Project Skinny Jean

Nov
16

0 Posted by Melissa Ramos Categorized as Breakfast

There in a dim lit room, you slowly walk towards the bed and there it is, laying and waiting for you to grab it and slip it on. You look down at the bed and admire, but a bead of sweat trickles down your temple as you think…I can’t…how about if we’re not a good fit for each other? However, despite your apprehension, you still manage to keep it around laying and waiting just in case one day, you’ll be able to slip it on like a glove, look into the mirror with confidence and say to yourself…nice ass.

Welcome to Project Skinny Jean.

Project Skinny Jean was developed by Melissa Ramos with women in mind from all across the globe which fits into two categories.

Category #1: Those who fit the profile above and hang onto a pair of skinny jeans that they’re dying to fit back into.

Category #2: Those who want to maintain their fluctuating weight over the winter months when there’s a higher chance of some extra cushion.

So with that said, I need to stop to pray to my sister in crime…

Dear God,

First off, I just wanted to say to you, thanks for looking out for me when I needed ya. In return, I will provide women from all over the best sexy food therapy possible to fill their souls and trim their booties into the one they rightfully deserve. God, this butt’s for you…er…you get my point.

I tend to fall into category #2. During the colder months, my weight can jump up an easy 5-10lbs. And coming from a Latin background, it’s all booty folks. So why does this happen?

When it’s cold, our heat quickly runs away from our extremeties (head, hands and feet) and goes inwards to our core (our digestive systems). There blood and warmth circulates and the inevitable happens…increased hunger. Not to mention, we tend to hibernate, draw our energies inwards and reflect which isn’t easy for a lot of us. There in a sometimes uncomfortable space that we wade in, we become emotional do what many of us do best…eat.

So here’s the Project Skinny Jean plan. You ready for this? You sitting down? Okay, listen up.

SEXY FOOD PLAN

Gluten Free High Five

Okay, so it may not be easy to logistically do this seven days a week, but let’s aim for five. Gluten is like glue in the intestines and consists of grains like: wheat, spelt, barley, kamut and rye (which is an exception since in Chinese Med it helps to remove dampness). Avoiding these grains, will make our digestive systems more efficient and creates less chances of dampness and weight gain accumulating in the system. Instead, go for gluten-free grains like: buckwheat (which has no relation to the wheat family), millet, quinoa (pronounced: KEEN-WA), amaranth, brown rice, corn and commonly used Ethiopian grain, teff. So for 5 days incorporate these grains in the morning and begin to slowly ease off them later in the day. That way our bodies have time to focus on repair rather than digesting.

But yes, I know what you’re thinking, gluten-free = cardboard. Nah ah…allow me to present to you my morning breaky. Healthy and because I believe every woman during Project Skinny Jean can use a little chocolate in the morning. Oh ya, that’s right, I said it…chocolate.

SEXY CACAO BERRY PROTEIN POWER FLATJACKS

1/2 cup quinoa soaked

1/2 cup millet soaked

1/2 organic banana (using only half to reduce high sugar content)

1 handful organic raspberries

1 handful organic blueberries

2 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp maca powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp unpasteurized honey

1/4 tsp sea salt

Allow 1/2 cup of quinoa and millet to soak overnight in water and drain water at best in the morning. Pour sprouted grain into blender with 1/2 cup of water.

Add 1/2 banana and remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may have to add a pinch more water to get a proper pancake batter consistency.

Begin by pouring batter into a non-stick pan lightly brushed with coconut oil. The first few may not turn out that well, but don’t be discouraged. I’ve called these flatjacks because unlike pancakes which yield a fluffy texture, these come out completely flat.

As a topping, I’ve sauteed blueberries, raspberries and banana in a little bit of coconut oil drizzled with honey and wedged them in between each flatjack.

Enjoy!

You might be wondering what Maca is. Maca indigenous to Peru and Bolivia, is a root that survives high in the mountains where hardly anything survives. It strengthens our adrenals, which allows us to manage our stress levels better and gives us the energy we need to get through the day. Managing stress is crucial to managing our weight since increased cortisol levels will result in abdominal fat. Not to mention, maca has an extra bonus of balancing hormones. It can be taken in capsule, tincture or in powder which pairs beautifully with chocolate. Yum.

Don’t a Cow
Slimming down your dairy to once a week is best. Not only is it high in sugar, but it creates mucous in the system. So treating yourself to either milk, cheese or yogurt once a week is a good way of rewarding yourself for being so good. Alternative forms would be goat cheese and almond milk. Rice and soy can be up to 10g of sugar per cup, so read labels! Lastly, you’re probably wondering, what about calcium? Dairy products alone tend to be quite acidic which makes the calcium absorption incredibly difficult since it requires an alkaline base to be absorbed. Which brings me to…

Go Green
I’ve said this time and time again, but I swear its the fountain of youth. Adding in a green shake like the Sexy Green Recovery Shake throughout your day will make a huge difference in your energy levels and even help curb your appetite so that you don’t over eat. It fuels and courses my liver which emotionally gives me a better grip rather than feeling irritable. Just try to add something green to every meal. While doing so at breakfast is a challenge, I’ll usually start off by having the E3 Coco-Vanilla Elixir first thing to squeeze it in. You should always have more greens on your plate than starches or protein. So instead of having a large plate of pasta and a side salad, try doing the opposite.

Sweet Tooth of Mine
I’ll admit with my sweet tooth, it’s hard avoiding treats. So instead, I opt for minimal amounts that contain only small amounts of honey, agave or stevia (which you can use liberally). When I’m feeling a little low and need a little sweet loving, I opt for these sweeteners or a little dark chocolate. White sugar makes me antsy and gives me headaches. So I stay clear of it.

Watering Hole
Since we’re made up of 70% water, it’s important to make sure we’re well hydrated. A lot of the times when we think we’re hungry, we’re usually just thirsty. So instead of sugary juices, pour yourself a glass of room temperature water (ice cold water will deplete your digestive fire). And remember, for every cup of coffee you drink that’s up to five glasses of water you need to sub in!

Make Fat Your Friend
Fat does not make you fat. Let me say that again…fat does not make you fat. Avoid all products that have labels on them…especially those that say fat free. We need fat in our world, so it’s important to moderate it instead of trying to cut it out. My staples are olive oil, coconut oil and ghee (which help with nutrient assimilation) and even a little bit of butter from time to time. Other fats include the Omega 3′s from fish that are crucial to managing inflammation, strengthening our hearts and minds. Our cells are lined with fat, so yes, we need it. Just don’t make it your entire world and saute versus fry. It’s that easy.

Sea Love
While some people are a little hesitant with sea vegetables, it really doesn’t take much to incorporate this in your world. A little shaker filled with dulse flakes can be added to grains and soups without even tasting it. But if you’re like me, you’ll snack on dulse and nori to soothe your salty craving. Sea veggies fuels our kidney yin which may help to soothe our fears and courses our livers so that we don’t feel stuck and irritated.

Lastly, if you really want to be a part of Project Skinny Jean, you will pair down the amount of alcohol. Trust me, I enjoy my red wine, but I’ve set myself a 4-glass per week limit. All alcohol converts into sugar in the body…so it’s easy to pack on the pounds!

But all this sexy food goodness aside, I’ve decided that now since I’ve ditched the smoking for good, that I’m going to begin training for the half marathon next year.

[Disclaimer: Project Skinny Jean does not endorse half marathon training to complete this project successfully. However, adding in physical activity 3-4x per week is necessary for Project Skinny Jean to work]

Simply put, to feel good and confident you need to get yourself moving. Moving qi combined with some good food, will makes you feel down right sexy…trust me.

So while those jeans in the closet are as intimidating as the hot guy across the room, you can gladly slip them on like a glove and have the confidence to begin to approach him, smile with your eyes and pass him so that he can bite his lip and say in return…nice ass.

Amen.