I'm not off the wagon, I'm UNDER it! Here are some quick fixes:

It starts with the little things.


RATIONALIZATION:


1. That one unhealthy item that turns into about twenty.

2. Running out of your healthy ingredient (i.e. Xylitol) and substituting an unhealthy ingredient, but because it is such a small amount, you figure it doesn't count.

3. One slip up with that special dessert your friend brought won't hurt you, right?

***QUICK FIXES***

1. Pre-pack smaller, healthy items, portions, etc.

2. Always keep fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins on hand at all times.

3. Always keep a bag/ container of the necessary daily ingredients you need to adhere to your diet, in both your home and workplace. Even your purse, if necessary.

4. At the end of the week, verify that you have everything in stock for the upcoming week and if you don't, make sure you do a little shopping over the weekend.

5. When it comes to desserts and special treats from friends or co-workers, take a small portion and cut it in half. Eat a healthy snack first and then when you eat your treat, make sure you eat slowly, savoring every bite, and wash it down with plenty of water.


LAZINESS:


1. Too tired to cook a healthy meal, so you eat a quick fix meal (which is usually over processed, unhealthy and full of empty calories).

2. Too many items to bring to the office to make healthy lunch and snacks.

***QUICK FIXES***

1. On weekends, spend time making healthy dishes that can be frozen and used on those nights you feel too rushed or tired to cook.

2. Pre-make lunches the night before.

3. Invest in some good tupperware. You can have everything pre-made, measured and stored the night before and grab it on the way out the door in the morning.


DENIAL:


1. "Oh, I'll just have ONE more."

2. "One extra cup of coffee this week won't kill me"

3. "I'm hormonal!"

***QUICK FIXES***

1. Again, pre-make everything! Put an appropriate portion size of whatever snack or meal you are having, into a small container or baggie and once it's gone, it's gone. If you are still hungry, go for the fruits, veggies and proteins with plenty of water.

2. Only make/ bring enough coffee (or drink, other than water) for one serving.

3. If you are feeling hormonal, sometimes a nice walk can help. If you must have something, have something, but always eat the healthy protein or fruit/ veggie first. It will help you to eat less of the mood food. If you deprive yourself too much and for too long, you will risk a serious relapse and end up UNDER that wagon with me!

Okay, now that you are back up in the driver's seat, just keep on that road as long as you can. If you hit another bump, just pick yourself back up and TAKE CONTROL!

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Happy driving!

Breaking up with a hair product is hard to do! (Especially when it smells so darn good!)

I had a love in my life.

I had a soul mate.

Moroccan Oil.



We've been the best of friends for about a year now and my hair has never felt (and smelled) better. But, a dark blanket has been cast over our relationship and I am sad to say we may be ending our friendship forever.

See, I have been battling BAD acne the past few months, for virtually the first time in my life (I know, I know, smack me). I've had mild acne a few times in my mid twenties, but at that time I was treated with a harsh, burning cream and antibiotics, which did clear things up quickly. But I have never had anything this bad, or for this long. What have I done to bring this on?

Well, I've never had the best diet and every once in a while I get a nice smack upside the head and realize maybe it's time to get serious again and eat the way I know I should. So, in celebration of this latest smack, I have tried every acne product I can think of, including Proactiv, Differin, Burt's Bees acne formula, Cetaphil, etc. Right now I am using BeautiControl.

As for my diet, I have cut out sugar, gluten and coffee (to name a few). I have gone to my Naturopath and had all my hormones, insulin levels, and every other thing tested, including my digestive system, which all came up negative for any issues.

I have looked up virtually every product I use, food or beverage I consume, and any other stray thing I can think of, to see if anything in my daily routine is linked in any way to acne. Well, guess what? I have found some information about my so called 'friend,' Moroccan Oil and I am sad to say, not only is the product not what I thought it was, but it HAS been said to cause acne or make existing acne worse. Which makes sense to anyone with half a brain (not me), as it is an OIL that is soaking into your scalp, and hair which lives right next door to, and in some cases, ON your face! Apparently, OIL + OIL = NOT GOOD. Imagine that!

One blog I found,Pink Sith, reviewing our friend, Moroccan Oil, talks all about it's poopie origins (no, I am not kidding... Goat poop, to be exact.) It is truly ewie. Another site I found, talked about how putting an oil all over you might not be the best thing ever for your skin. Yes, real rocket science stuff here.

Also, supporting what I have already known for many years, but was trying hard to be in denial about, I found this great website, Dherbs.com, which discusses natural acne prevention. I have read many, MANY articles on natural acne prevention and this is the best one I have come across so far.



So, if you've had or are having the same issues I am, well I hope you find your solution and I would love to hear how you kicked it! I am still searching, but in the meantime, Moroccan Oil and I are like Ross & Rachel... "On a BREAK!" (as well as most other things I enjoy in this life!)

Getting a facial today and I'm hoping, at the very least, that I will feel a little bit human again.

Happy Eating (and clear skinning) to you all!

Confessions of a Junk Food Junkie on Facebook

I get gluten free with a little help from my friends!

Some great gluten free info. and resources!



Kitchen Daily

Happy gluten free eating!
Confessions of a Junkfood Junkie Facebook

Thanks a Maté!

My new obsession:

I'm revisiting an old friend. Aviva Yerba Maté



Before I started getting acne, I was enjoying "Shaman Tea" quite regularly, from College Coffee House which is the Aviva Yerba Maté tea, with white chocolate. I stopped drinking them, thinking the white chocolate was contributing to my recent acne breakout (if you can even call it that, more like the "peperoni special" on my face).

Well, I knew the tea itself is good for me, and much better for me than coffee, but I never knew just how good it really is. And besides, I was convinced I wouldn't like the flavor as much without the white chocolate. But, I have tried it with my cream and Xylitol and find that I hardly miss the offensive white chocolate!

I usually brew the tea right through my coffeemaker, using a regular coffee filter. You can also use a coffee press or a tea strainer (but I find the tea is a little too fine and much of it will seep out of the strainer.

Here is some info about the product and the benefits, that I found online.

Happy drinking!


My Mate World

Aviva Yerba Maté Benefits

Sweet Easy Tip of the Day!

When I'm craving something sweet in the afternoon this is a quick, easy snack I like to make:

1 cup fat free Fage yogurt (from the organic food section)
5 or more strawberries, sliced
Granular Xylitol to desired sweetness (available in most health food stores) Now Foods

Mix above ingredients to desired taste. You can also make a nice fruit salad with Fage yogurt. I like to add red grapes, bananas, blueberries, apples and a pinch of cinnamon.

Diets, Lifestyles and Schizophrenic Scales!

You know how they (whoever 'they' are) always say that this should not be a diet, but rather, a lifestyle? Well, I've always agreed with that sentiment. But let's face it, if you are the kind of person I am, you will sabotage yourself with this mentality as much as you will by saying you are on a diet.

Let's observe:

I say I'm just on a diet.

"Oh, I can't have that delectable piece of chocolate, beneath the streaming valley of raspberry sauce, atop a mountain of ice cream with cookies and various other sweet nothings... I'm on a diet."

Well, that's all fine and dandy. Until the day I am staring down at my fat free, gluten free, sugar free, sanity free, cardboard flavored, 'I Can't Believe it's Not Cracker,' topped with my soy, cheddar-jack flavored cheese-that's-not-really-cheese and I freak out, tear off all my clothes and go running through the streets, screaming "I'm an ice cream sandwich! I'm an ice cream sandwich!"... ::sigh:: I've seen it a hundred times.

Now, let's say I insist this is NOT a diet, but rather, a 'lifestyle.' Yes, this works great too. I eat this and that and I say, "Well, if I mess up, it's okay, there's always tomorrow." That's all fine and dandy also, but that's when the excuse making begins.

See, in my warped mind, which is not so prone to moderation, I can eat that raspberry, chocolate mountain thingy (which, by the way, sounds amazing right now), and I will just write it off as part of my 'allowable lifestyle.' But the problem is that eventually, I will do it every day until I can't even remember what my healthy food choices used to be.

So, what is the solution? Where is the happy medium? Well, honestly, if I knew, I would probably be making money, selling books on this stuff instead of venting on a blog, somewhere on the Internet!

And speaking of venting! You know how they always say that when you're trying to lose weight, you should not weigh yourself every day? Well, I can definitely understand why. Here is an example of the underlying sabotage in doing this:

Today I'm weighing in at three to four pounds heavier than yesterday! I say three to four because my moody, schizophrenic scale can never make up it's mind how much I actually weigh and usually gives me about five different options, which I then have to average out.

And I know, I know, they always say that the human body can differ a few pounds from day to day, based on water retention, time of day you weighed in, etc. But really, it was first thing in the morning, both days, Could I really have retained FOUR pounds of water since yesterday? Or gained that much weight, for that matter? I think not.

Therefore, I call bologna on my scale and I would like to say a word to the manufacturers of this particular brand of scale (and you know who you are). I am extremely unhappy with you and your, obviously highly unreliable and schizophrenic, scale right now and I refuse to acknowledge this alleged weight gain as a true and accurate thing. That is all.

Happy "dieting" everyone!

What I've been eating:

I have at least two salads a day, with homemade vinaigrette (sweetened with Xylitol), protein with every meal, little to no sugar and I stay as gluten free as possible. The only grains I'm doing are Scottish oatmeal and brown rice (making sure I eat an equal amount of protein with every grain).

I choose organic foods and stay low fat on my dairy. In my coffee, I do "Coffee-Mate, light (the plain powder) and Xylitol.

For desserts I've made no bake cookies with cocoa powder, fat free milk, Xylitol, Scottish oats and a dab of peanut butter. I also made an easy chocolate mousse with organic heavy whipping cream, Xylitol and cocoa powder, over sliced strawberries (that's my fave!)

I love Fage yogurt (found in the organic section) with sliced strawberries and Xylitol mixed in too. Just a few ideas. My mom made a really good sweet and sour chicken with rice pilaf on the side. We made the sauce with Xylitol too.

The key for me is being as gluten and sugar free as I can, while also watching fat and calories and adding lots of fiber (I like the PGX supplement for fiber).

The Confession:

I'm a soon-to-be 34 year old, organically inclined woman who has been battling junk food junky-inism all my life! I've just been told, for the umpteenth time, what I have known for years: I HAVE A JUNK FOOD ADDICTION.

This is a page dedicated to anyone who is in the same boat, desperately trying to get out, or anyone who just wants to support someone going through this issue.

My Goal: Eat healthier. Lose weight. Break the addiction.
Weight loss Goal: 55 lbs.

MUSTS (as instructed by my doctor): "Protein with every meal. Five handfuls of veggies per day (50% of diet). Limit starches to no more than size of protein. Avoid wheat, sugar, juices, soda and alcohol."

***These guidelines are specific to me and my blood tests results, etc.

I won't lie, this will be hard. I've attempted this before and I have failed, failed and failed again. I was able to lose 30 lbs once and I gained it back with a vengeance.

What's different this time?

The "I wills" are as follows: This time I will be using every support system I can find. I will apply the above guidelines to my online Weight Watchers program and count points, while making these healthy diet changes. I will workout daily (even if I only have time for 5 minutes of jumping jacks!) I will check in with friends, family and supporters throughout the day, with progress reports on this page and I will possibly start a blog. I will share recipes, quick tips, ups and downs, dos and donts as I learn them and any other things I can share. This will help, not only with accountability, but will also provide support to fellow dieters!

The "I wonts" are as follows: I WON'T give up! I won't be too hard on myself if/ when I fall short. I won't skip a day of checking in, unless it is a situation beyond my control. I won't criticise anyone's recommendations, support or questions.

If you are struggling with your weight and need a little extra support, some ideas and someone who knows where you are, where you've been and what you are going through; or if you are a person who just wants to support, offer advice to or follow up on someone like me, then please feel free to comment and post anything you like.

Thank you in advance for your help and for being a part of this support system for me and for each other. We can do this!