"My Stomach Hurts" ... here's why!

Food is a big part of my life, clearly... and I’m sure it’s a big part of your life too. It is the source of our energy, our good health, and our well-being. Here's the deal, there are tons of so-called foods out there that are really the enemy. They cause health problems instead of providing nutrients your busy body (pun intended) actually needs. I'm a sucker for sweets and things that are easy to grab, especially when I don't prep (aka pack my lunch and snacks).

As some of you may know at 19 I got my gallbladder taken out after nearly 10 months of severe stomach pain, vomiting, weight loss, I mean I looked sickly from all the weight I lost. I went from an athletic 150lbs to nearly 130lbs in a few months. After getting my gallbladder removed I thought, SWEET, I can go back to eating whatever I wanted. FALSE. In fact things got worse for me after surgery.

I had to dramatically cut down on things I used to enjoy everyday like:

1 - Coffee - I damn near immediately have to hit the ladies room, plus I like cream in my coffee.

2 - Hot sauce - nope, I don't have swag nor carry it in my bag. There's only one brand I can eat that doesn't irritate my stomach - Red Hot!

3 - Fried/Greasy food - either I get sick from it because I over indulge or I just limit the amount I eat. Pizza is still the only 'unhealthy' food that doesn't make me sick, which is why I love it so much!

4 - Overly seasoned food that's spicy - think jerk chicken. Gosh, I love jerk chicken, but my stomach thinks otherwise.

Here's a quick rundown of tummy friends and fakes:

4 Years later AFewHungryGirls is still here!

                                        

                                     

I don’t know how many times I thought about quitting AFewHungryGirls. 

There were so many times I was just thought to myself, I’m done with it, it’s over. 

I was high key worn out. 

The turning point came when I realized why I was so burnt out. I was too busy trying to keep up with other bloggers (specifically foodblfoggers) and compared their success to my perceived lack of success. I took a long break and Lord knows I needed it and got back to basics. I realized 1. their journey was not the same as mine, nor was their motivation. 2. That I never started blogging in the first place to obtain success. In fact when I started I didn’t even know I could turn it into a business, I just wanted an excuse to post my food pics somewhere lol. 3. That this was my baby and my baby alone to blog aka TALK about what ever I wanted to and hopefully some people would read it and think ‘Hey, I’m just like her’! 

When I decide to transition from a food blogger to a lifestyle blogger it was after a 4 month hiatus… possibly even more but I mean who’s counting.

3 Ways to Eat Healthy and NOT be Hungry!

Summer is around the corner, and if you’ve suddenly cut your calorie intake and increased the intensity of your workout regime, you’re not alone. I'm giving you 3 ways to stay healthy and not get hungry!

When the sun appears, and vacations are on the horizon, many of us tend to panic about not having the perfect beach body. It’s natural to want to shape up for summer, but there are ways to be healthy without being hungry. You don’t have to starve yourself to see results. If you’re keen to strike a balance, here are some tips to help you embrace healthy eating without sacrificing everything you love to eat.

1. Control your portions

Often, what we eat isn’t the problem. It’s actually how much we eat that influences weight loss or gain. Losing weight boils down to an equation, which involves the number of calories you take in and the number you burn. If the sides don’t balance, it’s likely that you’ll end up losing or gaining weight. Every food has a different calorific value, and it’s beneficial to understand the differences so that you can control your portions effectively. A single slice of pizza, for example, may contain up to 1,000 calories, but a huge bowl of salad leaves, lean meat, tomatoes, and peppers will contain a fraction of this figure. It’s all about understanding values and using them to determine how much you need to eat. Don’t eat more that you need to, just because you’ve got food in front of you. If you tend to serve mammoth portions and you’re not very good at leaving anything on your plate, use smaller plates or simply reduce the amount you cook or order.

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2. Don’t deprive yourself

Have you ever spent day dreaming of eating those ‘bad’ foods that you’ve had to cut out of your diet in a bid to drop a dress size? The problem with dieting for many of us is that not being able to eat foods we love makes us crave them more. If you can’t stop thinking about fried chicken or cheesecake, allow yourself a treat once in a while. If you have one day a week where you can indulge yourself, this will give you something to look forward to, and it’ll help you focus during the rest of the week.

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3. Cook at home

You may think that you’re being healthy when you order a salad at a cafe, but do you really know what it contains? If it’s slathered in dressing and cheese, you may find that you’re eating more fat, salt, and sugar than you would be if you had a sandwich or a bowl of pasta. It’s a good idea to cook at home as much as possible if you’re trying to be healthy. All you need is some basic baking supplies and cooking utensils, and you can follow simple, healthy recipes from books or websites. When you’re the chef, you have complete control over what goes into your meals, and this can make all the difference. You can also choose how your food is prepared. Grilling and oven baking meat, for example, are a lot healthier than deep frying it.

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If you’re on a summer health drive, you don’t have to be hungry for the next few weeks. Take these tips on board, and you can slim down without starving yourself.

Eat Your Way To Summa Time Fine!

Pic Credit

Everyone has their own different ideas of what healthy looks like. To some, it will be a super clean diet with hardly any sugar. To others, treats are welcomed, and balance beats clean every single time. Regardless of where you fall on the healthy balance spectrum, you might find yourself getting a little hangry from time to time and indulging in foods that you know you don’t need... I mean really, summer is coming. If you need a little inspo for your meals, take a look at these ideas and never slip up again.

No one loves you like you love: A lesson in self care.

...Doing 5 beats a day for 3 summers... 

That's how I feel. 

Grind mode. 

This week I felt extremely overwhelmed in the best way possible. I wasn't overwhelmed because I can't handle the projects I'm taking on, I'm overwhelmed that I'm getting projects that all fit in line with my career goals. It's just all happening at once and I couldn't be happier about it. These are called BLESSINGS. 

Can I Live?

Disclaimer: This is not a racial post. I'm just sick of people expecting me to fake the funk. 

Can I live. Three simple words. Thank you Reasonable Doubt. Thank you Jay-Z. 

I'm going to be 100% honest with you, black woman are fighters. We have to fight white men, white woman, black men, black women, society, stereotypes, jeans that aren't made for actual butts, we have to fight everyday. Sometimes I feel like I have to put on a mask, a higher voice, sound cheerful, always act perky, use bigger words, not pop my gum, and refrain my all those neck motions I've grown accustomed to... all in the name of proving myself and if I'm not perky now I have an attitude. Being a woman who happens to be black isn't enough. We can't be humble, we have to boast our achievements otherwise we don't get the respect we already deserved. Let's not even talk about the hypersexualism associated with having a fat ass, large boobs, and full lips. Not today.

There are 5 things that  erk my last nerve and make me want to say
 "Can I Live?"

1. Can you twerk? 

Get Out: 3 Signs Your Relationship is Toxic!

Don't allow the need to be needed be the reason you have toxic relationships! 

Over the course of my 20 something years of life I've encountered almost every type of relationship. I've been in toxic relationships with a bae, I've been in the most selfish friendships, and I've let people I thought loved/cared about me take advantage of me. Here's the deal... There were signs in every single one of these relationships that I needed to leave.

Get Out. 

I'm the nice girl, you know the one who can't say no, the one who despite is hurting and screaming inside will still put her feelings aside to make someone else happy. Yea, that was me for nearly 25 years of my life. I did what everyone else wanted me to do and gave up on my own personal happiness. 

I Know The Signs Now. 

Now that I've gotten over that hurt and learned to manage my sweetness and my savagedom (Hey Rihanna!!) life is a bit easier. I know the signs that I ignored for so long and I run, I run away like a suburban mom driving through the hood. I'm outchea, you hear me?

Baby girl, just be you.

(Photo Cred: Josh Kelly)

As I was perusing my IG feed the other day I was completely taken aback by the ongoing lack of size diversity I saw.  I get it major fashion corporations, skinny is in ::major side eye::. But for the rest of us women who are normal we prefer to see us.

What I mean by that is I absolutely love seeing the Ashley Grahams of the world KILL IT. I mean confidence on 10, clothes on point, face beat for the gawds.

I. LOVE. IT. 

I was referred to as plus size a few weeks back and it hurt not one feeling in my body or soul as it pertains to me. It hurt every bit of me when I think about young girls who are getting labeled as plus size before they even know what that means. I'm so sick of this body dysmorphic behavior society is encouraging.

If you're skinny, be skinny, and be proud. I get it. You've been skinny your whole life and all people do is shame you for being skinny. Baby girl, I know you eat, and you probably love every moment of it.

If you're a size 6, rock that 6 girl. Slim thick or nahhh, you're beautiful.

How A Hungry Girl defeats Hanger.

(This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Extend Nutrition. The opinions and text are all mine.)

As you all know I'm the OG triple OG Hungry Girl and my hunger is typically on 10. Hanger (hungry + anger) is a real thing and can only be cured with a dose of food. The thing is, I'm pretty busy, I mean honestly who isn't these days? It's hard to always pack my lunch or meal prep all these healthy snacks in cute Tupperware containers that match, with a custom lunch box. On my quest to find something easier, convenient, AND healthy, I found Extend Nutrition Bars. Extend Nutrition Bars are packed with protein, gluten free, and sugar free or low sugar naturally sweetened with Stevia, plus their scientific formula has a very low glycemic index.  Now normally I would not, I repeat would not, recommend a protein type bar because most of them cause my stomach to hurt. But, when it comes to long-lasting energy, these Extend Bars help keep my life moving AND they taste so good; you don't even know there’s a ton of science behind the formula. 

I'm Not Lazy, I'm Just Tired.

( I thought this pic was appropriate since y'all say I'm always on my phone anyway lmao. Photo Cred: The Princess Jennifer)

Today was the only day 'off' I've had in weeks and I'm tired boss.

I know I need to rest. But I can't help but to feel guilty for not working right now. The real problem is the grind 24/7 mindset that I've become accustomed to has lead to this self care guilt I have.

Sleep. Rest. Chill. Me Time. 

Like seriously, how do you guys do it? As a woman self care is one of the most important ways to keep going, but for some reason I can't. I feel like if I'm not always writing and reading an email I'm not working hard enough. If I'm not drafting a proposal several times x day or week I'm not grinding hard enough. If I sleep I'm missing out.

You can't let financial gains be the only measurement of success. 

I feel lazy. Despite averaging 10-12 hour work days every day. I feel like Kanye when he was doing 5 beats a day for 3 summers. Complete grind mode. I think unshakable feeling that when I do anything not related to work I'm being lazy, distracted, aloof, all that. I won't lie, these dishes pile up, my clothes go unfolded for weeks, and I grab laundry for the day straight out the dryer. Looking at these chores that are normal parts of adulting like "yea, thats gonna be a NO for me dawg" and push it off for another day. I feel lazy.

I'm not lazy. I'm just tired. 

I took the WHOLE day off yesterday and literally forced myself to put any work thoughts out of my head and just had me time. Me time can be stressful though. When I finally have time to decompress sometimes I'm reminded of all the things I haven't done instead of all the things I have done. I'm slowly learning to recognize and appreciate the small wins.

Smalls wins add up to big victories. 

So this week, I'm going to try to embrace this me time, chill time, do what makes me happy time. Do y'all well adjusted individuals have any advice on easy ways to adult :)!

(Song of the moment: The Pressure, Jhene Aiko)



Stay hungry my friends...

Young Ray

Things get easier.

(Photo Cred: Josh Kelly)

Things get easier.

My friend Emerald told me to write down my burdens in an envelope, seal it, and let that be the last I think about it. Now my frugality kicked in and I was like "umm I'm not wasting any envelopes" then she hit me with "not a real one, one in my mind". I honestly thought I wasn't strong enough to do that, like mentally throw an emotion or worry away? Nah. I can't do that. Cannot. Can. Not.

Bishhhhhh please.... 

Welcome Back! A Blog Post To Myself...

(Photo Cred: Briana Janelle)

I don't even know where to start y'all.

I needed a break.

From this blog, from people, from things.

This is the most nondescript blog post I'll likely ever make because that's where my life was for so long. I stopped blogging not because I don't enjoy it but because it became a chore, a job, not my outlet. When I first starting blogging it was all about the food, but these Hungry Girls transformed into the Hungry Homies.

But I personally was hungry for more back then, I just didn't know what I wanted. I knew I had a voice, a story, a mission, but again I didn't know where to find it. So I took a break. I can't lie this break took FARRRRR longer than I ever expected, but such is life.

FLASH RECIPE: Easy Shrimp and Grits

This week I woke up feeling like shrimp and grits for breffis (breakfast, lol)! It's super easy to make but like most people everything comes down to having time to prepare it. Another obstacle I typically face is not having all the ingredients that I need, this particular morning ya girl had everything!

Brunch So Hard!

My bestie, Reschelle and I had the opportunity to host Brunch So Hard with Seasons52 a few weeks ago. I truly apologize for the delay in posting. You know how life gets... 

The brunch was awesome, we got to try out all their new brunch menu items. I'm going to be honest  with you... there were a few dishes that completely blew me out of the water. 

 Brick Oven Brioche French Toast

But First... Coffee!

Coffee.

Most people can’t get enough of it. You can see that from the popularity of Starbucks alone. Often considered the world’s most popular coffee chain, the brand has over 16,000 locations worldwide. In large cities, there is often one on each corner. There are numerous health benefits to a daily cup of Joe. Whether it’s black, white, with sugar or without.  The nation’s favorite beverage could be considered one of the few things in this world which is good for you and tastes good. So wake up and smell the coffee. It’s about time that you make it a part of your daily grind.

Findlay Kitchen pairs nicely with Sleepy Bee!!

Sleepy Bee is already one of my favorite restuarants in Cincinnati so when I found out I had the opportunity to get an exclusive tasting thanks to Thompson Hine and Findlay Kitchen (Findlay Markets commercial kitchen) and of course my friend Adreanne who actually invited me. Chef Frances Kroner prepared one of the most creative and diverse menu's I've tasted in a long time, plus I'll pretty much drink any Sangria you put in front of me. 

Keeping It Natural: Taking the Science Out of Herbal Medicines

Herbal remedies are the source of much debate in the scientific community. Some insist that they are quack medicine with no benefit at all, whereas other studies have proven their aids to humanity. Some medicines that are considered a staple of modern life find their roots in herbs, such as aspirin, which is derived from tree bark. With both sides being so entrenched in their position, it's sometimes difficult to see the wood for the trees.

Yep, I'm Sweet N' Sweet!

Recently, Chobani has been encouraging people to try out their new line of Flips yogurt, so of course I had to try it. According to this cool Chobani Flow chart I'm Sweet N' Sweet. I can't believe it took a flow chart to prove this to the masses!

Seasons 52 - A Refreshing Take On Fine Dining.

I had the opportunity to visit Seasons52 this week and let me tell you I was completely blown away by everything! I went with my friend Reschelle (if you're looking to buy or sell a home in Cincy, holla at her!), we had so much fun going over the menu an deciding what to order because everything was so yummy sounding.

Home cooking meets TECH!

 Saundra's Kitchen is the newest restaurant turned tech company in Cincy. Before I get anything further I just want to let y'all know how GREAT their food is. Not to mention they are an incredibly eco-friendly and sustainable business. Saundra's Kitchen uses battery operated scooters to deliver the goods and compostable/recyclable utensils, containers, even the bags it's put in.