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? 

It's a Fiesta

There are some healthy goods that are so delicious that sometimes you feel guilty about it. And then you quickly remember how good it is for you and the guilt goes flying out the window. That's how I feel about avocados. Creamy and full of fat- it's like the room temperature version of ice cream, except it's so much better for you than that Blizzard from Dairy Queen (yuck! Trans fats city!). 

When I first started dieting, I made a big mistake. Yes, I too make mistakes even though I may look like the picture of health. During my first few months of dieting, I cut back on my fat in-take way too much to try and save calories. Even the healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocados took a serious backseat so that I could eat more carbs and protein to fill me up. 

Since then, I have made a complete turn-around and have been eating more fats than ever before. A few months ago I would've been nervous to eat half of an avocado at one meal, but now I can't get enough. Since I've upped my fat intake, I've noticed that my mood is brighter and my personality is starting to remind me more of the person I was before my weight loss. Not that dieting and losing weight changed me into a miserable bitch, but there were definitely a lot of days where I was feeling antisocial, or not as fun-loving as I usually am. So I guess the answer to the meaning of life is fat? 

That being said, everything should be practiced in moderation. I would never just eat fats all day long, it's all about a balanced diet. I've come to discover that that balance is different for everyone. I may need more fats and protein than carbs, but the next person may need a lot more carbs for their optimal diet. My motto is eat everything. Have your fats (mostly healthy!), lean proteins, whole-grains, vegetables, and fruits everyday. Learn to listen to your body and see what kind of balance it functions best on. Everyone's body is uniquely different, so why would we all follow the same diet? I may be a vegetarian, but that may not be the best lifestyle for a lot of people. What it comes down to is trusting your gut. 

Now on to the fat attack!

Taken with Instagram

Open-Faced Fiesta Veggie Burger

Boca Grilled Vegetable Burger

1 Slice whole-wheat bread, toasted

1/2 Avocado, sliced

Tomato, sliced

Red onion, sliced

Baby sweet pepper, sliced

Romaine leaf

2 Tbsp. Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt

Hot sauce

Lime juice

Everything is pretty self-explanatory, except the spicy faux-sour cream that I made from Greek yogurt. All it is is the greek yogurt, a few dashes of hot sauce, to taste, and the juice of half a lime. Then once everything is assembled, pour the sauce on top and dig in! A fork and knife is a must with this...and maybe even an empty room because it does get a little messy, but there's nothing wrong with a little mess in the kitchen. 

This meal really is a great balance for the average diet. Who knew the face of nutrition could fit on one slice of bread? Even if that nutrition had to be scooped up with a fork during consumption. 

Something to think about:
Do you have a balanced diet?
Are the fats you're eating healthy?

A Rant About Vegetarianism

Can I just get something off my chest? Thanks.

It really bothers me when people assume the reason I lost weight was because I became a vegetarian. Yes, vegetarianism cut-out a lot of unhealthy foods from my diet, like Big Macs and deep-fried chicken tenders, but there are still a lot of unhealthy foods that don't include meat. Things like chips, fettucini alfredo, and Nutella are all fine in moderation, but when you have no control over your portions and eat junk until your stomach is about to regurgitate, it doesn't matter if you're a vegan or a carnivore, you will not lose weight.

Yes, becoming a vegetarian helped open my eyes to healthier options, but it didn't stop me from eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's in one sitting. There has to be a moment in your life, a turning point, when you look yourself in the mirror and say, "I need to get healthy," and then you need to focus on doing just that.

I thought I had that moment many times in my life. I can't tell you how many times I started a "new" diet throughout my short lifetime. But there was a moment, back in November of 2011, that changed my life forever.

I was sitting in my college dorm room with my roommate and it was around 11:30, 12 at night. We were watching SNL and talking about food, when my roommate looked at me and said, "Ya know what I could go for right now? Ice-cream." I agreed, having ice-cream always sounded like a good idea to me, it was my favorite food. After gushing about all the delicious ice-cream we could be eating, I looked at my roommate with this crazy grin on my face and asked, "Wanna go to Quick Chek?" And with that, we were off, no hesitation necessary.

Because I was obviously thinking about my health that night (ha-ha), I opted for Ben and Jerry's Half Baked FroYo. I'll spare you the gory details of how I devoured the entire pint like I was going to the electric chair, but like a drug addict, I forced myself to finish the entire pint, even when I started to feel full. Mind you, there are four servings in a pint of ice-cream. Immediately after, I went to bed. With an entire pint of frozen yogurt sloshing around in my stomach.

The next morning I felt like I had been hit by an eighteen-wheeler. I looked in the mirror and I hated who I saw staring back at me. This was not the person I wanted to be, I didn't even know her. That was the moment I knew I needed to change. For good.

Looking back, I don't regret that night because it showed me that I had hit rock bottom. Climbing out of that hole I had dug for myself over the years was no easy task, but it was definitely worth it. I learned so much about myself, fitness, and nutrition throughout the journey, and today, I can proudly say that that sad girl who glared back at me with tears in her eyes is no longer lurking behind my mirrors.

The reason for this long rant is to remind everyone that trying a new fad diet, cutting out carbs, or becoming a vegetarian will not solve your weight loss problems. Moderation, portion control, and exercise will, and if you don't want to put in the effort to get to your goal, then you haven't reached rock bottom. It's not about going on a quick-fix diet. It's about changing your life forever, and you need to be ready to take on that task.

So if weight loss, or getting healthy is something that you've struggled with, I ask you to look at yourself in the mirror, right now, and ask yourself if that person is the who you want to live with for the rest of your life. If not, then it may be time for you to re-evaluate your lifestyle. I can tell you from experience, it will be the greatest thing you ever do for yourself.

The Weight-loss Process: More Than Just Physical

So today when I was out running some errands when I ran into an old friend's mom who I hadn't seen in years. She couldn't believe how much weight I'd lost and how different I looked, but she also asked if I had a boyfriend, which is one question I don't get as often as "how did you lose the weight?" This playful question got me to thinking, "Gee, am I suppose to have a boyfriend now that I'm skinny?" I'm going to be pretty honest right now and confess that when I was at my heaviest, before I started to seriously diet, I knew that one of the main reasons why I did not have a boyfriend was because I was overweight. Not to say that those who are on the heavier side don't date or have significant others, what I'm saying is that when I was heavy, I had zero confidence. I would avoid looking in mirrors as much as I could because I knew that what I would see would not reflect the person I felt like on the inside. And I always thought that all I had to do was lose the weight and I would be beating off the guys with a stick. Don't get me wrong, I have noticed that I have been getting more attention from guys, but it is such a foreign concept to me that sometimes I feel like it's all one big, practical joke.


What I'm trying to say that even though I've lost so much weight and I feel great about my body, I'm still not 100% comfortable with it yet. Whenever I would watch wedding shows (yes, I'm obsessed with them, like every other woman in the world) and there would a woman who had just lost a significant amount of weight trying on gowns, they would always say that she still felt fat, and I thought every one of them were absolutely insane! But now, I can completely understand where they were coming from. The physical process of losing weight was long and arduous, but the mental process has taken even longer.


I have no idea how long it will take for me to get use to this new body, but when that day comes, I will truly be unstoppable. Going back to my story earlier, who knows when I will have a boyfriend. My physical transformation has definitely helped me gain attention, but I will have to become fully confident and comfortable with my body in order to let my personality shine.


So what's my point in this post? Well, if you're looking to lose weight in order to gain notice from the opposite, or same, sex, make sure you learn to love yourself first. Weight loss is not the solution to your single-life blues, trust me. Because even when you do lose the weight, you're still going to have that self-hating mentality, and that will hinder your chances of finding a significant other more than being overweight. Love yourself, then some will be able to love you, too. In the meantime, I'll be sitting in my boudoir waiting for my gentleman caller to finally arrive.

The Diet Destroyer: Holidays

Holidays bring with them the three most important F's: family, friends, and, of course, food. If you've ever been on a diet during the holiday season, or even a summer barbeque, you understand the unnerving desire to stuff your face with every savory hors d'oeuvre, tantalizing dish, and decadent desert. Which also means that you, too, are familiar with the shame-filled guilt the next morning when you feel bloated, sluggish, and heavily depressed because you just un-did all of your previous hard work. We've all been there, but have no fear, I have a few tips in my arsenal that have saved me both anxiety and calories during the holiday season. 

First things first, you must learn self-control. If you know you shouldn't be eating that piece of Aunt Mildred's famous strawberry cheesecake, don't eat it. When it comes to eating, you need to think before you put the fork in your mouth. Self-control use to be one of my biggest weight-loss issues. If I got the craving or urge to have something, I would impulsively do it and blindly reassure myself, "It's okay, I only get to eat this every once in a while." Until giving into my cravings "every once in a while" turned into all the time and I no longer had control. Realizing the need for self-control is just as important, if not more important, as attaining that control. Looking back now on all the fattening, grease-soaked, sugary foods I have consumed over the years, I can say with confidence that it was not worth it. Sure, foods can be delicious; their powers somehow intoxicate the mind, driving it to never-ending cravings. It becomes an addiction that people cannot say no to. The most important rule is to say no. Listen to your stomach, not your mind. 

But that's where you run into another problem: what do you reach for when you get hungry? Most people opt for the chips and dip route, and if you didn't already know that potato chips and Doritos were not the wisest of snack options, then I hope you are also unaware that pizza is now a vegetable (side note: I planted an old pizza box in my backyard a few months ago and still no pizza tree. What gives, Congress?). These fingers foods will not only keep you coming back for more (because they're salty), but they won't fill you either, so you will remain hungry. The best route is the vegetable platter. Most parties are now equipped with the infamous tray of carrots, broccoli, and celery, but be careful—that creamy dip in the center is not your friend. The fiber in the vegetables will fill you up and keep you satisfied just in time for the main courses. 

The main courses are tricky to tip-toe around, but try to stay away from things covered in cheese, made with heavy creams, and doused with grease. If you're at a barbeque, get your burger or hot dog with out the bun to save yourself some calories and bloating. Take only small spoonfuls of potato and macaroni salads (if any at all). Portion control is key here because you want to be satisfied, but you don't want to pile the wrong foods on your plate. Make sure to get plenty of vegetables, and always finish your meal with a salad (unless it is already dressed with a cream sauce) because it will help to expand your stomach, giving you the feeling of fullness. 

At a special gathering, you don't want to completely deprive yourself of something you really want to have. My advice for desert time is either only take a small taste, or plan for eating that slice of strawberry cheesecake or double-chocolate chip cookie in advance so you can work it into your calories for the day. If you don't think your self-control can handle just having a taste, go for the the fruit salad instead, but fruit must also be eaten in moderation because of it's high sugar content. 

Another sneaky calorie-killer to watch out for is alcohol. If you must, limit yourself to two drinks for the entire party, like a glass of wine or a light beer. Many people don't even think about the liquid calories they consume, so steer clear of soda as well and drink plenty of water because it will keep you feeling full. 

Most importantly, enjoy yourself. If you feel that you are limiting yourself so much that it makes you miserable, then you will never stick to your diet. Sometimes having a treat to look forward to makes dieting during the holidays a lot easier. When I had first gotten serious about my diet, it was right around Thanksgiving and people thought I was insane for starting a diet at the very beginning of the holiday eating-spree, but I stuck to my diet because I was determined. At Thanksgiving I only had a taste of everything (except the turkey, obviously) and loaded up on vegetables. For Christmas, I snacked on vegetables during the day, portion controlled my meal, and even had a small slice of chocolate banana cream pie! My point being is that it is absolutely possible to go through even the most food-filled holidays and still stick to your diet. So go enjoy your holidays and leave your diet worries at the door!

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.