Daily Archives: March 18, 2013

Mar18

Green Smoothies: Frozen Veggies Better Than Fresh?

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greensmoothie2

Okay, so now that I’m on the “eating clean” game, I’m trying to incorporate green smoothies into my diet. In the past, I found it difficult to be consistent as I HATE grocery shopping weekly to get fresh produce … and I never have enough time to do all the rinsing/washing/ peeling/de-stalking, etc. that is required. So, stuff inevitably spoils and has to be trashed (I HATE being wasteful of my money and food even more than I hate grocery shopping).

So, when someone suggested I use frozen veggies in my smoothies to eliminate the need for ice, I had an “Ah Ha” moment!! Forget not using ice. From what I’d read, frozen veggies might be even better than fresh!!

via LiveStrong.com

The nutrients of fresh vegetables begin to deteriorate from the instant they are harvested. Results from the Institute of Food Research presented in the NY Daily News reveals that fresh vegetables such as green beans lose 45 percent of their nutrients; broccoli and cauliflower, 25 percent; carrots, 10 percent; and peas up to 15 percent after 16 days of storage. With fresh vegetables, you never know how long it has been since they were picked and the amount of nutrients that were lost en route to the market unless you are buying from a local farmer. With vegetables that are frozen in their prime, you can savor most of the nutrients that were present at the time of freezing.

As much as I use frozen veggies to supplement my Lean Cuisines, I don’t know why I never thought to use them for smoothies! DUH!!!! I mean, they are frozen at the peak of ripeness, hence nutrient rich. They are already washed and cut. They can last for months in the freezer!! And most of the time, they cost far less than fresh produce!! How much more economical, quick and convenient can you get?!?!?

That being said, I picked up some frozen spinach (which I always keep in the freezer) and kale at the grocery store last week and whipped up the green smoothie above last Saturday! With protein, fiber, Omega-6, potassium and a variety of other vitamins and minerals, it was a perfect post-workout recovery meal!

SPINACH, KALE, BANANA, PROTEIN GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Greensmoothie5

8 oz. water

6 oz. almond milk (30 cal)

1 lightly thawed frozen banana (100 cal)
(suggestion: PEEL first, then freeze! LOL!)

1/2 c. frozen spinach (15 cal)

1 c. frozen kale (25 cal)

1 tbsp flax seeds (47 cal)

1 scoop Nectar Strawberry Mousse Whey Protein (100 cal)

Total:  317 Calories

HEALTHY and DELICIOUS!! 

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Do you use fresh or frozen veggies in your green smoothies? If you use both, which do you prefer fresh and which do you prefer frozen and why?

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Mar18

Weekend Hair: Hair Rehab and Recovery

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I’ve been keeping it pretty simple with hair lately. As you know, given daily morning work-outs, I’ve been wearing my hair in a bun. Well, between the henna/indigo residue from the prior week, the sweat from exercising and the “containment” of the bun … my hair was smelling all kinds of funky by Saturday morning!! Pee-you!! LOL!

Anywho, after my morning kettlebell work-out, I hopped in the shower … no pre-poo, no twists, no nothing, and got to work.

Wash Day Routine (Saturday)

  • Shampooed with diluted Shea Moisture Raw Shea Moisture Retention Shampoo (I have to say, I don’t feel like this gets my scalp/hair really clean. After working up quite a lather and rinsing, my hair still had a henna smell to it. So, I had to repeat.). Rinsed.
  • Finger detangled with diluted Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (went great again). Rinsed.
  • Massaged scalp with a mix of JBCO and jojoba oil.
  • Deep conditioned with a mix of Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment (ran out) and MyHoneyChild Olive You DC with honey, VCO, EVOO and JBCO (approx. 30 min. w/heat turban and 1 hour with no heat – because I had to run out).
  • Cooled and sealed with Aubrey Green Tea Cream Rinse and rinsed with cold water.
  • Applied modified Kimmaytube leave-in (1 tbsp Kinky Curly Knot Today; 1 tbsp Aloe Vera Juice; 1/2 tsp JBCO; 1/2 tsp EVOO; 1/2 tsp jojoba oil).
  • Twisted hair into 8 chunky twists.
  • Applied a mix of Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel and shea butter to roots.
  • Tied hair down with a scarf.
  • Removed scarf and released twists while my hair was still a bit damp.
  • Allowed hair to air dry without disturbing too much.
  • Fluffed hair once fully air dried.
All ready except the wet hair.
Released, but still very damp.
Air dried, side-parted and fluffy.

♦

Re-Style to Stretch (Sunday)

Working section by section for 12 sections – three in each quadrant:

  • Applied coconut oil whip to length of hair.
  • Applied Eco Styler Olive Oil gel to roots.
  • Braided length of hair.
  • Dampened hands with water and ran down length of braids to lightly wet.
  • Set the ends of top two twists on both sides of my head with grey perm rods.
  • Released after about 2 hours and fluffed.
Dry braid-out with Eco Styler Olive Oil gel at the roots and coconut oil whip to length.

♦

And, of course … I’ll be going back to the bun for the week ;).

Too bad it won't look this nice today!!

Too bad that it won’t look this nice today!!

My hair seems to be recuperating nicely now. For a minute there, it was not looking good. The kimmaytube leave-in, stretching my hair and keeping it bunned have definitely improved my sitch-ee-ay-shun!! So, I’ll be sticking with that routine for the forseeable future. I’m hoping that it’ll help me see some nice length retention too!!

Alright, lata gatas!!

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Have you had to initiate Hair Rehab this winter? If so, what have you been doing to get your hair into recovery and back on point?

Mar18

28 Day Fitness Challenge: Days 22-28

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Day28

YES!! I did it!! I worked out for a minimum of 10 minutes a day for 28 consecutive days!! And, I’m feeling so good, I plan to keep it going for another 28!! I’m really on a mission to lose this weight maaaaaang!!! LOL!

Day 22: C25K – Three run intervals at 5.5, and did the second 1.5 min interval at 6.0.
Day 23: Abs of Steel (10 min) + LB Kettlebell Full Body Blast (12 min). Since I only had time to do it once, I used the 20 lb bell for all but last exercise, the Russian Twists. I was tired and sore this day. But, got a much needed 80 min. stress relief massage! Lovely!
Day 24: c25k Week 3/Day 2 – did same as Day 1 except increased speed of last minute of last 3 min run from 5.5 to 5.7 and then walked at 3.8 from 20 min – 30 min mark increasing incline by 2 every 2 min (2, 4, 6, 8). Cooled down from 30-35. I find that continuing to walk at inclines after I finish running lengthens my stride and increases my endurance, resulting in improved running performance.
Day 25: Abs of Steel (10 min) + LB 12 min Kettlebell Full Body Blast x2 (26 min). Yeah, I looked at the time this day and the 12 min FBB is actually 13 min!! So, I realized, that’s 2 extra min I’ve been doing!! LOL ;)!
Day 26: C25K Week 3/Day 3 – Two 1.5 min run intervals at 6.0, two 3 min run intervals at 5.5 w/last min of second interval at 5.7. Then walked at progressive inclines from 20-30 min (2 min @ 0, 2, 4, 6, 8).
Day 27: Lauren Brooks Kettlebell Sculpt & Condition (40 min). This is a BUTT-KICKER!! It starts out all nice and sweet, then … WHAM!!! Push-ups, lunges, squats, swings, burpies, mountain climbers and … You know what? Do it again!! And, I did!
Day 28: Treadmill walk at 3.8 w/progressive incline every 5 min (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10).

♦

On the diet front, I was really challenged food-wise this weekend too. If you don’t know, I am a massive buttercream icing FIEND!! Like, I’ve eaten it straight out of the tub #dontjudgeme. So, I’m not kidding you when I tell you I had to exercise great will power to not indulge in even one slice of the desserts that abounded at my sister’s house this weekend. I went down for a surprise going away party for my bro-in-laws best friend on Saturday night and a girls’ book club meeting on Sunday. I knew that this would be a real test, but I was dedicated to succeeding as I felt this week 4 was so critical for me in regard to staying on the path to losing this weight. So, I did not partake of the carrot cake, carrot cake cupcakes, banana pudding, vanilla cupcakes or red velvet cake. Okay, wait, I did eat one spoonful of my sister’s low fat banana pudding … no cookie in it though. But that was it!! On Saturday, I mostly ate fruit and veggies and took small portions of shrimp, a spoonful of an Asian chicken salad, two turkey meatballs and two spinach balls. On Sunday, it was fruit and veggies again, one small boneless BBQ wing and the insides of two roast beef, grilled onions, pepper and arugula sandwiches.

Why did my sister make me take the cake to bring to work?!? She’s killing me!!

So yeah, as of this morning, I’ve lost 9 pounds. Woot! Woot!! Have you ever noticed that the same exact weight looks and feels different on the way down versus on the way up? When I’m gaining weight, it is “sloppy,” because I’m inactive and eating badly. So, my stomach protrudes, my posture isn’t great and I’m bloated. When I’m losing weight, my body starts getting tighter, my posture is better because my core is getting stronger and I don’t retain as much “water weight.” So the same exact weight that felt sucky on the way up, feels so much slimmer on the way down. Go figure!!

Anywho, getting through the first 4 weeks of exercising and diet is so critical for me. From here on out, it should get a little easier as I’ve gotten used to the morning exercise routine, I’m getting in bed by 11 pm, I’m not hungry all of the time and I feel good!! So, yeah, I’m pretty psyched and feeling really motivated!! C25K Week 4 starts today and I’m going up from 9 minutes of running to 16 though!! Dang!! They just changed it up on a sista!! But, that’s okay. ‘Cuz, I’m gonna get ‘er done!! 😉

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Time for 28 Day Fitness Challenge, Round TWO!! Who’s with me?!?!