Dear Friend! Thank you So Much for stopping by!
I’m Liza, the writer behind LA Liza, a blog designed to help you enjoy the best of your everyday no matter what that day brings! And since a healthy guiltless treat is in my mind the best and easiest way to boost your levels of joy, on LA-Liza you’ll find an Abundance of healthy guilt-free dessert & baked goods recipes as well the latest updates on the best healthy treats that you can buy in the stores, or get for yourself in the coffee-shops, ice-cream parlors and bakeries!
Well… good mood isn’t just about making and eating your treats, right? It’s about crafting this mood around these indulgent moments; sharing them with your friends and loved ones and about knowing what your soul truly needs to sing every single day (without sabotaging your wellbeing – which then leads to the mood-sabotaging sense of guilt!) – LA-Liza is also a source for information on how to set this mood up, connect with your tribe and to style your everyday life to make it as beautiful and blissful as it can be!
Also, although on LA-Liza you will find my best tips on healthy dieting and fitness, bear in mind that this is not a fitness blog. As someone who isn’t a pro-trainer or a dietitian I am not positioning myself as such. Rather, I’m sharing with you what’s worked for me on my quest to look good and be in my best shape possible!
With all that said, I am hoping that you’ll find my good-mood philosophy helpful and that LA Liza enable you to nourish both your mind, soul and body in the sweetest ways possible!
FAQ:
Q: How did LA Liza start?
A: LA LIZA back in 2016 when I just got over my postpartum depression. I was a stay-at-home mom, with my career aspirations (I have a MA in sociology and I also studied acting & screenwriting here in LA) put on hold, feeling stuck in my everyday routine, isolated, overwhelmed and uninspired.
Emotionally and physically I was out of shape!
At the same time my two boys brought the new meaning to my life! I’d never trade having them for anything else!
What helped me overcome the blues and stopped me from turning into a bitter, sad human being, get back in shape and regain my confidence was the wise guidance of my Mom who helped me realize that if I wanted to be “sweet”, I needed to sweeten up my everyday life, but do it in a way that is healthy for both my body and my mind!
Which meant: get out of my usual tee & sweats, go out and have a treat, or bake a treat at home, to indulge myself and to share it with the people I love (which makes it even more enjoyable!)
Also – these joys don’t have to be fattening, pricey or time-consuming!
Having and sharing these little guiltless joys brought back my confidence, my good mood and returned my joie de vie. I got in shape by being kind to my body and to my mind. And now I’m hoping to share it all with you!
Q: What is your fitness philosophy?
A: Ever since my teenager years I always wanted to look my best by being in shape. Yet, it never came easy (just as it doesn’t to anyone I know!).
But after having to get in shape more than once over my lifetime I’ve learned a few very important lessons about this whole fitness and weight-loss thing! These lessons not only helped me to “bounce back”. I’ve managed to stay in shape without struggling to fight my cravings, depraving myself in the pleasures of having a “treat” or working out a storm in the gym! (Quite honestly – I don’t go to the gym. I don’t have much time for it now that I have to be there for my kids all the time! Plus gym is BORING!)
What are those lessons?
1. Don’t deprave yourself. Compromise.
You only live once. So how can you go on for years telling yourself “I’ll never going to have cake again!”? What kind of a life is that going to be? Feeling guilty about having that slice or feeling deprived from constantly battling your cravings won’t do any good!
You’ll either fail your fitness goals. Or become a bitter, sad version of yourself! Skinny? Maybe. Beautiful – I think not! (Honestly, I think that a less “shapely”, but happier person is far more beautiful than a skinny but hangry-angry one on any given day!)
This is why I’ve realized that to get in shape and stay that way I NEEDED to let myself have treats! Only the healthy, guiltless treats instead!
After years of making my own healthy treats I stopped craving whatever is sold in the stores (unless it was also healthy!). Because why would I feed my body something that may not be good for it when I can have my home-made cake and… eat it?
2. Find other sources of pleasure and comfort in your everyday life rather than food.
Not all of us can visit Bahamas or Paris “just to unwind”! But after years of “feeding” my soul with edible treats I’ve finally come to realize that it wasn’t the food that my soul really needed!
Comfort, escape, distraction – all these things that a treat can surely “fix” were what I truly needed to be addressed!
This “great” discovery had helped me also understand that while there’s nothing wrong with having a healthy treat (look up the #1!), a treat is surely not the only way to cheer myself up!
Getting dolled up and coming out, exchanging a smile with the people around, getting a compliment, sharing the food, reading books, shopping – all these things just as well make me feel joyful on the everyday basis!
Oh, and here’s the best thing about dolling up: not only it’s a treat as it is (Because what woman doesn’t like putting on something pretty to wear?). Seeing yourself look great in these pretty clothes can be a great motivator for you to start your healthy lifestyle journey!
So what do you say? What is your favorite treat? 🙂
Q: Do you often get prettied up now?
A: Oh, well! Most of the time you‘ll still find me wearing tee-shirts and sweats with my hair pulled back tight (because how else do you style your hair for cleaning a bathroom?) But… that wouldn’t be very much fun for you see… or for me to share, right?
But there are times in the day when I do let my hair down and do get dressed! And having gotten through that “sad phase” I make sure to doll up and to find the time to go out and have some “guiltless fun”!
Q. Why “LA”?
A: LA is for Los Angeles – my current hometown – the city where I came as a twenty-year old girl, full of dreams and aspirations! I fell in love with it – its weather, its ever-blooming flowers, its culture and its vibe! LA still keeps me inspired!
And what my dressing up and “looking sweet” really is? It’s playing my “sweet” role – it’s ACTING as the best version of myself!
Oh, and the “la” also sounds a somewhat French, which refers to the style part on my blog! 🙂
Q: Who are your kids?
A: I have two boys, Aric and Alec. They are the sweetest things in the world – handsome, kind and so talented!
Q: What are your hopes for the future of LA LIZA?
A: I hope for LA LIZA to become a place of inspiration and connection for those of you who just like me, ever felt trapped in their everyday routine and felt so very “average” in the world of the overachievers and glam-looking celebs!
With LA LIZA I’m building a community of people that can encourage each other to take the time for self-care, and to stop being ashamed of indulging a bit!
