25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

I know most of these but this article is a really helpful reason for why you may not be losing weight. You've started working out and eating healthy but you still aren't loosing weight find out why!

25 Things that are Keeping you Overweight

Why I love Apples (and you should too)

Besides from the fact that apples are absolutely delicious, they also have a ton of amazing health and weight loss benefits! Because of how many benefits apples have (and the fact that they are easier/quicker to read any way) I/m just going to use bullets, so here we go:

1. Eating one apples gives you the same hydration as one 8oz. glass of water. For athletes this means no water sloshing around in your belly while you are performing. Everyone else- water is good for you, keeps you energized, aids in digestion, and helps with weight loss!
2. Apples are low in calories 100g of fresh apple slices equals about 50 calories! (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
3. Apples help fight heart disease by lowering blood fats (www.whfoods.com).
4. Apples help curb your appetite, studies show eating an apple 15 minutes before a meal lowers the caloric intake by 15% - people who ate apples also felt more satisfied with their meals - apple juice/applesauce or processed apple products did not show the same results as whole apples (www.whfoods.com). 
5.  Apples help maintain good two forms of good bacteria in the large intestine, this helps with stomach discomfort, regularity, and weight loss! (www.whfoods.com)
6.  Full of anti-oxidants (www.nutrition-and-you.com)
7.  "Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body." (www.nutrition-and-you.com).
8. Apples are a great source of B-Complex vitamins which help with the immune system, metabolism, and other bodily functions.  (www.nutrition-and-you.com)

 

If you aren't convinced - go buy a yummy Honey Crisp apple take a big bite and you will be! Apples rock - they are a great snack and meal for kids too. Imagine the health benefits an apple a day can give you and your family!  

Yummy Healthy Knock off "Chewy Bars"

So I am in love with this granola bar recipe I found (and changed significantly) on another blog! Though I have not quite found an exact mixture that sticks together, for now my Chewy bars are more like Chewy Bites. So here's the basic recipe feel free to add different yummy ingredients to flavor or enhance your bars!!

Chewy Granola "Bars"

• 4.5 cups of Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 2/3 cup Melted Butter (can also substitute coconut oil, bars come out crunchier)
• 1/2 cup Honey 
• 1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut (I use the sweetened kind, next time I'm going to try the unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup - Cup of mini chocolate chips or other fresh fruit spices etc. (I think I'm going to try apple cinnamon next!)
• I also add a few healthy pinches of ground flaxseed, it's good for you and you can't even tell it's there! 

Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22min. and there you go, cheap and easy granola your family will love! I have to make a batch every few days for two of us! We just love it! It's amazing warm too, would make a great dessert!!

$10 off Coconut Oil!

I was on another blog today, How does She?, and found a $10 Coupon for Coconut Oil! I am so pumped because I spend a good deal on it!!

Read my Coconut Oil posts (and hers) it's an amazing products that will do wonders for your weight, hair, skin, and overall health!

$10 off Coupon - Coconut Oil

 

This is the brand of coconut oil I usually get, but this is about half of what I pay for it at my local natural foods store, after I use my $10 coupon, I'm going to get this deal!

I hate the taste of Coconut.

I cannot state the taste of fruity coconut. I have tried to mix it in with my smoothies, drinks, tea, food. I just can't do it. Toasted coconut, that's another story, I will destroy a box of Samoas mmm love Girl Scout cookie time (part of my problem!)! That being said I know the amazing benefits coconut oil has for your digestive health, weight loss, skin, bones, hair, etc. and really on your overall health. So here's what I have been doing. I just take a lesson from my freshman in college self, if I don't like the taste just close my eyes and take a shot! Let me tell you that shot of coconut oil is a lot easier to wash down AND it sure helps my tummy (cleans me right out really!) it would be great if you are constipated! If you haven't seen my post on Coconut Oil Check it Out!

So take a lesson from my freshman self, if you can't stand coconut oil (or acai, pom, grapefruit, etc.) just take a shot of it! For your health! 

Couldn't help it...

Shots (LMFAO ft. Lil Jon)

179 lbs! Yes!!

For the first time in five years I am under 180 lbs!! Yay!! Apparently my Smoothies are working on something!! I am so excited!

Love my Cups!

So I'm sure you've seen these cups around, these are the under $5.00 version from Wal-Mart. Those of you that are reading this thinking "Wal-Mart is the devil curse you," I know I agree but I live in a small down and I am on a budget! Someday I will be able to buy all American, local, organic products, until them, I will shop where it is cheap! Plus I love my "Cool Gear" Cups! They are the kind that you freeze and they keep your drink cold, which is extra handy! This morning I made extra smoothie (My Green Monster of course) filled one for breakfast, took the straw out of the other put foil under the lid and brought it with me for lunch! These cups are perfect, I will say I make sure to rinse mine right away and try to keep the straw as clean as possible, I would love them more if I had a dishwasher! They also sell extra straws, once yours get dirty (or you lose them!)!

My Daily Smoothie

So I posted my Peanutbutter Banana Green Monster Smoothie the other day, but pretty much every day I've been drinking some modification of a Banana Green Monster Smoothie so here's my basic recipe and a few optional ingredients you can play with, feel free to experiment, and let me know how it goes!

Banana Green Monster Smoothie

•  1 c. Vanilla Non-Fat Yogurt
•  1 c. Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk
•  2 Scoops Vanilla Soy Protein
•  1 Peeled, Cut, Frozen Banana (See Frozen bananas here)
•  Big Pinch of Flaxseed (can't taste it at all)
•  Two small handfuls of Baby Spinach (can't taste it AT ALL!)
•  Benefiber (The no taste kind)
• Cap full of vanilla (tsp.)

      Optional Ingredients:

•  Pinch of cinnamon - Inspired by a Mexican Agua Fresca (delicious drink) all you need is a pinch and it gives your shake a yummy surprising twist!
•  Chocolate Powder, Syrup, or Chips
•  Peanutbutter
•  Chocolate & Peanutbutter (The Monkey Business Green Monster)
•  Coconut Oil - So good for you!
•  Other fruits
•  Other herbs

Take advantage of sales!

Freeze Sale Bananas!

 

Take advantage of sales at your grocery store! Tonight when I went to the store they had bunches of bananas that were pretty ripe on sales I bought two huge bunches of bananas, one for 57 cents and one for 87 cents! I cut up all the bananas and froze them for my smoothies! Perfect and cheap!

Frozen bananas are perfect for my yummy Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie! 
The best part of freezing "older" sale bananas for your smoothies is they are sweeter and creamier when blended into your smoothie than newer more green bananas!

Love Rubbermaid Products!

I love my Rubbermaid containers. Rubbermaid USED TO be made in my hometown, until they got sold a few years back, long story, however, we still have a warehouse store I love getting these on their sale floor! This is an AMAZING price for a 50 pc. set though!

Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

So I just couldn't wait to post! I wrote last night about the Smoothie I was going to make today well, I just made it, and am currently drinking it. It is AMAZING! So here's what I made. It is amazing you can't even taste the spinach! Feel free to adapt and add whatever you think may be yummy!

My Yummy Peanut Butter Banana Green Monster Smoothie

Important to note: I don't measure when I make my smoothies just guess!

• 1 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 c. vanilla almond milk (add more if the mixture is too thick for your blender)
• 2 scoops vanilla soy protein
• 1 frozen banana (Peel and cut them before freezing!)
• 2 cups (or more) spinach
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed

Reebok Easytones

   This is not an add for Reebok, not sponsored (I wish it was =) but I LOVE my Easytone's and really need a new pair, I believe I paid around $99 for mine and they are worth every penny! I was skeptical at first but within a day or two of wearing them I can tell that my legs are more toned. After I stop wearing them I can also tell that my lets are getting a little sloppy! I love my shoes! Try them out, you won't be disappointed!

Day 4!

Hello!
  I am LOVING this diet right now! Sorry I forgot to post yesterday at the end of the day! But yesterday I weighed myself and I weighed 182!! Yay!! Today I am at 180!! So excited!

So last night i had fresh green beans and watermelon for dinner!

So...

Day 4: Weight 180 lbs.
     Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

    Two days ago I froze some bananas to get ready for today! In another version of this recipe it says yogurt and bananas and I wanted smoothies so I went ahead and added some yogurt to my day! So here's the smoothie I've been drinking:

Delicious Banana Smoothie

• 1 frozen banana (I peeled and cut these before I froze them MUCH easier!)
• About a cup of yogurt 
• About 1.5-2 cups almond milk
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• Blend it all up and enjoy!

The first time i made my smoothie this morning I didn't use cinnamon it was a nice addition the second time around! This is all I've been having today, it's so hot out and with the frozen bananas this is a delicious cool treat, I feel like I'm drinking a milkshake!!

Day 2- Veggie Day!

Hello!
  So today is Day 2 of my 7 Day Detox and it's veggie day! Last night before bed I made some fresh green beans and potatoes in my crock pot. I started off and ate my two delicious potatoes and then ate some green beans (I have plenty left for later!). I am glad they turned out if you look at last night's post you can see the recipe I used/made up for my green beans! The onion soup packets taste good I did alter the recipe a little to this:

Green Beans and Potatoes

• 2 lbs Fresh Green beans ends snapped off and snapped in half
• 2 packets Lipton Onion soup mix (feel free to mix it up and try new soups!)
• 1/2 a large onion
• water
• sea salt

1. After snapping the green beans I put the potatoes, green beans, and loosely diced onions into the crock pot. I barely covered the mixture with water and added the soup packets. I cooked on high for about 45 min then let sit on low over night, I may have slept in too late because they were a bit over done, but still delicious!

Getting ready

Getting ready for day 2! I have fresh green beans and two potatoes in the crock pot! My two potatoes for breakfast with some beans! Then beans for the day! I think I'll make some "miracle soup" tomorrow too I think since it's all veggies you can eat it every day! Yay! I think I'm going to add carrots to the soup! Yummy! Here's how I made my green beans (I'll tell you tomorrow if they taste good:

• 2 lbs. green beans (snapped the ends and snapped in half)
• 1/2 a large onion
• Onion soup package
• Two potatoes
• Some salt

I threw it all into the crock pot on high I'm going to turn it down to low right before bed! Hoping it tastes good, or at least edible!

Day 1: 7 Day Detox

Today I started my 7 Day Detox and have eaten nothing but melon! When I started I weighed 185 lbs. Can't wait to see what I weigh next Saturday and see how I feel!


Reminder of what day 1 is:
Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.

Watermelon

So far this morning I have had about two cups of water melon. I feel full, but there is a rumbling starting in my tummy that is making me a little nervous. I knew fruit day would have its downsides, I mean c'mon think about what would happen to your body if you stopped smashing burgers and noming on fajitas every night and spent a solid day eating only fruit. Yuck! Well it's part of the "detox"... s*** has to get out somehow I guess. (sorry I couldn't resist the pun!). Wish me luck the rest of today could be tough. But hopefully totally worth it! They say you can drop 3 lbs. the first day if you only eat melon! We will see (I really should have weighed myself this morning)! Two days ago I was 185, I will weigh myself as soon as I get home from work! And take a "Before" picture, things I should have done last night (so good at procrastinating!)

Pumped to get started!

So I have my watermelon cut and apples ready to start my all fruit day 1 of my detox tomorrow! Getting pumped up! Hopefully this will be the boost I need!

7 Day Jump Start Detox

I found this on Pintrest, it is from another blog: Nothing is Impossible.

I will be starting this 7 Day Detox tomorrow! Hoping for some good results! I think it will be a good way to jump start my diet and get some energy! One nice thing is, since it's a holiday week I'm going to be very honest, I want to have a few DRINKS! This allows you 2 drinks a day (I may stretch it on Wednesday, it's the 4th! What can I say?) But I'm excited! Wish me luck!


This plan can be used as often as you like without any fear of complications. It is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well being. After seven days you will begin to feel lighter because you will be lighter by at least 10 lbs. You will have an abundance of energy and an improved disposition.

During the first seven days you must abstain from all alcohol
You must drink 10 glasses of water each day

Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.

Day Two All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.

Day Three A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.

Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

Day Five Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

Day Six Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

Day Seven Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

Tomorrow morning you will be 10-17 lbs. lighter than one week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. You may repeat this program as often as you like, however, it is suggested that you are allowed two glasses of white wine in addition to the instructions on the program. You may substitute champagne for white wine. Under no circumstances are you to drink any other alcoholic beverages with the exception of beer which is allowed. Any liquor (bourbon,vodka, rum) is forbidden. Cream drinks are especially forbidden. You may have an occasional cordial such as creme de menthe or schnapps, but you must always limit yourself to two drinks. If you wine, drink only wine that day. If you have beer, drink only beer that day, etc. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet. However, after the first week it will help your digestion and settle your stomach.

G.M.’S Wonder Soup

The following soup is intended as a supplement to your diet. It can be eaten any time of the day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to consume large quantities of this soup.

28 oz, Water, 6 Large Onions, 2 Green Peppers, Whole Tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 Head Cabbage, 1 Bunch Celery, 4 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Herbs and Flavouring as desired.

Additional Comments

Vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. No more than one tea spoon of oil.

You have been given a recipe for the WONDER SOUP which can be eaten in unlimited quantities. This soup is a supplement while you are on the program and it should be a pleasure to eat. Not everyone likes cabbage, green peppers, celery etc. This recipe is not inflexible. You may substitute vegetables according to your taste. You may add any vegetables you like: asparagus, peas, corn, turnips, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to stay away from beans (lima, pinto, kidney, etc.), because they tend to be high in calories, even though they are very good for you.

Beverages you may consume while on the program :

1. Water (flavoured with lemon/lime if desired).
2. Club Soda is OK.
3. Black Coffee. No cream or cream substitute. No sugar or sweetness.
4. Black Tea = Herb or Leaf.
5. Absolutely nothing else except the fruit juices which are part of day seven. No fruit juices before day seven.

How and Why It Works

Day One you are preparing your system for the upcoming programme. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two starts with a fix of complex carbo-hydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four, bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five, Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.

Why am I dieting?

I have been trying to diet off and on for years. Towards the end of high school I thought I was overweight (5'8" - 145lbs), I was not. The end of my first semester in college (Winter '07) I was a very thin 115lbs. too thin for my body type. On my graduation day from college I weighed 210lbs.

Today I am down to 185lbs. I cut out pop (soda for you "crazy" people =), started walking to the store, and made other minor changes. I have hit a plateau and need to kick start my diet, hold myself accountable, and really make this work!