MFP Week Challenge: Day 4

Today was good.  The morning started off with the typical inner monologue about whether I really wanted to take the time to wash the blender and make a smoothie.  Then I got a Facebook comment from a friend (hi Bon!) asking me about my favorite smoothie recipe and what equipment I use.  While I was commenting back, I realized once again just how simple the process is for a yummy and fulfilling payoff.  Turns out I had all the ingredients, and I made sure to wash the blender immediately afterwards.  It was my old routine, and it was easy peasy.  I lasted until 12:45 before I ran out to grab some food.  Ok, so I wasn't perfect with the planning, ha.

-My old smoothie standby is (in order): Silk almond milk (today was an almond-coconut blend), Natural Factors French Vanilla whey protein, chia seeds, half a frozen banana, frozen strawberries, spinach, and 1 tbsp of peanut butter.  It felt good today.

-Went to The Fresh Market for food, decided to try their sushi.  I normally hate supermarket sushi (even Wegmans!), but this was delicious.  I decided to eat it outside at a picnic table.  You don't even know what a big deal that is for me. 

  

-Dinner was just a mishmash of leftovers.  Could've thrown a veggie in there.

-Could've left off one of the snacks, but I don't think it will hurt anything.  Not hangry, not craving another snack, drinking water.  

Today's shoutout goes to my dear friends who have shown me the value of good food and cooking.  Ash and Ian love cooking and baking together and are those awesome people who bring home cooked food to a party or whip up a quick and delicious meal for you in their wonderfully comfortable kitchen.  I always feel like anything is possible after spending a weekend with them.  He often chats about just how simple and necessary it is to know how to cook certain foods and be able to prepare yourself a meal.  I actually bought 2 cookbooks this year and became obsessed with the show Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel thanks to them.  

What I love is how Ash and Ian don't go for super complicated or ridiculously frilly and trendy food.  They stick with quality ingredients and cook for taste, enjoyment, and practicality.  Meanwhile, getting takeout is one of my biggest downfalls.  I really like cooking but am very lazy about the cleanup.  Again, this is a routine I need to establish.  I wish they lived closer so we could have those fun weekends more often, but it makes it all the more special when we do see each other.  And believe me, we still have our Shake Shack and Meatball Shop outings!  However, I'm definitely going to start integrating their awesome kitchen habits into our everyday life.    

MFP Week Challenge: Day 1

Today, I announced on my Facebook page that I would do my own personal challenge for a week.  I will be publicly holding myself accountable for my choices all week since I'm having a hard time getting back on track.  Life has been slowly turning around since mid-February, yet I can't manage to get myself into a routine.  I always find some kind of excuse or distraction to keep myself from making a breakfast smoothie, a healthy lunch with snacks, a constant water bottle and exercise.  Let's not even get into how much laundry and cleaning I need to do...

As I wrote about recently, I used to print out my MyFitnessPal diary pages for my trainer to read while I walked the treadmill.  She would give me advice, ask if I felt full during low-protein meals, and talk about my snack choices.  We got to the point that I knew exactly what to do, and I didn't need her guidance.  Then October 2014 happened, and I've been on a slow downward spiral ever since.  I'm lucky that I can see her again, thanks to the extreme fortune of being employed again.
I don't have many excuses anymore as my commute is next to nothing and my gym is right around the corner.  Aside from lingering mind-blowing family stress, I should be ready to start respecting my body again.  But I just can't get into a routine or start a to-do list.  And then the food comfort becomes a warm blanket that I turn to when I'm stressed.  Note the Taco Bell I immediately picked up last week after having to drive a total of 2 1/2 hours after work to deal with aforementioned family stress.
I've been eating well over 500 calories past my goal every day.  I haven't been tracking MFP faithfully at all.  I haven't been drinking enough water, plain hot tea, or my smoothies.  My veggies are almost non-existent again.  My skin is kinda gross, and my face is puffing up.  I can still fit into my clothes, but they just don't feel right.  I don't feel right.  And I'm sick of it.

So friends, I'm swinging my leg over the horse.  I still have work to do with re-balancing my diet and creating a habit.  My trainer says it takes 22 days to make a habit.  I will be publicly sharing for a week, but I think it will really be the push I need to keep doing this on my own every day.  I want energy back, I want to feel healthy, and I don't want to feel so heavy.  I know I'm not, but it's like all my tone disappeared.  So it's time to get my diet back in shape so I can really start kicking ass at the gym in May.

I actually made my smoothie this morning.  Since I had minimal ingredients, it reminded me how much I hate overly sweet fruity drinks.  Spinach will be used in full force tomorrow!  And of course, look at my super cute new drinkware!

I got the Harley Quinn tumbler at FYE.  I love her and I love the fact that the icky looking green will be covered up.  The Ello glass has a handle, is BPA free, and has a protective silicone sleeve.  I got it at Wal-Mart by the recommendation of my best friend.  Both are 20 ounces, and both had me running to pee all morning,  It sounds crazy, but I missed that.  I also remembered to take my multivitamin, something I've been slacking on doing.

April 27, 2015

I'd say today was a really successful start.  Some things I noticed:

-I absolutely need more protein in my smoothies, and I normally make them that way.  However, I had that Jamba Juice bag in the freezer for awhile and wanted to finally try it.  I will never use juice again and will be going back to almond milk and a tablespoon of peanut butter tomorrow.  I was starving by 11:30, and they used to hold me till nearly 1 pm.  This made me want to snack more in the afternoon.

-Lunch was great.  I love tuna and ricotta together (it's a creamier cottage cheese, don't judge), and that was my first time trying those tortilla chips.  I really enjoyed them; they had a sweet nutty taste and went great with the guacamole.  I can see making those a regular option in my lunches.

-I need something low calorie but substantial for a snack now.  Looks like I'm going back to string cheese and an apple! I was a little hangry by dinner, and I can practically hear my trainer saying it's because I had so much sweetness in the morning.  

-Dinner was awesome.  Qdoba is the lowest fat option for burrito bowls in this area.  I love Chipotle and Moe's, but Qdoba is closer to me and lighter on the calories/fat.  

  

-I was full but still had that craving for something sweet.  I KNOW!  But I didn't want to shock my body too fast, and now I don't have the urge to snack on anything.  Baby steps guys, baby steps.

Recipe Corner: My Go-To Breakfast Smoothie.

The title of this blog is "Sweaters and Smoothies," yet I haven't talked much about smoothies!

I have experimented a bit, asked advice on Facebook, pinned a bunch of recipes on Pinterest, and just randomly googled flavor combinations.  I would like to try more, but right now I have a go-to recipe that I try to drink every weekday morning.  I've noticed a difference in my body when I stop drinking them...apparently I don't get as much fruits and veggies as I should, and this is just a perfect and tasty way to get my nutrients.  I make it last through the morning at work until an hour or so before lunch.

It seems kind of silly to take pictures while I make it because it's ridiculously easy to throw together as long as you add the ingredients in order.

Strawberry-Banana-Peanut Butter Spinach Smoothie (with almond milk, flax, and protein)
Serves: 1  (20 oz)

First, you need the necessary utensils:  kickass blender (Black Friday sale, thank you), 1 cup, 1 tablespoon, and 1 stylish tumbler.

Pour one cup of plain unsweetened almond milk in the blender.  I like it unsweetened because it acts as a liquid base and doesn't make the smoothie overly sweet.  I prefer the kind of almond milk that you get in the dairy case because they tend not to have carrageenan.  That deceptive ingredient is everywhere, especially in almond milk that you can store in a pantry.  I like Trader Joe's brand:

But I really prefer Silk's brand.  It's 30 calories less and tastes nicer.  It's hard to find that at Trader Joe's, so I have to wait until we get to Giant to pick some up.  I'm fine going between the two.

I add a scoop of french vanilla flavored protein next so it absorbs in the liquid faster.  I was recommended this brand by a good friend who works at a health food/supplement store.  I also tried the strawberry and thought it was fine, but I prefer the vanilla.  I just like vanilla in everything!  My trainer prefers that I have whey protein.

Next, I add either 2 tablespoons of flaxseed or 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.  I was using chia seeds for awhile, but Trader Joe's was out of stock before a storm once, and I decided to give flaxseed a go.  I really like them both and can see going between the two.  The chia thickens the smoothie more, and I prefer a thicker texture.  But this flaxseed is just so tasty and healthy as well!

Fruit is next.  I typically hate bananas, but I've realized just how vital they are to giving a smoothie body and texture.  Plus, their health benefits are amazing.  I just hate the smell and taste, so I make sure to overpower it with other flavors.  I use half an organic Chiquita banana (to save on calories and taste).  Sometimes I peel one and freeze the other half, sometimes I actually stop being lazy and just break up and freeze the whole bunch of bananas so I'm always ready.

Next is 3/4 cup of strawberries.  I like getting frozen fruit because then I don't have to use ice (another great tip from a friend), and I don't have to worry about it going bad.  I've been known to throw away things without using them because they spoiled thanks to my kitchen laziness.  Bad habits, waste of money- no good.  Plus, I really should start to follow the motto that Weight Watchers always shared:  "Plan to succeed."  

I love to add a tablespoon of peanut butter for extra protein and flavor.  Smart Balance is my favorite.  I don't mind using the real stuff over the powdered because I only use half a serving, the taste is stronger, and it keeps me fuller longer.

This is the powdered peanut butter I sometimes use- recommended once again by my friend!  It tastes good, if a bit subtle, and has minimal calories and fat in comparison to regular peanut butter.  However, I'm actually more curious to see how it would taste in some of my baking recipes.  I do recommend it if you're looking for an alternative.

I add the greens last.  I tend to go for a big handful of organic baby spinach a lot because of the mild taste.  The final color is unappealing, but the spinach adds amazing nutrients and really cuts the sweetness down.  I have a hard time drinking smoothies without green veggies.  

I've also tried kale and Trader Joe's Power Greens that has kale, spinach, and baby chard.  All of the above is good, but spinach is my favorite.  

Put the lid on, hit blend on low, stop to scrape if necessary, give it a good final pulse....and you're done!

I make these before my shower in the morning so I can put the smoothie in the freezer to thicken for about a half hour.  If it's not a work day, I actually get a few chores done while waiting.  Imagine that!  

This is the nutritional content for this particular smoothie. (with TJ's almond milk, flaxseed, and spinach)

So tell me, what are your favorite smoothies?