Healthier Every Day

My Motivation 2.0

After spending the day at my grandfather’s side at the hospital because of his stroke, I’ve come home with a renewed appreciation for my health. No, “appreciation” isn’t the right word since my current health is the result of my own motivation and actions. I have come home with even more motivation to continue eating well and working out regularly.

As you all know, in the past I’ve stated that my main motivation comes from what I see in the mirror. I want to like what I see and I want to feel good about my body (I mean, come on - who doesn’t?). When I used to go home after working for 8 hours at a desk job and then park my ass in front of the TV and watch movies and/or TV for 5 or 6 hours straight I felt horrible about myself. I knew I wasn’t doing anything to better my body or take care of it. I was just… existing. It was bad and I hated myself so yes, the image I see in the mirror is still a HUGE motivator to me, as is how I feel in my own skin and about my own body.

However, the newest form of motivation came from my grandpa yesterday. He had a stroke on Monday night and I visited him yesterday in the hospital. His tongue is paralyzed, so he can’t swallow or talk, as is his right hand. At at this point it’s unknown how much movement he will recover in either - though the prognosis is good for his hand.

My grandpa hasn’t ever eaten healthy foods consistently. Pasta is a food staple and has been his entire life (multiple meals a week, I’m talkin). Even after having a heart attack a few years back he didn’t change his patterns. He doesn’t and hasn’t worked out, as far as I know… ever. His heart attack (or was it two of them?) and this stroke of his are the result of eating a lifetime’s worth of … simply put… bad food. It is only in the last 10 years or so that he and my grandmother “went organic” and began eating slightly healthier. He was already 74 then - that’s about 50 years too late. I’m not saying that you can’t change your direction in life, but with health, it’s got to be something you do ALL YOUR LIFE!

It’s not a joke - we’re talking about our life and death here and it DOES matter. Your health and wellness is cumulative. After a certain amount of years, the damage is done and what you’ll be stuck with is dealing with the aftermath of choices you made 20, 30, 40, even 50 years ago. I don’t want my aftermath to be heart attacks and strokes.

I want to live a long, healthy life & when I do eventually die, I’d like it not to be from some long, drawn out illness that is because of a lifestyle disease. If I can possibly omit those illnesses from the list of ways I die.. well, shit man… I’m gonna do it!

And you should too!

Sure, there are no guarantees. I know that - but I also know that “For the first time in history, lifestyle diseases like diabetes [type 2], heart disease, some cancers and others kill more people than communicable ones.” The source here and a further source, the CDC.

So… yeah. I’m gonna do everything I can to prevent that from happening to me. It’s my responsibility.

My good health is my true wealth.

xxx,
M

My Hiking Essentials

I am often asked what I think are “THE hiking essentials”. I’ve been putting off posting this since the weather in LA has been rainy and cloudy for a while now but since the sun has finally graced us with her presence and I am hiking regularly (read: every day) I feel ready to list my hiking essentials. 

I do day trips only, at this point in my life, so that’s the form of hiking I will be addressing. My weekday hikes range from an hour to three; weekend hikes tend to be upwards of 5 hours, sometimes closer to 8 or 9. 

Before you begin hiking it’s important to select a trail. There are many websites online that have user reviews that include details like how difficult the trail is, how long (in miles) it is and how maintained it is. You will also often find tips on parking or wildlife sightings. I urge you to predetermine your trail so you are best prepared for your day. I use localhikes.com for Southern California trails. Starting your hike early enough to finish before the sun sets is important - keep that in mind when you are planning your hike.

Things you should bring with you:

A Partner. I absolutely never hike day hikes alone. For safety purposes, such as someone getting injured or in case you encounter an animal, such as a bear, mountain lion or even a rattlesnake. You should also discuss with your hiking partners what your plan is if you should run into a wild animal that is acting aggressive. Knowing what to do in that situation could mean the difference between life and death. Though attacks are rare, it’s very important to be prepared. 

Water. I bring a Camelbak backpack. It carries 100 oz and hides itself in a backpack so I have plenty of storage space to carry the rest of my essentials. I bring an additional water bottle as backup. You never know just how hot it is going to be outside and the way I see it: you are better safe than sorry. Running out of water on a hike is just about the worst thing that can happen. I even leave an extra, extra bottle in the car for when the hike is over. 

Snacks. For a shorter hike I bring dried fruits, raw nuts and an orange or apple. I don’t recommend bananas as they will probably get squished in the backpack, and forego chocolate as it will melt.  For a longer hike, I’ll pack a lunch - typically a huge sandwich along with some more healthy snacks. Trader Joe’s Pirate’s Booty is always a welcome treat. :) Keeping yourself fueled for long hikes is essential. You are burning upwards of a thousand calories and without refueling will get tired easily and may make poor decisions.

First Aid. I carry an Ace Bandage in case anyone in the hiking party trips and falls. This happens often, especially when you have a talkative group of people or have hiking novices in the group. I also bring just a couple of alcohol wipes in case someone gets a scratch or cut that needs immediate addressing.

Misc. A knife that folds in half but also locks open, for obvious reasons: safety, cutting sandwiches, or any number of reasons you wouldn’t even think of until you need it. Lip Balm, sunscreen and a hat to protect your skin. A camera for memories. A cell phone, even if you don’t think you’ll have service. In an emergency situation you could climb to a summit and possibly get service - but you’ll never know if you don’t bring it with you. A pack of waterproof matches, just in case you are stranded in the wilderness overnight. A large plastic ziplock bag for ALL trash. If you litter in my nature I will come and kick your butt! DON’T DO IT! A compass. Lastly, I bring a roll of toilet paper. It can be used for anything from tissue, toilet paper to napkins during lunch. 

Above all, when hiking: be safe and have fun! Explore the gorgeous wilderness, respect it - don’t pick flowers and throw rocks at animals. Be courteous while on the trail - if you encounter someone traveling UP a hill while you are traveling DOWN a hill - let them go first. They have the right of way, since going uphill takes more energy.  If someone is traveling faster than you on a trail, move to the side to let them pass. Say hi to your fellow hikers! We tend to be a very friendly bunch and might just share with you that an animal, lizard, cool looking flower or mushroom was spotted and to keep your eyes peeled for it. :)

I hope you all head out and get to enjoy nature the way I do at some point this summer - our world is such an incredibly beautiful place!

xxx,
M

dietheathy asked: I really love your blog, and it's really inspiring. I love how you try out new things and you always find a way to look on the bright side of things. You are so positive!

I am 5’7” and currently 145 lbs. I have a bigger build than most people my height. I really don't know anything about it! My question is focused on calorie intake and net calories. I usually take in about 1100 - 1500 a day. I work out at least four times a week for two hours. On some days, since I do high cardio, I burn about 1200 – 1400. I just wanted to know how many calories I should eat a day when I exercise, and how many calories I should eat when I’m resting. I want to make sure I lose weight at a healthy pace (which so far for me has been 1 – 2 lbs a week). If you have any helpful suggestions or websites, I’d really appreciate it. I try looking stuff up online and I get so many different answers! It’s quite frustrating!
I wish you luck in the Paleo challenge! You have definitely been posting some amazing food porn haha! 
<3

Based on everything I’ve read, for my height (5’2”, much shorter than you) my daily net caloric intake should be absolutely no lower than 1200 calories. NET intake. This means that if I eat 1200 calories and then workout and burn 1200 calories my body needs me to eat 1200 more healthy calories (no ice cream tub or poptarts).

From what you wrote, it seems you are not eating enough. You’re taller than I am and you’re working out much more than I do. Now, I’m not a professional, but this is what all my research told me: if you don’t provide enough nutrition to your body per day then your body begins to eat some the muscles you created in order to satisfy it’s needs. That means that some of the muscle you are spending time at the gym building is being wasted. No bueno!

Don’t be scared of food. There are many professionals who challenge the “calories in/calories out” idea of weight loss - it is definitely not the only factor to consider.

For me, calorie counting was really beneficial because I quickly learned that I was under eating - and had been for a loooong time, unknowingly. My body was getting anywhere from 700-900 net calories a day and because of that, would “hold onto” anything I put into it. I couldn’t lose weight because my body was already essentially starving. This was my case, and certainly not everyone’s body reacts to having a prolonged period of caloric deficit this way, but I learned that I was allowed and actually needed to be eating much, much more than I already was. 

You should also take into consideration recovery time. Recovery is reallllly important. Are you getting enough? Working out for four times a week for two hours is a lot of working out and much more working out than I’d ever be willing to do. I definitely don’t work out anywhere near that much - it’s not my thing. I’m not saying my body is perfect and that you want what I have goin on - but I have seen results from doing far less, no question.

My boyfriend, Chippy, always says “work out harder, work out smarter” - meaning: go hard, go big, and then go home and enjoy life. :) Unless I am hiking - I never spend more than 45 minutes working out at a time.  A lot of people on Tumblr work out every day or almost every day. I don’t and I never will. It’s just not for me. I’m also not trying to lose my curves. I love them and want to keep them forever.

I can’t answer what caloric intake is best for you because all of my research has been done for my body, my goals and my “no ways” - I’m a 5’2” verrrry curvy girl who is not looking to get rid of them; who is unwilling to work out every day; who hates the gym; who loves being outdoors; loves beer; who loves to cook and eat healthy foods and who won’t ever “not drink” just so I can look great. 

What I’m trying to say is this: everyone’s goals are different. You need to identify yours and then do research for your specific goals - this may need to include meeting with a professional fitness coach if online answers are too varied for you.

Thank you for the lovely compliments on my blog. I love it, I love the Fitblr community and I love how many people we have here sharing their experiences and expertise!

And I’m SO glad you like my food porn! Food is one of the biggest loves in my life, like a lot of people, and I’ll never stop posting it! :D

xxx,
M 

Just want to come clean ahead of time

During the month of April, while I am Paleo - I WILL be eating the following:

Uncured bacon. I know that this is “controversial” - but I’m going to eat it. So there.

Sausages. Same goes for these; “controversial”. I’ll eat them sparingly, but I will be eating them. No buns, obviously. Is mustard paleo?

Coffee, which is recommended to be had only in moderation. I’ll have it only on weekends & without dairy (probably will use almond milk).

When I go out for dinner with friends I will order within the Paleo range, i.e. not anything with dairy, no wheat, etc. However, I will NOT be asking the chef not to add salt to my meals - I feel that is over the edge and a little obnoxious. I will not have salad dressing at restaurants - lemon wedges will be my substitute “dressing”.

I just want to address these things before I get an influx of messages about it. :)

Thanks for understanding!

xxx,
M

127-lbs-deactivated20110401 asked: Some positive self talk would be appreciated. I have been failing with my weight loss for the past 2 weeks and I just need help /: If you could message me that would be great

I hope you don’t mind me answering this publicly, a lot of people seem to have trouble keeping themselves positive and I want to make sure that those people see this post, too. <3

Okay, here’s what I’ve learned so far: learning how to give yourself positive reinforcement is a MAJOR factor in your ability to keep going forward, day after day, week after week, with your weight-loss/muscle building.

I had to learn to love my body; I definitely didn’t at first. You need to, too. Just like anything in life, this takes practice - pushing yourself repeatedly to form a “habit”. Positivity is like a muscle - the more you use it, the easier it gets.

This is one of the most powerful things I do and it has helped me “train” myself to be more loving and positive towards my own body: I get naked in front of a full length mirror. Butt ass naked. I look at my body; take it all in with my eyes. Every part - from the hair on my head to my tippy toes; both front and back. Then I look it over it again, this time focusing on the little things I like. I run my hands over my body, feeling how it feels beneath my fingers. I get familiar with my curves, my muscles, my “lumps”. I compliment myself. Like, I’ll literally say to myself “Your shoulders are looking strong today, M. NICE.” and then I’ll flex my arms, to see the muscles. Then I’ll move onto another part, and take the time to appreciate that part, too.

As you continue to work out, you will see changes. Take the time to appreciate them as they come. Compliment yourself for keeping with your new lifestyle long enough to see these changes. Be positive. Don’t allow negative self-talk into this exercise, and if you do - start over from scratch.

One of the parts I most appreciate about my body now is my absence-of-love-handles. I LOVE IT MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS! Running my hands over that part of my body makes me happy now - it never did before!

Just remember: it’s really, super easy to be mean to yourself but that is just not productive. In fact, it’s the opposite of productive - it is harmful to your own self worth. You ARE beautiful - as you are: right now. Everyone is! We just have to learn to see it within ourselves.

One last thing I’d like to add is: plateauing is a part of weight- loss,too. I’ve been there. I’ve been the same weight for a month or a few weeks - don’t let it get you down. It’s a part of the process. I like to think of it as a “test” from nature. It’s my body attempting to stop me from pushing forward - BUT I ALWAYS WIN BECAUSE I DON’T LET IT DERAIL ME!

Don’t let it derail you, either.

Push on - be strong - and remind yourself that your are tremendous! You cannot fail - you can only improve! Chin up!

Much love,
M

Travel Mug

For those of you who love my puzzle piece travel mug:

this is the link to the etsy.com store where you can see a whole bunch of awesome other mugs.

And this is the link to the exact same mug I have.

No, I don’t know the etsy store owner. There is absolutely nothing in it for me to promote this person - I just wanted to make sure that those of you that love my mug have a chance to see some of the other awesome ones this store has to offer (since so many of you have messaged me about it over the last few months).

xxx,
M

Anonymous asked: I'm a different anon, but I'm wondering if you have any relationship advice?

You & chippy seem sooo happy. You know, in the stories you tell us. I've been living with my babe for about a year and a half & sometimes we struggle with silly things. Like, not saying hi when we get home or not saying bye when leaving in the AM. Tracking dirt into the house, not saying thank-you. The usual mess.

First, let me say that I’m not a relationship expert, although I am deeply happy in my relationship with Chippy. Also, I can’t tell very much about your relationship from 4 sentences. It’s simply no enough information for me to give you quality, specific advice. Plus, again, I’m not an expert. I just happen to be wildly in love with the Chip-ster. :)

However, here are some of the fundamentals we live by in our relationship.

See your partner for who he/she truly is & love them for that person. Your partner is not a project & can’t be “fixed” or “changed”. Choose wisely, knowing that. 

Don’t stifle each other. Spend time away from each other and learn to enjoy your alone time. This makes your “together” time more valuable. Share your friends, but make time for them without your partner.

Love deeply, wholly, fearlessly and without regret. There is nothing to lose. Love is infinite. 

Choose your battles wisely. In my opinion, most aren’t worth fighting. More importantly, know when the battle is lost, admit your mistakes, and then don’t make those mistakes twice.

Keep your word, be honest and kind and choose your words consciously - certain things can never be unsaid and will never be forgotten. Laugh together with each other and at each other (without malice). Don’t be overly dramatic or sensitive.

Respect each other.

Learn to communicate with each other. Every couple has their own “language”. Also, learn to think farts are funny - because they are (and they aren’t a reason to get mad at him).

Honestly, I could go on and on… but I already sound like a cheesy Hallmark card, so I’ll wrap it up with this sentence:

Treat each other with tender care in all you do, every single day.

I truly hope this helps.

xxx,
M 

foolish-dreamers asked: Do you enjoy living in LA ?

I refer you to this music video.

runwrite asked: Where can I find coconut oil? I haven't seen it at the "regular" grocery store, but I love love love all things coconut and would love to try this as a cooking oil. And by the way you really rock for motivating us via the "I love my summer bikini/bathing suit body!" challenge and for your recipes and for your all around awesomeness!

Runwrite, thank you! So… does that mean you’ll be submitting photos soon? ;)

Okay, on to your question. I’ve gotten quite a few messages like yours so here’s the deal: I LOVE coconut oil. Pretty much as soon as I tasted it, I realized that there is no other oil quite like it.

First of all, it dissolves completely in your mouth without leaving a residue. Secondly, it tastes amaaaazing and smells even better. Third, it melts in .00001 seconds on a fry pan. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it does melt super fast. Fourth, it tastes so good you actually can eat it by the spoonful. I’m not saying I suggest doing that… but I, myself HAVE. A few times. And it’s delicious.

I HIGHLY suggest googling “unrefined coconut oil benefits” and reading up on it for yourself for the plethora of benefits it has.

So far, I’ve mainly used it to fry eggs (alllmost every morning for the last week), sausages and veggies. I’ve also used it instead of crisco when I made my Blueberry Coconut Crumble (which can be made paleo friendly!).

Where can you find it? Whole Foods, Mother’s Market and/or Indian Markets in your area. If you can’t find it locally, you can always order online. :)

Give it a try and let me know if you love it as much as I do! :)

xxx,
M

Anonymous asked: When are you going to let us see your pretty face!? :)

Someday, but not yet. I thought I’d feel ready by Valentine’s day… but I didn’t. I actually don’t feel close to being ready, yet. Even though a few people are interested in seeing my face, well… at the end of the day, this blog is still for me.

It’s important that I feel “safe” sharing my secrets or my feelings - and for me, right now, that still means keeping my face to myself. 

I hope you understand. :)

xxx,
M 

fithappyhealthy-deactivated2011 asked: What is in your "chocolate dream protein shake"?

Just the protein powder and water. Dream Protein is the brand, chocolate is the flavor. CLICK HERE to purchase the protein powder online. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Dream Protein” powder.

I love it - it’s the best tasting one on the market, in my opinion. I’m literally taking this next part from their website:

2 DELICIOUS FLAVORS:

• Creamy French Vanilla
• Rich Dutch Chocolate

Dream Protein leads the “whey” with its proprietary Hormone-Free, Ultra-LowTemp™ Whey Protein Isolate. We start with hormone free whey from New Zealand cows that are “Meadow Fed” and not given any rBGH or BST hormones!

Dream Protein is made with an Ultra-Low Temp™ process, which is beneficial because the protein is not denatured (damaged) from an extensive heat treatment. This means that you’ll receive all the essential and non-essential amino acids plus naturally occurring immunoglobulins (which are necessary for proper immune function).

Dream Protein also contains a soluble fiber (FOS) that has been shown to encourage growth of favorable bacteria which help to strengthen the immune system, assist in digestion of food, as well as, to help promote regularity.

Dream Protein is Guaranteed Delicious or Your Money Back!

NO

• Sugar
• Fructose
• Aspartame
• Sucrose
• MSG
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Glutamates
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein

LOW

• Carbohydrate
• Fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Lactose
• Glycemic Index

Again, here’s a link for where you can buy the protein. At 20 grams of protein for just 86 calories, it’s a total WIN in my book (and body!).

Anonymous asked: Hey I just came across your blog and I think what you are doing is AWESOME. I weigh 150lbs right now and I am obviously not 'Huge' but I have always struggled to drop about 15lbs, which is all I want to lose really! It is nice to see someone else who is sort of in that fairly normal bracket but that just wants to better their health and get on the smaller end of the healthy weight range! Do you have any advice for losing weight quickly? 2lbs a week? Thanks!
-Kelsey

Thank you so much for this message! :)  No, 150 lbs is not “huge”, I definitely agree. I applaud you for wanting to get even healthier! That’s great! The Fitblr community is really quite outstanding with encouragement and support so I definitely recommend getting involved. In fact, it’s the sole reason that this time (out of all the times I’ve attempted to lose weight and get healthy) I’ve been successful.

My personal approach is not to lose weight quickly. Why? Because I want to lose weight permanently, and from all I’ve read and experienced, crash diets don’t create permanent results. Plus, who wants to sip on lemonade, cayenne pepper and honey juice all day? Or cabbage soup? Certainly not me, I can tell you that much.

Here are some tips, based off of what I’ve been doing (Disclaimer: I’m not a nutritionist or a personal trainer. This is simply what has worked for me):

1. Do cardio 2x -3x a week for 30 minutes or so. Nothing insane. Personally, I hate the gym and refuse to ever be a slave to my workouts. I enjoy jump rope, hiking, sprints, and brisk walking (BRISK being the key word here) as my cardio options. Make sure you are pushing yourself as hard as you can and when you feel your muscles burning DO NOT STOP GOING. If you aren’t dripping in sweat after a cardio work out - you aren’t working out hard enough.
2. 2 times a week I do abs, lunges, planks, push ups and as many other “floor” exercises I can think of. I do these while watching movies or TV shows. They don’t take away from my downtime… in fact, most of the time I feel like I “earned” my downtime after doing these. Plus, hello, I have the beginning of abs, beautiful hamstring muscles, a toned tushie and my love handles and I parted ways a while back. I don’t miss them, either. ;)
3. EAT HEALTHY AND COOK YOUR OWN FOOD. No, seriously, I can’t stress this enough. Organic, unprocessed, whole foods should be the norm in your home. Pack snacks with you where ever you’re going and cook as many of your own meals as possible. Raw nuts, fresh seasonal fruits and veggies, low-fat cheeses, hard boiled eggs, protein shakes… these are my normal day-to-day snacks. I never consume fake sugars, seed oils (contrary to popular believe “vegetable oil” is really bad for you and shouldn’t be eaten), HFCS, and I think fast-food was invented by the devil. AVOID AVOID AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
4. Limit your alcohol intake. Or at least, be aware that beer = carbs. So, if you know you want to drink on, let’s say a Tuesday night (hey, no judgment from me!) - limit your carbs throughout the day to account for the ones you’ll be drinking later (and this goes hand-in-hand with this: drink water!).
5. Count calories, if even just temporarily. You might be surprised what you will learn. For instance, I learned that I wasn’t consuming ENOUGH calories each day & that of those too few calories: too many of them were fat.
6. Allow yourself a 24 hour splurge time. This does not mean you get to binge for 24 hours. For me, my free time is Friday night through Saturday night. I don’t track my calories during this time & I don’t guilt trip myself for my intake. I tend to have a big breakfast on the weekend with eggs, bacon, potatoes (and then I go hiking for 2-4 hours), I’ll drink in the evenings, and if I want chips and guac, this would be the time I allow myself those kinds of treats. I think this is really REALLY important and has been a key to my success so far. 
7. Get a protein powder and drink one every single day. Most people don’t consume anywhere near enough protein each day. This is the one I use. It’s fantastic.

That’s probably a lot more than you were asking for but I really think it’s important to see the whole picture here. Weight-loss doesn’t happen overnight, but depending on your level of commitment and your ability to not guilt yourself for messing up and instead jump right back on the wagon: you could see losses in as little as a week.

operationtransformation-deactiv asked: Hey! I saw that you were able to do the "What I Ate Yesterday" thing, and I would love to do the same to track my meals. Can you let me know how you do it? Thanks!

It’s complicated to explain but not so hard to do. Well, the first time it is, but I’ll still do my best to explain it. Here’s the gist of how it works: you create a link to the page on you blog. (I called mine “What I Ate Yesterday”.) Then you determine what the tag for all posts that you want to direct to that page will be.  (I chose “WhatIAteYesterday” but it could have been “foodblog” or something like that). It is very important that you do not put a space between the words. (I did that at first and it didn’t work and took me a while figure out what the problem was.) Then you write posts and “tag” them with your chosen tag and VOILA! It works!

Okay, now for the nitty gritty: first thing is first: decide what you want the link to be called. I called mine “What I Ate Yesterday”.

Then, go to your page and hit the “customize” button. 

Then hit the “pages” button. Then select “add page”.

The first line is how it will show in the toolbar when someone is accessing that page. If you notice, you can’t delete the address already in that box. Add to it what you want it to say. (Mine says “ahealthierme.tumblr.com/WhatIAteYesterday”.)

The second area is a drop down. Change “standard layout” to “redirect to” and then insert this: http://YOURBLOGNAME.tumblr.com/tagged/YOURTAG. Where I put “YOURBLOGNAME” - fill in your blog name. Where I put in “YOURTAG” - put whatever you previously decided you would tag each post with.

Select the box next to the words “Show a Link to this Page” and type what you decided (in paragraph 1 above)  to call that page. On my page, as you can see, I called mine “What I Ate Yesterday”.  Then hit “create page”.

And FINALLY, when you write your food posts, tag them in the box on the right with the tag that you inserted where it says YOURTAG: http://YOURBLOGNAME.tumblr.com/tagged/YOURTAG.

Okay, that took a long time to write out. I hope it helps. I know it sounds complicated, but if you do it as I indicated, it should work. If it doesn’t be sure to message me with more specific questions & I’ll do my best to help you out again. 

Have a great day!