One More Try!

It has been an interesting week with using the NutriBullet extractor.  I am experimenting with blending different types of fruits (apples, berries, peaches, watermelon, bananas, mango, kiwi, oranges, etc.), vegetables (spinach, kale, mustard greens, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, celery, etc.), nuts (almonds and walnuts), flax seeds, reduced sugar almond milk, unsweetened coconut/almond milk, protein shakes, etc.  Some of my "concoctions" have been really good but some have been "interesting".  I have type 2 diabetes so I try to use more vegetables than fruits but I sometimes have to add a half packet of truvia to sweeten my "meal".

I was very diligent with using the NutriBullet at least twice daily last week and eating only 1 meal/day but I find that this week I seem to want to eat a meal more than once a day.  Today I ate pizza, twice!  I only used the NutriBullet this morning.  Oh well, you can't win them all but tomorrow I plan to use the NutriBullet at least twice a day and walk for at least 15-20 minutes.  My son has also tried a few interesting combinations with fruits and juices (this bothers me due to all of the sugar due to our family history of diabetes!) but I hope to sneak in a few vegetables when he is not looking.  LOL!  Peace!

I think I can!

My first!

        Goal accomplished - I did it!

I purchased the NutriBullet yesterday and I am super-excited!  I chose to purchase the red-colored NutriBullet because red signifies excitement, daring, boldness, and life. 

My day began at 4 a.m. this morning and ended late this afternoon with a trip to the dentist so I was unable to initiate my initial NutriMeal until late this evening.  My plan was to start fresh tomorrow morning but I was unable to contain my excitement in using the NutriBullet so, with a mouth that is half numb, I finally made my first NutriBlend.  Because I have type 2 diabetes, I am interested in controlling my carbs so I am tracking my carb grams.  I also need to lose weight and at some point I will began to calculate my calories.

My first NutriBlend:
Used the NutriBullet short cup.
A handful of Spinach (50% or 1/2 of the short cup)
1/4 cup of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, redberries ~ 5 gms carbs)
1/2 medium banana (~ 15 gms carbs)
1/4 cup Walnuts (~ 4 gms carbs)
Almond/Cocunut Blend (~ 1/4 cup, forgot to measure, 0 gms carbs)
Wanted it sweeter so added 1/4 small packet of Truvia (0 gms carbs)

Looked terrible but actually tasted okay.  Seedy due to the berries but I like seeds and nuts so it was okay for me.

I'm happy and will try to experiment with some other NutriBlends over the next few days.

Resources:
Calorie King@ http://www.calorieking.com/ - excellent resource for tracking food metrics such as calories, carbs, protein, fat, etc.

Forget Failure

I'm disappointed in myself in that that I did not attend to my first goal which was to purchase my Nutribullet today.  I attended the funeral of one of my son's best friends, a 24 y.o. firefighter who passed away unexpectedly last week from an aneurysm.  Needless to say, I was emotionally exhausted today after the homegoing service and I returned home, took medication for my headache, and slept the evening away.  BUT tomorrow I will purchase my Nutribullet and I will go grocery shopping this weekend.  I'm determined to be dedicated to my goal of "a healthier me".  Peace!

“If you try anything, if you try to lose weight, or to improve yourself, or to love, or to make the world a better place, you have already achieved something wonderful, before you even begin. Forget failure. If things don't work out the way you want, hold your head up high and be proud. And try again. And again. And again!”

- Sarah Dessen

Preparation

After careful research and deliberation of juicers and blenders, I have decided to go with the nutribullet (I will purchase it this weekend).  I have type 2 diabetes and fortunately I have been able to keep it under very good control for several years so I prefer to retain my fiber and add a lot of veggies with a controlled amount of fruits/carbs for my meal plan.  Initially I had a difficult time understanding the difference between juicing and blending but after speaking with a dietician, reviewing youtube videos, and researching information on the internet, I think I finally understand the difference.  The following video explains the difference very clearly although I am not willing to spend hundreds of dollars for a blender or juicer.  I encourage anyone who is planning to make drastic changes to their diet and/or exercise plan to consult with their primary care provider and a registered dietician BEFORE making the change.  By the way, I am a nurse practitioner, certified diabetes educator, and certified chronic care professional and I will continue to consult with my dietitian and my primary care provider as I engage in my revision of the lifestyle and behavioral changes needed to become a healthier me.  Peace!

  

Below is some information about the video "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead "

which has inspired me to try blending/juicing.

My Beginning

 "The greatest revolution in our generation is the discovery that human beings, 

by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, 

can change the outer aspects of their lives."

- William James

Nassau, Bahamas 2014

Today I read a message on the back of a juicer box that said "you are not what you eat, you are what you absorb".  This is why we have to be careful about what and who we allow to get inside of our mind, body, spirit, and soul.  The mind is one of the most powerful organs in our body; it controls what we think, how we feel, and how our body functions.  Research supports the fact that our mind controls our perceptive views of our universe including our perceptions of self, of other people, and how we see and interact with the world.  The adage that "what we perceive is what we believe" is a powerful truth.  For example, despite what others may see or believe when they look at me, I believe that I am beautiful and, therefore I am.  But no matter how beautiful I envision myself to be, I can't hide from the fact that I am obese and thus, experiencing medical complications and potentially shortening my life span. Sure, we can have a conversation about the influence of genetics and the environment on diseases and disabilities, but we have to also have an honest discussion about how our lifestyle contributes to our (un)healthiness.  Like most people, weight loss has always been a struggle for me.  I realize that I have achieved many of my life goals but I've never seriously attempted a long term, sustained effort at weight loss, so today I have decided embark on a journey to my revision of creating a healthier me, one day at a time.  I'm sure that it won't be easy, but I'm confident that it will be worth it.  Today is my beginning and after watching the movie "Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead" (by Joe Cross), I have decided to try juicing and/or blending to initiate my journey.  Deep breaths ... ready, set, go!  Peace!