So how are things going?

 

This week on As The Fit World Turns: JavaChick buys protein powder. Husband seeks an answer to that eternal question; what’s for dinner? And JavaChick learns to cut herself some slack. Hopefully.

I started out writing this with more detail but it was getting really long and I didn’t want to put y’all to sleep. Welcome to the shortened version.

Basically I suggested to Husband that we had to make a change if we want different results and I wanted to start basing most of our dinners around salads. I do my best to make healthy choices and watch portions, but I feel like dinner is where things often fall apart.

So the first week we had lots of salads for dinner, with sides to round things out. Chicken for Husband. For me smoked salmon or vegetarian protein sources like quinoa & beans. At the beginning of the second week Husband asked what were the dinner plans for the week. I said salads. At the beginning of the third week Husband asked what were the dinner plans for the week. I said more salads. This weekend Husband asked what are the dinner plans for the week, I said salads…Week three actually did not go according to plan, but I’m ready to start over this week.

I also decided to try protein smoothies for breakfast after reading about how whey protein can help with weight loss because it seems to lower ghrelin levels. I’ve never been a fan of smoothies, for various reasons, and have not liked protein powders I’ve tried in the past, but I decided to give it another go.

At the grocery store, I hunted for a whey protein isolate powder that did not contain stevia. I found exactly one. I wished it was in a smaller container, since I didn’t know whether I was wasting  my money, but I bought it. On the first try I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t terrible either. After a bit of experimenting, I came up with a smoothie that I enjoy. Husband wants nothing to do with the protein powder, but after some experimenting we came up with a yogurt smoothie that he is liking. Husband has commented that he is enjoying  his smoothies for breakfast, and after our blender met an untimely end on Thursday morning, husband mentioned missing his smoothie.

A week ago, Charlotte posted about dailyfeats.com, a site that can be used to track actions and motivate you to build good habits. I started using it as an acknowledgement of all the little things I do every day. I forever feel like I don’t do enough, I can’t keep up with everything I should do, most particularly housework. Our house is usually a disaster. It’s so easy to compare myself to my Mom who managed to keep a spotless house despite four kids and various pets over the years. Or to my friend whose house always looks like a spread from a home decor magazine.

So I started to keep track of the things I do everyday. Making meals. Washing dishes. Exercising. Taking care of the cats. Piano practice. And I was hit over the  head with the obvious. My Mom did not work outside the home. My friend may work  full time, like I do, but she doesn’t have pets; she doesn’t work out; she doesn’t play piano; she doesn’t blog. I chose to do the things I do and I wouldn’t give them up.

True, there are people out there who keep up with all of that and still manage to have a neat and tidy house. But there are plenty of other people who can’t. We all do the best we can. I am going to try and hold onto that  for when I start to feel all these undone tasks closing  in on me. Feel free to remind me when I backslide.

 

Phew. And this was the short version. You’re welcome.

This week’s photos:

Ingredients for the JavaChick approved smoothie:

I like a combo of yogurt & protein powder, with peaches (right now, once they are no longer in season I will switch to frozen fruit) and Coconut Milk. I also add a splash of vanilla. Husband likes frozen berries, banana, a full serving of yogurt and orange juice instead of coconut milk.

 

Replacement blender. So pretty and shiny and new.

Our kitchen is sort of starting to look like a Cuisinart ad. In behind the blender here, we have my Cuisinart Grind & Brew Coffee Maker (how do I love thee? Let me count the ways) and a Cuisinart spice & nut grinder. We also have a Cuisinart toaster oven, popcorn maker and garbage can. They should sponsor me.

Test of of the new blender at lunch time today, along with a test run of a new-to-us mac & cheese. Review posted separately to keep this post from being any longer.