Exercise...

Is really hard to do when you can't find a suitable SPORTS BRA!

Just sayin'...

The Skinny Dip Weekly Round-up!

Today I'm going to introduce something new on the Weekly Skinny Dip - a weekly chocolate recipe. 

Oh yes.

You see - I've been thinking... And I have realized that a life without a chocolate is a life not worth living. Chocolate has been given a bad rap over the past decade or so. Why? Because of Snickers bars, Caramellos and other sugar bogged treats we Americans love to devour. But chocolate isn't the root of all evil - the good news is that there are healthy ways to enjoy your chocolate, devoid of heavily processed foods and refined sugars.

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So - invest in some organic, Fair Trade Cacao Powder (cacao is what cocoa is made from - but cacao is a less processed form, with a richer flavor) and power up those food processors. We're gonna be makin' some healthy chocolate up in here!

Since this is the weekly chocolate feature's first week - I'll start with this week's chocolate recipe!

This recipe comes from one of my personal favorite bloggers - Angela at Oh She Glows. These are her No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispies with PB ‘Fudge’ and they are YUMMY!

*Note: I subbed cacao for the cocoa powder this recipe calls for. Also - read the labels on your chocolate chips! The purer the chocolate, the better. I opted for a dairy free version.

I love Angela's blog because she loves chocolate as much as I do - and she's vegan. Her blog has been essential in helping me adapt to the vegan eating style, because her recipes are just plain GOOD! So feel free to hop on over to Oh She Glows and check out the recipe - and feel free to snoop around a bit more while you're there, it's a great blog!

More Links from around the Blog-O-Sphere:

• Pledge to go Veg for San Diego Veg Week September 25- October 2, 2011

• TDIV Q&A: Why Is Yoga Beneficial? 

• 50 Ways to Waste a Life 

That's all for this week - enjoy your weekend!

I was born in the wrong decade...

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Happy Tasty Tuesday!

Ohhh boy  do I have a delicious recipe for ya'll today! I was so excited when I found it I had to try it immediately!

Learning and loving vegan cooking is coming slowly - I don't like to cook. But finding recipes like this is helping me satisfy my sweet tooth along the way.

And it's kinda healthy! Kinda healthy is better than totally and completely unhealthy!

So without further ado - I give you my version of An Edible Mosaic's Raw Brownie Batter. I only made a few minor alterations to meet my dietary needs and the results were still lick the bowl delicious!

Literally.

Just look at it......

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

When you look at the ingredients list you may think I'm mental - and I may very well be - but that's irrelevant...

IT'S DELICIOUS! Go make some! NOW! You'll swear you're licking the spoon after mixing up a batch of the best brownies EVER!

Raw Brownie Batter

(Yield: 2 small servings)

1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

2 dates, pitted and finely diced (or 2 TB coconut sugar)

2 Tbsp raw cacao powder

1/4 cup tahini paste

Pinch of course sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Milk (any kind you like - I used chocolate Coconut Bliss. Plain or Vanilla soy, rice, hemp etc milks would all work)

Toppings: such as walnuts, chocolate chips, flaked coconut, etc. (optional)

Put chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in increments of 20 seconds until melted (or melt chocolate in a double boiler). Use a fork to mash the dates into the melted chocolate. Stir in cocoa powder, tahini, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir in enough milk so it reaches your desired consistency. Chill 1-2 hours (so the flavors can blend); before serving, top with whatever toppings you like.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

What's wrong with this picture? NOTHING!

"You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn't worked. 

Try approving of yourself and see what happens." 

- Louise L. Hay

Do you see anything wrong with these women?

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Do you know that they have both been rudely criticized in the media for flaunting their curves and not apologizing for it? They are beautiful, healthy, curvy, sexy women and the fact that there are members of our media criticizing them should be absolutely unacceptable. The media only gets away with what we allow them to get away with. If we buy more magazines with "Fat Britney Spears" spread out on the cover - that's what they'll continue to write about. If we click on an article entitled "Beyonce puts on major pounds" they'll continue to seek out and criticize celebrities who are comfortable in their own bodies.

I'm not saying that we should all go out and preach fat acceptance - but clearly both of these women are comfortable in their skin. I WILL go out and preach finding a place where you are comfortable in your own skin! 

/end rant/

:)

{plus size} fashion friday - fall is coming!

What are your favorite fall colors? I like to make a smooth transition from summer to fall with blues.
This purse would be PERFECT! 

It's gorgeous, it's vegan. It will be mine.

Old Navy has some cute finds for fall...

and finally...

I WANT THESE SHOES!

The Skinny Dip

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Happy Friday! 

It's time for the Friday round-up here at Shrink to Fit!

• I'll start with a vegan recipe that has helped me deal with cheese cravings - I am in love with Quick & Dirty 5-Ingredient Cheeze Sauce. Yum...

• Next up, I've had lots of fun playing with my Cook It Allergy Free iPhone app

• "That's Awesome" story of the week: Uncooking101 talks about her mom's week of raw food - her pants were falling off by the end of the week! 

• Favorite new drink of the week from Healthy Bitch Daily:  "There’s nothing so bad about this crazy good drink that will give you energy, sexiness and strength. Start with one to two tablespoons of Balinese raw cacao powder (my tip: Ecuadorian Truly Raw Cacao (Chocolate) Powder, Organic, 16oz - Pacari), pinch in some organic spices (cayenne, cinnamon or ginger will add some nutritional zing), add a teaspoon of coconut palm sugar or nectar (optional) and blend with hot water or your favorite milk alternative. (Caution: not just any raw cacao powder will do since it can be a dirty business. You want to make sure it’s clean and harvested sustainably.) Sip or gulp and feel the stimulant power of theobromine — a chemical cousin of caffeine that provides energy minus the shakes — and you get to feel bliss, courtesy of the endorphin anandamide. Plus, you’ll stock up on magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant that works inside all of our cells to turn off the stress response."

• What I'm reading this week: Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

• I found 2 awesome sites this week that I had no idea existed: FitnessGlo and YogaGlo - both are online fitness "centers" that eliminate the intimidation of the gym - one obviously, does yoga only. At FitnessGlo one can take online dance or fitness classes - catered to beginner through advanced fitness levels. They also have classes to teach you about stretching and some strength building classes too. At YogaGlo they have a Beginner Center to teach you the basics and guide you through your Yoga adventure. 

• My next goal for the month: stop smoking and start exercising. The discovery of the online "gyms" has motivated this goal - and my plan is to begin my memberships with them on September 1st. This of course will mean that I'll have to figure out how to get the internet to work on my TV... Which may prove to be quite the task indeed. I may have to turn the office into an exercise room/office... 

Have you ever tried any online fitness sites? Did you experience any success with them?

always remember...

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Ladybugs & Quinoa...

I’m trying really hard to fall in love with quinoa… I truly am. 

I hear so much about its benefits – such a perfect grain for vegans! For those avoiding gluten! Quinoa! 

But it has this flavor – stay with me here – that reminds me of ladybugs. 

Not that I go around eating lady bugs – and I know this sounds a bit strange – but it reminds me of this horrid scent they left all over my house as a teenager. Let me explain…. 

I grew up in South Georgia. There were lots of trees and bugs and wild animals and such. Our house was infested with ladybugs. Inside, outside – but mostly concentrated on the front door, porch, and the area surrounding them so that when you walked into the house you had to shield yourself from the mass amounts of ladybugs that would be flying and falling on you. 

Every. Single. Day. 

Not my house - but you get the idea...

And just for kicks - here's some red quinoa - the resemblance is uncanny, no?

My mother had an unhealthy obsession with trapping the ones that made it into the house inside a Mason jar – that she would then set next to her lazy boy recliner. She could frequently be heard mumbling about how they “get what they deserve” when they “come into my house”. She could also be found on any given Saturday running around the house sucking them up with the vacuum hose. Now as a vegan I'm attempting to learn to respect all living creatures - though I'm not sure I can ever respect bugs. Or scorpions. 

My sister had already left for college when the infestation reached its height and my father was busy with work - so Mom and I battled the ladybugs for the most part. 

I just tried my best to avoid them. I’d even heard that ladybugs were a sign of good luck so I attempted to live peacefully with them for a while (early signs of veganism to come?) It was all fun and games until one of them crawled into my nightgown while I was sleeping one Christmas Eve and scared the bejeezus out of me. The little perv… I thought I was being molested by Santa Claus. I then started hating the ladybugs also. 

It was like our house was a magnet for ladybugs. I had no idea why – until the internet came along:

Once a single ladybug finds a suitable place to hibernate they secrete a special pheromone (scent) that lets other ladybugs know where they are. Well that explains it! 

The pheromone is so strong it can be detected by other lady bugs up to a quarter mile away (and humans apparently)! I suppose we had an abundance of ladybugs in our neighborhood. Perhaps even more amazing (or annoying, as it were) is the fact that this scent can remain for years, attracting swarms of ladybugs to the same house year after year. If this scent could be completely removed from the house, then the infestation could possibly be controlled, however ladybugs do not only secrete this chemical pheromone onto external surfaces, but they also lay it inside walls and other internal structures of the house. Thus the only way to get rid of ladybug infestations is to prevent them from ever occurring in the first place. 

So there you see our problem. But who would think that they needed to guard themselves and their homes against a ladybug infestation? Pfffft… I’m certain my mother and I both would've laughed in your face had you told us we would need to do it! 

Quinoa tastes like the way that ladybug scent of my youth smelled. I know that sounds strange – but I don’t know how to explain other than that. I've tried to make the quinoa in different ways with stronger spices, tomato paste, garlic, etc - nothing drowns out the ladybug scent-taste. NOTHING! 

I’d really like to have quinoa as a part of my diet – but I’m failing miserably at finding a way to disguise the taste of it. 

Any suggestions?

The Skinny Dip - My First Week of Veganism ROCKED!

Happy Friday!

My first week as a vegan has been WONDERFUL! 

I experimented with recipes, found some that I LOVE - and have read 2 wonderful books that have been quite helpful in helping me make good choices: 

Peas and Thank You: 

Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love

The Kind Diet: 
A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet

MaMa Pea has some really tasty recipeas in her book - and Alicia's book is motivational, informative and also chock full of tasty recipes! I highly recommend them both - for vegans and non-vegans alike! 

So in case you haven't noticed - this week's Skinny Dip is going to focus on my first week of veganism - and the posts that have helped me through it. I have to say that the first week was much easier than I expected. This way of eating feels natural to me - I think it's just who I am. And that's good! 

I know most of you probably aren't vegan, but it can't hurt to add a few more plant based meals to your daily menus. When I announced to my father that I would no longer be eating meat or meat/dairy products his first words were "Well... I am!" 

Ok...

o.O

Don't worry, I won't try to convert you all (or Pops) over to my new way of eating. I respect the fact that we all have different dietary needs and wants. I am a firm believer in "different strokes for different folks". 

So I won't be joining any major animal rights groups and hosting rallys and such. Not that those things are bad either - I do believe that eating animal products is a bad idea for me and that there are some serious concerns surrounding the meat and dairy industries. But I'm not going to try to make you feel bad for eating it if you do - so no worries! Veganism is my decision - if it isn't your's - cool! It's working for me - instead of gaining all my weight back after the cleanse, my vegan diet has helped me maintain that post-cleanse weight. I haven't lost anymore, but at this point I'm fine with just not gaining any back. I lost a lot in a short amount of time - it will naturally begin coming off again as I continue to settle into my new eating habits.

I have been scouring the web and have found some great resources for plant based meals, vegan information and lots of other stuff. 

So here's this week's round-up!

• The Happy Herbivore: The Secret to Handling Confrontation and Dealing with Negativity this post is a real eye opener - and gives you a glimpse at what it's like to switch over to veganism. I too was surprised at the negativity that I received from some people about my choice. 
• The Kind Life: guest blog: incredible cruciferous veggies!
• Interviews with Vegan NHL Enforcer Georges Laraque & Vegan Meal Time I'm a huge hockey fan - so this one was a favorite! 
• Recipe: Brownie Batter — In the Raw…Daily Dessert Indulgences YUM! The raw desserts I've had the opportunity to try so far have ALL been fabulous! They are so rich and decadent - I haven't missed processed flour, processed sugar or dairy AT ALL. 
• This little gem of a website has been WONDERFUL in helping me find tasty vegan recipes and other vegan bloggers. I love it! 
• My biggest worry about veganism? Missing my ranch dressing. Problem solved.

*Reminder: If you'd like to have this spot on a Friday and be featured on The Skinny Dip at Shrink to Fit, simply email me and we'll chat! I like to feature my readers, help give them some blog traffic and have some interesting people share their stories with my readers too! 

{semi} wordless wednesday

{photo creds}

Cleanse: OVER!

Well folks – I decided to end my cleanse a few days early. 

I made it 7 days instead of the 10 that is recommended for the The Master Cleanser – which I say isn’t too bad! I was so sick Friday that I had to stay home from work and well… to be quite frank, I need to go to work! I couldn’t risk having to miss one more day so I figured it was best to go ahead and stop it over the weekend when I could be at home if I reacted poorly to eating again. 

I continued the cleanse through-out the day Friday and then started on my fresh squeezed orange juice Saturday. This step prepares your stomach for eating again and you can drink as much of it as you want through-out the first day after the cleanse – but eat nothing else. On Sunday I started the morning off with a glass of fresh squeezed OJ and then made a delicious veggie soup for lunch and dinner. It soooooooo tasted amazing! 

Here are some of the benefits I have experienced already from doing this cleanse: 

• I lost a total of 17 pounds* – my ending weight was 319.2 on Sunday morning. 
• Better digestion (once I started eating again). 
• I have stopped taking my daily heartburn medication – I don’t need it anymore! 
• I have stopped taking my daily water pills – don’t need them anymore either! 
• My hair and skin are GLOWING! 
• I can already tell that my energy levels are up and my head is clearer – I am focusing better. 
• My stomach has shrunk – thus I am feeling full on less food. (It’s kinda like having a Lap-Band but cheaper and much less invasive! ;) 
• I don’t crave meats or fatty foods anymore. 
• I am craving healthy veggies and vegan foods. 

*Note: I didn't do this cleanse to lose weight – it just happened to be a nice side effect. I did this cleanse to clear my body of the built up toxins I've been accumulating from my years of horrid eating habits.

When I started drinking the OJ Saturday and eating yesterday – my weight this morning was back up to 321.0 – which is fine. I also started my period (sorry for the TMI) last night so that might account for that weight gain also. 

My goal is to build off this cleanse and continue losing weight at a steady, healthy pace. It was a great way to “kick start” my weight loss and rid my body of toxins that may be causing me health issues. 

So what’s next? Today I start on my Vegan journey. 

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I’m aiming for 50% raw so I've brought raw cacao chia seed pudding (recipe to come – if it tastes good enough) and a banana to work for breaky. I also brought some raw trail mix and a bag of Trader Joe’s roasted seaweed (I won’t eat both, I’ll eat either/or) in case I get hungry and am in need of a snack. For lunch I plan to eat a little bit more soup and a salad. Dinner will be quinoa pasta, sautéed squash, zucchini and onions with lentils. I loooooove lentils! I may have a salad also if that doesn't fill me up. I found a recipe for raw vegan cookie dough balls over at Averie's Loves Veggies and Yoga blog that I am going to make for my sweet tooth (yep – the cleanse didn’t get rid of that! I guess I’m stuck with it…)

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Cleanse Day 7

Today's weight 321.2

Total Pounds Lost: 15

I've had a rough couple of days - and I've decided to stop the cleanse a few days early.  

I made it seven days - and lost 15 pounds. But I am so weak I can barely move - and I still have my day to day life to live. So tomorrow or Sunday I will likely start coming off the cleanse. 

I'm going to put off my post about how exactly this whole thing works another day or two. I am so exhausted right now and need to sleep - but I will fill you all in soon! Have a great weekend all :)

Days 5 & 6 - A Closer Look at This "Master Cleanse" Thing

Day 5 Weight: 324.4 

Total Pounds Lost: 11.8


Day 6 Weight: 322.4
Total Pounds Lost: 13.8

So what is this cleanse I'm doing? 

I was met with a lot of resistance from friends, family and even strangers when I proclaimed that I was going to go on the "Lemonade Diet". It sounds ridiculous - lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water?!? Insanity!!! Well let me try to explain to you why I chose to do this...

I was talking to a friend on Twitter one day, telling her I wanted to do a cleanse. She told me about one she does frequently and referred me to a couple of books to read on it. The Cleanse was developed by a man named Stanley Burroughs. The cleanse I am doing is based on his book The Master Cleanser. Burroughs outlines the purpose and when to use the cleanse as follows in his book:

Purpose of the Cleanse:

• to dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that have formed in any part of the body
• to cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system
• to purify the glands and cells throughout the body
• to eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles
• to relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels
• to build a healthy blood stream
• to keep youth and elasticity regardless of age

When to Use It:

• when sickness has developed - for all acute and chronic conditions
• when the digestive system needs a rest and a cleansing
• when obesity has become a problem
• when better assimilation and building of body tissue is needed

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed, preferably organic)
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup (Grade B ONLY)
• 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8-10 oz of water

That's the premise of the cleanse - next I'll explain why this strange concoction works.

Stay tuned..........

Cleansing Day 3 & 4: They say the worst is over.

Day 3 - 8:00am
Morning weight: 329.1
First glass of lemonade concoction. i did the saltwater flush last night. Holy hell... I'm glad it's not a mandatory part of this cleanse, because I won't be doing it again. I felt absolutely HORRID all evening and most of the night. But I did feel better this morning - and despite the large amount of salt consumption, the scale was still down this morning - 2.7 pounds down.

11:00am
2nd glass of lemonade. I'm thinking that I should go spend some time in the pool this afternoon. Feeling pretty good today - though my stomach isn't quite right still from last night's flush. Ugh... what a nightmare that was!

2:00pm 
Sooooo tired.... the pool wore me out!

Day 4 - 3:00am
Morning Weight: 326.2 
That's 10 pounds in 3 days!
Gotta go back to work! Let's see how this works out... First glass of lemonade down.

6:30am
Detox tea and 2nd glass of lemonade down. Feeling ok - just a little sleepy, but that comes with the territory when you have to be at work at 4am. I went to bed last night around 7 and kept waking up. So today is going to be a challenge.

8:30am
This isn't too bad... the day hasn't been very stressful (yet - let me not speak too soon...) I'm only slightly hungry right now so I think I'll have another glass of lemonade. But I'm making it. Nothing to eat but the lemonade concoction for 4 days straight.

I think now might be a good time to go into a little bit more detail about this cleanse - for those who have never heard of it, or aren't really all that familiar with it. I should probably start by saying: I am not a doctor, consult your healthcare provider before doing anything like this, blah blah blah... I am not trying to tell you how to lose weight, I am sharing my journey with you in hopes that it will inspire you to find your own way towards health and wellness - and for some selfish reasons too. I need your support and feedback! :)

So I'll do a post within the next few days that tells you a bit more about the cleanse itself - what it consists of and it's purpose.