MyProtein: Double Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie

Recently I was able to get my hands on the Protein Cookies from MyProtein and was way too excited. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a major sweet tooth, especially one for chocolate. Needless to say, I was beyond stoked to dig into this cookie.

When I took my first bite, I was amazed by how many chocolate chunks there were. (I'm allllll about that chunk factor being turned all the way up). I liked how the cookie tasted by itself, not too crispy or chewy, but perfectly soft. However, I decided that no harm could be done by warming it up. I popped it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and yeah, it turned out to be an excellent decision. The chocolate chips got all melty and the cookie was soft and warm....the only problem was that I got some chocolate on my fingers but um, let's just say that this was not an issue for long.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with this product. Great taste and quality in general.

Macros for one cookie are: 320 calories, 10g fat, 20g carb, 37.5 protein

It's What's On the Inside That Counts

 

It sounds weird, I know. But adding zucchini (yes, zucchini) to my oats was quite possibly the greatest thing to ever happen to me. First off, it packs your oats with an added serving of veggies (all the micros, all the fiber). Second, it pumps up your oats with a ton volume. Like triple the size. And lastly, because of the super mild taste, it's like you aren't even eating a vegetable.

I used to be a huge fan of adding "riced" cauliflower to my oats but the prep for that, as well as the smell, was just becoming a pain in the ass after a while. I prefer zoats because it takes no time to prepare and it's a lot milder of a taste than cauliflower. Here's how I make mine!

Ingredients:
1/2 small or 1 large zucchini
1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cup water 
1/4 cup egg whites
1 T chia seeds
Protein powder, nut butter, fruit, etc. (optional)

1. Grate your zucchini onto a paper towel and then squeeze out the excess water (I used to omit this step and still do if I'm pressed for time but it really helps!)
2. Add zucchini to a bowl with your oats and water.
3. Microwave until the oats are pretty well cooked.
4. Stir in your egg whites and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the oats have fluffed up.
5. Add 1T chia seeds and after the oats have cooled a bit, stir in desired amount of protein powder (I typically do anything from 1/4-1/2 scoop).
6. Top and devour!

My One Year Transformation

One year ago I decided to make an Instagram account to hold myself accountable to staying on top of working out, eating right, and to hopefully learn how to make a pretty bowl of oatmeal. I had no idea what the next 365 days would hold in store for me. I refrained from making a post at the beginning of the month so bear with me as this might be kinda lengthy but I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this past year.
 
2014 was by far the toughest year of my life. This time last year I was in the absolute depths of orthorexia and was digging myself into a deeper hole every day. I spent the majority of my spring semester last year being terrified of everything, every situation that would force me to deal with an unplanned meal or possibly missing a workout. It still makes me depressed thinking about how much I missed out on and how many times I gave up making memories with friends in exchange for eating my "safe" foods alone in my room.
 
About halfway through the summer, I took a huge step and gave up counting macros which is by far the best decision I made for myself in the whole process. Looking back, I can see that I was still eating basically the same things every day but nonetheless, it was a step in the right direction. 

Towards the end of my fall semester, I fell back into some destructive habits (obsessive macro counting, restricting, etc.). Sometimes, and I feel like I'm not the only one who feels this way, I feel like the only way to achieve goals is to become obsessive about them and mask it as "dedication". This works for some people but all in all, it can just take over your life. 

It has taken time but eventually I just decided that enough was enough. I no longer count calories, I eat a wide variety of foods, and I am getting better at having less anxiety about skipped workouts/unplanned meals. Sure it's nerve wracking sometimes. I won't lie and say that I feel 100% free from my disorder. I believe I'll always be a work in progress. But over the past year I've really thought about the person I want to be when I'm older and I know that I'll never get there if I waste my 20s being obsessed calories and my body fat percentage. I am so unbelievably happy to have made this account because I've made some amazing friends and have gotten so much support from some pretty amazing people. I have big goals for this upcoming year and it's thanks to a lot of you guys that I feel confident in my abilities to achieve them.

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Blondies

Made some Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Blondies today and they turned out great! I used the Jamie Eason Lean Body For Her Natural Whey Concentrate in Vanilla which I've been dying to try for such a long time now. It bakes SO well and the ingredients and flavor are both on point. Click here to check out this protein powder, you won't regret it! 

Recipe:
•1 cup chickpeas 
•3/4 cup pumpkin purée 
•2T sugar free syrup (I used hazelnut Torani but you could omit for just 2T more almond milk) 
•1/4 cup liquid egg whites 
•1 scoop Vanilla whey 
•2T almond milk 
•Vanilla extract 
•1/2tsp baking powder 
•Chocolate chips to taste 
•2 stevia packets
 
Blend all ingredients except for chocolate chips and pour into a greased dish. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.
 
Macros (serves 6): 96 calories, 2.1g fat, 12.5 carbs, 8.3 protein

Rest Days, Overtraining, and Listening to Your Body

A teammate of mine shared this article with the rest of our team today and it really got me thinking about the importance of rest and recovery.

I don't know what it is about taking time off but it scares the sh!t out of me. While I understand the importance of rest in order to repair your muscles and make you stronger and fitter, there is something about taking a whole day off of physical activity that worries me just a little bit. My body instantly snaps back to the disordered thoughts that I don't deserve as much food on rest days, that I'm being lazy, that my stomach looks bigger and my thighs are rubbing against each other more, and that I'm not as devoted to fitness as I should be. I don't know where these thoughts come from but I do know that I can't stand it when I justify them. God forbid if I get hungry on a rest day and eat some extra carbs, I start to freak out and parts of me feel like I'm going to wake up 5 lbs heavier.

Since I started my interest in health and fitness, in February of 2013, I have not taken more than three consecutive days off of training. Even when I had surgeries or back sprains, I always found a way to go on a run or swim or do jumping jacks in my room for fear of losing all my fitness and not burning enough calories for the day. And even this summer, I have not taken a full few days of rest aside from when I hurt my back. Even today, I took a rest day but I worked an eight and a half hour shift at the restaurant.

This article is making me realize how silly it is to beat yourself up over something so silly. Us people who care so much about our health are truly interesting; the rest of the world doesn't care at all when they don't work out for the day. It's mindblowing to me that there are people out there who aren't as preoccupied with training as I am. A lot of the times, I feel superior to them but in instances like these, I can't help but feel jealous. Laying in bed and watching a movie to them is just a relaxing day but it makes me feel like a couch potato.

Well, I'm going to break this cycle. If you think you are overtraining, you probably are, and I am challenging all of you as well as myself to take a week this summer and devote it to complete rest. Do some light cross training maybe or go on a relaxing walk. You won't lose all your gains and you'll come back to the gym even fitter and stronger than before. I'm scared, but I know it is well worth it.

 Listen to your body and know that challenging yourself isn't easy but...."extremes are easy, balance is hard".