The #RefreshVoxbox from Influenster (<--- free stuff!)

I can't express how much I have LOVED the free boxes of stuff that I have gotten from Influenster! The most recent one (the RefreshVoxbox ) was the perfect pick me up in the dead of winter! Even better, this box contained many products that I had actually been wanting to try but wasn't sure about! Please enjoy my honest review of these complimentary products!

Skinnygirl Tasty Nutrition Bar: Banana oatmeal & dark chocolate
I honestly LOVED the flavor of this bar! The banana taste was quite strong but not overpowering, and the dark chocolate was divine. However I had hoped to use this post-workout because it had a great carb to protein ratio, but it made me feel queezy. My guess was that the sugar content was just a tad too high for a sensitive stomach. However, it sure was an amazing treat! 

Orgain: Vegan, Organic, Chocolate Protein Shake -  I was so impressed by this shake! I am all about the protein drinks but the thought of a vegan one just sounded plain nasty. However, it was great! The taste almost reminded me of muscle milk, but I actually get like it much better. The most impressive thing in my opinion was the ingredient list!

Orgain: Vegan, Organic, Vanilla Protein Shake - I also loved the taste of this one! It had a slightly funny texture, but it kept me full for about 3 hours

Beanitos Nacho Cheese Chips- Ok, I have to admit, I had been interested in trying these for a VERY long time but the husband turned his nose up every time I mentioned it. This was the perfect opportunity because he can't say no to anything free! They were very good! I just loved the flavor and the non-greasy texture. However, I didn't like how there was more than a serving size in a bag because I was NOT going to be leaving the rest for later! Also, since they were made out of beans they had a decent amount of protein! 

COVERGIRL UltraSmooth Foundation - I'd like to start by saying that I am not a make-up person in the least. I had never tried a cream foundation before and I'm honestly not quite sure about the product because I don't have anything to compare it to. It had a pink plastic applicator that I ditched very quickly when trying to apply the make up. It just worked so much better using my fingers that I was totally ok having to wash my hands afterwards. It blended into my skin very well and did give me a smoother look, but my face... felt funny? Maybe that is normal but I'm not sure. I kept wanting to touch it lol. Either way, I like the way this looked on me, but I probably wouldn't buy again. 

L'Occitane Shea Butter Light Comforting Cream - I was actually a huge fan of this cream!! Usually I have a dry forehead but an oily nose (tmi?) but this cream seemed to really help without making the other problem worse. The scent was pleasant as well :) 

Listerine PocketPaks - who doesn't love pocketpaks?! I've been a fan of these for quite some time! Perfect for morning coffee breath but my latest use for them has been to knock out those snack cravings! 

Montagne Jeunesse Black Seaweed Peel-off Mask - This is another product that I enjoyed much more than I thought I would! Even though I looked silly during the process,  I felt pampered and my face felt great after using this mask. At first I thought there wouldn't be enough to cover my whole face but if you spread it thin a little does go a long way. I was also really impressed how it peeled off in one piece! I was worried that I would have to spend a long time making sure I got all of it off but it really was a quick and simple process. 

DenTek Fun Flossers - These flossers were designed for kids but I found that I liked them better then the adult version. They were smaller so it was easier to get to the hard to reach places. 

DenTek Comfort Clean Floss Pics - The adult version of the fun flossers. I did like how they had a floss and tooth pick in one device, but I couldn't help but wonder how much plastic waste they caused ? They were convenient but I think I will stick to my normal floss in the future. 

P.S. If you are interested in joining Influenster yourself here is my sign-up link! Connect with facebook and I get extra 'points' on my profile! There are truly no strings attached with the free products, except that if you don't do the 'tasks' they probably won't be sending you a lot :)

Have a blessed day!

**I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes, but all opinions are my own. 

When coffee fell from heaven...

Some days it takes having too much of a bad thing for your body to finally let your brain know how bad it is for you. It's a well known secret by many of my friends that I struggle with sugar. I love it. It is probably one of the main reasons I gained so much weight in the first place. When I made the choice to have bariatric surgery I was told that there was a good chance my body wouldn't tolerate sugar anymore. After praying and praying for that it be the case it had seemed like my wish didn't come true. I seemed like I had a sleeve (my post surgical stomach) of steel that could tolerate whatever I put into it (as demonstrated by my last post where I ate tons of holiday treats). Today I learned otherwise. Sugar in a liquid form is the devil....

I have been enjoying my expensive coffee drinks quite frequently lately but I go for the sugar-free version. I did this to avoid the large amounts of calories that usually go along with these types of drinks. Well today when Micah and I went out for coffee I saw that the 'special' was an eggnog latte. Sounds amazing right!! Goodness that tasted like a piece of holiday heaven. However about 15 minutes after the cup was drained the nausea started to settle in.  I became dizzy, my heart started racing and I just felt sick sick sick. Turns out sugar in the liquid form moves through your system much faster which gave me minor case of dumping syndrome.

With all the talk about how artificial sugars are horrible for you I had been considering turning away from them. After today my body made it perfectly clear what it prefers.

Sugar-free for me!

Hydration

The benefits (and necessity!) of staying hydrated are almost too many to count! To be honest I was never the best at drinking water and almost never reached the recommended 64oz a day.  Now that I've been focusing on my health water has become a priority and it's crazy how much better I feel! Now that I've actually been keeping myself hydrated I noticed the effects of dehydration so much more... Headaches, fatigue, grumpiness... even increased hunger! Did you know that your brain easily mixes up the signals for hunger and thirst? So if you're feeling hungry when you know you shouldn't be chug some of that lovely H20! You may be surprised :)

Everybody is different, but if you struggle with getting enough water (like I did) here are the tips that I used in order to increase my intake.

1. Find a water bottle that you LOVE! For me I found that I drink so much more water when I drink through a straw. I love not having to worry about spilling all over my face at the gym or tipping the bottle in front of my face while driving. My personal favorite is the Camelbak Eddy Bottle <--- Amazon link here! I love that mine is completely leak proof! This allows me to take it everywhere *hint next tip!

2. Take it everywhere! My doctor hit this nail on the head at my three month post-op appointment. I was explaining to her how I was struggling to hit my water goals when she asked me "So where is your water bottle?" I didn't bring it with me into the doctor's office! Silly me! I literally take it everywhere now. In the shower, the car, my bed.... The leak-proof design makes it perfect for all of those things.

3. Measure out your water at the beginning of the day. I use a Pur water filter pitcher to fill up my Nalgene (yay race swag) . My Camelbak doesn't have good measurement markings on it, but I know I have to have at least two full bottles of Nalgene a day to hit my goal of 64oz. Here is a not so amazing pic of my set-up. I guess I'm a fan of the color blue.

I try to keep the pitcher full all the time and leave it in the fridge. Some days I'll throw some lemon slices in the bottom for some flavoring. Even though my tap water tastes fine I'm a fan of the filter pitcher because it make the water feel more fancy. (does that make any sense?) However there are definitely some days where I skip right to the Nalgene. I'll usually leave the Nalgene in the fridge as well and fill my Camelbak up from that. I could make things a lot simpler for myself and just mark my 64oz right on the pitcher, but I want to make sure that is available if we have any guests over and I don't want other people messing with my measurements :) 

4. Don't count anything with caffeine towards your intake. Caffeine has a diuretic effect which can actually dehydrate you!

5. Flavor it! Try out the sugar free powders and flavor squirt bottles. This is seriously the only way I can get my husband to drink anything. They also make some sweet water bottles these days where you can infuse your own flavors with real lemon or fruit. I haven't tried it yet myself but I am planning on getting one soon! 

6. Lastly, always have one cup of water before having any other type of beverage. I find that even if I'm craving that diet soda, if I have the water first I generally find I'm satisfied having just that. It's saved me lots of money going out to eat which is an awesome bonus! Plus, even if you are still craving that other drink afterwards, your one step closer to your hydration goal for the day so you don't have to feel as guilty about it! 

Hope you all have an amazing weekend and don't forget to drink up! You may be surprised how much better you feel with even just a little bit more of the good ole stuff! 

God Bless! 

WIAW (What I ate Wednesday) #2

Hello!

I'm happy to share another WIAW with you! I've been doing better with the sugar which is great but it's still a work in progress :)

Breakfast: Mocha Frappe Protein Shake (totally reused last week's picture) However this week I did add some chia seeds -high protein, low carb, low sugar 

• One Cup Unsweetened Almond milk
• One Scoop Chocolate Unjury 
• One tablespoon instant coffee
• One tablespoon unsweetened coco powder 
• Half tablespoon chia seeds soaked overnight in one tablespoon water 
• Three ice cubes 

Lunch: Leftover grilled chicken panini & homemade potato chips from last night's date & green beans from my garden! -high protein, fresh home-grown veggies, probably too many carbs

Dinner: Taco salad with lettuce from the garden & skinnytaste zucchini tots - I ate about 1/2 of what's pictured 

In the salad:

• 3 cups romaine lettuce
• one ounce shredded cheese
• one tablespoon salsa
• 1/4 cup ground beef with taco seasoning 

Dessert: Leftover fruit and yogurt smoothie turned into a popsicle (so tasty!)

Hope you all are having a great week! My 5-mile race went excellent :-) more details to come! 

WIAW (What I ate Wednesday) #1

Hello All!

I've been asked by a few people to share my food logs, and while I think what you eat is a very personal thing I know that I benefited when other people have shared theirs with me. Not only did they give me some great healthy meal  ideas, but I was encouraged by their honesty and willingness to put that out there. Since one of my goals this month is track my food intake honestly and accurately, I figured I would start sharing my WIAW or 'What I ate Wednesday'. Heck, at least it will help motivate me to make better choices on Wednesday's right? :-)

I would like everybody to keep in mind that I am a bariatric surgery patient, and that my diet is under constant doctor supervision. Remember to talk to your doctor before making any major changes in your diet. Even among bariatric patients there is a ton of variance over the amount of food we are able to eat. Instead of including the calorie/macro information for my WIAW, I be making comments on why or why not it was a good food choice (Example: High protein, low sugar, etc...) If you are interested in my specific calorie or other diet restrictions please feel free to private message me over on my facebook page, or follow me on myfitnesspal

Breakfast: Mocha Frappe Protein Shake  - high protein, low carb, low sugar 

• One Cup Unsweetened Almond milk
• One Scoop Chocolate Unjury 
• One tablespoon instant coffee
• One tablespoon unsweetened coco powder 
• Three ice cubes 

Morning Snack: 1/2 serving Fiber One Chocolate Cereal - low sugar, high fiber

Lunch: Mix the tasty things together: Fresh fruit, high protein, high fiber

• One serving Fiber One cereal
• One serving Fage 0% plain greek yogurt sweetened with one squirt liquid stevia
• 1/2 cup local strawberries 

Dinner: So yummy  - Low carb, high protein, fresh veggies 

• Salad with feta cheese, grape tomatoes, lettuce from my garden and low cal dressing
• Hillshire Farm - Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast, 2 oz.
• One garlic herb Laughing Cow cheese wedge

Dessert: One serving Praline Pumpkin Seeds - Higher fat, higher sugar, difficult to only eat one serving

Evening Snack(s): Wasabi peas and Quest Bar
Peas - fulfilled crunchy snack craving, higher carb
Quest - fulfilled sweet tooth, high protein, high fiber, low carb, high calories for a snack

Well I hope you enjoyed my first WIAW :)

What are you thoughts? Would you prefer to see specific macro information or does putting this this way help to avoid the comparison game/over analyzing? I just want to encourage people to make food choices based on what is good for their bodies instead of pure calorie intake. I'm open for suggestions :)

with love,
Sarah

Protein peanut butter cups

As most of you have probably figured out by now, I have a killer sweet tooth. I also have another small addiction... Pinterest. While browsing one day I happened to stumble across a few different pins for protein peanut butter cups. YUM! By looking at these I was able to come up with my own recipe that has no added sugar, and no more ingredients than I would put in my protein shakes. Though these weren't as sweet as the candy variety I thought that they still tasted very good and they are definitely something that I will be making again!

Protein Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients 

4 tin foil cupcake cups 

1 scoop Unjury chocolate protein powder (or your preferred brand) 

1 tablespoon coco powder 

2 tablespoons plain Fage 0% greek yogurt

3 tablespoons of PB2 

1 packet Truvia or Honey 

water 

Directions

In one small bowl mix the greek yogurt, protein powder, coco powder, and truvia/honey. Slowly add in a little bit of water at a time while mixing until the chocolate mixture is liquid enough to pour. Set aside. 

In a second bowl add the PB2 and again just enough water for the peanut butter mixture to be easy to pour. 

Then prepare your cupcake tins by placing them in a Tupperware container. This container should be the size where the cupcake tins are all touching and can support each other, but are not crushed in. Then pour about 1/2 the chocolate mixture evenly into the cups, followed by the entire peanut butter mixture. Top with the remaining chocolate and put in the freezer for at least an hour. Enjoy! 

Nutrition facts for one peanut butter cup (using Truvia not honey)

 50 calories, 5 carbs, 1 gram fat, 8 grams protein, 2 grams sugar

P.S. It's ok to eat more than one! 

Recipe very slightly modified from   http://aleshahaley.com/2013/09/12/protein-peanut-butter-cups-clean-eating/ 

Fighting the Chocolate Attack

My mind is screaming for anything and everything chocolate today! Instead of depriving myself I decided to indulge in a healthier way. My hope is that by doing this I can prevent a binge later (what would usually happen). I'm allowing myself two things. First these skinny cow dreamy clusters. They are delicious and truly hit the spot when the craving hits.

And then to prevent myself from grabbing two of these I am making one of my super chocolate protein shakes. At least this way I get some nutrition in and can call it lunch!

This shake is made with dark chocolate almond milk, Unjury chocolate splendor protein powder, and one serving PB2. I also added some frozen banana slices to thicken it up and make sure there was no room for anything else afterwards!

The end result was a lunch that crushed my chocolate cravings with 420 calories, and 27 grams of protein. Sure beats demolishing my husbands stash of icecream and oreos and feeling hungry and crappy in a few hours.

Question: What do you do when the craving hits?

Husband approved turkey BBQs with Sargento Cheese!

Hello!

I've been super busy finishing up my student teaching so I haven't gotten around to blogging much lately. Looking forward to summer and having more (too much?) time to relax and get my act together! Today I am excited to share with you a recipe that my little family just loves! The best part is that it can be sleeve (tiny tummy) friendly as well.

I've been experimenting with turkey in my cooking a lot lately because of the lower fat content but so far have had little luck impressing my picky husband. I've even tried to 'sneak it in' but he can always tell. When I finally found something that he actually enjoyed, I was ecstatic!

I based this recipe off of the Sargento Cheese website found here. I actually received some Sargento Ultra Thin cheese slices complimentary of Influenster to test and review.  If you haven't heard of Influenster I'd highly encourage you to check it out! It's a pretty sweet website where you can review the latest products. Sometimes you may even qualify for a Voxbox, which is when they send you free samples of the latest products to review. Well anyway, I received my Sargento Cheese slices in a Voxbox and I just LOVE them! They are all less than 40 calories a slice, and the thickness is perfect for my ham and cheese roll-ups. :-)

So, where were we? Ah, Turkey BBQs! 

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey breast

3/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1/2 diced red onion

Sargento Ultra Thin Cheese slices 

Directions 

Cook turkey until no longer pink, Add onion and BBQ Sauce and simmer 3-4 minutes or until heated through, Place on bun and top with cheese, Serve warm 

The nutrition facts can vary a ton based on the type of BBQ sauce and bun you use, but mine turned out to be around 300 calories and 31 grams of protein! Enjoy!

P.S - If you are interested in joining influenster I have plenty of invites left, so all you have to do is ask and I can get you set up :) 

For those days when you just NEED something chocolate!

Lately I've been on an overnight oats craze and love messing around with many different recipes. The other day I had one of those days where all I wanted was chocolate, so I started experimenting and the results were delicious! With 33 grams of protein this will also leave you full enough to keep you away from all other forms of chocolate for the next few hours. The nutrition facts aren't the best out there, but as a meal replacement (or two!) this sure beats munching on candy bars! :-) Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

*I ate mine too quickly to even thing about snapping a picture, but the results looked somewhat like this!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark chocolate almond milk

1/2 cup old fashioned oats 

1 scoop chocolate whey protein (I prefer Unjury) 

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp chocolate PB2 

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a covered Tupperware container. Shake thoroughly and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.

Per one bowl: 399cals, 51carbs, 33g protein, 9g fat, 16g sugar 

WLS Friendly Flatbread Pizza

Pizza. What a wonderful food! I mean seriously, who doesn't like pizza! Since the beginning of my diet starting in early November this food had been torturous to me. It is often a go to food for any college hangout so I found myself in many situations where I had to practice some serious self-control. No matter how many times I tried I just couldn't justify the 19 grams of fat for one slice. (Like I'd only eat one slice...) Worried that this beloved food may be out of my diet forever, I was very intrigued when someone posted in a FB group about a skinny 'flatbread pizza' that was safe for WLS (weight loss surgery) post-ops. I experimented around the other day and was able to come up with something super delish and simple! The best part is that it only takes 14 minutes to make and contains a whopping 22 grams of protein!

WLS Friendly Flatbread Pizza 

Ingredients

1 flatbread - I used flatout multi-grain w/flax

1 TBS olive oil

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Turkey pepperoni

4 TBS natural pizza sauce


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Brush flatbread with olive oil and place directly on the oven rack for 7 minutes. At this point the flatbread gets crispy. Top with pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni and place back in the oven for another 7 minutes. Enjoy!

Per one pizza: 239cals, 13carbs, 22g protein,13g fat, 3g sugar 

Muscle Recovery & a Product Review

Lately I've been trying very hard to listen to my body, particularly in the areas of exercise and muscle recovery. It's really easy to get caught up in your goal of exercising 6X a week and forget to give your body some rest. I still haven't learned exactly what my body needs as far as recovery yet, but I am getting much closer to figuring it out. So far I've learned that I better plan on at least two easy days after a Jillian Michaels workout, and one for weight lifting. If I'm to sore to walk down my stairs I take that as a resting day. It's all about listening to your body. Once I've started doing this I've noticed a huge improvement in my workouts. I feel like I get much more out of them and they are much more enjoyable.

Many people who go through rapid weight loss have the unfortunate side effect of muscle atrophy. This is why protein is SO important in a weight loss diet. When your body is starved for protein it can start to breakdown your muscles as a last resort. I have been told to try to get in 75 grams of protein each day. It's a difficult task but I know that not only will it prevent atrophy, but it will help promote the rebuilding of muscles after exercise and strength training. The only way I come close to getting my recommended amount of protein in is by supplementing with protein shakes. I have been using UNJURY medical quality protein powders.

 They have a few flavors to choose from which include chocolate splendor, strawberry sorbet, vanilla, and unflavored. I have tried all the flavors and by far my favorite is chocolate splendor. When mixed with 8oz of milk it really tastes just like chocolate milk! It really doesn't have that proteiny taste and blends very well in my blenderball shaker. I try to get in at least one of these shakes a day, especially if I've had a good workout. The unflavored is actually pretty unflavored. I've added it to things like pudding, mashed potatoes, and milk for my cereal. You can tell it's there, but barely. The strawberry and vanilla are ok, but I love my chocolate. :-)

Here are some nutrition facts: One scoop + 8oz skim milk (IGA brand)

Calories: 190

Carbs: 17

Fat: 0

Protein: 29

Sodium: 185

Sugar: 15

Also here is the breakdown. You could cut down a lot of the sugar and calories by replacing the milk with something like unsweetened almond or soymilk. 

In other news, I'm seriously considering getting a Fitbit. I'm leaning toward the Fibit Flex but i'm not so sure. Does anybody have experience with one? Do you love it? Also are there any other fitness trackers that I should consider? 

Happy Monday! 

Crustless Pumpkin Pie!

After missing out on the 'traditional' Thanksgiving dinner this year I started to become pretty nostalgic over my beloved pumpkin pie. I soon started on the lookout for a health friendly version. I was so excited when I stumbled upon this recipe. This pie is crust-less and sugar free, yet still tastes delicious! Enjoy :)

Crustless, Sugar Free, Pumpkin Pie

1 (15oz) Can pumpkin puree

1 (12oz) Can evaporated Skim milk

3/4 Cup egg white

3 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 Teaspoon Vanilla 

2/3 Cup Splenda Granular 

Pam Cooking Spray 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine all ingredients. Spray 9" pie plate with Pam. Pour mixture into pie plate. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Slice into 8 pieces 

Per One Slice: Cal 62.3, Carb 8.9g, Fat 0.2g, Protein 6.2g

Recipe From www.food.com 

I'm starting Weight Watchers!

So a few days ago, (after months of going back and forth) I decided to go ahead and start the weight watchers program. Usually I am pretty against anything that I have to spend money on, but in this case I am using that fact as a little 'extra' motivation. And since I paid for three months up front, I absolutely HAVE to use it because I paid for it. I opted for just the online programs because the idea of meetings slightly intimidates me + I am fairly sure it would be impossible to fit into my crazy schedule.

I have been doing the points plus program for about three days now, and I can say that so far I really like it. I am given 41 daily points and an extra 49 weekly spill-over points. Each food is assigned a point value that is based on fat, carbs, protein, and fiber. A food that is higher in fat or carbs would receive a higher point value, unless it is also high in protein and fiber. I do all of my tracking online in the plan manager which I have added a snapshot of below. I can also earn extra points by doing activities. These points can be swapped for food points if I happen to spend all of my daily and  weekly spill-over ones. I hope to not use any of them but I know once school starts it probably will become a lot more difficult to eat proper foods. Another awesome thing about tracking is that there is... haha... an app for that! I can constantly carry around my plan manager in my pocket so I can be sure to track my foods right after I eat them :) This helps a lot with the 'oops i forgot' factor.

So far there are a few things that I really, really , like about this program. First is that you are able to eat what ever foods that you want to. Nothing is 'restricted', but some foods are just worth a lot more points than others. I found that if I eat the right foods during the day, not only am I able to eat quite a lot (which i admittedly love to do) and stay within my point limits, but I end up with enough leftover points at the end of the day for my beloved dessert. Now I do admit, my dessert has been quite smaller than um... usual, but ben and jerry have come out with single servings of their frozen greek yogurt, and wow it is amazing! and it is only 5 points. Weight watchers also has their own ice-cream bars that are only three points and are quite good as well.

The other thing that I absolutely love is the fact that all fruits and veggies are 0 points. It is so nice to have something that I can snack on without guilt and not worry about tracking or how much I am eating. Grapes and watermelon have been my best friends over the last few days. I am rarely ever hungry and eat much less at meals if I fill up on those yummies during the day. To be honest, the doesn't feel like a diet at all, which i hope means it will be easier to stick with then my other (failed) attempts at weight loss.

Here is a picture of last nights dinner. It is edamame, tomato, and feta salad with fresh basil. The recipie was featured on the WW website and it was amazing. It was soooooo filling and I have a ton left over for today's dinner. The only downside so far has been that I have been spending a lot more money on food. This could get tricky during the school year but i'm not going to worry about it for now.

I have a beautiful friend that started this program at the beginning of the summer and has been extremely successful with it. It has been awesome to see her progress and it has been a huge inspiration to me. She just recently completed her first 5K this summer and has invited me to do one with her in October. I am so excited. Running a 5K has been a goal of mine for a while now, and I just can't wait. :)

I also got a call today from my second mom (the boyfriends mom actually) That made my day. She told me how excited she was for me and how proud she was. It couldn't have been any more encouraging. :) My mom has also been very supportive and excited as well. It is so wonderful to have supporters in this. Now I am really anticipating my first weigh in this Sunday! Hopefully I will be able to see some results and I will be sure to keep people updated. God Bless!