HEALTH // MAKING + DRINKING CHANGE

After getting to know our new insurance last week I discovered that the big, beautiful body I long to embrace is actually quite out-of-shape and headed toward heart problems + obesity complications, if left to it's unhealthy ways. Sooooo naturally I jumped head first into a new eating regime and exercise plan. Naturally. Starting back up with myfitnesspal.com has been a lifesaver for me. You input your weight + goal weight + number of workouts you intend to do weekly and it gives you a target number of calories to consume daily. Easy enough. I also decided to give myself some pretty lenient but results-achieving rules for starters:

1. Replace one meal per day with a smoothie of equal calories. That means that if I'm skipping breakfast and typically consume 400 calories at that time, my smoothie should be about the same, and it is, but now it's mostly fruit + veg. win/win.
2. I will incorporate at least 2 workouts/week. Coming from a mostly-sedentary winter lifestyle this is a big jump. I love reading about Erica and her stay-fitted-ness because preggo mamas that look like living goddesses are inspiring to this typically non-exercising mum. This week I have been able to get in a workout every day and really hope I can keep that momentum up!
3. Weigh-in every day. I start the morning on the scale. Some people are against it but for me knowing I will see those numbers in the AM both keeps me accountable + excites me. This week I saw the scale drop 11 pounds. I am chalking it up to losing water weight. Any alternate opinions here?? I'd love 'em!

It helps to have good friends like my girl Becky she's made a total-body transformation since having her last baby boy and is always on the other end of my cell when I need fitness motivation or healthy eats ideas, and Dena from livelovesimple.com she's eating + sharing the importance of raw foods in daily diets- love that girl!

 

Without further ado here is what I drank, cheers!

I'm happy to provide specific recipes upon request, just leave your info. in the comments below + cheers!

 

 

 

This one was a treat for my hubs. I found the inspiration browsing Pinterest and had to recreate it for him. Peanut butter, honey and bananas are all high calorie foods soooo he was gracious enough to let me experiment on him, without ingesting the calories myself. Whataguy.

 

My favorite of the week! This liquid love is packed with feel good grub and the flavor was spot-on. Tart cherries aid in circulation and blood flow, ginger wakes you up and eases stomach bloat, indigestion + so much more, cucumber hydrates and balances pH, kale is just amazing, and on and on...

 

 

I call this one Incredible Hulk - partly because it's served in a 7-11 cup my husband can't part with, and partly because it's green-laden goodness gave me strength and energy for a go-getters kind of day which included lots of calorie exertion: cleaning, shoveling snow, and a mini elliptical session.

 

 

 

This smoothie got the job done, but lacked in flavor a bit for my taste. I prefer cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, or some other flavor-booster on my palate.

 

 

While the oatmeal was a good idea in theory (it kept me full, it's high in fiber + protein and lowin calories) it was a bit hard to choke down once I let the smoothie sit a bit. I usually drink a smoothie over the course of an hour +, and that amount of time with oatmeal made for some gelatinous goo, if you're the type to guzzle it down this would be perfect for you!

 

 

 

 

Romaine Lettuce is great in a smoothie because it tastes like nothing - it's a smoothie blank canvas if-you-will. Carrot adds a sort of gritty texture. I usually try to use only 1/2 of a banana (half the calories, same amount of smoothe + creamy texture) but this smoothie would be best with a whole nanner inside.

 

Sidenote: all of these smoothies, with the exception of the coffee-laden one, were tested on my tots (now 2, 2, + 1) and passed with flying colors so please:           See what I did there? ;)