Comfort Zones

I jumped into my iced coffee this morning and I felt...gross. It was right in my fridge and so easy to grab and suck down. Then I manned up, did sun salutations, side bends, and 20 push-ups; then blended this up, even though I was whining a bit that it would take some labor even though my stomach felt sour:

1 bunch kale
3 big strawberries
5 blackberries
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup no-fat Greek yogurt
1 scoop vanilla whey powder
1 tsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp hemp seeds
1 cup water

Then I felt like ahhhhhhh. The lemony smell, fresh greens, and I felt my muscles popping out already. Okay not really. I will say this, after one week of lifting and dancing around like a Zumba fool, I look and feel even better. I feel tighter already. What I did was a lot of crunches in different ways (bicycle, lower crunches, standing lunge crunches, boat pose), 3 days of tri-sets ( 3 exercises back-to-back with 3 sets each of 12 reps) yoga, walking, and dance. I had fun doing it all too. I'm even taking a resistance band on my trip. I am going to a yoga assist workshop through the weekend. I miss Bandito already. This class will make me more confident to teach, and I always love meeting new yoga peeps.

Smobergirl

Crash and Burn

I was great until I had my second grilled cheese two hours after my first. Now I want a nap! Is it the food or the strenuous working out? So I made this:

It Tastes Better Than It Looks Shake

Bunch kale
1 scoop green powder
1/2 cucumber
1/2 banana
2 peeled clementines
1 tsp flax seeds ground
1 cup water


The banana and kale taste so good together.

I washed up and put on that self-tanner. I haven't seen the results yet.

Smobergirl

Getting buff.

Happy Earth Day! I sent my mom a little magnet I made for Easter yesterday. I got a sweaty workout last night doing Zumba, and I got on the treadmill this morning for 30 minutes and lifted weights: back this time. I did tris, chest, and biceps yesterday.

Today's smoothie comes from Oxygen Magazine:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cantaloupe
1/4 cup blackberries
1/2 banana
1 scoop whey vanilla protein powder (I used hemp chocolate protein powder)
1 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp honey
2-4 ice cubes
water if needed
(I also added 1 tsp chia seeds)

Happy sipping!

Smobergirl
Day 341

Evolving.

Day 340. What 25 days until a year? :) I can't believe it. I have also changed so much in what seems like little time. Maybe it has been almost a year.

To each his own. I say in the long run if you are happy don't change a thing. Well okay I'm a believer in not stopping learning and constantly improving myself. The wino phase was like a construction site that never got worked on, but I strived to evolve in other aspects in my life like yoga and radio performance. Tonight I stumbled on an old friend's FB and since 1987 he has not changed physically, meaning he was an 80's new waver gothic back then. Let's just say a recent photo was in the night club Area 51's DJ booth which I thought for a sec was 25 years old. I think he is a vampire. All kidding aside, I hope he is living his perfect life. I am getting close to mine.

I don't want to stop learning, changing, and experimenting. I have decided to add weights and more vigorous cardio with my yoga routine. I just went to my fourth Zumba class and sweat buckets, preceded by tri-sets of weights in my exercise room and ab work. I know this is vain, but after seeing my pasty and doughy (even though it's smaller) bod from a current photo shoot of me doing yoga poses, I got a self-tanner. I'll let you know how that goes. And during that I still am going gung-ho on the weights. If I want my arms to look thinner and toned, well then I must tone them. I'm still reading Tosca Reno and eating more whole foods, with the exception of Crab Cooker oyster cracker balls. Damn you baby brother who brought them back from Newport Beach!!! Just kidding. I personally requested them. Bad girl. I am enjoying one crunchy sourdough moment after another. I just make sure raw fruits and veg are along for the ride. I want to change, but I don't regret savoring moments from my going-to-The-Crab-Cooker visits when I was a kid. Or making an occasional grilled cheese sandwich. This one is on spelt bread with sliced apples, dijon, Vegenaise, crumbled pecans, and goat cheddar. It's my version of fast food. Tosca's 'fast food' list was mostly snack food but looked better than cracker balls: Veggies dipped in hummus, peanut butter on apple slices, and berries with plain yogurt. I'm currently reading one of her books on the Kindle. I did make an outrageous shake today. I call it the Oh My Darlin' energy booster:

3 peeled clementines
3 kale leaves
1/2 cucumber
1 cup 'spa water' (water that's had lemon and cuke slices floating in the pitcher)
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp hemp seeds
1 scoop green powder

It's spectacular. The citrus almost cancels out the green taste, and it tastes so fresh! ...because it is.

Love,

Smobergirl

Eleven months.

Holy cannoli. The first three were painfully slow, and now it's zooming by. It does get better and the craves come but much less often. It started every other day, then once a week, now it's down to once a month. Exactly once a month. My last one was last night! on the 11 month date. Thankfully I was hungry so I went to Oasis Cafe and had a wonderful comfort-food dinner. Don't judge me, it was meat. Roasted chicken over couscous and spinach. It was divine. It seemed relatively healthy, and I needed some comfort. I have gone back to being a flexatarian but I will rarely eat meat. I'm just not beating myself up over it.

The reward is in the morning. It's night and freaking day.

Love,

Smobergirl
11 months.

Arthur

I saw the new version today, then I watched the original on my computer (Netflix). The new one is so charming and pretty true to the original with a few tweaks. Being the heiress to a couple of tire chains, being a former drunk, buying toys, giving money that's not mine to charity, and being a bum partially I'm kinda like the guy. I know people read this but I am throwing my ego out the window worrying what y'all think of me. I've spent most of my life feeling guilty and ashamed. Yes I'm sober. :) Watching the movies inspired me but made me think a little too much. If you know me you know I'm a superb analyzer. I hope you also know I'm not a greedy or bad person. And I worked, had the dream job, I just didn't make any money doing it. And what I love to do now is mostly volunteer work. Because I can or that's what's available. I even DJ for free sometimes because of the recession I guess, and/or I'm too nice. Do you have to be a jerk to make money?

I have still been sad the last couple of days. Stuff is coming out. I have craved the last three nights but that goes away in about 15 minutes or so. Then I did something else like painted, gone to the coffee shop, or watch the old Arthur on my computer with a bottle of Kombucha instead of wine.

I actually questioned myself if I am clinically depressed. I did this in high school. I went to a shrink when my parents divorced and she said I wasn't, but offered me Zoloft anyway, and I felt great on it until my wrists went numb one day and I freaked out. Not necessarily because of that, but I have been anti-perscription most of my life since. Antabuse was a necessary exception, and I didn't feel any side effects. However now, I don't know if this sadness is from the guilt, being burned out, both, or a chemical imbalance. Maybe the sadness is a detox, because I've been lifting weights and running along with my yoga the last two days. I thought vigorous exercise made you happier. lol Speaking of, I can't walk or lift my arms, but it's a good sore right? I got a wild hair after most of my illness passed, and said, "That's it, no more flabby arms!" Since college I've had these 'obese' arms and they always drove me crazy. I finally stumbled across a Tosca Reno email, and she said what I hear a lot: If you just do cardio you'll just be a smaller version of your fat self. You have to lift weights. Plus, it's great for your bones anyway and especially when you get older. I'm not saying 39 is old but it's not too early to start. I also found out yesterday that Jack LaLane died last January. he was 96. Not too shabby. I thought he was going to make it past 100. How can a cigar-smoking comedian live to be 100 when the health and exercise guru only makes it to 96? :) Laughter and young women?

Love,

Smobergirl

Close call....and can I be like everyone else?

I was about to give in tonight, but what got me out was time, a hobby, and food/non-alkie drinks. I painted from 8 pm until now. I have to turn in some things to a gallery technically today.


I'm kinda happy but sad about my local celebrity. I had a friend post on the FB at 1 am that I should stop 'checking in', a feature to tell people where you are. I know other media peeps who do it, but maybe it's good to be safe. ?

I am relieved and excited for lots of things going on. So I traded one addiction for another tonight: buying three swimsuits online (what?) for my b-day trip. At least I know a beach will be involved in my decision. Duh! :)

So no more specifics on where I am. I know the Twitter guy who got robbed when he posted that he was on vaca. Speaking of trying to think smart, Dr. Mehmet Oz stated recently that chia seeds (which I have been using religiously in my smoothies for almost a year) have omega-3s and are good for memory and preventive for Alzheimer's. Aha! Awesome. I did lose four pounds being sick, but you know that's not the way to diet healthfully, living off of not eating, soup, not eating, OJ, fruit, soup, and not eating. Gotta use the mind to eat smart.

Breakfast: Smoothie with chia seeds, frozen cranberries, almond milk I made, and chocolate green powder.
Lunch: Sushi!
Dinner: Shrimps with bow tie pasta, chick peas, and cauliflower in a curry sauce.

This feels like the tail-end of my cold.

Love,

Smobergirl

Day 330

I think because I can't shake this cold, it makes me inspired. For one, my friend who also just got her yoga teaching certification had a class on appreciating what you have. I took my health for granted and when I get well I want to take advantage of being more athletic. After all, I said I wanted to do more vinyasa flow in my own practice, and all my life I disliked my 'doughy' arms. Not until I got sick, a cold or a flu whatever it is (it's not pretty) am I determined to carpe diem. Today, and I think it's the end of the cold, was mostly coughing. The sore throat disappeared by Saturday, and I wasn't really stuffy today. I painted for what seemed like five hours straight. I want to get as many magnets done before the Wednesday due date. I also have future art ideas and a killer photo idea for my next monthly article in the City Weekly. Even though I have a dry cough today I did a bunch of hatha yoga on my bed. That was nice actually. I also did 15 triceps dips in the tub as it was draining. Ha ha.



Smobergirl

Smoothies

On my Facebook page I have a photo album devoted to smoothies. In fact, one of my friends suggested that I make a book. That is tempting. Due to the magic of the FB app and my camera phone, it's way easier to post there than here. However my blog is all about food so I need to step up my game. ;)

I call this Coco(a) Banana Immune Booster:

1/2 Frozen banana
1 cup coconut water
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 packet frozen acai puree (in health stores)
1 tsp ground flax seeds
2 tbs goji berries

Temple Food

My body is a temple, and it's moldy (sick). Snotty is more of the correct term. ;)

I made a pesto "noodle" dish from Rawvolution: Zucchini noodles made in the spiral slicer and a vegan pesto. Dessert is a clementine, 1/2 mango cubed, and honey over almond meal leftover from almond milk I made. Pretty and colorful! And tasty.

I'm painting away. I have 15 more magnets I'm working on for a gallery project. I have to turn them in by Wednesday.

I haven't been sick like this for a very long time eh? It's definitely your run of the mill flu. Cough, hack, sniff, sneeze. Day 3 of this today.

I'm also taking colloidial silver and oregano oil, and drinking kombucha.

Smobergirl
Day 328

I am sick!

I never get sick. So my conclusion is.....drumroll....STRESS. Not only that but preventive stress. Which honestly is the only kind there is. you tell me who controls your emotions and I will personally speak to him/her about your stress.

A: I had a killer craving
B: A boy kissed me and never called me back...until I texted but does that make me happy?
C: Yoga teaching paranoias
D: No smoothies for three whole days and emotionally eating
E: No vigorous asana or meditating for more days

Who's fault is this? The good news is, I know how to have fun and eat healthfully (and not) on sick days. I went to two viatnamese joints for soup, drank a pint of blood orange juice, watched Despicable Me, painted up a storm, eatched old-school Bill Cosby, broke in my Pillow Sac, and wore nothing but jammies and let my hair go greasy in the last two days.

What was not fun was a burning sore throat which lasted from about 11 pm last night until noon today. What helped was a eucalyptus bath, olive oil and eucalyptus as a moisturizer, and oiling the crap out of my nose which totally worked not making it red and dry. Oil is a Godsend, olive, coconut, jojoba, sweet almond, avocado, sesame...pick your poison. ;) I drank Throat Coat also until I was blue in the face.

Lesson: ...........and it is all small stuff!

Smobergirl
11 Months a week from tomorrow!

Doing the dip.

Lately I have been eating a ton of fruit, mainly strawberries because they are so cheap right now. But I ventured into two veggie dips I saw on Giada At Home today. They would be pea puree and garbanzo bean/olive tapenade. Both are spectacular and healthy. I also got some basil to make pesto tomorrow. Giada used endive as a vessel and I think it's the perfect 'chip'.

Speaking of Giada, she did a show about Capri and it's one of the places I am thinking about going to for my birthday trip I'm getting from the 'rents! Woot woot. But where, is the question? Greece? Spain? Kauai? New Zealand? New York? Golden Door Spa? A cruise? I'm trying to think what I really want right now. I'm so thrilled.

Staying clean and happy. The compliments on my bod and health keep pouring in. I am going to teach my first yoga classes in May and I couldn't be happier. Through the training I learned more about myself and changed my perspective on attitude.

Love,

Smobergirl

Day 324

320

I am doing well. I got my third Best Of in the City Weekly! Woot woot. I''m thrilled.

I'm also ecstatic to teach my first four classes at the studio I trained at. They are part of my mentoring program, and I have many friends who want to come. Also thrilling! That road is going way better now. I went to a friend's class and she has only taught for three months. I have been feeling more comfortable after that. A hottie also taught me new poses. Bonus! I think I'm going to like this yoga thing. ;) I need a bio and photo for the studio schedule so a buddy is taking pictures of me in a nice park tomorrow, which I'm so excited for because I don't have any groovy yoga pose photos as of recently. I'm just praying that I can look groovy. Ha ha.

Speaking of hotties an old fling came out of the woodwork. He was one of my nasty drunken email victims. He finally told me to stop apologizing already and he forgotten all about it. Then he friended me on FB. Then he texted me. Then he asked me out to lunch sometime. Karma? Keep it here for juicy or not details.

No craves lately. However a bottle of Antabuse is sitting at the pharmacy. Maybe I'll just finish it. Maybe. However I'm doing very well. Antabuse does not make craves go away.

I ate especially healthy today. I spent $60 on exotic vegetables, how did that happen, and made a salad. Oh I also had lunch there (local market) and got sun-dried tomatoes which were $6 but I said screw it. I ain't drinkin' or smokin' and $60 is the minimum of 2-days worth of bingeing money. I love this shopping excuse thing!

I think I'm looking skinnier. Three friends thought so this week. Moderation is my secret, and eating like a hippie some of the time. Dinner was that salad and a bowl of Trader Joe's rice medley (thanks Mom). I also made my favorite new dessert: fat-free Greek yogurt with agave (or honey) and cinnamon. I think it's incredibly tasty.

My pillow sac is still stiff so I jumped on it today. It's still on the floor and now it's the biggest cat bed ever.

Love,

Smobergirl