Ordinary Girl's "Grocery List" #2

#2 Arctic Zero
My second discovery is this yummy find that I plan on indulging in for my treat meal every weekend until I get tired of it. Which might take quite awhile since it does come in not only nummy maple vanilla but, coffee, cookies n cream, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, mint chocolate chip, and strawberry banana.
only 150 calories and not just per serving but for the WHOLE DARN PINT.

That's right, this Arctic Zero pint of ice cream from Whole Foods was like unlocking a huge hidden secret. Why doesn't anyone know about this?
You don't have to try and control yourself by taking out 1/4 of the ice cream and hoping you have the will power to not grab it back out of the fridge for more 20 minutes later.
You can just pull out a spoon and eat the whole thing in one sitting and you've only had 150 calories.
Of course you don't want to do this all the time because even though its fat free, virtually carb free, it does have a good chunk of sugar in it.
(Which we should know is wayyy worse than even fat for your body)
But if you clean eat for five days, Monday through Friday, you deserve this for your cheat meal.
You'll get to feel like your being bad, without the tummy ache and guilt attached.
Plus it's only $4.50.
At the frozen yogurt joint by your house you can get the same size thing for the same price or more.

I wouldn't post this if I didn't think you would enjoy this too. And I guess you all know what I'll be eating on the weekends around 9pm. I'm hooked. :D
#3 up tomorrow!

'Ordinary Girl Grocery List' #1

I bought three things that made my heart smile last month:
A new book, a pint of ice cream, and frog feet looking shoes.
And after these few weeks of reading, running, and eating my new goodies
I figured it would be rude to keep these awesome things all to myself for much longer
So lets get to the list...

#1 Vibram Five Fingers Shoes

These crazy looking shoes that I kept seeing people working out in at the gym, are actually better for your feet than your 150 hundred dollar nikes.
These are specifically for the running and hiking fans that are tired of the extra bulky feeling on their feet.
Have you ever seen people running barefoot along the tide for miles and thought, "ouch"?
Well apparently these people are doing something right.
A new study came out that proved that all the cushion, air lift, arch support, etc is actually RUINING our feet in the long run!
Our feet are made for barefeet walking so unless we live in the snow and need to keep our feet warm, these Vibrams are the closest way to sanitarily stretch our toes and will prevent foot problems far into the future.
Haha I know, yeah, they arn't the most normal looking shoes but they are the shiznits.
I got a few confused looks at first when walking into my class but mostly I get asked about them because people are so interested and open to these different looking footsies.
I mean they are flying off the shelves with more and more people in the United States finding out about them.
Actually, you should call a store ahead if you want to go buy them, just to make sure their in stock.
I got my new green pair for 99 dollars at Sports Chalet :)
(My grandpa was with me and got a pair himself too. He wants to start training for the Senior Olympics. He's so cool.)

The only downfall is that you have to get your feet used to wearing these. I wouldn't reccomend running more than a mile in them. Put them on around the house, to the store etc, because you have to train yourself to walk more on the balls of your feet instead of putting all the weight on your heels like we've been conditioned to do...which is the wrong way.
You get sore the first week you are active in them because your working different muscles than you usually do. Your legs get used to the change after awhile.

If you don't believe me check out the website and decide for yourself if it's worth the cash or not. http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

Digest this, go buy them, or tell a running friend, and I'll put up the second thing I bought last month, tomorrow

It's Monday so you know what that means, make yourself start of this week with a bang and go break a sweat! ;)

My new job may be the death of me

....not literally, but If you have ever worked in the restaurant business, I know you catch my drift.

A year ago I got my first restaurant job at a hot wings and beer place.
(yes I sported the orange shorts, embarrassing but it happened. anyways, moving on.)
Before then I had never been into fast food, breaded wings, or desserts.
It's hard to explain but, until you surrounded by hundreds of people and just the smell of this bad-for-you food in general all day everyday.... you start to get the illusion that it's okay to eat this kind of stuff every shift.
Plus its practically FREE. I mean, who can reject cheap food?
Apparently not me.
All the sudden I was craving the greasy stuff all day long. During my shift, after my shift, late at night, even in the morning.
My taste buds were really getting used to this stuff and no matter how hard I worked out and promised myself I would start back a healthy diet tomorrow....my body wanted it more.
Then I moved to Los Angeles and got a job at an popular Irish pub in Hollywood.
It wasn't better.
Nachos, bread pudding, and fried avocado? What a disaster.
However, I will say in November I quit that job and found it so easy to transition back to my better habits when I quit.
I started this blog, working out again, cooking, hanging out at whole foods.
yay this was more like it!
But, it's been a few months, And cash is starting to run real low not working.
I'm defiently ready to start making that money again.
Ive been training at this new bar/24 hour restaurant which opens up in two days and I'd be lying if I said that I'm not doubting my will power ability to say "no".

Will I have the strength to say no to the quesadillas that are sent back and offered to the waiters?
Will I break and eat the food everyday on my lunch break? (These aren't small portions people)
Will I sneak a fry or two (or 50) here and there in the kitchen?
(people who work with food don't judge, you know you do it too.)
I MUST STAY STRONG and set some goals for me to resist falling back in the hole I once caught myself falling into.
So here I go. I'm publicly announcing this so you all can hold me accountable.
Here's what I plan to do to avoid this turning into a disaster:

I found a co worker who has the same trouble and is down to help support each other to stay on the right track. We are going to try and hit the gym either before or after work. We will not eat at the restraunt, EVER under any circumstances. Theres a Trader Joe's right next store so no excuses. We will bring snacks for snacking emergencies and it will be good for me to practice saying "no" to free food and remember just because its free doesn't mean it's good.

I can do this.

I can do this.

I can do this.....
Please pray for me just in case though :)

What kind of eater are you?

It's not necssarily ALL our fault we eat like sh*t.
& thank goodness because I was starting to get really frustrated with myself....

I stumbled upon an article called, 'What kind of eater are you?' the other day. I enjoyed it personally because not only did it make me feel less weird for having such repetitive bad cravings and eating schedules but....
it also said it wasn't necessarily all MY fault, either.
This was incredible music to my ears.
Anytime I get the chance to not have to take responsibility for my bad actions, I'm going to take it! :)
Maybe some of you will feel better too. It breaks it down like this.

Some of the many different reason we struggle with food stem from the way we were told, how we were raised, and how we are emotionally. I'm not saying however that these are unchangeable habit's because they ARE. However, we don't have to blame ourselves all the time.

The Choatic Eater is completely out of touch with their eating choices and habits. Constantly eating on the go, skipping meals, and over schedule themselves. They deal with food when it present and don't think about it till the next time food comes up.

The Unconscious Eater is never in tune to what their eating. Usually eat while multi-tasking driving, watching TV, cooking, working, reading etc. They'll eat whenever food is available and don't know if they are even hungry or have reached their fullness level. I like to call these zombie eaters too.

The Emotional Eater uses food to numb themselves to cope with something without realizing they are doing so. What they do realize though is that they eat too much. They feel powerless around food, often finishing a whole bag of potato chips without thinking for example.

The Waste Nothing Eater will eat more than they want to because they hate seeing food go to waste. They associate food with money but they dont realize that by doing this they ARE wasting! When food is in abundance they can help but to over eat until the full of  their stomach about to rupture.

The Cant-Say-No Eater is pretty self explanatory, If someone encourages them to eat more than they need or want, or invites them to eat when they just ate...they can't say no. Fearful of hurting or disappointing another persons feelings or impressing someone. A lot of people do this especially over the holidays.

The Restrictive Eaters seem to always be on a diet. The chronic dieter is constantly striving to lose a specific amount of weight, and creating new good and bad food lists they try to adhere to, but in the end they yo-yo between under eating, over eating and eating a whole bunch at once.(Binging) For these people there's little pleasure to eating.
I guess if I went into a BEA (Bad Eaters Anonymous) a year ago, I introduce myself like this

"Hi, I'm Jessica and I'm a unconscious, emotional, waste-not, refuse-not, restrictive eater... and it's not my fault"

Now, If none of these apply to you... gold star for you, me and the rest of the world envy your grace :)

But for all the rest I thought I'd post this for you guys so maybe you'll figure out what kind of eater YOU are.

Habits are easier to fix if you know what your dealing with ;)

Get your beast on

Goals Goals Goals.
They're always nice to have, make and then re create and re create.
Besides being on track for YOUR own well being... sometimes it isn't enough motivation for us.
So that why making very specific goals are so important.
They give us an exact point that we want to reach so we can prove to ourselves that we are unstoppable, once we get there.
I'm a little stuck now.
My goal to lose weight is wayyyy in the past and since then I haven't set any goal but to create habits to remain weekly in my life forever.
It's the main goal but I won't reach there until I die so I want to set up like goals to work toward in between now and then.
Theres no right or wrong way, no too big or too little goal.
The point is that you make one, focus in on it, and attack it!

So thank goodness for stumbleupon.com, I found my goal to work toward for these next two month!
(Which is the coolest website. I highly recommend you check it out if you have never before.)

It's a marathon without just the running. It an obstacle course you'd see as a challenge on Survivor. It's the dirtiest marathon obstacle course put on by extreme organizations called Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash.
The course consists of carrying logs, running through "burning houses", fire pits, crawling in the mud under barbwire, and a bunch of other crazy strenuous tasks.
And you thought that sounded hard? Some of them as long as ten miles.
For those of you who know me well this is right up my alley.

Of course I want to compete but I want to do well so I have to start training.
On these websites they have workouts that prepare you  and I'll put those that I think are a  really good workout, in a blog when I start training, for you guys.
So far I know I have one person who definitely wants to participate with me but, I think it would be fun and even more motivating, if I got a coed team together for this!

Here's the links to the websites if any one is interested in getting in shape and competing in something completely different.
Just remember, this isn't for the people who just like getting dressed up in war paint and want a cool shot running through fire for their facebook default, this is serious.

hehe not really so check it out :)
oh and for the beer drinkers, after-party is included. should be a hoot.
www.warriordash.com & www.toughmudder.com

I would like to thank the academy...

I'm watching the Oscars while writing this blog because it's been the only chance Ive been able to sit down for two seconds since Monday. A good busy of course :)
And its got me thinking. I can't take all the credit for some of the tips on this blog... I would like to thank Jackie Warner.
Sure, I obviously have gotten a lot of material and more basic knowledge from my NASM textbook
(National Academy of Sports and Medicine, I'm studying for my personal training certification)
but I can't believe it's taken me this long to dedicate a full blog to one of my most inspirational health and fitness books Ive read so far!
Not only has it changed the way I think about food, working out, and self confidence but I owe it to you guys to let you in on it too!
"This Is Why You're Fat (And How To Get Thin Forever)" by Jackie Warner
Yes I know it's the corniest title ever but I promise you it's not only for the morbidly obese, people.
It gives really good points and explains everything you need to know, in depth with proven facts, without losing your attention.
It's a New York Times Bestseller and if it doesn't motivate you to reach your goals after reading it
...... I don't know what to tell you actually.

Trust me you'll just feel incredible.
Personally, it's my health bible.
I read it in four days and I'm constantly referring back to it when I'm heading to the gym or the grocery store.
The first part introduces what REALLY making you fat and you'll be surprised to find out that it's NOT about portion, fat or carbs. Jackie breaks down how adding food works better than staying away from food, why being a weekend cheater works and other short tid bits she breaks down each with usually just a paragraph.
Part two is what you'll have opened to at the grocery store with lists and lists of things to grab and ways to not break your "good" plan when eating out from Mexican restaurants to steak houses and ways at how to ultimately "stick with it".
Part three talks about the 20 minute cardio which I blogged about not too long ago and how if you add circuit training into your workout you could be saving a lot of time by burning your ultimate amount of calories every time.
Lastly I love how she included metaphysics.
Pretty much what you learn if you read "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrnes,which I make well known is pretty much my life bible.
Without going into too much scientific detail she gets to the point, and what I try to say in this blog as much as possible, ======>
YOU WILL NEVER LIVE A HAPPY HEALTHY LIFE IF YOU DON'T LOVE YOURSELF COMPLETELY FIRST.
I can't stress it enough.
Everything is in steps.
So same with weight lose etc....First step: Absolutely know you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to

Now go get this darn book. It's so awesome it hurts.

Yay, it's Monday!

Starting this week I'm going to stop looking at Mondays as the beginning to the grueling week
Instead I'm going to get excited about it being a clean slate!
Forgetting about the mess ups, the stress, the failed attempts last week (or last month) and starting off fresh.
I'm going to start making every Monday a habit to get things done. A day to get things accomplished.
Didn't squeeze in your five day 20 minute cardio sessions last week? Ate more than your 2 only planned cheat meals?
Eh, Who cares. No need to sweat about things we ultimately can't take back.
Start it off right today. Forget about it. Today is the beginning of a whole new week.

Get a notepad and write down your five days you know you'll have time to fit in 20 minutes of  a little sweat and burn. Then write down exactly what meal your going to "cheat" on on Saturday and Sunday after you've gone five consecutive "clean eating days".
Yay rewards :)
Now what to do? Get out there and set the tone for the rest of your amazing week your going to have!
Don't feel guilty and punish yourself for eating all the junk last night, smile because you have the choice to succeed this time.

Quick note: Studies have shown that you are most likely to continue your workout routine for the rest of the week if you workout on a Monday.
In other words slap that Monday around and make it your b*tch.... Cheerio.