pale is the new tan.

Don’t you love those days that are just full of good eats? Well that has certainly been my day so far. Mid-afternoon I snacked on So Delicious Coconut Yogurt with cashew butter and blackberry preserves.

And then dinner…ohh, dinner =) Not to toot my own horn, but I made my best batch of oats (yoats) yet! Apple Pie Yoatgurt.

In the mix:

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/6 cup oat bran
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tbsp flax
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• cinnamon

Topped with maple syrup, walnuts, raisins, almond butter, and graham cracker. Do I even have to say it? This was to. die.

So…wondering what the title of this post is all about? Sit back, babes. And listen carefully.

pale is the new tan.

Today, I caught myself entertaining a thought that was certainly not conducive to my healthy lifestyle. I’ve always known that it wasn’t the healthiest of decisions, yet I practiced this dirty deed for about 5 years of my life. What is it, you ask?

TANNING.

Yes, I was a self-proclaimed tanaholic for the better part of my late-teenage years into my early twenties. There were times that I only went before a special occasion, and there were even times where I tanned year-round.

I will be the first to admit that tanning made me feel much more confident. In fact, I still feel my best when I have a healthy glow. But indoor tanning salons and I? That is a relationship that will never be rekindled, and please hold me to that statement.

When I was about 18 I had a pre-cancerous mole removed from my back. Did that stop me? Nope. At 21 my mom had basal cell carcinoma removed from her face, which was cancerous. Did I swear off tanning then? I did not. Sure, I was definitely more wary of tanning, but feeling "pretty" was my main concern.

So, what is it that finally convinced me to put an end to my tanning ways last year? I didn’t want wrinkles. Yup – you heard me. I was more worried about aging badly than getting skin cancer.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I see wrinkles as being more serious than cancer. I’ve seen my own mother go through 2 bouts of cancer, and I would certainly never be ignorant of that. But I just never truly believed that it would ever happen to me. Now that right there was where I was ignorant, clearly!

Listen, ladies. It CAN happen to me and to you. Tanning is one of the most unhealthy things you can do to yourself! According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, "Study after study has shown that sunbed tanning increases the risk of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers."

Not to mention that tanning truly can cause you to age less than gracefully. Do you want to have leathery skin and pursed lips in your 30’s? No!

Furthermore, do you really enjoy going to the tanning salon day in and day out? What about standing naked in a excruciatingly hot cubicle with your arms raised like a chicken in a rotisserie? And wearing those creepy little goggles? What have we been doing to ourselves?!

Now, I’m not saying to stay out of the sun completely. Sunlight in moderate amounts is actually good for us (let’s hear it for Vitamin D!). But wear some sunblock, will ya? Especially on those gorgeous faces of yours

Since I’ve stopped tanning, I’ve learned to embrace my fair skin. Sure, I’d love to have Kim Kardashian’s golden, glistening skin year-round. But that’s just not a reality for me. Even when I went tanning, I always had more of a "reddish" glow, haha.

I have fair skin. I have freckles. I have transparent eyebrows and eyelashes. And you know what? I LOVE IT. And I’m going to OWN my freckles, thankyouverymuch!

With that being said, I’m a huge proponent of self-tanners. I know what you’re thinking; "but I don’t want to have orange streaks all over my body!" Newsflash, baby dolls: it’s 2010, and there are some GREAT sunless tanners on the market these days. I 100% suggest St. Tropez. It is by far the best tanner I’ve ever used. It’ll cost you a pretty penny, but so will the tanning salon (plus a penny-sized mole on your back). I’m telling you – your tan will be just as good as the real thing. It’s at least worth a shot, don’t you think?

Look, I’m pretty sure that there is a decent amount of you all that do go to tanning salons. I really hope that this post hasn’t offended you in any way. Trust me, I know the draw of tanning. Heck, it even led me to considering it today. But ask yourself, is it really worth it? Is going to the tanning salon in alignment with the rest of your healthy lifestyle?

I’ll stop there because I think I’ve made my point =) Clearly this is something that I’m very passionate about, and I don’t know why I didn’t make this post sooner. I think I may have just found a movement to let my voice be heard! Whose with me?!

Think about it, babes, and have a lovely night. xoxo G

• Confession time: Do you go to the tanning salon? What are your thoughts on it?