Better Peanut Butter

My tip for the week is to skip the regular PB in your smoothies, and use natural PB instead. It should only have peanuts and salt, no sugar or other additives. The great thing about natural peanut butter is that the peanut oil rises to the top, so you can dump out that oil and eliminate all that fat and calories really easily. The brand of PB in my cupboard now says 3/4 of the calories come from fat, so if you can eliminate even some of that fat, then why not? Don't go out and buy reduced fat pb though, as they usually add things like sugar to compensate.

Over did it.

Ugh, weekends are my downfall. I over-indulged and now I feel bloated, uncomfortable, and gross. For brunch my husband brought home one if my former favorite treats, donuts and Long Johns! It was such a thoughtful gesture, how could I refuse? Ha! As if I've ever refused a donut before? I doubt it! Well, now I feel  like this, and I don't think they were worth it any more. Hopefully I learned my lesson.

Two at a Time

       Isn't it interesting how quickly two good choices turn into three or four good choices? Just one good choice could go either way and be used as an excuse to indulge later, but If I make two good choices in a row? I don't want those good decisions to go to waste! I think a good goal for someone wanting to get healthier would be to make at least 2 healthy choices each day. They could be small things like skipping sugar in your coffee and going for a walk around the block, or eating fruit when you'd normally have something processed.

       It's been 6 1/2 weeks now, I'm down 9 pounds (though my loose clothes make it seem like more), and my gut is MUCH happier. Yesterday and today I've had a ton of energy in the morning. I am NOT a morning person, so any time I feel energized in the morning, it's a noteworthy event. 

   What good decisions will you make today?

Three weeks down...

And I've lost another two pounds! I haven't been eating as well as I'd like as far as processed foods are concerned. One night I had pizza, another I had ice cream, etc. and as a result, I've felt pretty tired this week and I've had a lot of carb cravings. It's important to have wiggle room in a diet so it is sustainable, but I hate how a treat is never just a one time indulgence. I always pay for indulgences in cravings for a few days after.

   I got tired of eating salads for dinner this week and tried a new recipe (apple sweet potato bake) and it was delicious! It wasn't as sweet as most people would probably like, but the honey made this awesome chewy caramel on the bottom of the pan that was so good! I'll definitely make it again.

http://livesimply.me/2013/11/11/apple-sweet-potato-bake/

   I also tried a few tweaks to my smoothies this week. I ran out of kale and spinach, so I used fresh snow peas instead; I couldn't taste any difference. I used dry roasted, unsalted peanuts instead of PB. They have no added sugar or oils, and tasted pretty much the same. Another change was, I used low fat cottage cheese in lieu of plain Greek yogurt. Sounds gross, right? It isn't. Once it's all blended together, it's creamier and less tangy than plain yogurt, otherwise, there's not a big difference in taste or texture.

   So, while I lost weight the past three weeks, my breast-fed baby suddenly gained a pound and a half! He gained only a handful of ounces over five weeks, now all of a sudden, he's packing it on! I'd like to think that it has something to do with how I'm eating, but I suppose it's just as likely a growth spurt. :) Either way, it's a relief!

Two weeks down...

And I feel good. I've lost five pounds, I'm not taking allergy medicine every day anymore, and I feel less irritable most of the time. I also feel more alert and less forgetful. That being said, I'm pretty sleepy today. I'm sure it has nothing to do with staying up late, or being woken up 2-3 times by the baby. ;) Today for breakfast I had a smoothie with cucumber, banana, soy milk, Greek yogurt, green tea ice cubes, chia seeds, parsley, PB, and honey. I've never put cucumber in a smoothie before, but it wasn't bad. Things like chia seeds, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, aloe, and green tea are supposed to be good for detoxing, so I try to add them in. For lunch I had a big plate of raw veggies, dip, and a handful of almonds.

I'm awake.

It's the beginning of day 14, I've been up since 6am, and I feel awake. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not really up and mentally ready for the day until 10am and after a travel mug or two of coffee, but not today! Even last week when I was up early and taking Chris to work, I felt drowsy on the way home and took a nap once we got home most days. Today, I got home and did chores. Wait, what!? It's unheard of! I allowed myself/caved last night and had a small bowl of ice cream, and woke up this morning with a headache. Are they related? I have no idea. I thought it might be caffeine withdrawal, so I made coffee, but only drank 1/2 a cup because it tasted too sweet with my usual amount of creamer. I had the same reaction to a fruit Popsicle the other day. It's funny how quickly our tastes can change.  I'm starting off my day with a smoothie instead, made with kale, chia seeds, banana, green tea ice cubes, soy milk, PB, Greek yogurt, and a little honey and vanilla. Tastes great!

Little Victories

I have been eating vegetarian for thirteen days now, and today was the first day I really struggled with cravings. My husband wanted fried chicken for dinner, and the breading smelled so good! After avoiding that, I wanted chocolate, sweets, anything full of sugar. I had almonds and an apple with peanut butter instead. Two victories for me. I also skipped coffee today. Shocking! Despite being up late and waking up with the kids 2-3 times last night, I woke up feeling awake (for a change). How about that?

Sugar-holic to Plant Eater

On June 11, 2014 I began my journey from sugar-dependence to a plant-based, vegetarian diet. I have been addicted to sugar and carbs most of my life, and my body shows it and feels it. Type 2 diabetes runs rampant in my family, and I've been on the verge of it myself (with Insulin Resistance) for the past ten years. I've considered gastric bypass, but I didn't feel that it would solve my problem permenantly. I've tried weight watchers, low carb, Atkins, and  eating a diabetic diet, but I've always gained the weight back. I have been carrying around an extra person for a long time, and I'm tired. Enough is enough. I decided to make a drastic change in my diet, starting with cutting out meat, and weaning off processed foods and sugar. I am eating a diet of mainly fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and a small amount of dairy/eggs and maybe the occasional seafood. My goal is to eventually be full vegan, and in a healthy body. This is my journey to back-to-basics eating.