the best diet trick.

With the holiday season now in full swing I thought it would be nice to share one of my favorite diet tricks.  Remember back when I first tried the Green Monster.  Its incredibly healthy and can get your body back on track after a week filled with traditional holiday meals or the multiple cocktail parties that are in the weeks ahead.

Green Monster Smoothie
1 cup Greek Yogurt (I use Fage 0%)
1/4 cup Almond Milk or Skim Milk
1/2 cup Fresh Raspberries
1 Small Banana 
1 tsp. Almond Butter
Ice (I use about 7 cubes)
2-4 cups Spinach (This is based on preference I usually lean more towards 4 cups as its so amazing for you and you can't even taste it)

Almost everyone I know refuses to even try this because of the color but I can promise you it is delicious.  The banana and raspberries mask any flavor the spinach has and one glass has all the vegetable servings needed for one day.  The recipe can be altered according to taste and I have found versions that are vegan as well.  I think it would be wonderful with blueberries or peaches.

xo  

healthy eating.

 via

 Along with my changes in exercise I've tried to make changes to my diet as well.  Not huge I'm eating paleo or no longer eating carbs changes but trying to incorporate more vegetables and proteins into my diet.  I eat very little meat and would love to make the switch to a full blown vegetarian however a change like that is hard, and requires a lot of planning and cooking and...I hate to cook.  That being said small changes are things that stick and many small changes over time will lead to a much healthier lifestyle.  Here is a sample of my old eating habits routine and my new one.

Old Diet:

Breakfast- Reduced Fat Lance Toast Cheese Peanut Butter Crackers, Diet Coke

Snack- Protein Bar, Diet Coke

Lunch- Lean Cuisine of some sort that I have in the fridge or salad from mellow mushroom

Dinner- Egg sandwich with chips, another lean cuisine, or a dinner out where I would most likely get sushi, Mexican, pub food, or a salad of some sort.

As you can see this is bad.  I'm getting no nutrients, no fruits and vegetables, nothing of much substance at all.

New Diet:

Breakfast- Green Smoothie (Spinach, Raspberries, Banana, Greek Yogurt, Fat Free Vanilla Almond Milk, Almond Butter), Instant oatmeal, or waffle with almond butter and a banana sliced on top

Snack- Rice cake with a little bit of peanut butter and a diet coke

Lunch- Lean Cuisine (if I'm rushed), sandwich and chips with carrots, or a take-out salad

Snack- I'll have a pear, grapes, or some string cheese.  If none of that is available I have a few pretzels and a cup of coffee.

Dinner-Choice of one of the following Stir fry with squash, zucchini, and onion with a little brown rice or chicken sausage with half a sandwich thin plus some carrots or a small salad, salad with spinach, almonds, cherry tomatoes, a little cheese, and a lite vinaigrette caesar dressing.

With my new changes I am eating a lot healthier as well as getting a lot more fruit and veggies.  I'm trying to eat out much less and drink at least 96 ounces of water per day.  One of my weaknesses is Diet Coke which I have cut back on a lot but I still have to have at least two per day or I get serious caffeine headaches  I figure two isn't that bad so I'm okay with that.

I like to keep the following in my house so when I'm in a rush I can just grab and go...
~Baby Carrots
~100 Calorie Pack Almonds
~Instant Oatmeal
~Snack Size bags of chips to take for lunch
~Pears
~Raspberries
~Lean Cuisines
~Avacado
~Tortilla Chips
~Fresh Salsa

Having all these things on hand gives me a number of things I can snack on or if need a quick small meal I can throw something together easily.  Do you have any staples you always keep in your house?  Is anyone else trying to change up their diet for the better?

xo  

these days.

This week has flown by.  I can't believe tomorrow is Friday!  How nice would it be to always have Mondays off?  My days seem to be a blur of work, working out, and working on the apartment. 

This past weekend I had a great time going to my alma mater and visiting with a dear friend that I don't get to see often enough.  I even enjoyed sitting in the upper deck and sweating like crazy, it was the worse heat I think I've ever endured. 

Then came my first Green Monster experience... 

I'm a big smoothie fan, especially in place of a regular breakfast meal and finally have jumped on the green monster bandwagon.  I have to admit I wasn't sure the spinach flavor would be masked by the other ingredients but sure enough not once did I taste it.  I used this recipe but added raspberries, used almond butter instead of peanut butter, ice, and probably only packed in about two cups of spinach.  Tomorrow I plan on adding more.  Sure enough what everyone keeps saying is correct, no spinach taste.  Basically for those that have never tried it, it tastes like whatever smoothie you were making just a different color.  You could add spinach to any type honestly.

And lastly, the chalk board wall.  This is honestly my first real attempt at painting walls and its a lot harder than I imagined.The second coat is officially up and I think one more will do the trick.  Once its finished you have to wait three days for the paint to cure, rub a piece of chalk on the whole wall then your good to go. Can't wait!

What have your days consisted of lately?  Anything exciting?

xo