adding in the good stuff...

kicking bad habits isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. a better method is to add in good habits, and eventually the less beneficial habits will fade. for instance, snacking on junk food. we crave those sugars because our bodies need energy.. and we instantly connect that craving with sweets.if we get what we need from the food that we eat then we are less likely to crave things that aren't very good for us.

my eating habits are not terrible, but there's things i would like to slowly eliminate or cut back hugely on like gluten filled products such as bread and pasta. those and my dairy laden favourites chocolate and cheese, are my ultimate weaknesses. it's really hard to skip on cheese.. but it can be done.

first of all, in order to not feel the urge to snack on things i shouldn't be eating, i must start my day with a filling delicious protein shake blended with some fruit et cetera.. i had decided to try ViSalus for a while, but it is a whey based product which over time started to bother my stomach, so i switched to a product that i had tried before in the past.. a plant based protein blend and nutrient boost called VegaOne. it's a great mix with lots of energy, but i found myself still feeling snacky as i burn a lot of energy at my job. so i found something to add to it to give it more substance, one of my favourite 'superfoods' called Salba. it's basically the same thing as chia seeds, only grown with nutrient density as priority to make a top of the line health food product.

i have a bit of a sweet tooth for chocolate [what chick doesn't?!] so i had been on the hunt for something chocolaty, without being a wrecking ball on my healthy 'diet'.. i found this delicious snack at Bulk Barn by a company called Enjoy Life, it's a double chocolate granola crunch. there's other flavours too, but i wanted to try this one of course. the product is made gluten-free, vegan friendly and free of most common food allergens like soy, milk products, wheat or egg. and to my surprise, it's actually pretty tasty. lots of vitamins, iron, fibre and even protein, and still a dab of sweetness.

anyhoo.. i've more or less cut out fruit juice as well, lots of sugar even if there is no sugar added so i try to drink them occasionally. my replacement is a big icy bottle of water with fresh squeezed lemon juice and a few slices of the lemon itself. in the summer i might add a bit of honey for sweetness, but i like it as is. my taste has changed over the years, i don't feel the need for sweet drinks as much anymore. i hope to change my taste on a few other things, like hopefully not find meat appealing at all.. i try not to eat it but sometimes i'm tempted, and i kick myself for it later. pork is the ultimate enemy. not sure i could ever ditch sushi though!

off to bed.. another long busy week ahead. and hopefully gather more delicious and nutritious additions to my simple better eating agenda. peace!

shake it up..

it seems meal replacement shakes are the thing these days. i've used them in the past, and then i gave up my healthy lifestyle for a while when i was distracted with other things. now that i'm getting back on track, i've decided to try something new. meal replacements are hit or miss with me, so i wanted to try this one for a while before writing about it.

i heard about it from my roommate, my bus driver, by friend's aunt, and then my manager. it had gone viral in my mind, so i had to give it a try. a company called ViSalus makes a meal replacement protein shake called Vi-Shape. i started the recommended two shakes a day to help with weight loss about 10 days ago, which may have contributed to the 8 pound loss this past month.

i got my kit in the mail, and i was excited to try it. opened the bag and noticed it smells like cake mix.. oh man, this is gonna be dangerous! haha. i tried it based on it's plain milk instructions, and i wasn't a fan. it took the addition of some fruit to the blender, and switching out 1% for almond milk and coconut water, but now i can handle the taste. i can also handle the few extra calories the additional ingredients give, as without them i feel like i am starving. i do burn a lot of energy during the day at work so i need enough to keep me going.

i'm following the guidelines for the Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge, which replaces two meals a day with shakes and small healthy snacks to give you all the energy and nutrients you need, and i finish my day with a lean healthy meal. i augment the shakes with snacks like vegetables and dip, raw fruit or cheese and whole grain crackers, and keep my dinner portion small, making sure to drink lots of water throughout the day.

i started with my first shake on February 5th, and i set my goal for 15 pounds by the end of the ninety days. so i think it's fair to say my start weight was about 198 at that point. i lost my first four pounds before the shakes [in over 2 weeks] and the second four pounds in the 11 days i have been using the Vi-Shape. i will continue to try this product for the remainder of the 90 days, and if i see results i may continue. if not, i may switch back to a blend i've tried in the past by Vega. an amazing vegan protein product, not so hot on the taste. but something that good couldn't possibly taste like cake haha.

anyhoo.. now that i'm confident i can stand to ingest this stuff for the next few months, i decided it's a good time to mention. pros: breakfast just got a million times easier.. i get up super early in the morning for work, well before the sun, and sometimes i was missing breakfast for lack of time to prepare it. throwing a few things in the blender and hitting the go button is a guaranteed breakfast.. and lunch! cons: it still has a noticeable after taste [to me, i\m picky] which i'm hoping won't become intolerable over the next while, because other than that, i'm loving this product so far.

well that's all i got for now, i tried out a more intense resistance training workout today for half an hour, and i decided to take a break to post. i think i might finish off my day with some stretches and yoga.. and pray the sun comes out long enough to soak up a few rays. ta!