SociallyGreen

I'm Enrolled! - Institute for Integrative Nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

If I didn't mention it yet... I've entered a year-long program to become a certified Nutritionist and Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition :)

I did my fair share of research on this program for the past few months and two weeks ago I took the plunge. They sent me a huge box in the mail with everything that I needed as well as some goodies. The program is suited to teach nutrition as well as the business side of things. I will get credits through SUNY as well as a certificate from the AADP (American Association of Drugless Practitioners), and a certificate from IIN.

One thing that I really liked about the box was this nutrition journal. It goes day by day with morning and night entries. It asks a couple of questions (same everyday) and you check off what you were able to accomplish (same options everyday). When my year is up, I can't wait to see how much I've changed. The President asked that we all treat ourselves like we're in medical school. All that's required is 2 hours a night. This is a free week due to the holiday, but it gives us time to catch up, read, and such.

I'd like to learn as much as I can about nutrition and help people cure themselves with food and spirituality.

I'm super excited to see what comes of this program :)

Day 1 - 30 Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 30 May 2012 00:38:00 +0000

Good evening!

I'm beat. I really am. I have mental capacity, but not physical capacity. As I write this post I'm watching "Sweetie Pie's" on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). The owner used to be a backup singer for Tina and Ike Turner (the Ikettes haha). I have to say I'm quite proud of myself. I just ate a salad, and I have no cravings as I sit here and watch the cooks fry up this fried chicken and baked macaroni and cheese.

(Romaine hearts, chopped with blueberries, cucumber with peel, grape tomatoes, salmon, and lite caesar dressing - 4oz of homemade red wine, it was a gift)

When I got home I put groceries away, checked on laundry in the basement, and took Maia for a quick 15 minute walk. I wanted to get in a little more activity before I sat down for the night to blog and study.

Yesterday I weighed myself (not a good idea after a holiday weekend), and I wasn't happy. I jumped in the shower and cried. I'm at my heaviest. You don't look in the mirror and say "I'm just gonna go ahead and gain another 10... oh wait, slap another 40 on there while you're at it." And it literally feels like overnight. I texted my coworker who I always go to lunch with "Don't ask me to go to UNO's for lunch anymore, I'm officially a gym-rat again!" and she replied "Alright alright alright alriiiiight!" So we're good!

I think it's easy to be influenced by others, but I'm an adult and I need to keep on it, just like I was at the beginning of the year. I can do it. I know I can. Anyways, I digress!

This morning I woke up and made a salad to take to work, and cracked open a Yoplait to swallow down my vitamins. I walked Maia and headed to work. At lunch I hit HealthPoint (BSC - Boston Sports Clubs). I have to say... I didn't want to even go because I only had a sleeveless shirt in my gymbag. Ugh. I was like "Really?!" I hate my arms. When I was 21, I loved my arms. Time to get back to that. I didn't even want to walk in, but when I did... I was like "What was my problem, this is no big deal, no one's even looking at me!" I did strength training, then cardio, then some pull-down reps for my back.

I was using MyFitnessPal app to fill in my exercises as I went but it became a distraction. So I opened the Notes app on my iPhone and just plugged everything in to keep it short. When I returned to work I put everything into MFP.

I worked out upstairs because all treadmills were taken and a few were out of service. The view was nicer upstairs anyway!

I fell in love with this machine. As soon as I saw that it works the "back fat" area... I was game! I did 3 sets of 20 on the 4th setting. I'm assuming it's about 10lbs per knob.

I realized that I didn't have any protein drinks at work, so I grabbed a quick strawberry smoothie with a scoop of protein (for an extra $1, grrr) at the cafe. DELISH. Okay so that $1 was worth it. Whatever!

I sucked down half of the smoothie on the drive back to the office, which is all of 5 minutes. I remember my trainer telling me how important it is to have protein within 30 minutes after working out to help your muscles rebuild. When I got back I made a salad and heated up an Old el Paso chicken, bean and rice pouch. The calories aren't bad. Sodium is probably the only thing. Well plus the fact that it's processed... but after a workout, 1/3 cup wasn't going to kill me, plus I had nothing else to eat with it.

I need to lose 47lbs in order to be where i was when I was 6 years ago. I'm confident that I can do it.

All in all it was a good day and I feel pretty damn good!

Memorial Day Weekend 2012

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

My weekend started out in a strange way. All week I had a sour stomach, acid reflux, and low energy. Every time I sat down to relax, I had to get up for something, or had to pee. That's the worst. You know that feeling right? When you just can't sit down. I may have a mild case of OCD... or a real bad one... anyway...

(Yogurt for breakfast, a full Camelbak, allergy medicine, Tums, and International Delight iced coffee)

(Deli ham, deli swiss, Thomas' multi-grain, fiber english muffin (1 split in half), and two organic cage-free eggs with just enough yolk left uncooked in the middle, topped with salt and pepper)

After laying down with my laptop to do some work, I jumped up to make something a bit heavier around 10am before my 11am company "Friday call". I honestly never even thought to make my own ham, egg, and cheese on an english muffin... but I have to say... I was impressed with my work.

Our CEO generally lets us wrap up work by 3pm so I was able to get some reading in.

(I highly recommend Fifty Shades of Grey, as a dramatic, "adult" read. I have to say it is very intimate, yet done in a very classy, modern type of way.)

Dale came into town to visit me :) We headed down to Boylston Street with the guys and had a hilarious time as usual. We seriously need to find a hobby hahaha. Gotta love her! And I'm so glad she visited, otherwise I would have laid up in the house all weekend and rotted!

We ate and drank like never before, obviously...

Karol's first night back at Whiskey's. He was a happy boy haha. M on the other hand... inappropriate... completely inappropriate. He was hoping I wouldn't post this. Yeah right!!

We came back to the house and stayed up extra late. I always have fun just hanging out and talking. Nothing too crazy, no partying, no going wild, just some nice adult conversation, over adult beverages :)

The next morning Dale and I headed down to Geoffrey's Cafe in Back Bay.

(Top left: Bacon, a very large plate of bacon; Middle: Mushroom and spinach omlette with home fries and melon; Top right: More homefries; Right: Stuffed French Toast (cream cheese filling with blueberry puree - aka Heaven)

We ate like homeless people, no lie! And the bartender there is the BEST and the CUTEST thing in the world. He's amazing. D said that if she were a gay man that she'd date him haha (very gay-friendly neighborhood and bar, and I love every bit of it).

(Bloody Mary... aka Holy Awesomeness at 10am)

Of course we had to indulge in their 10am opening time as well as the beverage menu. Oh come on like you haven't needed some "hair of the dog"... or whatever it's called!!

D had to take off for Bikram (I don't know how the hell she did it after that Elizabeth Taylor'tini or whatever it's called). Somehow she made her way back for the 8pm game. The Celtics took on the Sixers in Game 7... and they won, thank God.

I made homemade wings. This is a serious process, let me tell you... serious.

(Homemade Fiery Sweet, & Buffalo wings)

Earlier this week I needed to grab a bunch of groceries, because as you know... we'd die of starvation if I didn't get groceries........ anyways, I grabbed two packages of wings and drumsticks (it was a mixed). I found some Texas Pete wing sauce so I got "Fiery Sweet" (think BBQ Hot), and "Buffalo".

A couple quick steps:

Marinate and cover for an hour (I left mine on the counter, I don't agree with fridge marinating, just doesn't settle as well)
Heat oven to 425*
Cover pan with foil and spray with non-stick oil (regular oil or can spray)
Separate wings onto pan (I used two just to give them space to get crispy enough)
Spray the top of them with the oil spray (this gives them that extra crisp)
Place them on the top rack
After 35 minutes check on them to see if they need flipping
Use a brush to add more sauce and let them go for another 10 minutes
When they're finished, I tossed them in their appropriate sauces once more then let them cool for about 10 minutes, and VOILA!

The chicken was about $4 a package, and the sauces were $3 each. Cheaper than ordering out, and everyone agreed that mine were better than Whiskey's... which is a very nice compliment.

Although I should have been resting a lot more than I did, I'm glad I spent Saturday and Sunday in the house and getting a lot of R&R.

Today hopefully we can find something to do. The C's game #1 against Miami is at 8p, so hopefully we can get out to a local bar to watch it. GO CELTICS!!! :)

Managing a Stressful Life & Household

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 28 May 2012 00:28:00 +0000

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! It feels good to finally have a long weekend. Friday I was able to work from home, which made the weekend seem all the more longer.

Lately I've been struggling with a bit of a foggy head, dizziness, exhaustion, the whole 9. Apparently my Estradiol levels are 209, which is very high. That explains alot!

I've been getting enough sleep, just not getting enough "rest". By rest I mean... being able to sit down for a minute without having to "pick up", clean, take Maia out, tend to Maia (she's a hot mess and a diva, and always wants or needs something, and when I don't pay attention to her, she does this...

(staring, while making whining and growling noises, followed by swipes at the face with paws - in this picture I was sick and she just didn't care apparently)

and this....

(staring.... long, dry, painful staring)

..and this goes on for hours... there's no other way. When I babysit or I'm around family toddlers, etc I have no problem saying "no... don't do that", or "ut oh, you can't do that..." (in my nice voice) but with Maia... she doesn't give a damn, she just doesn't! Hahaha, I wonder where she gets that from?....................

In beginning this IVF journey, I'm wondering if God is throwing curve balls at me to make sure that I'm ready. And let me tell you... I hear him loud and clear!

A couple of things that I deal with on a daily basis, while living with one man, and having two more here for the summer... and keep in mind, this is grown men, not boys okay...

Overflowing trash (I don't do trash, that's a man's job.. just my opinion)
Tons and tons of empty beer bottles (thanks Karol for helping me with this today lol)
Cooking (I don't mind doing it, just let me know in advance if I should cook or not.. simple enough right?!)
General cleaning; dishes, vacuuming, mopping, organizing, picking up the livingroom and kitchen
Grocery shopping (we'd go hungry if I didn't go grocery shopping, again... just sayin!)

Now remember, M is the owner of a growing, family-owned moving company and it's his job to do virtually everything from answering his phone at all times, doing estimates, handling all bills and operations, to actually going on the job. Most times he can't even sit down and eat, I end up bringing it to his desk while he's returning calls (unless the C's are playing of course... he's obsessed). I am understanding of this and I do my best to do whatever I have to do to make sure he's comfortable and such. However, I work hard too, and what I do shouldn't be pushed to the side for others. Am I wrong to feel this way?

My RE (reproductive endocrinologist) asked me about the amount of stress at home and of course I lied, I said "None". Another reason I shouldn't be lying, it bites you in the butt!

How do you manage stress and a busy household? I'd like to hear some different situations too, mine isn't the norm haha.

Green Shrimp Wrap

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Fresh shrimp with leftover organic spaghetti with greens and Bolthouse Farms balsamic!

Starting a New Journey... an IVF Journey

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:57:00 +0000

As we sit here watching the Celtics (again- thank you NBA lockout for having our hometown team play every night for 6 nights straight), I can't help but keep thinking about building a family and feeling at fault for my own infertility. I see so many people with children who either treat them poorly, or have too may just because they don't know what to do with them.

For people like myself who have issues conceiving, it's not sad to me. I'd like to think of it as being more frustrating. I don't really know how else to explain it.

After checking on my cycle for the past couple of months I've seen my first negative OPK,

and my first positive OPK!

I guess one of the hardest parts is not getting anywhere after months of trying. I always knew it would be hard for us, but I never knew it would be this hard. Taking vitamins and Women's FertilAid, I was sure this past cycle was it. Nope.

I educated myself...

Tracked my cycles using PinkPad for iPhone..

and FertilityFriend...

Even changed my diet...

Still nothing (I'm obsessed with gadgets and apps for organization lol).

I noticed a change in the way that I felt as I previously posted here. I knew something wasn't right after being kept up at night with right side stomach pain. My primary did an ultrasound and said that my fibroids were still there (2 small ones at 3.5-4cm each). I spoke with her admin, and she said that if I was still experiencing symptoms to call again. This is where frustration started to set in again. So what did I do? Took matters into my own hands.

I called the nurse of the doctor that performed my Laproscopy in 2006 and asked to see her again. She's the one who found my fibroids about 9 months ago. She always told me that when I was ready to try then to give her a call. She's not the friendly type who's always smiling, but she knows her stuff! And that's all I need! Plus I explained to her my relationship with M and she knows marriage was never #1 for me. Marriage in my book is optional. We've been happy for almost 6.5 years and that's what makes me happy.

Aside from that she ran some tests and said that she feels I'm having some stomach issues and that it's not my Endometriosis acting up (I also learned that my Endo is apparently Stage IV). She thinks that I have IBS or that I may be Celiac. Instead of dealing with doctor drama, I've change my diet since then to "Gluten-Free" and "Lactose-Free" and have felt great. I will eat fish every now and then (seeing as soy and red meat feed the Endo itself). For now it's just a learning thing. I'll take it as I'm already feeling better the past couple of days.

She told me that I need to start IVF in order to conceive. I wasn't sad like I said... more relieved that I know that this is what needs to be done; rather than trying for 2 years then nothing like a lot of couples do. I was given information by her and instructions for HSG and semen analysis for my upcoming cycle (Day 3). Due to the size of the hospital, I know it will be expensive, so I've seeked out options from two fertility clinics here in Mass that specialize in quality care, offering affordable options. I'm not looking for cheap, I'm looking for affordable. The last thing I want is for something to go wrong.

I will keep updates as things get closer. So far we have one consultation set up. I'm trying to schedule another one to compare. We'll see. Pray for us! :)

Vitamins for Fertility - VitaCost

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:37:00 +0000

Dear VitaCost,

I love you...

Love,

Q

-
Do they have a VIP program that I can join or something? I've always bought my vitamins in the natural isle at CVS, but a good friend and co-worker introduced me to VitaCost and I think I'm obsessed. I want everything lol.

It all started with Stevia packets... now look...

FertilAid

Vitex

Pro-Gest

Wobenzym N

Maca

DIM

I don't know which is working it's magic, but over the past week I've felt so much of a difference.

What causes Endometriosis?

Too much estrogen/too little progesterone
Too much conventional meat
An abnormality in the immune system

No one knows why this happens, but if there are some clues... guess what? I'm so down to try the best natural solutions!

What I'm using and why:

FertilAid- For those that don't know FertilAid is a capsule used for those who want their bodies healthy before they try to conceive. It contains Folic Acid and DHA, also about 7 other vitamins that even the best prenatals don't even include.

Vitex- I had read and watched videos on YouTube about Chaste Berry, a plant taken by capsule, has even better results than vitamin B6 when it comes to relieving PMS symptoms. This indirectly boosts progesterone production and chances of achieving and maintaining a successful pregnancy.

Pro-Gest- This is a progesterone cream at 20mg per 1/4 teaspoon. I take 3/4 teaspoon at night and 1/4 in the morning. It is suggested that if you are perimenopausal (still mensturating and or with cycle changes), you should start taking this when AF (aunt flow) stop and then continue until she comes back. So basically you are off for however many does you have full flow (sorry TMI, but that's life). By taking more at night it has helped me sleep like a baby. Maybe progesterone is what I've been missing all my life? Lol.

Wobenzym N- This vitamin is a solution to inflammation, joint and muscle pain. Because of the amount of inflammation and scar tissue that is involved with having Endometriosis, as soon as I read about this at Natural Fertility Info, I had to have it! I've noticed a difference after only a week of using this with bloating and puffy skin.

Maca- Maca is an incredible fertility super food. It helps to balance the hormones, but does not contain any hormones itself. It is able to do this by nourishing and balancing the endocrine system. This is essential in preparing for women with endometriosis because healthy hormonal balance contributes to healthy fertility.

DIM- DIM is essential in this process. It balances the hormones by breaking down estrogen (AMEN!) and removing it from the body. Endometriosis is an estrogen dominant condition. By cleansing the body of excess estrogens should cause the endometrial tissues to stop growing.

I know this is long but I think more people need to know about this. Before going through multiple surgeries to remove endometrial tissue, please please please look into preventative solutions to your symptoms.

What is Endometriosis?!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:31:00 +0000

What is Endometriosis? Why does it occur?

Endometriosis is an estrogen dominant condition. When there are too much estrogen in the system, it causes hormonal imbalance. Proper hormonal balance is essential for healthy fertility.

Endometriosis also creates a situation of “congestion” where there are excess tissues growing in the uterus (as well as other areas of the body) which makes it harder for an embryo to attach and grow healthy.

Every month the excess tissues bleed which cause inflammation to occur and scar tissue to begin adhering to uterus, fallopian tubes, the ovaries, and other organs. This causes some serious “congestion”.

As if that was not enough some researchers suggest that the woman’s body may form antibodies against the misplaced endometrial tissue. The same antibodies may attack the uterine lining and cause miscarriages (up to three times the normal rate).

*Source: Natural-Fertility-Info.com

My Endometriosis and Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Hallaw!!!! Yup, I did it again... I went MIA on y'all. WTF is wrong with me? Lol.

I'll make bullets to keep this short:

Poland Dec 8th to Jan 6th
Denver for work Jan 9th-15th (+ awesome ski weekend)
My birthday Jan 22nd (of course this is a week celebration)

(I said no Carvel football cake unless the Pats won... and they did!!)

Anyways...

Started personal training late Jan through mid-March
Had a head-cold/flu for two weeks
Haven't been to training in a month due to certain symptoms

Symptoms (Past 3 weeks):

Nauseaus (late afternoon)
Crampy (dull ache and twinges)
Back/hip aches
High temps
Increased appetite
Weight loss (3-5lbs)
Alcohol tolerance low............... <- seriously? Lol yes it's true!!!

Last week I took a urine test that said that I was not pregnant (which is what I thought... look at those symptoms!!), and that I may have an infection. Later tests confirmed that there was no infection and that I should go in for an ultrasound to see whats going on. Doc's concerned it could be my Endometriosis and Fibroids acting a hot mess. Ugh here we go again...

Before I went to the doctors I did research on fertility and infertility (PCOS, Endometriosis, Uterine Fibriods, etc) just to get insight on natural options (keep it green). I found a number of vitamins to take (natural-fertility-info.com).

All in all, this is a HOT MESS... total hot mess. Who needs this many vitamins to get rid of the symptoms of Endometriosis? Oh wait... a lot of women who probably don't even know they can take the natural route. After two surgeries and increased bloating, lower belly fat due to endometrial tissue build-up... I'm really over it. I want them to clean me out so I can have twin babies, then remove my ovaries. Simple... problem solved :)

Here's to National Endometriosis Awareness Month and Infertility!!!

Day 2: Walking & Juicing

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:10:00 +0000

After work yesterday M and I decided to go for a walk around the river. We live right next to the Charles River here in the Boston area and we never take advantage of our amazing routes.

We did 3.5 miles (7,000 steps) in an hour. Not too shabby for my first time walking without stopping. I can't find my awesome Weight Watchers pedometer (I love that thing... the only good thing that came from the program lol well $30 later!). This one was from work. They were free from United Healthcare. I can't complain. It works!

Now I just have to keep this up. I think I'll have to wake up Nicci for early morning walks around the city while at HLS in Philly... a great idea right? Lol.

I brought my juicer to work today. I realized I'm here for 8-10 hours a day, and the best thing to do is to have it here since lunch seems to be the most delectable meal for me. It's hard because when I don't shop on the weekends, I have no food for work.

Hoping the day goes by quickly. Work is extremely slow. On the other hand, here are a few things that have been keeping me happy throughout summer...

8-Minute Abs App that I just found (M's cousin does this and he said it's hard, but it works... starting today, *wish me luck*)

Cleotis, the ashy lobster from Newburyport, MA

Jack, our boat host and bartender (he treated myself and my co-workers great while serving drinks, but when the boat almost tipped over he thought it was hilarious...NOT!)

My Jack Lalane juicer

Carrots that are larger than large cucumbers... and ORGANIC!

Spring rolls from Hannaford. The sushi chef is amazing!

Future (and current) mother in-laws :)

Non-fat caramel macchiato from Starbux

and... NOT having roommates (by the way, this is awesome, Dale!!)

Until next time!

Work, Juicing & HLS... OH MY!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0000

I've been juicing now for about a month. I feel fabulous and I lost 5lbs in the first week. I was a bad girl this weekend and went out Saturday night like I've never had alcohol before... BAD IDEA! Not only was I horribly hungover, but I ate a ton on Sunday night, making me extra bloated by Monday morning, YUCK! I had lost a ton of water weight, just to see it come back in my face. I started juicing again Monday morning and after a few days feel great already.

Today's not over yet, but I'm staying on the straight and narrow from this point forward. Maybe I'll go on a Fun-Run in Philly for HLS??? I don't know... we'll see! Maia is not here for me to run or walk with, so I'll have to go at it alone. She is in NH with my parents for this month since I'm so busy. She's had a dog walker and is meeting new friends. This is her and Maggie!

Today's lunch is spring rolls. I didn't feel like driving to Whole Foods, so I stopped at the local grocer and picked it up. The chef is great and makes it fresh for you :)

That's all for now. Back on the grind!!

Healthy Living Summit 2011- 71 DAYS & Counting!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:38:00 +0000

Not only have I not blogged in 2 months due to work and traveling, but I've also been emersed in the social aspects of life. Rekindling the flame with M, friends, family and the co-workers.

One good thing that I did do was to finally buy myself that golden ticket to HLS 2011 in Philly. Woohoo!

Who's going???? ;)

Let the countdown begin!!!

Whole Foods vs. Trader Joe's

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:16:00 +0000

After work last Thursday I headed to WholeFoods because I refused to go back to Trader Joe's for gluten-free foods. I'd rather spend the extra money at WF and less time. Trader Joe's disappointed me greatly, and I had to ask a store associate every time I ended up looking for something that was gluten-free. Instead of having it all in one isle (like WF), it was scattered all over the place.

I've done a pretty good job this week of not eating as much wheat-based foods. I did have pasta, but after a few bites I was full and felt nasty. I ended up deciding that if I was going to feel this way after eating grains, I might as well just go gluten-free. There's actually a few people in my office that are gluten-free, which is great! Great way to keep me motivated too!

I grabbed my first-ever gf breads at Trader Joe's after going in circles for 15 minutes.

I didn't think I'd get through the first bag in a week, but I'm almost finished with my "home supply". I grabbed one for the office and one for the house. Then I have no excuses! This one is mainly from brown rice flour. I don't like the 'starch' part, but I'll go with that over being bloated any day.

I was 100% sure that el manzo wouldn't be too happy with my Udi's so I grabbed a wheat tuscan bread for him. He also requested snacks so I got edamame and green bean crunchies for him. I'll have to review those when the time comes, just to get his opinion of them, from someone that likes the junkfood ;)

I've never tried their frozen foods, so I'm starting with burritos.

I haven't bought milk that's opened like this in forever. It reminded me of the good ol' days before plastic milk jugs were popular.

Brown rice spaghetti pasta and tortillas. This should be interesting trying these. I'm scared, but I guess we'll see.

I'm no huge sardines fan, but on some good bread this could be yummy.

While I put away groceries I sipped on Naragansett. Haven't had this since our 'lady friends' in P-town were getting M and I drunk. Haha. Ahhh memories!

Gluten-free gooooodieeeeeeeees! I can't WAIT to make these. This comes from a local producer. I think it's important to support local brands. I did however notice that the cookies and the cake require me to add vanilla. I'll have to grab that. Not something I keep regularly. I should be making more things from scratch, but... one step at a time!

A couple of morning shakes. I'll probably drink half per day just to get my vitamins down before I head to work. They're energizing as well so that's a plus.

I can't wait to try this Fusilli!

M's tuscan bread grilled cheese came out good. My Udi's just soaked up all the cheese, and I had heartburn from the tomato soup. No more grilled cheese for this girl I guess. The soup I can't quit, but the bread didn't doo too well when headed up. Next time I'll have to toast it instead, panini style.

Overall I think Whole Foods would be the way to go for me. It's larger than Trader Joe's and even though everything at WF is $3.99 or $5.99 and it can be a bit pricey, I'd rather shop where I can be in and out and get the products that are important to me at this time which are gluten-free (in one isle), and M's Bolthouse Farms carrot juice :)

Where do you prefer to shop for groceries? Whole Foods or Trader Joe's?

Shopping Madd

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:11:00 +0000

It must be spring, or this new birth control. I'm a freaking maniac lately when it comes to seeing something that I want, and whining until I get it. I have to say though... I'm not one for material things. I know how to go about getting a good deal or matching expensive things with affordable things. Foods at Lord & Taylor matched with leggings from Forever21. Stop playin.
I got some good deals from the web this week.

These babies scared me a bit when I opened the box. First of all I got a great deal. Down from over $200 I only ended up spending $88 via Zappos and got a free shipping code via CouponCabin. All leather, prime stiching, and the inside is insulated. Also the soles are wooden. Cowboy style. It wasn't the easiest getting my foot in for the first time because of the fact that I have an extremely high arch in my foot. My baby toe also hated me in the morning, but throughout the day it got better. Good thing my job doesn't require me to stand up all day. Overall I absolutely love them! They're nice and tight and up to my knee. Usually because my legs are long and slim (the lower part anyways haha), around my calf its usually too big, but these were perfect.

These are my first pair of Seven7's and I have to say I've probably never... wait... NEVER EVER worn such a comfortable pair of jeans... in my life! Another thing that I like is that the rips in the front of the jeans are patched underneath, so they're not going to tear anymore should I get down and dirty "in da club" lol. Kidding. I should have came down to 31 on the size but I'm sure they'll shrink in the wash.

What have been some of your favorite buys so far this 2011? Any new trends for the Fall you want but maybe don't want to spend the money on?

Working from home today so I've got to get to work #TGIF :)

Fruits & Veggies 'R' Us

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:41:00 +0000

The weekend was sunny yet windy here in Boston. I chilled home with Maia on Saturday and cleaned (long overdue), did laundry, cooked, and we had a time at the dog park.

On Sunday I did a little bit of shopping and hanging with my besties... Here's the little one... she found some goodies in my glove box. Guess I should clean that out.. Hot mess dot com!

Photo shoot in the car...

No sleep due to a dog that just won't sleep in her own bed. Somehow she sneaks in between M and I. Haha he gets sooooo mad.

Trying to get on the right track with Lots of fruits and veggies for the fridge at work and my awesome company even provided bagels and fruit for breakfast. Slam dunk!

I did good with my veggie day. Usually my stomach gets soft and nauseating. But I was fine. From not being as full I actually didn't crash after lunch!

The blog design is here! I'm super excited. I know you're thinking "about damn time!" lol.

Night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Blog Design Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:08:00 +0000

This past weekend just flew right by. Saturday we attempted to have a girls night. Didn't quite happen that way (note to self- only go out with girls who really want to have a 'night out' ;) lol). Sunday went to Ben's all-star game in NH, head still sore from spending all day Sat in te salon. I really need to relax.

The hair was a success.

I'm still cooking and trying new things. Chicken breast in butternut squash soup my friends. Parsley, onion, Paprika, an Lawry's :) Of course!

I was excited to have some leftovers for lunch yesterday however, M came home after ball like a beast and ate it een though he knew he wouldn't be hungry that late. I guess I shoulda known better.

Maia is feeling a bit better. Thank God. Gettin her to take a half pull and meds from a surrenge is a hot mess!

Also obsessed with our new convection oven at work. This thing does it all. That'll be my net appliance after the blender. A girl has to bake!! So now I can make grilled sammies at lunch :)

Last bit of info here.. I'm getting a new blog design with help from The Pixelista (www.thepixelista.com). I was thinking about this last year, but now I know for sure that it's time! I should have it up by Monday :) I'm so excited!

Well I'm off to get to work. Happy hump day!

- Q

I Have a Case of the 'Mondays'

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:21:00 +0000

I have to say... I'm ready for a new official blog design. I would like to keep the same theme and name for now. Any suggestions for a good web designer? Do you suggest Wordpress or Blogger for management?

I've just begun my day at work and have oats and coffee to get me started. Thank God for a sweet kitchen!

I also got a new hairdo to get Spring started off right. 9:30am to 4:30pm at the salon. I'll share pics later.

Happy Monday!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Playing Nurse Q

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:47:00 +0000

I've been gone too long. Everytime I get into the swing of things with blogging and writing, something comes up.

Q's Bed and Breakfast is going to be shut down this weekend and I don't care who wants to visit. I'm exhausted and enough is enough. With M's family-owned business we get a lot of family visitors in and out which is great, but he's had a fever for four days and I've been taking care of him. I'm beat. Just exhausted and tired.

I hate getting out of my daily routines. It makes me a crazy person. Sure I like to live on the edge and be spontaneous but I can't do that when I'm tired and things aren't getting done. Plus I like to be productive at work (well not at lunch time lol).

I've been cooking soups (thank you CrockPot) which I've prepared when stopping in at lunch to check on M. Cleaning half-ass-style. Trying to give Maia as much attention as possible (more on her first day at daycare later haha). And last night we spent a few hours in the ER because M's so dehydrated. Everytime he asks for food I make it. Then he's not hungry. You should see the kitchen. Wait... maybe not. It's not pretty.

Oh... little brother scored his 1,000th point last night and last week he got a McDonald's All-American award. He's ranked #3 in NH. I'm so happy for him. I couldn't make it for the celebration last night and can't make senior night tonight. We all know graduation is the most important though ;)

I'll have some updates and pictures this weekend hopefully. I go picture happy and I get mad when I can't share them.

Back to work now. Miss y'all!

Have I Gone 'Cooking Mad'??

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Eating in moderation is something I’ve been trying to control a bit better lately. It’s so easy to say “Eh, I’ll just have a grilled BLT” at lunch. And the hardest thing is that I act on impulse probably about 50% of the time and about 100% of that activity is having to do with eating or drinking. I love my food and I love my drinks. I love to eat different foods and try different things and I love restaurants (even though I’ve cut back since now having my own kitchen to cook in).

havingcompany+havingyourownkitchen+lovingtocook+havingleftovers= gainingweight:(

Well... my weekend involved having company... again. What can I say? We like to entertain. We like to have guests. We know a lot of people. Sometimes that's a bad thing, sometimes it's a good thing.

I got two wisdom teeth out on Saturday morning and came right home with gauze still in my mouth and cut up veggies and threw some frozen chicken into the crock pot, set it for four hours, took pain killers and passed out on the couch. The runny nose began and my cold finally hit its peak. FML. Seriously.

I ate my soup, with Maia all up in my bowl. LML. Then went back into the kitchen to make my banana pudding. What’s wrong with me? Can’t I just sit down and let myself heal? Apparently not.

While I wrapped up the last stages and gave my whipping arm a rest I had one of these...

Why does my life always end up this way?? Hmm?? ;)

A friend of ours had a birthday celebration and I originally said I’d go. Then realized I should probably stay home and let my mouth unswell. With painkillers I was fine so we went out. We were supposed to bowl but Kings was packed. We played pool and had a couple of drinks. By the end of the night they were ready to bowl at 12am. Our lane was ready. I was ready for bed. We took off and hit the sack.

M had work the next morning and I slept until 10:15am. This is sooo not me. I was up all night sneezing and coughing and blowing my nose. Maia gave me the stink-eye a few times. She hates me sometimes haha. M’s parents were coming by so I knew that I needed to get up clean the entire house and go grocery shopping. I came back cleaned some more (because I’m a psycho) and got to making tacos and a spinach bread bowl in a marble bread bowl (sour dough and pumpernickel). Good stuff.

While I sat and had a glass of water (with my crazy ass self), Maia proceeded to continue to bite her fingernails. She’s sharpening them. I don’t know maybe she’s planning to kill me in my sleep or something. Psycho dog I have. Look at these claws.. why!!

Look at those nails. I had to cut them again this morning. She WILL be going to the doctor's this Saturday for her annual exam and hopefully we can check out a couple of doggy daycares in the area. This little lady needs to get off her hiney and mingle. She needs a man! Haha.

So anyways, instead of going home and having a "stress relaxer" aka "a glass of wine", I’ve made this my first night of BodyRock.tv. Zuzana Light is just insane with her workouts. I’ve decided to take it slow but this year getting in shape for summer does not need to be an option. It’s a goal that I’ve set extremely high for myself. I used to be a basketball and volleyball player. The past 9 years I’ve turned into a slob. I have no energy and I’m exhausted. It’s time for a change.

Happy Humpday!

- Q

Dinner for One

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:28:00 +0000

I've got the worst cold I've probably ever had. Mostly because of the sore throat. I honestly think that the infection in my wisdom tooth may have caused the sire throat. It happened go a friend of mine. I don't even really eat sweets! Like hardly ever! I think I just didn't have te best teeth to begin with. A nice smile and white teeth doesn't always mean they're healthy ;) come on... I know I have nice teeth...

See!! Hahaha I had to. Okay it's not really me with Travis Garland, it's my face in the hole of a cheerleader via www.faceinhole.com :) I love it!

I received a sweet-ass Xmas gift from a good friend last night. We had Margaritas and caught up.

How cool is this?! Haha she knows that I absolutely love social media (hence the name SociallyGreen). I love my Twitter!!! @SociallyGreen baby!

Today I tried to stick with light food. I had a salad and yogurt. I live Fit&Light... But then... I saw one of the top ingredients is ASPERTAME!!! Gag!! There's like no way to keep healthy and keep bad things out of my body. I was so proud of myself too. I guess I should have stayed with the Oikos. Mental note to add that to this weekend's shopping trip! Also, every try GlassLock containers?? Are these things not te shizzle fo-shizzle? I love throwing them in the dishwasher and not having to worry about food stains or leaks. I need to but more since I only have two.

M basically went to eat at a Spanish restaurant for dinner... THEN came home, said he wasn't hungry, so I was left to fend for my sick self :( I'm giving him hell for this lol.

Completely devoured this! Now time for tea and Desperate Housewives season two. M's obsessed. PS- you didn't hear that from me! ;)

Night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Site Feed Address

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:31:00 +0000

My new site feed is below:

http://www.sociallygreenguru.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

For some reason I never figured out that it was NEVER right. I just can't believe it. It's been over a year. Haha. Yes that's my life for ya ;)

- Q

Chicken Broccoli Garlic Alfredo

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Anyone who lives alone with a boyfriend knows that there will be moments when... wait... I mean 'everyday" when the man's going to ask "What are we having for dinner tonight?" I don't know if every man has this issue or if only mine does. He's constantly hungry. I used to get my nails done but I really think I'm going to have to do it more often. My hands have "HAD IT". He's lucky I'm such a good girlfriend :)

With that said there's much to be done this weekend. Let's see what I can get done today:

Clean house
Come up with a plan for curtains (make them or buy them)
Blog
Create a new budget
Finish Harvesting the Heart

I had a dentist appointment yesterday and found that not only do I need to have one wisdom tooth out but the other one and both molars :( I'm getting it done next Saturday so I'm going to have to deal with it all week. Oh well. As long as I have Tylenol I should be fine. Extra Strength, that is. So I've been indulging in yogurts for breakfast (without granola, wahhh!) and soups and salads for lunch.

Last night I made Chicken Broccoli Alfredo in a Bertolli garlic sauce. At first I was kind of "ehh" about it but it only took about 10 minutes to prep and about another 5 to keep warm while the sauce sat with the broccoli and chicken.

I started off by chopping the chicken before starting the pasta. I like everything to be done at the same time. Is it just me or are you the same way? Lol.

I didn't want to break this pasta, so I let the bottoms get a little soft for about 30 seconds then curled the rest in. A larger pot is on my grocery list but since getting back from Denver and celebrating my birthday last weekend there hasn't been time for anything. More on that later ;)

I bought fresh broccoli. Originally I was going to keep it on the side but M was screaming for it to be included. "It's not 'chicken broccoli alfredo' then!" Lol. Wah. I've never tried Bertolli brand before. I usually just get the plain Ragu alfredo sauces but I decided to mix it up and I'm glad that I did. This one had garlic and parmesan cheese. I told myself that next time I would make my own sauce but did I have time after a day at the dentist and work then rushing to the store and home to let Maia out? Nope. Maybe next weekend we'll try this again but differently? ;)

Thank God for leftovers... he won't be getting any, muhahaha *wicked laugh*.

This was M's. Not mine, just so you know! I tossed some chili powder on top of his since we didn't have any red pepper flakes. This worked out well and he did lick the plate (it's one of his things...)

Ahhh I love my stemless glasses. I knew I'd be in all weekend cleaning, doing laundry, reading, and doing laundry as well as creating a budget so I stocked up on Dos Aquis (Amber), Bare Foot's Cabernet and Moscato. M is in love with Moscato. I think it's the idea of being a guy and drinking yummy wine that tastes like juice.... possibly.

Suzie Orman, beer, and blogging. I'm getting used to the Mac. When they asked me what I wanted at work I suggested a Mac because well I have a Dell and I wanted to try something different, and I'm glad I did! I actually love it. The only problem is the "no Windows Live Writer" part :( Any suggestions on which desktop apps are best for blogging?

Oh and the whole magazine thing... The good part about a magazine is that it's like having "girl-time" without having to really listen to anyone... you can close it when you're done listening ;)

I gotta go finish watching "The Proposal". I can never get enough of this movie, and Ryan Reynolds is always delish, of course!

- Q

Seriously, Snow?!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:43:00 +0000

So long beautiful Denver weather... hello snow!! New England, I missed you! But not this much!

Snow today, snow tonight and even more snow tomorrow night :( Why?!!! Why me?! Wait... I guess this is what I get for not ever wanting to move. I'm a New Englander, damnit!

Reasons why I love New England:

#1- Boston Celtics
#2- Boston Bruins
#3- New England Patriots
#4- Boston Red Sox
#5- I get 4 seasons, fall foliage being one of the best things that's ever happened to me. If you don't live in NE I can send ya some foliage. No?

Hello?!! And really that's about it. Many people were stuck in traffic this morning. 95 is currently a parking lot and well... I take all back roads here and my commute is 15 minutes... in traffic :D Hey, I deserve it! I'm happy to say that I'm no longer a commuter :)

So this is my first week at my new company. There's so much to learn and so much to do so I'm going to keep this short.

Last Monday I was in Denver, CO for a week of insanity. Everyone is so smart and so passionate about what they do, and the company. Who wouldn't want to work here!? I'll share some pics of the city next time, but for now, this girl is out.

Later gatahs!!

I’m Leaving On a Jet Plane…

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:55:00 +0000

What a wild wild weekend. The fam came to visit and bring Maia back home, and you know what happens when they come by… the madness breaks out! Everybody talking loud, Maia throwing her toys and chasing them, M and my dad talking over eachother about sports, my mom telling me how to scrapbook even though I know how. HOT-MESS! Hahaha.

And this is what I woke up to ^. Those 6 months when my parents had her and I was pimping all over he world and moving to the new place.. I didn’t realize how much sleep I was getting in. Not anymore! She literally jumps on my chest and pounces down and starts making semi-growling noises.

My beef stew in the crock pot was a success. We were too greedy to take pics while we ate, but I do have some before shots.

I went a little overboard on veggies, but is that ever a problem?! I added onion, green pepper, carrots, celery, and potatoes. M was asking me last night if we should have some as leftovers while we watched some movies. I declined and so he made us salad… and I’m glad because I finally watched this-

Honestly I was scared to even watch it because everyone I asked about it said that I’d never look at meat the same. I always considered going vegan due to the fact that my body is sensitive to cheese and some other milk products, but giving up meat is a huge thing for me. I grew up in the south where you have meat with every meal. After seeing what really goes on, like adding filler that’s been cleaned in ammonia to hamburger meat (aka McDonald’s and other fast food joints that purchase this meat), I was done. I’ve eaten filler without even knowing it?! That’s so disgusting!

I saw the way they treated animals such as chickens who were engineered to grow quicker than they were supposed to. They could only take a few steps, and they they’d fall. Some were laying on the ground dying. Baby chickens were dropped down a chute and picked out one by one and held down onto a machine that basically shot their head and killed them. They just kept grabbing them one by one and it sounded like someone was popping a gun repeatedly. I watched it to the end and it was insane.. but I’m glad I finally did.

With that said, M will have some leftovers while I’m gone this week because… my friends, I’ve decided to leave the staffing industry. After being mistreated by multiple managers, my #1 goal for this year will be to put myself first. I’ve treated myself with the minimum respect this year just to get through things, thinking that it would just make me stronger. But I realized… I’m already strong. I just need to surround myself with family and friends and people who will help me be a better person.

So with that said… an old friend/co-worker that I worked in ‘hell’ with back in 2008 (working for our boss was like watching Devil Wear’s Prada x2 ) made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse and asked me to work for her. Thank God we moved and this opportunity came along because now I feel like things are falling into place. This is proof that everything happens for a reason. So now it’s off to Colorado for a week of getting to know my new co-workers and my new company

M and I finally moved out together, got a place closer to the city, and Maia is coming home! Since I didn’t notice my itinerary said that I’d be back on Friday my parents had to take her back home because M has a crazy week as well It’s alright because I will get to pick her up this weekend when I return. That’s my baby!

Before I pack I’ve got to finish up my light breakfast and coffee then get my paperwork together. I’ll be checking in from Denver, friends!

- Q

Happy New Year, Happy New Life?.. I Sure Hope So!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:41:00 +0000

So... my New Year's was spent packing and moving. All this time of living with the future in-laws, roomates and then the in-laws again, I'm happy to announce that M and I have finally moved out on our own, and just outside of Boston so I no longer have a crazy commute :) Comcast didn't come until last night and today we get our couches.
...and I'm blogging via BlogPress for iPhone in bed :) I did however find some sweet stuff...

My newfound Hoover love, I named her Regina.

Do you know how long I've wanted a crock pot?!! And it came with a cookbook with a ton of awesome recipes in it. Also there's a timer so I can "set it and forget it"! The spicy beef may be the first thing on the menu.

Our "to-do" list is a mile long and we still have a million things in storage. I just want curtains up in the livingroom, kitchen and bathroom then I'll feel comfy.

Eating some quick chicken soup for lunch before I get to more cleaning and organizing. Once we get fully organized I'll have a house tour and my baby Maia will be home this weekend so we'll have to celebrate.
Happy New Year!
- Quisha