Mardi Gras (in my belly)

Look at all those fatty's!

I am massively susceptible to suggestion. This week combines both the celebratory awesomeness of Fat Tuesday & Valentine's Day. I'm subconsciously being driven mad to overindulge, especially on dessert. AND, because it is the aforementioned Carnival USA-style, I am compelled to believe that I totally deserve to indulge.

Well I don't, but I did.  There was an ice cream incident today that I'm not ready to go in to. Happierly (heck yes, made a new word) I also concocted a super indulgent yet nutritionally acceptable dinner for the sweet hubs.

Seriously, I pulled EVERY form of fatty dairy out of our fridge and used it to make a rice mac n cheese (Munster, Brie, grass-fed Cheddar. Cabot butter and Kerrygold unsalted). Brussels sprouts were sauteed in Hudson Valley duck fat. But the centerpiece of delectable yumminess was Lea Valle's Paleo Buffalo Chicken Nuggets. The recipe was spot on and really easy to execute. We didn't have any Frank's Red Hot on hand but there was a small bottle of Tabasco (going with the Louisiana theme!) that I subbed in and WOO were these babies spicy and on the money for flavor. Plus, ground chicken is really affordable even here in Manhattan.I served a small side of strong blue cheese & artichoke dip as a cooling side and because it just seemed appropriate. J seemed pleased with the line up and we both filled up very quickly on such rich fare. This is definitely not a meal to repeat weekly but we both did agree after licking our plates that we're ready to lighten up. Well, after the 14th of course ;)

Flattened balls of fire

A Case of the Mondays, or better yet: COMBATING THEM

Today I woke up after only 5 hours of sleep looking toward a long shift on a rainy day. I had to do TWO bank runs for the business, work even longer than scheduled and missed my night's free movie screening because I don't have any close friends in town yet that wanted to come along, plus work ran late so I missed the chance to go alone. One would think this could be summed up as a bad day, but it wasn't. I had a good Monday.

Perspective, attitude, optimism. We hear these buzz words over and over. Often we are told that life is how we approach it, not what happens to us. I guess that's true though sometimes it is just damn hard to push through the muck.

Here's what made my day great:

• I came in to work to find I was going to spend the day with some awesome colleagues

• Every customer that came in who I managed to connect with was noted as a victory in my mind. I may have been the only one cheering myself on but damn was I proud of myself. 

• A ridiiiiculously cute puppy came in to the shop and I allowed myself a few minutes to cuddle with him, no apologies

• All those trips to the bank gave me a chance to breathe some (relatively) fresh air and stretch my legs

• Extra work meant I earned enough to buy myself a special treat at the market

• Missing out on the free move screening meant I got to go home to my husband sooner

It doesn't work every time but if we can remind ourselves to keep pushing through then we're almost guaranteed to gain some ground, at least much more than if we just stand there frowning at the challenge.

BLIZZARD!

 early morning flake fest

Well, "Winter Storm Nemo" was threatening to be a behemoth but is shaping up as more of a welcomed excuse to head home early on a Friday. The snow is falling and plentiful in Manhattan but isn't threatening to trap us all in our buildings. As much as I'd love to have all of tomorrow to be cozy with my J, it looks like work will be all systems go.
Blustery winter days seem to entreat a hearty meal. I wholeheartedly offer Mark's Beef Burgundy as an absolutely delicious recipe to try out. it's incredibly rich with delicious chunks of beef in a salty think sauce. It cooks slowly over the course of a few hours, asking only to be tended to a few times throughout the day. Being that many of us are seeking respite from biting winds anyway, what's a few trips in to the kitchen? This is a great one to practice, master and incorporate into your rotation of winter warm-ups.

40 Days and 40 Writes

I've got this hang up where if I can't do something PERFECTLY then I shy away from it outright. It's a really wanky tick and completely self sabotaging but it seems to be my schtick.It was a recurring excuse when it came to my weight loss based on the premise that I hadn't begun my new diet (whatever it was at the time) on an even date, usually the first of the month. Yes, silliness. And so the same has persisted with my blogging. Indeed I was very busy wedding planning and then getting married and then cutting my hair ;) followed by MOVING to NYC and starting a bold and brand new life with my wonderful husband...all great excuses for getting sidetracked. Yet always, always it has been n my mind that I should be writing. After we began to make our home together Jeffrey told me how much he wanted me to get back to writing. And I have shyer away from it because I didn't know where to start. "I have to talk about our wedding first." A month later, "I need to review this Fall festival fare before I can go into holiday cooking." Well with those ever increasing limitations I seemed to be digging a grave for my blogging desires. So we'll start here and now. It's Lent! I'm promising to write every day. Let's see where this road leads.

ROAD TRIP!

My amazing bridesmaids are whisking me away to Atlantic City for a weekend of bachelorette goodness!
As the wedding is 15 days away (OHMYGOODNESS) I am trying to stay on track so that my very unforgiving wedding dress will fit come "I Do" day.  Road trips always used ot be my excuse to pig out on fast food. I loved a Hardee's Chicken Biscuit or grabbing a Dary Queen Blizzard. Well, no more. No more poison and no more crap.  To fuel our journey I've packed mostly Paleo goodness that I hope my ladies will enjoy as much as I do. On board for this weekend is:

• Bananas
• Coconut water
• Water water
• Organic apple sauce
• Dried peaches
• Potato chips cooked in olive oil
• Lightly salted, roasted almond,
• Larabar
• Pecan crackers
• Dark chocolate PB (all natural atleast)
• Pork Rinds, oh yes, we're going there!
• Organic beef jerky and turkey jerky
•  Apple Cider Vinegar for general wellness, vitamins and fish oil

Yum yum! What do you like to travel with when traveling and keeping it clean?

Even our salad is in love!

Oh, hey look, I have a blog! How is everyone's 2012 going? Mine is a whirlwind! Exciting news: in March Jeffrey proposed!!! Our wedding is in mid-September so we're halfway through the engagement period. It has been a very interesting experience: emotional roller coaster, surreal and STRESSFUL.

It's silly that the most joyous day of one's life would drive a girl so absolutely bonkers. I've allowed subconscious anxiety to creep up on me and it has effected my sleep patterns, diet and daily activities. Panic attacks, clammy hands, racing heart beat and stomach aches: ridiculousness.  I finally decided that I have to be brave within and push through. I've always been open about periodic anxiety, but I consistently succumb to the physical reactions. This time I'm taking a cue from my great aunt who is living with leukemia: the woman never complains. I am hoping that by asserting my inner strength I can override the scary things that happen when my self panics.   In the past week since adopting this mentality it has really helped. I'm not mean to myself, but I remind my consciousness that life is beautiful, I am well and the day will go on beautifully.   This won't work for everyone, but it's always best when you can take control of a manifested situation.

I've been much more strict with my diet lately, avoiding excess sugar as much as possible hoping that the healthier my body is the less I can let myself worry about. Do you have issues with anxiety and/or panic disorders? Do you feel that a Primal or Paleo diet has impacted those reactions? 

Bonjour mes Amis!

I'm Alive! Whew, been gone far too long but my oh my what an adventure it has been. About a month after my last post I was offered a position to sing in a music festival in France. So I upped and quite my job, hopped on a plane and spent the summer overseas.

Now I'm home and trying to re-acclimate to life here. I've scrounged up a few PT jobs (thankfully they're both pretty fun ones) and am slowly getting back to my old schedule. I haven't returned to CrossFit since moving home and that's pooey. I thought I would be back in the box the week after I got back but the laziness generated by temporary unemployment and a pansy-a$$ fear of having to start all over with my body conditioning have kept me from rolling up and getting down to the 3...2...1... "Excuses are a heavier burden than any barbell."

Good News: I've convinced my family to go Paleo for 3o days!!!!! They are on day 4 and dealing with it ok. The finite rules seems to be escaping them and they certainly aren't gung-ho about this but I think that as time progresses they will see that the food going in truly affects not just the waistline but the whole body.

Need some motivation? These guys seem pretty enthusiastic about what you eat.

So now that I'm home and no longer under the regime of evil firewall land, I hope you'll join me in continuing to reach for healthy goals and cooking up delicious things.

Who has a Fall/Winter goal to achieve?