Day 4 summary.

Continued food log:

Snack: 8 tiny cherry tomatoes and a dark chocolate cashew.

Dinner: 6:30 pm. Wedge salad with 1 Tbs bleu cheese crumbles, purple onions, and grape tomatoes. 3 3-inch squares of marinara pizza- Baked mozzarella cheese, marinara, garlic, and basil. I felt overstuffed. Maybe it was the baked cheese? I haven't had melted cheese for a long time. I also drank a 12-oz mineral water beforehand and tap water during dinner.

Snack: 1 egg over easy and 1 thick slice of tomato from my father's garden. 1 tsp cayenne salt, cracked black pepper.

~Smobergirl

4 days smober.

$100 says my morning was better than any of yours.

And I'm not spilling the frijoles.

Breakfast: Steve.

Lunch: 1/2 mushroom sammy on a baguette with a side salad con citrus lavender dressing at Tin Angel. I love that place!

1 Teechino, amaretto almond flavor.

Snack: 1/4 cup whole wheat pasta with sauteed mushrooms (must be mushroom day), and Caputo's pesto.

Gotta do my show! listen in 3-6 pm MT today on www.utahfm.org!

~Smobergirl

Workin' on day four!

Day 3 summary

Breakfast: "The Glow" smoothie. 1 Tsp green powder, pineapple, cucumber, carrots, and 1 knob of ginger pulverized in my Vita-Mix

Lunch: Ceviche at the Park Silly Market. 16 oz Maine black iced tea.

Snack: 3 small carrots and 5 slices of armenian cucumber with 1 Tbsp goat cheese (okay it was more like three) and 1 Tbsp chipotle hummus.

Dinner: Veggie burger patty at The Counter with bermuda red onion, 1 tsp blue cheese, roasted red pepper, jalepenos.

~Smobergirl

3 days smober

Day 2 Summary.

Breakfast: 1/2 Teechino 1/2 coffee. Open-faced pesto sandwich from Sunbridge Farms at the down town farmer's market: 1 slice artisan vegan bread, pesto, heirloom tomatoes, roasted squash, and sunflower sprouts.

Lunch: 1/2 cup whole wheat sun-dried tomato and basil pasta with 1 Tsp pesto, 1 tsp goat cheese, 5 cherry tomatoes, 3 small carrots.

Snack: I went to my father's house and picked peaches and tomatoes. He was drying some peaches and they are delicious! I also had a small handful of Spanish peanuts.

Dinner. Grilled salmon salad at Z' Tejas with raspberry vinaigrette.

I will not smoke or drink.

Exercise: 30 minutes swimming.

~Smobergirl

2 days smober

Back to day one.

No comment.

Breakfast: None. Slept in.

Lunch: 16 oz. black iced coffee before. 12 0z. water and veggie gyro at Greek Souvlaki. Milk thistle capsules (liver tonic).

Phone call: An AA buddy.

Tonight I am taking my mom to a local, sustainable restaurant that supports the local food growers. Then we'll go swimming.

Later forgavers,

~Smobergirl

5 day summary.

Wow. Hell week will be done in two days! My mom is back in town, which is actually a huge help. It's not that she thinks I'm a trouble maker, but she knows what I'm doing and we hang out at night so of course I'm going to be good.

Dinner: 5 pm. Five-piece spicy tuna roll and edamame. I felt pretty bloated afterwards. There was spicy mayo in the roll, and kosher salt on the beans, plus I drank a ton of fluids before, during, and after again.

Water overall: 2 liters

Coffee: 2 16 oz. black iced. I had that emotional fit and drank more than usual. Tomorrow I will start to cut down and not go back to that amount.

Teechino: 1 16 oz. iced

Snack: 1/2 sm. avocado w/ 1 tsp cracked sea salt. I ate it out of the skin. Quite decadent! 23 minerals in that baby. The fat is great to plump up the skin and make hair shiny. Also from here on out I will describe in better detail what the food should do for your bod as well as how I feel afterwards.

Workouts: 20 minutes circuit training, 15 minutes yoga, 20 minutes swimming.

5 days are over! See you on the flip side.

~Smobergirl

Much calmer.

Ahh. More Americans need to change their beliefs on exercise! Instead of dreading of doing it, I jump into it because it makes me feel better! Serotonin levels are up, I'm all Zenned out from the yoga, and I am so calm right now. Working out works.

Lunch: My last breakfast Gardenburger topped with a slice of soy cheese and an egg sunny-side up. Arugula and mixed green salad with red bell pepper, tomatillo, purple carrots, and Moroccan olives. Lime cilantro dressing from Sage's.

Water with green powder.

OKay I'm pretty much feeling back to normal now. I recently finished a book by Hugh MacLeod (www.gapingvoid.com) about creativity who basically has the common sense to say that it's better to immerse yourself in what you love to do rather than try to be famous. Make sense? I am going to exercise this and I do believe I'll be 1110% happier. :) We are all trying to do our best in this world. I'm not going to whine over someone else's success. I gotta focus on me now. Me me me!

Love,

~Smobergirl

Working on day 5!

Day 4 Summary, more stuff coming out.

Before I get into recent events, during my sushi night I had four tuna and avocado rolls with Sriracha hot sauce, a curried potato roll, and two tempura rolls. I put the good with the bad. I also ate at 6:30.

I made up for it by making a pineapple smoothie with green powder yesterday morning. For lunch I had a wild mushroom panini. Snack: 5 celery 1/2 stalks with 1 Tbs Drake Farms herbs de provence goat cheese. Dinner with a friend at Sage's: Tuesday is pizza night! You get a mixed green salad and all the vegan pizza you want for $10.75. We ate a ton of salad and 4 slices each, leaving about 1/2 the whole wheat crust behind. Then we went to Depeche Mode! They always put on a banging show. Had a glass of water at midnight and went to bed.

This morning I had a 16 oz. iced coffee, tofu scramble, and one cup of raspberries, cantalope, blueberries, and strawberries. I went to the U to get a parking permit and a Communications book. Then to Whole Foods to get cat food. Then I heard something on the radio that made me jealous about another new DJ, and I broke out in tears! Too much coffee? Withdrawals? Me being a pussy? Why, why, why? I'm supposed to be a big girl here. This has been the story of my life: Not feeling intelligent. Reason? I can't tell you. I do know that I've had an old-fashioned, controlling and dominant father, got teased in school, had a just as a controlling boss, worked with those who ridiculed me. And I cried, a lot. What can I say, I'm a crier! Now quitting smoking and drinking is definitely contributing. I think I will keep the coffee down to 8 oz or less per unit from here on out, and keep it to two units a day. Also I have lost weight drinking green tea. Green tea is magic as you probably have heard. And as far as the jealousy goes, it wasn't realistic. A younger woman who has a copious of local band knowledge landed a morning show spot on a commercial-free FM station. So what? You know, I do not want to wake up at 5 every morning, and what bands would like to come in and play before 10 am? It's personally not my dream job. And why am I threatened? I have my own show, reputation, and lots and lots of love? So why am I putting myself down? I'm getting an internship to a local TV station, I'm going to school, I'm learning guitar, I'm painting, I'm doing yoga and getting fit during this cleanse, and I'm sleeping in, Goddammit!

Whew. Okay. Time for Gilad and yoga. Guitar lesson at 2:30, then I'll study until my mom gets into town from Boise. Then we'll go for a swim tonight at her hotel!

Later frustraters,

~Smobergirl

Day 3 summary. Peer pressure....

.....ha ha no not drinking, fortunately. I'm talking sushi. Not your 'healthy' innocent fish and seaweed Asian staple that keeps those on the other side of the globe healthy. I'm talkin' evil tempura, mayonnaise-laden, cream cheese living, Americanized version of sushi. It's sick! My brother travels the world. He went to China, Thailand, Vietnam...and the sushi he had was 2 pieces of fish plain per order. That's why the Asians are so svelt.

(Smobergirl's high horse time) I'm just sad because here's our country, who has approximately 60% obese in the population. I also believe that money makes the world go round. So here's this thing called sushi. The elites are digging it, it's becoming popular in the US, but not all Americans would like just the raw fish ordeal or can afford it. Some chefs possibly played around with it and made a "Philly" roll with salmon and cream cheese. Then they grilled chicken or steak and put BBQ sauce in it. That's a burger in a roll! However, We patriots loved these ideas, but then thought this would be healthy because it's sushi, right? Now there are sushi joints popping up all over the place, even drive-thrus!

So what I am saying is that you have to wizen up and be your own detective on everything in your life. You are not stupid, and it's easy to take care of your own body.

Love,

~Smobergirl

3 days smober

So a good friend invited me to Ichiban, where they have certain rolls 1/2 off on Mondays and Tuesdays. There, you are greeted by a super-model looking hostess and hot college kids are all around you dining. The place is gorgeous. Wood floors and cosy booths and aquariums and glass walls. So I meet my friends, and on the 1/2 off menu everything is tempura-dipped. Tempura Shrimp, tempura veggies, wait there's one with no tempura: Spicy mayo. Damn. So, I look at the regular menu and there are plenty of healthy options, even riceless rolls starting at $8. Then my friend, let's call him Pinky, says, "No, Pick from the happy hour menu, we are all sharing." The happy hour rolls are $4-6. So I choose a roll with tuna, avo, spicy mayo, and tempura crunchies without the crunchies and mayo, and a $4 appetizer, fried vegan curry roll and eat out just the inside part. My friends egged on that I should eat the others, and I did, trying to pick put the good parts. There was one tempura roll with fresh tuna and avocado on top, and I just ate the toppings. However, I gave in to one slice of a fried shrimp, like the French do. They eat fatty food, but just a tad. Then I had to leave early because they ordered another round, and I knew I was done.

So I did pretty well over all.

I'm still frustrated about my arms. I don't know anyone but myself who is skinny with 'obese' arms. I have yet to figure this out. When I'm on TV, I look fat because I'm usually filmed from the waist up, and you can't hide your arms. My waist is little, my butt and legs are kickin', but what the f*** about my arms? Those got big in college when I started drinking coffee, so, maybe I should cut the coffee down more, drink more tea, and do more arm weight lifting. It just frustrates me so much. I'm skinny, but I have these Hulk arms that are pissing me off!

On another note, I watched Scream again tonight. I don't like horror, but I could handle the Scream movies. You know what? This first one I saw again was a good one. Because I saw it before, I tried to see the clues to the killers. Because I love mystery murders, which these are. The high school girl gets killed (Drew Barrymore) and it's the former girlfriend of one possible killer, who says it doesn't matter if you kill your girlfriend, who the current gf dies later, which should give you the hint, but the movie wants you to believe that the other murder's daughter's father is the culprit. In the first scene after Drew gets killed, the leading lady's bf enters her window to comfort her. I thought, "That's the guy!" But if you haven't seen the Scream movies, I won't ruin it for you.

So back to reality. I didn't drink or smoke, but ate as well as I could during fried sushi night, oy. And here is day 3 behind me.

Bon nuit!

~Smobergirl

Feeling good, but energy wavering.

I wish I knew exactly why my energy shot through the roof after I was slogging through power yoga today. I was a little tired this morning. Had my iced coffee with 1/4 cup blueberries, one sunny side up egg and arugula on a vegan breakfast Gardenburger. Then I waited two hours, made a smoothie out of green powder, pineapple, ice, vanilla extract, and shredded coconut, and played a recorded yoga show, Inhale. It's a sweaty, power yoga class done to R&B music on the Oxygen channel. After 6 sun salutes I was ready to quit, then all of the sudden whoosh! I kept going and wanted to keep going. I was the Energizer bunny. I felt really super awesome afterwards. SO what do you think, smoothie or workout plateau?

Lunch was the rest of my pulled BBQ meat alternative, which surprisingly tastes like Spaghetti O's so I added some apple cider vinegar to make a more BBQey taste. I mixed that with cheddar soy cheese and put it on a whole wheat roll with mixed greens. (I like Ranui Gardens' greens at the farmer's market) this month is supposed to be about lean meats, so I think I'll put the fake stuff on hold, even though it's not bad! I think... Tonight I'm going with a group out to sushi. My only reserve is white rice. I think it's not healthy due to the germ, bran, and oils being stripped from it. So all you are left with is a glutenous, sugary lump. Sugar and gluuuuuuuue! EEEEEEEEEEEEE. Ha ha. Here's a link: http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/94/1/Brown-rice-vs-white-rice.html

I may have to order some riceless rolls. They exist. That or sashimi, which are just slices of fish. I do love me some salmon sashimi. Oh, and don't eat babies. Humans, not fish.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/21/sears_baby_roaster/

I started school today and checked out my online nutrition class. I think I'm going to like it, and I hope I am liked back.

Later mediators. And listen to my radio show today from 3-6 MT, Unsigned Uncensored. www.utahfm.org

~Smobergirl

Working on day trois

Day 2 summary.

Dinner: Turkey burger with dried cranberries, mixed greens, sour cream, purple onions, and green onions on an English muffin.

Water: 3 liters

Had another 8 oz black iced coffee after dinner. It is helping with the wine cravings for now.

More Wii Sport Resort. Apparently I kick ass at virtual table tennis!

Practiced my classical guitar today, week 3.

Have a pleasant evening. It's really nice in Salt Lake tonight. 80 and breezy.

Love,

~Smobergirl

2 days smober

Mid-day report

I'm feeling great today and behaved myself...so far. ;)

Two small soft corn grilled tilapia tacos with purple cabbage and hot mango chipotle salsa and lime juice from the Park Silly Market.

Snack: 1 ear raw corn from Park Silly Market

Snack #2: 1/2 Soy Delicious mint chocolate frozen sandwich cookie. (I love these) 120 calories, 4 grams fat.

3 pm small meal: A pulled "chicken" BBQ sandwich I made from a small whole wheat roll, Gardein pulled BBQ meatless shreds, Follow Your Heart soy cheese, mixed greens, and 1/4 sliced avocado. Yummy! The "meat" and "cheese" was recommended by Skinny Bitch. www.skinnybitch.net

Workout: Gilad Total Body Sculpt and 20 minutes of ballet warmup.

Later speghatters!

~Smobergirl

Going on day 2 smober

Yum-O!

Good morning, Rachel Ray here. I got up at 8, had a small black iced coffee, and got on my Wii. I did hula hoops on Wii Fit, and I just got the new Wii Sport Resort, which I really think is fun. I did wakeboarding, cycling, and this jet skiing game.

I steamed the perfect egg (1 egg and 1 egg white), swiss chard, and chopped green onion topped with fresh avocado slices sprinkled with a tad sea salt and lemon juice. The lemon was the piece de resistance! Then I sliced an heirloom tomato over arugula, with a little balsamic.

I'm now off to the Park Silly market for more hearty greens and corn. It's a beautiful warm, overcast day today in the SLC.

~Smobergirl

Going on day 2

Day One Summary

Bonsoir!

Exercises:

Not beating myself up

Bike ride to, in-between, and from the farmer's market on my sweet Townie Euro 24. I'd say 30 minutes.

Wiping the entire interior of my fridge. So liberating and fortunately no science experiments were discovered.

Gilad! He is, like The Wall Street Journal says, an Israeli stud muffin.

20 calf raises going up the escalator

Dinner: I ate at 5. Had a wedge salad and a ground top sirloin patty at Flemming's. I think why I dropped weight after cutting out meat in 2005 is the lack of salt. That very well could have been the culprit. My lean burger did taste a bit salty. Salt can definitely make you blo-ho-ho-hoated.

Movie at 7: In The Loop playing at Broadway. I go there so much I think I'll get a membership to The Salt Lake Film Society. You get free tickets and crap if you get a membership.

Late night snack at Tin Angel Cafe: At least I made it a spinach salad, even though it had a significant amount of gorgonzola. My awesome musician friends St. Boheme performed great French cafe-style music on the patio. It was a lovely night. That was joy right there.

Good night, and I hope you also had a pleasant and healthy Saturday.

~Smobergirl

1 day smoberific

@!$#%

I slipped. I was going to come on here and lie to you, but I couldn't. I was going crazy and I have an AA list of phone numbers that I didn't call. As an alcoholic, when you don't get what you want you go through this emotional pain that really won't kill you, but sometimes you think it will. It sure filled the void last night, but today and EVERY DAY AFTER, no fail I feel guilty, ashamed, stupid.......ah the life of an addict.

So let's start over, shall we?

I woke up at 8 this morning with no hangover, just the guilt. ( I 'only' had four glasses of wine and 9 Nat Shermans. I made the excuse of that there were no additives in that tobacco, and that I'd cut down on the wine. Then I viewed that Modern Marvels video again today, and there is not going to be such a thing as one glass of wine for me.) I rode to the farmer's market on my bicycle and got some goodies. I found them most adorable baby carrots and tiny cherry tomatoes, wasabi hummus, jalepeno goat cheese from Drake Family Farms, www.drakefamilyfarms.com and some glass hair clips that my friend Sarinda Jones made. Look for her at the down town farmer's market on Saturdays, Reflective Art Studio, www.reflectiveartstudio.com.

I had 8 oz of pomegranate juice, 8 oz of black iced coffee, and a handful of blueberries for breakfast. For lunch I made zuccini "noodles" from a spiral slicer, over a bed of arugula. I put leftover guac and the hummus on top, with the cherry tomatoes and chopped purple tomatillos from a previous farmer's market. I also had another raw corn cob with olive oil, cracked peper, and cayenne salt.

I hope you can still believe in me.

Love,

Smobergirl

Day 4 summary.

I had a fierce wine craving after dinner, so I got an iced coffee. I dined at Caputo's (who has a killer wine list, BTW) and Carlucci's is right next door with the fabulous iced coffee cubes. I felt proud that I only drank 1/2 of it, which seemed to satisfy. That's what I have been doing lately and found that I'm either afraid of or don't need 16 oz at a time. I was probably afraid because I don't want the anxiety too much cafe gives me.

I love you and you are one of my favorite people, Tony Caputo, but I did get another puffy stomach tonight. It's not your fault, your food is the best! I will say this about Tony's new dinner project Tipica which is open at night Wednesdays through Saturdays, they have their portions just right. My risotto was about 1 cup (which I ate 1/2) and the salmon was about 4 oz. Most American restaurant meals have 3 times the amount than european cafes. If this happens to you, be smart and eat 1/2 or less of that meal and save the rest for later.

It could be that I was underestimating my stomach during dinner. However I felt back to normal after 30 minutes and peed a lot, so maybe the liquids I drank had an impact. I also ate before 7 again, 5:30 this time and I am not hungry now at 9:12 pm. Just before and at dinner I had a lot of water, (which is actually a good diet aid to feel fuller faster) and a Teechino. I had the navel orange and olive tapenade salad, (a must have at Caputo's Tipica) which I scarfed too quickly so I had to wait a little longer for my scrumptious sockeye salmon over carrot risotto to come out, which was also almost swallowed whole. If I just had the salmon alone, I would have felt better both physically and mentally. I think there was some cream in the risotto, and I wasn't being a good little sleuth, even though my server said it was the leanest dish on the menu. Yeah, I've got to ask my server more questions in the future. I know better, to be lean, I need to skip anything 'cream' or 'creamy sauce'. I went vegan for lent three years ago with a friend (even though both of us aren't religious) and I lost 10 pounds in two weeks! Before that, I only ate fish veggies, so I thought going vegan would be easy, but I was used to eating too much dairy apparently. When I ate out during lent I had to be a non-dairy and non-meat Nazi. Sure, a few waiters wanted to kill me, but I compensated with more-than generous tips. I remember having to send a server back six times at Dodo. I'm just happy that "Smobergirl's Head" is not served on their menu.

Here are some other sneaky restaurant terms to avoid for your health:

"Golden" or "Crispy"- FRIED

"Au Gratin"- Drowning in melted cheese

"shoestring"- Fried

"Duck"- For a bird, the duckies have a lot of fatties

"Marbling"- Animal fat, usually beef or pork

"Bisque"- Cream soup

I know better, and it is hard not to take out my withdrawal emotions out on food. This blog is also about me experimenting on the food-mood-body connection, and I shouldn't be here telling you, "Oh I caved and ate three pounds of bacon, felt shitty afterwards, got bloated from all the salt and nitrates, and my eyes were dark and puffy the next morning." ;) You may be thinking, how do I expect to quit my vices and eat like a rabbit and not go crazy? That's what the coffee initially is for now. And I have been eating non-dairy sweets in small portions. Maybe I can save dessert for dinner. If I had the orange-olive salad and a piece of grilled salmon, then a scoop of sorbet with berries or a frozen soy desert or a 1/4 of a vegan brownie, I probably would have been emotionally and physically satisfied. I was 20 pounds lighter this time last year, and I did eat a lot. My secret was eating a lot of fiber and water-based whole food (fruits and veg), raw or 'naked' fish, and vegan fake meats. But I ate smaller portions about every 3 hours. I even ate bread! I'll say it again, the goal is to find a healthy and satisfying lifestyle; being happy, looking great, and not feeling that something is missing. I am on the hunt to find this for all of us. I've only been through four days, and I did go through a couple of road bumps. Overall though, I ain't doing too shabby I think.

Workout:

30 sit-ups in bed this morning

20 minutes power yoga

20 minutes of Total Body Sculpt With Gilad

Walking up The Gateway escalators for 10 minutes.

30 minute easy stroll downtown.

Thank you for still reading and supporting my journey, and I hope I have influenced you in the last 1/2 week.

Love,

Smobergirl

4 days smober

Stuff is coming out!!!

Okay.....diet is actually going well, but no vitamin B supplement can be big enough to tackle my emotional detoxing. I've quit smoking and drinking many, many times (for very very short periods mind you) so I know the side effects of short-term detox. I cried, twice today, for no apparent reason. I questioned if I could handle going back to school. I did the "you're worthless and a spoiled little shit" self-speech. What else...Oh I didn't over eat, or smoke or drink. That was good. I worked with a holistic therapist two years ago, and she told me not to 'keep stuff in' by drinking, but to "let stuff out". That means emotions will come up, and to let them come up and then leave. It's an emotional detox. It's me dealing also with my issues instead of drowning them in Pinot Grigio. This is way-super healthy, and is part of the transformation.

This is what I ate mid-day:

Water with Acai superfood powder, 16 oz.

1 pm: OMG the best hot and sour soup I ever had, and it was VEGAN at Sage's.

3 pm. A vegan taco from Sage's and 2 scoops of Soy Delicious chocolate peanut butter frozen dessert with 20 blueberries.

I'll eat some lean meat or seafood tonight perhaps.

I'm feeling more relaxed. I'm not stressing over that I don't know when my online nutrition course starts. I think I am very beautiful and worthy and not a lazy ass.

So I forgot to add a start picture! (starter pic is on the bottom of the page, little wine belly and an awesome farmer burn on my arm) A month from now I will post a new pic and see if I look any different. It's not just about weight, but how different my hair and skin will look. And you know what? I don't look so shabby now. Starting last Wednesday, through influence of this blog, I loved everything about me. For a hundred million years I thought I looked ugly because of my 'fat arms'. Bullshit. I'm going to fake it until I make it, and just love everything I have. It's all I got after all. I wore this green dress today that's so smoking. I forgot to take a picture! Next time.

I'll see you tonight.

~Smobergirl

Sniff, water, achoo!

Boy, my allergies are bad this morning. I'll do some research and see if it's detox related. I do know that I am allergic to cigarette smoke (I know, I know) and in previous quits I'll get phlegmy for a few days. There's also a really gross commercial by The Truth about mucusy arteries. I also read that tobacco smoke makes arteries sticky, so arteries can get clogged up with gunk. Ew. Watch this at your own risk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXAlpHSI-d0&feature=PlayList&p=E55BDD37ECF8A3BF&index=5

Okay BREAKFAST!

One cup of fruit (grapefruit, pineapple, strawberries, honeydew melon)

My precious egg, egg white, swiss chard, and bell pepper mix. No rice this morning.

1/2 Teechino and 1/2 coffee drink

Later skaters.

~Smobergirl

Going on day 4

Day three summary.

Another day smober, even with my mom's emergency. When she called me at 2 pm today and said that on her way to take care of my grandma in Boise, ID from a friend's house in Midway, UT a log fell off a truck in front of her. Suddenly a scene from "Final Destination" popped into my head. Then she said it was only about 8 inches in diameter and 3 feet long, I let out a big sigh of relief. She swerved to miss it, but of course it ended up under her car anyway, ruining two tires and burrowing a hole in the steering panel. So I had to drive up to Heber and kill some time with her in Park City, which was a good time. She can't pick up a wheel until tomorrow, so she's staying here with me for the night. Luckily I brought her Kind energy bars (http://www.kindsnacks.com/) so we snacked on those in PC, then had a light dinner which consisted of seared ahi tuna and a wedge salad at 6:15 pm. So I ate before 7 tonight! *pat pat* Here's a tip: Not all energy bars are good for you! Read the labels. Some are just as bad as candy bars.

Before dinner and the Kind bar, here's what consisted of lunch:

A raw corn on the cob (try it, it's sweeter than cooked) drizzled with olive oil and cayenne salt (mix 1/2 sea salt with 1/2 cayenne pepper), another egg and egg white with rice medley, swiss chard, and chopped jalepeno (I was craving it again since yesterday); and a sliced 1/2 armenian cucumber. Water: 2 1/2 liters. 8 oz. pomegranate juice. It's true what they say about your blood sugar crashing after quitting smoking and/or drinking, so I was advised to drink some fruit juice. The fresher, the better.

Feeling good today. And I got to hang with my mom and set a good example for her.

Exercise: 20 minutes fast walk on the incline treadmill, walked 5 flights of stairs, and did 20 wall pushups in the elevator. :)

See you on the flipside.

~Smobergirl

3 days smober

Going on day 3.

Well, I made some mistakes and perhaps some too-strict goals. I also ran into a friend this morning and discussed what is right for one individual is not necessarily right for everyone else. Can you agree with me on that one? I just want to quit my bad habits by blogging every day, knowing that you are supporting me. More importantly, I want to support myself for a year and achieve this goal. I had a huuuuuuge craving last night around 7, and you know what stopped me? Knowing that I'm doing this. When I emailed a bunch of trusted friends telling them what I am doing, one even spoke up saying that she's going through about the same thing. Others want to go to lunch and cheer me up. And one has already suggested a food regimen. (yeah, the beer after workout guy, but at least he is trying to help. LOL) So, for me being honest with others and myself is reconnecting me with friends. Before I used to call someone and yell "Help!", and he or she would either get scared, or tell me to get professional help. This way, I seem to attract them into talking about it and perhaps influence them. I think that's a paradox. When you start setting a good example, instead of bitching about it or wanting people to help you, then you will attract more of what you want. It's like the case of the lonely, sad person who 'needs' a girlfriend or boyfriend to make them whole again, but would you want to date a lonely, sad person? I used to be one, and repelled more guys than you'd probably imagine. Being a drunk really didn't help in that category either. ;)

Breakfast was better today, but hardly traditional. I probably make the best guacamole ever (Bobby Flay, that's an invite. Bring it on.) However, I was restless again when I got up and did my Carlucci's run, and went out to Murray. I ducked into the Whole Foods on 72nd and found their pre-made guac and these beautiful long carrots. That kept me full until lunch. Now in order to really put good stuff in your body to reap the energizing and beauty benefits, you have to be a label detective. Luckily, here's what was listed on the WF guacamole:

Avocados, red onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lime and lemon juice, jalapeno peppers, fresh garlic, sea salt, pepper.

Gotta run for now. Mom had a car accident. She's fine. I just need to pick her up.

~Smobergirl

Day two summary.

I have succeeded staying smober today and feeling good, making about 90% right choices today.

Breakfast: 1/2 cantaloupe w/ blueberries, 8 oz. black iced coffee (I should have added oatmeal or an egg)

Lunch: Multi-grain rice, swiss chard, with one egg and one egg white. 12 oz. spa water

Snack: Celery, lime, ginger, and apple juice made by me in my Vita-Mix blender

Dinner: Cheeseless marinara pizza with arugula at Settebello (It's like a pizza salad!)

Supplement: Milk thistle 3x to cleanse the liver

More water: I'd guestimate I had 2 liters today

Guilty bad snack I had due to withdrawls: Chicken (I did it!) with penne pasta,(not too terrible) cream, and parmesan sauce from Tin Angel (AAAAAAAAARGGGGGGH!) I did share with the cats.

SO the moral of the story is I will eat more in the morning and a heartier meal at lunch, maybe a second healthy snack so I don't pig at night. I've done it before and looked great as well as maintain a size 3-4. Currently I am a size 6 but after the cream it feels like 8. No mas cow dairy, Je promesse. I do feel the pokey outey stomach, not a sign of good health. Dr. Oz has mentioned in the past that you have eaten too much or the wrong foods when you get that 'full feeling', and I mean the overstuffed kind of full.

Alright, the important thing is yay, I didn't drink or smoke! See you on day 3.

Smobergirl

2 days smober

Crazy-good sour green drink.

I've had a Vita-Mix blender for three years now and I absolutely love it. It's expensive, but lasts forever and I found mine a little cheaper on their web site. It has a blade that goes 250 MPH. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

1 Granny smith apple, cored and chopped

A 1-inch piece of ginger

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 lime, rind cut off

8 ice cubes

1/4 cup water.

Blend and pucker up!

~Smobergirl

What am I doing??

LOL I think I deprived myself this morning with fruit only. I know better that having a large but energizing breakfast is better than plain 'ol fruit. I have to admit I was going through withdrawls and rushed through breakfast to get my precious iced coffee at Carlucci's. I did cut that in 1/2, so I had an 8 oz instead of a 16. So I learned my lesson. Fruit for breakfast: Feels good, but hungry after one hour.

When I say I'm experimenting with 'diets', I mean different lifestyles of eating, not 'dieting' like eating 6 almonds for lunch. And I did rethink this month's program. I will kinda-sorta start on the top of the food chain. I'm adding eggs and goat dairy this month, maybe the occasional lean meat (maybe). I didn't quite explain that I have been mostly vegetarian since 2005, so it may be tougher for me to try meat regularly, even though I occasionally have had a chicken breast, bison, or fillet mignon. Goat cheese, yogurt, and milk has enzymes closer to human, and I know a famous yogi who only eats goat products and no other dairy. I myself, am addicted to Clifford Farm eggs from Provo, UT. The yolks are orange, are creamy, and are packed with B vitamins (very calming) and omega-3 fatty acids (great for skin and hair). So I am experimenting with those this month, along with whole grains, nuts, and tons of veg with fruit in the morning or as smoothies.

I did have a dear friend who emailed me and suggested, well rather insisted, a regimen; and thank you, I am open to all suggestions. However, I am doing experiments for a reason so I can tell you from my personal experiences what works and what doesn't for me. More importantly, I just want my healthy life back! Not drinking or smoking is the #1 priority for me. My friend also said that a microbrew is better than any sports drink after a workout. That may work for my friend, but I ain't touching the booze.

So to get back on the regimen, lunch is what should have been for breakfast, and it's something I stole from Liberty Heights Fresh (they sell this at the downtown farmer's market on Saturday mornings). I think they use millet, but I have a great rice mix I got in bulk at Whole Foods. I cooked up an egg and one egg white sunny-side up, but you can do scrambled. Then I sauteed swiss chard in grape seed oil. Then you mix them all together! I like sea salt and cracked pepper, and for a kick I minced a jalepeno in there. Yummy. To drink I made 'spa water'. This is easy and delicious. To a pitcher of water, add a few lemon slices. Refrigerate at least for one hour before drinking. I also like orange slices, cucumber, mint, and even a rosemary sprig. It's fun to experiment around with this. Later I will work out and have a snack or anoter small meal. I forgot to mention, eating 4-6 small portions a day instead of 2-3 huge ones gives me more energy. If I skip meals then gorge out, I end up being so sleepy!

Later taters,

Smobergirl

Uh oh.

I was so excited to get my day and new diet started, then I stepped on my Wii balance board. 150 pounds? Really? I got the Wii for Christmas and the Wii Fit seems to be ten pounds heavier than my condo's exercise room scale. Well, I do plan on looking better on my program, especially not drinking (some Americans have lost 9-15 pounds in 8 weeks just by cutting out alcohol), so I wasn't too worried. Plus, I've been doing Total Body Sculpt With Gilad and yoga every day. I did my daily 'check out myself naked' (please tell me we all do this first thing in the morning) and my butt looked pretty darn good, and my swayed back looked more cut. But then I put a ring on my pinky finger, and it's so tight! That could be from my 'last supper' of potato gnocci with macadamia nut pesto from Metropolitan late last night. It's a pretty salty dish, and too much salt can leave you bloated! Since I plan to make most of my meals at home, if I do I will only use sea salt. It's packed with minerals and helps to draw out crap in the body. Table salt is processed and is a whole different evil animal. I do also condone and plan to not eat after 7pm from here on out.

Okay, so on the bright side I had 1/2 of a small cantaloupe from the farmer's market with blueberries I put in the melon's hollowed out center, drizzled with agave nectar. Agave is a vegan substitute for honey, made from the agave plant. (that's where tequila comes from, but of course that is not being condoned in the project, either) For lunch I'll either make a huge salad here, or get one at Sages' Cafe. Things are off to a good start. For my diet this month I'll go pescatarian, that's a veggie who eats fish, but no other meat. I was going to start at the top of the food chain and eat lean meats this month, but I 'chickened' out after watching the movie "Food Inc.". I just can't go there right now.

So have a great Wednesday, and I'll report back this evening.

Smobergirl

2 days smober.

Day one.

I'm sad but hopeful tonight. Of course I am sad, because I had my last wino and Nat Sherman bingeing session last night. As most of us know, alcohol is a depressant, and I am sadly too familiar with the side effects. So naturally, I felt sad today. Then there's the cigarettes, which mainly give me anxiety the next morning after my alone closet parties. Of course they probably do due to all of the heart-racing chemicals and then some.

You see, I have been feeling might lonely since I turned 31. This was in 2002 when I broke up with my millionth boyfriend, this one was bi-polar. He decided to tell me that he was during me breaking it off, as a plea that the excuse may make me stay with him. It didn't work and I was tired of being followed to public restrooms, being called stupid when I drove, and what broke the camel's back was being accused of kissing someone else when I got a cold sore.

So anyway I was the girl lucky enough to find someone to love shortly after a breakup, but unfortunate enough to not have them last. They weren't all crazy, all of them just obviously didn't turn out for one reason or another..

In 2002 I was waiting for that next guy. Nothing happened for about 6 months so that's when I discovered that drinking two glasses of wine on my patio with about 10 imported cigarettes was calming. Then shortly after, 2 turned into 3.....you get the picture. Recently I can down 1 1/2 to 2 bottles of vino a night. And the thing is that I romanticized it because it's wine at my comforting home. I did go to a therapist three years ago who asked me if wine was my boyfriend. Yup, it definitely was.

I've been seriously struggling for six years, and tried just about everything except for rehab. But I am going to try a plan, and blog here every night so I can *crossing fingers* stick with it. I have been watching a lot of nutrition shows on Discovery Health and FitTV, and reading a lot of health (mostly girly, but still seemed informative) magazines. In the last 5-10 years a lot of nutritionists and beauty products have been promoting what you put in your body reflects your outside appearance, as well as how you feel. I was in the cosmetics industry for 5 years so this has peaked my interest. I also have testimonies of getting softer skin and a calmer mind by drastically cutting out my meat intake, losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks just by eliminating dairy, (believe me, not eating cheese sucked ass, but I sure looked and felt better) and now trying to stop drinking coffee.....which could lead to my alcohol and cig cravings....

I always read in stop smoking brochures that one shouldn't drink coffee. I always thought it was because perhaps it was a trigger. But I discovered something. I didn't drink coffee for five days and not once had a craving to drink and smoke. Then yesterday I O.D.ed on the java, and felt so anxious, and I was upset about a stupid issue, that I had no hesitation in totally caving.

So this plan isn't concrete yet, but it might go something like this: (AND YES IT'S INFLUENCED BY THE MOVIE JULIE & JULIA. But I imagine girls all over the blue marble are being influenced the same as I. There is no problem trying to make something better of yourself.)

1. Staying clean and taking pictures of myself once a month for a year.

2. Getting off the coffee one month from now, cutting down slowly for the next 30 days.

3. Experimenting with different types of food and how I feel after eating them, and how I look after eating them long-term. Maybe trying one specific diet a month, say vegan, raw, pescatarian, and lean meats.

I'm 38, have a radio job that I love but doesn't pay, have a high interest in nutrition but contradict it by smokin' and a drinkin', and have a great imagination but never seem to follow through. I did get accepted back into the U of U as a communications major (news broadcasting) and a nutrition minor. Someday I would like to have my own health show on NPR. That would be lovely. That or be the next Nancy Cartwright. Yes, I have always had unrealistic goals, but I was a successful commercial pt. time DJ for about 14 years. That wasn't too shabby, and it was actually extremely rewarding. I also just picked up the classical guitar. Now I don't excpect to be the next Esteban, but it's a hobby I enjoy. I also like doing yoga and started hitting tennis balls vs. a ball machine at the U.

Another fantasy of mine for the last three years was to write a book about the food-mind-body connection. So I am doing it now, starting here, to also help me with my addiction.

Here goes, today I am 1 day smober, (by the way that's smoke-free and sober melded together) but the food experiment starts in the morning.

Thanks for reading!

Smobergirl