Six Months Pregnant: Update

I thought I'd do a pregnancy update, it's my first one and I've seen these on other bloggers' sites and I thought it would be fun! So here goes!

How I'm Staying Healthy During My Pregnancy

A couple of my readers suggested I write a post on vegetarianism and pregnancy and how I'm staying healthy throughout so here it is! I wrote a post back in 2013 detailing my health journey and why I eat a mostly vegan and gluten-free diet so I'm not going to get into that now (too long of a story) but please read that post if you are curious as to why I do what I do ; )

Barre Body Studio

A few weeks ago I took part in a fun photo shoot for Barre Body Studio, where I'm an instructor and I thought I'd share a few photos from that day as well as explain what a barre class is all about, for those of you who have asked me about it over social media and were thinking of trying it ; ) 

Life, Lately

A lot of FUN has been had by me in the past couple of months so I thought it was time for a 'Life, Lately' update ; ) Clockwise starting from top left:
1. I attended PARKSHOW in Edmonton which I really enjoyed, I can't wait for the next one!
2. It was my one year anniversary of teaching at Barre Body Studio! I can't believe it's been a year already. I really love teaching there.
3. The most beautiful Christmas tree in the lobby of the Hotel MacDonald that I was smitten with ; ).
4. Pulling clothes for a styling session with a client of mine at Simons. I've been really busy with personal styling the past few months, it's been amazing! And my website is back up and running! Yay!

What I've been wearing lately: Outfit #1, #2, #3 and #4. There's a theme here: I love the color red. And scarves.

I was invited to a media "Dinner at Tiffany's" event at the fancy Fairmont Hotel MacDonald and felt like a Princess the whole night! All the guests were able to view beautiful jewelry and were treated to a delicious four-course meal.

A few lovelies at the Tiffany's event (I didn't get the chance to snap everyone in attendance unfortunately!)
-  Fashion bloggers Kira and Sandy Jo 
-  WHERE Edmonton Editor Lindsey Shapka, Janis Galloway of Dress Me Dearly, Fashion Magazine Writer Caroline Gault and Sarah Geddes from Sass Communications
- Me and the gorgeous Lindsey from Over My Styled Body
- New mama Sarah Giuffre from 204 Park and our gracious host Laura Smythe, Director of Tiffany's Edmonton.
This is an event I will never forget!

- I had 5" of my hair chopped off and then highlighted at Ponytails + Horseshoes. (I just wanted a change.) Shanda and Angela always do an amazing job there. My hair feels so much healthier with all that extra weight gone.
- A Christmas party brunch with friends I've known since I was 9 years old last weekend at my friend's beautiful new home.
-Elizabeth from Blushed Beaute did my makeup at our Barre Body Studio Christmas get-together, and Elissa, one of my fellow instructors got a pedicure from Feel Fabulous Mobile Spa. It was an awesome party with students and teachers in attendance; everyone got beautified while eating snacks and sipping on mimosa's ; )

And that's what I've been up to! I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging in the next couple of weeks over the holidays, but I'll definitely be Tweeting, Facebooking and Instagramming (@mariealamode) if you want to follow along!

Merry Christmas everyone!
xoxo

Zesty Quinoa Salad

It's the Canada Day long weekend this weekend and I've got the perfect salad for a barbecue today! I obtained this recipe from All Recipes but I put a little twist on it. And by "twist" I mean I simply added an avocado ; ) It's so easy to make and tastes delicious. Oh and it's vegan AND gluten-free. I hope you like it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more
• 1 1/2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and ground black pepper to taste 
• 1 avocado

Directions:

1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

3. Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa, toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and avacado and season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Have a great weekend everyone! 

My Top 10 Skincare Tips and Secrets

In my last post I shared my skincare routine with you and today I thought I'd follow that up with some tips and secrets for healthy skin that have really helped me : ). Some of these you may have heard of before but I think they're all worth repeating!

1. First tip: Always take your makeup off before you go to bed and wash your face. Always. Even if you've been out partying all night, had too much to drink, can't really walk in a straight line and it's the last thing you want to do. If you don't, your makeup will sink into your skin and clog your pores and make you more prone to pimples the next day. Even if you can't wash your face, at least use makeup wipes to get that gunk off.

2. Always use a moisturizer or better yet - a sunblock - on your face with an SPF of 15 or higher when you're out in the sun. And if your body is exposed, slather it up, too. You don't want to end up looking like this.

3. Stay away from tanning beds. They will age you considerably. I don't care how nice you look with a tan, how are you going to feel when you turn 30 and people think you're forty? Or when the doctor tells you you have skin cancer? And hey, I understand the allure of tanning beds and looking all beach-y and sun-kissed, I used tanning beds to get ready for my Grade 12 prom and for a few months in my early twenties and I really regret it now. I'll take my paste-y white skin over premature wrinkles any day.

4. Use eye cream around your lips to prevent fine lines from forming.

 

Turmeric

5. Add a bit of turmeric to any homemade face mask (I add it to my manuka honey and lemon one). Turmeric (which you can get at the grocery store) has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and helps to clear acne scars, nourishes the skin and gives your face a natural glow. Just be careful when you use it, it can be messy and can stain.

6. Make sure when you put moisturizer, creams and serums on your face that you apply them to your neck, too. It needs just as much love as your mug ; ).

 Fruits and veggies are so good for our skin!

7. You are what you eat and what we put into our bodies will show on our skin. Beauty really does start from within. So eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink green juice. Juicing is a great way to get that natural glow! 

8. Drink more water. Drinking 8 or more glasses a day will help rid the body and skin of toxins. Hydration affects the skin, in a good way. (It will help with that glow!)

9. Did you know olive oil is a great, all-natural makeup remover? It can also be used as a moisturizer. My Aunt has only used olive oil on her face for the past 50 years and she has amazing skin!

10. Use Vick's Vapo Rub on pimples to help reduce the size and inflammation and get rid of them faster. Works like a charm!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Have a great weekend!

xo

Carrot, Lentil + Raisin Quinoa Salad

It's Easter this weekend and I was wondering what type of vegan, gluten-free dish I could make for Sunday dinner that I hadn't made before and luckily I came across this carrot, lentil and raisin salad on Deliciously Ella last week which sounded, well, delicious ; ). I decided to test it out a couple of days ago first before I shared it with family. It was super-easy to make and quite tasty so if you're looking for a healthy and hearty salad to serve for Easter I highly recommend this one. Below is the recipe. (All measurements are for the raw ingredients.)

You will need:
 - 3/4 of a cup of quinoa
 - 3 carrots
 - 1/2 a cup of lentils
 - 1/2 a cup of raisins
 - 1/2 a cup of pine nuts
 - 1 large butternut squash (I used a yam because there was no squash at the grocery store)

For the dressing:
 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil
 - 2 tablespoons of tahini (I bought this from Planet Organic)
 - 1 teaspoon of tamari (I also bought this from Planet Organic)
 - 1 lime
 - salt 

Directions: 
- Start by pre-heating the oven to 190 C, then peel and cut the yam into bite-sized chunks. Place them on a baking tray with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper (you can also add rosemary if you like.) Bake for 30 minutes until soft
- Cook the quinoa in 1.5 cups of water for approximately 15 minutes and at the same time cook the lentils. You can add a bit of apple cider vinaigrette if you want, while they start to cook, to add some flavor
- Once the quinoa and lentils are cooking, place the raisins in a cup of warm water and let them soak, this will make them juicier
- Peel and grate the carrots using the fattest holes on a cheese grater
- Finally, make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, tahini, tamari, lime and salt with a fork until smooth
- Place all the ingredients into a large salad bowl, mix with the dressing and enjoy!

  
Happy Easter! I hope you all have a great long weekend!

xo

5 Month Health/Diet Update

So it's been over five months (!!!) since I cut out all animal products and gluten from my diet, due to health reasons and I thought I'd give you an update on how I've been doing. Some of you may be wondering if I stuck with it.... Well I have! And now you may be thinking "What the heck does she eat??" I eat a LOT of fruits and vegetables, salads, quinoa, lentils, beans, gluten-free pasta, nuts, superfoods like goji berries and cacao, gluten-free steel cut oats, hummus, peanut butter (with bananas), lots of guacamole (love it!) with GF tortilla chips, almond or coconut milk instead of milk, raw chocolate (for a treat!), GF pizza with vegan cheese, GF bread, the list goes on. I try and focus on what I can eat instead of what I can't. I'm also not too strict with myself, for example on Thanksgiving I had mashed potatoes with real butter (I forgot to bring vegan butter and didn't want to ask the host to make me a separate dish) and I had a few chocolate Halloween treats last week (I gave in to the temptation) but I didn't feel very good after. Because I eat so healthy 90% of the time, when I put something into my body that has a lot of sugar or something that is really processed, or even something my body is not used to eating anymore I can really feel it! I like eating food as close to its natural state as possible. (The way we were meant to eat it!) But I will also indulge once in awhile and get GF fries with vegan gravy and a Coke at one of my favorite restaurants. But that's about as un-healthy as I get. I just don't crave that many un-healthy foods anymore because they don't make me feel good. It's as simple as that!

The pro's of eating a Vegan and GF diet:

-After a week of cutting out all animal products and gluten/wheat I started to think clearer. Not sure if that makes sense and it's hard to describe. I just felt "lighter" I guess and my brain wasn't as foggy.

-Speaking of feeling "lighter," I lost 5 lbs. right away and then gained a couple back. I also noticed fat starting to disapper from my body, especially in the stomach area and my clothes starting to loosen on my body.

-I have soooo much energy! I'm still drinking my super smoothie every single morning which charges my batteries and if I don't drink it, I definitely feel it. And before I started my new diet I used to feel really lethargic in the afternoons around the 2 p.m./3-ish mark but I don't anymore.

-My IBS symptoms have decreased dramatically, I no longer get those pains that made me have to curl up into a ball.

-Because of all the fruits and vegetables I'm eating and because I'm juicing a lot, my skin is brighter and I honestly feel it has a bit of a "glow" to it. I've also noticed the fine lines around my eyes starting to soften.

-My nails are so long and strong! They used to be so weak and brittle! I think the ingredients in my smoothie have helped with this.
-I do not count "points" or calories or fat grams or any type of numbers anymore, I don't need to. I listen to my body now. When I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm full, I stop. 

-Because I've been eating healthier, D. has been eating healthier. I've also learned how to cook which he is happy about! I was so bad before (I once started a fire while boiling water) but I'm getting pretty good at it because it's something I have to do if I want to survive ; ). D. still eats meat and dairy and bread and all that but he does enjoy my recipes. Sometimes he'll add chicken or salmon to a dish, if he wants.

This is my "healthy bowl" which is always stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. Actually I have two bowls like this, filled to the brim all the time since I use a lot of produce for juicing.

And the con's:

-The most difficult part of changing my diet was the reaction I got from my family and relatives at first. All of them are meat eaters. My parents even own a buffalo farm. So a lot of family members couldn't understand how I could stop eating all animal products (I was a Vegetarian before that so they were used to me not eating meat already) and things like bread, and buns, etc. "What do you EAT?! Lettuce?! What do you eat at a RESTAURANT? What if you go over to someone's house for dinner and you can't eat ANYTHING? Where do you get your protein and iron from? That diet can't be healthy! How can you live without meat, diary and wheat?? Are you doing this to lose weight? Because you don't NEED to lose weight!" - These are the types of reactions I got. I just had to tell them that I'm doing this for health reasons and I feel so much better eating this way, it's my choice. I can bring my own food to other people's houses if I need to. And not to worry, I make sure I get all my vitamins from the foods I'm eating and supplements, if needed. People shouldn't judge! I don't judge anyone for eating a couple of Big Macs, why does anyone need to judge or scoff at me for making healthier choices? Luckily my family is now much more supportive and I think they have a better understanding of why I've changed my diet. My Mom even made me a GF and vegan cake for my birthday, which was delicious!

-Going out with friends for dinner. Most people can have anything they want at a restaurant but with my diet I can have maybe 2 or 3 dishes on the menu, unless I go to a Vegan restaurant or one that has a Vegan, GF option. But most establishments only have one or the other, not both! So that's a bit difficult...

-I have to really take the time to prepare myself, for example, if I'm going out of town and staying in a hotel, I make sure I have enough healthy snacks to eat and have researched restaurants I can enjoy a meal at. This was really easy for me to do when I was in California in September, there were soooo many options available to me! And they had Whole Foods' stores everywhere. We don't have any in Canada : ( So I go to Planet Organic, which is about 1/3 the size of a Whole Foods.

I am also still working out about 3 or 4 times a week going to Pilates and Barre classes and I actually started teaching group Pilates Mat classes again at a Pilates studio in my city! I love it! I missed it so much. I've stopped doing the Tracy Anderson DVD's, they are too hard on my knees : (.

To wrap up this post, I am really enjoying the benefits and results of my new lifestyle. I know I call it a "diet" but really it's a whole lifestyle change and I think I'm going to stick with it for the long haul. It's been somewhat of a challenge but it's been so worth it.

Interview With Actress Teresa Palmer

You may know Australian actress Teresa Palmer from starring in films like Warm Bodies, Bedtime Stories, I Am Number Four, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and The Grudge 2 (just to name a few!). But the 27 year-old beauty is much more than a celebrity whose star is rising fast - Teresa is also the co-creator of Your Zen Life, one of my favorite lifestyle websites and an inspiration to many people around the world thanks to her 'Tez Talks' videos on Youtube and her positive outlook on life. I was lucky enough to interview her about healthy living, staying grounded in Hollywood, working with Liam Hemsworth (!) and much more. Read on to find out why Teresa is such an inspiring role model and the most down-to-earth actress in Tinseltown.

Please tell me a little bit about the inspiration behind Your Zen Life, how it came to fruition and what it's all about.

YZL is an online portal for all things health and wellness. Phoebe Tonkin and I decided to create a platform in which people from all over the world had access to information on positive living. We were at dinner in Los Angeles when we discussed our passion for using our profiles to be of service and to affect positive change in the world, this is where the idea was born and it evolved from this point.

Teresa and her best friend, actress Phoebe Tonkin

I know eating healthy is very important to you. What is your diet like? 

I try to eat organic wherever possible. I'm typically vegan, however, in my pregnancy (I'm currently five months along) under my midwives recommendation I had become vegetarian. I used to be hyper militant about the food I put into my body, however, now I believe I have a much healthier approach to my diet and ensure that it's well-balanced yet not so strict that I don't allow myself the freedom to indulge every now and then.

Do you see a nutritionist? What advice would you give to people who want to live a healthier lifestyle, starting with a healthy diet, but may not have access to a nutritionist?

I don't actively see a nutritionist, I've seen one twice in the past. Advice I could offer is to gain knowledge on healthy ingredients and make sure you always look at the back of products and read all the ingredients so you know what to look for and what to avoid. A healthy diet consists of well rounded, well-portioned meals with a good balance of protein (eg. nuts, tempeh). Try to avoid red meat and dairy and any other animal products if possible which, in my opinion, ultimately leads to better health. Indulge in healthy fats in the form of avocados and olives and include an abundant amount of greens, fruits and try to make sure you are having lots of different colors (your plate should visually look like a rainbow of food) you can ensure you're making healthy food choices. Also, at the grocery store: shop along the peripheral boundaries where the fruits and vegetables, healthy unprocessed, organic foods are. The closest to nature your food is, the better it is for you.

I understand you Juice! Care to share a favorite recipe?

My greens juice is my favorite! I love doing chunks of pineapple, cucumber, mint, lime, kale and spinach. I try to have a green juice once a day to ensure I'm getting an adequate amount of healthy nutrients.

How do you stay fit?

I balance my week between Pilates, yoga and a combination of weight training and cardio. I try to work out at least four times a week, for an hour a day.

Is it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on location for a film?

It really can be, especially when you don't have access to organic foods. It's important to plan ahead and bring food to work with you, to ensure that you're never in a situation where you have to make a poor food choice.

One of my favorite parts of YZL is your inspirational 'Tez Talks' videos, where you speak from the heart, about your personal experience regarding all sorts of issues women face today, including body image. What are you hoping to achieve with these videos and what can your viewers look forward to, regarding upcoming vlogs?

‘Tez Talks’ has become one of the most important aspects of what I do with my life. I really feel blessed to be in a position where I have access to good information and I have had a lot of time to work on self-development. As a result of the position I am in because of my career, I understand and recognize that I have a voice that can reach a wider community. I feel inspired to share my experiences with people and try to lead by example in a positive manner as I think there's so much negativity in the media today that's fueling people to lead unfullfilling lives. I know there's a different way and from the enthusiastic response I've had from viewers, it encourages my desire to continue to work together in this way.

As a famous actress living in L.A., a city that some may assume is superficial, you are a very down-to-earth person and seem truly comfortable in your skin. How do you stay grounded and true to yourself?

I'm very selective in the types of people that I have around me. I embrace authentic, spiritual, loving people who I surround myself with. We're each other's special community and understand the fragility of life and the blessings that it brings. Being around people like that makes it so much easier not to stray from that sort of thinking.

  

How do you feel about young actresses/celebrities getting plastic surgery and feeling the pressure to stay thin? And do you personally ever feel that pressure and if so, how do you deal with that?

That is an epidemic in our industry, which is awful because we are on the world stage. Beauty should be embraced at all stages of life and also there should be more celebration of the state of one's spirit rather than what size pants they wear or how many wrinkles a person has. When you radiate with love, it makes you so much more of a beautiful person. I don't place judgment on those who choose differently but in my personal belief, it is a waste of time to try and live up to another person’s idea of what physical beauty is.

You're a very spiritual person.  In one 'Tez Talks' video you talk about 'Manifesting Greatness and Love' and how you manifested your fiance, Mark. Can you tell me a little more about that?

I'm a huge believer in manifesting, I think when you ask for it in the right way, it comes to you. I believe no dream is too big and my greatest dream was to meet a partner who shared the same beliefs and ideals about life. I manifested Mark, as well as many other things in my life, manifesting is easy once you understand that it's all about the approach and how you must stay in a high vibrating frequency in order to create the space for other high vibrating things to enter into your realm.

With her fiance - actor/writer/director/producer Mark Webber

You have mentioned in your vlogs that you have gone through some tough times in your life. What advice would you give to people who are fighting some sort of battle at the moment and are reading this interview right now?

Just to understand that life is full of peaks as well as valleys and that every adversity we face is an opportunity to grow. And to understand that the pain you feel is one of the greatest gifts in life because there is a lesson in it; I now look at pain as a beautiful healing rather than something to be fearful of.

Who or what inspires you the most?

Mark and any other person who faces adversity bravely and dedicates themselves to a life of service and self development. I honestly get inspired by different people, everyday.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself living with a big family, continuing to grow the wellness community that Phoebe and I have created. Developing film, TV and book projects with Mark. And expand Tez Talks to be a portal where I can travel and talk about my experiences and reach out to a more global audience and continuing to be of service. 

You have the whole day free to do anything you want. How would you spend it?

With Mark. I would do a yoga class in the morning, have a green juice. Go on a picnic with Mark, my mum, best friends and the kids then spend the rest of the afternoon at our friends beach house doing water sports and hanging with family. I would finish the night off with a veggie BBQ and watch a horror film after the kids are in bed! Pure bliss!

If I came to your house and opened your refrigerator, what would I find in there?

Spinach, tomatoes, gluten free wraps, glass bottle of water, olives, sundries tomatoes, miso paste, onion, half eaten avocado's, celery, tempeh, kombucha (when I'm not pregnant), Fabes fruit sweetened gluten-free cookies.

Top 5 Favorite Books

1. The Baby Book by Dr William Sears

2. By Myself and Then Some autobiography by Lauren Bacall

3. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

4. A New Earth by Eckhart tolle

5. Anatomy of The Spirit- Caroline  Myss

Favorite websites you visit frequently:

www.tinybuddha.com

 
www.justjared.com (sucker!)

 
www.thekindlife.com

 
www.ohsheglows.com

Favorite Beauty Products:

Artistry Creme LX moisturizer

Artistry Youth Xtend products

 
Almond oil for whole body

 Teresa is the global face for the prestige beauty line ARTISTRY

5 Things you cannot live without:

1. Fiancé, family and friends

2. Organic whole foods

3. My black stretch pants!

4. Phone

5. Your Zen Life and Phoebe Tonkin!

(I have to ask you this question because my local readers would kill me if I didn't ask!) You recently shot a film in my hometown, Edmonton, with Liam Hemsworth, John Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt. What was your experience like filming here? What was it like working with such amazing actors?

I LOVED Edmonton. I fell in love with Noorish restaurant whilst I was there. It was a really sweet city. I had fun going to Yoga and taking a run in the park in the city. I loved the enthusiasm of the people there and how much they embraced us all. I loved all my costars, it was a pleasure working with both Liam and John again. It felt like a close knit little family. Liam has a cracker sense of humor and always had us laughing. I'm actually working with his brother Luke right now, who is so similar to him.

Teresa and Liam filming 'Cut Bank' in Alberta this past summer

What's next on your plate?

I'm shooting Kill Me Three times with Simon Pegg, Sullivan Stapleton, Alice Braga and Luke Hemsworth. I just wrapped my film The Ever After with my fiancé Mark Webber and Melissa Leo. I wrote the film, produced it and financed it so that was exciting. I have a Terrence Malick film coming out called Knight Of Cups with Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett. Then of course I'm getting married in December and my baby comes in Feb so I'm very excited to start this new journey!

100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered?

As a wonderful mother and wife who alongside her family helped create a beautiful change in the world towards consciousness and positive living.

Teresa recently posed pregnant for WHO Magazine's Body Issue

You can follow Teresa on Twitter here and Your Zen Life here.

Juice Cleanse With GLOW Juicery

About a week and a half ago I embarked on a one-day juice cleanse with GLOW Juicery. Since juice cleanses are all the rage right now and you may be contemplating participating in one yourself, I thought I'd share my experience with you here on my blog. I've been juicing for awhile now (click here if you're unfamiliar with the process) and was so happy to hear that Edmonton's first juice bar, GLOW Juicery will be opening October 1st at Whitemud Crossing! It's about TIME Edmonton set up shop! (They were everywhere when I was in California.) I was a little intimidated to start out with a 3-day cleanse, which is a pretty normal length for a juice cleanse so I thought I'd begin with a 1-day one, since I'd never done a cleanse before. The night before I started, the lovely Marnie Ashcroft, owner of GLOW, delivered 6 fresh and unique juices right to my door with a guide outlining which juice I should drink and when and how to prepare my body before beginning my cleanse and how to treat it afterwards. Even though I was allowed a salad for lunch (no dressings allowed, other than Apple Cider Vinegar or fresh lemon) I had a lot of hunger pains throughout the day, which is totally normal but were a bit uncomfortable for me. Fortunately that was the only negative side effect I had. I also had to pee a lot. Like, a lot, which was really good because I felt like I was ridding my body of toxins, which I was doing! I loved that. The juices were delicious, too. My favorite was the Earthly Glow which consisted of apples, beets, carrots, cucumbers and ginger. The 1-day cleanse was a nice glimpse into how a juice cleanse can de-toxify your body and bring it back to optimal health. I would do one again but next time I'd push myself with a 2 or 3-day cleanse. Meanwhile, I am happy to purchase bottles of fresh GLOW juices to drink daily when I don't have time to juice myself. GLOW makes it easy and convenient for me to do so with their new store opening up! For more information on juice cleanses and about purchasing bottles from GLOW you can click here. They are also on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Juicing

A few weeks ago when I shared my health journey on my blog, some of you had questions about juicing, which I've been doing almost every day for a couple of months now so I thought I'd answer them in this post : ). I started juicing after watching a documentary called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (which is very inspiring, everyone should watch it!) and after reading about all the benefits of juicing. I knew I wasn't getting enough fruits and vegetables in my diet each day and juicing is an easy way to make sure I'm getting the vitamins and nutrients I need in one glass. When you juice, all the enzymes, amino acids, chlorophyll and live energy goes straight to your bloodstream, it's like an instant shot of goodness!

Above are the veggies and fruits I am typically juicing at the moment: beets (including the stems), swiss chard, kale, green apples, lemon, cucumber, carrots and celery. The beets and swiss chard came from D.'s Grandmother's vegetable garden, so they're organic as well as the kale but the rest of the produce isn't. It's best if you use all organic fruits and vegetables but of course that's not in everyone's budget, including mine ; ).

So first I wash and then chop (or peel, if needed) everything up 

so it will fit into the top of my juicer, which is a Breville, below.

Then I juice! It's pretty simple, you feed the fruits and vegetables into the top, and the juice comes out of the spout, into a pitcher (that comes with the juicer) and anything that isn't juiced, shoots into the black container on the side. To see a demo, click here. This juicer cost me $200.00 if you were wondering and I got it on Amazon. It was recommended to me as a ''starter' juicer by my friend who is a Juicing Queen ; ). There are fancier and more expensive juicers out there, but this one works just fine for me, for now.

This is all the pulp that's leftover after you juice. There is fiber in this but all the nutrients are actually in the juice itself. If you feel bad for "wasting food" there are lots of ways to use juicer pulp, like using it in soups or stews, or for making crackers.

Here's what the juice looks like. I love being able to drink my vegetables! I made enough for two servings. Someone asked me how much I spend on juicing per week and it's really hard to say because it depends on what I juice. And sometimes I get my produce from a grocery store, other times I go to a discounted produce market and sometimes I buy organic or I am given a ton of vegetables from D.'s Grandma (which we are grateful for!) but if I had to guesstimate I'd say I'm spending anywhere from $20 to maybe $40-$50.00 juicing for both D. and I, per week, and I juice about 5-6 times a week. Typically it's best to juice in the morning but I drink my super smoothie in the a.m. and juice in the afternoon or early evening when I get home from work. I don't have a lot of time in the morning to juice, for me it takes about 20 minutes to wash, chop, juice and clean up and smoothie-making is less time-consuming!

If you have any questions about juicing, please leave a comment in the comment section below and I'll do my best to answer them!

Oh, and if you live in Edmonton, we are getting our first juice bar in September! Yayyyy! It's called Glow Juicery, you can read all about it here!


 

My Super Smoothie Recipe

1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

1/2 cup frozen mangos

1/2 banana

1/2 cup or 1 cup (depending how thick you want your smoothie) of almond milk
1 tbsp aloe vera juice (very good for the skin)

1 tbsp of chia seeds (soaked in water first, preferably overnight)

1 tsp maca mix (maca x-6, black and red-purple maca) powder

1 tsp camu camu berry powder

1 tsp protein powder (I use Sun Warrior, which is vegan and gluten-free)

1 scoop of Daily Greens powder

1 tsp spirulina powder

Toss into a blender and blend. Pour into a glass or to-go cup and enjoy ; )

Now that I'm eating all healthy and stuff, I've been drinking this super smoothie every morning for the past couple of weeks now. I take it to work in a to-go cup. I find it's a great and easy way to start my day because all the vitamins and nutrients in the smoothie give me a ton of energy! It's also chock full of anti-oxidants. I know the liquid kind of looks like something you'd find in a baby's diaper but believe me, it tastes great!! I gave you the average measurements I use, but feel free to play around with how much of each ingredient you put in, I don't put too much protein powder in my smoothies because I find if I do it starts to taste funny. You can purchase the powders at healthy food stores, I bought most of them from Planet Organic which I seem to visit quite frequently now. Do you make smoothies at home? I'd love to hear what you put in them!

My Health Journey

I know I usually talk about fashion and beauty on this blog but today I want to talk about my health journey, which has become very important to me and the main focus in my life right now. I have never talked about this on my blog before and I feel a bit vulnerable putting it out there but I want to be honest and open with you guys, my lovely readers, and maybe something I write in this post will resonate with one of you and help you on your journey.

Growing up as a dancer, I had the perfect ballet body. I was long, lean, strong and tall and could eat two quarter pounders, fries and a coke at McDonald's (which I did often) and not gain a pound because I was constantly burning calories. I took dance classes 5 times a week and I loved dancing - it was my life- until the tendonitis in my knees forced me to cut down. When I stopped dancing as much, I gained about 10 lbs. and for the first time ever I had to watch what I ate. I cut out all red meat and lost some of the weight by exercising and non-healthy dieting. But a year later, after a very painful breakup with my high school sweetheart (and entering my first year of college), I could not stop binge eating. Clearly, I was eating my feelings. I was out of control. (For those of you wondering, I did not purge after I would binge, thankfully.) I ended up gaining 25 pounds in a very short period of time and hated how I looked. Especially since I was in theater school at the time and was constantly surrounded by mirrors in dance class and rehearsals, plus I had to wear skimpy costumes for some of our productions. So I decided I had to stop the binge eating and focus on getting skinny again!! (I should have been focusing on self-love but that would come much later.) So I started dieting and the weight started to come off.  I also started doing Pilates, which I really enjoyed. I enjoyed it so much I later got my Mat Certification, and I still teach today, along with teaching Barre classes. I should mention here that I did not eat healthy at all while on this diet though. I basically would eat food with the lowest amount of calories and fat possible, devoid of any real nutritional value, just so I could eat more throughout the day. I didn't eat enough food either, I was always hungry (and cranky) when I went to bed. Over the course of a year and a half I lost around 35 lbs. I was way too skinny but I was obsessed with my weight and food. It was horrible. I couldn't enjoy life because I was too busy focusing on how many calories or fat grams were in everything I put in my mouth and staying thin. It was my way of staying in control during a time in my life where I felt very out of control.  With some guidance and help, I eventually put on a bit of weight that I was comfortable with and started to relax about food but it was really hard.

 Just in case you wanted to know where your gallbladder was located ; )

I am pretty sure the extreme dieting and rapid weight gain and weight loss had something to do with me getting gallstones at 18 years of age. Except I didn't know they were gallstones until I was 26!! I thought they were just "cramps!" Finally my doctor ordered an ultrasound and yup, I had a ton of large gallstones that were causing me intense, curl-up-in-a-ball pain for years! So I had surgery and got my gallbladder removed. (I also contracted a nasty staph infection which was just awesome!) Anyways, shortly after my surgery I decided to become a Vegetarian (for various reasons) and thought I was eating really healthy! Wrong. I was anemic and was put on an iron supplement by my doctor. And I was still having intense pain and bloating in my stomach, among other stomach problems I'll spare you with. I thought removing my gallbladder would have helped that? When I went back to my doctor she told me I should probably get a colonoscopy (FUN!) and get tested for Celiac disease. When both tests came back negative, I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Sydrome. (Even more fun!!) She signed me up to see a dietician. Before seeing this dietician I had to journal what I ate for 3 weeks and when I showed her what I had written down she basically told me that if I keep eating the way I was eating I would be very malnourished and more susceptible to illness and disease. She asked if I would consider cutting out dairy and gluten. No way. I wasn't ready then. I already didn't eat meat, if I had to cut out dairy and gluten what the heck would I eat? Grass? So my dietician gave me a list of foods I should try adding to my diet, to help with my IBS as well as give me enough iron and protein to help with my anemia. I felt a bit better adding more nutritious foods to my diet but I was still feeling tired and every now and then I would get that intense pain in my stomach and it would blow up as if I was 4 months pregnant.

It wasn't until I met and started spending time with and really listening to my good friend Lisa, who writes Life By Leese when she moved back to Edmonton from New York City that I realized what you eat can actually make a difference in how you feel. I mean I guess I knew that all along but I was too lazy to make the necessary changes to live it. (Lisa gave a really good interview here to Keltie Colleen, which really inspired me, you should read it!) She is studying to be a holistic health counselor and is so passionate about healing through nutrition, health and wellness and living a healthy, fulfilling life that her positivity rubbed off on me and I asked her what I should do to help my IBS and another chronic illness I've been suffering with since I was a child (that's a whole other post!) and like the dietician I saw, she recommended cutting out all dairy and gluten. Dammit, I love my toast and I love my Dairy Queen Blizzards! But she just asked me to try it for 2 or 3 weeks. So a few days ago Lisa was kind enough to take me shopping to Planet Organic and Save-On Foods where I picked up a few staples to start with, including the items above. (The rest is in my refrigerator.) She also gave me recipe ideas, tips on juicing (which I have been doing for the past couple of months already) and ultra-healthy smoothie-making. I am slowly cutting out dairy and gluten from my diet and I'm not going to lie, it has been really hard so far. I have to consciously make healthier choices. But Lisa told me, "Don't focus on what you're cutting out, don't focus on what you can't have. Focus on all the great foods you can have and all the new, delicious foods you'll be adding to your diet and how they will make you feel." I know being Vegan and gluten-free will be hard at first but I'm willing to try. So that's where I'm at right now with my diet. I hope to be completely dairy and gluten-free by the end of this weekend, I'm just slowly weaning myself off. Right now, I'm feeling really good, with more energy than I've had in a long time. And I'm not counting calories or fat grams at all!

My very simple and favorite juice recipe: 

2 apples, 2 carrots, 1/2 cucumber, 2 celery stalks, a bunch of kale and a bunch of dandelion greens
(sometimes I will add a pear or lemon and a knob of ginger for extra taste)

In the past couple of months I have also started to amp up my workout routine, exercising 4 times a week instead of 2 or 3. I've been active all my life but I stopped doing a lot of cardio when I stopped dancing, I would just do Pilates or Yoga. I know how important cardio is for your heart, health and well-being so I've started walking when it's nice outside and also doing Tracy Anderson's DVD's. Her Metamorphosis package includes a 30 minute dance cardio section (along with a muscular structure section which is SO hard but you really see results!!) where she basically happily flails around and you have to follow her moves. I found it hard to keep up with her and the music really repetitive so I press play but do my own moves and choreography while listening to my iPod and basically dance around my living room like a boss for half an hour. Sometimes I look at the TV and follow her moves for a minute but then I get back into my own groove. When Tracy stops, I stop. It's a great workout! I do it twice a week, even though she says you should do it 6 times a week for 90 days to "transform" your body. But I get bored easily so on the other two days, I'll go to the Pilates studio and work out on the machines or go to a barre class, or do Ballet Beautiful or Barre 3 at home. I also teach 3 classes of Barre and Pilates a week now.

At the end of the day, for me it's not about just looking good, it's about feeling good, physically and mentally.  Because if you don't have a healthy mind and body, what do you have? And I finally realized this only recently! And only recently have I started to love my body. I wish it hadn't taken me this long but I'm glad I am now finally on the right track : ).

 

Thank you for listening : ). Have a wonderful weekend!