sometimes you need pasta

Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance. - Brian Tracy

Back on track with a delicious PB mocha covered strawberry smoothie! (Recipe below)

Balance looks different to everyone. You have to try it on sometimes to see if it fits, and sometimes you simply have to accept the fact that you're not perfect. You're not perfect in your words, thoughts, and for me food choices. But that's the beast of burden of our lives. If you can learn to live with it, let it slide off your back and move on, you'll feel a bit lighter walking the path of your life with the guilt monkey off your back.

 

Like a little glass of healthy heaven!

I have to kick myself constantly simply to remember that you cannot plan your whole life. Sometimes there's not going to be a healthy vegetarian option for you, and if you're real hungry you'll be just fine eating some bread and butter. Your body won't hold it against you. On Saturday my mom made her version of my Grandma Betty's spaghetti, and having lost her a few months ago, this was quite possibly one of the most emotional meals of my life. I know it sounds odd, but her spaghetti is like a little nugget of my childhood, when all the world falls away and enjoying some spaghetti is the key to all that is great. Needless to say I indulged in two full plates of spaghetti, and topped it off with some vanilla ice cream with the hubs. Granny Betty preferred cookies and cream ice cream, but she never believed in skipping a dessert, so I really had no choice.

Mmmm frozen strawberries, almond butta, coffee and protein does a body good! 

This morning I thought I would wake up 10 pounds heavier, upset and irritated for over eating and ruining a strong week of workouts and clean eating. Luckily I slept it off. Not the extra calories but the extra negative 'tude I gave myself for enjoying some pasta, ice cream and a night with the fam. Instead I woke up, laced up the sneaks and Jackalope and I set out for a 3.5 mile loop around the sunny block. I came back to a delicious peanut buttah mocha covered strawberry smoothie, a recipe which I adapted from PB Fingers, and bounced right back into health and happiness.

Bottoms up bottoms up whaa?

Take a breath sometimes.  It's totally OKAY to eat pasta now and then.  Grandma Betty would be proud.  Don't beat yourself up, and don't use working out and healthy eating as a trophy to over indulge.  Live it breathe it balance it.

xo

PB mocha covered strawberry smoothie! 

* 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
* 1/2 c. almond milk
*1/2 c. coffee! 
* 1 tbsp. almond butter
* 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
* 3 ice cubes
* 5 small frozen strawberries

alt + control + delete

the last legal vice

I use a Mac, so this command is not relevant anymore.  But sometimes I think we need a command that automatically forces us to quit a certain activity, refresh it, and start anew.  Meet my human form of "alt + control + delete".

waking up to this smell is heaven

It's not a massage, or a weekend getaway, it's an espresso stove-top moka that I brought back with me when I moved home from Italy.  I know coffee is bad for you, this won't help you de-stress, blah blah blah.  I don't care.  It's a piece of a place I gave my heart, and with every cup I'm reminded of la vita bella.

My best friend from Italia, Andrea, she introduced me to Carreras, I introduced her to the side braid.

Have no fear, I put a healthy twist into my espresso vice.  As some of you may know, coffee used to be my breakfast, but we broke up (for mornings that is), and I've moved on with protein.  So I've created a perfect way to wake up. Introducing the Iced Chocolate Coconut Milk hold the whip skinny non-latte extra Italian memories almond butter espresso protein shake.

venti doppio!  Mmm protein frappuccino de whitters

The name is a work in progress and I am open to ideas.  Basically, we need a name that encompasses the ingredients and the memories it provides me.  At the end of the day, I can't move back to Italia, I made no money, barely enough for food and my Carrera obsession.  But I can dream about the friends I made, the wine I tasted, and the morning cappuccinos Giovanni served me with chocolate drawn foam hearts.  That my friends is worth waking up for.

la ricetta:

1 Scoop Chocolate Designer Whey Protein Powder
1 Shot of Espresso (brewed on the stove makes it mo-bettah)
1 tbsp of almond butter
4 ounces or so of water (I prefer filtered because I am obviously a snob)
1/2 tsp. of cacao powder
6 or so ice cubes depending on if you want a frappuccino or an iced latte version
1 tbsp of coconut milk creamer

Throw it in a blender. Sip sip remember the good days.  P.S. Starbucks if you made a morning protein frappuccino that was actually healthy, you'd sell a lot.  Just sayin.