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A Girl Named PJ

The curly hairstyle I’m dying to try

January 17, 2017

Alia Shawkat in Search Party

After finishing “The Crown” over winter break (I love British historical dramas!), I needed something new to binge watch. “Search Party,” a 30-minute dark comedy on TBS, had made a couple of year-end “Best Of” lists, so I decided to give it a shot. Although I’m only a few episodes in, I’m obsessed with both the plot (a group of 20-something friends in New York City are trying to solve the mystery of a college acquaintance’s disappearance) and actress Alia Shawkat’s curly bangs.

… READ MORE!

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0COMMENTS | Style

9 beauty writers share their favorite lipsticks on National Lipstick Day

July 29, 2016

9 beauty writers share their favorite lipsticks and lip glosses in honor of National Lipstick Day.

We’ve all heard that true beauty is being comfortable in your own skin. But it can also be a kick-ass red lipstick, according to Gwyneth Paltrow.

That’s why I haven’t given up the search for the perfect shade of lipstick … READ MORE!

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2COMMENTS | Style

Goodbye, ice cream. I’m (sort of) going Paleo this month.

May 9, 2016

Why I'm giving up ice cream and going Paleo this month. | A Girl Named PJ

At the end of April, my dad mentioned that he was going Paleo again. Although he’s never been heavy, he slimmed down quite a bit a year or two ago by eating like a caveman — lots of protein, fewer carbs — and wanted to get back to his ideal weight before our upcoming family vacation to Hilton Head Island later this month.

We happened to be talking about pizza at the time — specifically, how I was beyond excited to stuff my face with New York City pizza once Passover ended that night. My dad concurred; after all, post-Passover pizza eating is practically tradition. (For all my non-Jewish readers, Passover is the holiday were you abstain from eating bread or any food with leaven for eight days.) But starting the next morning, he announced, he was going back on The Paleo Diet.

“I think I’ll join you,” I decided impulsively. After all, I’m going to have to squeeze into a bathing suit at the end of May, too.

There's no ice cream allowed on the Paleo Diet!

Last year, I was somewhat svelte on our vacation thanks to 15 months of breastfeeding, but I haven’t nursed Asa nor engaged in any form of exercise since since summer. I’m feeling flabby and bloated, and buttoning my jeans is beginning to become a losing battle.

Plus, I’m tired all the time and starting to break out in places other than my face. While stress is surely a culprit, I have a feeling my diet is partly to blame: Indulging in a dairy dessert (usually frozen yogurt, but sometimes Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby if it was a particular challenging day) almost every night while watching TV with my husband is not the healthiest habit for a 36-year-old woman.

For the record, I’m not normally keen on fad diets. I don’t believe they’re sustainable in the longterm, plus I know how to lose weight the old-fashioned way. Back in college, a nutritionist helped me lose the “Freshman 15” by teaching me how to count calories. I’m (usually) a firm believer that you don’t have to deprive yourself of anything if you’re careful about portion sizes.

Thoughts on going Paleo and the easiest spring outfit on the blog! | A Girl Named PJ

Except I’m just too busy — and too lazy — right now to measure and weigh my food and record my daily calorie consumption in a diary. I want a more straightforward diet: eat this, don’t eat that, etc.

So what can you eat on The Paleo Diet? Here’s what it says on the official website:

  • Grass-fed meat
  • Fish and seafood
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Healthful oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.)

Certain foods are completely off-limits when you’re going Paleo, including:

  • Cereal grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, brown rice, etc.)
  • Legumes (beans, peanuts, soy, etc.)
  • Dairy
  • Refined sugar
  • Potatoes
  • Processed foods
  • Salt
  • Refined vegetable oils (margarine, canola oil, etc.)

For the next two weeks, I’ll be swapping my nightly bowl of frozen yogurt for frozen grapes and my sandwiches for salads. I went eight days without eating bread over Passover, so I know I can survive with fewer carbohydrates in my life — at least, for the short term. I’ll dip apples in almond butter instead of peanut butter and snack on cashews instead of chips and cookies.

What I won’t do is get crazy restrictive. I enjoyed a quarter of a donut with friends the other day, and I’m still going to drink coffee with half-and-half and organic sugar because using almond milk instead just sounds gross. I’m also not limiting myself to organic lean meat only. Don’t tell Loren Cordain, but I added diced salami to my mushroom omelet this week. Because protein.

Layered necklaces for spring, plus some thoughts on trying The Paleo Diet | A Girl Named PJ

Anyway, the Paleo Diet can accommodate a little bit of cheating thanks to the 85-15 rule, which allows you to eat three “open meals” per week. You can bet I indulged in one of my three weekly non-Paleo meals on Sunday when we went out for Mother’s Day brunch with friends. Hashtag: All The Carbs.

However, since nightly runs to Hilton Head Ice Cream are a non-negotiable part of our vacation itinerary, I probably won’t sneak in a bite of ice cream until we arrive in South Carolina.

Probably.

Have you ever tried The Paleo Diet? What did you think? Any tips, tricks, or (easy) recipes to share?

It's going to be hard to resist my ice cream cravings while I'm going Paleo this month. | A Girl Named PJ

Outfit Details // jeans: Lucky Brand (similar here and here), top: Old Navy, flats: dv, sunglasses: Ray-Ban, necklaces: Stella & Dot, bracelet: UP3 by Jawbone, bag: MZ Wallace

(photography by Laura Metzler for A Girl Named PJ)

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4COMMENTS | Life Style

An unfussy polka dot shirt for spring

April 12, 2016

A classic black and white polka dot shirt tied at the waist with flare jeans

During a recent closet purge, I gave the heave-ho to a polka dot shirt with puffy ruched sleeves. The navy and white Anthropologie top, an old favorite, seemed too fussy and feminine compared to the more minimalist and tomboyish pieces in my current wardrobe.

I’m just not the polka-dot type, I thought, tossing the t-shirt into my growing pile of clothing that had me questioning my personal style… READ MORE!

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8COMMENTS | Style

5 beauty products I’m loving right now

March 28, 2016

5 Beauty Favorites: Kleenex Facial Cleansing products, bareMinerals SkinLongevity, Diorshow Mascara, R and Co Blow Out Balm, Darphin Ideal Resource

Since I’m sort of obsessed with learning about the latest and greatest beauty products, I thought it’d be fun to start sharing my discoveries on the blog… READ MORE!

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My birthday, gratitude, and pretty spring dresses

March 22, 2016

This Madewell spring dress will take you through summer if you swap the tights for bare legs and clogs.

Today I’m 36. Happy birthday to me!

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while. Not the getting older part, of course, but the actual day.

A few weeks ago, I decided to… READ MORE!

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A non-bohemian way to wear frayed-hem cropped flare jeans

March 17, 2016

How to wear high-rise, frayed-hem cropped flare jeans without looking like a hippie on A Girl Named PJ

When I first saw them in the store, I wasn’t sure about these Madewell high-rise, frayed-hem cropped flare jeans.… READ MORE!

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11COMMENTS | Style

My monthly wish list: 7 must-haves for March

March 4, 2016

A Girl Named PJ's monthly wish list: March must-haves

If I had extra money to spend, here’s what I’d want to spend it on this month…… READ MORE!

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Everyday style: Solving the dreaded “I hate my wardrobe” dilemma

March 1, 2016

Exploring my everyday style: Carrying a Lo and Sons OG tote bag.

Every time I open my closet doors, I discover another article of clothing that doesn’t quite feel like me anymore. I can’t get dressed in the morning without first scrutinizing my wardrobe.

Why did I buy such a colorful top?

Will I every really wear those patterned pants?

When did this sweater get so tight?… READ MORE!

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