Adventure to a Secret Bakery In Florence (Unhealthy, Delicious, and Froze to get it)

In Florence, there is a special attraction for those who know about them- secret bakeries. Secret bakeries are bakeries that cook for all of the cafes in the city from dusk till dawn. They open their doors to hungry patrons who know of their secret locations and pay very low prices for the goods in the middle of the night. Last night, I went with a few friends on the hunt for a secret bakery in near Santa Croce as the wind was blaring and it began to snow. We patiently waited by a door with dim light peeking through and obeying a sign written in Italian asking us to be quiet because people were sleeping. A gentleman popped his head out, asked us what we wanted, and had my friends and I an embarrassing amount of baked goods fresh from the oven in the cold winter night. I bought 2 for 2 euro (I couldn't wait in the cold for a long time, freezing my toes and nose for one baked good). I didn't eat my treat until we walked back to my apartment- a 30 minute walk away met with falling snowflakes. I had an orange flavored carb concoction with chocolate cream in the center (with the consistency of pudding) covered in sugar- not my usual cup of tea, but it was very sweet and good. I will admit that I am eating the second one as I write this, and I do not regret eating them because I know I have been being conscious of what I am eating and can have the occasional treat. The baked goods were delicious and the adventure was fun (we felt like we had to know a secret password), but we will only repeat it at the end of February when the weather gets nicer and the snow officially stops falling. For now, I am off to the Mercato Centrale in the city center (think of a Farmer's Market with every type of food vendor inside a building). Who knows what I will buy?

In FLORENCE!!!

I just got to Florence yesterday and moved in. I was jet lagged and super tired,  but feel better today. So far, I am getting to know the city and settling in. I am enjoying exploring and everything is very beautiful. I have seen the Duomo, the Odeon, and my campus so far, which is breathtaking. I haven't had the chance to get in a workout because of our long orientation and other associated activities. I am also trying to be conscious of what and how much I am eating, though I haven't really had a chance to buy groceries. More posts coming soon!

Look- I at what I got cooking! (oh, and I am going to ITALIA!!!!)

Black bean chili with veggies and quinoa


My first successful socca- made in a skillet on a stove top with olive oil, water, thyme, pepper, and chickpea flour

Muesli power cookies!

Apple crisp without the sugar or fat- I microwaved an apple and added cinnamon, nutmeg, and oats- so good!

Plat d'jour della mia madre (yes, two languages)- apples, cukes, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, pistachios, and bread with hummus

These are cava cava navel oranges and they are delicious- I have been eating lots of oranges and grapefruits :)

Made my own OJ!!! (from cava cava navels)

I hate cheese, so I tried my hand at making this vegan pizza- vegan bread with pumpkin puree as sauce and tomatoes, spinach, and spices on top. Surprisingly delicioso!

I am obsessed with making smoothies (and eating dried figs). In this recipe, I combined, apple, spinach, banana, lemon juice, and raisins for this sweet concoction.

I have also slowly been becoming obsessed with bodyrock.tv and healthfulpursuit.com. I highly recommend both sites. I made healthfulpursuit's sleepy smoothie (basically a blended muesli) and it was to die for. 

On Monday, I am flying into Italy, where I will live for the next 3.5 months. I am very excited and have been preparing for my trip. I am not yet sure if I will join a gym there or just use NYU's gym on campus. We will see. I will still be posting- just from a new place. I am looking forward to buying fresh fruits from the marketplace and eating the world famous food! Arrivederci :)

What do I wear if I am eating with…?

[This is a version of an article that I didn't publish in print, but wanted to share :)]
What do I wear if I am eating with…? Don’t worry. Even born and bred New Yorkers don’t always know how to dress in general, but this guide will give you the know how to dress to a T when dining out. Whether you are dressing for a hot first date, meeting your significant others or roommates’ parents for the first time, or discussing derivative strategy with your internship boss over a business dinner, we’ve got you covered.

First date

First dates can be super awkward and nerve wracking, so make sure that whatever you are wearing, you are comfortable so you can focus on your date. If you are stressing over potential allergies to your new tie that may or may not develop into hives around your neck or that your new top doesn’t fit exactly right, you probably aren’t going to feel relaxed. No matter what, be yourself! Dress in a way that expresses yourself by adding your favorite pieces of jewelry or sneakers.

Failure to Launch (2006), Sarah Jessica Parker (Paula) and Matthew McConaughey (Tripp)

Guys: Guys should wear a solid or thinly-striped button up with jeans like Matthew McConaughey in Failure to Launch. If the restaurant you are going to is super casual, go for the classic jeans and a t-shirt. Wear any shoe except a flip-flop because it might seem too casual and some people hate feet! Add sophistication to your outfit with a cool watch.

Girls: Frankly ladies, if you are looking for a partner who is long term, cover up a little! Dress for respect. You can still show off that hot body, but do it by wearing a form fitting dress that only shows a hint of cleavage and covers the mid-thigh, like Sarah Jessica Parker. If dresses don’t suit you, aim for a sparkly tank, fitted blazer, and dark wash jeans with flats.

Meeting the Parents

First dates might be awkward, but meeting the parents is another whole ball game! You will only see your significant other or roommates’ parents once in a blue, but you will never hear the end of it if the parents decide they don’t like you, as was the problem in the case of Greg Focker in Meet the Parents. At least what Greg did do right was dress in a non-confrontational and casual way (entirely opposite of Pam’s crazy dad’s attitude)

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Meet the Parents (2000), Ben Stiller (Greg) and Teri Polo (Pam)        

Guys: All parents are different, so the keys to ‘meet the parents’ dress are to avoid wearing logos and cover up the tats that mom and dad might not approve of (shameful finger wag!). Needless to say, a long sleeve v-neck with beige bermuda shorts and your favorite loafers is a safe outfit because you can always roll up or down the sleeves and still feel comfortable when you are being grilled by ‘Mr. Byrnes’ about your intentions with their daughter!

Girls: Cover up the boobs, butt, and legs, and skip the heels! You might not be going to church, but you are not trying to get the dad or the mother to think anything badly of you! Pam dressed like a girl who a guy would be happy to take home to mom by creating a casual, but non-exposing outfit. Match straight leg jeans with a conservative tank, colorful cardigan, and those fun sandals hiding in the back of your closet.

Dinner with Employer

Usually, if you are going out to dinner with an employer, you will be leaving straight from work, meaning you will have no time to change, so don’t worry about changing out of your outfit. However, the tricks to wearing ‘dinner with employer’ appropriate clothing are layers and stashing some ‘musts’ in your work bag. No matter what, your outfit should stay professional and formal if the nature of the dinner is going to stay professional and formal. Even though the sexual tension between Andrew and Margaret made their work relationship totally inappropriate in The Proposal, their work wear was entirely apt for every professional occasion.

The Proposal (2009), Ryan Reynolds (Andrew) and Sandra Bullock (Margaret)

Guys: Ryan Reynold’s character, Andrew, shouldn’t have let Sandra Bullock’s character, Margaret, push him around so much. But, his outfit was spot-on. Wear a navy or black fitted suit with a simple long sleeve button-up and dark, leather shoes is a sure-fire way to stay formal, but still have the lee-way to take off your jacket and tie in case you get hot.

Girls: If you know you have a business-related dinner after work, wear a capped-sleeve print dress with a colorful, fitted blazer and solid-colored, pointy-toe heels. You can take off the blazer if you get hot and still keep the nature of your meeting over food professional because your shoulders are covered up. To make your outfit more fun, stash sparkly, statement pieces like dangly earrings or a long necklace in your purse to maybe get the attention of your cute waiter.

TIP: Make sure that you are familiar with the formality of dress wherever you are eating is that you don’t feel over or under dressed. A good general rule of thumb is to keep it covered in any of the three circumstances because they are all a bit more formal than eating in your pajamas or going out to a club.

The Changing Face of Athletic Wear

The face of athletic wear is changing. Sweats are slowly becoming considered less sloppy and more high fashion than ever before. In fact, much athletic wear crosses into the realm of not-to-be-sweated-in because of the high quality compilations of color, cut, fit, and fabric. Kiss your stained, graying hoodie goodbye in exchange for cute outfits with lots of color and fantastic fits that actually show off your body in a good way (instead of wearing garments that make you look like a gray walrus- awkward and fat) or outfits that just make you look uber trendy. Even sneakers are becoming bourgeois and cool. The gym just got much more attractive…

Lululemon is the gift from the fashion gods to the college student who wants to look nice, but can’t pay those haute couture prices. The Canada- based stores specialize in yoga-wear for both men and women, with prices ranging from about $20-$200 for everything from accessories to jackets. Lululemon is most famous for their Lulu hoodies, which fit like a glove and come in tons of happy and fun colors that will leave you smiling all day long. These garments are anything but sloppy and the stores often offer free yoga classes, showing how Lululemon is sneaking its way into becoming a cultural phenomenon. The likes of Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria, and LeAnn Rimes have been seen wearing this hot brand. Other brands that offer athletic wear that you should fee l good about breaking a sweat in are Nike, Adidas, Underarmor, and even the Northface because these brands are priced in between the realm of ‘I don’t mind if this gets ruined’ and ‘God, do I look cute’. In other words, you will not have the constant fear of splurging on workout clothes that you might sweat-stain (ew! And arghh!). Legitimately sweat-able clothing should not be splurged upon (golden commandment of workout wear).

Athletic wear is also becoming acceptable to wear as high fashion pieces minus the exercise. Take Alexander Wang for a spin: the 27-year-old fashion genius resides in lower Manhattan and attended Parsons School of Design specializes in garmentry that seeks to break fashion norms. The official alexanderwang.com website self-proclaims: “The ways in which his clothes are unabashedly styled and worn are as important to him as the clothes themselves. Alex’s love for contrasts is reflected through the collection with juxtaposing notes of street and luxe, sexy versus androgyny- vagabond meets street-smart modernist”. His current collection reflects great fit, quality fabric, and reasonable prices for casual wear that kisses athletic wear with his spin on the classic tee-shirt and classy pure cotton pseudo-sweat pant-pants (the line crossed between pant and sweat pant is highly permeable). Though his current collection is classic in fit and cut, the colors are trendy in the sense that you will look like you got the life sucked out of you without any accessories. Alexander Wang is bourgeois (without the huge price tag- most items are between $100 and $200 each) and cool, but should be reserved for trying to look effortlessly cool- not actually breaking a sweat! Some other (more expensive) brands of athletic wear meant to never be sweat in are Y3 (look like you stepped right off the runway wearing this edgy, Japanese-based design; prices range from about $135- $630) and Stella McCartney for Adidas (for casual, everyday lifestyle; prices range from $40- $450). Both brands use creative and innovative design that will leave you swooning for more tank tops, warm up jackets, and even dresses. Basically, you are going to be spending lots of time in the gym.

The only question that remains is what is on your feet while you are doing all those super fun exercises. There answer is your customized sneakers- probably one of the coolest ideas ever. Yes, you get to play fashion designer online using step-by-step templates from brands like Nike, Adidas, and even Converse. It may just be my personal and unwavering brand loyalty, but when exercising on your feet, Nike is the route to run. Your customized sneakers can be specified for sport, gender, style, color, and even voted on as best design. Many of the Nike sneaker options have a built-in monitoring system for recording your athletic progress, called Nike+, with the ability to transfer data to your iPod or iPhone. Many shoes in the Nike collection are made of super light-weight and flexible materials- ideal for whatever activity you may exert your feet onto. As a bonus, the colors they have available literally come in almost every shade of the rainbow, and can be mixed and matched with different colors, prints, and textures. Sweat just got a whole lot cuter. Regardless of whether you are going for a run or just running to class, you may opt for a hoodie and not be shamed because you really don’t look like a hot mess-you are clear and ready for life wearing anything from Alexander Wang to Y3. Go sweats!

Tips for ice skating this winter!

I have been skating since I was a small child and wanted to share some tips for all of you out there a bit confused about the ice skating world:

Some tips for skating safely: BEND YOUR KNEES! Once you are bending your knees, make sure you look where you are skating (if you look down, you will most likely fall or run into what/whoever is in front of you). Once you are bending your knees and looking where you are going, make sure that your arms extend straight out in case you fall (so you can easily protect your head). DO NOT hold onto other people when you skate, unless you like being a person-sandwich. DO NOT kick other people with your blades- they hurt.

When renting and tying skates: As a general rule of thumb, get skates that are your size in shoes. The skates should feel snug (so they won’t fall off), but also not so tight that your circulation is being cut off. If your ankles are turned in or out when you walk or skate, you could really hurt yourself. Either your skates are too loose or too big, which means a re-tie or re-size. If you rent skate, try to get a pair that it made of leather (not plastic) and has laces (not Velcro)- after all, you would not want to wear plastic- Velcro shoes, would you?

What to wear: It is cold on the ice. If you are going to an outdoor rink, you may want more layers than an indoor rink (chances are it might snow). Jeans are fine to wear. Gloves are basically required unless you like to lack feeling in your hands. Scarves, heavy jackets, and hats might get in the way or make you really hot if you plan on skating for a while.

Girls- DO NOT wear skating dresses unless you are an ice skater. Also, a secret that no one wants you to know- ice skaters usually only wear skating dresses for performance, not practice (which is what most of their time is spent doing). You look stupid falling down, getting icy, freezing, and wearing tights. Also, skip the short shorts- you will get ice burn.

Guys- It does not make you ‘girly’ to wear figure skates. Hockey skates are fine to wear, also. Keep in mind that each type of skate is entirely different because they have different purposes and are not meant for one gender (guys can figure skate and girls can play hockey). Figure skates have toe-picks, meant for jumping and spinning. Hockey skates lack the toe-picks, creating a bigger “rocker” that enhances quality of edges and speed for playing defense or offense. Wear the kind of skate that you feel most comfortable in.

Breakfast!!! and other health-related plans for the day

This morning I had:
-Organic coffee (hot, plain except I added cinnamon to the grinds- tastes AMAZING!)
-Pure coconut water from O.N.E.
-A sprouted organic cinnamon raisin mini bagel (from Alvarado Street Bakery via my local Stop & Shop), garnished with pumpkin and natural peanut butter (from Peanut Butter Company- love this, but I treat it as a treat because some varieties have tons of sugar, but this is my hands down fav brand!)
-One dried fig

For the rest of the day....
Lunch -> homemade lentil soup with butternut squash, mushrooms, carrots, spinach, dill, peas, corn, and curry
Snack -> Nonfat plain yogurt (it is currently in my house, though I prefer nonfat greek or skyr) with goji berries, muesli, and pecans
Dinner -> ??? Always changes
Dessert -> Pineapple (I sliced it with my giant Korin knife just for fun)

Exercise:
I have been doing 12-min intense interval training exercises to add oomph to my workout, but I plan on also stretching, doing a tiny bit of weights (tiny, tiny), and maybe some running on the treadmill (it is raining today and my brother has the car for the most of today). If I feel up to it, a spot of yoga.

Sleep:
I had trouble sleeping last night and I don't know why. It was really weird. I was just getting back into more regular sleeping patterns, but we will see what happens.

Cooking:
I would like to cook something to eat for later tonight or this week for my family to eat that is healthy. This way, I save my family time from cooking and they reap health benefits, too. Only, I like to make my food really spicy and they don't, so I have to tone down the spices when I am preparing food for other people.

Water:
I know that I still don't drink enough water, so I am working on that, too!

The reason diets don't work + how to really live healthily

What is a diet, really?
Diets are an idea- not a reality. Marketing and advertising agencies get paid big bucks to make the public believe that they need to diet by creating the desire to be thin through the mythic creation of the 'perfect body.' In reality, the idea of a commercialized weight loss diet is profitable, but not generally helpful to the Every Man. In fact, said diets are created to make the Every Man believe that he/she is inadequate and in need of the product (diet pills, diet system) to become adequate (thin, beautiful, attractive, sexy). However, I will admit right now that there are some diets that are better than others and even a few that are quite good (including the Mediterranean diet and Weight Watchers- when done well by focusing on whole foods and skipping processed, 'low-fat' and 'low-sugar' "foods").

What should I do to lose weight?
Eat less. Exercise more.

The secret behind diets is that they only 'work' for a short period of time and often do not teach users how to maintain a level of healthful living. For example, diet pills can be very dangerous and these products are usually not evaluated by the FDA (aka you are buying potentially poisonous snake oil from a snake oil salesman). Sure a cleanse might help you lose weight quickly, but you will gain that weight back (often more) and slow your metabolism, making it hard to lose weight in the long run. Go on a more commercial diet and you likely will be  paying for an 'expert' to feed you overpriced fruit and vegetables that you could have made yourself. Say you like the convenience of pre-made and pre-portioned food (and don't mind the added cost)- consider the fact that once you go off the diet, you will gain weight and need to go back on the diet because you can't eat 'healthily' without it and it becomes your drug (yes, I am being dramatic). By eating responsibly and consistently, one will maintain a healthy and constant weight- changing the calorie intake and output shifts that equation.

As Pooja once mentioned to me, people need to learn how to eat healthy by themselves (it is really easy) and not rely on a 'diet.' Healthy eating should be a life-long habit- not just something you do to look cute. In the long run, eating healthy translates into more than weight loss/ good looks -> prevention of diseases like cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. There is no such thing as the perfect body and you probably know how to feed yourself healthy food- just figure out what healthy foods you like. I like berries, squashes, nuts, seeds, beans, bananas, and I could keep going, but I will stop. One of my biggest issues is not munching on sugary cookies (my kryptonite). I am practicing the art of not throwing away my workouts in spite of yummy, fattening cookies. #notworthit

So how do I eat healthy?
To paraphrase Michael Pollan: Eat real food- mostly fruits, vegetables, and grains. Stop eating when you are full (and eat slow!) to avoid eating too much. There is a lot of processed crap to eat- just skip it.

How else can I be healthy [for life]?
1. Exercise is also important! The best thing to do is exercise that you will enjoy because you are more likely to keep up with that routine [for life]. Exercise isn't just something to do because you think you look fat in your skinny jeans- why do you think fit people and trainers exercise? A good mix is cardio, strength training, interval training, cross training (try a new sport, ride a bike, go rock climbing!), and don't forget stretching. I like ice skating, yoga, running, walking, interval training, stretching, the occasional dance class, some swimming, a touch of pilates, and then I throw in weights quite a bit. I really want to learn how to surf one day.

2. Sleep... get enough sleep. Do it.

3. Drink lots of water. This is an annoying one, but it is true! Drink up ;)

4. You have to want to live healthily- it, like all things in life, is a choice. Also, negative thinking is toxic. Positivity breeds onto those who surround you, and they breed their positive energy onto you!

*If your diet is healthy and well-balanced with good proteins, carbs, and fats, you are probably getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need, so skip the mutli-vitamins (unless your doctor has prescribed them to you).

My other recommendations include: spending times with friends and family (everyone needs chill time), making your own food (growing your own food if you have the time), buying organic locally grown produce that is in season (LOCAVORE...look into co-ops or hitting up your farmer's market), developing a hobby (other than tv watching- unless you like to stretch in front of the tv like me), and avoiding smoking altogether. I am on the fence about coffee, coconut oil, and alcohol (all when in moderation). Moderation is key.

What am I currently struggling with?
I think I eat healthier than the average bear, but I have weaknesses. I love cookies and have to avoid them at all costs (or try to eat ONE as infrequently as possible). I also have trouble explaining to hosts that I do not eat cheese (I hate it) and mostly avoid/ limit my intake of meat, cow-milk, sugar, alcohol, and refined grains (I am not a vegetarian, but I go through periods of meat grossing me out, like today- it could change tomorrow).  My parents, their friends, their first cousins (my second cousins), and our neighbors are the type of people who get personally offended when you don't eat their food. I was over my cousins house a week or so ago and they handed me several plates of food that I never requested or like (for that matter). While the gesture was kind and appreciated, I felt forced to eat some of the food to be polite. I also (we will say accidentally) ate the whole (over sized) piece of red velvet cake I was served that day after nursing it in my lap for a good hour (I was doing good until I realized I wanted cake...I don't even really like cake that much). I learned that looking at food also makes it more tempting and by removing food from your view, you are less likely to eat that food, so I try to avoid keeping kitchen cabinets open and serving dishes in front of my plates.

I am a work in progress, and that is ok.

I am not a doctor, so please don't make any drastic changes to your life without talking to a professional about your health. These are (general) things I have learned from life experience and from my own research.

Current Health Obsessions

I love the internet and all of its wonders- it is like my swami that tells me whatever I need to know or how to do something I am unfamiliar. Basically, I wanted to share a short list of my top 4 health-based obsessions that are free and awesome via the internet (besides the necessities- Pandora, StumbleUpon, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Gmail, and WebMD).

1. Pooja's Way (poojasway.com)

Photo courtesy of PoojasWay.com

Ok- I admit I am biased, but I love Pooja and her site is awesome- free advice from a certified trainer and natural foods chef. I like that it has healthy recipes, easy and effective exercises, and straightforward facts about food processes and ingredients- like what is potassium sorbate? Plus, PoojasWay.com has exclusive interview and tips from top health, food, and sport industry experts like Dr. Ayala (founder of Herbal Water), Nick Kelley (Kaia Foods CEO), and Jennifer Rubell (Eataly). In other words, everything you need in one place- simple. Read no further unless you would like a taste of a few other great sites...

2. BodyRock.tv

Photo courtesy of bodyrock.tv

I might not be an official 'body rocker' but this site has such a strong online community and supportive trainers. Basically, there are tons of short, intense workouts that utilize interval training to get you the best results. Like Pooja's exercise motto, people should do fewer, more effective exercises instead of wasting hours at the gym with slow or no results. I haven't officially tried any of the workouts, but maybe later today... will keep you updated. They also have recipes, most of which look good, but I would nix a lot of the ingredients that they use that aren't whole foods and the protein powders (I am not big on protein powder).

3. Gain Fitness

courtesy of Gain Fitness website.

Have a gym membership, but also like to workout at home? Broke and no gym membership? Either way, this website is awesome because it customizes exercise routines for you for free based on where, how long, and the focus on the workout. Oh, and they have an app. Loves it. #noexcuses

4. Pure2Raw.com

A photo (from pure2raw.com) of what a recipe I made should of looked like. .. it tasted great!

I am not a raw vegan, vegan, or even a vegetarian, but this site is awesome. Period. These sisters are food masters and have their own bakery. I love making their 'socca' because it uses chickpea flour, but works as a diy recipe because you can pretty much add anything to the bread to make it savory, spicy, sweet, salty, etc. I love the socca because it is a whole food variation of food that you can't really find anywhere. I also tried making some of their other recipes, but my works weren't half as pretty as their beautiful food pics.

New Year, Same Me! #RefusingResolution

It is officially 2012 and I am still Sarah. I mean to say that I didn't make a New Year's Resolution because my brain doesn't work that way. Don't get me wrong, lots of people do successfully maintain their resolutions and all that jazz, but for the most part, most resolutions are not kept. Everyone has different motivations and overall life situations. I want to live my life in a way that I will try to improve myself or work towards a larger goal regularly- whether that is every day or every month. I am not the type of person to keep a New Years Resolution because I want to make immediate changes, not ones that are pushed to the side or procrastinated. I am not religious in any sense of the word, but one of my favorite quotes was spoken by Hillel the Elder: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" I try to live by this code because I know that when it comes down to it, only I can make decisions for myself. If I procrastinate, I may never achieve my goals and will only have myself to blame. I guess my intrinsic motivation has become quite obvious. It is important to know what motivates you (rewards, accolades, friends/family, etc.) because everyone is different and use that motivation to accomplish greatness (or small sparks of greatness). In short, I am still working out and trying to eat whole foods as part of a healthy lifestyle not as a diet or trend, but as a lifelong choice.

Books for fun and cooking up a storm

Look! I can make chili (actually not that hard) with organic brown basmati rice!

This is my first, last, and only vacation where I can legitimately do whatever I want. The reason behind this is because I am home in CT for only a month and am not re-committing myself to a place I do not permanently live job-wise, and I could not stay in NYC for the time between the end of my semester and studying abroad in Italy.  Therefore, I have been spending my time doing a bit of freelance work, hitting the gym, cooking, writing, reading, and watching tv. I think I have become TV-saturated and have been going to the gym regularly. I need to go to the rink soon to skate... maybe tomorrow. I keep putting it off for multiple reasons. In terms of cooking, I am proud to say that I have made socca bread from the Pure2Raw girls, vegan cupcakes (for fun, even though no one in my family is vegan), vegetarian chili, veggie udon, popcorn (so obsessed), museli (I like mine with almond milk and diced figs- I really love figs), tea, coffee, and several other things I can't think of at the moment.

Steamed parnip became pure mashed parsnip -yum!

I am planning on executing a smoothie in the near future from Pooja's delicious recipes online at PoojasWay.com like her Blueberry, Cardamom & Coconut Protein smoothie:

Photo courtesy of PoojasWay.com

I am definitely not a regular cook so some of these simple recipes took me a while, but they all worked out ok :) I have been using my new Korin knives from Pooja and they are magical. Not yet sure what I am doing for New Years, but I spent Christmas with a childhood friend who attends Barnard. It was nice to catch up. We got Chinese food and saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I highly recommend the movie, but my parents who read both books said the books are better. I find the person Stieg Larsson very fascinating. Anyways, my life in CT is much less exciting than in NYC, where I am also randomly seeing celebrities go home (I creepily know where Mario Batali lives), eating at awesome restaurants, and chilling with my jaded New York friends.


Goal-wise, I have been drinking more water, but not nearly enough. I have successfully been avoiding drinking liquid calories. Mostly just tea.

Thanks @RishiTea!

 I think I still need to cut down on my overall food intake and eat slower. I have been going to the gym, but I know I really need to switch up my workout a bit more. I am getting hooked on jump roping and am half-jokingly considering trying a kick boxing class. I really need to skate. I am full of excuses. 


In terms of books I have been reading (my library is awesome!), I read a fantastic personal finance book "Hot Broke Messes" by Nancy Trejos and am figuring out my finances and all that jazz. I figure that since I am becoming a real-live adult I should know how these things work to the n-th degree (because that is how I roll). Speaking of finances, I had a near mental breakdown today when there was a misunderstanding with my bank that led me to believe that all of my money had been wiped out of my account due to identity theft. It wasn't true and all is taken care of, but that was a scary moment.

I am literate!

I also finished Mindy Kaling from The Office's new book "Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me (and other concerns)" and it was hilarious and cute. Very easy and fun read. However, I wasn't a fan of Bethenny Frankel's book because I felt like it was too basic for me, which means I must know something about food/cooking! I really like the idea of brunch from Post Punk Kitchen and my inconstant aversion to meat makes veganism/vegetarianism all the more appealing.  Starting the new-ish Chelsea Handler book, but since I love her other books ("My Horizontal Life" is the best), I expect to like this one, too. 

 Learning should be fun and not solicited. For example, my nerdy self chose to watch some TED talks online to learn something from some smart people and because I was genuinely curious. 

I really like getting to read something without the pretenses of having to write something about the piece or get graded on reading something I may or may not be interested in. Plus, the library facilitates this healthy habit of my compulsive reading for free. Fantastic. I was looking for an easy-to-read, attention-grabbing book on the art of marketing, but I think I am either going to have to search really hard or to write it myself. Speaking of writing, I am considering writing a book that will be self-published to avoid the legal and time drama. Thoughts?

Bye for now :) I wish you all a healthy and happy new year!

New-found inspiration for my fitness regimen!

Going to the gym went better today. I went to the 'women's area,' which I thought would be weird because the connotations of a women-specific section that exist in my mind led me to think of fannatical religious people. However, the person at Gold's Gym justifiably explained that a woman who is 50 pounds overweight is more comfortable working out in front of women only, instead of feeling added pressure from men- fair. The machines were basically the same (maybe a little nicer), but I doubt I am commiting to the women's section for now- it was more of a curious experiment.

While at the gym, I really felt like I was doing something good for my body and felt more motivated (with a fantastic playlist via Pandora). I did the elliptical for an hour, treadmill for about 15 minutes, some weight training (I know it is better to do weights one day and cardio another, but I was inspired), a bit of jump rope, and stretched. In terms of food, I ate an over-sized vegetarian salad (I think the only foods that you should eat more than 1 traditional serving of are veggies, fruits, and water in order to get your full fix of nutrients for the day) for brunch with pure tea. For a snack, I ate dried dates, which I am equally as obsessed with as figs.  For dinner, I ate veggies, purple potatoes, and home-made (by me!) popcorn with canola oil- not so healthy, but I wasn't really hungry and I am not really eating meat right now (though my mind could change tomorrow). Since I woke up late today, I might eat again, but not that much. In terms of improvement for next time, I would have liked to steam the potatoes- not fry them and will make the popcorn oil free by popping it in a bag off the cob (a tradition that we carry from our local CT farmers who sell the dried cobs). Usually, I eat way more food, but I think I really need to slow down and be conscious of what I am eating. Now that I am out of class and work for a bit, I can better focus on my health and fitness, which I think I have been allowing to fall by the wayside. I did gain a bit of weight since the summer, and I am hoping to lose it by amping up my regular exercise routine, drinking more water, and making better food choices (like sticking to whole foods, cutting down on my sugar intake, eating less meat, and eating at consistent times). One of the difficulties of college is the lack of consistency in one's schedule- eating becomes a bother and never happens at the same time from one day to the next. I really want to regulate when I wake up, go to sleep, eat, and exercise. I am planning on waking up a bit earlier tomorrow (though I don't have to) and working out in the morning, like I prefer to do. I also talked to my mom about making more of my family's food and she seemed happy (though the lack of meat won't fly for my mom, dad, or brother). I will keep you updated on that. I think part of why I was inspired today is because I realized that even though I did gain a little weight, I don't have to make it a big deal- I control myself and decide how things will go and no one else does. If I want to lose weight, I have to decide to lose that weight. If I don't do anything about it or eat a ton of cookies because I feel stressed (I am totally an emotional eater), it is my own fault that I don't have rockstar abs. I was watching a re-run of MTV's "I Used to Be Fat" (yes, I am a bit addicted to reality tv) and realized that anyone can do anything and achieve anything, as long as they set their mind to do so and make changes to their lives to welcome that change. I would not have gotten into NYU, passed my Senior Moves-in-the-Field ice skating test, become a certified ice skating coach and judge, or even ran my 1st 5K in the Fall if I didn't decide that my goal was important and make steps towards achieving it. I am serious about taking control over my body and am on yet another self-improvement binge, which is a good thing.

Also, I received some lovely gifts in the mail from Pooja today! Besides her kind words in a card, she sent me Endangered Species dark chocolate (which I  shared with my dad), Alter Eco dark chocolate, and Korin knives. It was nice to receive a gift that I can use.

I wanted to also make a side comment that I love coming home to my dogs (both miniature poodles). Dog owners live longer than non-pet owners and it is probably because they get a friend to love them unconditionally and play with all of the time. My dogs are crazy and full of energy most of the time, always seeking attention, but I love them to death. Basically, having a pet is healthy! My pooches got groomed today and look extra cute!

As for tomorrow, I may skate (after a long time of not skating, which is a bad habit I have taken up) and see my coaches after not seeing them for a while. I also want to focus a lot on my abs so I have a super strong core, and I am planning on using Pooja's secrets to sexy abs!

Photo courtesy of PoojasWay.com

Trying Gold's Gym, Rethinking cooking for the family, and GIFTS!

I tried my local Gold's Gym for the first time today and truthfully, I am not sure if I am going to stick with them for my holiday break because I have LA Fitness and my local community center gym on the back burner. I realized that I am spoiled by my gym in NYC, which has TV's on each individual machine. At the gym I went to today, the tv's were posted on the wall, which is fine... except that I kept looking off to them  to my left and right, and I could feel myself veering off to the side. No good. I am fine, but I ended up focusing on my music and declined reading my magazine because I really wanted to read it carefully, not look through it shallowly. In conclusion, I spent about half the time I regularly do at the gym on the elliptical and the treadmill because I noticed how much harder it is to run/ jog/ move without the distraction of a television with a show that you really like. Keep in mind that my entire Freshman year of college, the only time I watched tv was when I went to the gym, so not having a tv is weird for me- again, I am spoiled. However, my local community center's gym is a 15-25 minute drive away and they have machines with tv's. The only problem is that I need a membership for just the month and I really want to like where I am going to commit to. I am going to finish my trial at Gold's and see if my mind changes- I didn't explore half of the gym because I wasn't feeling adventurous and decided I would do so tomorrow.

In terms of food, I realized that I am going to have to make more of a effort to make my own food and likely make food for my family. Yesterday and today, I have been eating leftovers from my mom's cooking, which is healthy and all that jazz, but to control what I am eating, I am going to have to prepare the food myself. My mom is the type of person who gets offended when you don't eat EVERY SINGLE THING that she makes, so you MUST eat it. Yet, she is open to other people cooking, so I think I will be doing that- another lifestyle change for me. This way, I can really stick to my food/ nutrition goals. In terms of goals, I should also add that I need to drink more water. This summer, I drank a ton of water and I am not being as consistent with that habit right now.

Also, I finished unpacking today, which was exhausting. I have acquired so many things from friends and roommates, while I also still had many things in my old room that needed to go. In addition to moving in my things that I live with in NYC, I separated and went through/ trashed my old things that I don't use or need anymore. For example, I am donating t-shirts and jeans that no longer fit me and are not appropriate to my lifestyle as I have owned them since my freshman year of high school (like a bright pink cut off shrug with a matching sparkly tank- terrible). Getting rid of the clutter was very cleansing, like I was removing dirt from my living space. Also, moving large boxes should count as a workout because I was exhausted after- it took about 5 hours of my day. Yikes. At least it is done. Now, I am focusing on preparing things for my trip to Italy... like figuring out what I am going to do with my cell phone :-/

Finally, in case you are like me and get gifts last minute, here is a fab list of 10 gifts under $100 for your health-conscious family and friends from Pooja: http://poojasway.com/article-tips/december-21st-2011-poojas-top-10-last-minute-healthy-living-gifts-under-100/

Photo courtesy of poojasway.com

Moving back in and heath goals for Winter Break

It is official. As of yesterday night, I finished my last exam (which I believe went well) and I came home to Connecticut late last night. I have spent my first official day of vacation sleeping, relaxing, and writing. Yesterday night on the way home from the city (I miss it already!), I wrote out my goals for winter break and tried to be specific so I could tangibly accomplish these goals. I will likely not have an official job over winter break, but I am on a self-improvement binge (again).

Daily goals:

• 1.5- 3 hours exercise (1 hr skating, 30 min run, 30 min stretch/ yoga, 1 hr class/ workout/weights, etc.)... Now, I just need to join a gym at home. I am thinking Gold's Gym because I could walk to one nearby to me :)
• 1 hr studying Italian/ reading/ watching Italian tv. I am going to Italy, so I don't want to forget the language and I want to study up on the history. I think when you know information about something, it enriches your appreciation of that experience, so I hope by increasing my knowledge of Italy, I will appreciate my time living there more!
• 30 min-1 hr writing- whether a book or my blog
• 1 hr reading. I really didn't have that much time to read for fun, so I am hoping to catch up!
•  Make better whole food choices. I want to really break down and plan what I am going to eat everyday. Here is a plan that I hope to stick to:
• Breakfast: Smoothie (from Pooja's smoothie recipes)
• Snack: fresh or dried fruit like a banana or apple 
• Lunch: salad
• Snack: tea and fruit juice, maybe a few nuts if I am hungry
• Dinner: soup, steamed veggies, organic whole grain like brown rice or whole wheat couscous
• Dessert: Frozen fruit with tea
• Track my food daily in my food log. I haven't been consistent with this and I see it as something that I should stick with because it helps me stay on track

Today, I was going to start this plan. However, I think I woke up too late and went to sleep too early and had too many unpacking/ life-related things to take care of today that interfered with going to the gym today. I did make popcorn straight from the kernels, and ate my mom's whole food cooking (my mom should legitimately open a restaurant).  After publishing this, I am going to finish unpacking my tons of stuff (most of which I realized I acquired from other people and didn't start with so much stuff!).

My excuse for no gym today: I am mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted from moving and traveling. Most of all, I think it is going to be really hard for me to adjust from living in NYC. I love the noise, speed, and excitement of the city, which are all completely absent from the suburbs where I live. Additionally, I feel like I am leaving a lot of friends, memories, favorite restaurants, and overall part of me in the city. I spent the last year and a half living in a place that I will not return to for the next 5+ months. However, I do hope to move back into the city over the summer. I grew up a lot in the last 2 years or so (becoming a real live grown up and all of that) and most of that time was living in the greatest city in the world. My sadness for leaving is also met with excitement for new adventures in Italy and appreciation of the opportunities that I have had in NYC and am going to have abroad. For now, I really want to get my body in tip top shape because I think that it could still use a bit of refining now that I can focus more directly on my fitness goals without distractions (a big benefit of suburban living!).

Finishing finals and indulging in salad

I am finishing up with my finals and moving out this weekend. My birthday was nice and I saw my friend Wei last night and we went out for Indian food at Brick Lane Curry House (aka delicious). I love spicy foods because they are full of flavor, and not necessarily huge on calories. After working out this morning, I got salad and orzo as a side dish, so I put the orzo in my salad -> so much better! I also had coffee with skim milk after drinking at least 2000 ml of water (according to the markings on my water bottle). Also, getting proper amounts of sleep has been very helpful. My current attitudes to moving from NYC is bittersweet because it has been my lovely home for 1.5 years, but the suburbs will be a quiet change for a month until I move to Italy. #excited

 In the meantime, I think I am going to start off my time at home with a new exercise regimen and put Pooja's Ab workout to work: http://poojasway.com/article-fitness/november-8-2011-the-truth-behind-year-round-sexier-abs/. I am really looking forward to getting my abs super sculpted ;)

Photo courtesy of poojasway.com

Rishi Tea and Pomegranate Basil Apple Cleanser for Me!

I dropped the ball and forget to tell you all about my recent gift from Rishi Tea (@rishitea)given the hecticness of exam-time! I got green, mint, red, and black tea from them as part of Pooja's team. Check it out: 

Red tea!!!

The red and black teas are really good, but I am obsessed with the mint. Usually, I am not a big mint tea fan because it tends to be overbearingly minty- like a bad candy or mint oil. I just wasn't a big must-drink mint- that was until I drank Rishi's mint tea. Legitimately, they have the best mint tea out there. It is minty, but in a peaceful way that is complemented by its natural sweetness, which is why I like Yogi Egyptian licorice tea so much- it is naturally sweet (but not in a sugary way). I am obsessed (and I also started devoting more time to boiling the water for my tea and not microwaving it- I know, it is lazy to do that- and my tea tastes so much better!). Really, doing things slower pays off!

Also, I am really lusting after making Pooja's newest creation- a Pomegranate Basil Apple Cleanser:

Pomegranate Basil Apple Cleanser. Photo courtesy of poojaway.com.

I am super excited to make this recipe, but because I am moving out of my apartment in a week, I think I am going to hold off buying and making this. It will be made in the next week or so.

Also, since my birthday is tomorrow, this weekend was filled with going out to dinner with friends- which is awesome since I live in the delicious food mecca (aka NYC). I recommend all of these places, which I had eaten at before: Piola, Vapiano, and Friend House. So good! Now, back to studying ;)

Healthy Lunch and Siggi's Yogurt

I just went to Whole Foods to get lunch, unsweetened soy milk, and yogurt.

Lunch= brown rice with salsa, guacamole, mixed greens, beans, and super whole grain tortilla bread (I added all natural hot sauce and pepper- I love spicy!)

In terms of yogurt, Pooja  (@poojamottl, @poojasway) wanted me to try Siggi's Yogurt since I wasn't really a fan of full fat unprocessed yogurts.  Siggi's is "Icelandic style skyr strained non-fat yogurt" that is all-natural from grass fed cows, without any added chemicals/ preservatives/ additives/ hormones/ grossness. Plus, with no fat and low calorie servings (100 calories/ serving), this is an awesome healthy choice. I have actually had Siggi's Yogurt before and I am a huge fan! It is thick, but in a good way, and tastes dreamy. I added honey and flax seeds to my plain Siggi's yogurt.

I took these pics, but you can follow @siggisyogurt

Also, I was out of milk, so I got my unsweetened soy milk!

Loves me my unsweetened soy milk!

I think of unsweetened soy milk like regular milk- I don't add sugar to my regular milk because doing that would be gross. 

I think Siggi's is my new favorite yogurt (next to Wallaby, of course). #obsessed. Also, now I have a new yogurt to dip figs into!

Excited for my birthday dinner tomorrow with some friends!

Hugo (without the popcorn) + #SustainableMeals

I love popcorn. I don't even think that I can explain how much I love popcorn. It is one of my favorite foods (next to figs, cookies, licorice tea, pho, samosas, pickles, chickpeas, corn, and black beans), but happens to be a food that is eaten unhealthily most of the time. Obviously, traditional movie theater popcorn is loaded with fake butter (it is squirtable at room temperature- ew!?!) and drowned in salt (enough to constitute an entire mine).

Photo courtesy of themovieblog.com.

Being a classic tradition, going to the movies ( among all good things) is somehow tied in to eating- in this case, popcorn. I actually never get popcorn at the movies because of the poor quality and overall unhealthiness of the way my beloved popcorn is prepared. I went to see the movie "Hugo" in 3D this weekend with some friends, and needless to say, I really liked it. The premise is that an orphan boy lives in a train station fixing clocks, but believing he can uncover a secret message left by his father. The cool part of the movie is that it was about the movies (very meta). Parts were cheesey, but it was good.

Photo courtesy of badassdigest.com.

Anyways, I didn't eat anything while I was watching the movie because when there is a big screen distracting you, you tend to eat way more than you would in day light if you were paying attention. Also, in general, it is a bad idea to eat in front of a television screen because presentations of food are shown to increase appetite or at least make you think you should eat when you aren't even hungry. On the flip side, watching videos of food while you are eating (a meal) actually makes the food taste better- advertisers are really smart, guys.

I missed my popcorn, but I wasn't hungry or missing out on the movie experience (plus 3D is kind of awesome). The next time I will make popcorn will probably be at home where I pop kernels in a bag from the dried cob or in a closed pot (whole versions of food are always better). That way, I choose what I add. Usually, I add splashes of cinnamon, sugar, salt or throw in small chocolate pieces or crushed candy cane pieces to melt over the hot popped kernels- yum. Making your own versions of any food help you control how much of what ingredients go into your body without the chemicals of prepackaged (yellow-orange tinged) popcorns.

Also, make sure to catch the twitter party today hosted by @PoojaMottl! I am participating, too.

poojasway jane adams 

join @PoojaMottl @eatsustainable and @GoodGuide at 4pm EST today for our #SustainableMeals twitter chat! use the hashtag to join the convo

YOU CAN WIN TONS OF FREE STUFF! #SustainableMeals