411 on Smoothies

(I will have some smoothie recipe blogs a little later)


I know, I know. Who DOESN'T love a good smoothie now and then, especially in the hot summers and when you need a quick meal? But, are they worth it?

Obviously, yes. There are smoothies that are worth it, but I would argue that you don't need substitute a daily meal for a smoothie, and you really have to be careful what all goes into them.

First off, let's flesh out the difference between smoothies and juicing. 
Smoothie: All of the ingredients are blended together in whole from and consumed together. This way, you still get all of your fiber and what not.
Juice: Pressing the juices or natural oils out of your ingredients. (no fiber) For the record, I do NOT drink juices, ever. 1 glass of orange juice can have up to 8 oranges worth of juice! Talk about diabeetus!

The major downsides to smoothies as meal *replacements:
- Easy way to get too much sugar (yes, fruits have sugar!)
- They don't sit in your tummy long, which means you do not feel full very long
- They move through your digestive system quickly, meaning that those sugars get right into your blood stream (see mt blog "Are all Calories Created Equal?" to understand why this is a killer)

Upside to smoothies (as snacks, a late breakfast, even an after workout refresher):
- They are sometimes quick to make
- You can load them with protein
- You can make them balanced nutritionally (making them great for your body, including your hair and nails!) 
- They are portable
- Did I mention, some of them are delicious!

Despite all that, there are some key things to know. In making of smoothies, it is VERY easy to load in too much of anything. Too much sugar is especially bad, but your body can only utilize so much protein in one sitting as well.

So, first, lets talk about sugar. Depending on what you want for your macro-nutrient goals (percentage of protein / fat / and carbs - read more about this in my blog "Calculating Calories"), if you are like me, a banana is almost half of your daily sugar goal. Then, throw in some wheat germ and peanut butter and you''ll be lucky to stay under your sugar just from the veggies you'll eat for the rest of the day.The take home message here is, plan smart.

When doing smoothies, you have to ask yourself a few questions:
1. What do I want to get out of this smoothie?

• After workout replentisher?
• Before workout energy boost?
• Breakfast on the run? (I don't suggest doing this more than a few times a week!)
• Snack replacement?
• Nutritional supplement?
• Better hair and nails?
• More Energy?
• Help moving your bowels? (oh yes, they can do this!)
• Meal replacement? (I don't recommend this at all really)

2. What kind of flavor do I want?

• Something bold?
• Something sweet?
• Something tart or sour?

Being straight forward, I am not an expert on all things smoothie, but I have been reading A LOT about them, as they are ever so popular as of late. Here are somethings that I have learned.

1. What you choose to put into your smoothie wildy depends on why you are drinking it in the first place. Consider your reasoning and answers for question 1 above. 
2. REALLY be careful about your sugar content. Yes, fruit are natural sweeteners, but they DO contain sugar. Try alternative sweeteners/ flavorings like ginger, cinnamon, stevia (yes, it is natural), or even apple or pumpkin pie spices. Besides, cinnamon and ginger have a LOT of good things going for them anyway. 
3. Think about your protein and sugar needs. If you just had a weight training day, or you are using this for a breakfast, you might want higher protein. If you are using it for a pre-10k run, you'll be ok with having more sugars in there, because you are going to use them up in your run / jog / walk (in my case haha)

Here are some common ingredients that I put into my smoothies (not all at the same time, however). 

 I'm lucky to have a HyVee down the street with tons of organic grains and seeds. I just keep them in mason jars!!

- Jarrow Formulas Whey Protein (unflavored) 
- Lichi Super Fruit, Meal Replacement (chocolate delight, just started recently)
- Unflavored non-fat Greek Yogurt (usually Chobani)
- Nut butter
- Kale
- Chia seeds
- Flax seed (golden and brown)
- Oats
- Wheat Germ
- Spinach
- Berries
- Banana
- Coconut milk (unsweet)
- 2% milk
- Instant Coffee
- Sugar free Maxwell House International Cafe Suisse Mocha powder
- Stevia

** I LOVE Jarrow! Low Carb!!! Most protein powders are ridiculously high in carbs. If I want carbs in my smoothies, I'll take some fruit please!

Below, the table illustrates 30 common smoothie ingredients and why to use them!
Of course, there are many, many more and great reasons for using different things, but this is a start. Additionally, I might be missing some X's, but that just means these could be even better for you! I just put what I did actually find in my research. 

Mix and Match ingredients that meet your needs and your taste buds pleasure!

Remember, stay tuned for smoothie recipes to come!

Diet Tips - 10 Simple Tips for Starters

These are also listed on the web page under Diet / Diet Tips! 

Here is what I did in March. I was 212 pounds and not really motivated to change my lifestyle, but was disgusted with myself for being so fat (45 in waist, 44% body fat, and of course, 212 pounds - I had never been even 200 before!). At that point, my primary motivator was getting rid of pain from my injuries more so than losing weight for the sake of being thinner.

These first 10 are all really simple, common sense things that helped me lose 6 pounds in 2 weeks without trying.

- No special diet, no exercise even.

1. Water - When I was in physical and massage therapy, both therapists said most of my muscle pain and tension was due to my muscles being dehydrated. Additionally, having a glass of water with pills (or whatever) as soon as you wake up really helps wake you up and gets your day going right. I drink at least 2 cups of water in between each meal and 1 with each meal, the one before breakfast and 1-3 after dinner -making 9-11 glasses of water a day. I drink more when I workout or am at work since it is so hot and I am sweating like crazy.

2. Don't drink your calories - This is one thing the men in my family have always harped on. Easiest way to cut calories is to stop sipping them. No soda (an occasional diet wont kill you, but there are bad things about diet too). No fu-fu coffee drinks, no icees, sweet teas, or slushies. The only calorie drinks I go for is a half cup of 2% milk in the morning and occasionally I will make a protein smoothie as a snack with unsweetened coconut milk (45 calories a cup). I pretty much just drink water, and sometimes a cup or 2 of coffee and a few cups of iced or hot tea (unsweetened).

3. Don't use plates that are more than 7 in. diameter. This is huge. We have been conditioned that more is better, so we want our plates to be full. A smaller plate can reduce your calorie intake by 30-50% according to the Small Plate Movement. It is all an optical illusion!

 4. Cut your fast food trips in half. For me, that was eating at crap places no more than 2 times a week for a meal. 

5. When eating out, order a size smaller than what you are used to (eventually working down to ordering the smallest size). If smaller sizes are not available, ask for a to-go box and split your entire order in half, saving it for later. This way, you'll have the food if you need it, but odds are, you won't need it in one sitting since portions have increased 35-65% over the last 80 years!



6. Similar to 5, don't take seconds. This is a tip I got from my dad's good friend he trained who was the world heavy weight kick boxing champion for who knows how long (Mean Mike Labree!!) -If you feel like you need seconds, make a plate with 1/2 of what you had the first time, cover it, and put it in the fridge. If you REALLY are hungry in an hour or so, heat it up. (I promise, leftovers are yummy!)

7. Don't eat mindlessly. Times you are most susceptible for this are when you are sitting in front of the computer or TV. So, don't snack when you are on the sofa or in your office chair. I personally eat a lot of my meals in front of the computer, which some people say is a no-no, but I only do it when I am home alone and have no one to talk to. his actually helps me eat slower, because I have something to do, and I feel full before I am even done eating. They didn't call it couch potato for nothin'!

8. Opposite of 7, eat with purpose and value your food. What this means is that you begin to alter the meaning of food. Food is nourishment, it is sustainability. When you change what food means, you realize it is important to take in good food or real food, rather than processed crap. This can be aided by preparing your own meals, trying new foods and recipes, really putting love into your food, using "pretty" dishes, not using the same plates all the time (I have several different sets that my grandmother gave me when she moved, so I can eat with a different set of dishes every day for a week! haha), and keeping your food preparation and eating spaces clean and clear of clutter (this is HUGE!!). I know that sounds strange, but I promise that it helps a lot. When you learn to present food in a special way, you eat slower, enjoy it more, and respect it more.

9. Swap Sides. When you do go out to eat, choose healthier sides. Rather than mashed potatoes or fries, try a sweet potato. If they offer a side salad, get that instead of your potato, and get the dressing (go for a light dressing, or even just a wedge of lemon!) on the side to reduce your calories by up to 140! Swap buttered corn for steamed broccoli or green beans. This alone will cut hundreds of calories from your meal.

10. Bread - go whole grain and don't do dinner rolls. Dinner rolls just fill you up with 200 or more calories and you don't even have your plate in front of you yet. These rolls just increase your blood sugar, and even though they might fill your tummy, you will likely feel hungrier and eat more when your meal does come or stuff yourself until you are uncomfortable (we have this finish your plate mentality - read rule 5!). To avoid temptation, pass on the rolls right away - don't even let the server put them on your table. If you do want to eat before you meal arrives, ask for your salad first. When you do eat bread, swap it for whole grains. The whole grains take more time to digest and are more rich in fiber; this is 2 fold in benefits - fiber makes you feel full faster, and prevents the sugars from entering your blood stream all at once. Still, limit bread intake to a piece of toast with breakfast a few times a week or an occasional sandwich (I do just one piece of bread  like a 1/2 sandwich or an open face sandwich to reduce the calories and blood sugar spike). To prevent the bread from going bad when using less, put half the loaf in a freezer bag and freeze it!

Applications that Enhance the Expedition

What applications/ other networks do you use to keep on target and hold yourself accountable?

What I love about the 3 major things I use is that they all post back to Facebook.

The links in each section go to my profile on those networks.

* I use Twitter for posting pictures and a few accomplishments (or failures) throughout the day as a way to maintain a simply "diary" of what this process is like. Since this is one of the hardest things I have ever done -really sticking to it, I want a record of this time as incentive for myself to never get this unhealthy and out of shape again, and also as (hopefully) inspiration for others to keep with it.

* I also use myfitnesspal to keep track of my food and my indoor cardio workouts. The only think I do not like about it is when I do my weight training days, I cannot really keep track of those calories unless I use Wii or something. But, since it is all about calories in and calories out (for the large part), I believe this is essential to making sure that I am getting the right amount of calories.

* I use Endomondo to track my outdoor cardio. It works with the GPS on my phone to track my route (even down to the altitude, to it can calculate intensity), speed, fluid loss, calories burned, time, and I believe that if you have a premium account, it even factors in the weather like temp/ wind speed and direction/ and humidity! I primarily use this for biking, walking, and (when I get there I will use it for) running.

I really have found that since I have been using these things, I hold myself more accountable for my actions. I am more motivated to workout and make that record of the efforts to reaching my goals. In June, I was not using these applications, and even though I wanted to lose weight, I only lost 2.5 pounds FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH. I have been using these applications and having them post to my facebook now for over a week, and I have lost 3 pounds. I believe that these apps are very motivating and have helped my accomplished better overall gains. Because they are easy to use, and twitter limits how many words you can post at a time, they don't really take a lot of time to keep on top of. Having them sync with my Facebook is awesome, because all of my friends and family can see my accomplishments and can motivate me without even having accounts to those things.

I know that 8 completed days isn't really a long standing data set, but I really have hope that these are enhancing my weight loss experience as a whole. I would LOVE to have more followers and all the support will help me reach my goals, and hopefully help you reach yours as well! Hope to see more of you all :D

JULY!!! First of the Month (on the Second)

I LOVE July. I am a real American, through and through, and I value the 4th of July like I was there back in 1776. Thomas Jefferson is my HERO! This July has been great so far, mostly because it is the first year in at least the last 2 that it isn't 100 degrees for the first week straight!

July has always been the best on my wellness efforts, at least when it cones to diet and exercise. I mean, it is EASY to do. Lets look at the best of July.

Berries are in season...

Avocados are in season!

Pool Weather!

July almost compels me to do well. Which is AWESOME, because Jeff's friend has a wedding the second week of august, and I have a dress I REALLY want to fit back into to wear for it!

Here is my first of the month progress update for July.
I have no improved much since the first of June, I really didn't try that hard until the last week of June. I started working out, though! I can already tell a difference in my arms mostly, and my tummy seems to be improved.
Currently:
* 187.5lbs, (2.5 more pounds till I am under 30 BMI!!!!)
* Waist 39in
* Noticeable difference in my arms, but I have no "before" measurements. Now, just below the deltoids measures 13.25
*Body fat is variable, but around 39% (it was up to 44 in March)

I started in mid March at 212 and 44% body fat. Sadly, I have no pictures of that.  These pictures start April 1st.
For those of you who are visual:

 Any way, I was wearing 34 tight, 26 a little baggy in March, now 34 are baggy and a lot of my 33's fit pretty well! My shorts I have on in those pictures used to fit snug, and are now loose around my thighs and do not cause a muffin top around the waist! I was also wearing xl and xxl tops, now I am in a Large!

Progress! At first, I was bummed I didn't lose much in June, but I REALLY wasn't on my A game. So to have stayed under 190  all month has been a real accomplishment. I have not been in the 180's in probably over a year. Additionally, I have lost 25 pounds in 3 months! I know it is easier at first, but if I keep that up, I would be in the 150's before the start of 2014!

Just keep thinking, it is a climb, not a race. Progress is better than perfect, but I certianly need to do a better job striving for perfect!

WE CAN DO IT!!!