Smoothie Mother-lode

I've found it! The smoothie mother-lode! Holy Cow! This is awesome!

Her name is Olivia Parker and her book---the mother-lode- is Sensational Smoothies, Drink You Way to Health Deliciously!

I've looked over this wonderful eBook and I can't find one piece of information left out. If there's a question you have about smoothies and their relation to health- it's answered in this book.

Does she include any recipes? DOES SHE?! That's a big Y.E.S.

Besides information, she also includes over 180 recipes! I read through the book myself and found so much information that I hadn't even thought of before. If you're new to the smoothie experience, this is THE book to own!

Olivia even includes recipes that require you to use CHOCOLATE! WHAT?! AND---if you do decide to buy the ebook, Olivia is including 3--THREE--other ebooks for no extra cost! (Geez, I sound like a freaking infomercial). Seriously, it is such a beneficial book for learning all about smoothies!

Y'all can click the banner on this post or the one on my sidebar to get the whole story on Olivia's book(s)! Meanwhile, here's a guest post to check out! 

Low Fat Smoothie Recipes for the Health Conscious You

By: Olivia Parker 

A lot of people are now becoming more conscious of staying and being healthy. They look for ways to improve their diet and incorporate exercise into their lifestyle. And since smoothies are so good, a lot of people are turning to smoothies and learning how to make smoothies that not only taste good but are healthy all around, too.
Smoothies fit a healthy lifestyle perfectly. It allows heath conscious people to enjoy a refreshing drink and lose weight at the same time. If you’re looking for a low-fat food source, it’s the perfect guilt-free treat. It’s also very easy and very convenient to prepare. All you need is a blender where you can mix and combine fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. You can create recipes that provide you with an energy boost, add lots of fiber, provide your daily dose of minerals and vitamins and so much more.

Health conscious people will be happy to note that smoothies also provide these host of benefits:

-    You can add natural fruit juices that contain vitamin c; studies have also shown it to be beneficial and helpful in the prevention of certain cancers and other debilitating diseases or illnesses.

-    Smoothies made of fruits and vegetables boost your immune system and help speed up metabolism (at least, some fruit juices do)

-    Because fruits and vegetables are broken down, the nutrients are absorbed easily by the body.

-    Smoothies can replace meals and provide you with the energy you need to last the day. This is why smoothie breakfasts are perfect if you need to go to a workout, or before going to work.

-    Smoothies with fruits and vegetables can help correct your body’s acidity or alkalinity balance (since fruits have natural acids and enzymes)

Here are some tried-and-tested smoothies, perfect for the start of your healthy lifestyle:

-          Combine and blend the following ingredients: 1 cup of milk, 1 packet of instant plain oatmeal (or about 1 cup of it), 1 cup of orange juice, and 1 frozen chunked banana. Blend and process for about a minute. Serve immediately.

-          Blend 1 frozen banana (chilled or frozen fruits exude much more of the fruit’s natural sweetness – you don’t even have to put sugar or honey to sweeten your smoothie), ½ cup of low fat milk, ½ a cup of shredded ice, and 2 8-oz. of low-fat yogurt (you can choose your favorite flavor). Blend and serve immediately.

-          If you love apples, you should definitely try this: Blend 6 oz. cold apple juice, 1 cup skimmed milk, 8 oz. of vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt, 3 to 4 crushed ice cubes and a dash of apple pie spice (optional). This yields about 4 cups so it’s perfect for the whole family.

-          If you’re into soy products, then you’re going to love this: Blend 1 cup of soy milk, 1 frozen banana, 2 cups of pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons non-fat dry milk, 2 to 3 ice cubes, 1 tablespoon of coconut milk (or coconut essence/extract), and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Blend until smooth, and as usual, serve immediately.

Having low-fat smoothies as part of your diet isn’t hard to assimilate. The key is variety - which you can easily achieve these days with books like “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. Reconcile yourself with the idea that smoothies – although sinfully delicious – are a great way to inject some healthiness in your diet. 


WooHoo! What are you doing to get healthy this week?

Smoothies and Sabotage

Another thing I've started doing every single day on my quest to health and fitness is drinking green smoothies!

Holy Cow! They are DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS! And I am totally ADDICTED!

I make a blender full each morning and drink it all down by the end of the day. So GOOD!

These delightful smoothies are a close second with the dry skin brushing as being my favorite new healthy practices.

These things are so tasty! It's like drinking thick juice! I like to have mine in, what the lovelies always called, a fancy glass. Did I mention that I am totally and completely 100% addicted to them?

Here are the two blogs/sites that got me started:

Green Smoothies/The Tera Warner Blog
Incredible Smoothies

I also wanted to mention sabotage- particularly as it relates to the weight loss part of my journey. I used to be really, really good at sabotaging myself.

I used to struggle with getting upset over the weight thing. It's SUCH A DARN SLOW PROCESS that I would get frustrated with myself. When I got frustrated, I would eat. And eat. My frustrations actually triggered my desire to eat. It became a battle. And the battles were many.

Oh and goodness me!  Let's NOT forget that annoying as hell little inner voice to whom we give permission to say things to us like: "Are you kidding?  This is too hard. Just stay the way you are. It's so much easier to leave well enough alone. Just one bite won't hurt anything..." It will even remind us from time to time that we don’t have what it takes to lose the weight or it's taking too long that it just isn't going to happen or consider your AGE...anything to make us believe losing weight is nothing less than an insurmountable obstacle.

And that's just what some of us do to ourselves.  It's a fight all the way to the finish whether we battle ourselves or others who are not exactly supportive. This time, I am determined to fight it all the way. I am way more stubborn that that annoying as hell inner voice of mine. I now frustrate my frustrations.

And give in to green smoothies instead. 

This is the nineteenth day of the A-Z April Challenge. I thought I might try a theme this year and focus on my personal journey to health and fitness, including weight loss.

Today's letter is S and my words for the day are SMOOTHIES and SABOTAGE.