What's up Gorgeousness?!?!

Happy TEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWSDAY!

...There's no time for chatter, I've got errands to run, bags to pack and a whole lotta 'ish to do to prepare for The Big C-A, so let's DIVE RIGHT IN, shall we?!  

Yesterday, one of my clients asked me

"Which fruits are good, and which are bad?"

ANSWER: ALL FRUITS ARE BENEFICIAL TO OUR HEALTH, and therefore should never be avoided.

The question is an oxymoron in and of itself. Any person who will tell you otherwise is filled with hogwash. I don't want to get off topic, so I'll save my lengthy explanation for another time, but I will leave you with this:

When processed, artificial energy bars, cured meats, or dairy products are considered "better options" than a piece of fruit, I would venture to call it bullsh*t. There is no logic in that. NONE whatsoever.

So, here's a rule of thumb you can keep handy when you're in a pickle about what the healthier option is: You can never eat too many fruits or vegetables. EVER! EVER, EVER, EVER!

Holllaaaaaahhhhhh!

We clear? Fabulous! Let's move on...

Now, let's talk about something we are all guilty of doing... I call it:

FOOD JUDGMENT!

You know, those times when you think to yourself, "gosh I really want that piece of pizza, but I'm going to be "good" and have some grilled chicken breast instead." That stuff! 

But let's break it down even further... 

What does "good" or "bad" really mean to you? Are you judging the food? -Nutritious? Low in Calories? Low in Carbs? High in Fat? High in Calories? Or, are you judging yourself? 

Ding! Ding! Ding! ...If you answered: YOURSELF!

This is really sucky because when we judge ourselves based off of what we eat, we fuel a self-destructive cycle that makes it more and more difficult for us to reach our goals and get to that happy, healthy, kick-booty life we all want AND DESERVE! 

When we eat something we deem as “bad,” it triggers feelings of guilt, frustration, self-defeat, weakness, sadness...you know all those nasty emotions that make us feel like useless pieces of you-know-what! You can see how doing this eats away at your self-esteem and buries you deep into a cycle of what is essentially self-abuse! You're playing mind games with yourself, don't be fooled! 

So, WHY then do we do this? Well, to begin with the act eating is an extremely emotional experience because it taps into all of our senses. Eating is everything! It's tradition, family, relationships, celebration, health, life, death, happy, sad-you name it! Our life depends on food for Godsakes! This is a reality we cannot change. HOWEVER, we can and must change our perspective on the matter if we want to feel fulfilled and happy in our lives. This might sound like a bunch of hoo hoo, but by putting an end to food labeling, you will feel liberated and tap into what your body really wants and needs.

AND this has not a gosh darn thing to do with what's "healthier, lower in calories, lower in carbs, or lower in fat!"

Sometimes having that piece of pizza IS the "healthiest" option for you!

For example, you're at a delicious Italian restaurant with a group of your friends, everyone is sharing pizza. Now on paper you know that pizza isn't the healthiest option, but you love pizza and want to enjoy it in the company of your friends. And that's the essence of eating = ENJOYMENT, not TORTURE! The moment it becomes a decision you think you "should" make, is the moment you should recognize that you are not making the best decision for YOU! It doesn't make sense. It's like dieting on a trip to Paris. It doesn't make sense!

On the flip side, I also don't mean that just because 'everyone else is doing it' you should too. No. If you truly don't want pizza, and know it will make you feel unpleasant, then listen to your body and get what you know it needs. Likewise, if you eat something unhealthy when you don't really want it, those same negative feelings will resurface.

I'll leave you with this. We're not perfect, so of course there will be moments we overeat, or shove something down our throat that we wish we hadn't, HOWEVER, BE OKAY WITH IT, and know that you'll make the better decision next time. Dwelling also adds fuel to the fire, so move on, and move on quick!  

That's all I've got for ya today Petunias! 

Love & Hugs

 xoxo

P.S.: Calendar Update: Recipe Wednesday will be returning TOMORROW (on it's usual day)! Guest Blogger to come Friday! Woop!

Howdy Ho Mah Gorgeous Readers! (Hello accent! - it happens sometimes. I just can't help myself. I'm always morphing depending on the mood-so sue me.)

Ohhhhhh my goodness sakes...I'm still coming down from the "Juice Cleanse Trauma," annnnd Cinco de Mayo festivities-Had my fair share of Skinnygirls-so bear with me.  But how about YOU?!...

How You Doin'?

I hope everyone's feeling *schnazzy, *dazzly and ready for a dose of the Daily Dubes, because I've got some seriously exciting juice coming your way! -no pun intended 

Let me break-it-down for ya!

This week I head out West to the Golden State / C A L I F O R N - I - A! Heck-to-tha-YEAH!

• Sunshine, check.
• Warm weather, check.
• Handsome Husband, check.
• Fabulous Family, check.
• Beautiful Babies, check.
• Bobby D's home cookin', check.
• Mama J's Sunday suppers, check.

It doesn't get much better than that, and boy am I looking forward to it!

I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed it like I need to breathe! 

California and Family alike keep me grounded, calm and always seems to put the 'what's really important' into perspective. The West coast is the Yin to my New York Yang.

While I'm away, you can expect to hear (and maybe see) some SoCal shenanigans go down, so keep those eyeballs peeled! I won't disappoint ...

On that note, now is the perfect opportunity for us to take a look at 

What's In Store This Week!

• Tuesday, May 8th: We're digging deep! I'm going to tackle the omnipresent "food judgment" problem- i.e.: "I was bad last night because I had pizza, but tonight I'm going to be good." With explanation and analysis of this behavior, I hope the mere awareness of the fact will help stop us from judging ourselves for what we eat! Food judgment is the fuel to a self-destructive fire, people! It's time to put that fire out, and Mrs. Daily D is here to extinguish!-(that was totally cheesy, but again, had to say it).

• Wednesday , May 9th: The Daily Dubie will feature it's first surprise Guest Blogger while she's travels cross-country! Get excited! She's hot, young & healthy and has some fabulous tips and tricks she'd like to share with you, so listen up! More information to come! ...

• Thursday, May 10th: Recipe Wednesday will be today! Will you be the lucky one??? To submit, send recipes & photos to laura@dailydubie.com

• Friday, May 11th: It's a WILDCARD! Video? Interview? Food? Exercise? Family? Mindless Chitter Chatter? Show & Tell? ...You'll have to wait and see! 

Okie Dokie...that's a wrap on today! 

Wishing you all *STUNNING EVES*, filled with Love, sweet, love! 

Muah!

 xoxo

Buenos Dias Mis Muñecas! 

Before I skedaddle on outta here in the name of #BunBurning, I wanted to make sure I delivered your daily dose of Dubiliciousness! 

Hoooooollllllaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

And today's post is exceptionally appropriate! What better way to end my food-deprived week, than to feature a delicious, yet nutritious, R E C I P E !?!? ... I tell ya, there is no better way! 

So, without further ado, I'm going to callate and give the floor to another super special DD Reader! 

Meet: Emily G 

Who is Emily? Emily is a hot, young regional distribution manager for MARS INC. (hello chocolate & ice cream!). Because she's constantly surrounded by sweet treats, she strives to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle with exercise and a lot of home cookin'! She one day aspires to open a business of her own that would provide healthy but yummy meals to busy business people, to substitute unhealthy takeout and catering! (Translation: make being healthy easy in the workplace!).

Do you ever substitute ingredients? If so, what do you usually substitute?  No, substitutes.

Any special notes you'd like to make about this enchilada recipe? For this recipe, make sure you put a good amount of the red sauce on the bottom of the baking dish before you place the enchiladas in it.  If not, they will stick to the baking dish.

What's your #1 "stay healthy" piece of advice? Cook as much as possible!  When you eat out, you have no control over how your food is prepared.  Since I eat out often for my job, I make as many modification (ie: sauce on side, veggies not fries, whole wheat buns, ect) to make my meal as healthy as possible!

Now that y'all have gotten to know Emily a bit, let's check out one of her favorite healthy recipes to make at home, just in time for Cinco de Mayo! 

<<ENTER>> Skinny Enchiladas

*Recipe from Skinnytaste.com*

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce 
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
For the chicken:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (la tortilla factory )
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chilies , chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.

Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce...Then top with cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas.

*Daily Dubie Tip: Don't use low carb tortillas. They're filled with artificial ingredients that can cause bloating & cravings. Instead, opt for small corn tortillas. They're naturally low in calories and carbohydrates! Check the ingredient list. There should only be 3-4 ingredients - Corn, water, lime & sometimes salt! 

EL FIN! ("The End" en Español)

Muchas Gracias to Emily for submitting that delicious post! I challenge you to try your hand at those babies this weekend! Enchiladas are fabulous and easy to serve to larger groups because you can prepare them ahead of time, and they involve little clean up! WORD UP to that! 

Alright Lovies, my time has come!

Love & Besos

 xoxo

P.S.: Remember to keep your Cinco's HEALTHY! Click HERE to view my TOP 10 TIPS!

Dun Dun DuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuN....

Well, we're FINALLY at the AFTERMATH of my Juice Cleanse Journey Luvahs...and A-to the-Men for that! Seriously. Taking a bite out of this never felt so unbelievably AH-MAZE-BALLS!

<<Enter>> Banana Blend

Burning My Buns proved equally euphoric! Hollaaahhhh Treadmill! 

Now THAT, My friends is how you get your day started! 

Now before I get to the nitty gritty of my overall experience and the conclusion of my Juice Cleanse Journey...

I have a confession:

We didn't have the remaining two juices for dinner...and we didn't starve ourselves, either...<<hint hint>>...No. No more of that rubbish! Instead, around 6pm HB (Honey Buns) & I both felt so miserable that we collectively made the decision to... 

EAT SOME MOTHER EFFING FOOD!

And ONE BIG GIANT Skinnygirl Margarita CHEERS to that!!!

At that point I felt so lackluster, restricted, depleted and depressed, that I knew I just HAD to put an end to my journey. Why? Because along the way I lost my vibrancy, clarity and motivation which was a clear-as-day sign to

S-to the-T-O-P!

I cannot tell you how liberating that decision was! It honestly felt as if I were being released from some sort of a prison. I'm sorry to say, but it's the raw truth of how I felt-and you know I ain't gonna lie! Before a morsel of food even touched my lips, the mere decision to not continue brought forth a feeling of restoration and elation because I knew I was no longer going to exist in such confinement. 

Unfortunately, the cleanse didn't have the positive effect on my body (or mind) that it can have for others, so it was time to call it quits! There was no sense in continuing because I saw no good in me essentially starving myself another day-Surviving on nothing but water and maybe some cucumber for the remainder of the eve hardly sounded appeasing...or healthy for that matter!

Overall, this experience reinforced my philosophy that taking temporary measures that are extreme and restrictive aren't beneficial for us in the long-run.

Instead, it's about finding a healthy balance that's realistic, enjoyable and conducive to your lifestyle!

What you do over the course of your lifetime is what will make a difference, not what you do over the course of 3 days. Even though I was "flooding my body with nutrients," I did not enjoy the experience, nor did I feel great physically. But this was MY ACCOUNT...I've read many other experiences on juice fasts and others reaped some major benefits, albeit TEMPORARY- *Key Word*

Look, I still love raw foods and juices, just ON MY TERMS. So my advice to you would be...

TRY IT YOURSELF 

You never know what will work for you, and what will not if you never experiment! There's always something to gain from a new experience! 

And that my friends closes My Journey on a Juice Cleanse. I hope you enjoyed the ride!...

LoveFun& Besos

Muah! Muah! Muah!

 xoxo

P.S.: Normal @DailyDubie activity will be resuming!!!

P.S.S.: "Recipe Wednesday" coming TOMORROW, just in the nick of time for Cinco de Mayo! 

*Want your chance at a Daily Dubie Debut?!? Send your favorite recipes (and photos if possible!) to laura@dailydubie.com*

For your chance to...

Showcase your cooking skills! 
Provide readers with the motivation to get their buns IN the kitchen, cookin'!
Inspire readers to experiment with food in a different, yet healthy way!
Introduce the World Wide Web to your sexy self!

Good Morning Beautiful People!

My Juice Cleanse Journey is coming to a CLOSE! I'm on the home stretch here, and couldn't be happier - to finish, that is...

Hallelujah!

Before I provide your eyeballs with today's menu, I think it's important to take a look at how it's made me feel the past two days. I would like to preface with the fact that it's important to recognize that every body is different. There are many people who swear by cleansing, and love the way it makes them feel, and then there are those who find it's just not for them. Everyone reacts differently. When I share my experience, it's just that: MY experience. I'm merely providing you with how it's made me feel. 

The Good 

• My Skin is Glowing, although my facial might be partially responsible for that.
• I Am Confident That, Internally, It's Doing Good For My Body
• An Increase In Mental Strength: I feel as though the restrictiveness of this cleanse has helped build my willpower muscle, and given me the ability to channel my emotions in a more controlled and thoughtful way.
• A  Heightened Sense Of Awareness: Because the past 2 days have been consumed with detecting how my body is feeling, I've become hyper-conscious about how what I put in my body affects EVERYTHING - my mood, focus, social life, romantic life, etc. 
• I Feel Light, not heavy, swollen or bloated.
• I'm Not Experiencing ANY PMS Symptoms: I would normally experience some cramping/emotional moments at this time
• I'm Sleeping Long & Well

The Not-So-Good 

• I Feel Empty: Although I'm consuming a whole lot of liquid, I've never been a fan of drinking my calories for this reason. 
• I Don't Feel Myself: Preparing and eating healthy food is such a huge part of my life's enjoyment, so it's tough - because I can't have any, It's difficult for me to talk about it, watch it, see it, or smell it. 
• I'm Low On Energy / Weak Feeling: This may very well be due to the fact that I have yet to finish all 6 juices. I can only manage to stomach 4 of them, which must mean that I am calorie-deficient, which is why I've been feeling this way. Both days, I've had to eat some raw cucumber and celery to help me get through. I also had a few pieces of watermelon last night, which made me feel better. Oddly, it only took a small amount of the "solid food" to fill me up.  
• I Crave Resuming My Bun Burning Activities!: I am DYING to break a sweat, here! I did do yoga Monday, but just missing my workouts yesterday and today feels like an eternity, because exercise fuels my happiness and productivity, people! -You know this!

Before I launch into today's menu, let's take a look at how I fared the rest of yesterday: 

#4). 4:30pm "Turmeric Tonic" / Evaluation: This was good. I liked the spiciness and tang this had. Very refreshing.

#5). 7:00pm Carrot Juice  / Evaluation: This was smooth, sweet, and yummy. Tasted just like carrot, which I happen to be a BIG FAN of. I started getting really full feeling after this, which is why I'm sad to say, I, again, never made it to juice #6 or #7.

#6). "Green Coco Juice" / Evaluation: N/A

#7). "Cashew Hemp Mylk" / Evaluation: N/A

Now let's move on to today's MENU: I'm 2 concoctions deep into Day 3...

The Conquered:

#1). "E3 Live" Booster Shot - Consists of 100% Organic Blue Algae / Evaluation: Not so great, but it's just a shot, so it goes down quickly! Easy to take.

#2). Coconut Water - Consists of 100% Organic Raw Coconut Water / Evaluation: While I usually love coconut water, there is a funky taste to this that I'm not a fan of. I have to hold my breath and chase it with gulps of water...Wish I had my Orange or Pear juice today! Dangit!  

What's to Come...

#3). 1:00pm "Mellow Love" Green Juice - Consists of Romaine, Celery, Spinach and Cucumber / Evaluation: Definitely pizzazzing this up with fresh squeezed organic lemon again! That did the trick for me yesterday.

#4). 3:00pm "Ginger Lemonade" - Consists of  Purified Alkaline Water, Lemon, Lime, Ginger, Coconut Sugar / Evaluation: Love this! I'll have something to look forward to after my green machine.

#5). 5:00pm "Green Coco Juice"- Consists of Kale, Celery, Romaine, Green Chard, Thai Coconut Water / Evaluation: I think I'll need lemon reinforcements here. Oy! 

#6). 7:00pm "Green Love" - Kale, Celery, Romaine, Cucumber, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Collard Greens, Pear, Lemon, Parsley/ Evaluation: TBD

#7). 9:00pm "Coconut Mylk" -100% Organic Coconut Meat, 100% Organic Thai Coconut Water / Evaluation: TBD 

And that, My friends, is the last look you'll have at my all-liquid menu! Tomorrow, I'll post a detailed debrief for everyone, and show y'all what I decide to eat for breakfast! Woo hoo!

Wishing you all Happy + Healthy + Wednesdays! 

LoveHugsBesos

 xoxo

P.S.: My Top 10 Tips To A Healthy Cinco De Mayo are featured today on Daily Buzz Healthy Living's Top 9! Check it out HERE!

What's up, Lovers?! 

Check out the latest on my cleansing...

*Note: Hair & Makeup aren't a part of the cleansing process. Excusé!

Muah!

 xoxo

Good Morning My Beautiful Solid-Food-Eating Readers! ...Boy am I jealous! Sheesh, Louish! ....But on the flip side, I know food will always be there, and with under 48 hours left on this cleanse, I'm confident I'm doing my body real good...So I'm gonna keep on drinking!... 

I do, however, have some qualms about today (and tomorrow), because last night did me dirty! As the evening advanced, so too did my nausea. I finished my 5th green juice of the day around 5:30, and was supposed to guzzle two more within the next 4 hours, but I just. couldn't. stomach it. I found comfort in munching on a few slices of organic raw cucumber and celery sticks, but I couldn't fathom the idea of another juice. My body was begging me not to, so I obeyed, and instead decided to snuggle up in bed at the ripe young hour of 9:00 - which proved to be a fantastic decision! I slept, and I slept, and I slept almost 12 straight hours! It was phenomenal! ...

Now, here I am, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (okay, so that's an exaggeration, I'm not quite there yeeeet) ...But I am ready to tackle...

Day Numero Dos (2)

Check out the Menu:

The Conquered:

#1). 9:00am Aloe Vera Shot / Evaluation:There was really no distinct taste. I rather liked it - it was refreshing, and got things moving if you know what I mean. <nudge nudge> 

#2). 10:00am 100% Organic Pear Juice / Evaluation: I'm about halfway into this baby, and it's delicious! I only wish some of the green concoctions were just as sweet...let's just say, I'm far from jazzed to get to the next order of business (juice #3)...

What's to Come...

#3). 1:00pm "Mellow Love" Green Juice - Consists of Romaine, Celery, Spinach and Cucumber / Evaluation: I know what I'm in for...I only hope I can stomach it. Water chasers will definitely be involved, but I just hope I don't get sick...

#4). 3:00pm "Turmeric Tonic" - Consists of Purified Alkaline Water, Ginger Root, Coconut Sugar, Lemon Juice, Turmeric, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Himalayan Salt / Evaluation: TBD

#5). 5:00pm Carrot Juice - Consists of 100% Organic Carrot / Evaluation: TBD

#6). 7:00pm "Green Coco Juice" - Consists of Kale, Celery, Romaine, Green Chard, Thai Coconut Water / Evaluation: TBD

#7). 9:00pm "Cashew Hemp Mylk" - Consists of Purified Alkaline Water, Dates, Irish Moss, Cashew, Hemp Seeds, Himalayan Salt / Evaluation: TBD 

As promised, I'll be keeping y'all up-to-par on how the day pans out, so stay tuned! 

Before I bid farewell, I thought you might be interested in how I feel RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND...

My Current State: A little sleepy, weak, slight headache, loopy

I think yesterday was so rough for me because I started the day with a pretty difficult Vinyasa yoga class. I'm not about to make the same hair brain decision today, so I've banned all forms of exercise for the next two days (with the exception of walking, of course). Instead, I'm milking this cleanse with some beauty treatments. Score! In all fairness, I'm only abiding by the list of "recommended activities" when cleansing...so, really, I'm just following "doctor's orders" here...

On that note...it's almost time for my facial!  

Talk Soon, Buttercups! 

PeaceLoveBesos

xoxo

Hola! Hola! Party People! ...I'm back with My Juice Cleanse Day 1 Debrief...

So, listen up, Buttercups! Because even blogging is burning precious energy that seems to be dwindling...<Sigh> 

• How I'm feeling right now: Empty (hungry), light-headed and a bit shaky. Would kill for an apple. I don't know why an apple, but would love to sink my teeth into a juicy Fuji right about now. I'm holding strong, guzzling water and preoccupying myself with Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which I'm actually quite surprised by. I see the Bieb-meister in a whole new light...after I'll move on to the RHONJ...then it's 

B! ...aka "Bethenny Ever After" 

Holla back youngin'! Woop! Woop!

Alright, I want to cut to the chase here because I need to rest my eyeballs very soon...

• 1pm: Mellow Love / Evaluation: Very green. I felt like a just swallowed a garden. It's bitter, but doesn't make my lips pucker. Again, I would have murdered (note:sarcasm) for an apple in this baby. It took me an hour to finish the whole thing. I found that chasing with ice cold water helped...I'm also pretty darn freezing. Heater & heating pad are in full effect.

• 3pm: Ginger Lemonade / Evaluation: Hallelujah! This one is DELICIOUS! By far, my favorite (next to the OJ). I'm savoring this baby, because I know I have 2 more gardens to drink afterward. I'm beginning to feel weak and shaky. I get up and walk around, organize some things. This helps.
• 4pm: Feeling better, but sleepy.
• 4:45pm: Feeling hungry.
• 5pm: Green Coco / Evaluation: Easier to swallow than Mellow Love, but I'm beginning to feel nauseous at the thought of drinking another green machine juice. I want FRUIT! Pineapple and banana sounds so sinful right now...

What's left to conquer: 

• Green Love: Cross your fingers I can stomach it...
• Coconut Mylk: Music to my ears! Can't wait to polish the night with this one! Hope it's yummy and creamy...I need yummy and creamy right now.

Stay tuned for those evaluations MANANA! ...It's time for me vegetate on my vegetable juice....

Muah!

 xoxo