What a Difference (2) Weeks Makes…

By ellen on October 13, 2009

My eats are not too exciting today – still a heavy rotation of tea, soup, smoothie, repeat – trying to stave off a cold. My day has been going fairly well, though. It’s my long day (I have class tonight), so I hope I can push through despite feeling a bit under the weather.

So two weeks ago, I had a mini-meltdown in the mirror at a bathroom at Columbia. I posted about it here. Exactly two weeks later, I can’t believe the difference in my attitude. I hit up the same bathroom and mirror on my way into class and WHOA. Simply, I look happier. The changes were relatively minimal, but the results have been fantastic.

Here’s what I’ve done in the last two weeks to make this little transformation:

  • Look in the mirror before I leave in the morning. Yeah, I know, it seems so simple. Literally, I did look in the mirror, but I think I was just doing it to make sure I didn’t have anything stuck to me or something. Now, I’m really looking to see that I am presenting myself the way I want to be seen. No new wardrobe. No new make-up. Just a look.
  • More veggies. They are great for basically everything. I mean, really. More veggies is always an awesome thing. I increased the veggies to improve my complexion… but that’s just an added side effect.
  • Working out. I was overbooked and my workouts got sidelined. I’ve been back to normal recently and the overall improvement in my mood has been superb.
  • Hair cut. This is not necessarily a guideline, but when I went to Fekkai, they asked me when my last haircut was. It was almost a year ago! That’s just plain wrong. Little things like this can make a world of difference in how you feel about yourself.

There you go! I’m off to class, then finally hitting up Whole Foods for some goodies. Hopefully, I’ll be back tonight! Again, I apologize for the sporadic postings… when the cable man finally comes by, I’ll be back to normal.

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Weather is A Changin’

By ellen on October 12, 2009

Despite the fact that I seem to be coming down with a cold, I’ve had an excellent last few days. I LOVE that here in NY the weather just took a turn for the cold. That means…

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Yes! Boots! This angle looks very much like when the Wicked Witch’s legs are sticking out from under the house, no? And yes, those are argyle knee socks underneath.

My day was full of soups and teas… teas and soups… while it’s crappy to start getting a cold, soup and tea are two of my favorite things. Look at the bright side, right? Anyhow, my day was super awesome for the fact that I got myself an awesome new hair cut. Not just any hair cut, mind you. A total remodel at Frederic Fekkai. Woohooo.

I’m pretty sure that I’ve always kinda gotten the same hair cut… sometimes a little shorter… sometimes with more layers… but always essentially the same. It has never been like a style of it’s own. Well, convinced that I could do better, and that I could somehow muster a free cut at a fnacy shmance salon, I signed up to be a hair model at a few local Manhattan salons.

Basically, what this means, is that you go in to get your haircut by a “junior” stylist or someone who’s just starting out. The process takes a while since it’s in a classroom-esque environment with a master stylist checking all of the cuts, but it’s a great way to get a good cut cheap free.

I went in today telling myself that whatever they suggest, I’ll do. No “but-I’d-like-to-be-able-to-keep-it-in-a-ponytail” or anything. Just go with it. So I did. Here she is. I LOVE it.

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Before: Not the best pic, but this was last night and you can see the length…

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After

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Oooh shades! Haha, again, not the best (or happiest-looking) self-shot, but you get the idea.

I’m really glad I did it. I can’t wait to see what my students and coworkers say tomorrow. Husbo loved it, natch.

It seems like such a small thing, but I could feel myself walking a bit taller. A little (ish) change really altered my whole demeanor. Look good feel good / Feel good, look good, right? I’m really glad I allowed myself to take the risk. This could have easily been something that I didn’t like, but I trusted the person in charge and went with it. Worst case scenario, hair grows back. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. I think that really held true for me today.

Have you taken a (big or small) risk that has paid off?

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I’m gearing up for ANOTHER week without cable or internet at home (boo!) and trying to get all of my school work done tonight. I’ll also try to hit up Whole foods tomorrow to get some anti-cold ingredients… more tea, soups, smoothie ingredients and supplements.

For more information about preventing fall/winter colds, check out this great Whole Foods podcast from their Whole Body podcast series:

Changing seasons and cold weather can bring new strains on health, especially for young people. Focusing on wellness is a good idea, starting with these easy ways that will help keep your family healthy.

Dr. Chris Marchioni is a board certified family medicine physician with over 20 years of clinical experience, and is Executive Director of Healthy Learning Paths, a Colorado nonprofit delivering educational resources for families.  For more information, www.healthylearningpaths.org.

Podcast: Download

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Skin Deep Nutrition

By ellen on September 30, 2009

Things were looking up today after I hit proverbial rock bottom yesterday. I took about 4 extra minutes out of my life this morning to blow dry my hair nicely and make sure I looked polished. It made a world of difference.

My next focus will be on repairing my skin. I want my complexion to have an even, healthy, clear, freshness to it (that’s a pretty extensive list, ha). I do believe that at the root of calm, healthy skin is what you put into your body, so I’ll start there.

According to the Mayo Clinic, certain foods promote healthy skin: fruits and veggies (natch), fish, nuts, olive oil, and legumes. Dr. Perricone, skin guru, gets a bit more specific including high-quality proteins (fish, tofu), high-antioxidant beverages (green tea), and lots of water (8-10 glasses).

The idea is that theses healthy fats (in fish, nuts, and olive oil), fruits, veggies, and tea (high in antioxidants), and legumes (high fiber) work as anti-inflammatories. Whether you’re trying to improve your health and skin, like me, or not – a diet rich in these foods will be otherwise beneficial.

The next few weeks, I’m going to focus on making sure that my appearance is a more accurate reflection of my healthful lifestyle. I’m starting with the inside first. :)

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Lunch was same ole pb&j. Snack time after school was delishy goldfishies, apple (on Apple, ha).

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I’ll leave you with some lovely pics from the walk I took this afternoon in the park across the street. I bet this isn’t what you picture when you think of Manhattan!

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:)

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Feel Good/Look Good, Look Good/Feel Good

By ellen on September 30, 2009

Good morning! For some reason, I’m feeling remarkably chipper this morning – despite the fact that I drank a little a bit too much vino last night with husbo, went to bed waaaay past my bedtime, AND there was no hot water for a shower this morning.

No overnight oats for me. Just the regular kind with maple syrup, brown sugar, a dollop of pumpkin, and some almonds. Yum! A little sweetness certainly doesn’t hurt :)

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I think I’m also really excited to start a new day. After yesterday’s look in the mirror (literally), I decided to set a few goals — one is taking a little bit more time in the morning so I look as good as I feel. I’m not really doing it for the sake of others, but I know that when I feel I look good, I feel better as a result (and vice versa). So today, I’ll do it. Also, there are some bigger goals for October (I’ll tell you them tomorrow!) that align with this inside/out transformation.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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A Little R&R

By ellen on September 29, 2009

I’ve been running around and around today – I’m tired, but the day was really great and went by very quickly. Here’s how I did on the agenda I made this morning:

  1. Workout w/ my friend Jillian DONE!
  2. WORK (Tuesdays are my busiest work day, wish me luck)IMG_0367
  3. CLASS
  4. A little cardio at the gym (Cycling or elliptical, methinks) class was 3 hours long – not the 1hr I planned on… no gymbo today :(
  5. More leftover dinners at home w/ husbo Husbo fixed up the Kashi pizza and salad tonight!
  6. Finalize moving plans Finally! New home on Friday!
  7. Get lunches, etc. ready for Wednesday: All packed up and ready to roll – exactly the same lunch pack as today.

So I’m all set for tomorrow! Work will be a bit less hectic tomorrow, and I’ll stay after to get a few things done.

I got to class and began my late afternoon snack of goldfish, apple, and a small latte I picked up on the way (needed a minor jolt). I settled in and enjoyed being on the student side of the room for a bit. During break, I took a bathroom break and while I was washing my hands I looked in the mirror. My first thought? Yikes, I look awful. I know! Isn’t that terrible? I wasn’t saying it in some hyper-critical way, just like a wow – maybe these last few weeks have taken more of a toll on me than I had thought.

I looked tired. There was no life in my face – uneven skin tone, tired eyes, etc. I’m a pretty firm believer that your appearance is a direct reflection of how you treat yourself, and what you put into your body. I admit, the last few weeks of apartment limbo, lack of cooking, workout, etc. has not been great. Looking in the mirror made me see just how much nourishment I needed.

I’ve been thinking of some new goals for myself for the month of October, and after today’s look in the mirror, I realized that many of them align perfectly with my need to have the outside reflect the inside (and vice versa). I’ll give the low-down on Thursday to kick off October.

In the meantime, I back to drinking 4+ liters of water/day, and making sure, that even though I’m not cooking much, I’m still getting at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies. What do you do to ensure that your appearance/demeanor reflects your nutrition/spirit/values?

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