I'm mildly addicted to green smoothies

Who knew you could throw spinach or kale in your protein shakes and it would be healthier and not taste funny? 

Apparently half of the world, but I was late to the party so sue me!

I am obsessed with all things green right now! Kale, Spinach, doesn't matter to me... I am in.

Here are my 3 favorite green protein smoothies right now and their nutritional breakdown. Please keep in mind, these are not low in calories, I drink them as a meal replacement or after a long work out. Also any where you see vanilla protein powder, I was using a single scoop of Muscle Milk Vanilla.

Pineapple Cherry Green Smoothie

1 cup frozen cherries ( I buy them in bulk during the summer and freeze them for winter when produce sucks)

6 chunks frozen pineapple

1-2 cups spinach

Vanilla protein powder

Water to blend

The Healthy Piña Colada

Calories got cut out of photo- it's 242 cal

6 chunks frozen pineapple

1 cup frozen mango

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 cup spinach or kale

2 tbs sugar free coconut syrup ( I got this brand at World Market)

Water to blend

The Very Berry Smoothie

This one is 300 calories- again meal replacement- not a snack

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen cherries

1 cup spinach

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Water to blend

**** note on the blender.

If you are going to make smoothies often, invest in a good blender, it makes life so much easier!

I use a Ninja Blender. I got it at Walmart for $99 and it came with individual travel cups to blend your smoothie in and take it with you on the go. I cannot sing the Ninja's praises enough.

 

Here is a link to the exact blender I have. Of course I would find it 30% cheaper after I already own it.

 

 

Happy Blending!!!

Xoxoxo 

A

So life happens and you have to restart

Last year was a great year. I lost 25 pounds relatively easy, kept it off for 4 months. Then life happened. In November, my boss began the interview process for our "territory" to double in size (or to lose our jobs). In December, we doubled. I took a new job in our organization that involved road travel. The holidays were here. I gained 10lbs in 2 months. 

Wait, What!?!? I couldn't have gained more than a pound a week. That's crazy.

But I did. 

Why? Because I stopped weighing myself weekly. I had no plan for eating when I was traveling. I let old habits of stress eating and convenience food come back into my world.

So here I am, needing to lose 50 more pounds, not 40. 

But I'm not down...  I'm Rededicated.

I look forward to sharing the restart of my journey... And the rest of it with you all.

My new obsession PB2 and PS I woke up Famous... Thanks Jillian Michaels

Have you all discovered the joy that is PB2 yet???

A friend of mine who is on an incredible inspiring weight loss journey turned me on to it a few days ago. I am beyond obsessed.

For those of you who don't know, PB2 is powdered peanut butter. How is powdered better than regular peanut butter... it only has 45 calories and 1.5 grams of fat!!!! What!!!! I love peanut butter, but have a hard time justifying that 200 of my 1300 calories are going away in two tablespoons. So  I bought both versions they make ( regular and chocolate) and began experimenting.

4 TBS Fat free cool whip+ 1TBS PB2= peanut butter mousse fruit dip!! Holy cow so delicious and only 60 calories.

I have also tried a banana, chocolate PB2, and almond milk smoothie!!! So good!

My last experiment this week was actually following the directions on the container of PB2 and mixing 2TBS of PB2 with 1TBS of water to make "peanut butter". It actually made peanut butter! Same consistancy, same flavor, not as rich! I am sold! 

On to other news. While I was sleeping last night I became mildly famous... And by mildly famous I mean Celebrity Trainer Jillian Michaels Retweeted my tweet about my weight loss and loving her book to her 930,000 followers on twitter. I woke up to tweets from all over the country congratulating me and telling me to keep it up!! Really, little old me!! That has to be one of the best ways to wake up!!

Having new twitter, Instagram, and blog followers is such a motivator for me to keep on my path, and keep posting healthy ideas to you all!

Have an amazing night! You can do this! I can do this! We can do this!

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

Dinner tonight- Ahhhhmazing!

It was high protein, low fat--- best of all my über picky kid ate it!

I promised the recipe-- here it is!

Hawaiian turkey burger

1.25 lbs ground turkey

1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs or a non gluten variation of

1/4 cup pineapple juice

8 or 9 shredded baby carrots (yeah I'm hiding veggies so sue me)

Grated onion to taste ( I don't like onion so I didn't use a lot)

Garlic salt (tsp)

Ground ginger (tsp)

Put all that in a bowl and mix well! Patty them up!!!Makes 5, 1/4 pound precook weight burgers

Here's the best part- while cooking baste the burgers with a few tablespoons of teriyaki sauce. It caramelizes on the out side and keeps the burger really moist.

Also during cooking, grill up pineapple slices. I didn't have slices so I sautéed pineapple, a little teriyaki, and cinnamon in a pan.

Once burgers are cooked through plate it up!!

I ate mine with no bun- my hubby ate it with... It was so tasty and really filling! 

 

Have a great evening!!

Seriously- Structure, I'm struggling

I am really struggling.

I need to get my structure back, because I am too "type a" to function with out it, especially in regards to dieting. I have to use myfitnesspal every day--- even on cheat days because if I skip one day, I skip 10.

I need to get gym routine back. 4 days a week, no excuses- because I need the habit re-developed.

The last two days I've been very focused. I had a major issue over gluten this weekend, and realized it was going to need to be cut down if not removed completely. How terrible I felt, refocused me. I've prepped food, packed lunches, counted every calorie. I feel better.

The last 90 day challenge seemed so easy. No idea why this one is causing such a struggle.

Say a prayer for me to be strong, follow me on Instagram because I feel compelled to post meal photos when i know people are following, and if your struggling share it.

I feel better just saying out loud... Wow, this is hard, I'm struggling.

Have a fab week!!

Swimmers Log July 23rd- or- I'm no longer a 125lb 17 year old swimmer

So today I decided to really start the swimming portion of my triathlon training. I found a great pin on Pinterest with swim work outs, picked a 2300 work out and headed to the gym. I used to swim more than this on a daily basis so no big deal right?

What was I thinking? 1st off the last time I probably swam 2300 yards straight was  my senior year of HS 15 years ago. 2ndly for the last 3 years swim workouts for me were little 30 minute swims after my regular work out, and I was gonna swim triple that straight.

I'm a genius. 

The workout I picked was actually great  and had a lot of variety. At one point (early) I was thinking to myself "Heck ya I'm gonna nail this swim. " Below is the play by play of what actually happened and my thoughts

Warm up

300 Yard Free (I love swimming- I missed it so much)

100 Yard Kick (how come I'm not going anywhere, have I always kicked this slow)

Work out 

5x100 interrupted IM - which means a 15 second break between each stroke- 45 second break between 100s (1st 3- I felt like an Olympian... Last 2 my butterfly laps looked like a 6yr old was swimming)

100 kick IM order (I hate kicking, why am I doing this, no one would know if I skip it) I didn't skip it FYI 

4 x 100 alternating back and breast 100s  (at this point math starts kicking in- how far have I swam, how many more laps till

a mile and I beginning thinking how much easier running is with that whole being able to breathe with out holding you face out of the water to do it)

12x50 free sprint (4 sprints in- I wanna die- I realize I hit a mile and it took me 52 minutes. 6 sprints in I'm so tired I get water up my nose during a flip turn and veto flip turns for the rest of the swim)

100 kick ( literally the slowest kicking ever- and all breast stroke)

300- Cool down (yeah I didn't do this because I was worried I was going to drown)

So I lasted for 2000. 1.2 miles. I think all things considered I did well. It did make me realize I missed swimming. It also made me realize I'm older and pulling my body weight through water now is a hell of a lot harder than it was when I weighed 125. But I was proud of myself when I was done, which felt great.

Night all- I'm gonna take a boatload of Advil and go to bed- I have a feeling I'm gonna be hurting tomorrow. 

Surviving your coworkers

Let me start off by saying I love my job and I love my coworkers even more. But they are evil... Just kidding... kind of.

My office is literally my worst enemy as I am on this health journey. Being in my office to me feels like being an alcoholic working at a bar. We always have a fridge fully stocked with pop and gatorade, baskets full of cookies and chips, and candy jars all over the place. I am in a constant battle with myself to not pop into the kitchen and grab a snack every time I pass on my way to or from the copy room. It really does not help my mental stability to have Doritos and Oreos under my nose all day long. It also is not helpful that we constantly order out for lunch at work. Nothing is low cal that comes in a takeout box. Somehow, I fight the urges and I am staying on track. Three things are saving my diet.

1. I have to be in a bathing suit around these people in January. I picture myself in a bathing suit with Doritos stuffed under it. Not attractive right, so I don't eat them.

2. I have snacks stashed all over this office, it's a little crazy. Fridge, I have hummus, lo fat string cheese and fruit. Cabinets- I have popcorn. My desk- I keep sugar free oatmeal and sunflower seeds. My purse- walnuts. When the urge to snack hits me, I am within steps of something I can eat and feel completely okay with. It doesn't keep me from wanting the junk, but it makes it easier.

3. Eating out is the devil. I try to pack whenever I can, but some day's its impossible. You have to find a way to eat from the same places everyone else does with out screwing your diet. Take last week. It was a rough couple days. Thursday, I had an event for a regional office with a build your own burrito bar from qdoba... oh and alcohol. Are you kidding me? All of my favorites in one place. I found a way. I took a bowl of lettuce, added grilled chicken, salsa, grilled zucchini, and a tablespoon of guacamole. It was amazing tasting and I was proud of my will power. Also, tequila is considered "Paleo" but its 96 calories and no one needs an extra 96 calories- just don't do it.

Friday we had City BBQ at work. I love City BBQ. But I love the mac and cheese and brisket and baked beans, none of which I can touch. So here is what I did.

 

I took the City BBQ salad which is tomatoes, romaine, cucumbers, craisins, and shredded parm and added 4oz of smoked turkey and some apple vinaigrette dressing. It was amazing.

It's taken me several months to be comfortable in this office and not to blow my eating plan because no one else around me is eating healthy.

It's not easy, but its doable.