Hey everyone! I though I would check in with a little “recipe” today. These tiny snacks are full of goodness and help keep me studying long into the night!
Energy Balls
1 c wild oats
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1 TBSP chia seeds
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c chopped dried nectarines
1/2 cup smooth natural almond butter
Mix all ingredients well and form into balls. Store in fridge in an air right container and enjoy!
Here’s the calorie info;
I love to eat and snacking provides me the perfect opportunity to stuff my face a few times a day. Now that school is back in session I find myself wanting to snack more. Partly I think this increased snackiness is due to boredom. There really is so much reading you can do about ancient European history before boredom eating takes over.
Lately I have been trying to keep my meals smaller so my snacks can be a little bit bigger. I am usually in class from 10 – 2 every day and then I study or go to work. On my working days I don’t finish until 8pm so small meals helps to keep me full and as a bonus I don’t feel guilty for eating something small before bed.
Some of my typical snacks include;
The list really does go on and on. I like to include something that has some protein and a little bit of fat. Guacamole and hummus are awesome because they have such a satisfying texture. I try not to use chips or crackers to often to eat them though just to help keep my calorie limit in check ( I love chips and tend to go overboard). I am a little bit sad that summer is coming to end. Fresh fruit won’t be quite as juicy over the winter months. These snacks tend to keep me full and help me avoid the drive through or vending machine.
I am a total sheep when it comes to fads. You don’t have to pull any teeth to get me to admit it either. I like trying new things and juicing has been no different. The movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” is what pushed me to break down and buy a juicer. I know I am not alone in this. The movie is so inspirational. Essentially Joe Cross ( the man the documentary is focused on) decides to do a 60 day fast on nothing but juice. Seriously. Just juice. It sounds a little crazy but as you watch his body and his health transform you can’t help but deny the health benefits of the juice.
Now this juice he is drinking isn’t some pre-packaged, pasteurized product. This is fresh fruit and veggies (mostly veg) run through a juicer (he is using a Breville). What comes out of this machine is nothing short of a nutritional power house. Fresh nutrients and micro nutrients that nourish and help the body. If you get a chance to watch the movie you should jump at it. Even if you have no intention of doing a juice fast this movie still inspires you to eat healthy, natural foods and that is never a bad thing.
As soon as I found a place to buy a juicer I ran down and bought one and then headed straight to the store to buy as much organic produce as I thought I would need. Cucumber, kale, celery, tomatoes, carrots, beets and everything else I thought would taste good in a glass. I never took a photo of a the first glass of juice I made. Honestly it tasted a bit like grass clippings. I used way to much celery and it ended up overpowering everything else. I still powered it down and it wasn’t long after that I fell in love with my juicer.
This juice was one of the tastiest. I used 3 carrots, 1/2 cucumber, and apple and about an inch of ginger. It was might tasty. The ginger really adds a kick and gives the juice some interest.
This is the only juice I made that consists of only fruit. Not recommended if your diabetic just because of how much sugar it contains, but this juice tasted like a tropical island to me. This glass was 1/2 a pineapple, and apple, two oranges and a handful of strawberries. All I really needed to do was add vodka.
This juice was pure veg. Beet, kale, carrot, tomato, bell pepper and celery. I loved the rich purple of this juice. It is pretty amazing that only a quarter of a small beet turns everything into a gorgeous purple. I have never felt better than when I started including juice into my lifestyle. Not only is my body getting what I need but I just have more energy. I have also been eating really well and working out so the combination of all three has helped me get to a place where I am happy. The weight is falling off and the smile is back on my face. There really isn’t anything better in the world.
What are your thoughts on juicing? Have you ever given it a try?
Lately I have been loving pancakes for breakfast. I decided to make them a little healthier and whipped up a batch that is so delish.
makes about 3 pancakes
- 1/2 cup flour ( I use all purpose)
- 1/3 cup wild oats
-1 tbsp canola oil
-3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Mix everything in a bowl until blended. Once you have a hot pan spray some non stick spray and pour the three pancakes onto the pan. Once they begin to bubble flip, and let cook until there is no liquid in the centre. Enjoy!
* for the strawberry topping I just sliced ripe strawberries and microwaved them in a bowl for about a minute. So tasty!
These no bake energy bites are great! Super quick and easy and they even taste good. This recipe ended up making about 30 pieces and I ended up calculating them to be about 2 PointsPlus points each.
No Bake Energy Bites
-1 cup of oatmeal
-1/2 cup natural nut butter ( I used peanut)
-1/3 cup liquid honey
-1 cup unsweetened coconut
-1/4 cup raisins ( any dried fruit would work)
-1/4 dark chocolate chips
-1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix everything in a bowl until well incorporated. Let chill in the fridge ( I let it sit for about 20 minutes). Once chilled form into 1/2 inch balls and enjoy!
I love how versatile this recipe is. If you don’t like coconut double the oatmeal. Same goes for the nut butter. I can’t wait to use almond butter and dried cherries.
What a beautiful day today. I woke up with a screaming headache and then promptly went right back to bed. Fortunately on wake up #2 I felt refreshed. Want to know something else that is even better then a headache free morning..
There is honestly nothing better than seeing a smaller number on the scale. It just reinforces that everything I have been doing is right. Choice by choice I will lose this weight and get healthy. I can not wait to see more weight fall off. My good mood is only encouraged by all of this spring weather. Last night I bough two pairs of flip flops in anticipation of tossing my flats and summer being here. All I need now is a pedicure so my feet look presentable.
{I am loving the Grande Carmel Macchiato – 140 calories of awesome}
Hopefully the rest of this week goes by quickly and the weekend can be here. Honestly I am looking forward to Monday at 9am. I will be done my midterms and have some time to myself again. Even better that Eric gets back from vacay next weekend. I can’t wait!
So eating healthy this week has been fairly well. I had a major psychology test which threw my eating habits for a little bit of a loop. Stress is no excuse to eat crappy but stress eating is something I need to work on and I am just happy to acknowledge it. Struggling with food is something I am used to so any progress is good progress. Having a routine right now is really helping me keep things in line. Even if I only have a semi plan for what I want to eat for my meals it helps me to avoid all of the bad choices that I could make. It is all use one step at a time!
I have gone for 2 walks this week (since Sunday) and it feels so good to get out there and be moving. Even if it is only 30 minutes it makes a world of difference to my day. With Eric being on vacation for a month (lucky guy!) I am being a little bit more creative with my time. This weekend coming up is going to stay dedicated to fitness and keeping my diet in line. Hopefully I will also have a chance to go see a movie. Right now its a toss up between Gone and Wanderlust. Has anyone seen either?
My mornings have been forever changed thanks to these egg muffins.
Honestly.
So yummy, easy and very quick to make. What is better then a healthy breakfast waiting for you in your fridge. These egg muffins have been all over the internet lately and I didn’t really love any of the recipes I found so I just made my own. That’s the beauty with these. You can make them work with whatever protein and vegetable you have available.
( makes 12 servings)
(Preheat oven to 350 degrees)
Mix eggs in a large bowl until incorporated. Add in chopped spinach, turkey, milk and cheese and mix well. Add seasoning and stir until incorporated. Spray non stick muffin pan with pam or olive oil and then fill each cup with the egg mixture. Be sure to leave some room at the top of the muffin tin as they will rise a bit. Cook in the oven until tops are brown, about 20 – 30 minutes.
The thing I love about these muffins is you could make them your own. They are so versatile. I can’t wait to try goat cheese and roasted red pepper, or sautéed mushrooms and onion. I punched in all the ingredients into a calorie counter and these muffins came out to just over 100 calories and 8 grams of protein each. What a great way to start your day!
I am a fat girl. You all knew that, so lets continue. I have never been the girl with the really low self esteem problem. Anything I wanted I busted my ass and went after to get. I dated the pretty boys, I was friends with everyone and I didn’t care if my ass jiggled. I actually liked being the curvy girl. I had hips, an ass and tits. I had a shape. Being a part of the chunky girl club was something that never once bothered me.
Something over the last year or two has changed. I’m not sure when my self esteem took a major nose dive. For whatever reason I feel like an outsider in my own skin. There really is no reason for it. I am finally pursing my future, I have a wonderful boyfriend and more friends than anyone person needs but something just doesn’t feel right. Everyone has their shitty days but this funk seems unshakeable. Eating right and exercising seems to help, but I honestly don’t know if this is a weight problem. If fat never bothered me before why would it bother me now?
People always say that losing weight is an emotional journey, and honestly I think thats part of the reason I am having so much trouble staying motivated. If I lose all my extra weight I change. If I change I may not like who I become. This all sounds so ridiculous but I honestly feel like if I lose my belly, I lose my personality. What if I can’t be the funny skinny girl? What if a smaller ass turns me into a real snob? I have never been thin. The fear of finding out what its like scares the shit out of me.
I’ve never really been a commitment person. Even just saying that makes me seem like a big tool. I hide behind my weight. I use my flabby thighs as a curtain to hide what I actually feel. Anything I can’t do or fail at just gets pushed into the “too fat to do it” category. When I am fit and healthy what do I fall back on? The cushioning on my ass prevents the tears.
Achieving a healthy body is important to me. One day I want kids, and I want to be able to run around and play with them. I want to experience the world and I don’t want my weight holding me back anymore. I never want to worry about my heart stopping or just dropping to the floor. If you know me and my journey through weight gain and weight loss you will know how hard of a process it is. The time for change is now. Even just telling someone what I feel helps. In one hundred years I would of never believed that losing weight was as emotional as it is. While it’s not like this for everyone (I’m assuming) it is for me.
I need to promise to deal with anything that comes up. All to often I push down what I really think or feel and let it eat my alive inside. I need to stop being the “fat girl” character and start being me. Bad days are going to happen, but I need to learn how to cope with them in a healthy way. As overwhelmed as I feel right now I know I can lose the weight. I know I can run. I know I can make the right decisions.
The only person who doesn’t believe in me, is me.
…. the more you eat, the more you toot!
Technically a lentil isn’t a bean, it belongs in the legume family, but honestly it’s all the same to me. I have never really been a big fan of beans or lentils or anything along those lines. They typically end up being tasteless and squishy. Not a very pleasant combo. This lentil soup is something different though. It has a rich spiciness and hearty texture. The lentils keep you full for what seems like forever and anytime you eat veggies life just feels a little bit healthier. I pretty much just mashed this all together one night and it turned out great, so I thought I would share it with you guys.
Add your diced onion to a soup pot heated to medium hight heat and cook until the onions are soft. Add the carrot and celery to the mix and mix the ingredients. Add lentils back into the pot, then add spices. Stir until everything is covered in spice. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling return to a low simmer and cook until carrots have reached desired tenderness ( it took mine about 20 minutes).
