Week 1: December Get Real Plan

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Week 1 of my December Get Real plan is over… So, how did I do?

Yikes! Well, ok then.

I did take my multi-vitamins and on Saturday added fish oil, faithfully. Kudos for that.

Portions seem to be in check.

I am getting in more water than I was, but except for Tuesday, I didn't hit the 8 glasses a day mark. I’ve been getting in anywhere between 4-7 glasses, though – which is better than I had been doing. I’ve been noticing sneaky ways to work in a couple extra per day. I’ll get there if I make it a focus.

I usually got in fresh produce - in fact, all but weekends. Apparently, I just need to make sure I have it available at work and it will be eaten.

Also, I did great with spending all but Saturday. And really, I didn’t do too bad – but I did pick up some “not so necessary items” (see previous blog).

The worst offense of the week was that I never went to the gym or even did a work out at home.

This is unacceptable. There was always some excuse. Between holiday parties, angel tree duty, and happy hour – there was always somewhere else to be. Again, this is unacceptable. However, I’ll be facing the same challenges this week… and I will not allow a repeat performance.

So I need to drink up, get my butt to the gym and carry and apple at all times. I can do this!

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Keeping it Weird

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Being from Kentucky doesn’t sound glamorous. In fact, “barefoot and pregnant” and “country” are the first things that come to most people’s minds. In fact, I was on the phone with a co-worker from Ohio the other day that had the nerve to interrupt my sentence and say “talk normal!” Apparently, my slight southern drawl was making an appearance. It does that. It comes and goes. And while I don’t have a true twang, I suppose my drawl is distinct enough to be noticed. But regardless of Kentucky’s odd drawbacks, I am in love with Louisville.

Louisville is different. It is an amazing mix of cultures that I find intoxicating. There’s a slogan here created by the Louisville Independent Business Alliance – “Keep Louisville Weird.” And ain’t that the truth?



An eclectic variety of local stores and restaurants grace our streets and corners. Today I was at Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Market (30 years of business guaranteeing foods that are free of synthetic preservatives, artificial colors or flavors). They had a holiday event with free foods, samples, and booths featuring local area shops. In addition to trying organic coffee and fair trade chocolates, I fell in love with some beautiful glass jewelry and ended up taking home two gorgeous pendants (Thanks, Mom, for my early Christmas present!).


Created by Leah @ Glass Dreamz
(2005 Bonnycastle Ave, 40205 – 502.454.8588)
leahglassdreamz@gmail.com

What made me love them more than their beauty alone was that they were made by the young girl standing in front of me. She made them last night just down the street. Not in China with God knows what. But here in my home town, with glass that she sells locally to other glass artists in town. I now know where to buy gifts in the future. Forget Target and Wal-Mart. I’m looking local first.

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Is this Sexy??

Friday, December 12, 2008

Above is an ad I captured via screen print from this website. I’m not going to knock SP for advertising for whatever they want – it keeps the site free and I’m all for that. My question is… which is sexier – the left side? Or the right? Furthermore, is the right side even female?!?! What happened to feminine curves? Maybe it’s just because I look more like the picture on the left, but I find this ad disturbing! If I’m more like the left side, and I lost 44 pounds… I think I’d be DEAD!! What is wrong with us that we’re supposed to be trying to look like the photo on the right and think that’s sexy? CURVES are sexy! The picture on the left looks female – and moreover – HUMAN! Someone needs to send Laura to the doctor, because if dieting didn’t cause the weight-loss, she must have worms!

There’s my rant for the day. Yes, I think I’m done.
(And no, I didn’t click on that ad – so I really have no idea what it’s even advertising… for all I know, it could say “what’s wrong with you that you’re trying to look like the photo on the right!??!?!” and immediately dispatch a shrink – in fact, I hope that’s the case.)

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Reality Check

Sunday, December 07, 2008

So, what’s the deal? I claim I’m healthier and living smart, yet I’m still sitting here at around 130 lbs (which is not overweight at all, but I was aiming for lower) and I’m still in debt, and lately I’ve been going crazy at the grocery store (I think because things are whole and healthier that allows me the right to go overboard). So, what’s the deal?

What I tell myself: “I belong to a gym! I work out!”
Reality: I often go weeks in between visits, and even when I do go I don’t take full advantage of what’s available – strength training and cardio in one day.

What I tell myself: “I eat healthy whole foods!”
Reality: Yes, while the choices I make are certainly better than the highly processed, artificial foods I was previously eating, eating too much of these healthy foods is still going over on calories and often sugar. I still need to watch portion control!

What I tell myself: “I have a cool steel water bottle that I carry with me everywhere! I get enough water!”
Reality: Between drinking too much coffee again and too many fruit juices and *gasp* beer, I’m not even drinking one full water bottle (1 liter) a day. While I may carry it around, using it is another thing completely.

What I tell myself: “I’m only buying things I need!”
Reality: Somewhere over the last couple of months, “need” and “want” definitions became fuzzy again. Over the summer I’d developed a good sense of the difference. But recently I’ve reverted back to my old bad habits. Sure, what I’m buying is greener, more useful, and probably healthier than my past splurges – but I should really be keeping a better eye on only purchasing the essentials.

What I commit to for the rest of this month:

• Gym visits at least 2x a week. No excuses. If I have the time to sit here and write a blog, I could go to the gym.
• Watch portions. I won’t commit to tracking every bite, but I need to be conscious of everything that passes my lips. If this doesn’t work – it’s back to tracking.
• Get back to water. I will find ways to sneak in a few extra glasses every day. I will get back to my 8 glasses/day.
• Strict spending diet. I did it before – I can do it again. Avoid stores. Yes, even the grocery!!

I can do this!

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Green MartiniGal Lesson #2

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Square One Organic Vodka

The brainchild of co-founder and CEO, Alison Evanow, Square One Organic Vodka is the first rye vodka produced in the United States that has a certified organic growing and fermentation process as the backbone of the spirit. The use of a purer distillate and an artisan view of distilling spirits results in a clean, earthy vodka that is a wonderful sipper, versatile mixer and a bottle that makes the environmentally conscious imbiber feel good.

Pros:

* Certified organic vodka.
* Distilled in small batches.
* Not only is the vodka organic, it's kosher as well.
* Produced by a socially and environmentally conscious company with a female majority ownership.
* Percentage of company's annual profit is donated to environmental causes.
* Pairs well with fresh ingredients for refreshing cocktails.

Cons:

* Limited availability.

The Facts:

* Distilled from certified organic rye grown in North Dakota, using a certified organic fermentation process.
* Distillate is added to clean, fresh water from aquifers whose source is in the Teton mountain range in Wyoming.
* Organically certified by Oregon Tilth following the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).
* Master Distiller, Bill Scott
* 80 proof organic vodka
* Price: $30-35 per 750 mL bottle


Square One Organic Vodka Photo Courtesy of: © Square One Organic Vodka

A Liquor Company with a Conscience:
Square One Organic Spirits LLC is one of the few liquors producers that employ environmental and social ethics in their everyday life. Beyond producing certified organic vodka, Square One uses as much recycled packaging as possible and they are always seeking new, greener options. This includes recycled and recyclable packaging, avoiding acid-dipping and screen printing of labels, a cork free of unnatural elements, soy and water-based inks and feeding the by-product of the rye to local dairy cattle. Social responsibility also plays a major factor in the company policy, which encourages employees to balance their work and home lives and donates a percentage of their annual profits to non-partisan environmental organizations.

Making the Vodka:
Square One begins in the rye fields of North Dakota, a premiere rye growing area. Dedication in the fields yields naturally strong, healthy plants by using chemical-free compost and fresh water. The harvested, certified organic rye is shipped to a distillery in Eastern Idaho that, at 100-square feet, makes a small impact on its environment but houses the rest of the vodka producing process. The USDA also certifies the proprietary fermentation process, which uses organic yeast and natural nutrients, and the water used in the distillery is from the nearby Snake River watershed originating in the Teton Range of Wyoming. Because of the care for and purity of the ingredients used to make the distillate, organic distillers do not need to remove as many impurities as non-organic vodkas and so it needs less time in the stills. Square One is run through a four-column continuous distillation and a traditional carbon filtration process. In total, each small-batch takes 70 hours to complete.

Tasting Notes:
The green processes used in its production are apparent in each sip of Square One. It begins with the fragrance of rich, nutty rye and freshly cut straw. Light grain leads the entry, which is noticeably clean, smooth, and as bright as a brand new day that slowly transforms into a warm, savory palate with a silky, inviting texture. The finish is long and warming with only the slightest hint of heat that pinches the tongue so subtly that one would feel lost without it.

Enjoy Square One:
The Square One website has a great list of original cocktails that showcase the organic vodka beautifully. Two favorites are The Coriandrum (vodka, vermouth and coriander-infused agave nectar) and Square One Sensation (vodka, maraschino liqueur and a spa nectar made of cucumber, agave nectar and ginger). Browsing through the recipes, one finds clean, refreshing cocktails made with natural ingredients (of course, organic is encouraged) so that the rich flavored vodka is allowed to shine. At the right time of year, many of the Square One cocktails can be mixed with ingredients right out of the garden for ultimate freshness.

www.squareonevodka.com/

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