Smoothies

Matthew always says I make the most incredible smoothies. I don't really have a secret - I just throw a bunch of stuff in a blender. But it does always somehow turn out to be insanely good! ;)

Matt and I were both really into a vegan/raw food lifestyle. I have been vegetarian at various times in my life, but never truly stuck with living a completely vegetarian lifestyle, although after being vegetarian and reverting back to some meat consumption, I've realized how drastically my consumption of animals products has dropped as a whole. With that said, I try to implement some of the ingredients from my raw vegan phase into these smoothies.

Here is one that's pretty simple and easy to make. I added greek yogurt, but to make it vegan, you can omit this part and add additional frozen fruit or use an almond/coconut/soy yogurt to make it vegan. Just make sure to get plain yogurt - commercial yogurts have a ton of unnecessary refined sugar.

Breakfast	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	Sugar	Sodium
Giant Brand - Mixed Frozen Berries, 3/4 - 1 Cup	49	0	1	12	8	0
Bob's Red Mill - Whole Ground Flax Seed Meal, 3 tbsp	90	7	5	6	0	0
Dole - Pitted Dates, 6 dates	138	0	0	38	31	0
Blue Diamond - Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1/2 - 1 Cup	30	2	1	1	0	90
Fat Free Greek Yogurt Total 0% (1 cup)	65	0	12	5	5	43
Bananas - Raw, 1/2 medium	53	0	1	13	7	1

Here is the nutritional breakdown:
425 calories
9 gram fat
74 grams carbohydrates
18 grams protein
15 grams fiber

I like drizzling the top with agave nectar and sliced almonds. I actually lost weight when I ate raw, because of how much water is in raw fruits and vegetables and how little sodium are in natural, whole foods.

Have any of you tried or had success on a raw vegan diet or just a vegan diet? If so, how was your experience?

I was successful...!

...in creating a 1200 calorie menu that is gluten free, dairy free, cane sugar free, and soy free. It even meets the requirements for a diet that is 45% calories from carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 25% fat. This would be considered a low-fat, moderate carb lifestyle, which personally, I manage with best. I used to be deathly afraid of carbs because there is so much bad press out there about them, but carbs are an essential part of our bodies needs. Carbs provide both instant and sustained energy, as well as the vitamins and minerals our brains need to function properly, as long as they are whole grain (brown carbs, basically).

Here is the menu:

Breakfast	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	Sugar	Sodium
Generic - Oats Steel Cut, 1/2 cup DRY	150	3	5	27	1	0
Trader Joe's - Slivered Almonds, 1/8 cup (30 g)	85	8	4	3	1	0
Bananas - Raw, 0.5 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)	53	0	1	13	7	1
Blue Diamond - Unsweetened Almond Milk, 0.25 cup or 8 oz (240mL)	15	1	0	1	0	45
	303	12	10	44	9	46
Lunch
Cucumber - With peel, raw, 0.5 cup slices	8	0	0	2	1	1
Peppers - Sweet, red, raw, 1 medium (approx 2-3/4" long, 2-1/2" dia)	31	0	1	7	5	2
Peas - Fresh Sugar Snap, 0.5 C, chopped, 98g	21	0	1	4	0	2
Heaven Mills - Gluten Free Pita Bread, 0.5 Pita	156	5	3	23	5	126
Hummus - Home prepared, 0.3 cup	131	6	4	15	0	179
Boar's Head - 47% Less Sodium Turkey, 4 oz	120	1	24	0	0	680
	467	12	33	51	11	990
Dinner
Asparagus - Fresh Cooked, 12 spears	64	2	10	5	2	10
Fish - Salmon, Atlantic, wild, cooked, dry heat, 4.8 oz	248	11	35	0	0	76
Quinoa - Quinoa Cooked, 1/2 cup cooked	111	2	4	20	0	7
	423	15	49	25	2	93
Totals	1,193	39	92	120	22	1,129
Your Daily Goal	1,200	33	90	135	39	1,200
Remaining	7	-6	-2	15	17	71
	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	Sugar	Sodium

In my opinion, this is a very low calorie menu. Most adults between 135 and 200 pounds need approximately 1400 - 2500 calories per day just to maintain their current weight. I created this menu for people who are looking to lose weight. You don't have to be gluten free or anything-free to enjoy this menu. It is suitable for vegetarians (who eat fish - pescetarians technically) or it can be modified to replace the salmon or seafood with tofu or seitan for adequate protein.

As much as I really enjoy being vegetarian, I find with most of the food restrictions, it's just becomes too difficult. If I could easily tolerate tofu (which I can't, and I LOVE tofu) I would definitely have stayed vegetarian. I believe that everyone can be in tune with their bodies nutritional needs; we all know which foods make us tired and groggy, and which foods give us energy and vitality.

Personally, I have been completely ignorant about my food intake since Halloween. Earlier last year, during August, I was steadily losing weight by eating mostly raw foods, but experienced major financial stress in September when I ironically began gaining weight again. After weighing in at my highest weight in 4 years, I experienced a downward spiral into self pity and subsequently, stress eating to relieve my so-called failure. Gaining weight really isn't a failure; after all, it happens over time. No one gains 50 pounds in 2 months - I did it slowly over the last year and a half.

With that said, when I "fall off the wagon" like I have done in recent months, I lose myself. My heart is grounded in Nutrition and exercise, but I choose to ignore that due to laziness or ignorance, or whatever other emotion I am using to prevent myself from moving forward at any given time. The point is, health is hard. It's work, just like almost everything else in our lives; our relationships with our families, friends, coworkers, our jobs; our health is work, and it takes control and effort to make your health a priority.