Cupcakes & Calisthenics

Healthy Babe of the Day!

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:04:05 -0500

Name/Tumblr url: Dziko (Silentdeee)

Height/Size: 5’11”; US 22/24

How did you discover HAES? Through various tumblogs

What does living a healthy life entail for you? A balanced combination of a healthy diet and consistent exercising. Its taken me many years to find what works for me. I have been a pescatarian (a vegetarian who still incorporates fish in their diet) since April of 2009 and it has definitely encouraged me to make healthier eating choices. Ive learned to love going to the gym (when I can, unfortunately) and doing cardio for about 30-45 mins as well as weight lifting.

What are some of your favorite foods? My favorite food to eat is pasta and fruit. I could eat fruit practically all day if I could!

What are your favorite ways to be active? I love to either be outside or do active activities where I dont realize Im exercising lol like Zumba, for example. I fell in love with it over the summer, even though the first couple of classes kicked my butt! My favorite machines to get on at the gym is a tie between the elliptical and the bikes. I feel wonderful afterwards on either of them.

What makes you feel strong? When I can follow through with a goal that I set out to do. Its wonderful to have people telling you they have noticed a positive difference in you and being able to get them motivated to do the same. It definitely fuels me to keep up the progress.

Emotional health matters too! What do you do to center/care for yourself emotionally? I have definitely found encouraging messages throughout tumblr to basically love yourself no matter what. I have a wonderful network of family and friends who enable me to comfortable with the way I am. I’ve learned over the past couple of years how to appreciate having alone time to continue to learn and understand myself and to carefully choose who I keep close to me. I find that just being around good company who understands my crazy is a very vital part of my emotional health and they keep me level headed.

Describe a moment when you felt less than great about your body: I didnt always have the motivation to dress up and I would always feel so self-conscious because I thought since I was fat, I didnt have the nerve to dress pretty. But I have learned that I feel better about myself when I pay closer attention to how I dress and present myself and I can walk around with a lot more confidence because I know that I look good. :)

What was a moment when you felt particularly empowered/body positive? When I learned that I didnt have to lose weight to feel beautiful. I have my moments from time to time, but being able to admit to yourself that you are beautiful, and mean it, is a very liberating thing. Ive wasted time hating and loathing myself because people, in more or less subtle ways, constantly told me I would be so much more beautiful if just lost weight. I may never lose 100 lbs, so why do I need to waste time sabotaging my self-worth to be beautiful for someone else?

Any advice? Focus on how awesome you are! Dont worry about the next person who thinks they know your life and how you need to live it. Hello? its your life! Learn things about yourself that are conducive to your mental, physical and emotional health. No one knows what that is exactly better than yourself! I feel that taking time to know what the right foods to eat and the proper physical activity that is best for you is so worth while. Its an ongoing process but it makes the journey to a better you much more fulfilling. I may never be able to lose the amount of weight that I want but I have adapted a healhier way of living that I believe has enhanced my quality of life. =)

Thanks, Dziko! I recently fell in love with Zumba, too. It is the most fun I’ve had in while!

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if you're really in for a treat, i walk to the beat of niggas in paris off of watch the throne. like, it's quick enough for a jog or a really fast walk. walking pushes me to get through the whole song. i'll look through my playlist today and give you some other stuff. and, also (you're gonna love this), i ALWAYS cool down to the weekend. i do something like a striptease once i get home. it gets my clothes off, gives a REALLY good stretch, and makes me feel confident at the same time. (:

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:30:06 -0500

Some great tips from the lovely Rachel :)

News & Notes

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:52:39 -0500

Hey guys:

I have a Healthy Babe of the Day for you guys, and she’s a beauty (like all of them!) so stay tuned.
I just learned how to make a downloadable playlist, so I’m gonna give you my favorite songs to work out/dance to.
I would love it if you guys would tell me what’s on your workout playlist so I can have some diversified tunes on here. And hey, more free music!
There’s a small recipe (hopefully coming your way today as well.

Stay happy and hydrated!

shakethecobwebs: Rub my belly! No seriously. Do it. Do it...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:30:05 -0500

shakethecobwebs:

Rub my belly!

No seriously. Do it. Do it now.

(source: nicciwashere)

"Our culture teaches us that there are appropriate times and places for food that, more often than..."

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:19:05 -0500

“Our culture teaches us that there are appropriate times and places for food that, more often than not, have nothing to do with feelings of hunger and satiety within our bodies.”

- Linda Bacon, Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. (via jossarden)

daisyyy-daze: PROTEIN builds, maintains, and replaces the...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:09:05 -0500

daisyyy-daze:

PROTEIN builds, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. Your muscles, your organs, and your immune system are made up mostly of protein.

%100 Clean, Natural, Vegan Sources:

Lentils

Peanuts

Mixed Nuts

Beans (Lima, Black, Black-Eyed Peas, Fava, White, Kidney, Red, etc.)

Edamame (Soy Bean)

Chickpeas

Quinoa

Nut Butters

Brown Rice

*Quick Tip: It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein, as long as calorie intake is adequate.

News & Notes

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:31:47 -0500

Hello there!

It’s been quite a while since this blog has been active, for many reasons. Submissions ran dry, I got busy, and some crazy crap was going down in my life. But I’m going to try my best to have at least a couple of posts a day for you guys. A few things:

Help me keep the blog alive and feature your beautiful self by submitting to become a Healthy Babe of the Day! All genders welcome!
Talk to me! Let me know what music you move to, ask questions about food or fitness, or just say hi :)

Eat yummy things, and drink lots of water!

-M

Tuna Salad with Chopped Apple and Dried Cranberries (Serves...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:26:05 -0500

Tuna Salad with Chopped Apple and Dried Cranberries

(Serves 2)

5oz chunk light tuna in water
1/2 fuji or red delicious apple, chopped
2 rounded tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 lemon or lime
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp finely chopped dill
Salt and pepper

Drain the tuna and combine with other ingredients in a bowl, mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy on your favorite bread/cracker/wrap or in lettuce cups for something different. I like it best on toasted whole wheat or rye.

Healthy Babe of the Day!

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:21:06 -0500

Name/Tumblr url: Maja/alt0151.tumblr.com

(I blog pseudonymously and prefer not to associate my photo with my tumblr account!)

Height/Size: 5”4, 170ish lbs. XLs and 14s, generally.

How did you discover HAES? A couple of years back, I started reading Kate Harding’s blog and shouting “YES YES YES” at my screen. I think I’ve always had the sense that our culture handles health/size/food/weight in a perverse way, and here was someone writing about exactly how that plays out in a sensible and engaging way. I never looked back!

What does living a healthy life entail for you? I’m 27, and I’ve had type 1 diabetes for almost 20 years. Living a healthy life takes some doing, but of course the effort is worth it. I manage my blood sugar and insulin intake, eat food with an eye towards keeping my blood sugar happy, and try not to stress (which has been 2011’s big project, and it’s going pretty well!). I’d like to exercise more than I do, so I’m aiming to add more of that. Oh, and getting enough sleep! It’s so key, and I always forget until I am good and cranky.

What are some of your favorite foods? I snack on kettlecorn, celery, and string cheese. I love rice-based dishes and am pining after a shmancy rice-cooker. I put too much ginger and lime in everything. And I genuinely like salads, as long as they’re interesting and substantial.

What are your favorite ways to be active? I just got a new bike and am thrilled; it’s about half the weight of my old bike, so I’m much faster now, and less clumsy. I can’t wait for spring and the months and months of riding that will herald. In the meantime, I’ve been curious about yoga… and there’s always long walks (or, SIGH, trudges through the snow).

What makes you feel strong? Great question! Keeping up with my boyfriend when we’re biking (he’s a million feet tall and has an advantage!). Having a day of good blood sugars — no major highs or lows. Making the right call on something health-related (or anything at all, really). Being able to help others. Singing.

Emotional health matters too! What do you do to center/care for yourself emotionally? I’m a talker — I call my mom, my close friends, my boyfriend, and I talk out what’s bugging me. (But not so much that I get stuck in it!) I see a therapist, and I’m on a low dose of an anti-anxiety med, which was super-helpful for me once I realized that I needed it. Most of all, I try to be aware of when I’m feeling overwhelmed so that I can give myself some chill-out time. And sleep. Did I mention sleep? If I don’t get enough sleep, I become a fire-breathing troll-ogre hybrid who eats you for breakfast.

Describe a moment when you felt less than great about your body: Oh man, this. My mom and I have a great relationship, but of course we don’t see eye to eye on everything, including what the significance of size is. I put on a bit of weight in the last year and was feeling pretty good about what I was doing to accept that change in size… until, on a visit home, my mom gave me a tough-love talk about how I needed “to love myself enough to lose the weight” and that my weight gain “just isn’t healthy.” We hashed it out (and yes, there was some crying and some shouting), and I know that she’s on board with the way I’m managing my health, if not HAES as a complete concept. But her comments stuck with me, and now I’m all icky-concerned about what to wear to Thanksgiving, and whether she’s going to criticize my body or my choices of clothes/food. I am… not delighted about that. But she loves me, and my body is just fine, paunch and all. We will deal — and enjoy ourselves, even.

What was a moment when you felt particularly empowered/body positive? My brother got married last summer, on the beach, at a place with no air-conditioning — this fattie’s nightmare. It was my first major event since discovering HAES, so preparing for it was like a primer in body acceptance — feel good in your skin, dress how you want, screw the haters. I abandoned the idea of wearing shapewear — not in that heat! — discovered the anti-chafe sticks that runners use, wore three beautiful dresses throughout the weekend, swam, snorkeled, hiked, danced the night away, and felt fantastic the whole time.

Any advice? If someone tells you your body is not okay, fart on them. Silly things, like fart jokes, are an effective, if not universally effective, way to stay positive. Growth is hard! So if you’re all, “what is wrong with me — why is this so hard?”, that’s why. There’s nobody looking out for you 100% except you, so take care of yourself. This includes fart jokes.

Thanks for sharing, Maja! I think biking is a great way to work out, I’ve actually been looking into purchasing one. And mothers can definitely be difficult in this process of body peace, as I’m sure many of us know.

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News & Notes

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:53:23 -0500

Hey guys, long time no see.

I’m sorry for the extended absence. I’ll be honest with you - I’ve been having a terrible few weeks in regards loving myself and treating my body well. But my state of mind is fast recovering, and that means the blog lives on! A few things:

I’m looking for some new Hot Babes of the Day!
Hello new followers! Talk to me - I wanna know what kind of advice, recipes, and content in general you want to see
There’ll be a new recipe or two posted today

Have a wonderful day!

With my Fierce Feline Family! The fabulous Fiona strutting her...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:00:05 -0400

With my Fierce Feline Family!

The fabulous Fiona strutting her stuff in that phenomenal costume! Check her out!

Photo

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:06:55 -0400

Healthy Babe of the Day!

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:06 -0400

Name/Tumblr url: Rachel/ThatPhatGurlRay.tumblr.com

Height/Size:5’4/ 18-20

How did you discover HAES? I discoverd it through Tumblr.

What does living a healthy life entail for you? Making Healthy food choices adding more veggies and fruits into my food choices and exercising. I am not one to eat my veggies or even pick them out when eating at a restaurant but after doing a 30 day vegetarian challenge I realized how much better I felt with my food choices.

What are some of your favorite foods? I love Chinese! lol As well as Rice, Shrimp, Chicken, and Sweets of course!

What are your favorite ways to be active? I love lifting weights! Weight has always been my favortie way to stay motivated but I also have incorporated some cardio as well even though I hate cardio, running, walking, or anything that I feel is just “BLAH” as I like to say but I have learned to make it exciting by walking with my nieces and making it a race or taking my dogs to venture through the neighbor hood.

What makes you feel strong? When I set a goal for myself and I reach or surpass my goal weather it is walking through the park or drinking more water that day. When I am realistic with myself and my goals in life it is easier to continue to make the right choices in all aspects of life!

Emotional health matters too! What do you do to center/care for yourself emotionally? When I feel down or when Im having a rough day I turn to support systems like this tumblr. seeing others loving themselves is one of the best ways to keep you going! I get inspirations for recipes, OOTD, and just general support from people who can understand what I may be going through or how I may be feeling.

Describe a moment when you felt less than great about your body: All through grade school I played sports so I was a smaller thick girl after high school I got caught up with work and school full time that I never made the right food choices and never was active. A couple of months ago I looked in the mirror and ask myself what I had done to my body. Thats when I started turning to motivational people and sites like this one. I learned to love myself and not to stress about what happened through the last years but to move forward and taking a stand to a healthier me.

What was a moment when you felt particularly empowered/body positive? When I was at the gym and I had walked/jogged for 30mins and I didn’t want to stop! lol I know it sounds silly but for a girl who HATES cardio that was a true defining moment for me! It empowered me to continue to make good choices and stay active!

Any advice? Love yourself for who you are and not for what you can become! in order for you to reach your goals you have to start with loving what you are at this very moment! And remember being healthy doesn’t mean you are a size 3 and weight 120lbs its about making good food choices, being active weather that’s a jog in the park or 10mins playing with kids, and always always always find your motivation and keep motivated everyday!

Thanks for sharing, Rachel. I think “love yourself for who you are and not for what you can become” is a solid piece of advice; it’s going on my mirror!

Submit Your Story!

News & Notes

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:05:05 -0400

Good day, lovely people. Happy Hump Day, I hope you pull through the midweek tedium. A few things:

Keep those Healthy Babe of the Day submissions coming! I love reading them and getting to know you guys.
If you see a post that you think belongs on this blog, point me in its direction.
Look out for a few skin tips throughout the day!
I’m looking for a Sweet Tooth Sunday recipe suggestion. What yummy treat do you want to see on this blog? Tell me.

Have a wonderful day.

heyfatchick: (via Things you can tell by looking at a fat...

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:05:06 -0400

heyfatchick:

(via Things you can tell by looking at a fat person « Dances With Fat)

Andrea as a TMNT. Cowabunga, dude! Check out her tumblr here,...

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:00:05 -0400

Andrea as a TMNT. Cowabunga, dude!

Check out her tumblr here, she’s crafty and amazing.

fitumblring: These are cute for Sunday Morning...

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:05:05 -0400

fitumblring:

These are cute for Sunday Morning Breakfast!
Here’s the recipe, enjoy!
Very simple, just three steps:

1) Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch rings
2) Place in a non-stick lightly oiled skillet
3) Crack an egg in the middle of each ring and cover and cook over low heat until done. If you like your yolks runny, just cook over low heat until whites are done. If you like your yolks firm, break the yolks and then cook over low heat until both whites and yolks are firm

I will be trying this tomorrow morning and seeing if it still looks as pretty as the picture, haha.

Add some wheat toast and jam and I’m all over it. Nom.

Healthy Babe of the Day!

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:00:06 -0400

Name/Tumblr url: deven, of deveninanewdress fame. except not really.

Height/Size: 5’2”, US 12-14.

How did you discover HAES? i follow the lovely meron and she turned me on to it. double entendres all up in there. >:D

What does living a healthy life entail for you? working out daily, drinking water like it’s going out of style, eating fruit in the same fashion, working on my positiveness.

What are some of your favorite foods? oh, god. macaroni and cheese. there’s this macaroni restaurant by my house, max n cheese? they get all my money. all of it.and breakfast burritos, i like those too.

What are your favorite ways to be active? i love to swim. i also weight-train, and bike two miles over to my grandma’s whenever i can, where she gives me cooking lessons..

What makes you feel strong? when i exert my willpower. i like to work out, but the energy exerted in actually getting myself to the gym is extraordinary. i am really weak-willed, so any time i set my mind to something and do it? i feel great.

Emotional health matters too! What do you do to center/care for yourself emotionally? i blog. i talk to my sister. i eat peach gummy rings (guilty pleasure). i pray.

Describe a moment when you felt less than great about your body: god, all through out high school. any time i wore “mom jeans” to cover my stomach. ugh.

What was a moment when you felt particularly empowered/body positive? prom, 2009. i had taken a weight-training class all that winter, and gotten down to my current size (i used to be about 16-18). everyone was exclaiming over me and my curves.

Any advice? be happy before you do anything. just saying “I HATE MYSELF I’M GOING ON A DIET!” won’t do a damn thing. even if you lose weight, you’ll still be unhappy. be happy whatever size you are. if you want to change, change, but be positive about it. and stay positive even if it doesn’t work as fast as you like, or not at all. you have to live with you for the rest of your life, so you might as well be pleasant about it.

Thanks for sharing, Deven! That is a key piece of advice, honestly, so very important. You look great!

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News & Notes

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:44:48 -0400

Good day, lovely people! Happy November 1st; my how time flies. A few things:

I hope you all had awesome Halloweens! Thanks to the couple of people who submitted their costumes. Submissions of costume pics are open until Friday.
A lot of people responded positively, so I’m going to include some hair and skin health tips as well.
Thanks to the people who submitted yesterday. I think that’s the most HBOTD submissions I’ve gotten in a day! Keep ‘em coming.

Have a wonderful day!

“Magdeline THE GYPSY Fortune Teller” My Halloween...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:00:05 -0400

“Magdeline THE GYPSY Fortune Teller”

My Halloween Submission

Thanks Malika! You can see this former HBOTD’s entry here, and check out her tumblr here.

Show me your costumes!