This is why I LOVE this challenge!

I have not gone grocery shopping since I got back from New York. I went to make a shake & my milk had the consistency of syrup. FAIL. Then I grabbed my cranberry juice my cranberry juice was frozen in my fridge. BOOO. I like using cold liquid in my shakes, so water was out too. I found apple juice in my fridge, it just wasn’t the low calorie kind. I was getting a bit discouraged and wanted to just eat a donut for breakfast.

But after being in New York, I needed to have a shake, NOT a donut. I pushed myself to find a few things to make a shake. I figured 8oz of 100% apple juice wouldn’t kill me, but I didn’t have anything to add to my shake. It felt like I was hitting dead end after dead end. I decided to search the tundra, empty my freezer to find a healthy, non-ice cream novelty to add to my shake. I found a bag of bananas I froze a few weeks ago! I was thinking it might taste a bit bland so I added (for the first time) the Shape-Up Health Flavor Mix-In: Banana Energy Charge.

There is just so much variety in this challenge that I never feel deprived. It takes less work than preparing meals, plus its healthier and cheaper! I started this morning, discouraged that I really didn’t have my shake basics, but after a little digging and thought I might have even found a new favorite.

I love the flavor of bananas but sometimes its flavor is masked by other things I add to a shake. I love that I found another shake recipe that allows the banana to be the main flavor of the shake.

I have found my favorite shake recipes on days I am just frustrated, want to give up but find a little strength, use some creativity and search my freezer/kitchen for healthier ingredients I can add to my shakes! (trust me I have tons of things I could add to my shakes but it would kill the entire challenge, getting fit concept, not to mention more calories than two donuts, that’s another challenge all in itself)

 

2 scoops of Body by Vi Protein Shake Mix

8oz of Minute Maid 100% apple juice

1 banana

1 Shape-Up Health Flavor Mix-In Banana Energy Charge

4 ice cubes 

Wanna join??? misserandom.myvi.net

Email me for a free sample kit: missierandom@gmail.com 

 

*** I have noticed if you individually wrap bananas in saran wrap, then put them in a zip lock freezer bag, they will last in your freezer , maintain their flavor, and not get brown or slimy.

Mom’s here visiting!!!

I thought I would give you a few shake recipes that may help keep you on track this upcoming holiday week! ps. I am not much of a snack shake eater, I make shakes for meals. In No particular order: I add ice to all of my shakes, though I might not have written ice cubes in each recipie.

*** I don’t feel like typing all the shake recipes into myfitness pal, I did some others not. Sorry!

My favorite breakfast one

506 calories perfect for a day full of activity

2 scoops

1C skim milk

1C frozen/fresh strawberries

½C Quaker Oats (uncooked)

Ice cubes

My “Starbucks” Chai Latte

278 calories (with added caramel topping)

2 scoops

½ C skim milk

½ C tazo chai black tea concentrate

Ice cubes

(optional) 1TBLS Smuckers Caramel Topping—I add this after I blend it up

Greek Yogurt Berry

230 calories

8oz of la croix cranberry raspberry sparkling water

1 chiobani champions honey-nana

½ C frozen triple berry mix (blueberries, raspberries & blackberries)

2 scoops

Get those veggies in there!!!

2 scoops
1C spinach
1C frozen raspberries
1can diet ginger ale

Usually a lunch shake for me

215 calories
8oz Trop 50 farmstand apple
3/4C frozen peaches
1/2C frozen strawberries
2 scoops

Ice cubes

No dairy Option

1/2 fresh frozen banana
1.3 c frozen strawberries
8oz trop 50 farm stand apple
2 scoops

Ice cubes

Chunkie Monkey minus the chunk but not the ie  

(my favorite on the go dinner 478 calories)
10oz Skim Milk
2 Scoops
1 medium banana frozen
2 TBLS skippy reduced fat creamy peanut butter

  

A HUGE TREAT

1c skim milk

1 medium frozen banana

2 TBLS skippy reduced fat creamy peanut butter

2 scoops

1 TBLS Ghirardelli ground chocolate

I add extra ice cubes to make it super thick & last extra long

Please, Please share your favs. 

ps. I cannot stomach soy milk, almond milk or rice milk but you can switch out skim for one of those if you prefer!

pps. I cannot figure out blogger's spacing sorry! 

Once off, now back ON

I fell.

I fell hard.

I fell hard off the wagon.

Life had some changes I was neither expecting nor prepared for. I’m a bit like a baby, schedules, plans and consistency work well for me and when new things or there is an unexpected change, I get all messed up, unsettled and occasionally cry. It takes time for me to adjust. Change and I have a guarded relationship. My terms people, my terms. (control freak? um… yep!). When everything got turned upside down as life occasionally does, I may have freaked a bit. 

Lots and lots and lots of change = Erin implodes. 

I was good the first week or so on sticking with two shakes a day with my Body by Vi® 90 Day Challenge and under my daily recommended amount of calories. There were a few days where I threw myself a pity party and indulged in some high calorie euphoric inducing snacks, but relatively stayed on track. Then I got violently ill, my stomach decided it no longer wanted to be inside my body.  When I finally started feeling better, things were still out of sorts and I had not yet accepted it, let alone adjusted. I gave up on the Body by Vi® 90 Day Challenge . I figured as crazy and unknown as things were, at least I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted.

This lasted maybe(?) about a week and half. Then I happened to step on the scale. I gained it ALL back plus some! It was the best news I had gotten in a while (NOT). I was mad at myself, I shedded a few tears, which I swear made that scale increase a few ounces. I SWEAR. I realized that staying mad and resistant to my new reality was just going to make a certain number bigger and bigger. (light bulb people!)

I resumed my challenge.

YAY ME!

 Its been hot here. Not just hot but humid. Not a mix that I gel well with. Plus the grocery stores are offer huge sales on frozen novelties to help beat the heat. Not nice mother nature! Not nice grocery stores!

Evil. Pure evil preying on people who are trying to get back in shape while attempting to survive in the suffocating humidity mother nature is blessing us with!

Two things calling screaming my name are:

   

Yes! 

OF COURSE I bought them

(don’t judge)

sometimes ice cream is the only sufficient defense against humidity! 

 Plus they were on sale! 

 BUT WAIT!!!! 

I got a challenge friendly Solution:

yes, completely serious, I don't joke about humidity blasters

Indulge with my Body by Vi® Shakes 

This genius idea came from none other than the lovely, talentedly, fabulous miss á la mode

Presenting: 

My Dark Chocolate Covered Banana Body by Vi® Shake 

(minus the popsicle stick)

Add a few ice cubes and you get the perfect humidity blasting indulgence.

Not just a snack but a meal..... YUM

I simply (and safely) cut the lovely banana pop off the popsicle stick, added 8oz of skim milk and two scoops! 

A great kick start to my resumed Body by Vi® Challenge.

Wanna Join Me? 

I'm doing the Shape Plan

Get three friends & do it for free!!!!

calorie counting.....FAIL

Having a degree in physics & chemistry one would think I can do simple math, since quantum physics actually makes sense to me…. but I’m having trouble, can anyone help me?

1204, 2024, 1288, and 1449….

Are all over 1200 and my calorie intake is supposed to be at or lower than 1200

I have lost four pounds in 2.5 weeks but I’m kinda having nightmares about weigh in this coming Monday! I’m not ready to see a zero or a positive number when I compare my weights…… (yes, I catastrophize, and no I still haven’t taken my measurements, I know, I know!)

The shakes are great, and I’m good between the hours of wake-up and 7pm, which is one HUGE help…..

After 7:00pm….. NOT….. SO….. MUCH

Bewitching hours beings about 1-2hrs after dinner, I have been staying later at work to avoid extra time at home to avoid indulging my munching urge. 

pathetic? YEP, but I know, I know.

The shakes work great, but my dinner does not satiate me and I WANT MORE! But, I'm NOT ok over dosing on protein. (almond are great but HIGH in calories & protein) Oh I tried breakfast & dinner shake, w/ a healthy lunch but…… that was a huge mess & I don’t have time to pack a lunch or let alone sit down and eat it at work, plus I still struggle around 7:00pm

Needless to say, I hate after dinner time till bed time.

Not to mention this heat! We have air conditioning (@work) but with all the machines & analyses being ran, it’s still a temperature battle leaving the lab between 75-80 degrees AND in lab appropriate clothing….. (plus my boss doesn’t like having the air on in the month of March) = HOT, MUGGY, HUMID.... yuck!

I’m sweating worse than a sumo wrestler in a sauna, from the moment I get into work till when I leave……..

I leave work, two pounds lighter but go to bed 5 pounds heavier because

1.)      I’m so icky I get home, drink tons of water, but you know when you are hungry and you need food? (not to mention 5-10 powder room visits…….. So, being all hot & yucky & hungry I go on to ice cream or quick snacks.

OR

2.)    I’m so icky I’m on my way to class & stop at McDonald’s® for a chocolate milkshake just for the feeling of cooling down….. I cannot do 3 shakes a day, I need food, too!

Needless to say, this whole calorie counting part is kind of kicking my butt! Please tell me I'm not in the same boat? Vi-Trim works great in my lunch shake, but the issue is after I eat dinner, I want more and its just builds & builds. I cannot get my stomach to "feel" what I just ate 30 minutes ago.

Any Suggestions....???

Its working PEOPLE!!!! Its Working!!!!!!!

Down 2.8 more pounds people!!!!!

(that’s a total of FOUR pounds!!!) 

with maybe even a few slip ups

My weigh-in day is Monday morning! It think it helps me from engorging on the weekends!

I STILL haven’t taken my measurements, there are no other excuses except that I am avoiding it, I just happen to forget to pick up a measuring tape when I’m at the store and I just happen to not be able to find string to use to measure and then compare to my heavy duty Black & Decker® Retractable Tape Measure

I hate hate hate that its true, but I have to exercise too! (the question is where to find time)  Yes the pounds are dropping but I need to tone up this:

(yeah was working on my thesis this weekend & saw this staring up at me)