Going Green ... well, sorta!

I have been doing great on my new road to a healthier lifestyle! I recently started the Couch to 5K running program (oh yes I did!), have been attending Zumba more regularly (2x a week), and have been doing fabulous with my diet. I am not fasting or detoxing; I have simply cut out alcohol, most carbs, starches, and sugars, and have been cutting back on the dairy (homegirl still loves her cheese). I have increased my water and tea consumption, and have been working on portion control. Simple changes, but seeing big results! I am definitely less bloated and down about 5 pounds.

 Since I am cutting out a lot of carbs, pasta is one food I go without. I know, blasphemous for this Italian girl, but it is just not worth the swelling my poor stomach goes through after eating it. I have tried the gluten-free varieties, but no difference, so I simply turn to the trusty zucchini to serve as my noodles!

• Super simple to prepare ... with a vegetable peeler (mine is from The Pampered Chef, but you can get 'em anywhere kitchen gadgets are sold), peel layers of a clean squash or two.

•  Boil zucchini 'noodles' in a pot as you would normal pasta. Cook times vary depending on how thick your noodles are, but normally take 10-15 minutes.

•  Drain and serve with your favorite pasta sauce! With this particular dish, I added a little olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese ... YUM!

A super simple food swap that has HUGE benefits!

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I have also been incorporating protein shakes as light meals mid-day. My appetite has been decreasing a little bit, but I know it is important to not skip meals. Being on Pinterest so much (don't judge), I am always seeing smoothie recipes that are green. They sure don't look appetizing, but their not-so-secret ingredient is a staple in my fridge, so I thought I'd give it a try. 

 I blended up this shake in my Magic Bullet (aka: the most awesome kitchen appliance EVER) last week (P.S. I don't ever measure anything in the kitchen, so go with what feels right):

• One small banana
• One medium kiwi
• One scoop of vanilla protein powder
• One handful of raw baby spinach
• Almond Milk
• Ice Cubes

Guess what?!? It was actually pretty tasty and a little on the sweet side!! I drank it and munched on a handful of almonds. It was the perfect meal that held me over for 3 hours before dinner! Plus, I ate less at dinner.

While my 2-mile walk/jogs exhaust me to the point of near coma status once I hit the pillow, my breathing sounds like I am in need of medical attention, and my times ranging 15-18 minute miles, I AM DOING THIS!! My body may hurt, but my brain is saying "You Go, Girl!!"

Baby steps.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Check back in next week ... my buddy, Dr. Oz, has some great advice that I wanna share!