detox

1. Has me trying out a cleaning eating / detox program. My sister got me involved in a 10 day cleanse. Today was day 1 and it was pretty normal, except some strict guidelines:

No alcohol (NO WINE WHAT???). No sugar. No wheat/gluten. No dairy (probably the hardest part). No caffeine (2nd hardest part).

breakfast: smoothie or oatmeal dish
lunch: chicken or fish + brown rice + steamed veggies
dinner: repeat above

A vegetable “detox broth” can be consumed anytime during the day + a detox bath at night + lemon water + a few dietary supplements.

I feel just fine today & am hoping to keep on track, but I would be lying if I said it was a breeze. I am writing right now basically I desperately want to run into the kitchen and gorge on the homemade chocolate chip cookies I made (post coming soon). I will resort to the detox tea I am allowed to drink, which I actually really like… it has a chai-like taste.

My goal with this clean eating/detox/cleanse is to jumpstart my system and start over. Diet is so important to stay healthy and I noticed myself putting garbage into my body and that needs to stop. There are a lot of items that are “allowed” on this cleanse so I will be posting a few recipes along the way.

2. Has me involved in a Diet Bet. A what? A bet on my diet. Sort of… Hallie over at Life Ocean Side created a game on Diet Better. The concept is simple. You put in money and pledge to lose a certain percentage of weight loss. The pot grows. You work your butt off and win da cashola. I could use a little extra in my pocket and I am on my healthy, clean eating kick so hoping to lose the 5 pounds I need to claim the prize 🙂 All the while though I will be cheering on the other participants to reach their weight loss goals! What a great virtual Biggest Loser!

3. Loving detox baths – I will share the recipe I have been using on my blog once I adjust it to perfection. It seriously made me feel great & super relaxed. Post to come soon.

4. Has me annoyed with work. Some changes were put into place that has somewhat changed my feelings on work. Maybe I am just being dramatic & it’s Monday. I wish Not So Doughie was my j-o-b.

5. Has me excited for Wednesday. I will be swapping blogs with Marisa @ Cooking Like Lou! We will be sharing 2 of our go-to Super Bowl appetizers. We are both really excited! Check out her blog it is awesome!

5. Has given me a migraine. I just released I have a killer headache. Maybe it is my body detoxing? Who knows, but that just means early bedtime for me! I’ll leave you with a picture of Mr. Toby feeling my pain…

until next time,

{gettin’ healthy}

Although my blog deems me not so doughie, I will admit that I have a tendency to go through doughie phases. I wasn’t feeling very happy with myself so I jumped back onto my health train in full force. After work yesterday, I decided to try out a new work out class near my work. It is called Nth Degree Fitness and is so great! I loved it. The concept is to combine cardio and strength training to maximize weight loss. The class is 55 minutes long and rotates between 5 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes of various exercises on the floor/bench. The time went by so fast and the lights, music, and nearly personal trainers were an amazing motivation for me. Check out the link below for more information about the classes.

Nth Degree Fitness [my new addiction]

I also have gone back to Bikram yoga. I have a love/hate relationship with Bikram. It is nearly torture while in the 105 degrees, but afterwards or when I finally get my knee to lock and complete Dandayamana-Janushirasana (standing head to knee pose). The down side of Bikram is the 90 minute class takes up so much time. By the time it is over, I shower and head home the work out experience is nearly 2.5 hours long. I did a 10 day challenge back in August. It was very hard, but I was starting to see some pleasant results. Also, I love that with yoga you can constantly improve and challenge yourself in each pose.

I plan to rotate my work outs so I can avoid the boredom that typically happens when I just focus on one thing. I will keep you updated about my work outs 🙂

After the class, I got home and knew we were going to have a “whatever” night for dinner. I was going to go with some steamed vegetables, but I ended up creating a “detox” salad. This post isn’t a recipe per se, but rather a reminder that eating healthy isn’t difficult. I listed the ingredients I had in my salad and the health benefits of each. It was pretty tasty and filling too.

What’s in this salad and how can it help your body?

1. Kale
What’s in it? Vitamin A, K, C, lutein, antioxidants
How does it help me? eye health (from lutein), anti-cancer & bone health (from vitamin K),
low in calories, high in fiber (so keeps you full!)

2. Parsley
What’s in it? Vitamin C, B12, K & A
How does it help me? boosts immune system, anti-inflammatory

3. Cabbage
What’s in it? potassium, fiber, vitamin C, sulphur
How does it help me? least amount of fat & calories than any other veggie, anti-cancer,
fights infections

4. Pomegranate [superfood]
What’s in it? ANTIOXIDANTS
How does it help me? blood circulation, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, prevent skin damage

5. Bulgur Wheat
What’s in it? 100% whole wheat, protein, iron, vitamin B-6
How does it help me? cell repair, digestive system regulation, fills you up

6. Carrots
What’s in it? vitamin A, beta-carotene,
How does it help me? eye health, anti-cancer, promotes skin health

7: Olive Oil
What’s in it? vitamin E, vitamin K, healthy fats
How does it help me? anti-inflammatory, smooths hair and moisturizes skin

8. Lemon Juice
What’s in it? Vitamin C, calcium, iron
How does it help me? blood purifier, liver cleanser, weight loss, boosts metabolism,
antibacterial

So there you have it. All great ingredients to incorporate into your diet. Want this recipe? Simple – combine all ingredients and toss. Here’s to {another} health kick and another step towards being not so doughie.

[nutritional information in this post is based on light research & my own knowledge. talk to your doctor before starting a weight loss program]

life currently…

Health Kick & Detox Salad