More about Fruit and Veggie Smoothies

After posting this, I got a message from someone saying that after they would think that it'd be really easy to go back to your old diet. And I agree, it would be really difficult. I have to say personally I'm not doing all fruit/veggies for 60 days. I am Irish and Italian people, I refuse to ever give up my beer and pasta, I'd rather be fat and happy-just saying. But I am really focusing on having it less and in more moderation. Changing from creamy pasta sauces to more tomato based, and from regular noodles to whole wheat. I  think moderation is the key to what I'm working on and it's also why I know this weight loss is going to take a lot longer, but I think that will make it easier to keep of and keep my self from bingeing. So I've been having the fruit and veggie smoothies in the morning then my regular meals but still making those healthier. It's been great, I feel a lot better and it has been a lot easier to tell when I'm full.

Another note- I have to warn you because I didn't warn my friend...If you aren't used to having this many fruits and veggies in such a concentrated amount-like the smoothies- they will, uhm, clear out your system. Just a warning. Sorry to get really personal there.

Water Weight

Water weight really confused me at first, maybe I'm just dumb and missed something in health class. But if not here is a little info for you.

I was really confused why you would be holding water weight if you are supposed to drink 64 oz a day.  So all these 'how to lose water weight' posts were really confusing to me. You do need to keep your body that hydrated however not to hold onto that water. That amount of water flushes through you (which is why I pee 100 times a day) and helps digestion and removes toxins. When you don't get enough water and you become dehydrated, you body holds on to all the water it possibly can, which stays on as weight instead of flushing through your system. Sodium also helps store water in your body. So keeping hydrated allows your body to lose extra water weight it doesn't need and keep your system clear. Here are a few tips I've found to help keep losing that water weight!

1. Drink enough water! at least 64oz a day
2. Add lemon to your water. It helps you drink more when there is a bit of flavor and lemon is a natural diuretic and remove salt from from the body.
3. Eat foods with more potassium-bananas, avocados, raisins, peaches-they're low in sodium and help keep it from your body
4. Less sugar- too much sugar can make it difficult for you body to excrete sodium
5. Keep moving-Exercise to help keep your body systems working correctly

Along with these tips I'm going to attempt a flush from Jillian Michaels. Although most of the time I just find her terrifying and insane, this looks pretty good.

• 60oz of filtered/distilled water
• 1 tblspoon of sugar free cranberry juice
• 2 tblespoons of lemon juice
• 1 dandelion root teabag

Drink this concoction every day for 7 days and rid yourself of 5lbs of excess water weight, maybe even more depending on how much your body is holding. This along with less sodium, more potassium, and working out can really help lessen the water weight your body is holding.

Reasons to Drink Lemon Water

Lemon water in the morning! Adapted from Amy's New Nostalgia blog-thanks Amy!

5 Reasons to drink lemon ice water in the morning

1. Balance your pH levels. Metabolized lemon acids become alkaline.

"To put it most simply, alkalies help keep the oxygen in our blood at a safe pH level, and this helps our body heal itself, assimilate nutrients and fight off unwanted sickness."

-Nicole Bennet

2. Keeps your skin clear! Water helps keep you hydrated and the vitamin C from the lemon helps prevent wrinkles.

3. It helps with digestion, heartburn, and constipation.

4. It helps with weight loss. Keeping up the alkaline levels in the body can help lose weight, it also is high in fiber, and can help with keeping off water weight.

5. It helps control the coffee and soda habits. Drink it in replace of your coffee, and when you're really craving a soda add it to some sparkling water to get a little bit of fizz!

Food Swaps

Found and adapted from She's Finding Fitness blog

Simple & Smart diet swaps for weight loss!

1.       White bread for Low Calorie Whole Wheat bread.

            Save  65-120+ calories PER SLICE! Check your bread nutrition labels.
2.       Butter for Margarine.

3.       Mayonnaise for Avocado

            Avocado is 50 calories per 2 tbsp. serving when replacing higher-calorie mayonnaise containing 180 calories per 2 tbsp.

4.       Meat for Veggie Pizza

5.       Canned fruit for fresh fruit

            Canned fruits that are packaged in syrups are loaded with sugars and extra calories/carbs

6.       Sugar for non-sweetened applesauce(baking).

7.       Creamy salad dressing for a vinaigrette dressing.

            Try Wish Bone Spritzers! Only 10 calories for every 10 sprays. There’s tons of different flavors

8.       One meal for a salad

9.       Ice cream for frozen yogurt and fresh fruit and veggies

10.   Milkshake for a fruit smoothie

            I mix 1/2 cup of Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry yogurt with ¼ cup water, 3-4 fresh strawberries, a banana, and 6-8 cranberries in a blender. This is delicious and it makes 2-3 servings

11.   Regular peanut butter for Natural Peanut Butter or Nutella

12.   Frozen Chicken in bags for all natural chicken

13.   Whole milk for skim milk

14.   White rice for brown rice

15.   Creamy pasta sauces for tomato

16.   Vegetable/Cooking Oil for cooking spray

17.   Ground beef for ground turkey

            Tastes EXACTLY the same but saves you tons of cals & fat!

18.   Tuna in oil for tuna in water

19.   Eggs for egg beaters

            Save 40-50 calories and save fat, cholesterol (beaters don’t have cholesterol)

20.   Sugary cereals for whole grain cereals (cheerios) with fresh fruit

21.   Soda for tea

23.   Oatmeal made with milk for Oatmeal made with water

24.   Salt for Salt Substitute (Mrs. Dash)

My 15 Tips and Goals

15 Things to keep me on track

1. Cut out soda!
2. Drink more water- as if I don't have to pee often enough
3. Stop eating out-no more french fry sides
4. Know when you are actually hungry
5. Wait 20 minutes after your first serving so you can feel that you are full
6. Drink a full glass of water before eating
7. Eat 5 small meals a day
8. Know the proper portions
9. Don't skip breakfast
10. Get sleep! 7-8 hours a night.
11. Get rid of empty calories-but eat when you're hungry, don't starve yourself
12. More cardio! 1 hour 5 times a week
13. Eat more slowly
14. Eat a more 'colorful' plate, more veggies less grains
15. Keep track of your goals and what you're eating, don't lose track and don't lose hope.

Heart Rate

When I'm at the gym I like to keep track of my heart rate, and they always have a little graph with your age and what kind of workout you want, cardio, fat burning, ect. My machine is always beeping at me that I need to slow down because my heart rate is too fast, but I'm just getting into my workout and I feel great. So I looked it up today and found NEMA Health and it made me feel better.
Resting heart rate for someone my age should be anywhere between 50-90 depending on how athletic you are. I am not athletic. My bpm immediately after my workout cooldown is 90 so I'm doing pretty well. NEMA says that you should take 220-your age, and that is your maximum heart rate. My max is 199. You then take that number and you find your upper and lower target zones when working out. Here are my results:
Maximum heart rate: 199
Upper Target: 159
Lower Target: 119

My average currently during a work out is about 170, and for someone who hasn't really gotten her ass up in a while I think it's pretty good. So ignore the dumb gym machine and do what feels good, but know to listen to your body.

Just found this nifty little chart on Pinterest. That site has inspired my health so much it is kid of silly, but it really is an easy way to find good stuff. You can follow my fitness board by clicking the link on the right!

Tip #1 Cut Out Soda

Soda is my biggest weakness. I've grown up drinking a lot of Pepsi and although I don't buy it as much now since I'm a college kid I still find ways to get it. I'm seriously addicted and its gross, but I still drink a lot of it. And then I found this on Pinterest. 

Yuck much? And I drink a lot of soda! My bf is a huge inspiration for me to get back in shape and he gave up soda until he started dating me. But knowing how much it changed his health to cut it out is really helping me stop drinking it so much. So no more soda! More water and more tea.