Friday, February 22, 2013

Fit-bug Food: Spaghetti Squash

Bed of spaghetti squash, topped with a sautéed combo: including spinach, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, tempeh, garlic, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and spices. Don't forget the Sriracha!



Y'all.. Spaghetti squash is my new homeboy!!! Seriously if you haven't tried it you should. It's SO yummy and has many uses. Cooking for one is... well the norm right now, so I baked the squash last night and ate half of it with tomato sauce. I popped the other half in the microwave today while I sautéed my creation. I do this a lot-- just throw things in a pan and see what happens. This one turned out really well and it's mostly VEGGIES!! Happy munching!

♥AshPiece 


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Finally.

Here's what happened... At the beginning of July, I became extremely ill. Not to get too graphic, but my body was moving blood out where it naturally shouldn't. I had the worst pain of my life... It was absolutely excruciating. After a few days of trying to let it pass, I finally went to the ER, only to end up back in the hospital, and stayed there, a few days later. Nobody could figure out what it was that was attacking my body, but there were many concerns of the possibilities. It was a truly frightening time. After concluding that it was some sort of food-borne something, they killed it with some really intense antibiotics that basically wipe out your entire system. Weeks later, I found out (through a survey company for the city's health department--more on NY doctor fails later) that the little punk was Salmonella that took up camp in my abdomen. The Internet would later inform me that about 400 people die from it per year.

Where am I going with this? I can divide my year, very clearly, into before I got sick and after... It took about a month to recover and feel normal again physically, and after that, I was completely unmotivated. It seemed so unfair that I had to go through that because at the time that I got infected, I was completely vegan and had been for a few months, and it was probably a lazy food-worker handling my veggies (I'm pretty positive of where I got it). All I wanted to do after that was work, be with my friends and fella, and that's about it. No auditioning, no voice lessons, no healthy eating, no yoga... The high I was on the first half of the year was a mere memory, and although I tried over and over to gain that back again, something kept holding me back and my heart wasn't in it as it had been before. Luckily my job required that I be pretty active, but I wasn't doing any of the supplemental exercise to keep my body evened out (spinning is such a repetitive movement on a few specific parts of the body). Life comes at ya... and for some reason this one took me down, HARD.

Finally, I am feeling motivated again. I'm remembering those reasons why I originally adopted a plant-based diet, and am learning to treat myself well again. As my eating and negative thinking spiraled out of control, my self-talk became absolutely abysmal... I was constantly belittling myself and thinking it was all my fault that I lost the drive I had before. There are so many reasons that I believe factored into it, but that negative self-talk and self-punishment was definitely the primary culprit.

So here I am, back in the saddle, ready to enjoy my life as it is today, and get back to that journey of wellness and revive my passion for health and life! Stay tuned... life is good, and I'm going to CELEBRATE it!

♥AshPiece 



Today's inspiration from Kris Carr's blog about Crazy Sexy Manifesting ... Read it. LOVE it. You're welcome. :o)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Six Vegan, Plant-Based Weeks Completed!


Here's my recap: I think I stopped blogging about my journey because A. I was SLAMMED busy, and B. I hit a major weight plateau. Here's the difference from this plateau and others in my past: I just kept going with my plan. I made myself remember that this was not just to finally reach my goal (and healthy) weight, but MOST importantly, it is for my longevity of health and disease prevention. Y'all, it's not that hard. I know the thoughts you can have against the right choices, and as I pass people with various food choices in their hands on the street, I remember those thoughts:

"I only have time to grab a quick pastry or bagel, so at least I'm not getting the one drizzled in chocolate: I'm saving calories I could have eaten!"

or

"I can only afford pizza right now.. It's so much cheaper and I love it."

or

"Since I worked out today and I feel I need (HA!) caffeine, I'll have a coke just for today. A reward!"

These thoughts are self-sabotage. At the surface, they don't seem so harmful, but these are those quick everyday decisions that add up to a truckload of BLEH. Yes, every day you could have eaten a gallon of lard, but you don't... that doesn't automatically make you healthier. Pick easy-to-grab fruits and veggies. You can't afford the medical bills and years off your life that result from years of pizza/junk and the resulting disease; a couple of extra bucks for the fresh salad (lite dressing on side) isn't much in comparison. And stop lying to yourself about the need for caffeine, and if you must partake, the least damaging would be an unsweet iced tea, or black iced coffee. 


After a few weeks, it'll be a new habit for you, and your old lifestyle seems unfathomable. Also, I am a firm believer in jumping in head-first (after doing your research). Any time I've tried to "incorporate" new healthy choices, or add on the good stuff gradually, it's been a half-assed attempt that didn't change my habits or addictions. After six weeks strong, I'm on to another six... hopefully more and on for life, but I'll take it six by six! Jump on in y'all, the water's fine!!


♥AshPiece 


Friday, April 27, 2012

Spin Playlist: ANIMAL!

aNiMaL!! (Lots of 4's)
Warm-up: Animal -Neon Trees
Leavin' -Jesse McCartney
Calabria 2007 -Enur
Hey Mama (Remix) -Black Eyed Peas
A Public Affair -Jessica Simpson
Beep -The Pussycat Dolls (ft. Will I Am)
Battlefield -Jordin Sparks
Trouble -Pink
Canned Heat -Jamiroquai
Sinorita -Justin Timberlake
Firework -Katy Perry
Cool-down: Many the Miles -Sara Bareilles

Enjoy!

♥AshPiece 


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

SW: Week 2 Report!

Six Weeks: Plant-based diet: no dairy, no meat, no processed foods, no beer.

Two weeks in, I feel FANTASTIC. At this point, the food choices feel so natural, and processed foods sound disgusting. I had simply Heinz ketchup last week and found it gross, sugary, and fake tasting. I'm craving whole, real foods, and my body is completely thanking me for the change! So far, I've lost about 7 lbs, and 1 inch around my belly (under belly button at widest place).. that inch is the biggest deal to me. In the past, no matter how much poundage I've dropped, I've always had that pesky inner-tube of belly fat. The more I study, the more I've learned that the tube is proof of unhealthy eating and non-ideal personal body fat.

Another big change for me is how I feel in my clothes. I'm not avoiding my more form-fitting shirts, and I feel comfortable to be wearing a tight-fitting tank top for the first time in a very long time. I have energy, I'm wanting more and more exercise and classes naturally. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me health-wise, and coupled with my love for teaching spin, I'm quite the happy fit-bug! I am actually excited for summer and bikini weather this year, and I don't ever want to stop eating this way because I feel so great. Everything just works when you properly nourish your body and DETOXIFY. If you think I'm crazy, try it. Commit to 6 weeks and then talk to me. Tell me you don't love yourself and your life after only a couple weeks, and I will be absolutely shocked. As for me, bring on the fruits and veggies!!!

♥AshPiece 


Monday, April 16, 2012

Spin Playlist: Jump-Insanity Ride

There has been some interest from students for a blog in which I post my spin class playlists... I've felt this blog transform into a health-related space, so I've decided further the transformation and add some spin pieces!!

Here's my first playlist posting: It's a class that kicks butt in the opening with 3 intense out-of-the-saddle songs in a row before working on any climbs. Here are the tracks:

Jump-Insanity Ride!
Warm-up: Parachute -Ingrid Michaelson
SexyBack -Justin Timberlake (ft. Timbaland)
Ain't Nothing Wrong With That -Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Domino -Jessie J
Pass At Me -Timbaland (ft. Wisin & Yandel)
Take On Me -A-ha
5 O'clock -T Pain (ft. Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen)
Halo / Walking on Sunshine -Glee Cast
Imma Be -Black Eyed Peas
Under Pressure -Boyz II Men
Yeah/Toxic mash-up -Britney Spears & Usher
Cool-down: Rhythm of Love -Plain White T's

Enjoy!!

♥AshPiece 


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

SW: Day 1 Musings


Six Weeks: Day 1.....

Piece of cake (without the cake). It's not far off from what I've been doing, just a little added structure. I love the image above because it's exactly what I've discovered by actually living it. I exercise SO MUCH, and yet my body has not been at it's optimal place. What I really needed was KNOWLEDGE and motivation. I made a booklet for daily motivation and to keep track of my progress:



I was going to do weekly weigh-ins, which I still am, but today I'm already 2.5 lbs down from yesterday...! Probably water weight as I'm consuming WAY less salt (I've had a tortilla chip addiction as of late). I feel fantastic! I didn't eat nearly enough yesterday, so I'm going to buy more fruits and veggies today.  The biggest difference here from when I went "vegan" for a month in college is that I am avoiding processed foods all together. The salad (veggies) is always the main course, and fruits are my sweets! So far, so good!

p.s. I taught 2 spin classes yesterday and had more/as much energy as ever!

♥AshPiece