Sugar. Damn you sugar! SAT question and answer of the day: Kryptonite is to Superman as sugar is to me.
You all go through ups and downs of nutrition right??? Sometimes, I'm so healthy, it makes my friends cringe. Other time, my own habits make me cringe. Not at the moment of consumption, but afterwards. I'm like an addict, just trying to get my fix. I internally obsess over the strawberry flavored Australian licorice or daydream about the Junior Mints in my cupboard that I will devour, slowly of course, once I get home from my long day covered in children.
It's easy to cop out and blame the kids I teach. "They were so unruly today! Sugar will make me feel better..." But it truly won't. At the end of the day (and when I wake up the next morning), I feel at rock bottom again = Addict. Thank goodness it's not to the hard stuff. Like coffee. Or heroin...
It's interesting from a training perspective as well. I've noticed my energy and motivation levels have dropped significantly in the last two weeks, as my eating habits have deteriorated. I just don’t feel like working out but did the chicken come before or after the egg? Working out in itself gives you more energy from the endorphins that are released. However, by some twist of fate (or pure coincidence) yesterday morning, I ran a PR in a 5k race. Go figure. But then proceeded to munch on the M&Ms, Twizzlers, Chips Ahoy, Goldfish, etc at the finish line. You’d think they would have healthier choices at the end…Like oranges!
Only six days until my first of two triathlons this year. Six days to get my eating back on track. Bring on the fruits and vegetables! I decided I needed to force myself to make a change while I walked around Whole Foods during their "Love Local" food sampling event yesterday. I found an Odwalla Superfood smoothie on sale for $2 and something just clicked. Miraculously, I've even managed to avoid visiting a bakery this morning. Bring on the smoothies!!!
I love to make Kitchen Sink smoothies. As in "it's got everything in it except the kitchen sink." I start with the same base every time and then add whatever I have in my overly decorated fridge (see previous blog picture). I don't measure how much of each goes in...Experiment!
To start:
Banana
European or Greek yogurt (low calorie, high protein and no fat)
Orange Juice
Cinnamon (http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html)
And then. And then and then and then...add any or all of the following:
Kale
Spinach
Mango (Frozen or fresh fruit works!)
Strawberries
Pineapple
Blueberries
A couple drops of vanilla extract?
Blend and drink immediately, or put it in a closed container with and ice pack, go off on an adventure (does the gym count?) and drink it later. Warning: if you put green stuff and blueberries in it, the color will be a little intimidating. If you put in everything except the strawberries and blueberries, the smoothie will be an awesome sea foam green color. But it will taste delicious!!!
You all go through ups and downs of nutrition right??? Sometimes, I'm so healthy, it makes my friends cringe. Other time, my own habits make me cringe. Not at the moment of consumption, but afterwards. I'm like an addict, just trying to get my fix. I internally obsess over the strawberry flavored Australian licorice or daydream about the Junior Mints in my cupboard that I will devour, slowly of course, once I get home from my long day covered in children.
It's easy to cop out and blame the kids I teach. "They were so unruly today! Sugar will make me feel better..." But it truly won't. At the end of the day (and when I wake up the next morning), I feel at rock bottom again = Addict. Thank goodness it's not to the hard stuff. Like coffee. Or heroin...
It's interesting from a training perspective as well. I've noticed my energy and motivation levels have dropped significantly in the last two weeks, as my eating habits have deteriorated. I just don’t feel like working out but did the chicken come before or after the egg? Working out in itself gives you more energy from the endorphins that are released. However, by some twist of fate (or pure coincidence) yesterday morning, I ran a PR in a 5k race. Go figure. But then proceeded to munch on the M&Ms, Twizzlers, Chips Ahoy, Goldfish, etc at the finish line. You’d think they would have healthier choices at the end…Like oranges!
Only six days until my first of two triathlons this year. Six days to get my eating back on track. Bring on the fruits and vegetables! I decided I needed to force myself to make a change while I walked around Whole Foods during their "Love Local" food sampling event yesterday. I found an Odwalla Superfood smoothie on sale for $2 and something just clicked. Miraculously, I've even managed to avoid visiting a bakery this morning. Bring on the smoothies!!!
I love to make Kitchen Sink smoothies. As in "it's got everything in it except the kitchen sink." I start with the same base every time and then add whatever I have in my overly decorated fridge (see previous blog picture). I don't measure how much of each goes in...Experiment!
To start:
Banana
European or Greek yogurt (low calorie, high protein and no fat)
Orange Juice
Cinnamon (http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html)
And then. And then and then and then...add any or all of the following:
Kale
Spinach
Mango (Frozen or fresh fruit works!)
Strawberries
Pineapple
Blueberries
A couple drops of vanilla extract?
Blend and drink immediately, or put it in a closed container with and ice pack, go off on an adventure (does the gym count?) and drink it later. Warning: if you put green stuff and blueberries in it, the color will be a little intimidating. If you put in everything except the strawberries and blueberries, the smoothie will be an awesome sea foam green color. But it will taste delicious!!!