lean ‘14.

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It’s that time again - everyone is deciding what their New Year’s resolutions are going to be. Although I’m not really big on resolutions, I guess you could call this one of mine for the new year. And if I’m going to have a resolution, I might as well make it the most cliché one of all, right?

So starting soon, I’m going to do something I’ve never done here on GML. I’m giving myself a challenge.

…and not just any challenge – a health & fitness challenge. I’m calling it LEAN in 2014.

LEAN in 2014 is not a specific diet or fitness plan. I never do well with those.

LEAN14 is an ACCOUNTABILITY CHALLENGE to myself to embrace a healthier LONG-TERM lifestyle.

You see, I’m that person who is guilty of getting on a health/fitness kick for a week or month at a time, but then I get lazy and stop caring about it altogether. I’ve been that way for years, and especially over the past few months it’s caused me to get in quite the fitness rut, with some extra pounds to show for it.

As typical as it is to start this sort of thing at the beginning of the new year, this challenge is coming at the perfect time for me. I have a big year ahead with lots of things in the works, so I’m going to feed on that momentum as much as possible.

I’m going to implement smaller challenges and surprises within LEAN14 – probably starting something specific in January (more on that to come!), working with my nutritionist and trainer friends, etc. But for the most part, I’ll be focusing on SMALL changes that can make a big difference. For example:

  • eat more vegetables on a daily basis
  • share more meals and workouts on GML
  • cook at home more
  • eat less sweets and processed foods
  • consume less artificial sweeteners
  • try to lessen snacking and mindless eating
  • aim for exercise at least 2-3 times a week
  • do activities that lessen stress/anxiety
  • gain strength and flexibility
  • try more NEW workouts
  • …etc!

You might be wondering why I chose the word LEAN as opposed to a word like “healthy.” And, the reason is simple – that’s what I want this challenge to make me! As much as I want to be healthy and fit, I want to look my absolute best too. Honestly, I’m kind of sick of people/bloggers pretending they just want to be fit because “it makes them feel good.” I want to have a rockin’ bod. Sorry I’m not sorry.

For me, that doesn’t mean aiming to be a fitness competitor or Victoria’s Secret model (but for some, it might!). I’m all about personal goals and reaching my personal best, and that might look different for everyone.

If you’re interested, I’d love to have you join me in LEAN14! Like I said, it’s NOT specific to any sort of nutrition or fitness plan. So whether you’re Paleo or vegan, a yogi or a runner, looking to lose 50 pounds or 5 pounds – I’d love to do this alongside you and share our journeys with each other.

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If you’re interested in joining this challenge with me, let me know in the comments section!

Do you have any specific fitness goals? What does LEAN mean to you?

HealthyOut.

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If you’re a regular reader of GML, you’ve probably seen me obsess over mention Seamless – an online resource for ordering food delivery in NYC. One of the only downsides (for me) when it comes to Seamless, though, is that - with so many food options at my fingertips – I’m not always one to make the healthiest of meal choices.

So when HealthyOut reached out to me and asked if I’d like to give their website/app a try, I was more than happy to.

HealthyOut.com is a service that plans your meals for you (based on your preferences and restaurants nearby), and has them delivered right to your home or office. They work directly with restaurants to ensure your meals are customized to your goals. HealthyOut is also an app that allows you to find healthy restaurants/food nearby. How cool is that?

With HealthyOut, you can get an automated meal plan or choose them as you go. To get an idea of how it worked, they offered me three free meals. There were a ton of options to choose from! Like…

veggie sushi:

grilled veggies with rice and hummus:

grilled chicken buckwheat noodle salad:

HealthyOut is a great option for someone who is trying to eat healthy but doesn’t have the opportunity to cook at home a lot. It’s also great for those who want to make their lives even simpler by letting HealthyOut choose their meals for them. The delivery service is only available in NYC right now, but the mobile app works everywhere in the US.

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Would you use a service like HealthyOut? How often do you order delivery for your meals?

girl meets: 12.19.13.

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fun.

Why don’t I go to more concerts? I always have SO much fun! On Tuesday I saw John Mayer at Barclays Center, and it was awesome.

And yes, Katy Perry made an appearance :) Have I mentioned how much I love her?

food.

Wednesday turned out to be an unexpected great-food-fest day. I’ll take it.

First up was lunch at Penelope. I can’t go there and not get some version of their amazing chicken meatballs, so I went with it in salad form.

Later that day my parents arrived for a short visit, so I met them for dinner at Nizza. I usually get their socca, but I switched it up and got Pasta Al Pesto - fettucce with a touch of cream, crescenza cheese & pesto (and gluten free!).

For dessert we went next door to Crepe Café Joli. I only had a few bites of this bad boy because it was rich. In the best possible way, clearly.

face.

I was recently sent some new makeup products from Cargo Cosmetics to try out, and I must say it’s joining the ranks of my other favorite makeup brands.

First was their eye shadows, which came in adorable little tin containers. I also loved the shades – they were very natural and lightweight.

My favorite, though, was their TexasLiner Liquid Eye Liner. The tip was like a marker, which made for the easiest cat-eye application.

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What was the last concert you went to?
Try any good new makeup products lately?