A weight loss update and a pumpkin banana breakfast smoothie

I’ve been meaning to write this piece for a long time. As I continue to manage my baking love and how it fits into my new (but not new) lifestyle of healthy food and exercise, I find myself continually looking for ways to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Everything begins with breakfast. I avoid muffins and bagels, and I close my eyes when I see a doughnut. When I began preparing these Skinny Pumpkin Banana Smoothies, breakfast became more enjoyable for me.

This is another dish that I learned from my sister. She is a personal trainer and licensed nutritionist, as I described in my recipe for Make-Ahead Green Juice. Back in November, I performed a 7-day detox. There will be no cereals, wheat, sugar, or anything else. Absolutely nothing. Just look at my Instagram post, which has possibly received the most comments EVER. Although I did modify my cleanse to accommodate my necessities, such as coffee and bananas.

This smoothie saved my life during my detox. I’m sure I’m not the only one that enjoys pumpkin. I was hesitant to mix it with bananas at first, but it is delicious! Pumpkin has a place in my life that extends beyond the month of October.

You may make this smoothie with either frozen or fresh bananas. Frozen bananas provide a frothier texture, which I like. If you’re using fresh bananas, be sure to add ice since both the pumpkin and the bananas are at room temperature, and no one enjoys a warm smoothie!

I can make three smoothies off of one can of pumpkin puree. This easy smoothie is made with banana, cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg for flavor. I also use unsweetened vanilla almond milk for nonfat milk, but either is good.

For taste, my sister recommended adding dates. Personally, I find dates a little difficult to deal with, but I would definitely add them to this smoothie.

So I’ve been itching to update you all on my weight reduction progress! Back in early January, I told a lengthy account about my voyage. After a month of rigorous diet and activity, I am thrilled to report that I have lost 4 pounds! That’s around a pound each week, which is considered good weight reduction! Continue reading if you’re interested, or jump through to the recipe! I won’t be insulted by your decision.

I’ve been participating in Weight Watchers. It’s the only solution that works for me. I’m quite excellent at keeping track of my food consumption and points. I also purchased a Fitbit, which connects to my account and tracks my daily activity points. I’m also obsessed with meeting my daily step target. I’ve been trying to get more steps in ever since I began watching it.

I mentioned severe diets before. That’s not to claim I didn’t cheat. I spent a weekend at Lake Tahoe and completely overindulged. What do you think? I jumped right back into my regimen after returning from my holiday. That is what is most important to me. If I can’t seem to muster the energy for a workout or if I go off the wagon with my food, I have to get back on track the next day.

It’s OK for me to have a piece of pizza, but I accompany it with a plate of vegetables beforehand.

It is OK for me to have a few of bits of cake every now and again.

It is OKAY for me to have a glass of wine.

All of this I’ve done in the last month, and guess what? I’m still losing weight! It all comes down to balance.

One thing we made necessary in our home was a one-mile walk every night. It’s really very cool. It is a moment when we can concentrate on each other without distractions and just speak about our days and what is going on in our lives.

Make Ahead Green Juice Smoothie

Let us discuss what I am eating! I aim to include as many veggies as possible and utilize them as fillers. Even if no one else is eating them, I create a huge dish for myself! I also consume a lot of the green liquid shown above!

• I’ve been devouring spaghetti squash. I prepare it ahead of time and it serves 3-4 people depending on size. I’m hoping I don’t get tired of it since the squash is worth 0 points!
• I began preparing these egg muffins, which are delicious. I eat a lot of protein in the morning, and that keeps me going until lunchtime in the early afternoon. I include sausage, sautéed spinach, and onion. The recipe is simply adaptable to make whatever many muffins you want. I use one egg and one egg white for each muffin. Each muffin is three points, and I normally have two for breakfast.
• To satisfy my salty cravings, I munch on single serving packages of apples, carrots, cheese sticks, and the odd 100 calorie box of pretzels or whatever.
• I consume a great deal of chicken. I prepare it in the beginning of the week so it’s ready to toss over salads or spaghetti squash throughout the week.
• I sometimes add some sweet potatoes to the mix, but I have to limit how much I consume since I may easily overdo it.
• For everything, I measure out my portion size. I have this EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale, and it saves me a lot of time. I weigh my meat portions, measure out my spaghetti sauce, olive oil, salad dressing–everything. This is the only way I can keep my points under control.
• I also purchased a Spiralizer! So far, I’ve just used it for zucchini, but there are many more things I’d want to try; I simply haven’t had the opportunity to explore.
• When I’m craving something sweet, I normally go for Weight Watchers 1 point Fudgsicles. They have saved my life. I also created a few healthy treats, which you can see below!
• I drink a lot of water and have mostly given up on Diet Coke. This is so significant for me that I couldn’t even picture it happening.

I invite you to follow me on Instagram with the hashtag #bfgoals15, where I post some of my meals and recipes!

Skinny Lemon Mousse Pies, Skinny Sweet Potato and Banana Muffins, Low-Fat Funfetti Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie, Skinny Champagne Parfaits, Healthy Peanut Butter Pancakes

Now that I’ve developed a regimen, the most difficult aspect will be sticking to it. It is difficult to get started, but it is far more difficult to keep going. What motivates me is as follows:

• I felt SO MUCH BETTER, BOTH MIND AND BODY.
• My snowboarding confidence is back. I know my body is stronger now that I’ve been keeping to my fitness program, which is allowing me to ride better.
• I am seeing changes in my physique. Especially with my tire.It is no longer as visible as it was four pounds ago.
• I can immediately sense that my clothing are not as tight, which is a wonderful sensation! It has improved my entire self-esteem, and I am walking with a little more confidence.

I have a goal to work towards.

In June of 2014, I weighed about 145 pounds. I weighed 156 pounds in October. My first objective is to regain the weight I lost in June. I know I wasn’t happy at that weight, but I need to set tiny, attainable objectives for myself. The prospect of losing 25 pounds is intimidating. Begin small and applaud your accomplishments.

My objective is to be under 150 pounds by the time I go for Florida in a month. I have some work to do between now and then. I have various excursions, extra office hours, and events to attend. This just means that I must be prepared to traverse it, and if I stray, there is no reason why I cannot return to it.

Thank you for bearing with me. I realize it’s a lengthy one!

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