Paradise
The Riviera Maya was outstanding and much needed. A week full of indulgence: drinks, fresh food, afternoon snoozes, intimate time with the love of my life while being entertained and soaking up the sun.
It was incredibly simple to stay on the Primal diet with the variety of food they offer. I had fresh fish every day, tons of delicious vegetables and fruits - smoothies were frequent and often. Drink of choice: Disaronno on the rocks (9 carbs/oz). Desserts were divine. They fired up fruit (peach and banana) flambés and Mayan coffee for our table. If you ever visit the Palace resorts, you must try the Mayan coffee - fantastic!
*Picture is view from our concierge suite.
2011
This was a hard year:
I worked very hard at a job that I wasn't appreciated or respected. Not going to go into much detail here as I'm in a better place now.
Mark and I got a puppy...we had no idea what we were getting into, but we wouldn't change a thing. I love my little gremlin Gizmo.
I found the Paleo/Primal lifestyle and it has changed me for the better. I used to get so angry at myself for abusing my body the way I did. Binging on junk, not exercising and just taking my health for granted. Getting pissed off at anyone that cared enough to say something to me. I didn't know how to fix it and I didn't know where to look. Thanks to my friends we stumbled onto Paleo and I haven't looked back.
Looking forward to 2012
I'm writing this before a holiday weekend. Everyone who hasn't taken today off is in a cheerful mood. I'm currently working at my Dream Job - succeeding through the grueling interview process from November when I had 6 interviews for 2 different positions.
*Dream Job = Administrative Services Specialist, managing existing programs and centers (related to physician training, healthcare and research) and launching new ones for the University. I don't supervise anyone and I don't want to (last position I did that and found out I'd rather manage myself).*
By God's grace, and a good measure of my own, I managed to secure this wonderful opportunity that has huge growth potential have an amazing and supportive supervisor - we are a great team.
Paleo/Primal
I plan on staying on the Paleo/Primal bandwagon and proving my doctor wrong ("Everyone that does that diet quits after a year and gains it all back"). Not to mention all of the other obvious benefits that I've already repeated in other posts.
I hope to keep blogging as often as I can. November and December have been a whirlwind between going through the interview process, exiting a position/training others, taking on a new positions/getting training from others, not knowing what I'm doing in the new position (getting more comfortable everyday), going to Mexico, going to Chicago for my Birthday and the holidays with friends and family.
This new position seems like it will keep me pretty busy and challenge me every day so I will blog updates/tips/recipes/answer email questions when I can.
I hope you have a healthy and prosperous 2012. Let's reign in the New Year right: Paleo/Primal style.
Health, wealth and happiness to all.
Krista
Friday, December 30, 2011
A Toast to the New Year
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Celebrating the Holidays
This year I found a fantastic recipe in Cooking Light Magazine for Almond Cookies. They have 6 ingredients and are so simple and delicious! See for yourself:
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. In a food processor pulse the blanched almonds until finely ground. Add the sugar, lemon rind, egg and salt and mix until dough forms a ball in the processor. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and shape the dough into 1" balls. Sprinkle cinnamon over all of the almond balls evenly and then press a blanched almond into the top (see picture). Bake for 16 minutes and then let cool on wire racks.
These had the most amazing texture and the lemon, cinnamon and almond combined were just plain tasty. Perfect with tea or coffee.
I saved money at the store by purchasing regular almonds and blanching them myself. This process took an hour, but it was worth it and I didn't mind with Christmas movies playing, the fire place roaring and my Christmas tree glowing. Oh wait, it's almost Thanksgiving?! Oh well! I'm losing a week out of my favorite time of year in Mexico so I'm rejoicing early.
My family will be enjoying these Paleo/Primal friendly treats this year.
HappyChristmas Thanksgiving readers!
Krista
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almonds (save 24 blanched almonds)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 tsp lemon rind
- 1 egg
- Dash of salt
- Cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. In a food processor pulse the blanched almonds until finely ground. Add the sugar, lemon rind, egg and salt and mix until dough forms a ball in the processor. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and shape the dough into 1" balls. Sprinkle cinnamon over all of the almond balls evenly and then press a blanched almond into the top (see picture). Bake for 16 minutes and then let cool on wire racks.
These had the most amazing texture and the lemon, cinnamon and almond combined were just plain tasty. Perfect with tea or coffee.
I saved money at the store by purchasing regular almonds and blanching them myself. This process took an hour, but it was worth it and I didn't mind with Christmas movies playing, the fire place roaring and my Christmas tree glowing. Oh wait, it's almost Thanksgiving?! Oh well! I'm losing a week out of my favorite time of year in Mexico so I'm rejoicing early.
My family will be enjoying these Paleo/Primal friendly treats this year.
Happy
Krista
Friday, November 18, 2011
An encouraging email...
Last night I received an email from someone who follows my blog, thanking me for writing about Paleo/Primal and how she is doing following the lifestyle. Thank you for your email - it is encouraging to know people are actually reading my blog and that I'm not just writing for my Mom (Hi Mom!) and friends.
I just spent the past 3 weeks prepping and interviewing for my Dream Job - and I got it!!!! So I've been very stressed with that, not to mention I was asked to interview for another position so I had a total of 5 interviews in a couple weeks.
Since I haven't been exercising as much, being strict with food and under a lot of stress I'm weighing in at 133lbs and my clothes are falling off. I need to go shopping this weekend (darn!). I'm not skinny fat, just skinny skinny. I need to get some workouts in now that Mark will be done with a crazy surgery rotation and I landed my perfect job. Wahoo!!
Krista
24 Days until the Riviera Maya and I'm not doing as well on my strength training as I would've liked.
Here's why:
Mark (husband) is currently on a surgery rotation in medical school. He works 18 hour days - everyday - with an occasional day off. This means that on top of my full time job and taking care of Gizmo, I need to do everything else from paying the bills, to cleaning, cooking, errands, etc. Because all he can do is eat, sleep, find time to study, and work. This doesn't leave much time to exercise so I've been strict with my diet, because I gotta eat!I just spent the past 3 weeks prepping and interviewing for my Dream Job - and I got it!!!! So I've been very stressed with that, not to mention I was asked to interview for another position so I had a total of 5 interviews in a couple weeks.
Since I haven't been exercising as much, being strict with food and under a lot of stress I'm weighing in at 133lbs and my clothes are falling off. I need to go shopping this weekend (darn!). I'm not skinny fat, just skinny skinny. I need to get some workouts in now that Mark will be done with a crazy surgery rotation and I landed my perfect job. Wahoo!!
Krista
Monday, November 14, 2011
Is Paleo a diet or not?
Paleo is confusing for people. At first glance, the concept of eating like our paleolithic ancestors is so different from our norm. The norm being what the media and money driven companies have created over the past few decades.
Confused people come online for answers and can easily find their way into more confusion. I did. Once site would say to eat this, another that. Work out like this or try it like that. Paleo is a diet, no Paleo is NOT a diet. Wait a minute. What the heck am I supposed to do?!
Choose to feel better, because you will.
Krista
Confused people come online for answers and can easily find their way into more confusion. I did. Once site would say to eat this, another that. Work out like this or try it like that. Paleo is a diet, no Paleo is NOT a diet. Wait a minute. What the heck am I supposed to do?!
Is Paleo a diet?
Yes and no. Yes, as in the technical sense that the actual word "diet" means in relation to food. When Paleo bloggers/writers stress that it isn't a diet we mean that it isn't a "fad diet." A fad diet is something we hear about a celebrity doing to lose a large amount of weight quickly that everyone tries for a week or two before they are on to the next fad diet.
How do I "go Paleo?"
Make Paleo choices. Choose to eat more meat, vegetables, fruit, and fat. Choose to not eat grains and legumes. Choose to go for a walk this afternoon. Choose to get an extra hour of sleep tonight instead of watching that reality show you don't really care for.Choose to feel better, because you will.
Krista
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Stress and 32 Days til Paradise
Remember my post from a couple weeks ago about why I haven't been posting as much....well it's still going on and I will hopefully have an outcome next week. This "project" has turned into two potential opportunities, which have been eating up my spare time and stressing me out. My face hates my stress = lots of little pimples. Yuck.
I truly cannot wait until this week is over so I can blog more and have a pimple free face again. Hopefully my efforts will be rewarded - I can't wait to share with you all if they are!
Have you guessed yet...? :o)
Meanwhile....32 DAYS UNTIL I'M ON A BEACH! I'm not excited or anything.
Picture on right is the view from our room during the Honeymoon. We are going to the same resort with good friends. Wahoo! More pictures to come!
Krista
I truly cannot wait until this week is over so I can blog more and have a pimple free face again. Hopefully my efforts will be rewarded - I can't wait to share with you all if they are!
Have you guessed yet...? :o)
Meanwhile....32 DAYS UNTIL I'M ON A BEACH! I'm not excited or anything.
Picture on right is the view from our room during the Honeymoon. We are going to the same resort with good friends. Wahoo! More pictures to come!
Krista
Friday, November 4, 2011
Day 4 Progress
Stomach is nearly the same as it was in my 'After shots' from August. I've been doing the Primal Blueprint Fitness Routine (sign up for Mark's site to get it - it's free)!
Currently advancing in planks, push ups, squats, sprints, lunges, and pull ups 3-4x/week.
Proof is in the puddin' so I'll try to post an update every Friday. Apologies for the lighting (sun isn't up yet at 6:45 anymore) - plus I'm no photographer.
Have a great weekend all!
Krista
Currently advancing in planks, push ups, squats, sprints, lunges, and pull ups 3-4x/week.
Proof is in the puddin' so I'll try to post an update every Friday. Apologies for the lighting (sun isn't up yet at 6:45 anymore) - plus I'm no photographer.
Have a great weekend all!
Krista
Posted by
Unknown
at
8:34 AM
Day 4 Progress
2011-11-04T08:34:00-05:00
Unknown
Paleo Progress Pictures|
Comments
Labels:
Paleo Progress Pictures
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Staying Strong
Well into the morning of Day 2 and thus far I've been strong in sticking to my Primal fare and working out more....though it is only Day 2.
How do you stay strong to achieve goals?
Krista
Motivation
Surround yourself with what you desire: I have pictures of the Riviera Maya surrounding me at work. I envision myself there splashing in the waves is enough to keep me from digging into those pumpkin bars a coworker brought in.
Drive
Knowing you can do it: I've been strictly Primal before for more than a month and knowing that helps me to keep going.
Success
Signs that you have achieved your goals: I feel fantastic! NO physical signs yet, as to be expected, but I do feel wonderful. Full of energy, mind is sharp and I've been in a great mood all week. How do you stay strong to achieve goals?
Krista
Posted by
Unknown
at
8:53 AM
Staying Strong
2011-11-02T08:53:00-05:00
Unknown
Primal Drive|Primal Motivation|Primal Success|
Comments
Labels:
Primal Drive,
Primal Motivation,
Primal Success
Monday, October 31, 2011
How I lost 20lbs and kept it off
You want to know what works. You want to know the fastest way to get your desired results. Krista, how did you really lose 20 pounds and keep it off? What's your secret? These are the questions I get asked most often so I decided to write a post on it.
That's it. That's all it took to lose 20, well 21, pounds and to maintain for the last 16 weeks.
Yes, I'm ecstatic with my results, but I'm so proud of myself for having the willpower and discipline to keep at it for this long.
42 days and counting until my vacation in the Riviera Maya and I want to look tighter/toned in my bikini. Tomorrow is day one of incorporating more strength training, no soda pop (not even sips of Mark's anymore), and less sweets (Paleo pudding, strawberries with sweet clotted cream, candied pecans, etc).
Krista
3 required actions to get real results
- The first thing I did was get in the right mindset. Truly. I did my homework on the Primal lifestyle and I knew what to expect. I knew not to count calories, but carbs. I knew not to count mistakes, but successes. I also knew to ignore the scale and instead watched my clothes fit better. Getting in the right mindset is one of the top reasons people have a hard time sticking to a "diet."
- Low carb. Low carb. Low carb. Get the point? For the first 6 weeks I ate strictly Primal in the lowest carb intake phase (ketosis and accelerated fat burning stage). I ate as close to 0 carbs a day that I could, my number was usually around 20g/day. Now I consume about 100g/day easily maintaining.
- Move! Here is my actual workout routine: Walked the dog 1-2x/day = 4-5 hours/week of walking, strength training 2x/week, and sprints 1x/week.
That's it. That's all it took to lose 20, well 21, pounds and to maintain for the last 16 weeks.
Yes, I'm ecstatic with my results, but I'm so proud of myself for having the willpower and discipline to keep at it for this long.
Krista
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween, Ruts and Bellies
The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy. Hopefully, my
efforts come to fruition and I’ll write about what I’ve been up to when they
do. Can you guess?
Wheat belly
I have been 75/25 for the past 2 weeks and haven’t been
working out as much as I should be. Just walks with Gizmo. I haven’t gained any
weight, but I don’t look as great as I did in late summer.
My family ate at Texas Road House for my brother’s birthday.
If you know anything about their sweet rolls, you know it’s nearly impossible
to resist – so I didn’t. It’s amazing how one sweet roll can give you a bloated
belly that looks like you’ve gained about 5lbs (when you haven’t). Thankfully,
that got out of my system and the stomach is flat once more.
In a rut
Once again on the carb roller-coaster – I need to find more
indulgences that don’t involve high carb loads. Any new recipes? I do love Paleo
Pudding, but it would be nice to try something else that is easy to throw
together and tastes fantastic.
Recently, I made a Fig Tart in a Hazelnut Crust from Mark’sDaily Apple Contest. It was time consuming to make, but delicious on day 1 and
the fridge killed the any flavor it had on day 2. Definitely one of those eat fresh for a
special occasion desserts.
Halloween
I do love Halloween. Watching the scary movies on tv, enjoying spiced cider, and creating fun costume ideas. Last year I was Kim Kardashian
and my date was Justin Bieber – that wouldn’t apply much this year. For
Halloween this year, I’ll spend it siddin’ some cider and watching scary movies
(we don’t get trick-or-treaters in our key entry building).
Mark will be
working. Friends aren’t having a party since it happens to fall on a Monday
this year, we all have the joy of working the next day. Plus we live in a
college town, which means if you want to see some weirdos, drunk guys or scantily
clad “ladies” they will be everywhere – and I mean everywhere. My couch is more
enticing.
Can't wait for the years when I will be dressing up my little ones to take around the neighborhood, only to trade in the majority of their finds for something more Paleo (maple roasted pecans, dark chocolate, etc) - aka healthier.
How will you spend your Halloween?
Krista
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Paleo rock(s).
How do you succeed?
What makes you accountable?
Who is your
rock?
The past few weeks I haven’t been the best Primal role
model, but I have learned something about myself. My husband is my rock when it
comes to my health.
There are many people out there that don’t want their
spouses to comment on their bad choices: junk food, cigarettes, or alcohol and
I’m included in that bunch. If he says anything about me having a brownie
during my least favorite time of the month on how it isn’t Paleo…well, let’s
just say he gets an earful.
However, over the past few weeks he has had a sporadic
schedule and hasn’t been home every night for dinner. This gives me the sole
responsibility of making that decision to eat right. Eat Primal. It isn’t
always that easy though.
One of the nights I ate a pizza and loved every minute of
it. I savored that pizza like it was my last. Now, it probably isn’t, but you
get the idea. I felt HORRIBLE an hour later and didn’t sleep well that night –
my body knows how to punish me. I don’t want a pizza for a long while.
Then I got mad at myself for giving in to a lousy pizza. How
could I do that? Subject myself back to the carb cravings all over again. Needless
to say I was very disappointed in my action.
The carb cravings did come back and it has been difficult,
but my rock has been around to make it easier. He helps me to be accountable even when I don’t
want to be and I appreciate him for it.
Who grounds you and helps you to be a better person?
Krista
Friday, October 14, 2011
Why Paleo is the black sheep of the diet family
Many days I just want to shout, “Wake up you dolts! Paleo is the answer to what you are missing!” You
probably know someone that needs to change the way they eat or workout to improve
their quality of life. When we find something that works we want to share that
knowledge and help others lead a healthy life. So why don’t people listen? Why
do they look for excuses? If this really works, then why don’t more people know
about it and follow it?
Yes, this is me in the picture.
Money
The Paleo lifestyle doesn’t have any
nifty little products to package and sell on your local grocery store shelves. It
doesn’t have a line of “magic presto pills,” meals that come to your door or a
piece of essential fitness equipment.
Public: OK – but can’t that be seen
as a good thing too? I’m not getting scammed if you aren’t trying to sell me
something, right?
True, however, that’s also why
people don’t know about Paleo. Nothing to sell = no $$$ = no publicity. No
celebrity spokes model is out there to market and sell Paleo to you.
Carb Lovin’
It’s not easy to convince people to
give up crusty bread, flour in their baked goods, and sweet corn on the cob.
Many of our comfort foods are derived from grains. Combine that temptation with
the media telling us to eat our comforting whole grains, we nod like lemmings
and continue on the path to self-destruction.
Fad Diet
The Paleo/Primal lifestyle often
gets lumped into the “fad diet” category, which is comical since it is adopted
from our ancestors. You really want to compare that kind of history to the
grapefruit, master cleanse, raw diets out there? Well, not eating grains seems
like a radical idea so it must be a fad. Please improve your ignorance and do
some research before you shove Paleo aside! There is a reason we have a
community growing by the thousands with hundreds upon hundreds of REAL success
stories.
How do I convince loved ones Paleo/Primal really works?
Lead by example and others will
take notice. They will complement your appearance and ask what you are
doing. It’s important to reach out to family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors
if they express health concerns or
interest in your lifestyle. Read and recommend The Paleo Solution or The Primal
Blueprint to get into the nitty gritty of Paleo/Primal.
When people ask me about my diet, I
smile and say, “I’ve been eating more protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.”
That’s where I stop unless they dig deeper. Otherwise, you will receive odd
stares or turn people off if you go into no grains or dairy, “caveman” diet,
etc. They will write it off as a bizarre fad diet, whereas the media has made
protein, veggies, and ‘healthy fats’ socially acceptable.
Until more people wake up and realize
Paleo isn’t the crazy aunt no one invited to the party, we must stay strong in our actions with a friendly and confident approach.
Are you having difficulty explaining your Paleo/Primal lifestyle to others? Do people treat you differently when they find out you are Paleo/Primal?
Krista
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
My Primal Eats
Hi all-
Here is a general blueprint of my daily diet and workout for
those interested. Each line represents a
different option (not in addition to the previous line) and goes in order of
frequency = most often to least.
Please note that I drink coffee with heavy
cream every day, have a glass of wine 3-4x/week, and a variety of aged cheeses
that strike my fancy 1-2x/week. Wait....what diet?
Menu
Breakfast
|
Lunch
|
Dinner
|
Dessert
|
1-2 Eggs
Nothing (not hungry)
1 Egg & 1 slice of bacon or sausage
Almond Pancakes (Sunday)
|
Salad*
Leftovers from dinner night before (meat/veg combo)
1-2 Eggs
|
Broiled Chicken w/veg*
Primal Burgers w/salad
Pork chops/loin w/veg
Fish (baked/smoked/ or broiled) w/veg
BBQ Ribs w/veg
|
Paleo Pudding – no joke
Strawberries/blueberries with sliced almonds and coconut
milk
Piece of dark chocolate
Maple roasted pecans
|
*Salad: Mixed dark greens/spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and/or
grilled chicken/tuna. Mix this option up a lot (different in season fruits and
vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette). Yum!
*Veg: Whatever’s in season – broccoli, asparagus, zucchini,
mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and kale.
Workout
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo
|
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo
20-30 min Circuit Training
|
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo
|
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo
20-30 min Circuit Training
|
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo
|
Rest/Play
|
30 min walk w/Gizmo
30 min Sprints
|
My workout schedule varies depending on how busy the week
is, but above is what I try to stick to. If not, everything shifts a day.
Status: I’m currently still at 134lbs according to the scale
this morning (down 21lbs from peak weight). I’ll post a picture from my brother’s wedding last weekend so you
can see for yourself as soon as my mother sends me them.
If you have comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to
ask!
Krista
Posted by
Unknown
at
7:57 AM
My Primal Eats
2011-10-12T07:57:00-05:00
Unknown
Paleo Menu|Primal Workout|
Comments
Labels:
Paleo Menu,
Primal Workout
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
80/20 Deconstructed
The 80/20 Primal rule might be the most ambiguous to
follow. Why? It seems pretty simple, right? Well, 80/20 means something different to everyone: whether you are new to Paleo/Primal or have done it for years, or whether you
allow yourself dairy, alcohol, chocolate, and carb concentrated foods or not. From what
I’ve read around the web 80/20 is as unique as the individual.
For Beginners
It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. In
the first 1-2 weeks of implementing the Paleo/Primal diet into your lifestyle
the carb cravings can be very intense. Some need the piece of dark chocolate to
satisfy the after dinner sweet tooth or others want that glass of wine while relaxing to unwind from the day. It is a "cheat" to
look forward to until your body adjusts to less crapola (i.e. grains) circulating through the
pipes on a regular basis.
For Intermediary
It’s a treat. Whether you’re going out
with friends for pizza or having cake on your birthday, you become more of a
food snob with what you waste your carbs on and make the most of it! No more Hy-Vee
Chinese, instead you upgrade your carb-load to P.F. Chang’s if you are going to
splurge and feel icky (technical term) later.
For Experienced
Only when necessary, if at all. These are
folks that have stuck with Paleo/Primal for the long haul and have felt the amazing
results. If they eat a cookie, they feel awful after
and they no longer desire the sugar bomb. There are veterans that follow the
diet strictly and either cut out 80/20 or make it 95/5. Eating clean feels so
great, why would you want to subject yourself to a carb crave, nightmares, or aches and pains?
I’m definitely in the Intermediary stage. After I eat grains
or load up on carbs, like clockwork, my stomach is ready to take me out back
and give me a good wallop. Where do you fit in?
Krista
Posted by
Unknown
at
8:02 AM
80/20 Deconstructed
2011-10-11T08:02:00-05:00
Unknown
80/20|carb cravings|carb load|
Comments
Labels:
80/20,
carb cravings,
carb load
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Paleo for One Please
I’d like to start this post off giving kudos to anyone out
there that is single or lives alone and practices the paleo/primal lifestyle
successfully.
Back story: My husband has been completing his pediatric
until round in another town (couple hours from home) for the past 4 days this
week and I have learned that it is difficult to cook for one person. Especially
if you are a lazy person.
Monday
While driving home from work I realize how easy it would be to
just grab a quick Chinese take-out dinner…...it's on the way...warning Will Robinson!
Warning! Think of the carbs/msg/nastiness!
Devil on left shoulder: Yes, but you don’t eat out often and you could go right back to
100% primal.
Angel on right shoulder: No – go to the grocery store and you can treat yourself to a
little Hagen Das instead of that take-out “food.”
Krista: Well….Okay. *rushes
off to the store*
I literally argued with myself for a good 5 minutes, but I
made it to the store and treated myself a bit. The smoked salmon looked great, a
little prosciutto, couple figs, a fine cheese, some wine….hey this isn’t so
bad. What was I thinking earlier?! This is a ready to eat delicious mix of
primal goodness that would last me a couple dinners.
Tuesday
Made a quick batch of Hell-O it’s not Jell-O for dessert to
go with my BBQ brisket and dark greens (leftovers from weekend).
Wednesday
Ate amazing leftovers from Monday. Food that good shouldn't be called leftovers. What do you think of free previous food= F.P.F.? Spread the word.
Thursday
Hubby is coming home so I will throw together a pork loin
with broiled zucchini.
Lessons learned:
If you are cooking for one, make a large
meal over the weekend to finish for F.P.F. during the week.
Keep it simple. Buy food that can be easily prepared (rotisserie chicken, salmon, breakfast, etc).
Make one of your favorite meals. You'll enjoy it more than any old fast "food."
Have a glass of wine. Turn on some music or a cooking show. That makes cooking more exciting and enjoyable.
There is little motivation to cook an elaborate meal for yourself
when you have other things to get done.
Krista
Posted by
Unknown
at
4:00 PM
Paleo for One Please
2011-10-06T16:00:00-05:00
Unknown
Fast meals|Single serving|
Comments
Labels:
Fast meals,
Single serving
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Cost of CW Beauty Standards Part II
To be considered decent, the American woman must not leave
the home without: showering, styling her hair, applying sunscreen/lotion,
and makeup. Let’s not get into coordinating outfits and accessories, because
I’m not so great at that nor do I want to be. After all, we do need clothes (usually), but we
don’t need everything mentioned above.
According to the Daily Mail, "1 in 3 women will not leave the
house without a full face of makeup on and 1 in 2 women prefer wearing makeup
rather than going out bare faced."
A survey done in the UK found that on average "...women spend 330 days of their lives applying makeup."
Let’s break down the cost of the products most women use
daily (concealer, mascara, and a touch of lipstick/lip-gloss) that you would
find at a local drugstore/makeup department. Low end and higher end:
Average cost for Cover Girl, Maybelline, and Revlon:
Mascara
|
$7.50
|
Concealer
|
$7.00
|
Lipstick/lip-gloss
|
$6.83
|
Total
|
$21.33
|
Total Annual Cost (Quarterly purchases)
|
$85.32
|
Average cost for Clinique, Estee Lauder, and Sephora:
Mascara
|
$18.67
|
Concealer
|
$17.67
|
Lipstick/lip-gloss
|
$17.33
|
Total
|
$53.67
|
Total Annual Cost (Quarterly purchases)
|
$214.68
|
Please notice the word average. These cost breakdowns will
vary based on your location and how much product you apply. It also only
contains the “bare essentials,” excluding eye shadow, eye/lip liner, blush, and
instruments to apply the products.
Save money by going Paleo/Primal
Here is where you can save money by incorporating more
Paleo/Primal choices in your life. Cut back on applying makeup to weekdays or
special events. If you don’t feel like wearing makeup, then don’t. Save the
time and money for play, cooking, spending time with family/friends or tackling
something you’ve put on the back burner.
Many people that first try the Paleo/Primal lifestyle often
complain about the cost for food. Well, that food contains nutrients and
vitamins that we need to be healthy. You are what you eat. If you are giving
your body nutrient dense calories you will see the benefits through weight
loss, glowing skin, strong/thick hair, strong nails and teeth. You will not
need as much makeup/skin/hair products because you are naturally enhancing your
beauty through a healthy diet. Less products = More $. Not to mention the health care bills you will incur later on (Diabetes II, Hypertension, medications, etc) with an unhealthy diet.
Lately, I’ve been leaving the house with less
makeup (if any), not using skin care products (tap water rinse), and running a brush through
my hair and the world seems fine with it.
Have you cut back on the number of products you use regularly? Have you seen your natural beauty emerge by going Paleo/Primal?
Krista
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The Cost of CW Beauty Standards Part II
2011-10-03T10:20:00-05:00
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Makeup cost|Paleo beauty|
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Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Cost of CW Beauty Standards Part I
“What is your beauty tip/secret you can share with our audience?” - Entertainment Interviewer
“Drink plenty of water and apply sunscreen every day.” –Celebrity
BARF! If I have to read/hear this response one more time…I’m
going to rant. Sorry to those who believe this garbage, but hanging out in the
bathroom all day smelling like coco-nutty chemicals doesn’t make you beautiful.
You don’t need to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Remember, there is water in food and if you eat healthy food
(whole/unprocessed – NOT GRAINS) you will not need as much water as you would
if you ate a standard American diet. So where did we get the 8 glasses a day
myth? In the 1940’s the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine
stated we needed to drink 1ml per calorie consumed while promoting the need for
2000 calories a day = ~2 liters or 8 eight ounce glasses. What was not as
widely advertised: most of that water comes from our food. It gets better. The more
water sucking grains and carb (sweet tasting) you consume the more water you
will need/crave. Drink water when you are thirsty – don’t guzzle it down to
make your quota for the day.
You don’t need to apply sunscreen every day.
But the sunscreen companies would like you to. So women are
supposed to shower, exfoliate, apply lotion and sunscreen, and then put on makeup?
Every day? Hmm, sounds time consuming and sticky to me. How about a real
answer: eat foods high in lycopene (tomatoes, carrots, watermelons, and
papayas) to protect your skin from the sun rays.
Over the summer I was out on
the lake boating with my family. I’d been consuming tomatoes and carrots for
several weeks and while they were slathering on the sunscreen, I was already
out on the inner-tube soaking up the sun. No sunscreen. No sunburn. In fact, I had a nice tan, but that was
probably built up from spending time outside walking/sprinting/playing. Now I
do think sunscreen has a time and a place. If you have fair skin, haven’t been
outside for a lengthy period of time in a while, or are going near the equator
for a vacation then sunscreen is a good idea. You don’t need it if you are
going to be outside for 10 minutes going to and from work.
You may be investing more money into your food by being
Paleo/Primal, but you are saving on sunscreen and your water bill. Ok, maybe
that’s a bit of a stretch, but it will definitely help you on my next topic:
Makeup.
Krista
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