I promise this one won't be nearly as long as the last. I just want to share a little secret with you guys. I mentioned before that my eating habits were changing and I was making an effort to take better care of my body. The first few weeks were a little difficult and I was craving bad foods more than I would have liked. I was focusing a lot on all of the things I could no longer have...milk, cheese, white bread, pasta...the list was getting longer and longer. I knew my success was going to be short lived if I continued to focus on all the losses. So I turned to my trusty internet in search of hope and inspiration. I read through diet and fitness blogs day and night and just got more overwhelmed in my search for better health. One site said to stop eating carbs, one said to count calories, while another told me to give myself two points for that piece of toast and to subtract a point for walking the dog. Holy hell. How was it possible that treating your body right could be so difficult!?!?! I was ready to give up.
And then I found Gina....aka http://www.fitnessista.com/. I read four or five entries and then stopped myself. I was instantly hooked and decided it would be best to start reading from the beginning. So I traveled back in time and started at her first entry in June of 2008. Oh My God!! This girl is amazing. She loves chocolate and red wine, she's married to a super hottie Air Force pilot, teaches Zumba, is a personal trainer, takes pictures of her silly adorable puppies, eats Indian food like a mofo, cooks up a storm, is drop dead gorgeous, and is pretty much amazing in every possible way.
She's taught me that food is fuel and my body desperately needs healthy whole foods to run properly. It doesn't need processed fake products that claim to be food. She taught me that it doesn't matter how much money I spend on skin care products, if I'm eating artificial ingredients and preservatives that are screwing up my skin from deep inside. I've learned to quit focusing on the list of foods I shouldn't be eating and instead focus on why I shouldn't eat those foods as well as really enjoy the much looooooonger list of great foods I should be enjoying. (Who knew veggies were so yummy??) I've learned to enjoy working out in a way I never have before. I no longer see it as a task or a chore, and instead actually look forward to waking up at 6:00 for a yoga session in my living room. (I know!! Who the hell am I!?) And for all of those days where I said "Oh I don't have time to get that done today"....ummm this chick had like 15 jobs at one time and still managed to cook her man a beautiful dinner and walk her dogs for an hour. Amazing.
I found her blog during my search for nutritional information and have walked away with so, so, so much more. I never thought a woman I've never met could inspire me so much but she has actually made me a better person. I'm healthier, happier, and wiser because of her.
I've managed to read a year's worth of blog entries in the last few weeks, and have about six months of entries before I'm all caught up. If you decide to become addicted to this girl's site (which you totally should), I recommend starting from the beginning as I did. Her healthy lifestyle is a work in progress, as it should be for all of us, and its a little easier to follow, understand, and even mimic her eating habits as they progress through time.
I hope you will take a few moments to stop by her blog and appreciate her for the amazing inspiration that she is. She's given me so much in just a few weeks and I hope she'll have the same influence on you. I'm gonna go cuddle on the couch with that gorgeous man of mine now, but before I go, I'll leave you with a few pictures of my new food discoveries to make your mouths water.
Brocolli Slaw cooked up with garlic, spinach, tomato sauce and dash of Sriracha...
Butternut Squash soup with onions, carrots, peppers, coconut milk and curry. And yeah, a bite of Shawn's jalapeno corn bread because...well it was awesome, that's why. :)
Tonight's dinner...Spaghetti Squash with Artichoke, Spinach, and Pesto Marinara (yeah that's right...squash, not pasta....amazing!!)
And finally, my latest discovery at Sprouts Farmer's Market. Dark Chocolate covered Honey Comb. I didn't actually make this, but I did eat it and Oh fuck this stuff is just insanely good...it deserved a picture too.
