Tasty Tuesday: Sugar Free/Carb Free Holiday Tips!

Well hello there!  Welcome to my regularly scheduled Tasty Tuesday post.  If you are looking for recipes then you should visit my Recipe Tuesday post which is all about July 4th food and drink ideas this week!

If you're here for another one of Amanda's Fun Nutrition Lessons then take a seat and pull out a pencil and doodle as you read.  Isn't that supposed to be effective?

I received a couple emails this month from people who were starting their sugar free and carb free journey.  It was delightful to get to answer some of their questions and help them navigate the waters of protein and fat without the heavy weight of carbs and sugar.  Their emails were the catalyst for this post.

The most popular question was this....

Since I'm going sugar and carb free does that mean I should not eat any carbs or sugar again?  What about (celebrations) I go to?

Ummm....no.

When I detoxed to get on this path I cut sugar (all but naturally occurring) and carbs from my diet for the first two weeks.  The third week I brought in some complex carbs but no more than 10 a day.  I stuck with that for another couple of weeks.

Make a trifle with angel food cake or sugar free vanilla cake mix, sugar free cool whip, and fresh berries!  Easier on the waistline, skin, and energy!

Celebrations can be a tempting time and also a time to allow yourself a bit of lenience.  Having said that you need to make sure you look before you dive into the table of sweetness and bad carb central.  Here's what I suggest you take into account before you fix a plate of everything you've been walking away from:

1.  Is it something you really love or is it just something sweet.

Sometimes we eat to eat and that is what gets us in trouble.  If you're favorite cake on earth is carrot cake and you aren't a huge fan of vanilla then why are you picking up a slice of the vanilla cake?  Because it is there?  Because you want to be nice?  Those are bad answers.  You don't eat something you're not a huge fan of because it is in front of you.  You don't eat to be nice.  You compliment to be nice.

2.  Can you make the necessary adjustments to your diet if you eat that sweet?

When I take in an item that is on my no-no list then I know I must make adjustments to my diet for the day.  For me a brownie is my go to baked good.  I realize if I eat a brownie for breakfast (it happens sometimes) that means I am carbed and sugared out for the day.  That means I'm eating protein and healthy fat the rest of the day with zero grams of carbs and sugar coming in.  Can you do that?  Yes, you can.

3.  Disciplined?

Anything worth having takes work.  If I was giving you tips on starvation then the second you ate a piece of cake you would then eat two brownies and six pieces of pie and within a few days gain back water weight, fat, and that horrible feeling you had before you took sugar and carbs out of your daily routine.  Ask yourself if you are really disciplined enough at this stage in the game to eat that treat(s).  Be honest with yourself.  If you are disciplined enough and you really want to feel better and look better then trust yourself to splurge - smart!  If it is a baked good - go small on the portion.  If it is alcohol then try your best to make a low carb choice.



Should I reintroduce carbohydrates and sugar into my diet?  When?

Give yourself 15-30 days to stay sugar and carb free.  Start with ten and see how easy it is and how many changes occur in your body then go on to 15 days, 20 days, 25 days, and 30 days.  At thirty take a really good look at what you have accomplished:

*What does your skin look like?  Clearer, smaller pores, decreased number of lines or fine wrinkles?
*How much more energy do you have?
*How are your clothes fitting you?
*Can you focus better?
*Is sleeping easier?

All of those should be answered in a positive response (though after the first three to four days you will probably be swearing quite a bit and hating me and life in general.)  Eliminating the sugar and carbs makes us healthier and naturally prettier people!  It may even make you look a bit younger and slimmer!  SCORE!

What does your carb and sugar intake look like two months in?

My carb in take after the total detox looks like this:

On the mornings that have me off to clean client's homes I now have a bit of carbs to start my day off.  I have found that about 10 grams of carbohydrates help me get through the tasks of scrubbing, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, wiping, disinfecting, etc without feeling totally drained.  I'll go into more detail about this when I do my post about exercise and nutrition keys in August.

When I treat myself this summer with some naughty sugar and carbs it is a 4:00 allowance a couple days a week of a classic Coca-Cola!  (Small, which is about 12 oz.)  Because a soda is packed with nasty sugar and loads of carbs I know I have to steer clear of carbs all through the day.  Luckily, this is easy because I keep lots of lean meats and fresh vegetables (non starch) around for my meals and snacks!

On the weekends I have a couple beers - my choice is Michelob Ultra because of the low carbs.  There are other low carb options out there but Mich Ultra is the most widely sold/available.

I do not have these foods and drinks every day.  Remember: I allow myself 10 carbs a day but on the days I have 10 carbs in the morning I have no more that day.  When I have a soda (two days a week) those are my only bad sugar and total carbs I take in that day unless I sneak in a complex carb or two.

And just so you know after my sugar detox I moved to supporting the new lifestyle with Trim Healthy Mama recipes and nutrition tips.  This means I have low/no sugar and low/no carbs still!  But if I need to pull from a carb I do....a complex one.

We have a huge barbecue for Independence Day.  What should I do?

Party, obviously.

OK maybe a more serious response is needed.  Easy things to do at the barbecue can include:

*Eat your burger or hot dog without a bun.
*Try to steer clear of ketchup.
*Chips, baked beans, potato salad, and pasta salad are not your friends.  Instead, if you're hosting the barbecue make a couple of better side choices for yourself and anyone else who wants to cut down on the carbs - a great option is deviled eggs! Remember non starchy vegetables on the grill too!
*Sugar free dessert options are real and are good.

And being that it is a big holiday for festive drinks and summer shandy remember that the carbs you eliminate from your plate aren't being added to the carbs you sip.  The same goes for sugar!  Just remember the carbs and calories in alcohol are insane and much higher than the plate of food you're probably engulfing after being on the water all day.  (FYI:  The average margarita has 500 calories in it!)  Drink smart.

Peace Love and Low Carb has a listing of cocktails that are friendly to us low carb girls!

I hope this smash of tips and advice helps you out as you party this weekend!  These tips apply to vacation too but maybe I'll formulate another little post for vacation too, very soon!

Happy eating & Happy living!

Amanda

Sugar Detox - Day 3

Um yeah kinda...via candiesandcrunches.com

Hey beauties!  So you may know I gave up sugar on Monday to better myself in a total 180 degree fashion. I wanted to check in with you guys and let you know how this is going.

Day one was not that bad.  

Alright, wait, day one was OK.
Hmm...is that even the correct wording?

I started off my day with tanker truck load of coffee (per the norm), boiled egg, and two sausage links.  When I got to work I was met by carbs and sugars galore.

Oops, I forgot it was Teacher Appreciation Week!

The good news?  I stood strong and ignored all that food and kept on track!

My Pavlov's Dog Moment -

Normally, around 1:15 every afternoon I get a Dixie Cup of Peanut M&M's.  Let me be honest and tell you I kind of live for that 1:15 sugar/chocolate/peanut rush of deliciousness.

When I glanced up at the clock at saw 1:11 my body responded -

"Yes, it is time for M&M's!  Woo hoo feed me, feed me now!"

I did not budge from where I was working and tried so hard to focus on the task at hand.  My body knew it was time for candy and it was responding but my willpower turned out to be stronger.

Of course my body raged an afternoon war against me.  I suddenly was "hungry" and I suddenly had "no energy" and then I was "angry."

When I got home I sat down and closed my eyes for about ten minutes.  Isn't that the way we reset?  Rest?  Maybe not.

Then I had a cup of coffee and was out the door.

Eating on Monday wasn't hard at all -

Lunch was a delicious salad topped with a leftover hamburger patty I chopped up.  I have a pesto/olive oil dressing that has no carbs and no sugar in it - LIFE SAVER!

Dinner was actually from McDonald's (shut the front door, right?) I had their Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad (No ranch, guys) with a drizzle of Newman's Own Light Balsamic Dressing.

For a snack I did have a Triple Zero Oikos Greek Yogurt (Mixed Berry).

The good news is:

1.  It wasn't as hard as I expected on day one.
2.  I was satiated.
3.  I think I can do this.

Day 2....

I read Day 2 is the hardest of days when you are giving something up.  Well...it totally is when you walk in and the PTSO has dropped off a smorgasborg of muffins and bagels.  I literally had to stay 100 yards away from the break room all day.

Other than that I did well!  At 1:15 I had my Triple Zero Yogurt instead of letting my body beg me for M&M's.

There is sugar in this product but it is only 7g and I can handle that.

Breakfast was a boiled egg and three sausage links today.

Lunch was a super colorful salad I made at home with a boiled egg.

Since I made tacos at dinner I opted to put some of he ground turkey and all the veggies in a bowl with some cheese.  It was great!  I also may have killed a small avocado with that meal because I cannot say no to avo-cad-o!

And here we are at day three....

Right now I'm going to admit something to you.  Don't judge me.

How do I say this?  Maria, help me tell this truth!

I am going to cheat today.

My son's preschool is hosting Muffins With Mom and well like the title says - they gots da muffins.  I just cannot see myself sitting there with coffee with my three year old bambino refusing to eat a muffin.

That could be lame-o.

So this morning I will be eating a muffin (probably devouring it) but I will make accomodations and make sure to burn that sugar off immediately after the event is over.

A couple lifesavers for this adventure of changing my lifestyle....

First off, Pinterest.  Can I take a minute and kiss the person who created it straight on the face?!?!  I have got some amazing recipes and tips from that fabulous site.  I am really wondering how the crap we ever managed without it (hello - entire childhood?)

Second, Emily!  Thanks for the information and recipes! I can have brownies again!!!

I'm thinking about working on a vlog for my next update.  I guess we shall see!  Have a great Wednesday!

Remember to catch me on:
Instagram:  @abrownieworld
SnapChat:  @abullnojoke
Facebook:  @abrownieworldblog
Email:  abrownieworldblog@gmail.com

May 2016: The Great Reset!

Hello May!  I like to start some months with a total - overall - reboot of sorts.  May gets to be the lucky winner for being my reset month for the summer.

After being sick last week and not liking myself because of it I'm working on three areas:

What I eat
Movement
Sleep

A couple weeks back I realized my diet was crap.  I'm one of those girls who will work out to indulge.  In case you didn't know already - that is a really bad reason to work out.  When I was a tad younger I worked out to work out and ate right when I did.  Now it seems like logging a good hard work out should be rewarded with sugar.

Sugar is not my friend (no matter what my sweet teeth tell me).  It makes me feel gross, look gross, and sets me up for bad situations (it can totally wreck your immune system.)

This week I am taking on a challenge slash lifestyle change that basically will be giving me a huge need to "release" frustrations and beg for some motivational help.

Alright, let's just do this thing.

Hello, my name is Amanda and I am a

sugarholic.

I want everything in this picture...including the cake!

I eat too much damned sugar.  This has been in the back of my brain - somewhere around my cerebellum I guess - for a while.  Now it is right between my eyes - Amanda, you eat too much freaking sugar.

So I'm cutting it out.

The excess, non naturally occurring kind at least.

I'm not doing this to be trendy or whatever - I'm doing it for myself.

Over the past year or so I have noticed changes in myself that I just do not like.  Most can be chalked up to being nearly half a decade from my twenties (ouch, that hurts).  My skin isn't like it was, my middle isn't where it should be (and its too late to claim pregnancy).  Though my energy level is good I think it could be way better.

Then there are hormones and blood levels that scream at me - you're in your thirties take charge now.

Last week I was sick and for the first time in my life I felt I was a 34 year old facing the daily struggle of an 84 year old.

Sugar helped my body get sick (among other factors!)

So sugar must be killed.

The good news is this detox and lifestyle change will have HUGE benefits including and not limited to:

1.  Even more energy

2.  Stronger immune system

3.  Decrease in body mass (maybe I'll get those final six pounds off!)

4.  Better complexion

5.  Healthier me which means a stronger mommy and wifey

I am confident I can do this.  I have a bit of a nutrition background and have a good idea of what all I'll be doing but at the same time it is way easier to instruct another person on all the important keys to success than telling yourself you have to.

You must know I'll be very ornery realizing that my beloved Bear Claw flavor ice cream is a bad guy.  We won't discuss how this will effect my weekend beers or wine.  Let's refrain from asking about weekend baking too.

Of course I know you're allowed to live a little and indulge in a bad boy here and there but I like to keep all focused and let no bad guys get passed me.  I guess it is part of being a Scorpio.

If you're interested in taking this challenge slash lifestyle change then email me at abrownieworldblog@gmail.com and I'll give you the daily dish on what is happening that day to push us all forward.  NO, I'm not doing this on my own.  I'm doing this through a local health care center because I have to and because I want to.

Are you an active person?  I am a very active person.  It is annoying to me how I cannot sit down.  Can we say adult onset ADD?

Sitting down on the couch after a day of work - isn't happening.
The kids are gone for a few hours so I can rest?  No way I have stuff to do.
It is a pretty day - lie out in the sun!  I would rather do something that makes me sweat.

Though this side of me is annoying I also appreciate it.
But I want to do more.

I haven't been in the gym but ONE time in two weeks.  Look, I enjoy being outside to get my exercise but the stuff I do outside cannot compare to the work I do when I'm in a room filled with equipment and boring, muted television screens.

Though I cannot go back to five days of working out per week I can fit in three trips each week.

I will do this.  I will charge that Fitbit back up and have it on Monday morning.

Sleep is something I dream of.  There is a common theme among us mommies - we all are tired.  I think we're more tired than we ever imagined.  Being a mom is draining (and rewarding) especially when you're children are younger and need you for very important things (like counting Matchbox Cars or making the 47th Play Doh cake of the day).

I can admit to being so tired that when the kids do go down for the night I stay up longer.  That is my ME time - no matter how tired I am I want to be able to veg out and watch an non cartoon or Teen Nick show.

Another reason I stay up when I am dead tired is to see my husband.  During the week we see each other for about 5 minutes a day.  If I can stay up until 11:30 then we can see each other for about fifteen minutes before I pass out (from being tired or the way his feet stink - he needs new shoes!)

Sleep deprivation is real and it is killing me.

Some nights I only get 5 hours of sleep and though many can run off that I need a minimum of seven.  I swear in my twenties I could run off four easily.

This week I'm going to make a point of resting.  I will intentionally locate a time in my afternoon where I can close my eyes (with super glue) for a minimum of 15 minutes.  This will be the hardest thing in the world for me to do considering my three year old will more than likely wage a war against me looking like I may be asleep.

The benefits of good sleep and rest are immense for keeping ourselves healthy - our body needs us to rest so it can efficiently complete all the metabolic processes and for our brains to have better focus.  More rest keeps us from getting sick and helps us maintain a healthier weight.


Let's be honest - I think the majority of us can totally go for this reset - it is May and May is bathing suit season. <wink>

I shared this post on Motivational Monday with A Fresh Start on a Budget!