Date: 4/24/14, Day 2
Days until cruise: 43
So today is the 2nd day of my healthier habits lifestyle. Overall, it's going pretty decently so far. My stomach still hasn't "shrunk" to a more normal size, so I'm struggling with some hunger issues. Having dieted a lot in the past I know I just need to get through a few more days and I won't feel so hungry before meals anymore. It just kind of sucks for right now though.
I'm also struggling with sugar cravings. Unfortunately I still have some unhealthy foods in the house. I had a Pop-tart yesterday and some cookies today. Since I'm not on a "diet" right now and am instead trying to have a more healthy and balanced life, I'm not beating myself up about this. However, my ultimate goal is to be able to not make these unhealthy foods a daily occurrence. Hopefully, since I've cut out most of the junk food from my daily diet, these sugar cravings will decrease.
And yet another struggle I'm having is physical activity. I'm doing GREAT with sticking to my goal of daily yoga (probably because I actually enjoy it!) but I'm having trouble with increasing my aerobic activity. For example, I didn't have to go in to work until 10 today, so my plan was to wake up a little bit earlier and go to the gym. I was going to get up at the same time my BF was getting up for work, which would have given me plenty of time to go the gym and then shower, etc. However, that did not happen! When my BF came back into the room from his shower he found me still in bed. When he asked if I was going to the gym I responded with a very ladylike grunt and rolled over and went back to sleep. Not quite the attitude I'm trying attain! Yet I firmly believe the recipe for success is to try, try again. And so I shall. Tomorrow is a new day, and I have confidence in the me of tomorrow!
Now that I have elaborated on my struggles of the past two days, I'd like to congratulate myself on what I've been doing well. My meals have all been very healthy and consist of normal portion sizes. Yay for me! I've also gotten back on the smoothie wagon. I have a great recipe for a green smoothie, and it makes for a great daily breakfast! Disclaimer: it's not the most appetizing breakfast in the world. Don't get me wrong, it tastes just fine, it's just nothing to get excited about. It's not like waking up to chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, that's for sure. However, it is psychologically appetizing. It contains 3(!) full servings of fruits and veggies and lots of fiber. Here is the recipe for one serving:
1/2 cup frozen berries of your choice (can you use more or less, depending on how thick you like your smoothie)
1 banana
1/4 cup water
1 cup baby spinach
1 spoonful of psyllium husk
1 spoonful of chia seeds
I put the first three ingredients in a blender and blend well. I then add the last three ingredients and blend again. This second blend I like to blend for awhile so that the spinach gets really well incorporated. And trust me, the flavor of the banana and the berries overpowers the spinach taste. I absolutely DETEST spinach, and even I can't taste it!
A note on the psyllium husk and the chia seeds. I believe in these as supplements because they contain some really great nutrients and vitamins. A lot of people tout chia seeds as some miracle weight loss cure. Yet several clinical trials have been done to test this claim and show that chia seeds have absolutely no impact on weight loss. I incorporate them into my daily diet solely for the fact that they are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Here is a great article from WebMD if you want to read a little more about chia:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-chia
I feel more strongly about psyllium husk then I do about chia, and it's because I can see the effects it has on my body. Psyllium husk is a great source of soluble fiber and is GREAT in regulating bowel health. Trust me, a spoonful of psyllium husk a day and you will be regular! It expands when mixed with liquid, so it must be mixed into a beverage or made in a smoothie, you can't just eat it. I find it to be a perfect addition to the smoothie. Because it expands, I find it prudent to drink my smoothie immediately after making it, it doesn't seem to sit very well for extended periods of time. Here is a link from the University of Maryland Medical Center with more information on psyllium:
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/psyllium
That's it for today! My nightly yoga routine is calling. More on my yoga plans in the next post.
Plus the Bruins game is about to start. Go B's!!
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