The hardest part about making life changes is changing what I eat. I LOVE FOOD! So, I have been trying really hard to find healthier alternatives to some of my favorite things.
I love ice cream. LOVE IT! Unfortunately, it has a ton of calories. I found a recipe on Pinterest for an ice cream substitute that only had 3 ingredients: frozen bananas, peanut butter and cocoa powder. I wondered how that could taste like ice cream and didn't think it had a chance in hell of being as good as real ice dream, but I had to try it though, because it's only 230 calories per serving and has no sugar or dairy.
To prepare, I peeled ripe bananas and put them in a plastic baggy in my freezer. When I was ready to make the "ice cream", I took them out and ran them under some cold water. I sliced them up and put them in the blender with the peanut butter cocoa and a little almond milk, then blended till smooth and creamy.
Believe it or not, it was delicious and SO much like ice cream, it definitely fulfills that craving. The last time I made it, I added some fresh strawberries. It thinned it out more than I would have liked, but it still tasted delicious.
You can definitely play with the recipe too. You don't have to use cocoa powder and could just do bananas and peanut butter. You could use coconut, soy or rice milk instead of almond milk. You could add other things, just be aware that will change the consistency.
Another food I love is cheese and there really is no substitute for that. I have been eating less, but I've also discovered Laughing Cow Wedges: http://www.thelaughingcow.com/products/the-laughing-cow-wedges/
They come in a variety of flavors. My favorites are Blue Cheese, French onion and Queso Fresco and Chipotle. The great thing is, they are only 35 calories per wedge. I've been using a wedge of cheese instead of butter or margarine when I eat my baked potato. That saves me 55 calories! I also use the cheese wedges as a substitute for mayonnaise, which saves me 45 calories. I also like to pair the wedges with carrots, cucumbers or pretzels and use them like a dip.
Oh and if cake or bread is your thing, there are some great recipes to be found that don't use sugar or eggs. It's amazing what you can substitute for sugar and eggs and still make something delicious!
Losing weight when you love food and love to eat is the hardest thing, but I am trying so hard to find good healthy foods that I also love and won't feel guilty about eating. Stay tuned, I will keep posting about my successes in finding great for you foods, that are guilt free!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Changing my life
This term I had to take a health/PE class as part of the requirements for my degree. I was dreading this class more than any other I have taken or have yet to take. I'm almost 40 years old, why do I have to take a PE class?!?!?
Three months later and I feel like a new person, this class changed me! I have struggled with my weight all my life. I've tried fad diets, fasts, diet pills and belonged to several gyms. None of it has stuck with me or worked for very long.
That is the great thing about this class, it taught me how to change my life so that I can be successful and make a permanent life change. I learned how to have an effective work out that will maximize my weight loss and muscle gain (the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn). I learned how to eat better. I learned that it's better to make several small changes, than change everything at once. I learned that using fake sugar is actually worse than eating real sugar.
That's right, fake sugar is worse than real sugar. Fake sugar tricks your brain. When you eat something sweet, your brain thinks it's getting some carbohydrates that it can use to turn in to energy. When you eat fake sugar, your body isn't really getting those carbs and then it feels deprived and in the long run, you end up craving even more sugar. Not to mention that fake sugar is a processed, chemical sweetener, created in a lab, NOT made from anything in nature.
I am a Splenda girl. I used to use up to eight Splenda's in my coffee every day. I am PROUD to say that as of this week, I am down to using ONE Splenda in my coffee a day. ONE! That is HUGE for me. By the end of next month, I will be drinking my coffee black!
Another thing I bet you didn't know, fat is good for you. Yep, that's right and if you think that it's OK for you to eat a diet that has NO fat in it, you are wrong. There are certain vitamins (A, D, E and K) that are fat soluble and without lipids those vitamins won't be absorbed in to your body. My favorite fact about fat and why it's healthy for you to eat things that contain fat, fat makes you feel full. As long as you eat foods that contain healthy fats, rather than foods that contain saturated and trans fats, you are doing your body good!
I am also proud to say that after 10 weeks of class, I am down 5 pounds and have lost 2% body fat and several inches off my body. I FEEL FANTASTIC!
For the first time in my life, I am making healthy, long lasting changes and I'm super excited!
Three months later and I feel like a new person, this class changed me! I have struggled with my weight all my life. I've tried fad diets, fasts, diet pills and belonged to several gyms. None of it has stuck with me or worked for very long.
That is the great thing about this class, it taught me how to change my life so that I can be successful and make a permanent life change. I learned how to have an effective work out that will maximize my weight loss and muscle gain (the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn). I learned how to eat better. I learned that it's better to make several small changes, than change everything at once. I learned that using fake sugar is actually worse than eating real sugar.
That's right, fake sugar is worse than real sugar. Fake sugar tricks your brain. When you eat something sweet, your brain thinks it's getting some carbohydrates that it can use to turn in to energy. When you eat fake sugar, your body isn't really getting those carbs and then it feels deprived and in the long run, you end up craving even more sugar. Not to mention that fake sugar is a processed, chemical sweetener, created in a lab, NOT made from anything in nature.
I am a Splenda girl. I used to use up to eight Splenda's in my coffee every day. I am PROUD to say that as of this week, I am down to using ONE Splenda in my coffee a day. ONE! That is HUGE for me. By the end of next month, I will be drinking my coffee black!
Another thing I bet you didn't know, fat is good for you. Yep, that's right and if you think that it's OK for you to eat a diet that has NO fat in it, you are wrong. There are certain vitamins (A, D, E and K) that are fat soluble and without lipids those vitamins won't be absorbed in to your body. My favorite fact about fat and why it's healthy for you to eat things that contain fat, fat makes you feel full. As long as you eat foods that contain healthy fats, rather than foods that contain saturated and trans fats, you are doing your body good!
I am also proud to say that after 10 weeks of class, I am down 5 pounds and have lost 2% body fat and several inches off my body. I FEEL FANTASTIC!
For the first time in my life, I am making healthy, long lasting changes and I'm super excited!
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