After talking with Bret about the way I have been eating and how I want to improve, he picked up the audio version of "The Remedy" by Supa Nova Slom  for me...He said, "I think this book will help you. He [the author] is a nutritionist and personal trainer to hip hop stars. I think you'll like it!" 

I was a little skeptical to read/hear it at first, but when I read the reviews, one came from Dr. Benjamin Chavis, a human and civil rights activist who coined the term environmental racism/justice (

Then, that is what got me reading....This little book is so awesome! It really made me raise my own consciousness as to what I am eating, and why do I eat what I do! 

I am beginning to see nutrition as my medicine, my prevention of disease and my happiness to enjoy my life today so I can have a healthy and happy future and age wisely. At first, my goal was to get my dream body by changing my nutrition. I've always felt young and for the most part healthy, so I only wanted to look good. But now that I am 30, my perspective has changed. I am still young, young at heart and am youthful looking on the outside! ;) Yes, I still want to look good, but my main goal is to be healthy all around. 

The Remedy book is giving me insight into what a cleaner, healthier diet can look like...A diet free of animal products and based on food that will make my body thrive: PLANTS! :D (I need to come up with a plan!)

Love,

Bea

Why I fell off the wagon -- but I decided to jump back on it!

This past Saturday, I felt like a matzo ball: bloated, squishy, round, soft, loaded with sodium and carbs....

 Today is Monday. We are already in the 2nd week of November. Even though last week I fell off the wagon I am back again. Let me recapitulate why...

A week ago I weight myself (in D.C.) and I was over 120 lbs. I know the weight on the scale is only a number, but this number helps me assess myself. The extra pounds are a result of eating more calories that I should. Those calories came from saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and simple carbohydrates in the random meals I ate out :-(

 After my second competition  in September I decided to eat more and not worry about being so strict so I began eating. I also realized that ever since September when I started working 30 hours a week, I gained a couple of pounds by eating more and moving less. At work I have eaten bagels at every training (almost once a week), more snacks, more sweets and there has been many activities going on.

Definitely, last week at the PNHP and APHA meetings I ate more that I planned to. The majority of the time I was conscious of what I was eating and I tried to pick what to me were the best options and right portion sizes. I had a cookie, or two -- or three and even some slices of cake for dessert, oops...Sometimes, I admit, some of it was it was emotional eating; I was happy -- it was like a little vacation and had wonderful he company of friends.

Yes, I probably gained a couple of pounds. I need to work them off, but most importantly, my diet needs to be cleaned up. I can train hard at the gym, but I do not eat like I train :-( That is the hard part. When you have dieted for 2 competitions and seen your body transform by just eating clean, you can easily spot changes in your body. This petite body of mine quickly reacts to anything that is not natural or clean.

Falling is part of the process. You cannot know where you want to be if you have not experienced failure. Each day we are blessed with is a chance to start over until every action toward health becomes a habit. So this week is a new one-- for me in my journey.  I chose to start over and take off when where I left. In order to gain strength we need to work each muscle of the mind, body, heart and spirit every single time. Day in and day out. There are 8 weeks left before 2011 is over and I am going to be at my best self: BeaHealthy, BeaFit, BeaLove, and BeaGreen.

"If you fall walking, get up, for all must fall to gain strength." ~Brian Angelo

Love,

Bea

Traveling without food/snacks is a huge mistake: I learned my lesson!

Last week I traveled to Washington D.C. for the Physicians for a National Health Program and American Public Health Association. I loved both conferences and I gained so much knowledge from both of them!

I was in D.C. from Thursday 10/27 to Wednesday, 11/2. Since the very first day I got to D.C. I let go of my normal diet. The first day -- I ate breakfast (protein pancake) at 5:15am (PST time) but I practically didn't have much food the rest of the day, as I didn't pack snacks to eat in the 5 hour flight...(bad idea!)

When I arrived to D.C. it was 5:30pm (EST time) and I was starving! I took the bus and then the Metro to get to my hotel, but I had a hard time finding it! I had the wrong address so I took a cab to the right location. I finally checked into my room at 7:35pm and once inside, I drank 2 glasses of water to tame my hunger a little. I planed to take a cab to meet my friends at Chinatown, but when I closed my room door and headed out to the elevator, I realized I had a HUGE headache and my guts were growling uncontrollably. My body was certainly not happy. I was dizzy from a long flight, with a headache, dehydrated and hungry. Not a good combo! I was not pretty :-/

I could not take it any longer. I felt like I was going to die -- we'll maybe not that bad, but certainly I was a mess. So instead of calling a cab, I was excited to notice that next to my hotel room there was Harris Teeter and I ran there...

  At the cold food and sandwich bar there were NO vegetarian options! I was like "WTF?" but because I was almost passing out from not eating for hours, I almost picked up shrimp sushi -- but I stopped myself. In a panic voice I called Bret back in L.A. and I was like "Babe! I can't find any vegetarian options! What do I do?!?!?!" Bret always knows how to calm me down and suggested I go to the frozen aisle, pick up a dinner and take to my room.


I headed to the frozen dinner section, looked for veggie options and there was nothing...I was worried :-(

There were no healthy options, much less vegetarian...I was so sad, but I kept on looking, until I finally recognized a vegan-organic-healthy name: Amy's! http://www.amys.com/ I made the time to read the labels behind the meal boxes and chose the healthiest one. I also picked up some frozen veggies. I was not going to have a day without eating vegetables. And ran to the cashier to pay for it!

That evening, I text-ed my friend Chris and I told him I was staying in instead. I heat up my food and enjoyed every bite while I watched (one of my favorite movies) Inglorious Basterds on Showtime. My Amy's enchiladas and frozen veggies were the best and healthiest food option I had. I am so glad Amy's is there in cases of emergencies! I learned a huge lesson that day. Always plan ahead. Pack snack and do not be left without food. If the worse thing happens, go to a grocery store that carries Amy's -- and make sure you have a microwave to heat your food :-)

Love,

Bea

Thought of the day....

I need to get back on track....I found this -- I sent this to myself in an email in early 2008. It still applies today...

• You can change your life by changing your mind. Any lingering sense of inferiority or inadequacy will interfere with the attainment of your goals and dreams, while self-confidence and a positive attitude lead to success.

• To push your body toward ripped perfection, your mind has got to be strong and focused. It is imperative that you hone and train your mind as intensely as you train your body. This means following a few guidelines and performing some mental exercises to replace self-defeating behaviors with positive ones, and to remove distractions and bring mental clarity and self-control.  

• After all, it's your mind that directs and drives everything you do, or don't do — so get it on your side!

 
Love,
Bea