The Quest for a Natural Deodorant, or, The Stinky Pit Conundrum Part 1

Why This Topic?

One fact I learned through my research on natural products is that commercial deodorants and antiperspirants have aluminum as their main ingredient, because of its antiperspirant properties. There is much debate out there concerning this ingredient, because it has been stated that it could be linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease. However, many companies and government entities have stated that there is no proven link between aluminum zirconium/aluminum chlorohydrate and health problems. 


Even though the danger of aluminum has not been proven, there are still plenty of other chemicals in commercial antiperspirants and deodorants that are not good for us: parabens, propylene glycol, TEA, DEA, tricolsan, artificial colors, and talc. 

Healthy Grocery Shopping Trip!

I love Sunflower Market!

The husband and I did a little shopping trip tonight, and I am proud of us for picking out all healthy items! For less than $30.00, we bought the following items, with uses in parentheses:

Deli Honey Ham (sandwiches)

Wheat Bread (sandwiches)

Rice (stir-fry)

Bananas (snack, breakfast)

Red Bell Peppers (stir-fry, fajitas)

Red Seedless Grapes (snack)

Broccoli (stir-fry)

Zucchini (stir-fry)

Roma Tomatoes (pico de gallo for fajitas)

Cucumbers (salad, snacks)

Yellow Onions (stir-fry, fajitas)

Romaine Lettuce (salad, sandwiches)

Carrots (stir-fry, salad)

Vegetarian Refried Beans (fajitas/burritos)

Avocado (fajitas)

Peach and Raspberry Yogurts (snack, breakfast)

Sour Cream (fajitas)

Two Top Round Steaks (1 for stir-fry, 1 for fajitas)

Cheddar Cheese (sandwiches, fajitas/burritos)

Soy Sesame Sauce (stir-fry)

Bottled Water

So basically, that will make at least two large dinners with leftovers, sandwiches for a couple of lunches/dinner, and some snacks and salads! I don't think we did half bad. The meats were the most expensive items.... makes me think about going vegetarian but the husband would never let that happen ha! It makes me feel so good having the house full of all this healthy food!

I bought all this from Sunflower Market, which will soon become Sprouts.


Until next time, thanks for reading!
-J

A "Healthier" Pie: Fruit with an Oil Crust!

Since I have had a little more free time this summer, I have been experimenting in cooking all kinds of things from scratch that I've always wanted to try. One item I've been playing around with is fruit pies, which are the ultimate summer dessert in my opinion! 

I first thought of making a pie when I found myself with a bunch of cherries in my fridge that I didn't know what to do with. I bought them on sale and I thought I would enjoy snacking on them, but I didn't. They stained my fingers and I just didn't like them on their own. So I thought..."Hey, I've got these cherries, and a couple apples... why not a pie or a tart?" 

McDonald's is the Devil... and Other Weight Loss Fails :(

I'm a bit discouraged today. This week has not been a good one, as far as my weight loss goals. My work out buddy and I were unable to line up our schedules this week, so I didn't go to the gym. I kept trying to psych myself up to doing a work out video, but I couldn't bring myself to turn on the tv. I'm starting to realize that the idea of workout videos sounds good in theory, but actually getting up to do one by myself is a much, much more difficult task. So... besides the one measly workout while watching The Bachelorette, I haven't done much exercise this week. 


I've also cheated big time with food. I did not make good choices this week... at all. I know it's alright to have one cheat day per week, but 3 or 4? Not so much...

Exercise Tip: Work Out During Commercials on Hulu!

It should be no surprise to anyone that knows me that I love watching TV shows on Hulu. I don't have cable television service, nor do I pay for Netflix or HuluPlus. I am a big fan of what is free and already available, so I just watch regular hulu.com on my computer.


I haven't gotten to work out this week yet, so I decided that I would do some exercise while I was watching the hour and a half episode of the Bachelorette today. I found an aerobics video on Youtube, and so I watched the episode standing up and moving, and on commercials I switched tabs back to the work out video. It was actually really fun, and I felt for once my tv watching actually contributed to something productive!


Here's the video I used if you want to try it out, but there are a plethora of different types on Youtube!

Body Lotions and a Weight Loss Update

First... The Lotion Conundrum:

Body lotion... there are so many to choose from! So how do we know which ones are actually good and which are slowly leaking chemical poisons into your body? Wait... lotion has poison in it? I didn't know this before either, but last year, I read a book called No More Dirty Looks, and I learned a ton about what was in my favorite lotions. 


I used to be a HUGE Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret fan. It was so easy to become addicted to B and B Works because every time you go in there, there is some kind of a sale and incentives for you to come back. In addition, they have great smelling products! However, I find it disconcerting that I can't find an ingredients list ANYWHERE on their website. They tell you the fragrance notes, and feel-good ingredients like shea butter or jojoba, but nowhere can you find a complete list. If they were truly proud of their products, the entire list of ingredients should be in plain sight, such as with Burt's Bees or Tom's of Maine. What Bath and Body Works doesn't want you to know is that they put harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde and parabens in all of their products. Some people are willing to dismiss these and other toxic chemicals as being safe in the small amounts that are in lotions.

However, stop and think for a minute. Where does lotion go? ALL over your body, and it stays there, and absorbs, on a daily basis. I don't know about you, but when I decided to switch to more natural products, lotion was my first choice since most everything else (like shampoo, body wash, etc.) would at least get rinsed off. 
(Continued...)

Losing Weight is a Challenge and a Process

Once upon a time I was a size 8. I still have a pair of Abercrombie and Fitch pants from my 2nd year of college to prove it. That was 10 years ago. I know it's silly to keep them, and many friends have told me to throw them away. However, they are a reminder to me that I was there once, so it's possible to be there again. 


Today, I am around a size 16/18. The last time I weighed myself at my friend's house about 3 weeks ago, I was 207 pounds. This was a total shock to me, since a year ago I was at 193. Being over 200 pounds is humiliating to me. It's difficult to find clothes, and my closet is full of items that fit fine a year ago, and now they are uncomfortable.


I was always a chubby kid. I was made fun of for it growing up, and never had much confidence in myself. It wasn't until my late teens that I started losing weight (and I'm not sure why or how!) and got down to the size 8 in college. 
(Continued...)