this is it.

many of you may know that just after 4th of July, i started my Master Cleanse. this was not my first time on the cleanse, but it Was the first time i did it right. the first time was just to lose weight in a short amount of time and i really didnt educate myself on it. once i decided that i couldnt take not-eating anymore, i stopped [2 days short of my 10 day goal] and went straight back to eating the exact same foods i was attempting to get rid of. then came the 10 pounds over the next two years. it didnt matter what i ate, the pounds continued to pile. never had i reached such an all-time low [or high, in pounds depending how you look at it]. i had never weighed that much and although the pounds did have the perks [mainly being a bigger booty], i could not sacrifice my health for vanity. i wasnt feeling good, i had been getting sick so easily, i was always tired, and the times i attempted to work out, i became so discouraged at the fact that i got tired so quickly and eventually became unmotivated to a point where i stopped working out altogether.

i then felt it was time to take measures into my own hands. literally. luckily for me, and perhaps thanks to a higher power, things personally for me started falling into place and i felt happy about life in general. and then came a new co-worker.

now i have had my moments of thinking at 25 i have reached my peak, and that everything was already set in motion for me. my life was already on course of the direction it was heading.

thank heavens i was Wrong!

D, i will call her came to our firm a few months ago and mentioned during one of our staff breakfasts that she was a Vegan. so for her dish, she made [simple enough] spanish rice and a mango salad. the rice was delicious! no one could tell it hadnt been made with any animal products. the mango salad i didnt try bc at the time i was still a little picky eater and i just piled on the bacon! :(
months later i decided to start my cleanse. and during these 12 days i hadn't eaten any of the foods i was used to eating, the foods i grew up on. i started thinking of all the crap i had been putting into my body and all the potential health risks i was causing to myself. i started thinking i didnt want to be in my 50's and in horrible health. so i then started asking d a whole bunch of questions in regards to her lifestyle. in addition to being Vegan, she doesnt drink or smoke. the woman is 50 and looks in her 30's!!! i never would have guessed!! but she told me that once she had her son she wanted to set a "Real" healthy example for him to have the best possible life. and thats when she made the switch. and it hasnt always been easy she has had her mishaps, but in the long run and in comparison to other 50-year-olds, she is just doing an amazing job, seeing the benefits and living a great life. the way it should be.

so once i finished my cleanse, i weighed myself and saw that i dropped 15 pounds! it was extremely hard, especially attending a dodger game. especially attending my newphew's first birthday. but i had set my mind to something and i'd be damned if i was going to let my former bad habits deter me from my ultimate goal. i hadnt set out to lose this much weight, i wanted to feel better. physically as well as emotionally. and 15 pounds, or 10 pounds really didnt matter- i had accomplished my goal!

now if that wasnt enough motivation..

i have decided to make the swicth to Vegetarian. now ultimately, i wouldn't mind going Vegan, there are substitutes for just about any of your faves out there, the trick is to Really Educate Yourself. for me, i dont want to overwhelm myself with "you cant have this..", "you cant have that..." i really want to do this right, so i am setting little goals for myself. but seeing what eating unhealthy can do to you, it really motivates me to make the full switch. i also found it was less of a problem having completed the cleanse beforehand. now i feel better, i dont feel bloated, I Dont Want to eat those foods i used to eat. just think about the crap they put in foods to keep them preserved and last longer. and then think about what that is doing inside you. it was that simple for me to decide this was the right choice.

and with D's help, i am finding websites with recipes of food that looks delicious! and are good for you! she is really educating me in staying on the right path and i am forever grateful to her for it.

im starting to brush up on my cooking skills as well, hoping that by setting a good example, other people in my family will be motivated to switch to healthier eating habits as well. did you know that you could still eat chocolate brownies and chocolate chip cookies while still remaining on a Vegetarian or even Vegan diet? or how about chips and salsa? and pasta, and yes- Even, Pizza!!! the trick is To Educate Yourself. all the information is out there! it is up to You to take control of your life and what should be most important to you: Your Health! and i hope you decide to do so.

i am posting a couple links to websites that have been so helpful to me and are now forever present in my Favorites tab!

Vegetarian Times

Whole Foods - Recipes

i hope these sites are as helpful to you as they are to me. and please, if you know any sites that you think would help me out, send them this way!!! thanks lovers and happy hunting! [so to speak lol]

NOTE: header is a pic of Baguette with Roasted Red Pepper Spread from Vegetarian Times. you can eat that and remain a Vegan!! :) YUMM!

pardon my absence, darlings..

..but the city is calling.
will post in a few. till then, Stay Well.
talk soon.
Xxo.

MannyWood.

so today marks my second visit to Dodger Stadium this season and i am so excited! except for the fact that i will unfortunately be skipping one of the most appetizing traditions- the partaking in the devouring of the Dodger Dog. :(
stupid master cleanse can suck it.

if you wont be joining me at the game, you can tune in to KCAL 9 at 7:10pm to watch Manny beat the Houston Astro's and maybe even catch a glimpse of me on the Jumbo Screen! Fingers Crossed! :)

Kisses, Dolls Xxo.


UNSEXY UPDATE:
Dodgers lost 8-1
but the fireworks were "on fire"!

birthday watch

the minx wants to wish a very happy born day to fellow hottie Ms. Phoebe Cates [Kline].

none can argue that the epitomy of steamy bathing suit scenes is in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Ms. Cates sure did have a bright future ahead. sadly for the rest of the world as well as you pervo's out there, just a few short years later she, for the most part gave up a blooming acting career to become wifey to Kevin Kline as well as mother to their children Owen & Greta. appearing in a few films here and there, namely one of my all-time faves Drop Dead Fred, Ms. Cates now has a children's boutique called Blue Tree in New York's Madison Avenue. [niiiiiiiiice.]

few can be sure as to why she gave it up, maybe the call of motherhood is stronger than the call of some nasty ass middle-aged men shouting your name out with flashing bulbs in your face just to have you sign a picture of yourself baring your goodies in your glory days of 19. good for you missy! not many of us can say we've affected that many young boys' lives and permanently burned that image into their minds for years and years- Shit, Decades to come.

Hats off Doll. Xxo.

Just for fun, i have included today's horoscopes for our friends the Leos:

Dearest Leo is doing the right thing and complaining about it less. If the planets are right, once you set your mind to something you begin to change so you can enjoy it. Above all, Leo wants to enjoy life. The only thing you need to be a happy camper is the accessibility of those around you.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I have to say its been a while since i have been inspired in regards to makeup. let's face it; between the dull and often listless shades of black nail polish, to the overindulgent pop shades of pink and orange lipglosses many of us have been clamoring around in hopes of stumbling across something worthy of getting excited about. look no further. Illamasqua proves they are a force to be reckoned with. "Illamasqua is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncracies. A confident statement of self-ownership."

With their latest line, aptly entitled "Sirens" we see such hues as Enrapture and Eternal. their take on Soul is a sheer lipgloss which borders on dainty and dangerously sexy all the while maintaining its unique aspect. in their "Neon Jewels" collection, we are steered away from such tones as the juicy magenta's and bright orange red's and taken for a ride down the Rampage hole and offered a different side to the Emerald City.

The names alone are enough to get giddy about. Daemon, for the ones with the secrets. Gyspy, for the traveller at heart. Venom, to keep the mice at bay. Slut, for the social butterfly. Flasher, for the exhibitionist. Midas, for the Golden Touch. simply to name a few.

In short, creator Alex Box is certainly a visionary. stay in the know as there aren't yet any stores in the US until the 30th which open in the appropriate Times Square, or beginning july 21st you can scammer on down to sephora and place your orders there in additon to their site. be mindful, at this time certain colors are only offered to our friends across the pond. im sure with the buzz that is obviously on its way, that will soon change.

Cant wait for a store to open up in LA, or at least a counter in Saks.

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