Paleo Rocks...get it?

The Paleo way of life truly rocks (nod to our cave dwelling ancestors).  I feel amazing, I'm down 16 lbs. and I have energy to spare.  A few cheats here and there with some red wine and a bit of chocolate.  And I highly recommend the "Secret Shake" at the bottom of this blog.  Talk about a great way to start your day...this really kicks you into high gear, I find myself sprinting up the subway stairs in the morning.  This probably also falls under a "cheat" as I use whey protein, but there's no lactose involved, so I'm pretty sure it's ok, PLUS I'm seeing fab results!

Pictured to my left was one of my lunches from 2 weeks ago, and what I'll be having for lunch today  :)...sooooo delicious.  I really love rotisserie chicken.  I've also been heavy into roasting veggies in a little bit of olive oil with salt & rosemary.  The general medley of vegetables roasted have been a mix of onions, carrots, parsnip, and yellow squash...sometimes I will bake a Cornish hen or chicken with them too.  Think I may do a pot roast sometime this week as well...yummy!  Some of you have been asking about the link that got me interested in the Paleo Diet in the first place, so I'll attach a link for you to read up on it yourself:  http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/09/19/paleo-diet-solution/

On the opera front, Godiva Chocolate will be sampling at our big Wagner, Verdi & Vodka Benefit Gala on October 30th (we're doing a tasting today at the Ansonia...mmm), and there are two designers who will be dressing some of the ladies for the event, including myself.  I go for a dress fitting tomorrow at Gustavo Cadile's studio.  I'm so excited.  His dresses are GORGEOUS...just hope I can fit in one...I know I'm "not a fat opera singer" per se, but I'm definitely not of the super model variety when it comes to the waif like apparel.  He says he has size 6's in the studio...so here's hoping!

I'm off to my lunch date, so enjoy the lovely shake recipe below...and be good to your body.


Here's the recipe to Jackie Warner's Secret Shake. This is a meal replacement, and is supposed to be ultra healthy, help you burn fat, and help your recover faster from your work-outs. Yeah, you need a blender for this...I know it sounds gross, but it doesn't taste as hideous as it sounds...the berries cover everything.


1 Scoop (low-glycemic) Protein Powder  (I am currently using Isopure - Vanilla)
1 tsp. Glutamine Powder
1 tsp. BCAA Powder
1 tbsp. L Carnitine (I am currently using the liquid, rasberry flavor)
1/2 tbsp. Flaxseed Oil
1 Cup Frozen Spinach
1 Cup Frozen Berries (have fun, blueberries, strawberries, rasberries)

Have a great day!
-Bex

Tweakings

Life for me is always about self discovery and self improvement.  Thus once again, I'm tweaking my nutrition a bit.  I've decided to try giving up dairy, all grains, and legumes...yep, that include alcohol (not that I'm a big drinker, but still I like a nice glass of wine every now and then).  What prompted this change, I read an article about gluten, and grains...and it lead me to the Paleo "diet".  Basically, its simple eating of lean proteins, veggies, fruits and nuts.  The dairy is the hardest thing for me to give up, for I LOVE cheese, milk and cream in my coffee...not to mention, I was practically living on Greek Yogurt.  No worries, however, I'm only trying it out through the end of October, see how my body likes it and re-evaluate from there.  Thus far I've lost 11 lbs. of the horrid TX weight I gained when I was home so much in August (can you say BBQ & Mexican Food?)

As for the working-out, that starts again on a regular basis today.  I have to admit, that August and September were sparse when it came to gym visits, but that all changes now.  I've got my footing under me again and its now time to go back to that lovely zone I visit whenever I go running for 30 minutes at lunch.  It really helps relieve the stress of the day.  Not to mention the fun classes I get to take after work, and my favorite Shred DVD at home.  I have at least been climbing on my elliptical at home for an hour about 2-3 times a week, so it hasn't been a total loss.

In the opera world, things are definitely hopping.  Sooo many projects in the works, and it's been quite a balancing act to get everything up and running, especially when it seems my personal life has been a bit out of sorts lately.  For those of you who follow, the Maestro and I are no longer an item, however we are still good friends.  I just felt that we were better suited as friends and it was time I focused on other aspects in my life.  So yep...I'm single...let the party begin...lol...not that it already hasn't.  Life in NYC is non-stop, and with my opera producing and performing career, my calendar is pretty full (almost too full).  Not that I'm complaining.

Well, back to the daily grind.  Have a great one!
-Bex