¡Bienvenid@s a mi blog sobre loving the process of balancing my bi-cultural life. Me llamo Beatriz (31, West L.A.) and I married my soul-mate in July 2012. Together we live a vegan and fit lifestyle while having awesome bilingual conversations. I'm a public health advocate, feminist, environmentalist and social justice activist. I'm passionate about Latino culture, plant-based nutrition, holistic health, optimal fitness and The Beatles! My mission is to “Live, Love, Learn, and Leave a Legacy.”
Here are pictures of some of the foods I ate in the past week.
Farmer's Market groceries for $20:
Dried mango, trailmix and roasted pepitas fro $10
2 organic persimmons
i organic avocado
ginger root
2 bunches organic kale
organic celery stalks
I tried to make a huge lentil patty for dinner, but it didn't really come out :/
Spinach salad with 2 globs (LOL!) of lentils (from lentil patty above), guacamole, baked shredded Brussels sprouts with vegna butter and garlic, and red chard with lemon and garlic.
Last Saturday, my sister in law, Oneyda, made this pasta with lost of cheese (yes, cow's milk cheese and I ate it!). We also added a side of artichokes and olives
Oneyda's tres leches chocolate cake
My sister Martha making flour tortilla quesadillas
Brussels sprouts I baked to share with my family last Saturday
My beautiful 3 year-old nieces Vanessa (left) and Itzel (right) a little upset, waiting to eat dinner
My nephew 6 year-old nephew Xavier picking at his food. This little boy eats so little!
My sister Martha and brother Javier being silly! Yes, I ate some of that pumpkin pie too!
My nieces and nephews helped setting up the altar at my parents house. The picture there is of my mom's parents: my grandfather, Felix Prado (d. 1962) and grandmother, Flavia Espinoza (d. 2004).
My 12 year-old nephew, David explaining something about computers to my sister Lupe. I thought it made a great shot of family communication and culture happening right in front of my eyes! (Lupe breast feeds her 3 month old baby, girl, Veronica! Awesome for both!)
Sunday's dinner: Left over from the night before
I was craving something crunchy so I made kale chips! I found out the perfect way to make them:
Pre-heat the oven to 350degrees for 5 minutes.
Spread them out in a baking tray (leaves should not touch each other)
Set on top rack for 10-12 minutes
Turn off oven and let them kale in there for 2-3more minutes
Take out and sprinkle with lemon pepper
Enjoy!
Last night's dinner! We still had left over pasta, so Bret made pesto to go with it.
I'm not quite sure how he made the pesto, but he said he used:
So I said that today I'd post some progress pictures.... As I was beginning to take off my clothes to change into my green bikini
I was like, "Why? Why would I wanna take another weekly progress
picture when in the past 3 weeks I have not seen a significant
difference?"
To be honest, I didn't really want to take any pictures this morning. I just wanted to drink water with lemon juice, clean my desk (to get ready for a thesis writing session) and then eat breakfast.
I remember once someone told me or I read somewhere that I should take progress pictures every 3 or 4 weeks, not weekly. So I decided that the next time I'll take pictures will be in about 2 weeks from today (at the end of week 6), then every 2 weeks after that.
I can't believe 4 weeks have already passed, October is almost over! I am so glad I started this, I am noticing results, my mind is clearer and I feel happier! So here's a recap of the last 4 weeks....Phew!
I feel much stronger, fitter, firmer and toner, but not necessarily leaner.
My jeans don't fit me anymore. They are all lose and my smallest size is a 0, but I am not happy my jeans fit me lose. That means I need to go out and buy more, ugh. My goal is to lose weight, but gain muscle and as a result I've lost more body fat.
Since I haven't changed my diet much (in terms of cutting out certain foods), I am not as lean. I hold fat and water mostly in my belly and in my legs (especially my inner thighs).
My upper body (chest, arms, shoulders and a little of my back) seems to respond faster and gets toned faster. My forearms and hands are getting really veiny because of the lower body fat and I should tell you I like to see my veins ;-)
For the last 4 weeks I did not do cardio. (Hmmm, maybe this is why I am not as leaner?) As I had said before, the only
low-intensity cardio I did was the 30 minutes total (walking to the
gym and walking back home), but I don't think that counts.
After the last 4 weeks, I feel I am more health conscious than I have been ever before before because I know now that eating properly gives you the energy your body not only needs to survive, but the nutrients it needs to grow.
I am a plant-based eater; I devour many fruits, vegetables, greens, seeds, legumes and whole grains.
Since this was the muscle gaining phase, I wasn't so concerned about eating a squeeky clean diet. I was still eating whatever I wanted (healthy, of course) and I ate out this month 6 times. I can even remember the dates, who I was with and what we ate, I enjoyed it!
I have limited nuts in my diet (even though there were 2 consecutive weeks this month where I ate nuts), cooking with oil, but I have to be honest, I have baked Brussel Sprouts in vegan butter...
For one week I gave up peanut butter, but then I replased. I ate one bite after a week and then I kept on eating it.
I tried to give up soy milk for 1 week, by replacing it with almond dmilk, but then I drank the almond milk so fast that the next day I craved (plant) milk, so I ended up drinking soy milk.
My next step is to make my own almond milk; I just have to buy almonds, but I'm ready to start now!
This month I tried not to eat Ezekiel bread, but I didn't try. Still had it, there is nothing wrong with it.
Over thelast 4 weeks I placed sleep top pf my priority list. Getting sufficient sleep is crucial for muscle repair, growth and the rejuvenation of the body.
There are few factors that have helped me improve my sleeping:
Because of the medication I am on, I tend to get tired earlier in the day. I either take naps during the day, go to bed earlier/or later, depending on how I'm feeling that evening.
I am not working right now, so I do get to sleep in if I want to. I usually sleep between 8 to 9 hours a day.
But as I said, my medication makes me sleepy and tired. I should remind you that I am doing my best not to let my medication affect me. I know lethargy, weakness and sleepiness are common side effects and so I try to do what I can during the day. I have been sleeping about 1 hour more hour a night on average, however.
Bret has a good sleeping schedule; he is in bed by 9:45pm and starts snoring within 5 minutes (well, not really, he just breathes deeply and normally :)! I go to bed at this time also, and if I'm not sleepy, I'll read a book and in 5-10 minutes the lights are out and I start catching ZZZs.
It seems that working out is counter productive, since it wears an tears
you muscles, it may inflame joints, leaves one sore and tired. Not just
in the long-term, but you can begin to see the benefits of exercise right away! But this is not it, there's more to come...
I am subscribed to the SaludToday's blog, which is part of an ongoing
series that highlights the work of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
(RWJF) in Latino communities.
Two Futures for America’s Health
SaludToday Guest Blogger: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey President and CEO, RWJF
Here are the main points I found interesting:
RWJF and the Trust for America’s Health recently released our annual report,
Obesity rates in the United States remain unacceptably high; the
epidemic persists in affecting Blacks and Latinos disproportionately.
This year’s F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future annual report examined how the obesity epidemic
could impact our future 20 years from now.
In 1995, Mississippi (currently, the state with the highest obesity rate) had an adult obesity rate of 19.4%,
and Colorado had the lowest rate, 13.9%.
According to the latest
data, Colorado still has the lowest rate, but it has climbed to 20.7% . Today's lowest
rate is higher than the highest rate back in 1995.
It’s estimated that by 2030 adult
obesity rates could reach or exceed 44% in every state—and could
exceed 60% in 13 states. If so, new cases of type 2 diabetes,
coronary heart disease and stroke, hypertension and arthritis could
skyrocket.
On the other hand, the analysis also shows that if the average adult
body mass index (BMI) was decreased by only 5% in each state, we
could save millions of Americans from serious health problems and save
BILLIONS in health care spending—between 6.5 -7.8% in costs in almost
every state.
By 2030, this could equate to
savings ranging from $1.1 BILLION in Wyoming to $81.7 BILLION in
my home state of California.
California, Mississippi and New York City are beginning to show
decreases in overall rates of childhood obesity.
Still, trends in these areas how that children who face the biggest obstacles to
healthy choices and are at greatest risk for obesity do not always
benefit even when progress is made.
If effective action is taken, many Americans
could be prevent developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and
other chronic diseases. At the same time we can reduce health care
spending and increase productivity creating a real and positive impact
on the nation's economy.
Investing in prevention today means a healthier, more productive and
brighter future for our country.
Although a lot of research has come out saying that obesity has
stabilized in the last few years, BUT obesity is still on the rise. We
need to do more to save lives today and look into the future not just to
save lives tomorrow and increase American's quality of life, but also
to save our nation money and productivity.
Childhood and adult obesity is a critical issue, an urgent one. I feel
that I do very little, but I do what I can. I take every opportunity I
can to reach out to people and teach about living a healthy lifestyle
and I put pressure on legislators and the government to push for
healthier measures that benefit people; however, I feel that it begins
with me. I try to be a good role-model and I lead by example. My
Master's thesis actually is about it parental role modeling and the
effects it can have on their children developing obesity. My fight
against obesity is on-going.
I prefer to add about 1 inch cube of peeled ginger root
For extra sweetness I'll add 1 or 2 small scoops of pure and organic Stevia
Add 1-2 tablespoonper serving of ground flax or chia seeds, BUT don't blend them, only add individually to each cups right before drinking, otherwise...
if you add flax seeds in the blender and don't drink it immediately, it will make your smoothie gooey
if
you add chia seeds in the blender, when you pour it into a cup many of
the chia seeds will stick to the blender cup and you won't get as many :(
If you don't have a Vitamix Blender and this is TOO MUCH to fit in a regular blender, then do it in parts or just use half of the ingredients. I make his much because I like to save time by making many servings and freezing them for a few
hours, then refrigerate them until they melt, ready for the next day.
I took the initiative to make Bret a green smoothy every day, otherwise he
wouldn't make them himself or drink them. He takes them to work and drinks during his break or after his workouts during the weekends. By making them myself, I can be sure he has his
chlorophyll, fiber, nutrients, vitamins and minerals for the day! :)
I am always happy to make healthy food for Bret; He is my husband and will be the father of my kids one day... I want him to be as healthy as possible because I love him.
This is all the trash/compost I made while preparing our smoothies! I wish I had a composting bin, but I really can't handle the sight of worms....I'm sorry. I have to figure out another way.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am making good progress on my thesis this week, especially today! So I'm going to get back to work. What keeps me on a roll definitely has to be my plant-based nutrition and the blood-pumping workouts I have, and of course the sufficient sleep I get!
Last week I did not eat any peanut butter! I told myself I wouldn't eat it for one week, at least, until I weaned from eating it and I did it!
This week, I am not having soy milk, but switching to almond milk, instead! (I really like my morning oatmeal kinda milky ;-)
I bought this stalk of Brussels sprouts for the whole week
Some of the ingredients we needed for tonight's dinner: pasta and salad
For vegetables in our dinner tonight I wanted to grill eggplant. But to my surprise, upon cutting slices this NASTY worm came out of that little hole! I screamed because it was soo gross!!!
My biggest fear are worms, and yeah, we
never ate this organic eggplant because that little worm was just my luck, yuck! Since I eat so many
plants, I know I am bound to meet these creepy crawlers more often than not...Well,
that is a risk I'm willing to take! :/
It took me a while to figure out what to do with that little worm-- I was just screaming! Then I managed to compose myself and throw the egg plant in the garbage disposal and turn it on!
I let a few minutes pass until I calmed down. Bret came home at 7pm and we both finished preparing dinner and we sat down to eat. So here is tonight's dinner plate:
Whole wheat pasta with grilled veggies (onions, garlic, yellow squash, mushrooms and carrots) topped with marinara sauce;
greens topped with artichoke hearts, olives and white balsamic vinegar; and
baked Brussels spouts with vegan butter, garlic and lemon pepper.
Of course I had to add red chili flakes for flavor! :) Have a good night, I'm off to bed!
I woke up, drank 2 cups of water with lemon juice, washed my face, jumped into my green bikini and set the camera for my my end-of-week 3 progress pictures....
Phase 1 (Muscle building):
Week 3
The first day of my workouts this week (Tuesday) I was sooo sore from my legs! I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it through, but I did! I've finished week 3, see I did it!I took each day at a time, gave my body the proper nutrition and sleep it needed to recuperate.
My workouts are getting harder and heavier each week. I am really focused in this. I feel that fore the most part, my workouts are very consistent, clean, timely and organized. (I've been following the program almost exactly as it should be.) It feels good to stick to one program and follow through!
Today is my off
day, yay! I need to rest because I am feeling a little tired, even after
having slept 8 hours last night! I'm sad to admit my upper body joints
are inflamed....I think the heavy lifting is hurting me. I just want to
push this out (because it's the muscle building phase) and I want to get
my body used to training harder and heavier.
Tomorrow
I start week 4-- it'll be a repeat of week 3. Still, there is no cardio
in this phase, but beginning next week cardio begins! :-O Here is an
overview of my training this week:
Monday- Legs
Tuesday- Back and Biceps
Wednesday- Chest and Triceps
Thursday- Legs
Friday-Shoulders and Abs
9 more weeks to go until I finish the program. I am excited to see what kind of changes I will make! Again, I am not on a strict diet plan, I eat as best as I can. I have to tell you though, that little by little I've been cutting out certain foods, like peanut butter (this week, though, I ate so many nuts! Ahh!), soy milk and bread. I'd love to slowly transition into a low-fat, raw, vegan diet. Another of my goals is to eventually train for a Figure physique...Maybe one day I will compete in Figure!
One of my wonderful mentors, Dra. Janett Castellanos, along with Alberta Gloria and Mark Kamikura edited the Latina/o Pathway to the Ph.D: Abriendo Caminos(2006). This book talks about the following topics:
The absence of Latina/os in doctoral programs around the country, due largely in part that the under-education of Latina/o youth begins early.
By 12th grade half will stop or be pushed out of high school, and
only 7% percent will complete a college degree; it is not surprising
so few enter graduate studies.
When Latina/o students do enter higher
education, few attend those colleges or universities that are gateways
to graduate degrees.
Regardless of the type of higher education
institution they attend, Latinas/os often encounter social and academic
isolation, unaffordable costs, and lack of support.
The book proposes
educational and administrative strategies to open up the pipeline, and institutional practices to ensure access, support, models and training for Latinas/os aspiring a Ph.D.
By reviewing the pipeline from K-13 (university), this
book provides the needed data and insights to effect change for policy
makers, administrators, faculty, and staff; and material for reflection
for aspiring Latina/o Ph.D.s on the paths they have taken and the road
ahead.
Later, the book addresses the unique experiences and challenges faced by
Latina/os in doctoral programs, and offers guidance for students and
those responsible for them.
Chapters cover issues of gender and
generational differences, the role of culture in graduate school,
mentorship, pursuing research, and professional development
opportunities for Latina/os.
Lastly, the book closes with the voices of by Latina/o students who are
currently pursuing or recently completed their doctoral degree.
Personal narratives describe their cultural and educational journeys, providing
insight into their personal and professional experiences.
These stories
bring alive the graduate experience for anyone interested in successful
recruitment, retention, and graduation of Latina/o doctoral students
and provide inspiration and guidance to those aspiring to the doctorate.
I
had bought this book a few years back while I was an undergraduate at
UCI. At the time, I was just beginning to contemplate a Ph.D.-- maybe it
was for me, maybe not. The book was difficult for me to read though
was because I was not exactly at point where I was ready to apply to a Ph.D. program. The book is written for an academic audience and when I first bought it, I was not at
that reading level (even though I was already in college!). It was just
too difficult for me to read and focus my attention for even just five
minutes , much less understanding the content.
A couple of weeks ago, I finally
finished this book! I learned so much and I am motivated to search for
the tools and learn the skills I need to enter a doctoral program. I am
ready now :) What
helped me the most was the advice from graduate students and learning
about their personal and academic experiences. I also learned more about
what the statistics say about Latina/os in education: the higher in
education, the fewer Latina/os are represented. From first-hand experience, I know that
the under-education of Latina/s does begin early in life. I was at a
disadvantage since very early in my childhood, not only because I come
from an immigrant, working class background but for a large number of
other reasons (that I will one day write about!) Had
someone told my parents (when I was 8, recently arrived to L.A. from
Mexico) that I would one day finish a Master's degree and pursue a
Doctoral degree-- they would not believe it because they would not have
understood it. However, without knowing it, my mom and dad DID prepare me to fight for what I want in life. Without knowing it, they DID prepare me to pursue a Ph.D. They taught me to work hard, perseverance, persistence, tenacity and to be resilient during difficult times (tears are now filling up my eyes). My
parents struggles were not in vain. They've come this far; I've come
this far. I am still here and I am still struggling to climb the
academic ladder in efforts to represent my parents, my family and my
community. In
spite of what the statistics say about Latina/os in education and
despite the odds being against me I am going to reach my dreams of
earning a Ph.D. I feel that I am just beginning to ask myself some
serious questions and discovering the new, improved Bea who is already
to embark on this life-long journey. Love, Bea I came accross this article and I just wanted to share it:
I've been asked many times before, "What's your motivation?" (in regards to my fitness).
What goes through my mind when I workout-- and let me tell you, I work out (darn) HARD! What makes me lift heavier, run faster and focus relentlessly through my training?
Well, (aside from me loving the way each cell in my body functions and pushing my body to limits I didn't know existed) it's the all the feelings I get when I listen to my favorite music....Really.
I'm
going to give you a play list of the classic songs that get me through each week!
These songs pump me up (when I don't want to go to the gym), get me
through my rigorous workout sessions or help me relax as I stretched
and/or walk home!
"Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles
This song is priceless, it's a masterpiece. It means so much to me in every aspect of my life. It helps me cope with life's challenges and reminds me that others are facing tougher challenges than I am. Strawberry Fields reminds me to enjoy each breathe of life and to love it.
"Magnificent" by U2
Bret introduced me to this song and dedicated it to me. Each time I listen to Magnificent, I think about how perfect Bret and I are for each other. He and I were "bornto be with" each other, "in this space and time". I also think about my love for my Latino community and and my passion to improve people's lives in which ever way I can, "Only love, only love can leave such a mark."
"Don't Go Away" by Oasis
I sing this song to myself; it has a special meaning. The meaning behind it is that some times I have wonderful times, I am productive, focused and ready to go; but at times I can lose myself if I'm not careful-- so I tell the good side of myself not to "go away."
"Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins.
Today is the day. Today is the MOST special day we've "ever known; Can't live for tomorrow;[We] might not have that long". Let's live in the present. This song reminds me to live right now because who knows it I'll see tomorrow.
"One of These Days" by The Foo Fighters
When I listen to this song, I think of life and how "one of these days" we will be witnesses of pain and hurt in our own lives if we don't begin to stop taking life for granted. Take care of yourself, feed yourself right, exercise, manage stress and love those around you.
"Mysterious Ways" by U2
God-- She works in "mysterious ways". Everything that happens in life has a reason for occurring; it's Her design. In the end, everything will be alright if you just "follow your feelings".
"Testify" by Rage Against the Machine
When I see injustice I will speak up and I hope that everyone else who sees injustice speaks up too. (I am not sure what this song is about exactly, but I love it!) RATM music talks about injustice and gives power to the people to rise and change the status quo. If you put a plug in my head while I'm working out and you plug it to an amplifier, RATM music will come out!
"The Rover" by Led Zepellin
Talk about a hard-core workout song everysingletime! This song always gets me going when lifting heavy at the gym! I love people and I love the world. If we could all just get along would be amazing, "If we could just hold hands..."
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem "What if you had one moment, one chance to do anything you ever dreamed of?" Well, this is it. Your LIFE is that ONE moment. Just when I think I can't do it and I want to give into inertia, that is exactly when I decide to go agaist it and I just get it done. Focus and get myself lost (without losing myself) in the things I love.
I have so many songs in my playlist that get me through life's challenges, they pump me up, remind me it's amazing to be alive and give me hope for the future. I love music that I can relate to. I love bobbing my head, singing my heart out and just feeling free through music. I'm so lucky that my husband is a music addict too, though he is WAY MORE than I am! I do my best to keep up with him! I hope you enjoyed my list and if you also relate to these song, you KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.
I had no idea what to cook for dinner last night, so I looked to see what we had both in the pantry and 'fridge and this is what I came up with ;-)
Chopped...
a small bunch of parsey
1 Persian cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
2 green onions
Added...
about 1/4 cup shredded carrots
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
a few dashes of lemon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons of amino acids (instead of salt, but still has some sodium)
Mixed it all together and it's ready to eat! I don't know what it's called but it's good! :)
Even though I say I don't like to eat processed food, we have some emergency foods in the house! :-O Bret's dad, Jim actually gave us this tortilla soup he and his wife like to eat. Jim is very careful in what he chooses to eat, so when he gave us this I trusted him.
Still, though, I double checked the ingredients and nutrition facts, just to be sure I knew what exactly I was going to eat. The ingredients list wasn't long: black beans, dehydrated corn and vegetables (don't know what kind!) and good seasoning...Hmm? What seasoning? Salt?
I thought the salt would be high, but it actually wasn't. Each serving only had 190mg of sodium, so that meant I approved it ;-)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), our bodies only need 180mg to 500mg of sodium to function properly. However, the CDC's recommends that the adequate intake of sodium should be 1500mg per day and advises everyone to limit sodium intake to less than 2300
mg-- that is about 1 teaspoon (tsp).
(Click here to learn more about sodium from the CDC)
I just added water to a pot and all the contents in the packets, brought it to a boil and then let it simmer for 20-25 minutes.
1/2 cup of dry brown rice turned into more almost 2 cups cooked! It tasted yummy because 1) it's already "pre-cooked" (didn't read the labels when I bought it), 2) I added 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, and 3) added 1/2 sliced white onion (like my mami taught me to do when I cook rice :)
This is Bret's dinner plate with just the right portion sizes. We added Brussels sprouts later because we realized we needed more green! (I know, his soup doesn't look that appetizing; He added Daiya "cheeze" to it, but not me, I don't really like "cheeze".)
Our dinner didn't have a theme, but that's okay because our tummies got fed. So that was it! Fast, easy to make and it was something different ;-)
When I opened my apartment door just a few minutes ago there was a package with a red bow on the box with my name on it! I knew it was from my Foodie Pen Pal, Sheila (http://www.welcometomykitchen.net/), all the way from Texas!
I shook the package and tried to guess what it was.....;-) I actually couldn't wait to open it!
To my surprise my gift was 3 lbs. of nuts!!! I love nuts so much! (But honestly I try hard to stay away from them as much as possible because I can't stop eating them... :(
I was like "oh no!", but at the same time so happy! :-D
I am still eating them! I MUST put them away. NOW! Out of sight, out of mind. If I keep them in front of them--that's it--they will be GONE by the time Bret comes home this evening.
I also found this very sweet note from Sheila :-)
Okay, back to work!
Love,
Bea
P.S. ....Ay, my tummy is now beginning to hurt... :/
