Hey bloggies 
Happy Friday to youuuuuuuuu!
First off, I am very touched by all of the sweet comments I got on my weight-loss post. Your kind words mean so much to me and from the bottom of mi corazon: THANK YOU I wish I would have known back then that such an amazing group of girls would be cheering me on!
Here are yesterdays eats (and treats):
I started off with a AB,B and P (which stands for Polaner) B-fast cookie:
(I smeared the Polaner on top before putting it in the fridge overnight. It gave it a lovely glossy sheen and some extra sweetness, which is always enjoyable)
I took the puppers for a walk and munched this for a snack:
Then I got ready for work. I seriously love being a TA— I help out kids in the class if they have questions (which is fairly often) and when I’m not doing that, I upload grades and do homework. Brilliant.
My camera ate my lunch. Which is a bummer because it was SO good—an Ezekiel tortilla with homemade raw hummus, spinach, tomato and eggplant bacon. I also had an apple.
After work, I had some Kashi crackers and hummus:
And some Rooibos Chai from Teavana.
Some of you asked how the teamaker works… You just add the tea leaves and boiling water into the teamaker and let it brew according to the appropriate time. Then when it’s ready, you put the teamaker on top of your mug and it drains the tea right into it. It’s quite brilliant
I went to the base gym to teach step and was horrified to see that the battery in my mic was dead. I went up to the desk and told the girl, who just said : Oh, sorry. I asked her if she would help me find one or go to the BX and buy one, and she said she couldn’t because she was the only one working. In other words, she didn’t feel like helping me at all. I was about to cancel the class (and dreading it since more than 20 people had already set up their steps) when one of my regulars went to her car and FOUND TWO BRAND NEW 9 VOLT BATTERIES. I wanted to kiss her Class ended up going really well.
When I got home, I was ready to make some of my favorite dessert ever:
Raw vegan macaroons. These will change your life. Seriously.
The lovely Meghann has a Blogger Bake Sale coming up (on Feb. 9th), so if you’d like to try some of these bad boys, you’ll have the chance to purchase some and donate to a truly amazing cause.
The batch I made last night was for some bloggy friends, but I had to try one to make sure they were ok:
Last night ended up turning into an impromptu wine night, when Megan and Hayley came over to have so vino with me. I had to celebrate the start of my 3 day weekend
We also each had a Starbucks chocolate truffle:
And here’s a pic of my slightly unattractive dinner:
This morning, I woke up early to take Bella to the groomer, and Viesa got her nails cut. I’m going to give little Viessy a bath before Bella gets home, which is always a joy since she acts like I’m pouring acid on her, when it’s really just lukewarm water. She hates baths.
I had a beautiful bowl of oats this morning… almost Kath quality 
1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, 1/2 small banana, blueberries, goji berries, 1/2 scoop vanilla protein and a sprinkle of FEED granola.
Now I’m off to clean like a maniac, then hit up Targizzle. I’m thinking the girls and I are going to dinner and a movie later.
I’m thinking it’s time for another pilot post
Enjoy your FRRRIIIIIIDAY!
xoxo,
G$
Something to talk about: Laura mentioned on her blog earlier this week about an Oprah episode that was aired concerning obese children/teenagers. I was able to catch most of the second episode, which was devastating and extremely thought-provoking. According to the episode, the childhood obesity rate is up 30% from the year 2000 and for the first time in history, children have a lower life expectancy than their parents. The thing is, a lot of the children were saying that they don’t eat because they’re hungry—they eat to numb themselves from the pain that they’re feeling. What I’m wondering is, what needs to be done to change this??
-Better education for children on proper eating/nutrition?
-Education for PARENTS on what they feed their children?
-Getting all of the chemicals and junk out of the food that’s intended for consumption by children/teenagers?
-More sports/athletic activities in schools?
-Has Obama mentioned any initiatives to address this epidemic??
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
great eats!! do you have a recipe for the raw macaroon i realllllly want to make them
i love oprah! i think that parents definitely need to be educated (love my mom to death but we had so many unhealthy/over processed foods growing up) and definitely more athletic opportunities. i was lucky enough to make the teams in high school but so many people were cut from teams and left with nothing! there should be “intramurals” for high schools as an alternative to varsity sports maybe
Breakfast cookie + Larabar + macaroons (I seriously am craving more of your macaroons, Gina, haha!!) = holy yum!!
So glad that you love being a TA!!
Kids need more recess/P.E./playtime/etcetera in order to stay active – get away from the damn video games!!
Really good topic to bring up gina! I think that better education for PARENTS is where the healthy eating movement should start. I say this because I know that as a child and teenager, all of my habits and thoughts about food came from what I learned from my mom and dad. And now that I REALLY know what’s healthy, I realize how LITTLE they actually know. And obviously, it would be helpful if the media were not so body-imaged focused, but I don’t think that is something that can be changed for good.
Hey! I am a first time poster, but I have been keeping up with your blog for awhile. I totally agree with you about the food problem/obesity problem in our country regarding our kids. I try to feed my girls the best foods possible, but at the same time I know they are kids and like to eat “kid foods”. I think that is ok as long as it is done in moderation. I actually just started my own blog as a busy healthy mom. I am going to post my food, exercise, and life in general. Maybe this will give some others ideas on how to have a busy life but still be healthy. Check it out. http://ahealthybusymom.blogspot.com/
Hi chicky- that tea maker is super cool! LOVE it. Ugh ugh about the battery. That drives me nuts! We “have” extra batteries up near the mic stand but they seem to disappear quickly. I always keep a pack in my bag just in case! Whoever gets your cookie treats is a lucky duck! Have a great Friday
OOOH I sooooo covet your tea maker – I drink loose tea every day but lord knows we all need good ways to not actually end up swallowing the leaves.
Cinnamon Roll is so my favorite LaraBar flavor – I did a whole blog post on that alone.
I’m also posting about this morning’s breakfast cookie – I used applesauce and am loooving it!
I would also LOVE to see the macaroon recipe…
I love that heart bowl and those macaroons never fail to make me drool
Glad to hear you’re enjoying your TA job! Teaching is so rewarding! Thank goodness for the batteries too!!
The blueberry Clifs – since I don’t like them that means there’s more for you to enjoy
Have fun at Target!
Oh and the Oprah thing: I think schools need to do a better job at teaching nutrition. They make students take health but they don’t cover (at least mine didn’t) nutrition at all. Also, school lunches are atrocious! I remember my lunch used to be a big huge cookie and a diet coke….what the heck was I thinking?! Finally schools around here are implementing pay to play which means you have to pay money to be on the sports teams – that’s fine for where I live but what about people that can’t afford it? Are they just supposed to sit and watch? Sorry that’s so long!
Those vegan macaroons always make my mouth water!
Glad on of the people in your class came to the rescue! Have a great weekend my dear!
I know those maccarrons are going to draw quite a crowd for the bake sale!
random question: what’s your favorite kind of wine to drink:)
Gina-
I just have to say you are an incredible inspiration. Not just your before and after pictures. Your wonderfully positive, upbeat and HEALTHY attitude is just contagious. I absolutely adore your blog and plan on taking many recipes and suggestions from your fabulous collection. Enjoy your 3 day weekend!!!
Sara
oh gina – love this post! grr i sometimes feel like the kids at the front desk at the gym are all like “oh.. oops. tee hee.” ds;lfja;dslkffks;lfjksa;fj!
anyways.. haha. i’m glad that you love being a TA! i taught for a little bit, too (not in college, though – but at princeton review, teaching high school students) and it is a teaching and rewarding experience.
and u kno what? i remember when i was little.. every amount of free time i got, i went into my backyard and rode my bike, played basketball or badminton. and now.. my youngest brother, every chance he gets, plays his video games.
whatever happened to good old riding your bike around the backyard really fast and feeling that rush of air?
Kids definitely need to get some new habits. I know when I was little I played outside allll the time and when I was inside, I read – rarely watched tv and I didn’t have a game system. My parents have said that when they were little their parents would basically kick them out of the house and say “play outside” until dinnertime. I don’t really understand how our culture has changed so much. It’s sad
Coming from someone with experience in working by herself, you can’t leave your place of employment if there is no one else there… why do you assume that because of that she didn’t want to help you or was being a jerk? She’s there to help members of the gym anyway, not you.
I'll have to remember to spread some jam on my next b'fast cookie…hmmm, strawberry and avocado? I think that would work.
So glad you're enjoying working as a TA, but not as glad as I was to see that batch of macaroons! By the way, I have strips of eggplant sitting in a bowl with salt as I type this. Can't wait to get my "bacon" in the dehydrator.
As far as childhood obesity goes, I think a lot of responsibility lies with the parents. Kids mimic their moms and dads. The parents need to make healthy food choices and stay active for themselves and their families. I think most kids would simply follow their lead. Quit ordering pizza and allowing the children play video games all day & night!
I think #1 in this epidemic is getting parents to come out of there own worlds and RAISE their childern! Childern are eating to feel a void!! A void that needs to be fed by their Parents love and attention. Everyone is so caught up in their own world care so much about material things that is it no wonder since 2000 it has gone up that much! I’ve been reading the PRICE OF PRIVELEGE and its a pretty decent book!
Everytime I see one of your breakfast cookies my mouth waters! I think it is parents responsibility to teach kids how to eat healthy. My mom was a bodybuilder and ate healthy herself but she let me eat very bad. I had pizza every friday, chicken nuggets all the time, and cookies n creams blizzards almost every night! I wish she never let me eat like that!
I will definitely be purchasing some macaroons. Have been wanting to try them!
I think one thing is that there needs to be more focus put on the food served in schools. Kids need healthier choices.
I love your heart shaped bowl! So cute
As far as the the epidemic of childhood obesity I think it needs to be taken on full force with a variety of action plans and programs. Education is key, of both the children and their parents. The parents need to learn and accept that their children are unhealthy and it is seriously going to effect their lifespans. Then both the parents and the children need to be taught about healthy lifestyles from food and nutrition to exercise! Perhaps adding nutrition classes to the curriculum?
Mmm breakfast cookies and larabars…what could be better??
As VeggieGirl said, get those kids outside or running around! My little brother is 7 and he rarely goes outside because he’s always playing video games. We have to literally force him outside. I’m trying to change that though
to those of you who asked for the macaroon recipe, it’s in “raw food, real world”
cateberry: organic shiraz… it’s absolutely amazing
thekidsaren’tnuts: at our base, they usually have 5-6 people working the desk (she wasn’t the only one working, she just told me that– the other people “working” were not up at the desk) and part of their job is to make sure the instructors have the equipment and facilities to teach. i asked her politely if she could please help me out and she said no.
I’m bidding on those macaroons. If anyone outbids me, I’m going to kick in ‘em in the shins.
As a mama I 100% believe PARENTS are where it starts and they need to be educated about nutrition for sure! Kids eat what they are given, and if you have your house stocked with healthy food, they aren’t going to even know what the junk is. My kids refuse to eat McDonalds or even silly things like Tyson chicken nuggets. They’d much rather swipe my food!
“The thing is, a lot of the children were saying that they don’t eat because they’re hungry—they eat to numb themselves from the pain that they’re feeling. What I’m wondering is, what needs to be done to change this??”
Coming from someone with an eating disorder~I know perfectly well what to eat..I’m a Nurse..but when I’m in Emotional pain~I don’t drink..or smoke..or take drugs..I reach for food..Now if Oprah Winfrey can’t solve her problem, and constantly get’s heavy again,and she has all the money and resources at her feet…How are Parent’s who are struggling to survive daily themselves, supposed to monitor every morsel that goes into a kid’s mouth.(much easier when they are babies)Everyone has thier own reason for eating..mean school kids,no friends,boredom,Divorced parent’s,death,whatever the reason EVEN Obese adult’s don’t wake up and say..For fun today..I think I’ll get so Obese that society can be rude,mean,cruel and then I can die young…
People assume Parent’s have all the answer’s..You don’t even have to take a TEST to become a Parent..most people are winging it..
I think counseling would be a good way to solve this problem..UNFORTUNATELY even with insurance who can afford to pay the co-pays and deductible..I can’t and I’m a Nurse..
Kid’s aren’t as active anymore, but if someone is feeling EMOTIONAL PAIN..then just like an alcoholic or drug addict..you have to deal with the Pain and not numb it..
It isn’t a matter of sometimes not knowing what to eat..it’s what will NUMB my pain right now!!
Maybe School system’s should provide counseling and classes to help this problem..for free…
Sorry so long..I think unless people stop seeing Obese people as lazy,useless etc..we won’t solve the problem with kid’s..
Not all kid’s are blessed with emotionally strong parent’s..If you were..that’s wonderful..a lot of families are dysfunctional..
I think that parents definitely need to be educated, that there should be more sports/athletic opportunities in schools and that nutrition at schools should be better (i.e. better cafeteria choices, etc) Also why should a child be eating to “numb the pain”, to me this also says something is wrong with the family dynamics that should also be fixes. Kids should eat mostly healthy, play often, and enjoy a treat (“junk food” cookie, etc.) every now and then. There shouldn’t be this epdimec, nor should kids be worrying about their weight. It’s tragic.
I can’t really address your question without thinking, which I’m not prepared to do.
I’m so glad you love being a TA. It’s fun huh!
Hey Gina!
New reader here. I adore your blog and love your optimistic outlook on life! Your blog posts are so enjoyable to read. I’m an editor for a newspaper, and your chatty but insightful writing style is not easy to find!
In response to the question about health initiatives, I just happened to read an article in the NY Times about Obama’s new chef from Chicago : http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/new-white-house-chef-skewers-school-lunches/
Have a great weekend, Gina!
WOW who has batteries of that specific nature in their CAR? Talk about meant to be!! Awesome. And yes, lovely help at the front there. Sigh. I hate people sometimes. Sorry – that was negative. Anyway, I digress! I wish the camera hadn’t eaten your lunch – sounded YUM! hehe sometimes the least attractive dinners taste the best!
As far as your topic – SAD – but not surprising. I personally blame communities… was I the only kid outside ALL THE TIME and now I can drive for miles and never see a child. What’s up with that? Are they all inside eating cheetos?
those batteries are seriously good kharma coming back to u cuz you’re such a sweetie!! I saw that episode and I was tearing up majorly at the end..
I can’t wait to try these macaroons!
I’m a little too tired to really arrange my thoughts on the childhood obesity topic right now, but I’ll try. Every overweight child’s story is different, so I can only speak for myself. I started gaining weight in middle school, about the same time my mother went back to work full time. My siblings and I would come home from school and have a few hours until a parent came home. What did I do with my time? I ate. I have memories of eating huge plates of pasta, ice cream, and huge glasses of soda, all before my mom came home to make dinner, which I would also eat. Oprah told the parents in this episode that what children always want is their parents’ time. Maybe she’s onto something there. I think parents today often have to work such long hours to provide for their children that they end up neglecting them, for lack of a better word. I remember seeing an interview with Princess Diana about her bulimia. She said that the feeling of being overly stuffed almost felt like a hug to her. That has always stuck with me! Maybe kids are using food for comfort more than ever because the traditional family support system hardly exists anymore. If everyone is too busy for you, where do you turn?
I think the severely obese kids on Oprah wouldn’t necessarily be helped by nutrition counseling like more moderately overweight kids would. I hope that eating disorders like this will soon receive the same amount of attention as drug abuse does. People know drugs are harmful, but do them anyway. Food is just the legal drug some people choose.
Hi Gina!
First of all, as usual, your post was wonderful today! I don’t have a food blog, but I have friends that do and I like to peruse them occasionally:) You always have fun and inspiring posts, so thank you!
I know that after the election, Obama made moves towards policy/legislation regarding obesity, but I haven’t heard of anything specifically geared towards children, school lunches, counseling, etc. Hopefully that is to come?? The Oprah topic is such an important one, because health problems are increasing dramatically in children today. It’s heartbreaking…especially because it’s unnecessary and preventable! Although opinions can be controversial, I think this is a great place to bring it up.
I also wanted to briefly comment on the comment from thekidsaren’tnuts. Maybe I read it wrong, but it seemed a little on the unfair side. If I’m not mistaken(being familiar with military life and base gyms myself)…the person at the services desk is employed to keep things running smoothly-for both members and staff. You were asking for a battery, not a miracle. You were within your right to vent, so no worries;)
Anyway, thank you again for your terrific blog! Your entries are honest and insightful, I just want you to know it’s appreciated!
Take care and thanks!
aw gina, i’ve missed you! haha, i was gone for two days and it seems like forever
trying to catch up! have a great weekend!!!
i think alot could be attitude. often “healthy” eating seems forced–make it fun. And incorporating activities into family time seems a good idea as well…
Great eats today!
Interesting topic…I teach nutrition during the 1st quarter to my 4th graders. We always discuss the food groups and what we need to help our bodies grow strong and healthy. I think the media plays a huge roll in how children learn and how parents think.
Have a super day!
Hey quick question.. where do you get all of your ideas for the food dehydrator?? Everything look amazing!
oh my gosh, I live in Albany, Georgia- just a couple of hour away from you! I see you like to eat really healthy too- I look forward to reading your blog! Ttyl
oh man im glad your students found a battery in her car!
i dont know what the solution to the problem is, but i think nutrition classes should be a part of elementary, middle and high school! and recess, of course!
I saw both of those Oprah episodes and I was in tears watching those kids scream why they were angry. They had so many feelings I had felt too many times as a teen and I just wanted to hug them. I think there is a lot of things that need to be done to help children grow up learning healthy habits, but they need to start at home. Parents need to teach their kids through example of how to lead a healthy life. However, even the healthiest of families can have kids with emotional problems that use food as a crutch to the extent that it becomes a problem that ruins lives. Those kids need someone to talk to and those parents need to get to the root of the problem instead of simply telling them to eat less. I speak from experience. Also.. I am so against this new age of video games ruling the world. There is nothing wrong with them but parents need to moderate the time their kids spend on them. Get outside, ride a bike, even read a book! Ok, I need to stop. I could just keep going.
Hurray for macaroons! They always look so tasty.
I didn't see the Oprah episode, but they have been talking about it for some time, and children's life expectancy is going to be lower than their parents. I think the solution really needs to be multifacited. Yes, education is needed for both parents & children on healthy eating & active living. Schools shouldn't be serving the crap they do for lunches. But fast food/convenience foods are so attractive because 1) they often cost less, and 2) take little time to prepare. Everyone is so busy that taking time to actually make a healthy meal is the last thing they want to do, so it's just easier to pick up something from your local fast food joint. Obviously, it's not cheaper in the long run when you factor in the medical bills you will probably have to pay for whatever illnesses you may end up with from not eating properly, but alot of people can only look at the bottom line in the here and now.