Big discoveries and small wins

I've been away for awhile-- away as in mentally checked out. I've been struggling for the past year to find my "adult self" and really discover what it is that makes me happy. Really, truly, over the top, deep down happy. It's been a tough road and I've made a pretty huge discovery thanks to Maximized Living.

Well I guess not all credit goes there, but a lot certainly does. When I started the Advanced Plan I was super excited. Finally an escape from my sugar prison was on the horizon. Plus, I had a fun trip to Vegas planned, who wouldn't be excited for life. But when I got back, reality hit.

I haven't veered far off-plan. In fact, I don't think I've ate sugar or bread ever during this seemingly lost period; however, I was eating far too much. I would eat until I was stuffed. I loved the food we were making and I was finding that I was getting the same emotional satisfaction out of eating-- regardless of the ingredients.

So it was time to take a step back and discover my Max Mind. I have searched and searched and read and read about what it is that keeps me crawling back to this binge eating. And my most important discovery-- it had nothing to do with my environment. Not my workouts, not what I ate, not my relationship and not even work. It was all about me. My perspective sucked.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not quite where I'd like to be, but I am certainly on my way. Here's how:

I started journaling last week after I decided that I had far too much pent-up frustrations AND read in several articles that this often helps us cope with stress and anxiety. So sure, why not. I've done this a million times. My journal is like a default reaction to when I feel stressed or nervous or angry, but it never lasts more than a day. In addition to writing, I also spend time meditating at least 5 minutes a day. Figured hey, I can give that a shot too.

I let myself write freely on Monday and got out all the crap I wanted to. Then on Tuesday I decided that was over. If I wanted to move forward I could not fall into a pit of constant complaining. I forced myself to write only positives-- about everything. It took maybe one day for me to see an improvement in my attitude and self-talk. By the end of the week, I was radiating. And the best part, eating is not my priority.

I've gotten into the habit of following the Advanced Plan that my food choices are automatic. So that's easy. I don't constantly talk to myself about what I'm going to eat and when and if I'm hungry or not. Because quite frankly, if I never lose another pound, I'd rather be happy. I've now directed all efforts and focus on just that-- being happy and seeing value in everything that happens.

I'm only a week in, but I am anxious to see how much this effects every aspect of my wellness.

Tyler's Key Lime Squares

Tonight we have a Max Life potluck! Tyler and I debated over what to bring, since we have made some fantastic food items over the past couple weeks. But we decided to go with Tyler's Key Lime Squares. They were fantastic last time he made them! I let him take the reins for tonight's dish as well. We snagged this recipe off the GOOD FOOD blog (She has some amazing recipes on her blog. Check it out!). We are both looking forward to seeing if others enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Stevia equivalent to 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Combine all the Crust ingredients and press into an 8" x 8" baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While the crust is baking, assemble the key lime topping mixture:

Key Lime Topping Mixture:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

stevia equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

the zest of a lime

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Add two drops of green food coloring, but I would not recommend doing this if you do not have high quality, "no-sugar-or-preservatives-added" food coloring.

Combine all the key lime topping mixture ingredients in a blender.

When crust has baked for 15 minutes, pour the topping mixture over the crust and return the crust and topping mixture to the oven to bake at 350 degrees for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Let the finished product cool in the baking dish for 30 minutes, and then chill it in the refrigerator until chilled through- about another 30 to 45 minutes. Cut into squares.

5 Finds During My Vegas Hiatus

I left last Thursday for my trip to Las Vegas. Between shopping and packing for the trip, I really didn't get very much blogging done. However, the Vegas trip has been extremely beneficial and I've learned a lot about myself and what I need to do to succeed in the Maximized Living Advanced Plan. 

You've got to be questioning how a trip to Vegas could benefit anyone on a strict nutritional plan, but trust me, it was worth it. Here are the 5 finds from my Vegas trip that I will forever benefit from in the future. 

1. Roasted nuts do not count as good fats. I know this seems like a no-brainer. BUT I was downing roasted nuts like crazy during my first week and a half in the Advanced Plan diet. I feel like I knew better, or should have known, but the cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil and basically any other oils you might find on a package of roasted peanuts are rancid. PLUS, I was eating far too many nuts as well. While I felt, at times, those roasted nuts were my best option, I now know I will pack ample amounts of raw nuts on future trips. 

2. I love Grey Goose and Club Soda. I was advised that if I were going to drink anything while there, that would have to be it. Add two lime slices to that and I was one happy camper. I only drank one night, but I definitely made it count. At least I know if drinking is a "must" in a particular social setting, I can get by with a couple of these and not be completely miserable. 

3. Too much booze = instant food monster. I hammered down quite a few of those fabulous drinks, and while I was having a great time, I also lose all inhibition to stick to my diet plan. I actually might have left Vegas thinking I successfully managed to eat not a single piece of bread until I brought it up to my friends who immediately informed me I downed at least a quarter of a loaf after the drunken night. Bummer. 

4. Sticking to the Advanced Plan is nearly impossible if you pick a low-quality restaurant. And that is exactly where we ate all weekend. I did my best-- chicken sandwich no bun, salad no dressing, but after awhile you're about to go absolutely crazy. I was almost paranoid about eating at places because I simply could not trust them. ON TOP OF IT, we went to Dick's Bar and Grill, where they actually make fun of you for asking nutritional information and refuse to serve you water unless they bring it in a trough and make you drink it from a straw. So, in the future, investing in a nicer restaurant will always be worth it. 

5. If you haven't been on the Advanced Plan for at least 3 weeks, the minute you eat sugar is back to Day 1. So, that's where I am, back and day 1 and not really too disappointed. I had a chance to read the entire Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book and learned that while I thought I was going about things the best way, I was really a little "off." But not all is lost, I did not gain a single pound in Vegas. I did my very best there and it showed. 

I'm ready to get back into action and start applying my new-found knowledge to each day during the plan. My goals for this week:

1. If I eat nuts, the serving size needs to fit in the palm of my hand and that's it! I don't need more than that to feel satisfied and any more than that is mindless eating. Also, no more roasted nuts, ever. 

2. Stick to a meal plan. Three meals and one snack is really all I need in a day. I found I was snacking on nuts outside of those meals often OR eating late night desserts. While they were still Advanced Plan approved, I was eating past dinner time, which is not recommended. 

3. Eat 15-20 grams of protein at meals, maybe less at dinner. I think I was over-eating the protein, which is only going to ultimately turn to sugar. I have a food scale that I would like to start using to get into the habit of identifying what that serving size looks like!

And, a rule for myself from now and forever, LIMIT the amount of times I weigh myself. I need to chill out a bit. This is not a race. I am going to slip up (Vegas) and maybe have to start over, but I cannot keep stepping on the scale to live and die with each number. Once per week. That's it! 

Weekend Warrior

In the past, the weekends have been my collapse - the end-all to any healthy behaviors and efforts until Monday rolled around and I could boldly reclaim my commitment to my diet. This weekend, I feel like things have been very different. While I still felt it challenging to not snack during down time, I stuck to the 5-ingredient, no sugar rule as best as possible.

The difficulties started on Thursday night, with a 6 p.m. conclusion of Max Life rolling right into shower and prep time for our ICubs skybox seats at 7:00. I thought I would have a difficult time getting in a healthful, Advanced Plan approved dinner, but I was able to whip up a protein shake with almond milk, a little peanut butter and some cocoa powder to do the trick.

Next up, Friday, with a lunch scheduled with a friend visiting Des Moines and a dinner date - yikes! To my surprise, with a few requests, I had a fantastic lunch at Centro! Grilled flank steak with caramelized onions and provolone cheese. It was originally on the menu as a sandwich, but I had them hold the bun, mayo and pesto. The meal was fantastic and definitely hit the spot!

A series of unfortunate events landed us at the mall food court for dinner. I grabbed a snack of almonds and my final brownie to ensure I didn't go into dinner starving, and thankfully that move saved the day. I ordered the veggie entrée at Famous Wok. It wasn't a whole lot of food, but I was more than satisfied.

I coached softball Saturday and Sunday. Ballparks always prove to be a challenge, but I equipped myself with snacks during our long stretches of games. I feel like I probably had far too many servings on nuts than desired, on both days, but I know for the future to only take what I need and leave the rest of my money in the car. The ball park is prime for selling nuts, so in addition to my serving of almonds I had a cashews and peanuts.

Tyler and I had breakfast this morning before our busy days started. Our usual Cozy Cafe changed their hours so we were stuck with Perkins. I got their new Mediterranean omelette loaded with spinach, held the hollandaise sauce and stuck with the feta and a couple roasted tomatoes. It was the perfect start to my cold morning!

Lunch was a protein shake with PB, coconut milk and cocoa. I did buy more nuts to have as a snack for the afternoon. I just whipped up my brownies for the week and managed to have a spoonful of almond butter during prep time. Tonight, I plan on browning turkey for taco salads.

I know I have some room for improvement on the weekend, but I feel I did the best for the circumstances and odd meal times with games.

This morning I enjoyed a fantastic four-egg omelette with spinach, mushroom and onion. I decided to make this last night and throw it in the fridge for this morning. It was perfect! I enjoyed waking up to a fantastic breakfast and actually got to eat with at home instead of on-the-go. I definitely foresee myself using this technique more in the future. 

The rest of my day consisted of leftovers and a snack of celery and almond butter. After tomorrow I will be just about done with the leftovers and will give another meal a shot. I did have a brownie this evening for dessert, but stuck to the single serving and still have three servings left, even after sharing!

The Max Life workout was killer today! They don't call it challenge day for nothing. I sweat my butt off, but recorded 136 burpees! Goal was to get at least 100. 

Tomorrow will prove to be a bit of a challenge as Tyler and I will be meeting friends to watch the Iowa Cubs baseball game in the sky box. However, I'm very confident in my plan and how I feel after sticking to it for three days now, so there's not doubt I will be strong. 

Looking forward to whipping up another dessert for the week on Sunday. Still haven't decided on one yet. Looking forward to something new now that I know the brownies can always be my go-to if needed. =)

My love my Italian... Spinach Soup

Today was an extremely crazy and busy day with Wellmark hosting the Grand Blue Mile. Since I wasn't going to be home in time to make the scheduled Italian Spinach Soup, my lovely Italian boyfriend decided he'd take the reigns on this one. And I must say, he did a fantastic job! 

Here's what he had to say about preparing this recipe:

• Rolling the turkey meatballs was a little tricky, but he managed to get them to stick together when they were about the size of a golf ball.
• The coconut oil smelled like sunscreen on the beach when he fried the meatballs, but he was surprised that they didn't have the slightest taste of coconut when they were fully cooked. 
• He doubled the spinach, broth and parsley after discovering that it didn't seem like enough to cover the meatballs. 

Overall, this recipe was great. The soup was full of flavor and the meatballs were excellent. We have enough left over to reheat for a quick dinner tomorrow night. 

On my way out the door this morning I blended together a smoothie of whey protein, almond milk and ice. While I do not have the organic, grass fed whey protein, I'm hoping to invest in some soon. In the meantime, I used the HyVee brand 100% Whey Protein. 

I packed leftover Asian Turkey Wraps for lunch, but grabbed a serving size of natural almonds and half a brownie on my quick stop home. As I'd mentioned before, I was super excited for pickle wraps, but had a tough time finding pickles. I improvised and wrapped green onion in the cream cheese and turkey. While my breath was less than pleasant, the snack really hit the spot and I was able to get through the timed mile run fully energized. 

Tyler sent me the link to this video today! I envy the person who wrote this script - what talent! If you're in need of some motivation you've got to check this out. No need to even watch the video, just take in the message and feel empowered to be the determined winner you are! 

Holy Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps!

I know it's only my first day and I have many more recipes to dive into, but I'm pretty sure I've found a new fave in the Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps! The flavor was out of this world; even Tyler approved. And the best part - LEFTOVERS! Looks like I'll be excited for lunch tomorrow! Seriously, check these out, they even look amazing! 

My lettuce "wraps" were more like lettuce boats, but they worked nonetheless. This recipe is in the green Maximized Living Nutrition Plan book. I highly recommend checking it out and exploring more recipes in the book. On deck for tomorrow: Italian Spinach Soup! 

So I knew this would happen, but the moment I started my week I knew I needed to adjust my meal plan. Packing lunch for work can be a huge chore - I need to take advantage of leftovers! So, I made a few minor switch-a-roos and think I've got a meal schedule that is a little more flexible. I'm still sticking to the meals I picked in my original plan, with a few substitutes in the lunches so I can use up my leftovers. 

I started my day off with a cup of yogurt and about a half cup of blueberries. I remembered the Advanced Plan says "berries in moderation," so I figured I shouldn't follow up my berry breakfast with berries in my lunch item. I went with a salad of spinach, kale and broccoli with an olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano and parmesan dressing. I added crunch by tossing in some natural almonds and, of course, packed half of a wonderful brownie for dessert. 

I was really looking forward to having pickle wraps for a snack, but had a tough time finding pickles that didn't have crazy additives. So I went with celery and peanut butter for a snack today. I grabbed a few nuts on my way out the door to the Max Life workout. It looked like two cashews, an almond and maybe three peanuts. I was energized and felt great during and after the workout. 

With day one down I'm feeling super confident in this meal plan and excited to explore more recipes. I didn't I realized what I was missing by sticking to the low-fat/no-fat options. I felt much more satisfied after each meal today, which made it easy to stick to my plan. 

I own this plan. I am in control and I WILL succeed!