Miss Moon Gets Healthy.... And Starts Over (Again!)

Ugh! I hate that I am writing this post, y'all! The past few months have been difficult, and I admit that I used it as an excuse to slack off on my "Get Healthy" routine. And as a result... I've gained four pounds.

Now four pounds may not seem like a lot, but those four pounds felt like such a failure to me. It was the motivation I needed to cut the crap, stop making excuses and get back on the treadmill, literally!!

So I started again last week, and I discovered I felt really great about it. Despite that areas of my life that are not quite as savory, I drag myself to the gym after work, I sweat and push myself and walk away feeling like a rock star!!!!!

I am going to try to keep this momentum up. Last year I dropped two sizes and now that its August... I have less time to match (if not exceed that!). But I resolve to do it!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... 13 Minutes at a Time!

The above photo shows four days worth of workouts in the span of two weeks. But what it signifies is much, much more! It's a photo of baby steps. It's a photo of my progress, thus far. It's a photo of the beginning of what is to come!

It's been a month, and I've been doing a really great job with going to the gym. I'm starting at going twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on the other days I walk from my job to the West 4th Street train station to get home (which is about a mile). And so far, I feel a great deal of relief to be back on track!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy.... And TOTALLY Rewards Herself with Food!!

I know, I know... I've written in the past about how you shouldn't reward yourself with food, and I'm proud to say I've stuck by that resolution. But....

Rather than dedicate a whole paragraph to an excuse or any other justification I pulled out of my bum, I'm just going to post a picture of this:

That, ladies and gentlemen is a GREEN TEA LAVA CAKE. Say it with me, y'all: green...tea...lava...cake.

Everything about that makes me scream "Get in mah stomach!!", but even though I discovered this culinary proof that there is a Divine presence in the Universe that loves us weeks ago, I haven't magically materialized to Spot Dessert Bar here in NYC to partake. Oh no...

I've decided that I'm going to make a little deal with myself. If I go to the gym 10 times starting this week, I will treat myself to this confection next month.

Am I a huge hypocrite? Yes... is it backsliding? Absolutely....

But look at that picture!!! ROTFLMAO

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Joins a GYM!!!

As I promised, I bought myself an early Valentine's Day present: A membership to the Planet Fitness here in Brooklyn!! And let me say here, that I will not be one of those people who post on FaceBook.... all the time! LOL

I'm super excited. I plan on making my first visit sometime this week!! Hooray!! So for the months to come, instead of walking stats, I hope to be sharing my gym stats! And when the weather warms up, I will be back to walking in addition to the gym! Hooray!!!!!

This will be my first time visiting a gym, so if you have any tips or suggestions, let me know!!! I hope I can do it!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: December Stats

I did pretty well for December, I think. It's super cold now and I admit that since the start of 2013, I haven't been walking the 4 days a week I had planned to after work. But on the plus side, I have been eating super better, and I believe I've finally found the balance between eating good food and eating junk on occasion (A girl needs a little BBQs from time to time! LOL)

Me with my Lovely Aunt at Christmas. Please note I'm wearing my eating pants and NO shaper! LOL

I'm feeling really great about the progress I made in 2012, and I'm super excited to learn what the new year will bring for me. I have one big plan on the horizon, to make up for the fact that the cold is preventing me from wanting to take my walks. I'm calling it the best Valentine's Day present ever!!!

I'm planning on getting my very first Gym membership!!!! Right now I'm sort of torn between the Crunch Fitness Downtown Brooklyn  (Close to home) or the NYSFC in Soho (Close to the job), but I'm confident that by V-Day, I will be making my first visit to the gym that's right for me!! If you go to any of these locations, be sure to leave a comment letting me know the perks! :)

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: October Stats

I'm back with last month's walking stats and my Miss Moon Gets Healthy progress. I did really really well this past month, I think. The only hindrance was the appearance of Super Storm Sandy, because as a result I didn't walk for an entire week during the clean up process.

I actually had the golden opportunity to go shopping to get a few new items for work, and the funniest thing was that I was so hesitant to get a smaller size. It was like I was paralyzed with fear that if I bought these smaller sized clothes, go home and they don't fit... I will feel like a failure. I had to pep talk myself with the obvious statement that if they don't fit, I can return them for a larger size. And the most fabulous thing was that I didn't have to return them. The smaller sized clothes fit me just fine. And it was a bizarre concept to me... I am actually two sizes smaller than I had been for YEARS!!!

I am so very close to my year end goal, and now that I'm working, I understand the importance of keeping the walking going. I don't know if I can realistically walk 20 miles a week, so for November I will shorten the goal to 10 miles a week. Once I get used to the process, I will up the ante. I also would very much like to join a gym by year's end, because once the weather gets colder here in NYC, I'm not going to want to be walking around for an hour and a half a day! LOL

On a side note, my tee shirt says, "My Vote Rocks"... because it TOTALLY does!! And so does yours! So be sure to get out there and vote today!!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: September Stats

I did it, y'all! I kept the promise I made to myself at the end of August. To paraphrase the song, I picked myself up, dusted myself off... and started all over again. I had a great month, to be honest.

This month, I am keeping momentum going. I've put myself to the challenge of walking at least 20 miles a week, and I aim to stick to that goal. I really need to improve the food I eat, as I've slacked more than a little bit. This month, I will work my arse off to improve this, too.

Me in my "Post Walk Un-Pretty" glory!! LOL

I am looking forward to the challenge, as I feel like I have the endurance required to achieve my goal for the year!!! Super duper close to it, can't turn back now!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... and Realizes She HAS Lost Weight!!!

So Picasa has this new feature (Perhaps it's old and I'm just noticing it) that recognizes faces and groups photos together based on the photos. It was in perusing that album containing nothing but my face (a cringe-worthy at times, but fun experience) that it finally dawned on me that yes, Audrey... you've lost weight!!! Pictures don't lie.... unless you use Photoshop! LOL

I remember reading an interview Ricki Lake had given about her weight loss where she said that for years after she had lost the bulk of her weight it was difficult to look at herself in the mirror and not see her former self. I think this will most likely be the case for me as well. Despite all the evidence that proves I've lost weight, it's still a difficult concept to accept for me.

As a matter of fact, I think Ricki and I might be "weight loss twinsies", because her story sounds a lot like me earlier this year. Fingers crossed I'll have similar results!

This month has proven to be a great one for me, as I've returned to my "Get Healthy" routine full throttle, and I am very excited to see if I can reach my goals for the remainder of the year. And this time next year, wouldn't it be great to post a three picture comparison?!?! Yay!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... By Staying the Course!!

I find myself at a crossroads in my "Get Healthy" journey. On one path, I see myself the way I'd like to be if I continue on my journey: healthier, slimmer, more energetic, feeling loads better about myself. 

On the other path, I see the destination if I allow myself to give up my goals: I become the inactive, unhealthy, unhappy woman I was before I started on this journey. 

Regretfully, there will be no walking stats for this month, because I honestly did not walk. I managed to leave the house and walk briefly around my neighborhood for various errands each day, and I still manage to eat far better than I was.... but I haven't been giving it my all. The heat rash was a big reason, but I think that the main reason was fear of what will happen when I reach my goal. I've come to realized that being a big woman is so much a part of my own personal identity for myself that it scared me to see myself dropping the weight and getting smaller so quickly.

I know I have to get over this, because it's my health I'm doing this for... not for becoming some skinny minnie. I don't want the diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol concerns members of both sides of my family face. I'm discovering that this is the greatest motivation out there for someone like me.  

I am two sizes away from reaching my goal for 2012, and quite realistically, I can achieve this goal if I continue on the path I started at the beginning of the year. I kept it simple, and I reaped the benefits. 

So I promise to you all... Audrey is going to stay her course. She is going to walk.She is going to eat well, she is going to stay motivated, and come October, she will be sharing her September stats with all of you!! And I am going to need your help and support more than ever now!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: July Stats

July was a much better month for yours truly! I had (many) moments of not feeling very motivated, but I still managed to get out and walk this past month. I am noticing that I'm walking less and burning less, but I really want to improve that. I have to... if I want to reach my fitness goals by year's end.

The same reason why there is no present picture is the same reason why I haven't been able to walk this month yet. I broke out on my face and neck with a horrible case of prickly heat (which is a nice way of saying heat rash). Sweating makes it worse, which makes it difficult to heal, so I've been sustaining from walking just now until I feel better. Now you know what my last post was about as well.

Fingers crossed the rash clears up very soon, so that I can be out and about and getting healthy!!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Drinks Water... Lots and Lots of Water!!!

I know for a lot of people, drinking water is a huge bummer. A necessary one, but a bummer nonetheless. And you all might consider me a bit of a weirdo, but I happen to LOVE the way water taste. I happen to think that cold water is the yummiest thing when you're hot and thirsty! I love it, my body definitely loves it, so I drink it.

When I started on my journey to getting healthy, I knew that one of the first things I needed to do is to remove all the sugary sweet drinks I consumed and replace them all in water. And I did... in the past three months, I can honestly say I've had a diet soda once, an iced tea, and a vitamin water. I can literally count the non-water drinks I've had. Everything I drink (with the exception of my daily green smoothies.. yep, that's still going on!) is water. Don't believe me?

Pictured: LOTS of bathroom trips!!

I snapped this photo this past weekend to show the amount of water I consume in a single day. Three 50.7 fluid ounces of filtered tap water (in a smart water bottle, 'cause I'm fancy like that!), and I enjoyed a 25.3 fl oz bottle of Perrier with dinner (it's a great way to fool yourself into thinking you're having a soda with dinner!! lol). All together, that makes 177.4 fluid ounces of water I drank. In one day.

Some days I drink a lot more, some days I drink a bit less. But on average, this is what I work with. When I don't pick up a Perrier (or a Pellegrinno, which is my fave!), I will drink another 50.7 ounce of water. Frankly, my love affair with water is waning a bit, but still I do it. Why? Here's a few great reasons:

Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. 

Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.

Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.

Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.

Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system. Follow this link for further information on how lemon water can improve your health.

Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.

Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.

So drink up, everybody!! 

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: June Stats

June was definitely a redeeming month for yours truly in regards to my Get Healthy plan! I successfully gave up meat for the entire month, embraced and conquered my 30 Day Green Smoothie challenge, and reached new heights with my walking!!!

71.9 miles is fantastic considering I dropped my daily walks down to once a day!! And I am very, very happy to announce the most exciting results of them all....

Not my most glamorous picture, but I'd just came back from a walk! 

I've gone down TWO sizes from the beginning of the year, and have gone from a size 26 to a size 22!!!! My aim is to reach a size 18 by the end of the year, and if I continue on this path, I am confident that I can do it!!

The goal for July is to continue the Green Smoothie challenge (I'm loving it!!), keep walking (I will need some new sneakers, as I mentioned on the Miss Moon's Musings FaceBook page), keep motivated,  and keep pushing on to my goals!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Learns to Eat When She's Hungry!!

I'm a woman of my word, what can I say?!? LOL

I've never been the type of woman who stereotypically overeats when depressed or sad. When life hands me lemons, I don't immediately run to the tub of ice cream. Quite the contrary, when I'm depressed, I seldom eat. I don't get much of an appetite in those times.

Life has been going very well for me lately, so of course I've been eating regularly. In starting my "Miss Moon Gets Healthy" journey, I've noticed that the potential for overeating doesn't happen when I'm sad... it happens when I'm BORED!!

As I've mentioned before, I've dealt with insomnia for most of my adult life. And on many nights, I'd be up, wide awake, and watching Bollywood movies on my laptop on Netflix. My mind would wander to thoughts like, "Mmmm.... some potato chips would be great right now!". And I would pause whatever movie I'm watching, which most likely stars hotties like ShahRukh Khan, and run to the bodega around the corner of the 24 hour 7/11 in my area. 

Recently, such a thought popped in my mind. I was immersed in the film, "Swades" (Great movie, by the way! Check it out! It's streaming on Netflix!). So I paused the movie, got dressed, and went outside to visit 7/11. This was around 3 o'clock in the morning. When I got there, I was staring at the bountiful display of potato chips, in every flavor imaginable, and a single thought popped into my mind -

"Will any of these bags of potato chips help you to reach your goals?"

The answer was a resounding "No!", so I walked over to the beverages for a big bottle of water, grabbed a green apple, and went home to munch, sip, and swoon! LOL

I wish I could say that since this moment, I've steered clear of chips, cookies and other things that taste great, but aren't great for me. But alas... I've succumbed. But I am learning how to stay away when boredom strikes me, and I am confident that I will use my self-control to reach my fitness goals!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... and Goes Meatless for a Month!!!!

I might've told this story before. If I have, I apologize. If I haven't, settle in you're in for a treat! 

When I was in my twenties by sheer happenstance, I ended up at a petting zoo one weekend afternoon with the guy I was dating at the time. It was there that I bonded (yes, bonded) with this beautiful cow. She was so sweet!! I spent at least an hour scratching her between her ears and receiving her very wet cow kisses!

That night, my boyfriend and I decided to grab some Micky D's on the way home, and as I sat in front of my quarter pounder with cheese, I had a moment just like Lisa Simpson did! I realized that one day, that very sweet cow I enjoyed interacting with might someday be between someone's sesame seed bun. And I was saddened by that, and decided I would just opt for the fries that night.

Several years (and several burgers and steaks) later, I decided that I would stop eating meat. I didn't really have any political or personal agenda behind the change in my diet at the time, I just wanted to see what it was like and to see if I could do it. And... it wasn't all that bad, actually. But yeah.. it didn't last very long. It lasted in fact, three months short of a year. What changed? The Popeye's that opened around the corner from my apartment! LMAO

What I noticed when I dropped meat is that I had dropped two sizes in the process. Two sizes that I quickly  gained back with interest upon resuming my normal (and unhealthy) diet of deep fried crap. Which is why I'm where I am right now.

So for this month, I've decided to drop the meat from my diet. I won't officially be a vegetarian, but a pescatarian... because I plan on eating fish and seafood on occasion. I am also participating in a Green Smoothie challenge with my good friend and Pirate Sistah, Nina!

If you would've told me this time last year, that I would not only be participating in a challenge where I drink a green smoothie once a day as a meal replacement, but ACTUALLY enjoy the challenge... I would've given you the side-iest eye in the history of side-eyes! LMAO

But 12 days in, I'm really, really digging it. I have started the month with a raw food diet (for seven days), in addition to the green smoothies. This has been helpful in acclimating my body to the sudden surge in green goodness!

I have also recently joined Tout (It's kind of like if YouTube and Twitter had a baby), so be sure to check out my Tout Channel for all of my Miss Moon Gets Healthy videos! I will also be Tout-ing my smoothie recipes!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And YES... She Has Snacks, Too!!

Hello, my name is Audrey... and, I like snacks! There. I've said it. I've given up on Mickey D's, I've given up on my beloved Snapple drinks and occasional Sprites... but do not ask me to forgo snacks entirely... I will cut you!! LOL

The good news is, I've recently discovered I don't have to! What was once a horrible feeling of deprivation (with the one or two relapses... I'm among friends, I'll admit it!) has turned into a beautiful moment of clarity when I came to the realization that I can eat healthily and enjoy treats that feel decadent... although they really aren't.

For this post, I will share four of my favorite go to snack choices: two sweet and two savory. And believe it or not, each of these treats are under 200 calories!

I've always enjoyed watermelon, but I must admit... It was never my favorite. I was always a cantaloupe girl, thanks to my Aunt Jo Ann, who would eat a slice of cantaloupe, toast and a cup of tea for breakfast all the time when I was growing up. She probably still does.

I recently read that watermelon is not only great way to trick your mind into thinking it's getting a sweet treat, it's totally good for you and is only 94 calories for a cup of the melon diced!

I am a potato chip junky... I love chips and can say quite wholeheartedly that they are my favorite thing to snack on. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a tried and true potato chip that is low in calories and won't fill my body with salt, salt, and more salt. Special K Cracker Chips are a nice alternative.

They aren't great, mind you. You pretty much know you are not eating potato chips (They are like a rice cake/ potato chip hybrid) but to enjoy 30 chips for 110 calories.. I'll take it! LOL

I do not play around with my fudge pops. Even before Getting Healthy, I avoided them because they can very easily become an obsession with me. When I spotted these Low Fat Greek Frozen Yogurt Fudge Bars from Jala, I was IMMEDIATELY suspicious about the taste. I mean it contains active probiotis, it's only 110 calories, low fat... how good can they taste?!?!?

My friends... these things are THE BOMB!!!!! After walking twice a day, getting hot and sweaty in the process... nothing soothes my sore muscles like these frozen yogurt bars... Seriously!

They also have Ice Cream Sandwiches, which I am planning on getting for Mizz Lennid, who is the Ice Cream Sandwich Queen! LOL

Popcorn and ABC's Revenge... that is my Wednesday night in a nutshell, as I've mentioned on FaceBook and Twitter quite often. I bet some of you were going,  "How are you eating popcorn and you're all 'Get Healthy', Audrey?!?".... The answer's quite simple, Light Popcorn. It tastes good.. really. And for the first time in my life my mouth doesn't HURT after eating popcorn from the abundance of salt. Have you ever had that feeling!?  Ugh, T.V.W... The very worse!!! 

Five cups of this popcorn (Which is almost half a bag!)? Only 100 calories!!! I usually pop up a bag on Wednesday night.. eat half, and then enjoy the other half Friday or Saturday night with a good movie!

What are your favorite healthy items to snack on.. I'm all about building my arsenal when a snack attack strikes, so leave a comment and share what you like!!! That rhymed! LOL

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: April Stats

I've been on my "Get Healthy" path for a few months now, but April was the month that I really got it going!!! I plan on  keeping this post short and sweet and just share with you how far I have come! If I can do it.. believe me, anybody can!!!

And here I am... after a walk earlier this week. I saw this Pin on Pinterest once that said, "If you still look cute after a workout... you're not doing it right!".... Judging from this picture, I am definitely doing it right!!! LOL

Others have remarked that they can already see a difference in me, but I must admit that I can't just yet. But I will continue to keep going and I know that one day, I will!!! I cannot wait to see what May has in store for me!!! Let's go #TeamGetHealthy!!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: By Walking...With Gratitude!!!

I wish I was one of those women who are GUNG-HO about working out. While I find my walks tremendously gratifying, and I love the fact that I am doing something beneficial to my body... I'm not at the place where I can say honestly, "Yes!! I'm about to workout and sweat!!!" Perhaps one day I will be 24/7/365, but for now... it's a struggle to get motivated to take my walks sometime.

What's proven to be helpful in the process is GRATITUDE. Surely, gratitude is something that makes life better 100% of the time, but I hadn't thought about how gratitude can help me in my work outs before until recently. I set out to find three things to be grateful for at the beginning of my walks, which made the trek seem less like a workout and more like a walking meditation of sorts.

And I've found that during my walks I find something to be grateful about ALL the time!!! From the beautiful murals I've spotted around my neighborhood (Photos courtesy of my Instagram)...

To the beauty that only Spring in Bed-Stuy can bring....

And how can I not mention the bounty of EYE CANDY spotted at the local basketball courts?!?!? Whoooooo! Bless those menfolks!!! LOL

The moment I started finding things to be grateful for, I've started to be excited for each of my walks... if only for the opportunity to express gratitude! And I am a firm believer that gratitude=happiness and happiness=health... And since that is what the objective is, I believe I'm on the right path!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Keeps Motivated...

I've been continuing on this path to getting healthy for the past few months, and over the last few weeks, I've felt very unmotivated. A lot of it comes from the fact with such a dramatic change to my overall diet and lifestyle, I anticipated dramatic (and immediate!) results... but that isn't the case. And honestly, it will most likely not be the case. It's taken me 34 years to get to this size, and it's going to take more than a few months to see changes. I know and understand this now, but for a while, I had really felt defeated and to be honest, I gave up. I continued to eat a lot better than I have in years, but I didn't go on my walks. And I felt.. awful about it. But all in all, I learned that it will happen: you will lose steam and you will feel like not doing moving.

If you choose not to do it, allow yourself the time off without beating yourself up. That's what I did eventually, and in the time off, something amazing happened. I ran into people I haven't seen in months and they all greeted me the same way: "You've lost weight!!!!", which felt amazing to me!! And suddenly I started noticing it too. I looked in the mirror, and suddenly my face was thinner... my double chin isn't nearly as double-chiny (yes, I made up a new word) as it was before... and I was filled with MOTIVATION!!!! I celebrated by buying myself some proper workout gear (Which I will be reviewing soon!), and I started April committed to getting off my arse and walking twice a day... and I've been doing it, y'all!!! And it feels great!!

This post is a reminder that when you are prompted to stop doing something WONDERFUL for yourself... start up again. If not immediately, soon!! Look for the changes in unexpected places, and know that you will achieve all the goals you set out for yourself, with every step, and every great choice you make. You can do it! I can do it! WE CAN DO IT!!!

Yummm! Dr. Oz's Tangerine Weight-orade Recipe!

I've discussed with detail the revamps I've made to my diet over the past few months in a new blog series I call, "Miss Moon Gets Healthy". One of the goals I have is to ultimately lose weight. While I love being a curvy girl, it's starting to take its toll on my health (My last hospital visit really opened my eyes!) and at 34, now is the time to get it done!

95% of what I've had to drink in the past few months is water, with the occasional aloe drink peppered in here and there. While I have definitely noticed a change (especially to my skin.. can you say "second puberty"?!?) I would like to incorporate a healthy, yummy drink choice into my diet. Variety is the spice of life, after all!

I spotted this recipe via Pinterest (If you haven't checked out my boards, feel free to do so!) and was immediately excited about the prospect of trying this out! To have a tasty beverage that can actually aid in speeding up my metabolism?!? I'm so there!

According to Dr. Oz, the Green Tea in this recipe can boost your metabolism by 12%. In addition, the tangerine helps to trigger a gene that can burn the fat in your body. And last but certainly not least, the mint is a great way to add flavor to your drink without adding any calories.

Let's see, I love green tea, I enjoy tangerines, and I'm mad for mint... Sign me up, please! LOL

Dr. Oz's Tangerine Weight-orade

Recipe Courtesy of Recipes for Diet

Ingredients:

- 8 cups of green tea, brewed
- 1 tangerine, sliced
- handful of mint leaves

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher the night before. This helps the flavors to marry.
2. After sitting in the fridge over night, drink the entire pitcher the next day to get the most metabolism boosting out of the drink!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: About the Way She Does Take Out...

This is a map of my wonderful home in Brooklyn called Bed-Stuy. Those little red dots? Oh, those are just all of the restaurants I have the choice of when I and the other inhabitants of Casa di Miss Moon don't feel like slaving over a hot stove!

Let's take a look at my choices: I have two (count 'em!) TWO McDonald's, Burger King, Popeye's, Applebee's, Papa John's, Domino's, Little Caesar, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Checker's, Six Chinese Restaurants, Three Pizzerias, 8 West Indian Restaurants, and dare I mention the bodegas that will gladly make you a processed meat and cheese hero (LOADED with mayo) at 3 o'clock in the morning upon request? LOL

And to be fair, there are also 3 West Indian/Asian Fruit Markets, 2 Health Food Stores, and a newly opened restaurant called Island Salad (Foursquare users can check in at their Bed-Stuy location!) which I've tried once so far and I loved the salad I got from them!

With not too many healthy choices available to me, what's a girl who is all about getting healthy to do? Well, of course I should be cooking more at home... but this post is all about how I've revamped my Take Out food choices, so I will tell you the first step... I AVOID 95% of all the restaurants within walking distance from your house. Yes, no McDonald's... no Popeye's... no Burger King... no Pizza!! This has been my life for the past two months. Do I miss it? Sometimes... but I do not miss the heartburn, and the overall non-specific feeling of crappiness I experienced immediately after consumption!

To illustrate the change, I will share with you how I used to nom-nom on Chinese Food (Which I LOVE!):

Deliciously decadent Sesame Chicken... How I love thee? Let me count the ways.... all 1028 calories worth!!!! Again, I've been advised to maintain a 1300 calorie per day diet, so.. yeah! LOL

This is what I'm working with nowadays... Steamed Shrimp with Broccoli with a side of brown rice. What's great is that one of the Chinese Restaurants in the area actually gives you a "no sauce" option, which I of course take. To drink? Water!!!!

And the damage calorie-wise? Around 377 calories! Drastic difference, huh? The steamed shrimp and broccoli will run you around 161 calories, while one cup of brown rice is 216 calories.

When you are encountering a lazy day and do not want to cook (it happens.. often! lol), you can enjoy food from your local take out joints, but you have to be savvy as to what you're putting in your body. And since I've adopted this change, I have truly noticed the difference in the way I feel after meals.

Comedian Louis C.K. has a joke about his doctor asking him to describe his "eating habits". His doctor is curious to know how soon into eating a meal does he stop because he's feeling full. Louis' classic response is, "The meal is not over when I feel full... the meal is over when I HATE myself! That's when I stop!" LOL

That pretty much sums up my past experiences with take out food. But lately... I get full and I STOP! So full, in fact.. I can't finish the meal! Which means.. Yippee!! Leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day! As the weeks progress, I will be exploring the healthier meal options at my local restaurants, instead of running to the big chain fast food joints when the family graves takeout. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.. so please leave a comment!