Smoothies! :D

So, I've been doing pretty good on my healthy-thing...yes that's what I'm calling it! And I've come up with some smoothies that are super good :) here we go!

One:
Banana, kiwi, and blueberry smoothie.
For this you'll need:
One ripe banana
One ripe kiwi
A small handful of blueberries (or as many as you want)
Naked Green juice (or any other juice you like)
Plain or vanilla low fat yogurt
Ice

So I have this amazing little blender that my sister, Kelly, got me for my birthday and I absolutely love it. It's supposed to be for a single serving smoothie, meaning one person. Easy peasy to use and easy to clean too! I think THIS is the one I have? Mine's pink, though :)



Anyway, all you do is pour in a little green juice (sometimes I add some water, too,  to thin the smoothie out a bit.) Then about two tablespoons of yogurt, add in your fruit in small chunks and then pulse until it's blended. Then I add about two ice cubes at a time and blend those as well. I'll admit the blender isn't all too great at completely crushing ice, but for me, it gets the job done okay enough.

Two:
Banana, mango, cinnamon.
For this one you'll need:
One ripe banana
One ripe mango (you'll use about half of it)
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Naked Green juice (or any other juice you like)
Plain or vanilla low fat yogurt
Ice


Okay, so this one is my new favorite. I recently read somewhere that if you take in about 1/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon of cinnamon a day, it really helps rev up your metabolism. So...I already love cinnamon and I cannot wait for the Fall so...this works for me lol. Again, follow directions above, making sure you keep the fruit smallish so the blender can really get everything well combined.

Bam. You, sir, now have deliciousness.

Three:
Green Juice and Banana
Pretty self explanatory, I think.Plus yogurt, ice, and a splash of cold water.

A little tip:
I find that if you chill the fruit in the fridge and make the smoothie with cold fruit as apposed to room temperature ones, the smoothies just come out better.

All of these, of course, can be tweaked according to preference and all. I absolutely love the Naked brand of real fruit smoothies! Of course they're good on their own, but it makes it so easy to cut out a sugary drink you may have used in place of the Naked juice when making a smoothie. I'm currently running low on green juice so the next trip to the store will be to try out new combos :)

I drink these smoothies sometimes for breakfast, but more than that I drink them before and after work outs. Sometimes I'm just not 'hungry' before a work out so I won't eat which is a no-no. Instead, I'll drink half a smoothie and work out, then drink the other half afterwards and most likely eat then. I find that if I eat or drink too much right before a work out, I feel sick and need to stop sooner so half a smoothie about 15 minutes beforehand is working for me so far.

My next smoothie, I'm thinking, is going to have avocado in it, somehow....we'll see how that works!
Anyway, I hope some of you out there will try one of these :)

Bored. So....HAUL.

I see a lot of people on youtube make 'haul' videos...so I'm going to make a 'haul' blog. Because I'm bored. Here we go!

So, today I went food shopping and only spent about 30-40 dollars so whoo! Here's what I got:

• A bunch of bananas
• 4 huge mangos
• 3 medium avacodos
• Whole wheat pasta
• Naked green juice
• A huge container of plain yogurt
• 10 luna bars
• Three boxes of poptarts
• Two boxes of pita chips
• One huge bag of pretzels
• Raisin bran cereal 
• Box of 6 cliff bars
• Cat litter
• Dishwasher soap

Annnnnnnd I got a few other miscellaneous things like floss and crap but that's boring so I won't go into it lol
Wow. I'm finished and still bored. Whomp.
Ganna go make a smoothie and eat a luna bar. Bam.

Holy healthy pancakes, Batman!

So, I've really been trying with this whole healthy lifestyle thing and although I wouldn't call myself a health-freak, I do feel as though I'm much healthier than I was a few months ago....which makes me happy!

Anyway, I've really been into Casey Ho on tumblr/youtube.
Here's her links:
Clickity-Click
Clickity-Click

This morning I made banana pancakes from a recipe I found on her tumblr and HOLY. GOOD. LORD. They're amazing. At first I was kind of weary to try them because it's only two ingredients and how the hell is something supposed to taste as amazing as she claims with only two ingredients, right? I was soooooo wrong.

All you need:
Two eggs
One large banana
 THAT'S. IT!

You can find the video of how she makes them here, but basically: Mash everything in a bowl until frothy(I used a whisk), spray some non-stick cooking spray on a pan/griddle, wait until pan is hot (medium heat), and pour little sand-dollar looking things. They literally take no time at all to cook and just flip them when they're brown on one side.

Two keys, I found, is to make sure your pan is hot! I was hungry and poured the batter in the pan with it still heating up and it was quite the mess lol. The other key thing is to use a large banana as opposed to a small one. I used a pretty smallish one and I found some of my pancakes were more egg than anything else. Also, if you are super hungry, double the recipe!


Anyway, I hope some of you try this recipe and like it as much as I do. Of course they don't taste as good as the heavy ihop pancakes, BUT these give you so much more than those do!
They're all natural, no gluten or processed flour/sugar! Also, they give you a lot of energy so it's great to eat before you go and workout. Added bonus= They're flipping cheap as hell to make as well! A bunch of bananas is, what? 2 bucks at the most? Same  amount about for a carton of eggs!

These are the nutritional facts according to Casey Ho, the brilliant mind behind these things:

I seriously suggest you try these, even if you're on the fence about it. I know what you're probably thinking, "Those aren't banana pancakes, those are egg omelets with banana in them. Gross." I thought the exact same thing, but I was completely wrong! Do it!

Also, side note...in my last blog I said I was going to do the 30 day blogilates challenge, starting September first. I lied. I started yesterday :P. Putting more thought into it, I'd say it's more of a 30 day fitness challenge. I say this because I would love to go outside and go for a run sometimes, too. I'm thinking of keeping an online log of my workouts to keep track on here so keep an eye out for that, too. Now I'm just thinking out loud. Anyway, thanks for reading! :D

Challenge

So....Lately I've been into healthy stuff and things and all that. I've been doing reasonably well with eating not as much crap (ie soda, fast food, so on). However, I haven't really gotten into the exercising aspect of it as of yet. I just...I'll plan out to work out or go for a jog or what not and then, for what ever reason, I lose interest/motivation and don't do it....so....I think I am going to do this:

I found this really cute, admittedly sometimes a bit annoying, person on youtube who does work out videos. She combines pilates with a whole bunch of other good stuff (I'm tired and not good at words at the moment, but you catch my drift, right?). So, I think for thirty days, I'm going to try and do at least one to two of her videos each day, giving myself one to two days of a break so my body can recover....because I hear you're supposed to do that. I want to start this September 1st just because it'll be easier for me to keep track of the thirty days.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm going to sit on my ass and do nothing until then. It just won't be every single day for now. I have a lot of knee and lower back problems and I'm not used to working out, especially doing pilates, so I think before I do this challenge of mine I had better get comfortable in some of the moves and so on. So...until September first, I'll be taking things slow and basically just familiarizing myself with her workouts.

I don't even know if any of this makes sense. Anyway.

My plan is to combine her videos, both pilates workouts and cardio, as well as going for jogs once the Fall weather really comes in. I don't think I'd mind that at all, actually.

So, here is the person I've been rambling about:
http://blogilates.tumblr.com/

She makes it as easy as it possibly can be as far as what to eat, what moves to do and so on, as well.
So...Tomorrow I'm planning on doing this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r_z7DUpjH8&feature=player_embedded

We shall see what happens :)

Healthy stuff and things :D!

So...I didn't really plan this or anything, but I went to the store and got a ton of healthy things! Well...not a ton, but a lot? Enough? Whatever, healthy things! And I made some healthy recipes today so...here you go :)

Here's what I got today :)

Blueberries (a package)
Strawberries (a package)
Mangos (3)
Wheat thins (whole grain)
Whole wheat bagels
Eggs
Turkey bacon
Three cans of chick peas/garbanzo beans (for hummus)
Two large bags of carrots (cheaper than baby carrots)

Green juice
One large cucumber
Two large bags of 'veggie lovers' salad (they have snap peas and stuff in them)
Cheese (reduced fat)
Two packages of whole grain popcorn (one kettle one butter flavor)
One package of frozen edamame
....And I'm sure I'm leaving things out...but that's all I can remember

Surprisingly, I didn't really spend as much as I thought I would! And...I feel really proud of myself for not buying anything 'bad' for you at the supermarket....even when I saw the lady before me at the check out line getting snickers and chips. I resisted....and it was hard lol

Anyway...Here's what I did when I got home from the store.

I immediately made myself a turkey bacon (2 slices), egg (one, sunny side up) and cheese sammich on a whole wheat bagel. I was starving and hadn't had anything besides a cup of coffee this morning. Granted, I did over sleep 'till about 12 and I went to the store and got home around 2ish....But I really need to get better about eating breakfast every single day. Again, hard.

Anyway, turkey bacon doesn't taste anything like real bacon, and I'm not sure if I like it yet or not...but I'll keep trying to eat it and see if it grows on me.

Oh! And with my sammich I had four strawberries and a half of a glass of green juice. What is green juice? This stuff:

I'm sure you may have seen the Naked brand before and although they're a little pricey, I think they're worth it if you buy the bigger bottle rather than the single serving size. These are REAL smoothies with out additives so of course they're a bit expensive. The green one, 'Green Machine' has:

• 2 3/4 Apples
• 1/2 Banana
• 1/3 Kiwi
• 1/3 Mango
• a hint of Pineapple
•  1,300 mg Spirulina
• 400 mg Chlorella
• 100 mg Broccoli
• 100 mg Spinach
• 50 mg Blue Green Algae
• 50 mg Garlic
• 75 mg Barley Grass
• 75 mg Wheatgrass
• 50 mg Ginger
• 50 mg Parsley (this is all from the Naked website)

On to the amazing hummus I made today....holy crap. It's....okay listen.
I've tried hummus before and I wasn't really a big fan of the brand...I don't really remember which one it was, but I got it at my college and it was just plain nasty. So, I decided to try and make my own. After researching a few recipes online, I made it my own and here's what I did.

Ingredients:

• One (15 oz) can of chick/garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
• One teaspoon of hot, Hungarian, paprika. (or any paprika, really)
• One table spoon of lemon juice
• One teaspoon of salt
• Three small cloves of garlic, crushed
• One half tablespoon of sesame seeds

So, all you do is combine everything in a food processor/blender until it's smooth. Add a bit of the bean's liquid at a time until you get the consistency you want. Taste as you go so you can see if you need to add more lemon or anything. The sesame seeds, I feel, are optional and I only used them because I had a tiny bit left in the jar. The results....A-Flipping-Mazing hummus. I like it on whole wheat, wheat thins...or carrot sticks. Oh yeah. And it makes a lot, this recipe. Also, I think you're supposed to add olive oil...but I forgot lol and it came out really good, anyway. Seriously, I could have eaten it all off a spoon, plain.

So, I feel a lot better about eating/being healthy this week than I did last week, or even a few days ago. I feel like it's still going to be a challenge but I feel I'm more determined to be healthy now more than ever.

Favorite Products And Things!

I wanted to make a blog about this for a long while and so some products and things listed may have been used on other blogs, but tough cookies! Anyway, this is basically a listing of products...and things...that...I like. God. The words today. These are just a few and they are all my personal opinion, feel free to disagree as it is an opinion :). Anyway, before I babble some more, here you go:

 

Makeup

 Revlon Grow Lucious Mascara *****
I just started using this mascara about a month ago and I flipping love it. It's waterproof, stays put all day, and it makes your lashes grow! I've seen a pretty big difference in the amount of lashes I have/how full they are since I started to use this mascara. Even when I don't wear it, my lashes are longer :). Anyway, besides making my lashes grow, I really like the brush and formula to this mascara. It doesn't clump unless you purposely do so by globbing it on.Although it doesn't stay on my bottom lashes as long as it does the top, it doesn't flake and it does stay on pretty well. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because of the lower lashes thing. I didn't buy this item so I have no idea how much it is. Probably less than 10 bucks.

ELF (Eyes, lips, face) Liquid Eyeliner *****

I've been using this stuff for a long time, now. I've bought...three or four of them? I love it because it stays put all day (as long as I use an eyelid primer) and it doesn't flake like some other liquid eyeliners I've used in the past. I gave it four out of five stars because I don't really like the applicator. I mostly use it with a small eyeliner brush I have and then it works and looks it's best :) OH! And it's only a flipping dollar!

 ELF Studio Tone-Correcting Powder *****
I lovvvvvveeeeeeeee this stuff. Now, it doesn't say non-comedegenic, non-acneagenic, or hypoallergenic so be careful if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin. However, I have both sensitive and acne-prone skin and I've never had an issue with this product. It's probably the best face powder I've ever used. The four different colors are scary, but don't be put off. You swirl them together with your powder brush and they help correct dark spots, redness, and other flaws :) It lasts pretty much all day, too which is amazing. Also, ONLY THREE BUCKS.

ELF Eyelid Primer *****
This stuff I could not live without. I don't normally wear all too much eye shadow in the summer because it creases and melts and just doesn't look great. However, I do wear eyeliner a lot and this stuff helps keep it on until I remove it, myself, at the end of the day. Also, when I do wear eye shadow, it keeps it on ALL DAY and no creasing! The only thing you have to do is apply a small amount, blend it in to your eyelid/where ever your putting eyeliner/eye shadow, and then wait for it to dry. Bam, good to go. Also, only a dollar!

 MAC Russian Red Lipstick *****
I absolutely love this color for my skin tone and how it completes any makeup look I have. However, it's really expensive (18 bucks or there about) and it is really drying to my lips. Also, it's a lot harder than other lipsticks I have and therefore, hard to blend/apply. I only gave it three out of five stars for those reasons. However, when you combine it with the product below, it's amazing. All I do is apply the lip balm, give it a second or two to sink into my lips, then apply the lipstick like a stain and it lasts all day :)

EOS Smooth Lip Balm Sphere, Sweet Mint *****

This is pretty much the best chap stick/lip balm thing out there. It lasts for a while on your lips and tastes amazing. I only have the sweet mint one, because I happen to like minty chap sticks, but they have loads of other flavors you can buy. I think they're around 3-4 dollars? I know it's a bit pricey for chap stick, but it lasts you a good long while. I've had mine for at least 5 months and it looks about the same as the day I bought it. I wear it alone or, as I wrote above, with other lipsticks.

Skincare

LUSH Fresh Farmacy Facial Cleanser *****
I know I wrote a blog about this before, but I really can't say enough about it. It's the best face wash I've ever bought, and believe me that's saying something. Having acne and acne-prone skin is a really frustrating thing and to find something that actually works and stays working? It's nothing short of a mircale, in my own opinion. Seriously, this stuff is amazing. It's all natural, vegan, no strong chemicals or smells, doesn't over dry and doesn't over moisturize. It's just....yeah. Can't say enough. I buy mine online and get 3.5 ounces of it for 9.50 plus 6.00 shipping in handling...which is kind of expensive for face wash but because it works so well, it's worth it. Also, it lasts for at least 4-5 months at a time. Besides being a little expensive with shipping for me, the only other draw back is that it can be a bit messy. I kept mine in a plastic container and it kind of turned to more a clay like consistency when I got down to a small amount left of the bar. However, with my new bar (that I just got!) I'm going to cut off a medium piece, keep it in the container and store the remainder in a cool, dry place. This way I waste less of it and hopefully it's less messy.

 St Ives Soothing Oatmeal and Shea Butter Body Moisturizer *****
I've been looking for a body lotion for a really long time that doesn't irritate my skin and also smells okay-ish. Again, I have very sensitive skin and especially my legs when I shave them, it's so hard to apply body lotion with out getting razor burn or some kind of irritation. However, the St Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter one? Amazing. Now, I still don't apply it directly after or even the day I shave my legs, but the day after? No irritation, no razor burn, nada. It's incredible. Not only this, but it moisturizes my skin so nicely. I apply it at bedtime so that it soaks into my skin over night and in the morning my skin is all soft and stuff. Also, it's only about 5 bucks, maybe less, and you get a decent sized pump bottle of it.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Moisturizer *****
I think I posted a blog about this too...oh well. I gave it four out of five stars because it's 15 flipping dollars. However, it's the best facial moisturizer I've ever used. My skin can be red sometimes because it's sensitive (count how many times I've typed that lol) and what not, and this does help to calm it down. Before I found this, all the other moisturizers either didn't moisturize enough or made my skin oily and thus, broke me out. This stuff? Its the shizz.

Say Yes To Tomatoes Roller Ball Spot Stick *****
Again, wrote about this in another blog...but since I wrote that blog, I've purchased another one lol. The new one I bought has different packaging and I really like the new one better than the old one. The labeling is still the same, but the roller ball is just different and I feel like the product is more easily applied/comes out better with the new version. I gave this five out of five stars because it's the best dang acne spot treatment I've ever used. Although some zits just are stubborn and are ganna do what they want, 'cause that's how my face rolls, most of the time this does the trick. It's about 10 bucks and again, lasts forever.

 

 

 

 

Let's get real.

Soooooooo the whole making changes to my diet thing? Yeah hasn't been working as of now. I've been super stressed out lately and even though I really could blame my terrible eating habits solely on this fact, I won't. Honestly, it's for a lot of reasons, really. No time, the stress thing, no money to buy healthy food or food in general, and so on. Truthfully, those are all excuses. I mean, the real reason it hasn't worked out for me so far is that well, I'm kind of lazy, or I have been, when it comes to eating well and exercising. It's sooooo much easier to make a McDonalds run than it is to cook something I may have in my house already. It's also a lot cheaper. However, McDonalds food isn't as satisfying, at least for me, as a good and healthy cooked meal. It doesn't keep me full and I really feel like shit after I eat it, mentally and physically.

The food journal idea was good in theory, that is when I was eating things that were semi-healthy. However, after about a week of doing it, I gave up. I was finding that it was just a hassle and that it really wasn't helping me feel anything but ashamed of eating that taco bell three or four times in a week....which in turn, only stressed me out more, and only made me turn to bad food again. Gahd. As you can probably tell, it's been really frustrating for me. I mean, it's summer, people. There's a ton of BBQ's and other situations with friends and family that food is involved in. Most of the time there aren't healthy options available and if they are,you tend to feel left out because everyone else is eating the stuff you want.

Over the last few weeks I've been eating even worse than ever, I feel. After going nearly 7 months with out coke a cola, I went off the wagon :/ it SUCKS. In this past week I've had at least 3 large sodas and I'm really mad at myself about it. I hate feeling like crapola all the time and getting headaches and breaking out from drinking it and yet, there I go, drinking it lol. I really do want to eat and be a healthier person, it's just a lot harder than I ever imagined. I mean, when you think about it, it's not too hard to believe. You're brought up with all these unhealthy foods that you love and then during college you eat mostly bad things because, well it's college. Coffee and soda also come in because you have to stay awake somehow!

Anyway, babbling done for now. Basically, I'm going to re-start this healthy-eating thing. I'm going to take baby steps, again, but in a different direction. The number one thing is going to be cutting out all soda again, all over again, ugh. That's probably going to be the hardest. Then, I want to make small changes to my diet on a day to day basis, using things I can afford. I figure if I don't go to a fast food place or just grab something because it's quick and easy, I can put that money towards buying ingredients for a REAL meal. The thing is, I really do love healthy food and I love EATING healthy more than I love to eat the bad stuff. So yeah, frustrating and challenging as it is, I'm not giving up just yet :)