As a get-me-motivated-jump-start to my new lifestyle, I re-picked up one of my favorite books, Skinny Bitch.  It was so refreshing to be reminded of all of the important things in the book.  It's a straight-shooting, no nonsense guide to living the healthiest lifestyle possible...and since I'm a straight-shooting, no nonsense (trying to live healthily (is that a word)) kind of gal, this seems perfect.  

It's message in a nutshell, "If you want to be the skinny bitches that you're so jealous of, stop eating shit and move your body."  It's a message that I am 100% on board with.* (Do I look like a real author when I use the asterisk?)  

Here are some of the very best things I have taken from it, that I try and remember:
1.  Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.  Duh.  This isn't rocket science.  If I want to lose weight, I need some green (or orange or red) in my life.  Besides, the more good stuff I put in there, the less hungry I am for the bad stuff.

2.  Aspertine is the devil.  I HIGHLY reccommend the chapter on this.  There are so many document adverse effects of aspertine (migranes, skitopherenia, cancer, just to name a few of the non-scary ones).  No Diet Coke!  This is one of my hardest ones.  I love it.  I want it.  On a tough day, I feel like I need it, but I don't.  I don't.  It's poison.  I don't, I don't, I don't. 

3.  Dairy is unnecessary.  Here's a little common sense for you.  Look at every other species in the world.  What do they do when they are born?  Drink their mother's milk.  Then, ween off of it.  Then, eat and drink other things...NOT another animals milk.  So, why do we drink cow's milk?  It's a myth that it creates strong bones and there is no medical evidence leading to that fact.  There IS eviece that shows: milk cause excessive mucus.  Just try this if you have a cold...one day have a lot of dairy in your diet.  The next, none.  Which day did you feel better.  1/3 of the population is lactose intolerant.  Hmmm, interesting.

4.  Processed food sucks.  "Diet" processed food sucks even more.  We should be shopping the perimeter of the grocery story, not in the aisles.  Well, maybe the spice aisle, I love that aisle.  
 

5.  Refined sugar is bad for you and highly addictive.  I have the worse sweet tooth in the world.  It might be the hardest thing in the world for me to slow down, but I am committed. 

HERE'S TO BEING SKINNY BITCHES IN 2011!

*Now, granted this is written by 2 vegans and while I'm not willing to go no animal products just yet, I certainly agree with their points.