Healthy-Choices High

Have you ever noticed how uplifting it can be to reject nasty junk foods for healthier options? I'm not talking legitimate cravings - those are always meant to be fulfilled. I'm talking about those times when all you want to do is stuff your face until you feel like the Goodyear blimp and then some.

Today I found myself in the Trader Joe's sugar aisle looking for something sweet to devour. I didn't know what I wanted, all I knew is that I wanted something (hint #1 that this is not a legit craving). Here are some of the babies that caught my eye: (WARNING: Food Porn ahead!)

Source

Source

Source

Source

I literally walked up and down that aisle at least 5 times, taking me at least 10 minutes. I went down the produce aisle once, and this is what I ended up leaving with:

Source

Healthy eating for the win!

Unlike the other chocolate-covered options above, I could eat as many of these as I wanted without an upset stomach, food hangover, or guilty conscience. The high that I've gotten from my inflated health-conscious ego is so much better than any sugar high ever could have been. Take that, refined sugars!

Questions:

What is a healthy eating option that always puts you over the moon? Or is it just me?

What did you do this weekend? Tell me all about it!

Random Fact #21: Other than a few highlights, I have never died my hair. I think I just have a fear of 1) it turning an unnatural shade or 2) horrendous roots showing in like 3 days.

Prepare To Be Overwhelmed

I just found this little buddy that outlines when and what to eat before and after a workout. Does anybody out there follow a regimen like this? It sounds like wayyy too much work to me...

More Health and Fitness News & Tips at Greatist.

A Family-Filled Weekend

As you all know, this past weekend was my sister's birthday. I didn't want to miss a minute of the excitement, so I hopped in my 2001 Toyota Echo (read: the first clown car allowed to be driven legally in the US) and got to LA in 5 hours flat. As soon as I arrived, the party started. Which, of course, is the usual reaction upon my arrival.

The sis and I suited up and hit Downtown Hollywood with her and a few of her friends. We went to Big Wangs, which is actually known for their wings, not wangs. How disappointing.

Lauribear and her special friend Chuck.

Me, being the party-pooper of a vegetarian, had to opt out of the wings but found a suitable replacement in a 1990's cafeteria favorite.

TOTTTSSSS!!!!!

Mind you this was a side of tots. A $3.95 side of tots that was bigger than both of my hands combined (aka colossal). It took everything out of me not to make like Napoleon and do this:

I have so much self control.

Which is probably a good thing considering that the 100 tots (equivalent to half the bowl) actually ended up making me sick. Lesson learned: never drink on a stomach filled entirely with tater tots and ketchup.

The next day was POOL PARTY DAY! Since I basically live in fog 360 days out of the year, I was more than excited to (watch other people) blow up the floaties, sip some bloody marys, and don my "It's cool, I'm on vacation" fedora.

Exhibit A. I swear I have friends they just don't like to be around me that much.

My sister made some amazing appetizers from her Trader Joe's cookbook, so we spent the day rotating between all 4 floaties and making sporadic trips back to the apartment to stuff our faces and mix more drinks. Of course, the day would not be complete without a few double shots of pure 200 proof sisterly love.

Awww yeah that's what I'm talkin' bout.

I know I'm really white in the above picture but I definitely turned that around this weekend. I put on that spray-on sunscreen crap about 5 times, which apparently doesn't work if you jump in the pool immediately upon application. Needless to say, I now look like a splotchy albino lobster which I would actually consider an upgrade from my previous pasty complexion.

We were all pretty much donedies by 6ish PM, so we didn't get to do an official birthday dinner. When we woke up, we decided to go out and get BJs (the restaurant, you sickos) but of course I forgot to take pictures. Thus, I will replace them with the following embarrassing shots of the birthday girl. As far as I'm concerned, I can only embarrass her once a year and I'm not about to waste this opportunity.

Until next year sistahh....

When I returned home, my aunt and uncle from Kansas were there for a visit. We ended up going out for amazing Indian food, then French food, then pieeeee (surprisingly, all in different meals). For some reason, seeing my family from Kansas will always be equated with amazing food. Yummmm.

Left to right: Moms, Yours Truly, Aunt Evie, Izzy, and Uncle Dan. (I wouldn't say that the boyfriend has a future in photography, would you?)

Questions:

How was your weekend??

What is your favorite thing to do with family? (Immediate or extended)

Eat!!!

Random Fact #15: I follow Cory Matthews on Twitter (Boy Meets World, helloooo) and it's the best decision I've ever made. Check him out @boymeeetsworld. Do it now.

Umm...you're a WHAT?

pes·ca·tar·i·an

noun \ˌpe-skə-ˈter-ē-ən\

: one whose diet includes fish but no meat

Yep, I eat fish and seafood. Nope, I don't have a personal vendetta against aquatic vertebrates. So why eat them and spare our furry land-dwelling friends?

Animal Luv-r 4 Lyfe! (I'm the hottie on the right)

1) Pescetarianism is arguably one of the healthiest diets around. Fish has tons of lean protein and is chock-full of omega-3s without all the fatty-McFat-fat having a field day in your arteries.

2) I am in the midst of a passionate affair with sushi. And I like my sushi how I like my men: ridiculous, saucy, and full of yummy surprises.

I also like my men like Jackie Chan.

3) The fish industry uses far fewer resources than the livestock industry. I'm also in a long-term relationship with our environment (shh, don't tell sushi) and try to do what I can to help out our Mama short of making myself insane. Instead of swearing off showering (see RFAW below) and living in complete darkness after 8 PM, I do my part through my diet (and, of course, recycling like a fool).

4) Let's face it: it's easier than going straight vegetarian or vegan. I hate it when I tell somebody that I'm vegetarian and they think that we can only dine at the Vegan Granola Hippie Cafe. Eating fish and shellfish assures that I pretty much can eat at any restaurant like a normal human being.

Notice that I said like a normal human being, as I am anything and everything but normal.

And now it's your turn!

Are you a vegetarian? Vegan? Lacto-ovo-pesce-tarian? Any particular reason why you've chosen this lifestyle?

What food are you in a love affair with?

Random Fact Attesting to my Weirdness (RFAW) #1: I refuse to shower unless I've worked out. Or I notice that people no longer sit next to me in our department meetings.