Fresh!

I'm having a year of great health, and I've never felt better.

Since December 1, 2007, I have lost 41 pounds (!) through Weight Watchers. WW is a great program, especially when you have a monster appetite like I do. Rather than being some fad diet, it is a sensible nutrition and exercise program that any nutritionist, doctor, or trainer would recommend. There are no official WW foods that you have to buy to be in the program.

It consists of education about portion sizes and following the 8 Good Health Guidelines:
1. Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats, whenever possible.
3. Include two servings of milk products – low fat (1%) or fat-free – each day.
4. Have some healthy oil (olive oil, canola, sunflower, safflower or flaxseed) each day.
5. Ensure that you are getting enough protein by choosing at least a serving or two of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or dried beans each day. Many dairy products are also good sources of protein.
6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
7. Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement each day.

I've also been giving a lot of thought to where my food is coming from and what types of preservatives, pesticides, etc. I'm putting into my body through the food I eat. One way I've started addressing this issue is by purchasing my fruits and veggies through a wonderful Colorado company called Door-To-Door Organics. https://denver.doortodoororganics.com/ Every Friday I get a delivery of fresh, local, organic produce delivered right to my front door. The cost is reasonable, I'm supporting a local business and Colorado farmers, and I feel better about the food I'm eating.

Here's a picture of a recent week's haul: carrots, spinach, red-leaf lettuce, fingerling potatoes, squash, zucchini, peaches, onions, mangoes, and lemons! Not bad for $22.00!

Another habit I've changed in the past year is drinking coffee. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE coffee! I'm sure I will be a life-long coffee drinker; it's the one drug habit I can rationalize. However, I felt like I wanted to cleanse myself of the caffeine for a while. I do enjoy not having that mid-morning coffee crash and getting headaches when I miss a day of coffee.

So, instead of coffee, I have been starting my day with green smoothies!!

• Green Smoothies are a blended mixture of raw leafy greens, raw fruit or veggies, & water.
• Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients.
• Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber.
• By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated.
• When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.

My favorite green smoothie recipes so far:

2-3 cups kale, one apple, one pear, 3-4 mint leaves, , lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 cup water

2-3 cups spinach, one banana, one mango, 8 strawberries, 1 cup water

I feel great these days. I'm sleeping well, and I have more energy during the day. Although my food and beverage changes over the past year haven't been easy, my body is thanking me for it.!