opportunivore

As I've stated in previous posts concerning my pescatarian opportunivore status (i.e. I primarily avoid meat besides fish...except for when an opportunity arises where eating meat is a most excellent/polite/adventurous decision) my mom's meatballs will always fall on the list of "acceptable opportunivore meals". I whipped up a batch last week courtesy of the last frozen bag from her visit to SF and savored every bite alongside Dre, who also agrees that these are some of the most bad ass meat balls around.

I've found that the more rigid I am with myself and my diet, the less likely I am to follow it. And I don't necessarily mean "diet" in the sense of weight loss, but just overall nutrition. When I completely forbid myself to eat certain things then all I can think about is devouring 5 courses of exactly what I'm being denied...and seeing as it's usually some processed crap of carbs and sugar, this is no bueno. I get, as my friend Jenny says, incredibly hangry (hangry = so hungry you are angry).  This is why labeling myself as a pescatarian opportunivore has given me the healthiest eating habits I've probably ever had. When selecting what to eat, particularly out at a restaurant or perusing the aisles of a food store, my mind now naturally drifts to fish and veggies and the occasional pasta. I am very fortunate to live in a city where there is an abundance of these options on pretty much any menu. But I also listen to my body. For example as a woman, there comes a time every month (we all on the same page without further details? good.) when I physically feel my iron count drop. I try to boost it back up with dark, leafy greens and a variety of beans but sometimes I simply can't avoid the fact that I need to eat a steak like nobody's business. And so I indulge this urge without judgment (or going overboard); I try and select meats that have come from local, sustainable and "kind" farms (i.e. free range). Am I perfect at it? Heck no. But over time and with a lot of patience my efforts have felt a lot less like...well...an effort and more like the natural thing to do. Meat simply does not appeal to me the way it once did.

You have to decide what works best for you. My advice? Listen to your body and treat it as you would a child; nourish it and care for it with the healthiest foods possible...but don't be so strict that you end up just going off the deep end when you feel too forced and controlled. If combining 6 different styles of eating and exercising is what feels the most natural to you, then please, by all means enjoy those 6 styles. Above all else, just be kind to your body and maybe be willing to give consuming less meat and processed foods a try. My friend Brooke invited me today to join her and another gal pal in a 3 day juice fast next week and the "yes" woman/opportunivore in me jumped at the chance. For one thing, it's much easier to stick to these types of cleansing days when you have support--we'll be meeting in the evenings to juice together (replacing wine glasses with mega-cups of vitamins = excellent 2012 idea). And for another, you buffer those three days with 4 days of dense, mostly plant-based eating (not just juicing) so it's not as intense as other juicing plans. I know there are a lot of critics against fasting in this way but I believe a mindful, intensely plant-based diet is a super kind way to show your body some love. If you ever want to learn more about this kind of lifestyle (yep, nutrition affects your whole lifestyle) head on over to Kris Carr's site, Crazy Sexy Life. Girlfriend is the *ultimate* wellness warrior.

So yea. Opportunivore. Dig it.

Love and Light and Liquidated Veggies,

Trish