high and I have to say it didn't disappoint.   WOO HOO!!!

Good story, pretty bad ass special effects, a cast close to perfection and Chris Evans & Chris Hemsworth.  They deserve to be a reason for itself!  :)  

Overall the movie was well done, well balanced and entertaining.  Writers gave each character very good lines, good smart ass lines that I want to learn...  like... "That's the secret... I"m always angry."  What an awesome scene!!!  

Regarding the cast I'm not going to go one by one... they are pretty awesome individually and fortunately they really rock as a team.  I would like to focus on two main characters.  First, Tony Stark aka Iron Man.  HE'S FREAKING PERFECT!!  Robert Downey Jr was born to play Tony Stark, he's perfection!  Seriously!!  Nothing about this character and Robert disappoint.  You have to love when the casting process hit the spot and we enjoy the results.  Robert Downey is on a league of his own, and I'm very happy for him!! 

Now, let's talk about the cute green fella... THE HULK!  I was completely crushed when they left Ed Norton out of the movie The Avengers.  I think his rendition of Hulk few years ago was brilliant.  HE WAS BRUCE BANNER!  Shortly after I found out that Mark Ruffalo was the one replacing Ed Norton.  It felt like Christmas was cancelled.  I was like - "WHAT?" and other things I should not write in here.  I was convinced the movie was ruined beyond repair.  At this point, you already noticed I'm not a Mark Ruffalo's fan.  The reality is that based on previous performances, I don't think he's an actor with acting power. (still not convinced!) 

I'm so glad he proved me wrong!!  Mark Ruffalo played a pretty AWESOME Bruce Banner and I'm so happy I was wrong!  The HULK made this movie really entertaining, not to mentioned he kicked ass!  Still, very deep inside my inner child would like to see Ed Norton playing with the rest of the characters. I would like to overcome that big "if".  But for now I'm grateful Mark Ruffalo made justice to Ed's rendition of Bruce Banner.

Last but not least, Kudos to "Loki" - Tom Hiddleston, who played a pretty disturbed and scary villain.  I would like to see him doing other movies.  I think he will make a brilliant psychopath. 

We all kn0w we will see a sequel in the near future, and I'm really looking forward to it.  The wait was long for the first "AVENGERS" movie, but I have to say that it was totally worth it!  (especially after seeing Chris Evans and Hemsworth in tights!!) :)