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Lifestyle

My Love Hate Relationship With the Keto Diet

Honestly, this whole diet was about one thing and one thing only –belly fat! A few years ago I had gone through several cycles of Cool Sculpting.  Cool Sculpting promises to “freeze away” about 20% of existing fat cells in common areas of accumulation (like the abdomen). Although I can endorse that I did see a moderate amount of tightening around my mid section, I am 100% confident that was the only improvement that I noticed.  There are also a few other reasons I WOULD NOT do it again: first, the weeks of numbness that come after getting each section treated — so uncomfortable; second, the cost – each section can cost between $350-$600. Considering that multiple sections and sessions are needed, the total cost can add up fast! — I digress.

This is where the Keto Diet comes in.  With so much hype surrounding the diet I had to try it for myself.  After my experience with Cool Sculpting, I had to see if there was a cheaper, easier, and more effective way to lose the belly fat.  It turns out Keto is the answer, BUT its not all good news here.  So here it is – the good, the bad, and … the before and after pictures.

The Diet

In a nutshell, the Ketogenic diet is one that involves an intake of moderate proteins, high fat, and low carbs.  When I say low carb and high fat, I am not kidding – you have to eat less than 25g of carbs a day and 80% of your calories each day have to come from fat (only 20% from protein).  The idea is to use fat for energy instead of carbs which is what makes this diet work.

Carbs are everywhere (5g per spoon of ketchup, 23g in a banana, 13g in a glass of milk) and frankly, it is madness once you start looking at it.  I have a daughter with Type 1 Diabetes, so counting carbs is not new to me but, as the kids say, “WOOOOOOW”.

The Good

The Ketogenic Diet has many benefits from a day-to-day lifestyle perspective. For one, you are NEVER hungry on this diet.  Not once did I go to sleep hungry on Keto, which was a notable difference considering every night I dream of raiding my cereal cabinet. Something about the amount of fat and protein just keeps you satiated.

In my everyday life, I experience fatigue right around the time I have to go pick up my kids from school at 3pm. I start yawning, dreaming about coffee or a nap. For the entire duration of this diet I felt more energetic throughout the day.  It is crazy when you do something literally *every single day*  (like get tired in car line) and then one day you just don’t feel as tired.  I had Keto to thank for that.

I was on my top of my game! Part of not being tired means getting stuff done and, boy, did I hustle.  I worked, and worked, and worked without batting an eyelash or complaining.

Keto Coffee, or Bulletproof Coffee, is actually REALLY good!

Lastly I lost 5 lbs in 4 weeks which may not sound like much, but when your weight has been stable for YEARS, it feels like a real breakthrough.  I had begun to wonder if it was even possible – those last five pounds. And now that I have an idea of the process, I think I could lose even more weight if I tried to do this again.

So… all of this sounds pretty great right?!?!

The Bad

After 4 weeks, I felt deprived. I am part of Chicks And Salsa after all – chips and salsa are literally my favorite food and I did not eat even ONE CHIP for a month!  I missed bananas, cereal, and pizza! At first, binge eating my favorite cheeses and tons of avocado felt great. But then it got boring – fast!  It was easier for me to just have a list of go-to foods and rely on those (I will list some below for reference).  Also, eating enough fat to really rock this diet is SO HARD – there are literally recipes for ‘fat bombs’ to help you get
there that are loaded with butter and cheese — and honestly, this felt a little odd.

My husband did accuse me of being cranky every now and then.  I felt like there had to be another way when the month was over.  Food is just one of those things that bring people so much joy, without it I enjoyed less.

The Takeaway

This is a tough call and to tell you the truth I would probably do it again.  Maybe there is a way to do it for 3 weeks, take a week off, do it for 3 weeks, take a week off – that would be ideal.  But it is an extreme diet that requires a lot of management, planning, organization, and attention.  I felt deprived so I quit, but within 48 hours of going back to my normal diet I was back to yawing in carline and feeling bloated.  Carbs do slow you down and knowing what that magic carbohydrate number is for you is important for a long term true lifestyle change.  I can’t imagine doing this indefinitely but with the results that you get, I would definitely do it leading up to a major life event or vacation.

My Menu

Here are a few things I lived off of for the month:

Breakfast: Eggs, Avocado, Turkey Sausage, Turkey Bacon

Lunch: Low Carb BLT (Low Carb Tortilla, Mayo, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Turkey Bacon), Salads with Ranch Dressing and Hard Boiled Eggs, Grilled Chicken Strips dipped in Ranch, Cheese Chips and Guacamole.

Snacks: Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt with 2 oz. Pecans, 14 Blueberries with Whip Cream, Almonds, Cheese Chips from Trader Joes, Cheese Slices from the deli, Edamame, Muscle Milk, Asparagus spears, Water (lots of water!)

I hope you found this post to be helpful if you are considering the Keto Diet. There are so many good AND bad things about it.  Like anything else in life, I think it comes back to moderation and mindfulness.  Exercise, drink lots of water, be kind to your body, and eat as clean as possible.  But if belly fat is what is getting you down – try the Keto diet and see how you do!

Cheers,

Rina

NOTE: At the time of this post I have been off of Keto for 2 weeks and have only re-gained one of the five pounds that I lost – I have transitioned mostly to an intermittent fasting model.  Let me know in the comments below if you want to hear my take on that!

Chick Picks:

PRESS

UpJourney Asks – How does one figure out what to do with their life?

On The Scene With Chicks And Salsa

Gluconfidence Podcast

Press Event with Guru Randhawa


An Inside Look at ‘Digital Chicks Media’

Hey Ladies! Today, we are introducing you to the beautiful and talented Rina Puri from Milledgeville, GA. She co-writes for an amazing lifestyle blog with her sister and is founder of Digital Chicks Media, a social media management company. Enjoy the read & cheers to feeling inspired!

Thanks for chatting with us today Rina, so you are well-known for your blog, Chicks and Salsa. Could you give us a little more background on the content you write about and how you got started with it?

My sister, Sonia, and I value “girl talk” above all else – it’s a way for us to blow off steam about our day and have an outlet that keeps us calm for the other people in our lives -most importantly our spouses and kids! More than two years ago, over chips and salsa, we decided to create a platform where we can share things that we talk about and love with others. The blog gives us a creative outlet and helps us to be more balanced as women and mothers.

Amazing! So how did ‘Digital Chicks Media’ come about? What were your goals when first starting out?

It was a natural progression from working on the blog and having worked for non profits for ten years. Creating Digital Chicks Media seemed like the next step in bringing all my skill sets together under one roof.

With Digital Chicks Media, we truly strive to match a brand with its true fans. There are so many amazing products and services out there with inspiring background stories, and we want to tell that story in a way that is meaningful and beautiful.

What services do you offer clients?

We can do everything from photography, content creation, social media integration across platforms, and engagement with your audience on a daily basis. Maintaining an active social media presence is absolutely essential in today’s market, but can also be very time consuming. We tell our clients to let us run their social media so that they can run their business!

“We tell our clients to let us run their social media so that they can run their business!”

How does your company promote female empowerment? Why is this important?

As a mom of two young children, I have made many excuses to not “shake things up” at home and in my personal life. Thanks to many strong women who have come before me, I have taken the steps to ‘do me’ in a way that has defined my present and future in ways I never anticipated. I am grateful for that push and hope that with my journey I can also inspire others to just – go for it!

What final thoughts would you like to leave with our readers today?

Ordinary women can do extraordinary things. I would love to work with female entrepreneurs wanting to share their ideas online. Digital Chicks Media has your back, feel free to email me [email protected]

Local Stories

Meet Trailblazers Rina Puri and Sonia Shah

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rina Puri and Sonia Shah.

Two years ago, Rina and Sonia (sisters) sought to empower women, especially Moms, and South Asian females to get more out of life through fashion, friendship, and fun! They built a team of stay at home Moms to each share their journey on a platform called Chicks And Salsa – named after their favorite snack and also the symbolism that it came with. “We always have chips and salsa when we are hanging out with our friends and having a great time, those are the best nights!” Rina said. Today, they talk about everything from fashion, beauty, travel, and more and have created an actual lifestyle blog that hopefully speaks to all kinds of women!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The “Empowered South Asian Female” is kind of a new phenomenon. Our Mom has been a housewife for most of her life and she did a great job raising a family with four kids AND grandparents at home. Our Mom made constant sacrifices for others always putting herself last; her dreams and her personal ambitions. Our generation sees family a little differently; we prioritize ourselves a little bit more and carve out time from our lives to do things that make us happy – whether that is a girls night out a visit to the spa! This has, of course, comes with a little judgment for being “selfish” from our community from time to time, but sharing how making time for ourselves has made us better partners and mothers have helped change the discussion and perception.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chicks And Salsa – what should we know?
We love sharing what we are doing with our followers, it is our hope that when they see us doing something fun or wearing something unique that they are inspired to get up and do something themselves. We love making the most of what we have and live life with the glass half full, even when things are tough!

As longtime Chicago girls, Rina and Sonia have been around for a while! “We love this city and all of its diversity we are proud to represent Mothers and South Asian from this great place!” Says Sonia.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Generally, women have been supportive of our efforts and we are grateful for that! When it comes to blogging, there is truly space for everyone so the community in Chicago at large has been generous with their ideas and compliments. We would love to see more ethnic bloggers take the scene in Chicago in the future.

We think that the most challenging thing this day in age is changing the way we see each other on social media and accepting what we see for what it is – a moment in time captured by someone who wanted to share something. It is easier to be happy for each other than to cut each other down. We are all one – we need to cut each other some slack over insecurities, judgment, and fear and celebrate one another as often as possible! We have found that positive energy can manifest in the same way negative energy does, so we all have to make that choice!

Podcast: The Chicks Chat with Ami of AmyTuckeredOut

As Seen In JWC Media:

Contact Info:

Milledgeville Scene May/June 2019

Lifestyle

Bye Bye Neck Pain, My Experience Trying A Chiropractor for The First Time

For as long as I can remember I have had neck pain. Not the debilitating kind, but the kind that has always been there that I’ve learned to live with. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that most people can roll their neck without pain. I must have had some trauma to my neck when I was younger and as a result, I have carried chronic pain with me my entire life. Similarly, I have lower back pain. My dad used always tell me that walking in heels could result in lower back pain. Of course being young and dumb comes with some consequences. I now suffer of stiffness in my lower back that possibly could be a result of all those years in heels.

I had heard of chiropractic work, but didn’t know anybody personally who had ever been.  When I found out about Accident Treatment Centers, I learned they had a South Loop location that would be convenient for me to finally take the plunge!  In my first meeting with Dr. Luke we discussed pain points and what brought me in the door in the first place.  Our meeting was followed by some X-rays to see where the damage had occurred.  After discussing where the improvements needed to be made we ironed out a schedule that would start my journey into chiropractic work.

The Schedule

I was scheduled to complete 12 sessions at three times a week for a month.  On the first rotation, I was walked through what to do and why I was doing it. From then on every time I came in, I was equipped to do the exercises on my own. Each appointment lasted between 30-40 min depending on how busy it was.  Upon waking into the office I was to grab my sheet which detailed how many sessions I had scheduled and what steps I was to take; along with a timer.

Step 1: The first rotation had me taking a roller to my neck on either side for one minute each. Then I was to foam roll from my shoulder blades to lower back for one minute.

Step 2: I needed to take a small ball and roll it on either side of my spine on my upper back for one minute each.

Step 3: Toward the end of the rotation I had to take a foam block and place it between my shoulder blades and move my neck forward and back 24 times like a “clucking chicken.”

Step 4: I would head to the power plates and hold my neck for 30 seconds on either side followed by a 30 second stretch on my shoulders.

Once that rotation was complete I would wait for my “adjustment” which entailed of a back and neck crack.  This was my favorite!  At the end I would head over to “traction” where my head was hung back for 10 minute to readjust the spinal curve.

The Takeaway

My Favorite Products:

After completing 12 sessions in the same rotation, I now feel a little bit of relief. I imagine that if I had continued to do sessions for longer I would have felt even better.  I can safely say that instead of chronic bad days I now only have some bad days. Am I a believer in chiropractic work? Absolutely. I think for people who suffer of debilitating pain, who don’t want to use surgery as their first choice this is a wonderful route to consider when finding relief for chronic pain.

Your Chick,

Sonia

Lifestyle

5 Things I Have Learned Since Starting A Blog

Wow, it has been a roller coaster since launching Chicks And Salsa and, besides the time I have spent with my family, this has been one of the most gratifying year and a half of my life. Doing something that is centered on the betterment and understanding of myself was a hard transition to make but has felt amazing.  The blog has also had some unexpected benefits such as making my relationships with my parents, siblings, spouse, and children better since I had found an outlet for myself. It has served as an avenue to work through my thoughts and ideas in in a more organized fashion that my brain previously couldn’t. I am also truly grateful to Sonia, Avani, Komal, and Neema who have found a home on the blog for their voices and ideas. Compiling our passions, motivations, and insecurities has allowed each of us to grow beyond what we could have imagined. In reflecting on this past year, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the top five things I have learned since “becoming a blogger.”

Bloggers Are Awesome People

I was surprisingly met with good energy, positive vibes and smiling faces when I timidly introduced Chicks And Salsa to the blog-sphere.  I was worried about encountering intimidation and skepticism; but other bloggers were generous with their ideas and enthusiasm. After all, we are unique and have a different messages to share with the universe.  We have worked with many bloggers in developing our brand and truly credit them for the support that they have provided.  These women rock! They are hard working, creative, and smart and open to questions. DM your favorite bloggers and see what they say!  Pro tip: to really shortcut the process, join Style Collective. They have all the secrets, resources, and community support to justify what they offer for $10/month.  I wish I had found them much sooner than I did. I use their calendars and templates for emails and contracts regularly. I have also met new networks that have streamlined my outreach.

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Deciding to Start is The Hardest Part

My sister and I talked ourselves out of starting Chicks And Salsa for months. We kept thinking we were too old, too boring, too ‘whatever’ to have a blog.  And although that still may be true, doing it for ourselves has been the greatest gift. The fact that so many of our readers check in is the bow on top.  Sharing a piece of oneself with the universe can come with a host of insecurities, doubt, changes, attempts, failures, laughter, and tears.  It’s the constant pursuit of developing and defining your brand that really reflects who you are as a person. It forces you to reflect on your values and desires, an exercise that fuels motivation to try harder and learn more.  Then there is the challenge of incorporating all this sharing into your day-to-day life without it totally taking over (which it totally has the potential to do, see number 3.)  

Blogging is ALL Encompassing

With blogging, I find myself managing many media platforms. In order to succeed, you do need to be everywhere all the time.  Having my cameras always charged and planning out my content helps — that way I am not aimlessly taking pictures all the time.  I make my time count by being goal-oriented and then I either write the piece, get the picture, or make a list and move on. A bias towards action is important and acting with intention will help limit the blogging… keeping it from taking over your life!

Blogging is actually SO MUCH FUN!

Yes, it’s true. Deciding to do this was the exact kick I needed to get out of the funk I was in. For the first time in five years, I was home alone because my kids went to school full time and I had been working part time from home. The blog has taken my ‘me time’ to another level.  I have developed as a writer, photographer, digital content creator, and friend.  Not to mention, I have discovered a whole world of new social media supporters and friendships – some I have met, some I have not (yet!). It has been a rewarding journey that I am excited to continue experiencing. You, our readers, are a huge part of the motivation that drives me forward.  Thank you!

All Black Look
All Black Look

Loving The Learning
Loving The Learning

It Is Easier To Work Backwards

In the beginning, I decided to start a blog but I didn’t have a specific objective or purpose in mind.  Helpful questions to start with are ‘why do you want to blog?’,‘what is the end goal?’, and ‘are you seeking free stuff, money, to network, or travel?’.  I know it seems obvious, but if you want free travel, talk about travel; if you want free products, talk about products, etc.  Genuinely I think I started because I wanted to learn about blogging and I wanted to be informed.  I know now that Chicks And Salsa is truly a lifestyle blog that we have built to speak to all the layers of women, in particular mothers. Women tend to be the demographic who have limited time for themselves and cherish the time they get with their friends. Therefore, we found our mission after we decided to pursue the genesis of Chicks and Salsa. This important nuance helped us grow from the ground up into a purposeful blog.

Phew, what a round up! I hope you found this helpful. In the new digital age, the creative content that one can make and the audience that they can have is truly limitless. Use that indefinite space to find a corner that is yours. I hope that with Chicks And Salsa, you have not only found that you are part of our tribe but also that you are the origin of your own movement.

Cheers
Cheers

Cheers!
Rina