Grapes: My favorite beach treat
While at the beach this summer I have been reading and snacking on frozen grapes, which are an amazing little snack. Just stick some grapes in the freezer and munch on them throughout the day. They are so refreshing and taste just a little sweeter when frozen. One woman even claimed they are better than sex!
Grapes contain potassium, calcium and protein, plus all kinds of vitamins. Learn more about the nutritional benefits from grapes here.
Giving YOU the skinny on health and fitness. One post at a time.
DRUNKorexia…”Starving themselves…cocktails in hand”
DRUNKOREXIA…a term coined for a new trend in young girls…a habit that includes starving oneself in order to compensate for the calories that will be consumed by alcohol during that night’s festivities. A lot of young college women are using drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, in addition to alochol to suppress appetites.
Hold up…now really?!?! does this make any sense?? I mean if you think you’re going to get into those skinny jeans by not eating, but consuming those budweiser beers in bulk that tend to rack up 150 calories & 11 carbs a pop (and with college drinkers…you can multiply this number by 5-10 or more which is usually the amount consumed in one night of partying!!!). One night of booze could add up to a days worth of calories….with ZIPPO nutrients. Smart?? I don’t think so…no way are you gonna get that bod you want…probably only a nice rounded beer belly 
lovely right?!
In an article from the New York Times, Douglas Bunnell, director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center, based in Philadelphia, summed this craziness up in one statement, “There are women who are afraid to put a grape in their mouth but have no problem drinking a beer.” WHAT?????
Psychologists are saying that this type of disorder, just like any other eating disorder comes from much deeper issues, usually rooted in the need to numb some type of emotional pain or compensate for negative feelings towards oneself. Girls and guys, they can get rid of this anxiety with substances or the rush provided by bingeing and purging.
Its a very interesting phenomenon that is rising rapidly in college environments and is starting to have serious reprecutions on college men and women’s mentality, physical abilities, self-concept, school commitments, etc. It takes over you and turns you into a different person. Please please please read up on this disease here and really consider the personal accounts that make drunkorexia a serious reality these days. Even check up on some of hollywood’s biggest role models…now all of whom are considered to be the epitome of a drunkorexic.
I have also written an opinion editorial in response to this trend…a lot of material in which i just stated above, but I wanted to give you some food for thought and hopefully it will wake up some of you, allow you to assess your lifestyle and consider if its really worth it. Enjoy….
Martini…please! Food for energy…no thanks.
No food? Just Booze. That is the new trend with young people today. Women are afraid to put a grape in their mouth, but have no problem taking beer bongs and chugging martinis; something is wrong with this picture. Drunkorexics, college-age binge drinkers, typically women, bank their calories, starving themselves during the day to anticipate a night full of drinking in order to stay well within their calorie range. This is a perfect example of how bad America’s obsession with being skinny has gotten. Losing weight and being thin has become a cultural imperative for young women. The social acceptance that goes along with great looks as well as the “cool and hip” label that alcohol provides is what fuels this crazy phenomenon. Drugs, like cocaine and amphetamines, are being coupled with these practices in order to further suppress appetite.
This unhealthy addiction is associated with serious eating disorders. Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating disorder, drug abuse; all of these alone can prove to be incredibly damaging, can you imagine the combination? Starving oneself, then consuming mass amounts of alcohol, just to purge later not only has serious health repercussions, but also signifies probable emotional and psychological pain, most likely the roots of this behavior.
Is it really worth putting that much stress on your heart and esophagus, just to be celebrity skinny and enjoy nightlife at the same time? Pop-stars such as Tara Reid and Lindsey Lohan are role models for the drunkorexics around the world. But c’mon, what do they have going for them, honestly? They have no job and no brains. Now they have no insides too. Not to mention the 10 years they gained due to the aging effects this torture has on your appearance.
As an eating disorder survivor, I know first hand the physical and mental exhaustion that accompanies food struggles. For anorexics, food is like alcohol for alcoholics. It is their drug. And just like addiction victims, the “drug” or disease in this case, takes control, and the hardest task is bouncing back. I feel for young women and men struggling with what I did, but on the other hand, I don’t sympathize with people that add more baggage to an already serious problem. One addiction is hard enough on your body and every-day function, why add substance abuse to the list? Yes, it might temporarily ease the pain or anxiety of eating, but once that hangover wears off, your right back to rock-bottom, but now with two diseases, not one. The hole just got that much deeper.
It’s unfortunate that external features, rather than inner beauty are defining attractiveness. The media, as well as the latest glorification of celebrity rehabilitation is to blame. The media objectifies women, putting great stress on fit bodies, blonde-haired models, and post-rehab change. It personifies an unrealistic reality that every girl has to be model-thin in order to be sexy. There is not one magazine or E! segment that does not cover the latest diet tricks, exercise gimmicks, and re-hab miracles. Wake up! This media coverage is all fake! Journalists create diet plans and flash them on the covers of SHAPE and SELF to get people, like me and you, to buy the magazine. Tinsel Town’s finest go through grueling hours of not eating and exercising day in and day out to try and achieve this “ideal” look. And for what? Nothing! After all, in the end, the photographs are all airbrushed anyway. This “ideal” that is stimulating the drunkorexic movement does not exist. It’s not worth taking your body to almost fatal measures to achieve a state that is not real.
My suggestion, face your issues. If a woman struggles with body issues, seek help. Believe it or not, there are many more individuals in the same boat. Don’t use alcohol as your counselor. It’s only temporary. But more than anything else, be true to yourself. Face your fears, live life to the fullest, and remember, everything in moderation is the key to true happiness.
Eat for ENERGY…the diet plan
BREAKFAST
Because metabolism slows during the night while sleeping, your body need a lot to get it going again in the morning. You know how most people say this is the most important meal of the day….WELL IT IS!!! But if you are one of those people that likes to enjoy your coffee in the morning (like me) or can’t eat first thing, make sure you eat within 2 hours of rising.
AVOID:
- High GI foods, refined carbs like white sugar, white bread, donuts, and sugary breakfast cereals
- Combine starchy carbs (natural wholegrain breads and cereals) with low-fat protein foods to give your brain and muscles the energy they need for the first half of the day
- Egg (scrambled or poached) or beans on wholemeal toast
- Yogurt or silken tofu and fruit smoothie
- wholegrain cereal with milk and fruit
- whole wheat toast with peanut butter (this is my fav…add some fruit and you’ll feel amazing )
- saturated fatty foods and big heavy meals
- WHY? both require a lot of digesting which saps energy
- ALSO, a big helping of carbs: not such a good idea either…why? because they increase the level of serotonin in the brain and makes you sleepy!
- Hearty soup (veggies, chicken, beans) and whole wheat roll
- Hard-boiled egg and tuna salad
- Turkey salad whole grain sandwich
- Grilled fish and veggies
- MY FAV: half a turkey sandwich with light mayo, mustard, low fat chedder cheese, cucumbers and lettuce, with a side of fruit salad or regular salad with light dressing…perfect for SUMMER..it’s so refreshing!!!
UNLESS you need to stay alert in the evening, which you should stick to the low-fat proteins and veggies instead of carbs, just like lunchtime.- Grilled fish, baked potato (with not THAT much butter and sour cream) and green veggies
- Chicken and mushroom risotte
- Grilled steak or lean meat and slad
- Veggie or chicken kabobs with wild or brown rice
- You can always add that yummy glass of red wine with it After all it is good for your heart!!
- high GI foods loaded with simple sugars
- fruit, cereal or wholegrain/whole wheat bread with some low-fat protein
- boiled egg with whole wheat toast
- rice cake/whole grain bagel/whole wheat crackers with toppings such as low-fat cream cheese, tuna, avocado, hummus (my fav!!), peanut butter or cheese
- Small packed of dried fruit and nuts
- Vegetable sticks ith soured cream dip or light ranch dip, or HUMMUS (again my fav!! especially with cucumbers and fresh brocolli florets!)
- orange slices and cottage cheese
- apple and string cheese (another great after workout snack as well)
- low-fat yogurt
- low-fat smoothie
- soy latter with sugar free syrup (great healthy substitute for those coffee addicts like myself)
- high-sugar or fatty foods which take a long time to digest
INSTEAD:
- Choose carbs that will help you fall asleep
IDEAS:
- Low-fat yogurt
- skimmed milk and banana
- whole meal crackers
- bowl of whole grain cereal like cheerios or kashi
- fruit/fruit salad
eating for ENERGY…not those skinny jeans
Ever depend on that chocolate bar or sugary coffee to spark your energy?? I think we all do at some point…but it’s that unhealthy and irregular diet habits that cause our system to become sluggish and full of toxins, resulting in constant fatigue and lack of energy. no fun 
That’s why our bodies need foods that boost the metabolism and keep blood sugar and energy levels steady. How do we do this?? Even though some energy comes from protein and fats, most of the energy in our diet comes from carbohydrates. When I say carbs, I don’t mean those fatty biscuits from Bojangles here…I mean the carbohydrates that are low on the glycaemic index. Low GI foods release glucose (a simple sugar that is the body’s preferred fuel for energy) much slower allowing the body to burn the carbs at fuel and take the necessary nutrients from the other foods.
BEST TIP: eat at regular intervals with a equal amount of protein, fats & carbs. This will maintain energy across the border, avoiding those mid-afternoon drags, something that really maximize your concentration, alertness, mood, how you look, etc…i’m telling you the right kinds of foods, mixed together at regular intervals will leave you feeling like A MILLION DOLLARS
Want some ideas??
TOP ENERGY FOODS:
Starchy Carbs: wholegrains (brown rice, millet, buckwheat, oats, barley, quinoa), wholegrain/rye bread
Protein: cottage cheese, eggs, nuts and seeds, oily fish, poultry, tofu, yogurt
Veggies: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes, yams
Fruit: apple, avacado, banana, berries, mango, papaya, pear, pineapple
Need an INSTANT boost: eat a ripe banana!! mmm humm so good
….Soon to come: recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks…be looking for it in the next few days!!
…bringing you the SKINNY on health and fitness…one post at a time. -Carrie
