Blasts of Light

 

 

 

 

Thanks for watching! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

MM6                Mondays like today, I need this motivation as much as you probably do. Here in New York City it is dreary and gray with leftover snow piles cluttering the sidewalks in various shades of charcoal. Getting out of bed is not easy but somehow most of us have managed to do it.  This week’s motivation comes from a quote I’ve been reflecting a lot on lately. Well actually the exact quote I had been thinking of was “you get in life what you think you deserve”  but this is extremely similar I believe. You can have it all if your not afraid to ask for it!  Say that to yourself a couple times in a row and I think some things in your life may immediately start rearing their ugly heads at you. I’d even write it on a sticky note and put it by your desk or your mirror so that you can see it day after day. Are you asking for the things you want it your life?! I mean, really, really, literally asking.  We only have a short time on this planet and we shouldn’t waste a second of it not asking for what we want! Everything in our life is a reflection of what we are asking for right now, in relationships, in careers and in your BODY! Don’t accept anything less than you deserve! Now you can take this and run it through all those areas of your life but for the sake of brevity and because this website is about a healthy body, let’s focus on your health.

Are you demanding a healthy, fit and vibrant body? Or are you settling for less than you deserve? I hope this is not too “out there” for you guys but I truly believe if you can grasp this concept, you can transform your life. You can have the life, love and body of your dreams! If you put out into the universe (or google) the question “how can I eat for more energy” or ” how can I exercise to thin my thighs” etc, etc, you will get an answer! If your looking for ways to be more active, trust that they will appear, you’ll start noticing more active options for dates or maybe decide to start walking to your coworkers desk instead of sending them a short email. If you want a meeting with someone who you think is out of your reach (I use italics because they are just a person and this is all in your head) even the more reason to go ahead and ASK for it. This monday, I’m reflecting on what I want in my life and then seeing what kind of “asking” needs to be going on. I feel motivated and strong to take on this week and hope you do as well! 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

alarm clock
A couple weeks ago I read that a study in the UK reported that people who rise earlier, talking about 7am early, tend to be slimmer, happier and more conscientious than their later waking peers. Now for those of you who work a 9 to 5 and get your bum out of bed even earlier than 7 am, please try not to laugh at me for finding this revolutionary but I live a relatively alternative lifestyle and therefore kind of make my own waking hours. However, since reading this fact, as well as a couple other articles about women who really inspire me and seeing just how long their day is and how much they manage to fit in to their waking hours, I decided to start waking up earlier.

I’ve been making it a habit to wake up between 7 and 8am in the morning everyday and then giving myself till 9 or 9:30am on the weekends. I found that since my body has adjusted to waking up so early during the week, I don’t tend to want to sleep as late as I used to on the weekends and I absolutely love it. I am addicted to waking up earlier now! I don’t know if I’ve lost any weight cause I haven’t been paying particular attention to that but I definitely feel more accomplished in my day and get a lot more done which makes for a much happier me! I also have gotten in to some really amazing habits like going to the gym or doing some stretching yoga every morning and then having some tea, going over my goals for the year, month, week and seeing what I can tackle that day but also spend a few minutes feeling grateful for all the wonderful things I have going on in my life right now. It’s a world away from my usual grab some coffee and get myself ready to run out the door as fast as possible before my first appointment days of the past. Getting up earlier has definitely made me feel more balanced, happy and productive and I can’t imagine ever going back now. I’m enjoying the results so much that now when I have to be to set really early (like 6am/7am) I don’t even mind getting up a little earlier than necessary so I can go through my usual routine!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

8-hour-diet-book
It’s been a while since my last Skinny Chick Book Club post but I felt compelled to tell you about my latest read! After flipping through the pages of Women’s Health magazine at the gym, I was completely intrigued with this new 8 hour diet concept (aka intermittent fasting) and just had to buy the full book on amazon ASAP! I’m down about 5-7lbs since I started but let me say I do not have much weight to lose and I could easily see this helping people lose even more weight relatively effortlessly.

In a nutshell, we eat too many hours of the day and therefore not giving our body enough time to burn our energy stores or do some much needed cellular repairs. So by eating for only 8 hours of the day, at least 3-5 times a week, we can help our body return to its optimal health and fat burning potential. The benefits are too many to lost but its safe to say it extends way beyond mere weight loss. Think helping new skin cells regenerate, slowing cancer cell growth and protecting your brain against neurodegenerative disorders!

I simply had to give it a whirl! I will warn you, if your a breakfast lover like myself it is not easy to give that up but after a few days I got used to having my morning cup of tea and waiting till noon to break my fast. I also definitely felt it on the opposite end, after my eight hours were up a few nights I was pretty hungry and very regretful of not eating more for dinner. However, compared to most “diets” it’s relatively painless and effective, you never feel like a food is “off limits”, which is great. Definitely give this book a read! It has tons of scientific evidence to back up its theories and loads of additional nutritional information about different foods that you should be squeezing into your eight hours to get optimal performance out of your body! An overall a Go Sweet and Skinny gold star!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

Hey guys! Today I’m a guest blogger over on LeanGirlsClub.com. Click the link to see my “Skinny Superbowl Pizza Bites” recipe! They’re incredibly easy to make and SOO YUMMY! You’ll definitely want to add them to your football Sunday snack list! http://bit.ly/VwJLrm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<em>Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! :)</em>

shoes
First, I’d like to thank Cassandra for letting me guest blog today. I love reading Go Sweet and Skinny and can’t wait to try her recipes. Being a working woman, I find myself making the same ol’ things and often get bored. It’s important to try new recipes so I don’t resort to junk food!

Are you a shoe lover? I love me a good pair of shoes. Stilettos, platforms, wedges, sandals, and boots. Usually I select shoes based on the aesthetic: the color, the height of the heel, embellishments, what outfits it can accompany….

That’s not the approach we should have with running shoes. All shoes were not created equal. Did you know that most running injuries are from ill-fitting shoes? Like bras, we need to be fitted for a good running shoe. Your local running store, not athletic store, will do that for you for free. A representative will watch you run on the treadmill and analyze your gait. Depending on the results and your fitness level, s/he will recommend a stability shoe or a neutral shoe. They’ll come to you with several options and help you find the best shoe. Sorry, you won’t get to choose your shoe based on your favorite colors…the shoe will pick you. How will you know? You just will. It’ll feel heavenly and feel like they were molded for your feet. The shoe will make you run stronger, faster, and lighter. A good shoe will get your butt off the coach and moving.

And if your running store is a GOOD running store, they’ll have a great return policy and let you return the shoes if it doesn’t fit right…even if you’ve run in them. I personally love Jack Rabbits, Paragon, and The New York Running Company at The Time Warner Center.

For more details on how to pick a great shoe, check out this infograph:

Running Shoes Infographic: How to Choose the Best Running Shoes

Check out REI’s wide selection of running shoes

For more tips, check out http://www.leangirlsclub.com or follow @gracekelle

I’m excited to announce the first of our “BRAINLESS BAKING” segments! Brainless Baking is all about making you look like a healthy baking genius in the kitchen without too much time or effort on your part. As delicious and nutritious as a lot of the recipes on this site are, I understand sometimes life gets a little chaotic and we don’t always have the time to make something with 10 different ingredients. So I give to you a series of upcoming baking segments for those times when your desperately craving a cookie, have to bake something for the office or your kids and want to make something better for you in a pinch! After all, Go Sweet and Skinny is all about living the sweet life while staying skinny!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

amylentil

 

Now noone from Amy’s Organic Soups is paying me for this sweet publicity, but hey if you want to send me some free soup – I certainly wouldn’t hate it. I just felt that I needed to share this gosweetandskinny approved soup with you during this freezing cold flu season because I know sometimes we can all be a little to busy (or sick) to make something from scratch. So when that happens and your trolling down the aisles of your local super market, Amy’s offers a ‘just a good as homemade’ alternative for vegans and omnivores alike. Whenever I buy something pre-made I ALWAYS check the ingredients on the label and you should too! I’ve included a pictures of the label from my lentil soup and you’ll see why it’s clearly my favorite. A canned soup with REAL ingredients!? I can’t believe my eyes. This picture doesn’t really do the flavor justice, it’s a really yummy lentil soup and it’s got lots of good for you veggies and lentils in it to give you tons of fiber and protein. You won’t see a label that says NO MSG, NO BIOENGINEERED INGREDIENTS and NO PRESERVATIVES to0 often in the soup aisle so reach for some Amy’s and have one less thing to worry about because you can count on only putting the best ingredients in your body.

amys2

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you! 🙂

So I just wanted to spread the good word to all my lovely readers. If your on the go this week (till 1/27) you can pick up a $2 steel cut oat and blueberry oatmeal from sbux with the purchase of your usual morning beverage. If your anything like me, a latte is a must in the morning and for this week alone you may also grab a guilt free breakfast with it on the cheap! Finally, a healthy breakfast thats ALMOST cheaper than a bagel. haha Thank you Starbucks! 🙂

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you!:)

 

 

mm4              Albert Einstein has some of the most amazing quotes on life, he clearly had a lot more figured out than his contemporaries may have given him credit for. This particular quote, I selected to start of our week because I feel like it’s applicable to the mind and the body! Interpret as you may for it’s YOUR monday motivation but I’ll let you in on what I’m taking away from it. In life, what makes us happier than almost anything else is forward motion. Think about it. Progress, progress, progress. Think of an area of your life your really happy about right now and I guarantee it’s because your seeing progress in that area. This is why people can have tons of money and love and still be unhappy, what they really need is growth and progress, the feeling like they’re moving forward. What areas of your life can you make progress on? Is it your health or your diet? Because your already making progress by checking out this website and showing that you care about your life and your body! Set small goals to show yourself progress, how about making it to the gym 4 times this week instead of 2 or 3? That’s progress! Little by little you can accomplish big things! Of course, you can apply it more literally as well, moving helps keep our body balanced! It clears our and head and reduces stress when we exercise, that’s why when you skip the gym for a week you’ll tend to feel a bit of kilter and maybe not understand why. Our bodies love movement whether it’s walking to run your errands, cleaning our house or jumping on an elliptical. Movement keeps us balanced and happy. So happy monday my sweet and skinny loves, get motivated and get moving!!

 

 

 

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you!:)

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Yes I’m perfectly aware that it’s Friday but I figured I’d give you a few days notice to plan for your first meatless Monday! I know going vegan seems completely insane and drastic to many of you and I understand, I was once where your standing. It can be quite a large undertaking to go cold turkey on meat and dairy but that’s why baby steps are so important! So let’s say you start off with meatless mondays, you can then step those up to vegan mondays or simply add more meatless days to your week! Regardless, it’s a great way to start your week on the right foot by doing something great for your body.

Did you know that women who eat a large amount of red meat and processed meats greatly increase their risk of breast cancer and heart disease? Plus all the fiber found in vegetables helps lower your risk of colon cancer! If your still having a tough time going veggie one day a week check out this incredible article. http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day#.UPmjCO6PQ5Y.facebook

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you!:)

 

monosodium-glutamate-side-effects-300x225                    Now I’m sure your no stranger to the word MSG but if your anything like me, you may have just assumed it was some seasoning used in a specific type of chinese food that you wouldn’t even eat in the first place. To be completely honest, I knew it was bad for me but didn’t even think I’d come across it in my daily diet (since I eat pretty healthfully) till I watched the documentary “Hungry for Change” and was enlightened to this real enemy amongst our food supply!

              First, let’s talk about the picture above! MSG is actually used in labs to make laboratory mice OBESE!!! That’s right when they need to test out a new weight loss drug or strategy and need to start off with a plump mouse, scientists inject MSG into these poor creatures and they just about double in size! Can you believe this is in our food supply!!?!? I know, please, go ahead, get as angry as I am. This is RIDICULOUS!! There is a very basic but wonderfully enlightening website called msgtruth.org that you can check out to find in detail information about all the different studies that have been done as well as a comprehensive list of foods you should avoid. In general, it’s found primarily in places you (being a sweet and skinny peep) already know to stay away from like McDonalds (chicken, beef AND in the fries’ seasoning!), Burger King (chicken, sausage, even their new veggie burger) and KFC (pretty much everything on the menu). Some less obvious places include canned soups (progresso, you disappoint me), parmesan cheese, ranch dressing, dorito’s, cheetos and even deli meats! Once again, another great reason to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains! Anything that isn’t natural, REAL food is just that, not real food. So do your body a favor and only put the good stuff in! I promise you it will pay you back for the rest of your life. 🙂

Thanks for reading! I love that Go Sweet and Skinny is your go-to website for healthy living tips, vegan and vegetarian recipes (from everything from appetizers to cupcakes!) and diet advice. I”m committed to helping you get skinny and live the sweet life! Please follow @gosweetnskinny on twitter, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep yourself sweet and skinny 24/7. And as always, feel free to email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and let me know what low fat, healthy recipes you want to see on the site, what diet books your trying and ask any diet questions your little heart desires! I’m here to help you!:)