My side note of value to the 9 Days Down post is weight gain/diet. Oh, it could be so much worse after 90 days traveling, I thought it was going to be, but 7lbs have to go to return to my comfort zone. (If anyone knows of a great travel scale to weigh your body that’s easy to pack please comment!!) My tried and true method for losing about 1 1/2 pounds per week is the following diet and exercise.***
Breakfast: Smoothie made from 1/2 cup coconut almond milk; 1/2 cup Greek honey yogurt; 1/2 scoop of Blend Fresh fiber, 1/2 scoop Blend. Fresh fruit/veg (I rotate flavors daily-thanks to my daughter in law for the intro to Blend Fresh), 1 scoop soy protein powder (used to use whey but not anymore, too high in carbs), 1 frozen over ripe banana (I push them out of the peel into a snack size baggie or throw them straight into the freezer as time allows when they’ve gone past their prime, never wasted as I can always pull them out to make banana bread also:-), plus about 1/4 cup berries either fresh or frozen (ones I pop into baggies as we leave on trips=no waste. Wow. Another e-book idea, I hate to waste food (some hungry kid mentality not to mention my frugality) and have awesome ideas for not wasting good food instead of having it go bad. Haha. Anyway. I blend until smooth and pair with one toasted whole wheat English muffin with natural peanut butter. A hearty start to the day.
Lunch: My version of lunch is snacking every couple hours until dinner. Apple, grapefruit, grapes, raw almonds, unsalted mixed nuts (both Costco products, great price and quality), carrots, celery, grapes, tomatoes, radishes….you get the idea.
Dinner: Chicken or Fish (seasoning varies but pretty naked; sauces are out); zucchini pasta, wild rice, quinoa, any no white flour type starch with an occasional baked potato (minus any condiments) or a salad about 3x a week with avocado and lemon, no jarred dressing, in place of my “starchy” item and a steamed or roasted veggie. I completely cut out dairy such as cheese and only allow myself whip cream on my berries or about an ounce of dark chocolate or a 1/4 cup of Dark Chocolate Coconut covered almonds for my sweet fix (from Costco also). Fried foods and processed foods are out. I also diminish my IPA and wine intake but don’t totally eliminate it. Allegiance to my #livelife mantra đ Allowing a “cheat” day is ok once my goal weight is reached but only if I want it. Eating good for you, fresh tasty food, I enjoy and I feel better. Can’t lose sight of that.
Exercise: This varies but 30 minutes 6 days a week is my goal. Right now, because it is an easy routine with travel, I do: 2 sets of 25-50 crunches, 2 sets of 15-30 reverse crunches, 50 horizontal scissors, 50 side leg raises each side, 2 minute high knees and 2 minute plank plus as much walking as possible which helps keep all my “trouble spots” in check. When I’m home I like to mix in DVD plans from Jillian Michaels and Denise Austin.
Okay, that’s it for now. I’ll report anything fun about this weekend getaway and my prep to get my biz open for Mothers Day Weekend and then we will be off to sunny seaside San Diego #gopadres#travelwithme
***If the weight goal exceeds 10 lbs I jumpstart the above with a 3 day (up to 14 week) method I have used a couple times since 2006.
Day 1: 1cup raw fruits/veg every 2 hours upon rising until dinner to consist of 6 cups of raw salad ingredients plus 3 oz chicken or fish 2 hours after dinner one protein powder shake made with water. (Super important to amp up your protein so you don’t feel too starved)
Day 2&3: 1 cup raw fruits and veg every 2 hours until dinner. Dinner 6 cups raw fruits and veggies. That’s all :-/ I soothe myself with hot green tea until a couple weeks into this regimen when my system adjusts and no longer roars with hunger. Its worth it because it works both for some fast drop and readjusting your tastebuds to craving fresh first.
