Here comes 2013, down the pipeline! In the words of every magazine cover and self-helping newsletter: New Year, New You? Well, let us be the first to say, hopefully not, because we quite like the “old” you. But, do we take this change in date lying down? No, we do not. We will not go quietly into 2013! How about some resolutions? Not the impossible, annoying, guilt-ridden-when-they-don’t-quite-happen kind, the completely possible, totally probable, small-steps kind (i.e., the best kind). We’ve chosen four resolutions (and four ladies) to be our spirit guides in beauty/wellness/makeup for the next year.
Enjoy and, you know, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ITG RESOLUTION #1: EAT BREAKFAST (a.k.a Food As Fuel)
Look, we're in no way 'holier than thou' when it comes to nutrition. We pretty much subsist on Starbucks breakfast sandwiches and Family Size bags of peanut M&Ms from the Duane Reade across the street. Who has time to think about their folic acid intake? We live on the internet, for Pete's sake; if it can go into our mouths easily, quickly, and give us some modicum of energy, well, that's something. But the results aren't great: sluggish, hungry at random hours, this overcoming sense of rotting alive in our desk chairs—you know, office-life stuff. And, we hear, a peppy, fog-free (no-junk-food-cravings) day starts with what you start with: breakfast. Who better to advise on energy-packed morning meals than a woman who expends energy for a living? So, we hollered at one of the fittest girls we know, Natalie Uhling, 28-year-old workout whiz, lovely face of Under Armour Women, beloved group instructor at 24 Hour Fitness and Pilates-on-crack studio SLT, and all around buff babe (she burns approximately “a thousand calories an hour!” she estimates, while teaching her Turbo Kickboxing classes) to find out how she starts her day. “Fitness is my job, I take it seriously. Big time,” she says. Don’t believe her? Check out that body and that blender. That’d be a Vitamix. “If you don't have a Vitamix, I suggest you do!” Natalie said, as she dropped kale into her behemoth blending machine. “It'll blend your hand off...it's crazy!”
That’s right: she's all about starting the day with a liquid meal. “Eating out is terrible, it’s a sodium overload. And that goes for breakfast, too. A bagel and cream cheese is probably one of the worst things you can put in your body in the morning. No real nutritional value. Juices are great because they're easy: you throw this shit in the blender and press play. Then, throw the blender in the sink, rinse it out, and you're done. Juices hit your blood stream so quickly, and it just gives you this zest. It’s so amazing for your skin, especially if you add fish oil. And keep up with lemon and water, it’s great for you, it speeds up your metabolism. And kale, I love anything green—the greener it is, the better it is for you. Anything that’s vibrant in color and natural is good. Chard and spinach are leafy green superfoods and contain potassium, which is good for muscle cramps. I think just listening to your body matters—when you're hungry, when you're not, what you're craving. I’m the biggest proponent of that.” Amen.
Natalie's breakfast in a blender, 4 ways:
#1: All Out “I'll do kale, spinach, lemon, ginger, scoop of Garden of Life Raw Protein powder [Ed. note: not all protein powders are made alike, we learned], chia seeds, a probiotic, and frozen blueberries, half a banana, and maybe an apple for taste.”
#2: Easy/Lazy “Pomegranate juice, lemon, scoop of unflavored raw protein powder, ice, and water.”
#3: Ew, green juice...'A scoop of raw vanilla-flavored protein powder, cinnamon, banana, ice , and water. That one’s kind of like a chai tea!”
#4: Ew, green juice... Part Two “Raw chocolate-flavored protein powder and almond milk. So easy and really good!”
And for those who like solids :
Avocado Toast :“I love Ezekiel millet bread, they're great if you’re gluten-free or vegan since they have tons of different variations. I toast it and mash half an avocado, some lemon juice, and pepper on it, which tastes amazing!”
Eggs! : “Hard-boiled eggs are good on-the-go. Just boil a bunch on Sunday night, peel them, and put them in the fridge in a Tupperware. They'll last for the week. That’s a lot of protein—you can skip the yolk if you want—and it's the easiest thing to do in the morning!”
Natalie Uhling photographed by Emily Weiss in New York.
