Product ot the week - all about berries

It's been a fantastic week of wedding happiness for me. My dress came in! Anxious, excited, and a little apprehensive I walked into the Dress Theory again to try on my gorgeous gown. I found my Sarah Seven dress the day after Christmas. It was a sample dress and had seen better days, but I knew it was the dress for me. It was way over budget, and the one time I could have been mistaken for a bridezilla. My wonderful parents took a risk in letting me get this dress. So, the pressure was on when it came time to try on that size zero again. When the dress zipped up, I swear it felt like a movie. It fit perfectly. I feel beautiful in it, it needs absolutely no tailoring, and all of my hard work and dedication truly paid off. With that said, it's now time to tone up even more and maintain. I don't need to lose anymore weight but I definitely can't gain. I am focusing on arms and diet. Specifically, a skin friendly diet. Which brings me to my product this week- Goji berries. The snack that keeps me out of the junk food and my skin glowing just right.

• Loaded with beta- carotene (hello, beautiful skin!)
• Boost immune system (no one needs a sick day when planning a wedding)
• Rich in antioxidants
• Low calorie
• Nutrient dense

How do I eat them? Personally, I am not a huge sweets girl. If I was, I'd keep them plain or add them to some dark chocolate for a dessert. Instead, I make my own "trail mix" with cashews, goji berries, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy!

Couples that lift together, don't always eat together.

Today I went grocery shopping. Let me give you a little play by play on how our cart looks.

Kelley's side

1. Endless Veggies
2. Chicken
3. Frozen fish
4. Fruit
5. Nuts
6. Dark Chocolate
7. Eggs
8. Daves Killer Grain Bread
9. Earth Balance Butter

Jared's side

1. 2 Red Baron Pepperoni Pizzas
2. 2 Boxes of Hot Pockets
3. Oreos
4. Peanut Butter Crackers
5. White Bread
6. Chicken
7. Saffron Rice
8. Frozen Lunches
9. Mayo

I wish this was a cruel joke, but it's not. My fiancé is the guy that can eat anything he wants and still stay chiseled. It's incredibly frustrating, but I love the guy... so I'll cut him some slack. Aside from temptations in this house, this makes for challenging dinners. I am a big advocate of family dinners, and am not about to share a Red Baron pizza with him. I have learned to improvise. Here's my secret: find a protein and veggie and swap out your carb.

Good proteins:

Grass fed beef (I don't eat red meat.. another challenge!)

Fish

Shrimp

Chicken

Turkey

Once I know what protein we will work with, I simply swap out the carb for something lean. I will make saffron rice (with butter) for him, and a zero carb noodle or an egg for myself. Being in a partnership is awesome, because he will give up his butter for some coconut oil. It's all about compromising.

Here are those noodles I recommend:

Happy shopping!! 150 days left #forbetterorwelch

Skip the Jif

Nut butters are undoubtedly a great snack choice, but not all nut butters are created equal. I always go almond butter. Why? Simply put, almonds are healthier than peanuts. Of course the tastes are a little different, but I had no problem transitioning and quickly learned to love it. The problem with almond butter is it can get a little expensive, so I share my secret. A cheap, good quality product produced with here in my state of California. 

You can get this product for around $8, which is still more expensive than your average peanut butter, but the nutritional facts tell it all. 

Per serving:

180 calories

1 gram of saturated fat

1 gram of sugar

7 grams of protein

Ingredients : blanched roasted almonds, palm fruit oil

AKA only the good stuff

Let's compare this to a cheaper, arguably (by some, not me) tastier nut butter such as Jif Peanut Butter

Per serving: 

190 calories

3 grams of saturated fat

3 grams of sugar

Ingredients: roasted peanuts, sugar, palm oil

AKA basically dessert

I leave you with facts to help convert my fellow readers to the healthy side. Happy Monday!

Treat Yourself

A little update.. I didn't listen to my doctor, and lifted when I should have let me head heal... and now I have more stitches, and a longer recovery period. I am not a happy camper, but I do have some "Kelley proof" (doctor's new favorite saying) stitches so I can continue walking. Another week out of the gym is hard for me,  but it's a good time to focus on diet. Even when I am relying solely on diet for results, I need a treat. So this post is all about treating yourself the right way.

I have mentioned it in earlier posts, but "organic" doesn't always mean good for you. These peanut butter cups below are at Starbucks cash registers everywhere, and it drives me crazy. If you are going to eat candy, this is not the way to do it. So what is? Dark chocolate. The higher the cocoa percentage the better it is for you. If you need the savory along with the sweet, pair your dark chocolate with a few almonds or a teaspoon of almond butter. I like to stick tiny nibs into raspberries. The best part? You are doing good to your body. Dark chocolate promotes weight loss and has heart benefits. It's also lower in calories and more importantly, sugar.

If you prefer a frozen treat my advice is to stay far away from the Pinkberry and frozen yogurt establishments that are popping up left and right as the new health craze. They are packed with sugar, impossible to control portions with the self serve option, and include an arrangement of unhealthy toppings. Don't fret- there are options. Coconut bliss makes incredible icecreams and sorbets, and my personal favorite right now:

Low calorie, dairy free, and low sugar.

Remember - dieting is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. You need to remember to treat yourself sometimes, and the reward pays off. 

April 5th 2015 and April 5th 2016 - thank you diet!