2011 April :: Une Vie Saine

Archive for April 2011

Eating for Two

by Gabriela

April 30th, 2011

Good morning, everyone! Yesterday’s barbeque ended up being a ton of fun, even if it was rather chilly. We started outside for a few hours, then moved the party indoors eventually. The festivities are continuing tonight, too!

This morning for breakfast, I went to buy a bagel at Zaro’s, one of my favorite carb meccas. The line was long, so I found myself small-talking a bit with the middle-aged woman in front of me. All of a sudden she smiled, looked at my stomach and asked if I was pregnant. Um, excuse me? No. She immediately got flustered and covered herself with “Oh, I’m sorry, your belly just looks big for how thin you are…”

Wow. In her defense, I was wearing low-rise yoga pants with a pretty fitted t-shirt and I was standing strangely, so my tummy was sticking out a bit. I’ve posted before about how my stomach is my least favorite body part, and while I’ve learned to just live with it, that really stung. I’m positive she didn’t mean it maliciously, but I think it would have gotten to any woman a bit.

I’m not posting about this to fish for compliments or to start bashing the lady, but rather to illustrate the point that no woman, no matter how thin or attractive or confident, loves the way she looks 100% of the time. You can train your thoughts to stay positive and learn to embrace your flaws, but that doesn’t make you immune to insults. The trick is realizing that getting upset doesn’t solve anything; I could cry into my celery sticks for weeks, and it wouldn’t undo those words. The only thing that I can change is the power I let them have on me- I felt good about my body before the encounter, so why let a stranger change that? Yeah, it was upsetting, but as the lovely Meg so encouragingly tweeted me, “You’re in control of whether you wallow in it or let it pass you by and enjoy the rest of the day.” Amen.

When I got home, I dug into my bagel with gusto. After all, apparently I’m eating for two

I topped a chewy whole-wheat bagel with almond butter, and had a banana alongside of it. I was going to put the slices on top of the bagel, but I always pick them off anyway!

Hope you’re having a wonderful start to your weekend!

How do you overcome negative body-talk? Have you ever had an experience where someone else brought you down? How did you deal with it?

Categories breakfast
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Feature Friday: SnackFace

by Gabriela

April 30th, 2011

Happy Friday!! Tonight’s Featured Friday blogger is…

Kailey, from Snackface!

SnackFace was one of the very first blogs I ever read, back before I even had a blog of my own! I stumbled across it through several blogrolls, and really related to the content and voice. She was still a college student at the time, as well as a vegetarian, but what really hooked me was her confidence. She never seemed to apologize for who she was and what she stood for, and that self-assuredness has only grown in the past nearly two years. Kailey speaks her mind in a way that encourages others, myself included, to reject the negative influences and thoughts that make us feel bad about ourselves- I frequently find myself emphatically nodding at her posts with a renewed sense of confidence. Her fierceness is truly refreshing!

Other awesome things about SnackFace? Fashion inspiration, hip-hop anecdotes that make me giggle, a good attitude and plenty of SnackFacing- aka, snacking extravaganzas in lieu of your typical three-meals-a-day thing. Kailey reminds me to live my life according to my own rules, whatever they may be.

SnackFacing

So if you’re looking for some fabulous blog entertainment this evening, head on over and say hi to SnackFace!

What are your current blog must-reads? Seen any particularly amazing posts recently? As always, feel free to link away!

Categories Feature Friday
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Campus Tour

by Gabriela

April 26th, 2011

I had a few things to do on NYU’s campus this morning (I use the term “campus” loosely, since NYU doesn’t really have one), so I took my time walking there and taking in the gorgeous day. It’s hard to believe I’m almost done here!

One of my errands was in the Washington Mews, my all-time favorite street in this city. It reminds me of a European village!

The little houses used to be stables, but they’re now owned by the university and serve mostly as foreign language houses. There goes my dream of one day owning one…

I also stopped by the library for maybe the fifth time in my entire collegiate career. It’s huge, dark and eerily quiet, and several students have committed suicide there by jumping from the upper balconies into the marble atrium. As a result, it seriously creeps me out and I only go in there if absolutely necessary!

Since the food situation in my apartment is still pretty pathetic, my last stop on the way home was to pick up tofu pitas for lunch!

I had two spicy “Hawaiian” flavored ones, and while they were good, they’re definitely one of my least favorite flavors. Noted.

With my pitas, I had the usual diced pineapple,

As well as a few unpictured spoonfuls of Maranatha almond butter. I seriously need to go grocery shopping- a girl cannot subsist on almond butter and deli food alone.

I’ve dressed for the super-warm weather in one of my favorite dresses. A stranger told me I looked “ladylike” this morning, and it’s exactly how it makes me feel!

   – Dress: Anthropologie, on sale two years ago
   – Black sandals: Sam Edelman from DSW (with pretty coral toes from yesterday’s pedi!)
   – Silver charm necklace: gift from Mike

Class time. See you for dinner!

Is there anywhere that creeps you out or gives you a “vibe” for no real reason? Conversely, which places do you associate with good feelings?