I know I posted last summer that I would not be continuing with Guiltless & Glamorous due to my schedule, but would of course leave the blog up for anyone wanting access to the information I have posted in the past.
Well, I have decided to branch out and 're-launch' Guiltless & Glamorous as...Guiltless & Gourmet! This will be done under my real name, Anna, and at the address http://guiltlessandgourmet.wordpress.com.
The reason for this is that I do not have time to do the research and writing required for Guiltless & Glamorous, so Guiltless & Gourmet is going to follow a different path...to show how easy it is to follow a vegetarian diet, I'm going to post a photo and description (with recipe if home-cooked) of my dinners each day (well, I don't want to aim for the impossible, so I would say most days :)). That way everyone can see how easy it is to follow a well-balanced and yummy vegetarian diet!
I remember when I first became vegetarian. The first few months felt as though they were about deprivation, rather than embracing a new lifestyle. It was all about what I couldn't have anymore. Of course, as time went on, I realized that rather than just cutting out meat I would have to start to add other items into my diet, and I can safely say that I never realized how amazing the gastronomical world was until I started researching how to eat a balanced and delicious vegetarian diet.
Ethnic food was in many ways my saviour at the beginning. So many countries cook vegetarian food so well - and have done for generations, long before vegetarianism became 'popular'. The Greeks make amazing spinach pies, the Mexicans know how to work with beans and the Middle Easterns find a way to make every pulse - especially chickpeas! - super yummy. However, the Indians really know what to do - which makes sense as some traditional Hindi diets are vegetarian. This really was good news for me as Indian food is one of my favourites - and still, to this day, the only meat item I miss is butter chicken!
Also, while I say that I do sometimes miss butter chicken, on the whole after six-eight months of vegetarianism, my tastes began to completely change and I no longer craved meat. In fact, as my family and friends will attest to, I feel quite ill at the smell of cooking meat and certainly no longer crave it. At times if I accidentally have some meat my body won't digest it as it no longer produces those enzymes (I'm sure if I was to slowly re-introduce meat into my diet my body would cope, but I just mean that having it once after not eating it at all for two years was too much!).
Some vegetarians are more relaxed; my mother is what is known as a pescatarian, so she eats fish but no meat. Also, some like to have a bit of turkey once a year or some other meat if they are staying at a friend's house and it is offered to them. I always say that although I couldn't do vegetarianism that way, every little bit helps. The benefits of vegetarianism are many - it helps the environment, your health and, of course, animals. It is my love of animals that made me go vegetarian though I do get a kick out of the fact that I am helping the environment and I enjoy the health benefits - added energy, clearer skin, less saturated fat - that I reap from following this diet.
As to how to get started...it's up to you. If you are an all-or-nothing person and you are good at setting your mind to something, go cold turkey (forgive the pun!). Give it all up one day and just change. Some people respond best to this method. However, I gradually cut out meat - starting with pig products (pigs are so intelligent and so cute, this one was easy!), then cutting out red meat, followed by chicken and lastly seafood and fish, as I never ate too much of this to begin with. And remember, don't make the same mistake I did - don't just cut out and forget to add back! Every time you cut out one meat group, add in a new vegetarian meal that you hadn't tried before - something with beans or pulses if you're not used to eating those normally.
Hopefully the recipes and photos I post on this blog will help you with adding to your diet rather than taking away. Ultimately, my diet now has so many more options in it than before I was vegetarian, ironically enough. Then dinners were all meat + starch + veg. Now they are so much more interesting and outside-the-box than that! So I hope to inspire others and please, please, please feel free to comment or email me with questions!
Thanks all,
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Friday, August 6, 2010
Final post
Hi all!
If it hasn't been obvious by the lack of posts since April, I am unable to maintain this blog any longer due to my crazy work schedule. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it and still believe wholeheartedly in the cause - I continue to use only cruelty-free products at home and encourage everyone I know to do the same (while trying to avoid being preachy!). I'm still a vegetarian and am in fact 50% vegan - partly for animal reasons and partly for the health benefits. Honestly, if you find that you suffer from allergies etc try going dairy-free for a month and see if you feel any better. It will make a huge difference! (Gluten can often cause the same but I don't want to overwhelm you! If you're feeling adventurous though, try a month gluten-free too...it's amazing!)
So basically, this is my goodbye but I want to assure you all that this blog will remain online. Perhaps it won't be found so often by newcomers due to the fact that I am not actively exchanging links anymore and it won't be updated, so it won't be up there in the search engines, but the resources I have posted will continue to be relevant, so this blog can continue to be used as a reference when people are uncertain about which brands and products to purchase and support.
All the best in living your guiltless and glamorous lives gals and guys!
GiGi x
If it hasn't been obvious by the lack of posts since April, I am unable to maintain this blog any longer due to my crazy work schedule. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it and still believe wholeheartedly in the cause - I continue to use only cruelty-free products at home and encourage everyone I know to do the same (while trying to avoid being preachy!). I'm still a vegetarian and am in fact 50% vegan - partly for animal reasons and partly for the health benefits. Honestly, if you find that you suffer from allergies etc try going dairy-free for a month and see if you feel any better. It will make a huge difference! (Gluten can often cause the same but I don't want to overwhelm you! If you're feeling adventurous though, try a month gluten-free too...it's amazing!)
So basically, this is my goodbye but I want to assure you all that this blog will remain online. Perhaps it won't be found so often by newcomers due to the fact that I am not actively exchanging links anymore and it won't be updated, so it won't be up there in the search engines, but the resources I have posted will continue to be relevant, so this blog can continue to be used as a reference when people are uncertain about which brands and products to purchase and support.
All the best in living your guiltless and glamorous lives gals and guys!
GiGi x
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Guiltless Goodies: Green Chic link-up!
Hi all!
Apologies for the late post this week but here is this week's collection of eco-friendly links!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi and the Green Chic group
Factio Magazine goes green this spring with eco chic footwear! Naya shoes are made with style and comfort in mind while still being gentle on the environment.
Check out Dita Von Teese in eco-chic, plastic fantastic shoes by Jean Paul Gaultier for Melissa - Fashiontribes
Guiltless & Glamorous reviews a hot new cruelty-free skincare line made in Vancouver!
My Beauty Bunny tells us about the new USPS shelter animal stamps that help save animals' lives!
Posh Swaps has some great tips on organising a clothes swap party or swishing
Runway To Retail checks out the spring/summer 2010 collection of AGGA B.that is sure to intrigue you.
Apologies for the late post this week but here is this week's collection of eco-friendly links!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi and the Green Chic group
Factio Magazine goes green this spring with eco chic footwear! Naya shoes are made with style and comfort in mind while still being gentle on the environment.
Check out Dita Von Teese in eco-chic, plastic fantastic shoes by Jean Paul Gaultier for Melissa - Fashiontribes
Guiltless & Glamorous reviews a hot new cruelty-free skincare line made in Vancouver!
My Beauty Bunny tells us about the new USPS shelter animal stamps that help save animals' lives!
Posh Swaps has some great tips on organising a clothes swap party or swishing
Runway To Retail checks out the spring/summer 2010 collection of AGGA B.that is sure to intrigue you.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Guiltless Goodies: Riversol is the hot new - cruelty-free - skincare line to try
Hi all!
Sorry for the long delay - again - in between posts. I will try and be more regular but more delays may be forthcoming as my schedule gets increasingly crazy. Please forgive!
I was a lucky girl recently and was sent some samples of Vancouver's own Riversol skincare line to test out. This skincare line, developed by dermatologist Dr. Jason Rivers and Dean Johansson, is produced locally in Vancouver, BC and actually was the official skincare line for the ten men and eight women on the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team in the recent Vancouver Winter Olympics. The team used the brand's fragrance-free, hypoallergenic T-Plus line.
"Riversol incorporates a highly effective moisturizing system that will keep the team's skin protected and hydrated in the extremely dry and cold conditions they are constantly exposed to during outdoor training and competition," said Dr. Rivers in a recent press release distributed by Riversol Skin Care, Inc. The T-Plus line contains Thujaplicin, an ingredient derived from the Western Red Cedar Tree, the official tree of British Columbia. This potent natural antioxidant has anti-aging effects, added the release.
I tried the brand's moisturizing concentrate, moisturizer, eye cream, foaming gel cleanser and cream cleanser. I also got a friend to sample a couple of the products as she has a different skin type to me and would be able to offer more accurate and diverse feedback. Also, I sampled these products as I travelled home for a week, so the change in climates provided an extra challenge for the products to overcome - my skin is usually combination - oily in the T-zone and dry on the cheeks - but being in Vancouver for the past few months has meant it has become oily all over. So I used the foaming gel cleanser mainly, and the cream cleanser while home when my skin dried out from travel. I use the eye cream every morning and I sampled both moisturizers. Here's my - and when I couldn't contribute, my friend's - feedback (all prices in Canadian $):
- Foaming gel cleanser: I loved this. I have never had a gel cleanser that foamed, only cream. The gel was excellent for my oily skin and felt very refreshing, so was great in the morning to wake you up. It would be ideal for a person who suffers from acne or oily skin. $35, 8 fl oz (240ml)
- Cream cleanser: This provided a rich lather which was soothing for the skin but to be honest, I used it only once while travelling (it certainly helped combat airplane dryness!). My girlfriend used it for a few days straight and said she definitely felt that her skin was softer and smoother even before applying moisturizer, so she was sold. $35, 8 fl oz (240ml)
- Eye cream: This was my favourite of the products that I sampled. A good eye cream is an essential tool for every woman to have in her beauty kit, from a young age, because it's an excellent preventative. With this one, I can feel it working. $60, 0.5oz (15g)
- Moisturizing lotion: This lotion is so light that you will barely feel it on your skin, which is a good thing - particularly if your skin is oily at all. This is a great daytime lotion. $70, 2oz (60g)
- Moisturizing concentrate: This was a bit too oily for me but my mom loved it - for older skin and dry skin it is extremely nourishing, so it is probably best used for specific skin types that require that extra hydration. $70, 2 oz (60g)
Listen up soon for a Riversol giveaway! And find out more about the company and buy its products online at www.riversol.com.
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi
Sorry for the long delay - again - in between posts. I will try and be more regular but more delays may be forthcoming as my schedule gets increasingly crazy. Please forgive!
I was a lucky girl recently and was sent some samples of Vancouver's own Riversol skincare line to test out. This skincare line, developed by dermatologist Dr. Jason Rivers and Dean Johansson, is produced locally in Vancouver, BC and actually was the official skincare line for the ten men and eight women on the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team in the recent Vancouver Winter Olympics. The team used the brand's fragrance-free, hypoallergenic T-Plus line.
"Riversol incorporates a highly effective moisturizing system that will keep the team's skin protected and hydrated in the extremely dry and cold conditions they are constantly exposed to during outdoor training and competition," said Dr. Rivers in a recent press release distributed by Riversol Skin Care, Inc. The T-Plus line contains Thujaplicin, an ingredient derived from the Western Red Cedar Tree, the official tree of British Columbia. This potent natural antioxidant has anti-aging effects, added the release.
I tried the brand's moisturizing concentrate, moisturizer, eye cream, foaming gel cleanser and cream cleanser. I also got a friend to sample a couple of the products as she has a different skin type to me and would be able to offer more accurate and diverse feedback. Also, I sampled these products as I travelled home for a week, so the change in climates provided an extra challenge for the products to overcome - my skin is usually combination - oily in the T-zone and dry on the cheeks - but being in Vancouver for the past few months has meant it has become oily all over. So I used the foaming gel cleanser mainly, and the cream cleanser while home when my skin dried out from travel. I use the eye cream every morning and I sampled both moisturizers. Here's my - and when I couldn't contribute, my friend's - feedback (all prices in Canadian $):
- Foaming gel cleanser: I loved this. I have never had a gel cleanser that foamed, only cream. The gel was excellent for my oily skin and felt very refreshing, so was great in the morning to wake you up. It would be ideal for a person who suffers from acne or oily skin. $35, 8 fl oz (240ml)
- Cream cleanser: This provided a rich lather which was soothing for the skin but to be honest, I used it only once while travelling (it certainly helped combat airplane dryness!). My girlfriend used it for a few days straight and said she definitely felt that her skin was softer and smoother even before applying moisturizer, so she was sold. $35, 8 fl oz (240ml)
- Moisturizing lotion: This lotion is so light that you will barely feel it on your skin, which is a good thing - particularly if your skin is oily at all. This is a great daytime lotion. $70, 2oz (60g)
- Moisturizing concentrate: This was a bit too oily for me but my mom loved it - for older skin and dry skin it is extremely nourishing, so it is probably best used for specific skin types that require that extra hydration. $70, 2 oz (60g)
Listen up soon for a Riversol giveaway! And find out more about the company and buy its products online at www.riversol.com.
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi
Friday, March 26, 2010
Guiltless Goodies: Green Chic link-up!
Hi all!
The Green Chic group is back in full force after a bit of a break - we have some new links, so enjoy!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi and Green Chic
Factio Magazine checks out the Karl Lagerfeld salad. That’s right the German fashion designer is no longer only a fashion icon, but an entrée as well!
Fashion Tribes shows how Acqua di Gio helps needy kids and communities get clean water...and you can help!
Guiltless & Glamorous takes a quick look at the Kardashian sisters' bebe collection.
My Beauty Bunny shares a cruelty-free exfoliation beauty secret!
Posh Swaps is really excited to announce Posh Swaps blog goes carbon neutral found how you can make your blog carbon neutral too!
Runway To Retail checks out steal deals... Today save 50% on J DE L'O ORGANICS at Editors' Closet! Our favorites include the Leaf Soap Pure Vegetable, Organic Liquid Soap and the Rejuvenating Mask.
The Green Chic group is back in full force after a bit of a break - we have some new links, so enjoy!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi and Green Chic
Factio Magazine checks out the Karl Lagerfeld salad. That’s right the German fashion designer is no longer only a fashion icon, but an entrée as well!
Fashion Tribes shows how Acqua di Gio helps needy kids and communities get clean water...and you can help!
Guiltless & Glamorous takes a quick look at the Kardashian sisters' bebe collection.
My Beauty Bunny shares a cruelty-free exfoliation beauty secret!
Posh Swaps is really excited to announce Posh Swaps blog goes carbon neutral found how you can make your blog carbon neutral too!
Runway To Retail checks out steal deals... Today save 50% on J DE L'O ORGANICS at Editors' Closet! Our favorites include the Leaf Soap Pure Vegetable, Organic Liquid Soap and the Rejuvenating Mask.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Guiltless Goodies: Keeping up with the Kardashians' bebe collection!
Hi all!
Sorry for the sporadic posting recently - I have been kind of crazy, flitting between countries. I'm on vacation now so have finally gotten round to checking out the Kardashian sisters' collection for bebe, after reporting a while ago that it would be shown at New York Fashion Week.
The sisters have put together a number of pieces - mainly dresses but also with some separates, such as a pencil skirt, top and blazer - and if you're a fan of the Kardashian sisters' style (you should probably also thank their stylist, Monica Rose, who is a personal favourite of mine) then this collection embodies an effective blend of the three girls' style very well. There are some leather pieces in there which I have not included, and I am only featuring those pieces which particularly caught my eye, but the whole collection can be viewed online at bebe's website (click here). bebe of course is still a fur-free retailer, and as mentioned in my previous post, Khloe Kardashian has been outspoken against fur through her collaboration with PETA.
Check out my favourites below - I would rank these as Ideal Investments because they are, of course, more pricey than bebe's usual apparel, due to the fact that they carry the Kardashian name (attach any celebrity's name to anything and you apparently have justification to hike the prices at least 30%!). But the pieces - particularly the dresses - are great party wear and because they are in primarily basic and neutral colours, they can be worn more than once when accessorized correctly.
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind,
GiGi
Top row from left to right: Knit Cutout Dress, Hoodie Bustier Dress, Side Shine Dress
Bottom row from left to right: One Shoulder Pleated Dress, Mesh Bodice Mini Dress, Belted Wrap Dress
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Guiltless Goodies: Oscars 2010 rounds off the red-carpet season
Hi all!
The Oscars were the usual fashion spectacular they are every year, but with a poor showing this year of cruelty-free picks. Didn't find many John Varvatos tuxes and only Penelope Cruz and Julianne Moore (and the latter only to the Vanity Fair after-party) did it for me with their Donna Karan and Calvin Klein (respectively) dresses.
Livia Firth, wife of nominee Colin Firth, of course kept her red carpet challenge going and wrote about the final awards show of the season - and the big one, at that - on her VOGUE UK blog. She wore a dress made entirely of waste and managed to look completely stunning doing so.
Despite not winning the Oscar, I'd say Colin's still a very lucky man.
Penelope Cruz, nominated for best supporting actress for Nine and last year's winner (thus she presented the award for Best Supporting Actor this year) wore a burgundy Donna Karan Couture gown, which she looked stunning in.
Julianne Moore was a no-show for the ceremony but showed up at the Vanity Fair after-party in this sophisticated Calvin Klein number.
Another awards ceremony that took place this past weekend was the Independent Spirit Awards, which saw Rosario Dawson show up in a Stella McCartney number that proved that cruelty-free can still be plenty glitzy enough for the red carpet.
Showcasing her equally stylish taste was Olivia Wilde, wearing a Ralph Lauren maxi dress on the Independent Spirit Awards' red carpet.
Until next year!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind - especially during awards season,
GiGi
The Oscars were the usual fashion spectacular they are every year, but with a poor showing this year of cruelty-free picks. Didn't find many John Varvatos tuxes and only Penelope Cruz and Julianne Moore (and the latter only to the Vanity Fair after-party) did it for me with their Donna Karan and Calvin Klein (respectively) dresses.
Livia Firth, wife of nominee Colin Firth, of course kept her red carpet challenge going and wrote about the final awards show of the season - and the big one, at that - on her VOGUE UK blog. She wore a dress made entirely of waste and managed to look completely stunning doing so.
Despite not winning the Oscar, I'd say Colin's still a very lucky man.
Penelope Cruz, nominated for best supporting actress for Nine and last year's winner (thus she presented the award for Best Supporting Actor this year) wore a burgundy Donna Karan Couture gown, which she looked stunning in.
Julianne Moore was a no-show for the ceremony but showed up at the Vanity Fair after-party in this sophisticated Calvin Klein number.
Another awards ceremony that took place this past weekend was the Independent Spirit Awards, which saw Rosario Dawson show up in a Stella McCartney number that proved that cruelty-free can still be plenty glitzy enough for the red carpet.
Until next year!
Proving you don't have to be cruel to be kind - especially during awards season,
GiGi
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