Celebrating Life's Achievements

In life, for every challenge you overcome, you should celebrate. I chose to create a badge, like you do in games to celebrate each challenge I overcome.

I like to call this life badges. You know how when you play a video game or check in with various app you get a badge. It seems silly but it makes you feel accomplished. Like woooo hooo I achieved something.

Most of my badges come from Untapped, the beer drinking app. Drink a bunch of domestic beer and get a "land of the free" badge.

Well why not celebrate our own achievements and accomplishments with a virtual badge of sorts.

Since I am a designer I whipped this up real quick for myself. Why? What did I do?

Well here in NY it has been SUPER cold, like 10º, I tried to used my husband's gym membership, but the douches at LA Fitness said I couldn't. I was sooo pissed, I thought well now I cannot work out. Since it's been so cold I have been eating A LOT because I am inside and cooking. Since I needed a workout, I bundled up and ran in the 10º with the wind whipping at my face, dodging ice and snow piles and traffic. I ran 1.5 miles and by the time I got home I couldn't feel my thighs since I was so cold. But I totally defied the odds and went for it. I conquered! I killed it!!

That is how I found my power again! Working out does that for me!

I love food, you all know this. So I eat lots.... #WhyIRun

Feel free to join in. If you defy the odds and go out running in the cold I will send you the badge to share on social media or on your blog!

Discovering Yoga & Debunking the Myths #Fitgasm

There are so many misconceptions about Yoga. So I am getting my personal yoga guru Katie to debunk the myths of yoga since it made a real difference in my quality of life.

Yoga- what do you envision? Some dude doing a head stand, being twisted like a pretzel, using the words "ommmmmm"?? Yeah lots of people think about this. I first got into power yoga a while back when I first started on my weight loss journey. It was crazy hard and I totally felt like I did not belong. Everyone else was so much more flexible and I didn't felt like I belonged.

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 11

This week's tip, You shall burn for your sins.... not in hell but with some exercise!

Sounds brutal right? Though you WILL NOT burn in hell though, not really. You're gonna burn them calories at the gym! To make up for some of those eating sins.

Here is how I used to handle eating badly: beat myself up for it, make myself feel like a horrible person, a failure etc.... Then I would eat MORE since I felt a failure to try and make myself feel better.

BAD PATTERN!

So here is how I deal now- I take action! I made some eating mistakes, okay that is life and I LOVVVVE food and beer. So I had tooooo much to drink and too much to eat. All I can do NOW about it is make better choices today and BURRRRRN some of those calories with some exercise. NOT as punishment, but to be good to my body and to make sure I can lessen or even negate the bad behavior I already had!

Case in point- I had one hell of a week. Good Beer (a beer and food event in NYC) on Thursday, Maroni's 16 course chef's tasting on Friday for my in-law's anniversary and a party on Saturday when battle ship beer pong was played.... (because if battleship beer pong IS a thing and I NEED to play it, even though I sucked miserably at it)

Yes lots of excessive eating a drinking and somehow I escaped a hangover both times... I try and tell people I don't drink a lot, but ummmmm people see this on social media and it just does NOT look good for my case.

I did not wanna run today- but I did- I ran and ran with some killer music for a mile and a half thinking about all the fun I had, but also about the scale that I have a date with Tuesday. Then I came home and dug up grass for the patio we're building for more exercise. So yes I am gonna burn for my sins in a good way.

Overall, as I explained it was a pretty epic week, a beer and food event, a chef's tasting, and a party with old friends and more good beer. If I do go up on the scale, I will own it because I had a GREAT time and that is really what life is about. Plus it's not usually so many food and beer events are in just one week!

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 7

Today it's my birthday and I enjoyed this weekend to it's fullest! It was my birthday and it only happens once a year so I am gonna enjoy it MY way.

Bacon and Beer!

My party had a bacon theme and it served as a bottle share. (A bottle share is when people bring all different types of beer and you sample them all as a group).

Yes it is the summer weight loss challenge BUT it's also my birthday and I am gonna have fun and own the consequences on the scale if there are any.

BUT.....
I also planned for this indulgence by getting in plenty of exercise. Went hiking almost every day of the weekend so I could minimize the damage and you know what? I will be heading out for MORE exercise in a few!

So I am taking control and owning my debauchery and undoing as much damage as I can. It is a MUCH different feeling when you eat too much on your birthday and didn't plan for it... then when you eat lots and DID plan for it. I'm in control- I got this.

While I am all mmmmmm bacon and beer- I accounted for this and allowed it to happen.

This may explain my brown butter and bacon ice cream that will find it's way onto the blow this week.

80% healthy 20% bacon and beer-- it ALL ties together!

My week's recap

The last couple weeks I have stayed the same weight (even with my lady time). So I take that as a good sign. But I know I gotta push through harder and detox from all the sweets and fat from this weekend. I am also joining a gym for the days it's too hot to run outside (i'm not a morning person). Like I said, got lots of exercise. BUT I also drank lots of beer and ate a bacon cheeseburger. Will I lose tomorrow? Guess I will find out! But if I didn't I am okay with that, I had a great week and enjoyed it all!

#HolidayDetox Part 2- Start your day off right!

You know how if you have a bad morning it can ruin your WHOLE day. Like you wake up and the dog has chewed one of your shoes, it's raining outside and you ran out of coffee?! Well a bad start to your day can give the rest of the day a nasty outlook. Similarly if you start your day with an unhealthy breakfast or no breakfast at all it can have a negative impact on all food choices that follow. So that is why the second post in the #HolidayDetox series is about healthy, easy and delicious breakfast choices. Sophia tested and approved. Me and Jennifer from Peanut Butter and Peppers gotcha covered!! She makes some of the BEST healthy breakfasts I have EVER seen!! Go to the bottom of the posts for some pics and links to today's recipe!

In the beginning of my weight loss journey my breakfast either did not exist or it consisted solely on carbs, even sugary carbs. Skipping breakfast seems like a great way to save calories, but you wind up being so hungry at lunch you not only consume what you missed for breakfast and would each for lunch, you usually eat more than you would in those two meals had you not been "hangry". LOL! It took me a long time to realize this. I also realized if I started the day with sugar I craved it the ENTIRE day! So, when I started my weight loss journey, I knew I needed a meal that would fill me up for hours, but not break the bank in calories or WW points. 

BIG change starts with a single baby step, and then several after that!

So I started making my own healthy breakfasts. I started with Greek yogurt, the pre-flavored ones, then eventually moved to plain and added in my own flavors. I learned I could make my own flavor combos that would cost me less WW point and calories, since the pre-flavored ones usually have lots of sugar added. It is all in baby steps. You gotta do what you a comfortable with. So having breakfast at all is a good step and one that may take time to become a habit. This stuff doesn't happen overnight so be patient and kind to yourself. There is nothing wrong with you! Start with a SMALL commitment. For example if you don't eat breakfast at all, start by committing to eating breakfast twice a week. If you eat breakfast that isn't so healthy, commit to a healthy breakfast twice a week. You see where this is going.  

My breakfast evolution went something like this
Farina with Chocolate Chips
Honey Nut Cheerios
Instant Oatmeal Packets
Pre-Flavored Greek yogurt
The cheesy grits phase!
Plain Greek Yogurt with fruit and Stevia
Plain Greek Yogurt with Cheerios
Instant Oatmeal Packet with Greek Yogurt Added
Chocolate Smoothies
Fruit Smoothies 
Green Smoothies with no added sugar

This is over the course of like 2 years! So this stuff takes time and I understand if you don't jump right in to the Green Smoothie, I get it. It seems weird and intimidating and like a "health food" LOL.

 Now for my first round of recipes!

Triple Toasted Coconut Oatmeal Bars

Why is this a Foodgasm?

You like coconut? Well this not only has shredded coconut inside the bar, but is also made with coconut milk and coconut sugar. New to cooking with both? Me too! But it gave it an even more pronounced coconut flavor. This has the texture of a really soft granola bar. It is kinda cakey in a way. I love the texture and I LOVE that is tastes so good I wanna go back for more! The nice thing is it is not too sweet, just sweet enough to make it feel like a treat, without that gross feeling after you eat a muffin.

Why is it healthy?

This baby is PACKED with protein and whole grains. It is also VERY low in fat and sugar. Compare the stats below with your favorite granola bar or breakfast bar. Plus you made it yourself with ingredients you can pronounce!

What you need

2 cups steel cut oats
1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup pecan pieces
1/3 cup coconut flakes plus 1/4 cup to toast on top

How to make it

Preheat oven to 350º
1- Mix together all ingredients except 1/4 cup coconut flakes for the top.
2- Grease a square 9"x9" baking pan and pour in batter and add coconut flakes to the top
3- Bake for about 35 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Happy Green Smoothie

Why is this a Foodgasm?

I discovered this by accident. I did an online challenge called The Live More Weigh Less Challenge. The second day's challenge was to make a green smoothie. It was basically a way for you to start the day right, thinking of your health. So I was like, you know what I am gonna give it a go. I was committed! I totally thought it was gonna taste gross. I thought okay what sort of greens do I have, well I had my FAVE arugula. I am basically obsessed with the beautiful peppery taste of arugula! I knew I had to cut the bitterness with something sweet- another fave honeycrisp apple! Only the best and sweetest apples EVER! Most smoothies then add water, ummmm ewwwww. I wanted my smoothie to be creamy and provide some protein so I also added some nonfat Greek yogurt and low fat milk to loosen it. You know what.....I was shocked I actually liked it and found myself craving them and it was good for me too! YAY! Score!

Why is it healthy?

Did you hear the part about the arugula and apple...non fat yogurt. It's a win all around. Antioxidents, protein, vitamins and minerals. It is also a pleasant happy green color. Not a scary deep green.

What you need

1 1/2 cups Arugula
1/2 cup Non Fat Greek Yogurt
1 cup diced Honeycrisp Apple
1/2 cup low fat milk (I used 2%)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 How to make it

1-Put everything in a blender and blend on high until completely combined and liquified.

Nutritional Information

Jennifer's Recipes from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Get them ALL here!

Bircher Muesli

 Oatmeal Pumpkin Breakfast Smoothie

Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes