Sugar Free Challenge Volume 2 (and a Smoothie Recipe)

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Hi everyone! How's it going with the sugar free challenge? I am VERY happy to report that there are 12 of you who have PUBLICLY joined the sugar-free challenge. Anyone else care to join us? If so, just comment on this blog post (below or on fb).

I promised to post some helpful tips so here's what I got:

1. Have you tried sugar free coffee? If it's not cutting it for you with just cream or milk... Try a cappuccino or my NEW personal favorite - an Americano. Rob re-introduced me to these last week and I must say that I even prefer it to cappuccino. It's just two espresso shots in hot water, but, for some reason... It's so good - really smooth! 
(as a side note - sugar free does NOT mean the addition of splenda, sweet n low, equal or any of that other artificial shit) 

2. Missing that sweet? I'm really enjoying organic berries or pineapple as a post lunch/dinner snackle. I've always loved berries and pineapple - my favorite fruits!

3. 70%+ cocoa dark chocolate is allowed - have you acquired a taste for it yet?

4. Remember, there are added sugars in some things that might not be as obvious of such as; salad dressing, ketchup, jam, NON-raw/natural peanut butter, and pretty much everything that is processed. Read your labels. The best substitute for dressing is just extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice. After a while, you'll start to prefer this dressing to anything else. For ketchup, buy organic. Heinz has high fructose corn syrup and regular corn syrup, because you know... the high fructose wasn't enough..............
Sigh... and of course, natural peanut butter, there should be only 1-2 ingredients: raw peanuts, salt. That's it. You can buy salt-free, as well. 

5. Start paying attention to how you feel during and after workouts. Are you feeling better? That's motivation enough!

 

Moving on... I made another smoothie today. It was deeeelish. Here's the recipe:
- Cup of frozen mango
- 1 Banana
- 1 Tbs of Raw almond butter
- Tbs Ground flaxseed
- Tbs Chia seeds
- Water as needed to make it blend
- Couple dashes of cinnamon

QUESTION TIME: What other tips might you need? What part of the sugar free challenge do you think is the hardest? Any advice you can share with the rest of us?!

 

Have a great week! xo

Sugar Free Challenge

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So ever since I posted this blog post in early March, I've been trying harder to reduce my sugar intake. Remember this article? Woof. Sugar is so evil. I actually started a few months prior when I started feeling groggy after my yogurt/berry lunches that were always topped off with 2-3 little chocolates that were left around the office kitchen.  That's a whole lot of sugar. Even though yogurt and berries are both healthy - I had been eating flavored chobanis, dried fruit, and frozen berries. Add a couple chocolates and I was basically asking to crash.

So, I started bringing chicken that I'd make from the night before, pea pods, hard boiled eggs, baked chickpeas, beanito chips etc. I'd still eat my fruit, of course, but the center of my meal revolved around a protein with little or no sugar. Guess what happened? I stopped crashing after lunch. (what a concept! <insert sarcasm>)

Since the blog post, I've been cutting down on my nightly gelatos and I've completely removed sugar from my coffee. Guys, I used to LOVE sugar. I mean, swedish fish, sour watermelon slices, chocolate in any form... gimme. But recently (and I mean RECENTLY) I haven't been craving or enjoying sugar, as much. I still have a couple little pieces of 70%+ dark chocolate at night after dinner and I've had some dessert when I go out to eat, but, I'm no longer addicted. It's kind of a weird feeling. I mean, I thought since I removed the candies like swedish fish and sour watermelons from my diet yearssss ago, I was over sugar. What I didn't realize or pay attention to, was the excess sugar from my yogurts, milk, jam on toast, a couple chocolates here and there, etc.

So here's my challenge you... will you cut out some sugar with me? Yes, even if it looks like beautiful unicorns. Here are the rules: no excess sugar Monday - Friday. Saturdays and Sundays are ok if you go out to eat or someone bakes, etc. Cut out or reduce the sugar in coffee. No sugary cereals, soda, flavored yogurts, etc. (read your labels). 70+% dark chocolate is approved (antioxidants, baby!). My next step is to completely cut out my nightly ice cream/gelato. I've started to cut it out, but, I'm ready to go cold turkey now.

LIKE on Facebook and/or RT on Twitter if you are going to join me. Challenge ends on 5/25 (day of the Run to Remember half marathon). I want to hear how you all feel on that day. I'll be posting progress and helpful hints throughout the way. All who join will be entered to win a gift from me (fitness related, of course). 

WHO'S IN!?

Have an awesome week. xo

#LaceUp365 at North End Yoga

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On Saturday, I was honored to join another #LaceUp365 event at North End Yoga with New Balance and Susan G. Komen. I've been lucky enough to participate in two of these events in the past... at Barry's Boot Camp and at The Handle Bar. 

As a refresher... the #LaceUp365 program celebrates the 25 year Anniversary of the partnership of Susan G. Komen and New Balance. Every day, a new survivor story is published on the New Balance website... HERE. You can dedicate your workout to a survivor with the hashtag #LaceUp365 on any social media outlet. I love this program because it provides breast cancer awareness 365 days a year, instead of just in October. Join us by taking a photo during your next work and sharing it with the #LaceUp365 hashtag.

This class was different than the past two #LaceUp365 events. In the last two... my thought process was focused on pushing as hard and fast as possible... "this is just a workout - what some people go through is much harder than this 1 hour workout". I haven't taken an in-studio yoga class in a really long time... I forgot how reflective and spiritual it is.  Our instructor, Joanna, spoke to us in the beginning of class about her dear friend who recently lost her battle with cancer. She explained that she was very much an inspirational and positive person that she really admired and learned a lot from. We dedicated our workout to her. This class felt to be more of a group dedication to those who are are survivors, those who are fighting the battle, and those that have lost the battle. Each movement was for them. All three classes that I've attended have been moving in a different way... just another reason why I love this program.

On a lighter note, the physical benefits of the class were AWESOME! I had been dealing with some serious muscle soreness and really tight IT bands and hamstrings (I know, I know... I NEEEEED to foam roll and partake in yoga more often). By the end of class - I was feeling MUCH better. I had a dull ache in my left hamstring (where I tore it 2 years ago) for about a week and it was even hurting on my ride over. It is now gone. There are so many physical and mental health benefits to yoga. I need to figure out how to fit in a real in-studio class back into my schedule. My at-home yoga videos just aren't enough.

After class, a few of the representatives from New Balance spoke to us about the partnership with Susan G. Komen and showed us some new items in their line. Here I am sporting some of them (I know - sweet selfie). Everything is SO comfy. 

Here we all are at the end of class. Shout out and thanks to Joanna who guided us through the whole thing. 

... And of course... a big thanks to New Balance and Susan G. Komen for putting together such an amazing program. Hope you are all having an awesome week! Remember... #LaceUp365 xo

 

PS: I was not monetarily compensated to write this post, however, New Balance did provide me with the awesome gear and a pass to this class. As always, opinions are honest and my own (and always will be :))