Unexpected Finds

So in my internet browsing I stumbled across this hilarious and informative website ThugKitchen.com The author is a healthy living home cook who attempts to make vegan eating a tad more "gangsta". The author states that he is not vegan but that he believes we should enjoy a more natural diet to ensure a long life free of preventable health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes.  He gives recipes and tips for healthy eating  in a hilarious yet interesting way. Imagine Suge Knight explaining why swiss chard is great for your blood sugar levels or how tomatoes can prevent testicular cancer. In his own words:

“what is thug kitchen?”

THIS SITE IS HERE TO HELP YOUR NARROW DIETARY MINDED ASS EXPLORE SOME FUCKING OPTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AND FEEL LIKE A FUCKING CHAMP.

Stay away if you are squeamish about strong language or not interested in changing your lifestyle. This is a great laugh and informative. 

Healthy Snacks.

What is your favorite healthy snack?

My favorite healthy snack is actually really simple and inexpensive. It doesn’t take much effort. It requires no real machinery or expert chef’s utensils. All you need is a toaster (or something that toasts) and a butter knife. My favorite healthy snack is wheat toast with peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. It’s filling, quick and simple. I like snacks that have a good amount of fiber because it helps to keep me from feeling sluggish, and peanuts are a good source of fiber. In fact, nuts in general are. When I couple that snack with a really good cup of tea, I feel like I’m almost in heaven.

I need to keep a snack with me to keep my energy levels and blood sugar in control. I am a sweets lover so typically I like to grab greek yogurt, fruit, and honey. I like to boil fresh fruit and a little raw sugar or sugar substitute and throw it on top of my yogurt. I also enjoy fresh fruit and honey or just honey on top of my yogurt. It satisfies my sweet tooth with eating an overly sugary snack that will eventually cause me to crash. The trickiest part of this is finding the right brand for you. I went through some pretty bad ones before I settled on Fage. 

When I was 17 I went to Italy for the first time. My host mom was the most adorable woman ever, and she was constantly fixing me food. It was literally stuffed at all times, but the one thing she made for me that was genuinely my favorite was her fruit salad. This fruit salad is probably the simplest recipe, but it is so delicious and fresh at the same time. All you have to do is chop up  some strawberries and bananas into a bowl. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and just a dash of  sugar and shake. Viola the simplest fruit salad, yet also the freshest. This simple recipe is great for lunch breaks or even a breakfast treat. It is very filling. Hope you enjoy!

I'm not really into elaborate snacks. I like to keep it simple so I can grab and go. Most of the time the purpose of my snack is so I am able to have the chewing sensation fulfilled so I usually just grab a hand full of almonds. If I have time or am actually hungry I like to slice up a banana and dip them into a tablespoon of peanut butter. If I want to add some crunch to that I will break up a graham cracker as well and dip that into the peanut better. Both snacks are easy enough that I wont look else where to satisfy my needs at that moment. 

There's nothing like a new toy!

No matter how old you get there is still that same excitement when you get something new. This week I got a Nutri-Bullet. I was so excited to try it out and now I have to admit that I can't stop using it. It's so simple and fast that I juice daily in order to try out new recipes. I go shopping specifically to buy new fruits and veggies to try. Green juices are currently my favorite. The one pictured below is spinach, romaine, 1 granny smith apple, 1 banana, and a few almonds. Yummy!

Rumor has it that green juice helps clear your skin (I will let you all know if I notice any benefits like that as I continue my daily green juice breakfast). I have noticed that it does provide a great morning pick me up. My energy in the morning is through the roof and I love it!

No excuses November fitness challenge

Here at PGSD we are all about *diddy voice* preserving our sexy. We believe in being the best you possible be that a size 2 or a size 24, but its all about being healthy. There is no reason to put off improving your health until next Monday or the beginning of the month. Start it today! It is now No Excuses November meaning there is absolutely no reason for you to put down the chicken wing (delicious as it may be) and making a conscious effort to care about your health.

 I don't believe in diets I believe in lifestyle changes. The first step is changing the way you eat. You cannot exercise away bad eating. Keep a food journal. Write down every bite you eat. This makes you more aware of what and how much you are eating a day.It feels much better to see an orange in your journal at snack time than a poptart. Also, increase your water intake. Water is good for you and I don't understand people who say they don't drink it. Guess what I'm sure your piss smells like ammonia and your face looks like a chinese checker board. Water is a key ingredient to your body's health. a great idea is to get a gallon jug and label it in two hour increments. This will help you to stay hydrated and monitor your water intake. It takes time to break old habits especially when it comes to food. NO EXCUSES!

Healthy food does not have to be boring. This delicious, quick, yet balanced meal consist of spinach, aparagus, shrimp, broccoli, and quinoa with sauteed peppers and onions. Everything is baked or grilled and damn delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Portion control is also key. Even if its good for you overeating leaves you uncomfortable and gassy. That is not apart of Mission: Walking Sex God.

Exercise is a major key in changing your life. Your body wants to move! You don't have to be some juice head who spends 20 hours a day in the gym shrinking his dick into oblivion, but you can get your ass off the couch. Just by taking a few small steps you can see a change in your body. Start out with:

*10 jumping jacks
*10 squats
*10 crunches
*jumping rope for 30 seconds
* 15 second plank

This plan is a starting point  for someone who does not work out at all. If you know you can start out with bigger quantities do it! Each day add 5-10 more to each set. So if you do 10 jumping jacks  on Monday do 15-20 on Tuesday. You will see a change in your body and your endurance in a few short weeks. Don't say you don't have time, this wont take more than 15 minutes. 15 minutes won't kill you, but diabetes might.

Don't wait until the New Year to take charge and change your life. Look amazing before then and start off the year at your best. NO EXCUSES!

Chipotle was served at the Last Supper

Look. These are my beliefs. Deal. 

I started my weight loss journey OFFICIALLY about a month ago. In that time, I have gone through many different fads/diets/apps to help me lose weight. Needless to say none of them worked as I Popeyes Drive-Thru'd my way to the largest I have ever been. To be perfectly honest, its nothing unmanageable. Just a clear combination of laziness and access to too much fast food. 

However, I have over the past month made the conscious decision to do better, not just for my waistline, but to FEEL better. So far I am down 15 lbs! *pause for 2 Chainz dance break* Its not that much and I am honestly probably the only person, besides my scale, that can tell, but knowing that gives me an extra skip in my step. I want all of you, our readers, to feel that way. So I have compiled my recipe for 'How to lose 15 pounds'

Elliptical-30 Minutes

Treadmill-30 Minutes

Ab Crunch-5 reps of 10

Arm Press-5 reps of 10

Leg Curl-5 reps of 10

Now it is important to note that muscle confusion is the key to workout weight loss. That is why I only recommend this for the first 10 pound loss. Get creative, and add reps as you go along in your journey. Since I am still losing, I am still working on the second steps. Make sure throughout the workout to drink half your body weight in ounces daily, and keep your eyes on the prize! Hopefully this simple workout routine will give you the pep to continue on. 

FaceTime

One of my biggest problems has always been my skin. I inherited acne, scar prone skin from my skin and it has been a problem since before I even started puberty.  I have gone through cycles of perfect baby smooth skin to severe break outs. There has never been any reason for breakouts they just happen. I got some relief when I started using birth control, but that didn’t help with the oiliness. The amount of money spent on blot papers and powders could buy Steve Harvey his lacefront mustaches for the next ten years.

Desperate for a total solution I started to research the latest in skin technology. My problems weren’t severe enough for prescription meds like that thing Puffy endorses to “preserve his sexy” and I don’t want my children born with mermaid legs so Accutane was out of the question. Over the counter washes tend to contain salicylic acid which can be very drying to the skin. I decided to research all natural skin cleansing methods. Enter the oil cleansing method.

Use oil to cleanse my oily skin you say? Blasphemy! I was beyond skeptical when I first heard about this. I just imagined slathering my skin like I was frying chicken and waking up looking like a connect the dots. I was intrigued by the idea and all of the natural goddesses swore by it so I decided to give it a try. After extensive research on sites such as theoilcleansingmethod.com I decided to try it for myself. I was able to come up with a mixture suited to my individual problems. 

                It takes a lot of trial and error to find the right balance of each oil to determine which will work for you. I am completely satisfied with the results. They don’t happen over nigh but after six weeks of using this combination my skin has completely changed. No more break outs, no oiliness, and no need for moisturizer. Even my scars have started to heal. I swear by this now and will never buy another over the counter product again. You simply coat your face and then rinse with steaming hot water to open your pores and a final cold rinse to close them. You can feel the impurities leaving your skin without any of the tightness that regular washes can cause. If you plan on trying this understand that it is a little pricey and will take time. The end result makes up for all of that though. 

Chocolate Recipe (because chocolate makes everyone's heart smile)

Yes I said it! You don’t find many people who don’t like chocolate so here a great dessert that wont leave you feeling guilty and crying in the corner. Dark chocolate is actually good for you. I’m not saying go grab a bag of dark chocolate and see how much fits into your mouth at once but don’t shun it away either. Dark chocolate reduces the risk of blood clots and also slows the process of your arteries clogging. Raisins and nuts, particularly almonds or walnuts are a great source of fiber. Fiber not only keeps you regular, but it slows the absorption of sugar into your blood. The coconut adds a touch of sweetness. This recipe is open to alterations based on your allergies or preferences. Have fun with it and enjoy with some friends.

Dark chocolate chips

Chopped Walnut or Almond Pieces

Raisins

Raw Shredded Coconut

1-tablespoon canola oil

In a double boiler combine chocolate chips and oil. Stir until completely melted. Pour onto wax paper lined tin. Make sure the chocolate is evenly spread. Sprinkle nuts, raisins, and coconut onto the chocolate. Place in the refrigerator until firm. For faster result place in the freezers for 5 to 10 minute. Cut into pieces and enjoy.

Jillian Michaels Can Kiss My Ass

As I write this I am gasping for air. I decided to start on the Jillian Michaels 30 Shred and I am kicking myself in my fat ass. I typically hit the gym about 3-4 times a week focusing on cardio and strength training. Due to my hectic work schedule I decided to try something at home. Everyone in the exercise world had spoken quite highly of this workout series and I being the ever curious adventurer decided to try it for myself. I have tried P90x and Insanity so I halfway thought I knew what to expect. Wrong wrong wrong wrong.

After moving back home and being subjected to my mother’s delicious home cooked food I noticed a definite increase in my weight. I am comfortable with myself at any size, but knew things could get quickly out of hand when there is baked chicken and from scratch cakes involved.  After an exhausting day I knew I needed to get my muscles moving after having neglected my gym visits so I decided to try the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1. I watched a few minutes beforehand to get an idea and thought it seemed rather lax. How was this supposed to get me shredded and ripped in 30 days. It reminded me of the warm ups I had done in karate several years prior which I never thought of as the intense part of the workout. I guess when you have someone swinging their foot at your face jumping jacks and hip rotations seem tame, but meanwhile back at the ranch I was not initially impressed.

Once I finally put down the pita chips and hummus I was eating and actually started the workout my world view changed. I now know why the caged bird sings and it is because of this DVD. I can do two hours in the gym easily and feel great; I’m guessing because it is a self guided workout. This is designed to get as many muscles moving as possible while pushing you to your limit.  It combines cardio with weights, and strength training to get you as lean and strong as quickly as possible.

First of all I haven’t done a jumping jack in years. Once my bras had more D’s on them than Chief Keef’s report card I gave up on the idea of flying through the air. Then there are the push ups. G.I. Jane I am not. My hour long elliptical sessions have nothing on what I experienced with this. Rather than counting off reps Jillian leads you through 30 second circuits of each exercise. You quickly realize 30 seconds is actually equivalent to an eternity. A child has been born, the stock market has dropped, Keri Hilson has washed another car in the time span it has taken you to suffer through squats. Jillan encourages you not to stop for more than five seconds during each cycle which proved to be impossible. Me and my three pound weights eventually laid on the floor. Her voice is so commanding that I could practically feel her looming over me as I gasped for air. By the end muscles I didn’t know existed felt like jello, but I knew that I had actually received a rewarding workout.

I would definitely recommend this to any ambitious girls seeking an intense workout. I know that I won’t be doing this everyday just yet, but I do feel a difference in my endurance as I progress each day. It’s a great workout of you can’t make it to the gym or are looking for something more intense than just a run of the mill cycling class. The videos are available free on YouTube in addition to her yoga and fat burning workout.