Back on track with a Cranberry/Carrot Smoothie

I started back up with my eating plan yesterday.  I got up and enjoyed my Phase 1 breakfast of blueberries and crispy brown rice cereal with rice milk.  I drank a couple of glasses of water and began cooking and baking for a dinner I was serving for 30 members of our church.

I snacked on cantaloupe as I cooked.  I stopped for lunch and had roasted chicken, vegetables and rice from my sister's party over the weekend that featured Lebanese food....YUM.  I drank more water.  I was doing great.  The first dessert came out of the oven, cooled and was cut into pieces.  I tried a bite and gave the rest of my piece to Frank.  It was delicious.

 

When it was time for my afternoon snack I took a few minutes to make myself a smoothie. Smoothies help me to make this eating plan much easier.  I grabbed some fresh cranberries and a carrot out of the fridge, added some water and ice, hit puree and in a moment had my afternoon snack in my hand.

And then everything went south.  The second dessert came out.  I certainly had to try it before serving it....or so I told myself.  The truth is...it was chocolate and peanut butter and I couldn't resist a piece. Then I took everything over to the church to finish the cooking there.  Come dinner time I was hungry and hadn't planned what I would eat as everyone else was enjoying the Polish Feast I had prepared.  Polish food is very delicious but it is not FMD friendly at all.  So I had some creamed cucumbers, some tomato salad, 1 stuffed cabbage, a little kielbasa and sauerkraut, 1 potato cheese pierogi with sour cream and another one of those peanut butter and chocolate bars.  

Sigh....I did drink 32 more oz. of water while at the meeting but when I got home I was tired and worn out.  Frank poured me a glass of wine before remembering that I had gone back on the eating plan.  He apologized and started to take it away but I snapped at him so he left it and then poured me another glass when I handed him my empty.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

Green Apple Smoothie

I created today's smoothie of the day in honor of an event in which I am partaking on my other blog called #AppleWeek.  If you, like me, love all things apple you are going to want to check out all the great recipes we are sharing.

I have found that smoothies are a great thing when you are trying to stick to a healthy, whole foods and fast metabolism eating plan.  They take minutes, they give you a full meals supply of vegetables and/or fruit, they are delicious and they are portable.  They are perfect for breakfast or a snack.  I did not use green apples in this smoothie but could have had I had any on hand.  

No, this is why I call it a Green Apple Smoothie.  Look at that perfect green color and icy goodness. I was able to give Frank breakfast in bed this morning. Enjoy.

Green Apple Smoothie

1 c. apple cider

2 c. dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, chard, etc.

2 small or 1 large apple, cored and cut into chunks

1 c. ice cubes

Place all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.  Print Recipe

Sunday Sermon.....

I'm not going to preach too much today but I did want you to know that cheating comes with a price. I was down 1 pound on Wednesday this week and today....I am still down one pound.  I was excited that I lost that pound while still cheating on the diet, so I continued to be lax.  Friday especially was a bad day.....five glasses of wine, lots of cheese, some chocolate and 2 pieces of pizza bad!!  Yesterday, I did pretty well and then they broke out the birthday cake....I had a couple of bites of Frank's piece. And there was candy at every table....so I had a couple.  Oh, and there were chips and dip.....so I had some.  It's a wonder I didn't gain that pound back!!

So, today, I am going to start fresh.  I'm going to stop beating myself up because, as Haylie preaches, that causes stress and stress causes fat.  I'm going to focus not on the meals that I didn't eat properly but at the meals that were in the eating plan and congratulate myself on being true to it 70% of the time.  My goal for this next week is to stay true 90% of the time.  That is when I have the best results.

I started my morning with an oatmeal smoothie that I am sharing with you today.  It has all the components required for a Phase 3 breakfast and it is pretty tasty. This makes 2 smoothies so you can share.  Enjoy.

Oatmeal Smoothie

1 c. almond milk

1 c. mixed berries

1/2 c. old fashioned oats

4-5 cherry tomatoes

1 c. ice

Place all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.  Print Recipe

A Smooth(ie) Transition

Yesterday found me back in the saddle again with my eating plan.  I am excited because I know that this eating plan works but I'm even more thrilled that it does exactly what author, Haylie Pomroy, promises.  I spent 3 weeks off of the plan.  I vacationed, eating out nearly every meal, drinking alcohol and eating desserts.  When I came home I attended parties, hosted dinners and went to weddings.  When I weighed myself yesterday morning.  My weight was exactly the same as when I stopped the eating plan.  That, my friends, is better than losing weight in my book!!

Now, I did not completely go off the eating plan for 3 weeks.  There are some habits I kept.  I still ate breakfast within a half hour of awakening.  I continurd to have a snack every few hours and I didn't drink coffee.  I had intended to drink coffee.  In fact, the very first day that I was off diet and we left for our road trip we stopped at Panera for breakfast and I ordered a large coffee.  I couldn't wait.  I took a sip....it was bitter.  I asked Frank if his coffee was bitter and he said his was fine.  Both cups came from the same pot.  I took another sip and still thought it was yucky....Frank finished my coffee and I haven't had the desire for another sip since.

I started my morning off with these lovely Buckwheat Pancakes, smothered in Fresh Peach Puree and topped with Slices of Peach.  This recipe will be available at A Day in the Life on the Farm tomorrow morning.

I grabbed a clementine for a snack and then headed out the door with Frank for a 2 mile walk before stopping in to visit at our friend's, the Bendas, to say goodbye to their son and his family who were heading back to Virginia.  We then went out for lunch.  I had a salad topped with chicken.  We ran some errands and when we got home I used the leftover peach puree from breakfast and some blueberries to make a smoothie for my afternoon snack.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet.  We were tired from attending a wedding Sunday where we may have had just a drink or two more than was optimal LOL....

Dinner was this juicy, mouthwatering Phase 1 Burger that is perfect for feeding the whole family and any guests you may have over.  I ate mine sans bun to stay within the eating plan but Frank had his on a bun.  It was just the two of us so we will be enjoying these for lunch today as the recipe made 4 burgers.

Have a Terrific Tuesday.  Talk to you soon.