First post of the year and ever!

I'm writing my first post from week 4/5.5 of my winter break at HOME!!! It might seem a bit ironic that this blog is all about facing the challenge of eating healthfully at college and I'm writing this first post on break, but... I have my reasons. 1) I have time! I feel like it's a good idea to get into the swing of blogging without lotsa homework, papers, and exams while I have the chance! And 2) It's the dreaded second wind of the holidays at my house... as in... New Year's resolutions have been made, but there's still splurg-y leftovers staring me in the face every time I open the fridge! Not to mention the Ghiradelli chocolates we got as a Christmas present. It's probably MORE of a challenge for me to eat healthfully during this time than at school during a regular time.

That being said, here's just a skosh more information about the blog. My goal is for it to be a realistic example of eating for pleasure AND for health in a place where free pizza abounds, references for portion sizes are almost nonexistent, greasy, fried food is a "normal" main course, desserts are available at least three times a day in unlimited quantities, and food is eaten on the run, in front of the TV, during a late night study session, or else skipped altogether when other priorities take over. Altogether, I envision this blog to be a poster child for one of my fav. principles: everything in moderation. I will be the first to admit that I looooove just about anything sugary. I'm a sucker for flourless chocolate cake, a variety of pies, ice cream... the list goes on. I don't, however, particularly crave McDonald's Big Macs... or McDonald's anything, for that matter. (Albion is a small town, but we do have a McDonald's that is open 24 hours. I've never been). So... I might indulge at Coldstone from time to time but I skip midnight McDonald's runs. I'm constantly trying to figure out compensations like that so that I can cut out the foods I know I won't miss and make room for occasional splurges on the ones it would be difficult to live without. 

The one challenge you will not see me deal with on this blog is how to balance drinking with living healthfully because I don't drink. When I'm of age (in two years), however, I might become a wine connoisseur of sorts because I'm a Parisian at heart. My reasoning for abstinence is basically that I am a total control freak and I never want to experience the loss of control that can come with being drunk, I absolutely detest throwing up, and I think that school is difficult enough without the influence of alchohol. I also have unhealthfully low blood pressure that makes me a frequent fainter (try that for alliteration), and alchohol is known to lower your BP. I try my best not to judge people I know who drink, and am generally too chill to preach about it unless it's a serious problem that might endanger a person's health. Sometimes it's tough to refrain from drinking when a lot of people you know do it, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run. Plus... it spares me from consuming a bunch of empty calories and gives me a little wiggle room for Mint Oreo Pie Day in the caf :-P

Without further ado, here are today's eats:

Pictures forthcoming, but today my camera is out of juice!

Breakfast: 1 Iced Oatmeal Raisin Luna bar and 8 oz Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost smoothie These smoothies are fantastic!! Even though I prefer "sit down" breakfasts, they're a great options for times you're in a hurry. I was in a hurry today because I wanted to get to the gym before the lunch hour crowd took all the good machines.

Lunch: Yellowfin tuna salad in a Kangaroo brand whole grain pita pocket, 1 pickle spear, and fruit salad (blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and grapes). The tuna salad was from Whole Foods and it is delish. Expensive, but worth it every now and then.

Snack 1: 3/4 cup Honey Nut Cheerios with skim milk

Snack 2: Handful raw carrots and sugar snap peas before dinner

Dinner: Whole wheat basil and mozzarella ravioli, 1 slice garlic bread, 1 cup skim milk

And after dinner... 1.5 cups of Rooibos Tropica tea from Teavana with a sample packet of Truvia I got in the mail. Mmm.

Can't wait to blog again!