DAY 2 is in the Books!

I finished day two and let me tell you the food I'm eating in Fantastic!  There's usually plenty of it and I feel light and energized.  I did have my Shakeology for a snack today because I seemed really hungry.  Chocolate covered Strawberry - seriously?  This is my kind of Detox!  I worked out in the morning and felt really good, however by the end of the day had a terrible migraine.  It could have been changing my eating habits and working out, but I was also doing a TON of computer work.  I've read that headaches could be a form of detoxing so we'll see!  I do miss my crunchy snacks, but have discovered that that was just mindless eating.  I haven't gone off of the program at all but was surprised to find that everytime I went into the kitchen I instantly thought about a handful of crackers or nuts.  I've been drinking all of my mineralized water - almost a gallon each day!  I even like it hot first thing in the morning like a pseudo coffee haha!  The only bad thing I can report is drinking the alkalinize - it's like doing a shot of pond scum.  It's not easy to do but then again, neither was Jack Daniels!  Close your eyes, hold your breath and shoot it back!  I also wear my bracelet to keep me accountable on this journey - it's funny how we all create our own little security blankets when doing something new.

 Did I mention the food?  Don't mean to be so obsessed but I am amazed!  Made a black bean and rice taco for dinner.  I used a real corn tortilla - not the fried in the box or the flour.  OMG is all I can say! For breakfast there was oatmeal, blueberries & organic yogurt sweetened with real maple syrup.  Lunch was another fabulous Greek salad and the tacos for dinner - see what I mean?  I've never made my own salad dressings before and don't think I'll ever go back to store bought.  I think this detox is just the kick in the pants that I need!!!  Below is the recipe for the creamy garlic dressing - Enjoy!

Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

1/2 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1 Tsp Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

1 TBSP Raw Honey or Pure Maple Syrup  (I used Honey).

Blend everything until smooth.  Refrigerate any unused portions - let set to room temperature if solidifies for next use.

Day 1 - DONE!!!

                                                         

I have to say that the first day went pretty much as expected.  The anticipation always makes things easier for me - like the first run of the season.  You go out feeling like a million bucks, have an easy run and go farther than you expected.  Then there's tomorrow...

But we'll see.  So far so good.  And talk about good - how about this FOOD?

I had eggs, whole grain toast & steamed spinach for breakfast, A fantastic salad loaded with toasted pumpkin seeds, some sprouts and jicama topped with a homemade creamy garlic dressing and Miso soup for lunch and OUTSTANDING marinated Salmon, boiled potatoes and steamed asparagus for dinner.  It was all really very good - well, the miso soup was OK but that's my issue... So far it's been really good.  I weighed in at 124.4 this morning so we'll see - this was a lot of food!  And a lot of water, but there's no better drink for you than water!  

#beachbodyultimatereset  #myfirstday #joinme

And tomorrow it begins...

I just got back from doing my grocery shopping for The Ultimate Reset.  That's the 21 Day Detox/Cleanse that I'm doing through Beach Body and I'm really excited!!!  I know this won't be easy.  I know there will be days that I'm going to want to quit - but I won't!  I'm taking it one week at a time since it's designed to be a 3-phase system.

In phase 1 I'm going to reclaim my body and prepare myself for change!  I will remove red meat and dairy from my diet, get rid of the stress on my digestive system and get my body back to a healthy  pH balance!

By the looks of the foods that I just purchased my meals should be delicious!  I'm also excited because I will be trying foods that I've never had or prepared myself before. I spent 20 minutes looking for Jicama thinking it would be something long & white in the produce department like I see it in the jars - only fresh produce for this cleanse!  Right area, wrong look.  It's shaped like an onion and looks exactly like a potato - who knew?  Haha!

I order Tempeh out at restaurants all the time as an appetizer - I love it and am so looking forward to learning how to prepare it.  And Miso Soup - yum!!!  The honey I bought is unfiltered and RAW - it seems thicker and more opaque than the honey I'm used to but tastes delicious (yes, I snuck a taste).  I bought beets, fruits, seaweed, veggies galore, Salmon, black beans, sprouts, whole grain bread,

long grain brown rice (and a rice cooker)!  I love gadgets!!!  Just take a look at my refrigerator!  Is that not the healthiest fridge you've ever seen?

Don't forget to follow me along this journey and ask any questions you may have - I'll give you the honest truth.  Especially about the Seaweed - not sure how I feel about that purchase.  I guess I'll just close my eyes and pretend I just got sucker punched by the ocean - that should taste about right...

Pumpkin Spice Muffins Oh My...

If you like the nutty texture and flavor of almonds, the creaminess, moistness and fragrance of pumpkin and the savory richness of dark chocolate, then these clean eating Pumpkin Spice Muffins are your new best friend.  Taken from the recipes of the Dessert Angel these are sure to be a keeper in your Fall rotation.  But be careful!  You'll want to eat them all in one sitting.

Check out the site of The Dessert Angel for all sorts of clean eating treats!  She has cookies, pies, muffins and more!

The Dessert Angel uses all natural ingredients such as almond flour & coconut flour instead of processed white.  She uses dates, honey, bananas & molasses as natural sweeteners.   That's the beauty of clean eating - no processed ingredients.  Just whole, good natural foods.  But again, be careful if you're on a weight loss journey!  It will come naturally as you start your lifestyle on clean eating, but it's not a free pass to eat the entire dozen in one sitting - even though you'll want to!

"I'm living large..."

That's right - we are in charge of our own accomplishments.  We are capable of achieving so much more than we think we can - we just need to believe.  We build walls around ourselves because of fear - fear of failure - even fear of success.  We need to tear those walls down and keep moving forward.  We fear we will try something and fail at it.  Guess what - we might.  Guess what else?  Who cares?  You tried.  That's a success right there.  Failure is never failing if you've learned from it. Use it to figure out what to do differently next time.  I personally have failed many times - I'm proud of that!  I've gone outside of my comfort zone,  tried new things and had a blast.  Sometimes with my head held high, sometimes face down, but I did it!  What have you tried before and failed at?

People say if you've never failed you've never really lived.  I'm living large!!!    :)

Just a little tip...

I know it's Monday right now but I want to tell you that I love Sundays!!!  It's my day of Rest and Relaxation!  I love to take the dogs for a walk, not worry about any housework and HAVE BREAKFAST!  You all know I love my Shakeology during the week for breakfast and on Saturdays.  But come Sunday - that's a different story - it's eggs, muffins, pancakes or as in this past  Sunday, Quiche!  I still try to be authentic in the way I eat and this recipe not only keeps the quiche "clean" but it is delicious!  Served with a side of bacon if you choose and some fruit and you've got yourself one delicious way to start your day!

Instead of using a pie crust for the base of your quiche, try using sliced Sweet, Russet or Red potatoes.  It tastes so good and doesn't leave you with the heavy feeling (or calories) that a pie crust does.  Pictured here is a Mushroom Quiche but the substitution for the crust can be for any quiche.  The sky's your limit!  Just make sure you slice your potatoes thin.  Layer them overlapping on the pie pan and lightly spray or brush the edges with olive oil.  Fill with whatever quiche  ingredients you like and bake!  Happy Eating!

Homemade Granola, Homemade Goodness

We all grew up loving the crunchy goodness of Nature Valley Granola bars.  Ah, Oats 'n Honey, Peanut butter, Chocolate chip.  They were all my favorite and a great go-to for a quick snack or breakfast.  Let's make our own!  It's easy and you can basically add what you like for your sweet tooth.  A handful of granola with fresh fruit is the perfect pick-me-up for your day!

Ingredients

3 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

1/4 - 1/2 Cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 + cup unsweetened applesauce (might need a little extra for mixing)

1/4 cup of honey

2 tsps of cinnamon

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325*  Whisk together your applesauce and honey.  Blend well with remaining ingredients.  Spread on a Parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 45 minutes until it feels dry and has a nice golden color.  Allow to cool before eating.

*After granola has cooled a good bit, I add Dark Chocolate Morsels - about 1/4 cup to add the yummy sweetness of chocolate!  I LOVE CHOCOLATE!  Experiment with YOUR favorite flavor!