Personal

By melanieavalon / July 25, 2014

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Many months of my early teen years were spent in the company of a friend named Accutane. While I’d hardly go within a mile of it now, the drug did indeed change my skin type from oily, acne-prone madness, to clear as a whistle. I also got the advantage of less oily hair, but the disadvantage of sunburn. […]

Standard American Diet

By melanieavalon / July 24, 2014

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“Bet You Can’t Eat Just One!”  Ever had that moment where you simply had to eat another one of those pre-packaged cookies or slice of suspiciously colorful sheet cake even though you weren’t really hungry or, in all honesty, it didn’t taste that amazing. Guess what! It’s not all in your mind! Well, it is….but that’s the point. Addiction to “junk […]

Intermittent Fasting

By melanieavalon / July 23, 2014

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1. Arm Yourself With Knowledge
 Know that you will NOT die if you don’t eat for a few hours. If you think what you’re doing is harmful or antagonistic to your body, fasting will become a huge hurdle in your mind. Read articles and do research to understand what’s actually happening in your body during a fast. (As Olaf […]

Intermittent Fasting

By melanieavalon / July 19, 2014

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A common reaction to intermittent fasting is straight-up FEAR. Fear that you will die. Fear you are doing something harmful to your body. Fear it will be difficult. Fear of the unknown. Let’s tackle these haunting specters one by one, shall we? But first: here’s something to ponder which stuck with me ever since I heard […]

Intermittent Fasting

By melanieavalon / July 18, 2014

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Back in my eat-3-meals-plus-snacks-in-between-days, I always seemed to be hungry, or at the very least, fantasizing about my next meal. It seemed that once I began eating on any given day, I simply wanted to keep munching all day. Intermittent fasting is quite liberating because it eradicates all food cravings for the majority of the day. As long […]

Alcohol

Wine

By melanieavalon / July 16, 2014

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Most diet plans forbid alcohol. Even Paleo discourages it (oops). I am of the opinion, however, that one must live life to the fullest, and adopt a diet protocol which is both enjoyable and sustainable. Is there a way to have your drink and drink it too? Yes. Alcohol and weight are in an #itscomplicated […]

Intermittent Fasting

By melanieavalon / July 15, 2014

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People often think I’m completely crazy and naive for fasting, causing my body irreparable harm. While I may indeed be crazy, intermittent fasting is rather sane. Here’s a brief overview of what actually happens on a cellular level during a fast. During fasting, the body shifts from using glucose (sugar from carbohydrates) as a primary fuel source, […]

Paleo

Personal

By melanieavalon / March 23, 2014

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Adopting a Paleo lifestyle can sort of rock your world. Here are just a few of the benefits I’ve experienced since going Paleo. “Correlation not Causation!” you cry? I’ll let you be the judge… 1. Food Tastes Better I’ve transitioned from one type of picky eater to another. Back in my SAD (Standard American Diet) days, […]

Alcohol

Social

Wine

By melanieavalon / March 18, 2014

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THE GOOD Classy Red Wine connotes instant class. No matter how dive-y/grungy/ greasy/clubby the vibe of your current locale, holding a nice glass of Pinot Noir elevates the situation ever so slightly (unless of course, the whole situation is satire, but that would insinuate some “intelligent” audience watching, who would appreciate your classiness I suppose?) […]

Behavior

Books

By melanieavalon / March 17, 2014

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I’m currently reading “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. I’m the type of person who must know *why* we do the things we do, down to the electrical impulses and signals in our brain. This book delivers. According to the book, up to 40% of our actions each day are habits. They exist, in […]