It was this lovely salad that inspired me to do something about my diet — which has deteriorated so much since my cleanse ended that I find myself exhausted, shaky, anxious and depleted…. Arugula salad with chopped fennel, orange, walnuts and a tangy dressing of olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice and basil. So simple, but creative, aesthetically-pleasing and super healthy. My friend set it in front of me after I insisted that she don’t go out of her way — on our pizza playdate — to feed my vegan self…. And, I was inspired. Inspired to cook again (and, thus, to update this blog, finally) and inspired to get back into the kitchen and create. Fennel! She put fennel in the salad!

The next day, I went to the bookstore and finally bought this book I’ve been eyeing a long time: Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet….

Because something had to be done. I mean, the way my body thanked me upon each bite of delightfully bitter arugala, each nutty crunch of walnut, each juicy squish of orange slice? It was like Minden at cookie time….

…THANKFUL. See, I AM a yoga instructor. So, I might be a little more aware of my body than most people. And I totally felt the thanks with every bite. I KNOW my body needs work. It needs help and proper, educated nourishment. If I’m going to be a vegan — which I am, because I love animals beyond the norm — I have to do it right. If I want to live to a ripe old age with healthy bones and peace of mind, I have to do it right.

So, here are some things I’ve learned from the book (my eyes HURT from scanning its pages all day), that I’ll do, or that I’ll do more consistently, to get healthy and stay on the HEALTHY vegan wagon for life (fingers crossed!)….

1. Have I told you about the sweet potatoes? I can’t remember. I buy about four a week — all for me because my kids won’t touch ‘em now, for some reason…. Right when I get home from the grocery store, I take out my sweet potatoes, poke ‘em with a knife several times and stick ‘em in the oven at 400°F. Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet — loaded with beta carotene, fiber, and so much more. More importantly…, they’re like CANDY. Their juice even oozes out of the holes I poke, and it caramelizes, and I peel it off the baking sheet AND EAT IT — total CANDY. YOU MUST TRY IT….

2. OMEGA 3s. OMG, have I told you about Omega 3s? You need ‘em. Especially if, like me, you’re prone to depression and anxiety (of course, they’re essential for a host of other reasons…). If you don’t eat fish, you must take a supplement. I am now making a concerted effort to get my omegas 3s from walnuts (I make sure my kids eat walnuts), hemp seeds, and a daily dose of Udo’s Choice, which came highly recommended to me by the vitamin person at the health food store…. At first, I thought I had to put a tablespoon into a smoothie every time I wanted to take it. But, yesterday, I realized I could take it no problem mixed in a glass of water. Easy.

3. KALE. You know I love my kale. From now on, I eat one whole bunch of kale a week — at least. I just stick it in a pot with an inch of water and some chopped portobello mushrooms, cover, and leave it on the stove until it’s just steamed. When it’s ready, I pour on a little tamari (soy sauce) and some olive/canola oil, sprinkle with pine nuts (and maybe a press of garlic), and ENJOY. It’s a really nice dish…. Kale, and all dark leafy greens, are such important non-dairy sources calcium. Indeed, since the Monkey decided she doesn’t love milk, I ask her to eat a little kale whenever I make it. She forces it down — it’s great. Heh. I’ll also puree kale and put it in smoothies, and I’ll puree spinach and put it in my kids’ scrambled GREEN EGGS!

4. FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE. I love that ORANGE JUICE is now part of my diet. I need it because FORTIFIED orange juice is a valuable source of calcium AND vitamin D — which has been all over the news as a major cancer preventer. If you can’t get into direct sunlight for 15-20 minutes a day, you need to take a D supplement. While I have some D in my multivitamin, it’s not enough in these winter months. PLUS, you need vitamin D to properly absorb calcium. So, HOLLAH to the new orange juices that are adding not only calcium but vitamin D to the mix…. One cup a day! Cheers!

5. LENTILS. I hereby vow to have cooked lentils in my fridge at all times. They’re such a perfect food. Full of fiber, protein and other important stuff. If they’re sitting in my fridge, I can dump ‘em in salads, pasta, on rice…. I feel healthier already!

6. FIGS. I’m also SO pleased to announce that dried figs are now an essential part of my diet. LOVE! One serving (five figs) offers a good source of non-dairy calcium for vegans. We’re supposed to get 6-8 servings of non-dairy calcium daily. So, between this and the kale and the orange juice (and the almond butter and hummus I love, and soy/rice milk), I’m golden.

7. Since we’re on the topic of calcium and bones…. 30 minutes of exercise a day is now MANDATORY. I have to do it…. Must stay strong so I can do this forever (yes, I’m posting it again — must take more yoga pics)….

Think you’ll try any of this? Of course, it’s all great advice for vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike! What do you think?

Off to eat a sweet potato…. And I’m, seriously?, really excited about it.

I don’t think you can handle this, Gorgeouses. Can you? Want to prove me wrong? Huh? Huh? Are ya SCAAAARED? Because I dare you. I dare you to try going vegetarian for a week. Think you can handle it? I don’t think you can handle it….

So, can you handle this? Can you take the VEGGIE CHALLENGE? This is a DARE, Gorgeouses. ARE YOU GAME? OR, are ya scaaaaaared?! Bock buck buck buck buck BOCK buck buck buck buck (that’s my effort to sound like a CHICKEN!!!).

Even if you don’t do the whole week, this plan — devised by my city’s very own The Toronto Vegetarian Society — is full of great tips and recipes for incorporating more plant-based meals in your (and your family’s) diet. You might find you even LIKE eating this way. If you’re lucky, like me, you might notice your skin take on a new glow, or you’re less congested, you feel lighter, more balanced and more compassionate….!

Here’s an example of a day on the diet:

Breakfast
• Whole-grain cereal with your choice of milk, sprinkled with dried or fresh fruit.
• Calcium-fortified orange juice.

Lunch
• Avocado slices with sprouts or lettuce on whole-grain bread, grape or cherry tomatoes.
• Cantaloupe chunks drizzled with fresh lime juice.

Dinner
Chinese stir-fry over brown rice: toss in tofu chunks, broccoli, pea pods, and bok choy.

Snack
Dried figs.

Mmmm…. FIGS. Love! I may stay away from those figs because they’re high in sugar and HIGHLY addictive. But, they’re also high in calcium and iron and other good stuff.

You know, I’ve been researching vegan weight-loss diets, like Dr. Fuhrman’s well-known Eat to Live diet and various macrobiotic diets. But, they’re all so dang restrictive. And, the vegan diet’s restrictive enough — especially if you’ve been a CHEESE lover all your life, like I was…. So, I’m excited about this Veggie Challenge. It’s realistic. It’s simple. And, it’s not restrictive or rigid. As long as I keep the sugar and cheaty snacking to a minimum, I should lose weight on it! (Especially with my new TURBO JAM DVD!)

Bah bye, diet full of peanut butter on bagels! Hello BALANCE and VARIETY…and DELICIOUS.

I’ll keep you posted on how the recipes are, etc.. So, you in? Or, are you too chicken to give up the chicken for ONE WEEK? (Or, even just one DAY a week?)

LOVE!
xo Haley-O

Hi Gorgeouses! Guess who’s back? Our resident holistic nutritionist, Lori Kennedy — here to motivate and inform us! Enjoy! And, congratulations, Lori, on the birth of your baby girl! Love, all us Gorgeouses!

So I had my baby 7 weeks ago today. Let’s just say that, no matter how much you plan, things never go the way you want them to. I had a pretty traumatic birth experience where I ended up having an emergency C Section. I had midwives because I wanted a natural birth –- the exact opposite happened. The baby and I are fine and healthy, which is all that matters –- EXCEPT that I am left with a stomach that resembles the face of a walrus!

SO today I will start writing about how I plan to lose the 20 pounds I have leftover from 9 ½ months of eating whatever I wanted. (Yes, I know I am a nutritionist but I was pregnant and all my nutritionist ways went out the window –- I am human after all!) My pre-baby body was hot, if I do say so myself. It was hard work to get it and keep it, and I am determined to feel good about my body again or at least good enough to be naked in front of my husband without covering my walrus stomach with my hands.

I am sure a lot of you moms can relate. You want your body back! I am with you in your struggle. I am still wearing my maternity pants because I refuse to buy pants in bigger sizes and my pre preggo-pants don’t fit …YET!

I invite you to dedicate the next 12 weeks to getting your body back. It doesn’t matter whether you had your baby 7 weeks ago or 7 years ago –- there is no time like the present to regain your health and your self-confidence.

Here are some things that have helped me over the last 7 weeks to avoid eating the chips that my husband keeps buying.

1. Apple and 1 tablespoon of raw or roasted almond butter – BEST SNACK EVER!!! Almond butter can be quite expensive. I get mine from Costco.

2. Berries shake – fastest breakfast and portable, can drink it with one hand. All you of moms can appreciate something that only uses 1 hand.

Recipe:
1 cup mixed frozen berries
1 cup soy milk or whatever milk you want
1 cup water
1 tsp oil – I use extra virgin; you can’t taste it, use whatever oil you want – Flaxseed, hemp, canola
1 scoop protein powder – I use hemp but whey is fine too
Blend on high. Enjoy!

3. 70% Dark Chocolate –- 1 square per day

4. Cucumber, salsa and hummus — my husband came up with this
Cut up cucumber. Mix 2 tablespoons of salsa with 1 tablespoon of hummus. Use the cucumber instead of pita or bread. I keep cut up cucumber in my fridge at all times.

5. Grapes — great to munch on when you want something sweet

Goal for the week — pick 1 day to cheat and eat whatever you want. This has really helped me. My day is Saturday. I literally eat whatever I want on Saturdays. If I want crappy food during the week, I force myself to wait until Saturday. If I still want it…I eat — GUILT FREE!!!

Another tip: Have a dinner plate full of salad before you eat your dinner. Salad fills you up so you don’t eat so much at dinner.

What are some of your tips for losing your baby weight?

Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

It’s not just about weight. But it’s a goal: 10 pounds by my birthday — September 10. Yup. It’s time. I’m ready. Time to SHED the baby weight once and for all. And, I can do it.

I CAN DO IT!

I’ve been kind of SEMI trying to lose the weight all this time. With a chai here, a blueberry muffin there, a second helping of pasta here, and that extra spoonful of almond butter THERE (ON. MY. THIGHS).

BUT, ever since the Meditation Workshop I went to last week, I WANT TO CHANGE. And, it’s not ACTUALLY about the weight.

I’ve started to make drastic changes to my diet. While I continue to cook chicken and DEFROST ready-made meat meals for my family — always organic, by the way — I’ve gone strictly vegetarian, with the addition of organic, free-range, eggs and organic yogurt when I feel I need it. Because I DO need some dairy and eggs in my diet, or I start to feel faint. Maybe this will change. Not sure. For now, being a strict vegetarian means really listening to my body and what it needs. God knows, yoga helps with that!

That said, this week in the country has been quite challenging. I’m supposed to be eating wholesome foods: tons of fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes…. While the fam’s barbecuing hot dogs and hamburgers, I’m struggling to find something, ANYTHING, organic or at least wholesome to eat.

So, I’ve ended up eating a lot of candy — something I gave up a long time ago — for lack of FOOD. Not good.

But, today, we FINALLY went shopping at the neighbouring town’s grocery store. The only organic thing they had was Bob’s Red Mill grains (LOVE)….

…which goes to show that Bob is EVERYWHERE….

I also managed to find some brown rice pasta, some canned chickpeas, tomato sauce…. So, while the fam had their chicken and salad and COOKIES, I stayed strong and enjoyed a lovely pasta dish with chickpeas, tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese, and the lovely salad filled with local fresh veggies. Not perfect. But, better than candy.

Anyway, my meditation instructor suggested I eat clean in order to get the most out of my body — including losing this pregnancy weight. Absolutely clean. Fruits and veggies are to make up a greater-than-ever part of my diet.

The thing with this whole-foods diet is that I can’t use food as a crutch anymore. So, in one day, all these emotions are coming up. It’s all so very RAW (PUN!). And, I actually have to, erm, DEAL with them. Instead of eating to deal with them (as I now notice I’ve been doing!), I’ve been swimming lengths in the pool, walking, practicing yoga, and journal writing, and meditating when I can (even if it’s just for 5 minutes in the car!). It all helps.

It really is amazing how tightly intertwined food and emotion are for me…. It’s crazy. But, it’s beautiful to learn this here, and now, in the country — isolated from my life in the city….

Just some thoughts. Not editing this because I’m in the country and lazing and relaxing the brain.

What do you think?

Jessica Alba just a couple of weeks (if that) post baby, already looking fabulous….

Q: My baby is almost 4 months old…what do you recommend regarding exercise, losing weight and breastfeeding? I have read conflicting things and would like to know the best, safest way to lose the baby weight without it affecting my breastmilk.

Thank you!

–Michelle B.

A: This is a question that is near and dear to my heart since I am expecting my first baby at the end of August. I am someone who practiced what I preached. I kept a pretty strict diet and worked out pretty hard – I avoided wheat, dairy and most starches/sugar on a regular basis and weight lifted at least 2 times per week plus cardio 4-5 times per week. WOW did my world get turned upside down when I got pregnant. Needless to say that I have put on more then a couple pounds and had to slow down with the workouts. The result is that I feel fat! I know, I know…I’m pregnant but I thought I would be one of those people who only gained the appropriate 25 pounds. NOT SO!

When I got this question it sparked an urge to formulate a “Bring Sexy Back” plan for all of you moms who want their pre-baby body’s back.

From the research I have done, it is okay to work out pretty intensely assuming you exercised pre baby. It’s the calories you take in or lack thereof that mostly affects the amount of breast milk you will produce. As long as you are providing your body with the right amount of calories coming from good quality, ‘clean’ food there should be no reason you can’t lose the weight!

THE “BRINGING SEXY BACK” PLAN

*If you have never exercised before reduce the exercise portion by half the days and time and work up to 4-5 days per week.

Consult your physician before starting any exercise or diet plan.

Consistency is key!

Exercise:
Cardio: 4-5 times per week for at least 30 minutes (moderate to vigorous intensity)
• Walking/running on the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical or stair climbing.
• Classes at a gym.
• Going for a brisk walk with a stroller.

Nutrition:
Breastfeeding moms need to make sure they are getting enough calories. For weight loss purposes it’s the type of calories that matter. Maximize your eating by consuming lots of low calorie foods like fruits and veggies!

Tips:
• Make sure you are eating every 3-4 hours
• Don’t let yourself get hungry – then the cravings are too strong to avoid
• Ensure you have cut up fruits and veggies on hand to snack on
• Spend some time cooking and freezing – helps to avoid ordering take out
• ALL MEALS SHOULD CONTAIN A LEAN PROTEIN AND GOOD QUALITY FAT
• Avoid starch at dinner
• Avoid empty calories – sugar is the enemy!
• Load up on fiber

Breakfast: HAVE IT!
• Make sure it contains protein and a complex (full of fiber) carb
• Slow cooking oats with egg whites or cottage cheese is a good choice

Snacks: Fruit with nuts or whole grain crackers with a nut butter

Lunch:
• ½ cup complex carb (quinoa, brown rice etc.)
• 4oz protein
• Veggies
• 1 tbsp fat

Snack: Veggies with hummus, cheese, or yoghurt

Dinner:
• 4 oz protein
• 2 cup veggies
• 2 tbsp fat

I plan to have a protein shake later on in the evening or throughout the night if I get hungry. [Haley's note: for a good protein shake recipe, try Lori's Shake To Go!]

Remember that everyone is different [Haley's note: If you want a more personalized plan, email Lori herself!]. I have had clients who couldn’t lose the weight until they stopped breastfeeding. Consuming organic, good quality food and avoiding processed simple sugars is a great place to start!

Good luck!

Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!