A New Beginning

Hello, all! Since it is the New Year, I figured I would share a new recipe. 

Most New Year's resolutions revolve around weight loss, getting active, or eating better. I think it's pretty safe to say that most people who made these resolutions get discouraged or lose track of their goals after the first few weeks. The only reason I don't like declaring resolutions is because there's no reason to wait until the first of January to get healthy. Nevertheless, I do think it is a good idea to make your resolutions known, this way you become accountable for the decisions you make around friends and family. 

Weight loss is all about commitment and patience. Slipping up, or enjoying a favorite food doesn't mean you have to toss your goals aside and hop on the guilt train. Realizing that your diet won't be perfect is the first step. During the holidays I indulged in my fair share of sweets and delicious baked goods, but I don't feel at all guilty about it and even though I may have gained a few pounds, I would do it all again in a heart beat. It's never too late to turn over a new leaf. 

That being said, I have fallen head over heels for this new smoothie I have concocted. Enter the Creamy Green Protein Smoothie. 

Taken with Instagram

• 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder (I used Vanilla Sunwarrior) 
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 c. unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of your choice)
• 1 handful of blueberries (or other fruit)
• 1/2 an avocado
• 2 BIG handfuls of spinach
• 1 Tbsp. chia or hemp seeds (optional)
• Splashes of water to preferred consistency (I eyeball to about a 1/3-1/2 c.)
• Dash of cinnamon (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Yields about two glasses, but serves one. 

This has become my new obsession post-gym. It truly is a meal in a glass that will fill you up, keep you full, and leave you feeling energized to conquer the day. It's funny, I use to laugh at people who drank protein shakes, but now I don't know how I would survive without them. If you don't use protein powder but still want to make this a protein smoothie, then you can add about a half a cup to a cup of Greek yogurt. But if you're planning on making this for post-work out fuel, I wouldn't recommend using dairy for your source of protein because it takes longer to digest and your muscles will need to be revived as soon as possible. 

My mother still thinks I'm nuts for adding things like avocado and spinach to smoothies, but their flavors are so mild that the sweetness from the fruit make you feel like you're drinking a super healthy milk shake. Not only is this great after a visit to the gym, but it even makes a great snack in between meals if you're trying to stick to a diet plan. Protein, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables...need I say more? 

The End of One Chapter

I've been anticipating writing this entry for about a week now, and it's finally time for me to make this announcement. The reason I waited was because I wanted to make sure things were official and settled before I told anyone about this major change. What's the change you ask? Well, if you know me, then you know that I am a college junior pursuing an English literature degree. Actually that's a lie. I was pursuing an English literature degree, until today. Today I am officially on the path to pursuing a degree in nutrition and food science with a concentration in dietetics, so that I may become a Registered Dietitian. 


Yeah, I told you, it's a pretty big change. But this is something that I have been thinking about for a little while now, and I'm absolutely in love with the idea. I can't imagine doing anything else with the rest of my life. During and after my weight-loss, so many people joked that I should become a nutritionist, or be their personal trainer, or write a diet book, and for a while I just laughed off the suggestions. That is until I realized that deep down, it's seriously what I wanted to do. I love learning about nutrition and helping others live a more healthy life. It is my passion. 


I know the road ahead is going to be a difficult and bumpy one, littered with laborious science courses, sleepless nights, and massive amounts of stress, but are things that are worth having ever easy to obtain? No. Life is always going to be kicking me in the ass somehow, so I may as well make sure that I enjoy the end result when the assault is over. 


Since it's the end of July, I had to enroll for the fall semester at my local community college, and then in the spring I will be attending an institution that has a didactic program in dietetics. The decision to completely step out of my comfort, transfer schools, and leave my friends was not an easy one. But in the end, I realized that if fear was the thing that was holding me back, I had to dive into those fears head first. I have never been more happy or certain about a decision in my life. You always hear growing up that everyone has a calling in their life. Well, I struggled for years to figure out what my calling was, but it took me a complete life-style change, 70 pounds, and 20 years to realize what mine was. 


I'm both nervous and excited about this transition in my life, but in the end, I know it will all be worth it. Never in my life have I been more motivated and determined, and from past experience I know that that is a winning combination. I don't know exactly what the future holds, or where the winding roads on this journey will lead me, but I've got my seatbelt on and I'm ready for the ride. 

An Introduction is in Order

My name is Kathleen, more commonly known as Kat, and I am a 20 year-old college student trying to find balance and happiness in this bustling world. For years I struggled with my weight, body image issues, and shrinking self-confidence. Like most people, I tried almost every fad diet on the market, but nothing ever seemed to stick. At the beginning of 2011 I even became a vegetarian (technically, pescetarian) in hopes that the lifestyle change would help me get healthy. But after months of eating healthier, the number on the scale was just as disappointing as it always had been. I would lose ten, or so pounds and gain it, and then some, all back before you could say, "Triple-chocolate fudge brownie." Finally, in November of 2011 I kicked my ass into serious-health-nut mode, and at long last, it finally worked the way I had always imagined that it would. 

My secret? Ah yes, it's what everyone has asked me since I lost the weight. To everyone's surprise, and visible disappointment, the secret is diet and exercise. When you take in less calories than you are burning, you will lose weight. It is as simple as that. I cut out sweets, junk food, and highly processed foods and loaded up on vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I had no such thing as a "cheat day" or a "cheat meal." I discovered from all of my failed diets that if I gave myself an inch, I would take a mile; giving into a craving usually resulted in a junk-food binge, which led to an insane amount of guilt and self-loathing. Was it easy? Hell no. Especially not as a stressed college student. Was it worth it? Absolutely. 

The bottom line is that people just eat too much food, and usually that food has a very low nutritional value. The reason why so many people's diets fail is because they get bored of eating the same, bland food day-in and day-out. I have always had a passion for cooking, so my goal throughout my diet was to create delicious, nutritious, low-calorie meals, even in college. 

This blog is going to be a combination of recipes, inspiration, struggle, advice, and humor. I am not an expert, but if the numbers are any indication, I do have an idea of what I'm babbling about. 

Quick Facts:

Starting Weight: 198

Current Weight: 127

My diet is mostly plant-based and I work out six days a week.
I eat every 2-4 hours.

Favorite junk food: Ice cream, chocolate, cheese

Favorite healthy food: Oatmeal, broccoli rabe, beans, avocados, almonds, seafood

September 2010:                                                                 June 2012:

 

If you're about healthy living, cooking, or looking to make a lifestyle change, continue to check out my blog! And remember, hard work always pays off in the end.