Sometimes I think May and June are busier than December. My mom's birthday is in June along with anniversaries and graduations. Then to top off the party packed weekends there are end-of-the-school-year and impromptu summer parties. It seems like my calendar and tummy are more full than I can handle. Unlike most people who put on inches during the holidays I feel like I have more trouble during the summer. Just give me an ice cold glass of Chardonnay on a hot summer day and all diet inhibitions go out the window along with a total lack of portion control. Yes, there is such a thing as too much crudité, and when dipped in guacamole and cheese it's my kryptonite. I won't even start taking about ice-cream either...I can literally name flavors and brands blind folded!
I decided to take control of this problem before we got too deep into summer and adjust a few things I've been doing because I've noticed my self control waning and summer is just getting started!
I've gone back to having breakfast smoothies and today's didn't disappoint. I'll be sharing some easy summer recipes but for starters, below is a smoothie recipe I hope you'll enjoy!
Berry Kale Banana Smoothie
1/2 banana
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 cup of blueberries
1/2 cup of frozen kale
1 teaspoon of honey
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Blend and enjoy!
Cheers!
If I ever write a book about fitness, clean eating and loosing weight it would be very short. I have more experience in this department than I want but in the end the formula for success is simple. I gained a shameful fifty pounds when I was pregnant. YES FIFTY! In my defense I was on bed-rest but I also have to throw myself under the bus because I distinctly remember eating In-n-Out at midnight because I was convinced my baby "needed the protein" and the milkshake was for added calcium right?
So, how did I shed the pounds? It was actually quite simple but it took longer than I wanted. In my case it took nine months to put it on and nine months to take it off. I cried...a lot about this, I worked out and I skipped meals in frustration then would eat a huge dinner because I was famished. I was very emotional about this and I cried....a lot. Oh-did I already say that? Come to think of it, maybe I shed a few pounds in tears.
Finally, once I got my head on straight and went back to my old habits and way of life the weight slipped off like last seasons coat. I not am kidding when I say this. It literally just came off because I finally let common sense prevail. Here is what I did and still do...daily. I stand by these habits or way of life. Whatever you call it, it works!
1. Thou shalt not buy any food if you can't pronounce the ingredients on the label.
It's really simple. Whole ingredients that exist on planet earth and occur naturally are it. I know you may have heard this but I promise if you try it your grocery cart will look very different. Oreos will be a thing of the past as well as most juices, breads, chips and condiments. Just think preservatives are not meant to be eaten they are meant to keep food on the shelf of a store for weeks and still "look" fresh...that isn't something you want in your body. If you follow any of these commandments let this be the one.
2. Thou shalt steal time to workout or move everyday.
Somewhere somehow just move. When I don't have time to get a real work out in, which is probably fifty percent of the time.... I still somehow and someway move. I do kitchen counter pushups, a few yoga poses before bed. I do standing leg lifts while I'm brushing my teeth. This actually takes a little concentration and I'm sure it is quite amusing to watch. Still, I don't care and the added bonus is my family laughing at me. It's all very random and on the whim but that's how I roll.
3. Thou shalt eat carbs.
It is impossible for me to feel satisfied without carbs. I just try to make sure they are complex carbohydrates like quinoa, sweet potatoes and things that grow naturally not things made in a factory. Still, I eat French bread almost daily, I have oatmeal, and yes, I eat pasta a few times a week. I know this seems counterproductive but trying to stay on a strict and restricted diet is unrealistic, especially when you like to eat out like I do. You need carbs but be sure they are worth the calories and are the "good" carbs.
Sugar also falls under the category of carbs. This is tricky. I really do my best to avoid sugar and I have an alternative. I'm going to do a whole blog on the "White Devil" aka White Sugar soon.
4. Thou shalt not covet fat.
Don't covet fat... eat it....daily. Fat is necessary. Again I'm referring to the good fat but I still eat butter daily too. I don't eat a cube of it but if I want it on toast or I want a bite of my daughters croissant....I have it. Again, it is about following a balanced healthy diet not deprivation. The second something is off limits it becomes coveted and that is a slippery slope down the road to sinful eating.
Tip* If I'm craving something decadent like gelato I follow the simple rule of a three bite maximum. That should be just enough to get it out of my system. Obviously when I'm out for dinner or at a party I throw caution to the wind but most of the time I pretty good.
5. Thou shalt drink a smoothie or juice daily.
This was huge for me. I started to integrate veggie and fruit smoothies into my diet years ago and I don't go a day without one. I can always fit them in my busy schedule and they keep me on track and also keep my blood sugar stable.
Bonus
In my case, and from what I've read, maintaining a healthy weight has more to do with diet than working out. If you don't eat the bad stuff then you've won half the battle already.
Happy Hump Day!
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I've been on the kale train for a few years. I started with it in my salads and instantly I was hooked. Soon I was sautéing it with a little olive oil, lemon and sea salt, putting it in smoothies or having it cold pressed. Now I have it everyday in some form or another. I try really hard to eat as health as possible because the old saying "you are what you eat" is a scientific fact. Our cells are constantly renewing themselves and the building blocks of that restoration process is the food we eat. I remember when I was in college taking anatomy (I loved that class). I saw it first hand, the pros and cons to eating a healthy diet were all to clear, and the cons were not fabulous. It left such a strong impression on me that for years my love affair with certain foods came to a screeching halt. Still, I try to eat things that are healthy and I enjoy, and kale is at the top of that list. Here are some fun facts about kale and why it is so FABULOUS!
1. It is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.
Kale is related to broccoli, collared greens and a bunch of other blue-blooded veggies. It's in a league of its own when it comes to the nutrients packed in those green leaves.
2. It has the good fat....Omega-3 Fatty Acid.
I don't follow a low-fat diet instead I just eat food that is naturally low in fat and good for me and Omega-3s are in many of those foods. Think of Omega-3 as a way of moisturizing your skin from the inside out. What is the other saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", think of kale as the prevention. Dry skin can lead to premature wrinkles, so can constricted blood vessels. So if the Omega-3's add wrinkle fighting moisture to my skin then I promise I will be eating this every day....and I do.
3.It is packed with Antioxidants.
Antioxidants are the good guys that fight the bad guys (free radicals), which cause aging...so to me they are Public Enemy Number One! Now, I personally have no problem with maturing internally, bring on the wisdom and let the life lessons sink in. BUT aging externally is a whole other beastly animal I want to tame and while I'd like to believe I handle some things with grace.....aging is not one of them. So, in the mean time I will channel my inner Brave Heart and fight free radicals to the death.
4. It fights Cancer.
Seriously, what can be better than that? Sulforaphane and indol -3-carbinol are substances that have been shown to help prevent the further growth of cancer cells at a molecular level. I just think this is so amazing. It's like putting a condom on the bad guys so they can't make more bad babies.
5. It's high in fiber.
I saved the best for last. We all know fiber is filling so when food is high in fiber you have to eat less of it to feel full. I personally need this. There are times I'm a bottomless pit. I put food in my stomach and feel like I am eating air. I can eat and eat and eat and feel nothing (it's seriously strange and can actually be quite embarrassing). This is why fiber is so important. It takes up space in your tummy so that you feel full (with very few calories) but it doesn't stop there. While it is making it's way through your digestive tract is becomes a big broom collecting the bad stuff as it moves along.
Kale it s the Zeus of foods so if these facts don't make you want to go buy a farm and plant acres of kale then I hope it at least makes you want to have a little everyday. I promise it will make you feel FABULOUS!
Please feel free to share this blog with friends. I love to hear feedback and topics you'd like for me to blog about! Have a FABULOUS day! xox
