Winks!

So I figure to follow suit with my last post it would be best if I were to post some of my favorite food sites. Yummmm.

Goveg.com is a great resource for aspiring vegans, vegetarians, etc. If that isn't your cup of tea it's still a wonderful resource for finding great healthy recipes, shopping guides, etc, and if you are into it Goveg has a free 30 day vegetarian starter kit.





Like I said in my post earlier the Whole Foods Market is the mecca of all things organic and healthy. The store is well organized so it isn't a pain to find things, the service is wonderful, and the food kicks ass. Check it out!



Trader Joe's is great! They don't have the selection that the Whole Foods Market does, but they're neighborhood friendly mom-and-pop style and have great prices. Not to mention they have awesome store brand items for all those frugalistas out there!

My Week in a Nutshell

This has been over all a great week. I've been a little stressed because I don't have good hours for work next week and I worry I will fall behind on my classes. So far it looks like I'll get all A's as long as I keep it up. Other than school, I've spent a lot of time this week in grocery stores and trying out new and old, but not forgotten fitness routines.

For fun this week I have been checking out all the local whole food and organic grocery stores. It's gotten to the point where our friends from England say every time I come home I have food with me. Yeah I'm a dork, but since I don't have a lot of money and I love eating right, organic food is a major treat for me. I try to keep it around one food item a week that can be my go-to meal, enjoy the crap out of it, then move on to something new the next week. I would love to eat all organic, but it is expensive so I have to compromise the best I can. And since I'm a major fan of food and crave like I'm PMSing 24/7 it's a good way to satisfy those urges.

I'm happy to see these markets picking up. It seems as if I new a store opens every 6 months or so. It's wonderful to have options, not to mention a little competition so the prices aren't as steep. I'm am a little disappointed that there is only one on my neck of the woods, and it's not even the the healthy eater's mecca like the Whole Foods Market. Luckily on the other side of the river there is a Whole Foods Market with a Trader Joe's, World Market, and Farmer's Market all withing walking distance of each other. I can tolerate the commute for that.

But seriously folks, I encourage you to get excited about food and love your body. I know organic is expensive, but make an effort to try and fit some items in to make the best impact you can (plus they tend to be lower in calories). Try and stick with the staples, just meat, animal products, or simply cereal. Every little bit counts. You don't need to become an Eco-Warrior to make a difference.

Other than that I've been getting really excited about my change of major and I'm planning to get certified as a personal trainer in the spring. The cost is quite steep, but it's worth it, and since I might be able to get some type of school credit for it my parents want to try and help me out financially the best they can. I'm so lucky for how supportive they are. I just can't get stuck in the aquatics niche. I love the water and I love teaching swim, but if I teach I prefer to work with special needs children and the facility I work at simply doesn't cater to them. I need to branch out and learn other skills that can assist me in attaining my goals.

photo by: Abhay Singh check out the link!

Winks!

Links for the week! Each of these are great local magazines featuring local women and providing wonderful information on health, fitness, and fitting time for ourselves in to our crazy schedules.



Provides active women with the information they need to shop healthy, and stay green, even on a budget. Check them out!



V Mag is a monthly complimentary magazine, presents a unique editorial blend that inspires and empowers local women through a positive voice. Our product targets women ages 25 to 55, educated and active professionally and personally, and provides an effective avenue for advertising. Distribution includes Richmond, Charlottesville, Petersburg and Hopewell, Farmville, Ashland, Goochland, and Powhatan.



Skirt! is all about women, their work, play, families, creativity, styles, health, and wealth, bodies and souls. Truly inspirational and informative.




*I strongly encourage everyone to try and find at least one local women's magazine. They are a great source for information on things to do in your area. All of these I just listed are free. They can be found at whole food groceries and just about any local business. Support your community. Find one!*

Mix It Up

The past few days have been I have made great progress with my health goals. I have adjusted to my new meal regimen as you might say, mentioned previously in my Eat Right, Feel Better post. Resulting in less cravings and less deviation from my goals.

For example, not only was I able to snuff out a major milkshake craving, but accompany a friend to McDonalds, while hungry, and not eat a thing. It wasn't even as difficult as I anticipated. My efforts are really starting to show. Plus I can still have those items, I just firmly stick to my rule give each craving a week, and don't eat bad stuff at bad times.

How long do you think that milkshake craving lasted? 1 day. Don't give in. And McDonalds? Why would I waste that many calories on that in the evening when there are so many other culinary delights out there? It's not worth it and you know it.

As for the fitness I've been trying to mix things up more to avoid a rut. First I swam laps after work 2 days, went for a run one day, to the gym another, and today I ran around with my nephew and practiced some soccer with my dad and one of his friends from England. It has been much more enjoyable not to mention way less monotomous this way. I want to add in some more gym workouts with some treadmill just to keep some consistency though. That way I don't start forgetting about certain muscle groups.

I'm feeling much more positive about things. I may not be where I would ideally be physically and mentally, but the progress is definitely there and it's not going anywhere. I'm not rushing and I'm not burning myself out. I am really enjoying this process one step at a time.

* Plus with this method I am far less likely to yo-yo with my weight (very unhealthy) and maintain this lifestyle for years to come.

Stress

The stress has officially gotten to me. I had been wondering where it was, and alas! It showed up last night after I got home from school. I have been doing remarkably well in my opinion juggling school, a job, family, and my own health; and all of a sudden it hit that I haven't yet had a real guilt free moment to myself in a long time.

It all started with me making lists again. Seeing on paper what I need to get done so that I can plan the best angle of attack. But what I forgot was that the first time you see everything on paper it can be quite over whelming. All of a sudden I freaked out and thought, "I can't do this on my own!"

How can anyone do this on their own? The answer is we can't. It wasn't easy for me to reach this conclusion, it came after a long moment of sulking, and finally a nice hot shower to clear my head. Long hot showers are the BEST way to get your head together. Don't get out until you are feeling some sort of positive attitude take over you, or the hot water starts to run out. Last night, the hot water had to run out. But you know what? I feel better.

I'm not alone. The vast majority of women out there struggle with their weight and self image. It may not be every day, but it happens to all of us. The thing is to realize this and to know that what you put in is what you get out. For a moment stop looking to the future and look at how far you have come. And most importantly be proud of yourself.

Eat Right, Feel Better!

I don't know what exactly happened, but as I said last week I had been sick and the only food my body craved was healthy stuff. Listen to your bodies people! It tells you what you need!

So this weekend I have been making a huge effort to listen, and give my body what it needs. Not just occasionally and when convenient, but consistently. Starting with my major craving for hummus. I haven't eaten any meat, seafood excluded (it's my favorite!) and have been focusing on my whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

I have done well staying away from the candy. Having the attitude that if I don't crave it, if I'm not hungry, I won't eat it. And that's that. I did come up with the great idea of instead of eating junk, have that super delicious trail mix sold at the Fresh Market. Yes, there is chocolate in some types, but you also have nuts, dried fruits, etc. A great compromise to my HUGE sweet tooth.

Today I had sushi. My all time favorite. Unfortunately I don't have the chance to have it much because I am living on a college student budget, and try my best to limit my spending. So the weekend is over and what am I going to do?

Try my best to continue on this track through the next week, and after that, the next week.

Water's Such A Drag

So today I swam laps for the 1st time in about 3 months. It was so gorgeous out and one of the swim instructors was telling me how I should join our Masters team. So I wanted to see where I stand.

Yeah...Swimming is hard work. I'm a good swimmer, I swam competitively for a long time, but the endurance is just not there anymore.

I swam fast, but I couldn't keep that pace up for more than 15 minutes. My arms really got a great work out, but it is a completely different whole body work out than running. And because of the limited breathing it can be a much more cardio intensive work out.

The verdict is in and I must do much more swimming. I'm planning on mixing up my workouts and the days I'm at work swimming laps right after at least 2 days a week.

photo by DevilDiver