Looking Back and Looking Ahead

What an amazing year! Business at johnnie-O is booming and I graduated with an advanced degree from FIDM in Apparel Industry Management this December. It was wild navigating school and work but I am so glad I did the program and happy for some more free “me" time this year. Life in LA has been pretty great and looking forward to an even better year this year. There are a  couple of things I want to focus on, though Not very different than my resolutions from last year but I find it so helpful to write and memorialize my goals.

Blog More - I am back!! and I have some amazing and fun things coming up to share with you all. Thanks for staying patient while I finished school and could free up some time for MM. More collaborations and original content. Fun stuff. 

That's a great suggestion, Ted. I will definitely write a post on that...

Cooking and Meal Prep- Last year I was really really bad and did not cook at home a lot. This year I plan to do more meal prep on Sundays and cook more meals during the week. I love searching pinterest for new soup and smoothie and dressing and paleo recipes and having healthy options in the fridge definitely helps me stay on track. I like to start off the year doing a meal delivery program. I love Paleo Delivers and Fitness Kitchen LA. 1-2 weeks of healthy meals can get me on track for the rest of the month (and hopefully year!). I like to do paleo for January to shed some of the extra holiday pounds.

Vince meal prepped, I watched. Not exactly healthy...

Fitness - This is a biggie. Last year I was so busy with work and school but I have no excuses this year. For the first 2 months of the year, I am training with the study LA, where they will give me an initial consult and personalized training plan. I’ll go in 3x a week and it's my intention to carry this 3-4x a week workout schedule throughout the year. LA is filled with great workout classes and with such great weather, I can bike, hike and run outside just about any time of year. This is my biggest resolution and I want to stay on track here. Wish me luck...

Playing with the pups while browsing on the web does NOT count.

Drink Less - January is officially a dry month. After lots of overindulging over the holidays (and pretty much all of 2015), it’s time to reset. While I’m abstaining from drinking all of January I’m hoping the positive health effects carry over throughout the year. When I’m not drinking, I consume less calories from alcohol and from hungover food and I burn more calories because I get out on the weekends more. I also just get a lot more done and have a clear head and better skin.

Harder than it sounds....

Save More - While it’s hard to say no to the new handbag, and I know I won’t always, it’s important to save and invest for the future.

Chose the handbag last year. A few times...

Pretty generic and big goals but hoping putting it out there for you all will help me stay on track! Here's to a great 2016!

Nike Live/Lounge

I love Nike for their running shoes and apparel but lately I've also been loving it for their lifestyle clothes (aka clothing/shoes you don't workout in). I recently got a pair of adorable dunks and they have really cute nike signal tops that I got two of (you can workout in them but they're also super comfy for lounging). Below are a few of my favorites.

Health Food of the Day - Goji Berries

I don't know about you but I am going to need some serious detox after all of the eating and drinking I've been doing. I feel like I've had a holiday party every night and my body is taking a toll. As many of you know, I prefer to add good things to my diet instead of taking things out (not always the best route but gotta start somewhere!) Goji berries are gaining popularity and with such great health benefits, and Gwyneth supporting them, why shouldn't they?? Goji berries, or wolfberries, have been around a long time and are native of China. They have a sort of chewy/crunchy texture that are similar to craisins with a little more crunch (if you get the sun-dried kind). Some of the numerous health benefits include:

+Filled with antioxidants

+Compounds rich in vitamin A, C and E

+Lots of fiber to keep you full

+Contain 15x more iron than spinach

+Full of carotenoids like beta-carotene (seen in carrots) and lycopene (seen in tomatoes).

+Some research suggests goji berries can help increase metabolism and boost energy levels.

 via

I like to soak the berries overnight and put in a smoothie with a banana, acai powder, almond milk, ice cubes and a touch of honey. They are also great on salads and in yogurt bowls. I've even recently seen goji berry infused vodka (which looks amazing...). 

If you live in NYC, try Hu Kitchen's kale salad with goji berries, which is literally kale, goji berries and a yummy dressing or try their amazinggg "mash bar." I like my mash with chocolate chia pudding, cashew butter, almond butter, puffed quinoa bits, strawberries, bananas, goji berries and chocolate syrup - YUM! Probably more calories than going to Pinkberry but at least it's healthier...

Superfood Breakfast Bowl via Camille Styles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 dried merjool dates (more for added sweetness), seeds removed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamon
• 2 tablespoons pepitas
• 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon golden raisins
• goji berries, chia seeds, banana and coconut flakes, to garnish

Recipe

1. Rinse quinoa until water runs clear and combine in a medium sauce pan with water, coconut milk, and dates.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has started to soften.
3. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, pepitas, shredded coconut and golden raisins.
4. Cook an additional five minutes, adding water if necessary, until quinoa and soft and fully cooked.
5. Serve hot and topped with banana, goji berries, chia seeds, and coconut flakes. Add maple syrup or honey to sweeten further if you’d like!

NYC Healthy Meal Delivery

I've tried every diet in the book but have recently settled on Paleo, which has been life-changing. I give myself 4 cheat meals a week but the rest of the meals are dairy, grains/gluten, beans, corn-free meals. It doesn't feel like a diet anymore except when I'm out to dinner or wanting to order something creamy/deliciously bad on Seamless. I am a huge fan of meal delivery programs but many are extremely expensive and not exactly what you want. I tried the Chef's Diet once and while I like the food, it seemed like a bit too many calories and carbs.

 I recently saw a promotion on Gilt City for a program called Provenance Meals. The food looks amazing and you can order just dinners or do the  whole shabang and you get to pick which food you get (a huge plus for me). All of the ingredients are organic and they follow a paleo-esque food plan. Hurry to Gilt City because they are still running the promotion here. I sometimes pay more than that for that for an unhealthy seamless delivery so ordering was a home run in my book. I signed up for 3 dinners and they come next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I will let you know how it is but it looks delicious. Some of the amazing (all gluten-free) options include chicken pad thai, chipotle and cider rubbed pork and pan roasted bass filet with fennel and a white wine sauce. YUM. 

Even if you miss the Gilt promotion, take $25 your first order if you enter code PMINTRO at check out on the site.

Speaking of seamless, Hu Kitchen now delivers to my area but the delivery minimum is $55 dollars. All of their food is dairy and grain-free and they use local and all organic ingredients. Try the chocolate chia pudding for an amazing dessert, the chicken fingers (to feel like you're not on a diet) or the delicious vegetable "bread." I also love their kale salad with goji berries and, if you go in person, they have a full bar with fun cocktails and gluten free beer!

Sakara Life is a vegan, gluten-free, organic meal delivery program that delivers to NYC and now to Greenwich, CT and Westchester. All of the produce is sourced locally when possible and they have a great blog and newsletter with healthy recipes.   

You can choose 1, 5, or 20 days or even 3 months (which is discounted). You can select to have all three meals, just breakfast and lunch or just a "lunchbox." Their food looks amazing but I do love my meat...

Sample Menu below

Finally, Food Matters NYC is a program that does meal delivery and even catering. Before  you sign up, you fill out all sorts of information about yourself and then you talk to owner Tricia about your preferences. You can pick how many meals you want a week and the meal-plans are totally customizable.The food is made fresh every day and a typical menu looks like the below:

Farm Egg Crepe
Packed with Ten Vegetables
Morning Zinc Brittle
Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Brown Rice Syrup
Healthiest Chicken BBQ Ever
Red Cockerel Chicken, Oven Baked Quinoa Hush Puppy, Probiotic Collard Green Slaw, Baked Adzuki Beans
Afternoon Green Soup Shot
Kale, Romaine, Cucumber, Celery, Avocado, Cumin, Lemon
Turkey Meatloaf
Loaded with Quinoa and Vegetable, Oven Baked Curry, Sweet Potato Fries, Sautéed Baby Spinach
Power Packed Chocolate Chip Cookie
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Almond Flour, 70% Chocolate

This option is a little more expensive but the food looks incredible and it is completely up to you how many meals you want and what food you get.

I will let  you all know how Provenance Meals goes but I have a feeling I'm really going to like it. I also ordered their paleo pumpkin muffins... just to try....

Tuesday Treats - Day 2 of 30 Day Paleo Challenge

Day 1 of my Paleo challenge in the bag and I feel great. I've done gluten free/low carb diets before but the extra discipline of no processed food, no dairy, no corn and no legumes will definitely be a challenge. Some things I'm excited for:

This Book

Is phenomenal - like, best gluten/dairy free cookbook I've ever read. Danielle Walker has really hit the nail on the head with this one. All of her recipes look delicious and not too too hard to make. I bought it on my iPad and it was worth every penny. She also has a fantastic blog also named Against All Grain.

Some recipes I'm dying to try

Carmel Glazed Donuts

Crepes…or Tortillas…or Lasagna noodles

Paleo Fish Tacos

Other things I'm excited about (going with the paleo theme...)

Steve's Paleo Goods Sauce Sampler - I'm a hugeee condiments girl so one of the hardest parts about Paleo is giving up my ketchup! These are Paleo, look delicious and have awesome reviews. The sampler comes with Ketchup, Steak Sauce, Wing Sauce, and Sriracha. YUM! They also have awesome salad dressings on the site. 

 Other helpful sites:

Nom Nom Paleo

Whole30 (not a paleo website per se but very similar concepts)

The Paleo List

and, of course, Pinterest! There are awesome recipes on there. 

These 30 days are going to be a breeze (fingers crossed...)! Have you guys tried Paleo or any similar diets? Any helpful hints for me??

P.S. This made me happy : )

New Year's Resolutions

I'm all about making New Year's resolutions. I don't necessarily make really specific ones but I think it's helpful to organize your goals, wants and wishes for the year to make yourself accountable. I usually have one or two overarching resolutions and then a bunch a little health and beauty ones. Below are some of my resolutions that I'm hoping will inspire me to have a great 2013. What are your resolutions??

Health and Beauty

• Be nicer to my body- this doesn't necessarily mean lose weight but I need to start eating better to feel better
• Hit the gym at least 3x a week- I'm usually pretty good about this but let it slip a little close to the holidays. Time to get back on the horse!
• Add more greens to my diet. It's easy to go without them if I don't think about it.
• Floss every night- I recently got scolded by my dentist. Flossing is not only important for keeping your teeth and mouth healthy but is good for your overall health.
• Take care of my skin- No more going to bed with my makeup on for this girl. I vow to buy products that will really work on my skin and keep up with facials (shouldn't be too hard...)
• Cook more in my apartment- less takeout! (this one is going to be tough...)

Style

• Invest in classic pieces that I'll have forever instead of buying cheapish things I'll throw out in a year. Sometimes it's worth it to spend the extra money
• Spend more time on putting my outfits together for work. I'm there 5 days a week, might as well look good!

Glowing Green Smoothie

During the holidays, it's hard to stay healthy. With the abundance of finger foods on hand and glasses of champagne floating around, it's really difficult to count calories and stick with your diet. I (unsuccessfully) tried a soup cleanse the other week and I found it too restrictive. As I've said in the past, it's much easier for me to add things to my diet than subtract them. What can I say, I'm a real foodie! 

I've seen Hillary Duff post about a "glowing green smoothie" that she prepares and I decided to check out what it was all about. I'm  a big fan of Blue Print Cleanse's green drink but at 10 dollars a pop, it's not very economical. Hillary and other celebs are a fans of  Kimberly Snyder's "The Beauty Detox Solution." Snyder has easy to follow recipes and her philosophy on healthy eating is less about restricting yourself and more about clean, healthful eating and restoring the body's natural systems. Although I'm not a fan of omitting things from my diet, the green juice should be used as a meal replacement because it provides enough calories, carbs and nutrients for a meal. I'm dying for a vitamix so I can try her easy to follow recipe below. Apparently it totally resets your system and you feel healthier, more in balance and like your skin is glowing. 

Snyder also has other great recipes on her website and tons more in her book (I bought it on my iPad). She mostly prepares gluten free, dairy free and meat free recipes. She doesn't generally give a calorie count and focuses more on the vitamins and nutrients in each meal. Below is the recipe for the Glowing Green Smoothie. 

Technology Thursday: Can't Live Without Apps

I, admittedly, took far too long to get an iPhone. I really held onto my blackberry to the last moment it was socially acceptable (sorry blackberry peeps). When I finally to decided to take the plunge, I had to wait a month for it to finally arrive. With that time I obviously did extensive research on apps and user capabilities. I wasn't a complete Apple newb because I had an iPad but I did have a lot to learn. Below is a list of my can't live without apps. I'll leave out the obvious Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram because if you have an iPhone you more than likely already have these!

1. Hopstop- If you live in a major metropolitan area, especially New York, this app is a life saver. Type in your starting address and ending address and hopstop will formulate the best route whether that's walking or on the subway or a combination. 

2. My Fitness Pal- This application is the ultimate diet tool. It is the best calorie counter around and it's so user friendly. They have tons of name brand food and they make it really easy to keep track of diet and exercise. You can set a calorie limit you want to stick to and goals. You can track your weight and they'll make neat diagrams and charts documenting your weight loss. This app really makes you accountable for every bite!

3. Kindle- This seems like another obvious one but I still wanted to put it on the list. If you're an avid reader and want to read your book on every tablet or screen you own, this is the best. I have an iPad that I like to use to read before I go to bed and a kindle that I use on the beach or outside and then my iPhone for those random moments when you're not expecting to want to read. This handy apps syncs to the farthest read page so you never have to lose your place. You can even download straight from amazon.com on a computer and the book will show up on your device or you can choose to share books with friends (a feature I'm still trying to figure out)!

4. Cloth- When I was younger, I always wanted to have the closet Cher from Clueless had. Cloth is a great app for people who are pressed for time in the morning and don't have time to put together an outfit or just for anyone who wants to document their different outfit ideas. You take pictures and then store them in the app. There are different categories like "work," "event," "party," and "everyday" where you can keep your ideas. Mom, you should really be using this!

5. Mixology- Have random ingredients but don't know what drink to mix? This takes the guessing away by allowing you to put in the ingredients and voila, a drink option! You can also browse tons of recipes for different occasion. I've even seen bartenders use this app at bars. 

6. App in the Air- The travel assistant is really cool. It gives you advice from other passengers, latest information on flights, airports and airlines, tons of personal features like a packing list and check-in from the app. I haven't used this one yet but I hear that it's really cool. 

7. Shazam- Hear a song and want to know what it is and download it? Enter shazam. Open the app when a song is playing and watch it go to work. It will tell you the song title, artist and where to download. 

Those are just a few of my favorites (as my friends know, I'm a total tech nerd) and I hope they enhance your life like they've enhanced mine!

Fitness Post of the Week: Barry's Bootcamp

I'm always trying new diets and fitness classes to try and find one that clicks with me. Last night I decided  to give Barry's Bootcamp a whirl. I knew that Kim Kardashian was a fan and was looking for a class where I'd walk out and feel like I burned a lot of calories and had a good workout. Barry's was it for me. If it wasn't so darn expensive I'd go 5 times a week.

 

There are two groups in the class: one that starts on the treadmills and one that starts on the floor. I started on the floor which definitely wasn't my preference. If you have the choice, start on the treadmill. It was an arms and abs day which was fantastic. The lights are dimmed and there is almost a reddish glow. There are mirrors everywhere and the lighting actually makes everyone look awesome which definitely fuels motivation. They play great music and the instructor was motivating but not overly hyper and annoying. You take turns on the treadmill and on the floor for a total of about 5 switches that are about 6 minutes long. You end up running around 3 miles at different intervals and speeds and get a really good sweat going. I went alone but I bet it'd be really fun with friends.

 

If you're a fan of Soul Cycle's pumping beats and want a hard workout, I recommend Barry's Bootcamp.They also have DVDs and other merchandise on the site.

Website here