Treadmill Workouts and Apple Pie Smoothies!

After taking a week's hiatus from running I got back on the treadmill yesterday. I had been suffering from the beginning twinges of "runner's knee" from taking on too much too soon (I have a tendency to do that...it's all or nothing with me!) I had some fear that it would reoccur, but I did a full 30 minutes of HIIT, and even reached some new high speeds without any issues. Hooray! I also tried out my new motivational workout playlist, and it definitely helped my endurance. When you're pumped up from a high-energy song you tend to focus less on the burning in your lungs as you gasp for breath. When I finished up, I was dripping sweat and had that lovely blotchy red face that shows I've been working extra hard. My daughter looked at me with some concern. "Mom, how long did you exercise for? Why are you sweating so much? What's wrong with you?" I had to explain to her that sweating is a good thing, as it prevents you from passing out from heat exhaustion.

This morning I decided to take a departure from my usual workday breakfast of a green smoothie, and try out a new recipe; the "Apple Pie Smoothie" (mainly because I had to start eating one of the three tubs of greek yogurt my boyfriend brought home from Costco.) I got the recipe from my favorite resource, Pinterest.  The ingredients list is as follows:

1 banana
1 small red apple
3/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
5 raw almonds

Blend them all together until you get your desired consistency. This recipe did not disappoint- it was delicious and SO filling that I'm sure it will take me right through to lunch. Here's a link to the original post:
Harley Pasternak's Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Smoothie...As Yummy As it Sounds!

Okay...first a disclaimer...the following recipe is so not low-cal, but it is full of good stuff, and the most filling smoothie you will ever drink. I have had serious peanut butter cravings lately and have been looking to satisfy them in various ways...healthy and not-so-healthy. But this is a healthy blog, so this is the one I will share. Yesterday morning I was facing a full day of bookkeeping from home (tax season...the bane of my existence.) I had my coffee and was contemplating a green smoothie, but what I really wanted was something comforting, filling and delicious that I could ingest one-handed while working. I had seen a couple oatmeal peanut butter smoothie recipes floating around Pinterest and decided that a working Sunday was a great opportunity to try one of them out. I tweaked it a bit to make it my own, as I am prone to doing. The result is the following (yes, that is a "Redneck Wine Glass". It makes me feel fancy yet down-to-earth. ha ha):

The ingredients were:

1 medium banana (frozen or room-temperature)
8 oz (200 g) 0% vanilla greek yogurt
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tablespoons honey

Simply toss all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Voila! This is a 900 calorie smoothie, but you WILL be full for hours. I'm thinking it would be a great post-workout meal, particularly if you exercise early in the morning on an empty stomach.

Aloe Makes for a Happy Tummy

I've been using my dehydrated aloe for a little over a week now (see entry: My Aloe Has Arrived). It goes into my daily smoothie and down the hatch. Prior to using it, I have always had issues with a VERY sensitive stomach. I often suffered from nausea in the mornings if I drank or ate too fast, and had to be cautious about spicy foods. Any changes in my diet, even minor ones, led to an unpleasant "adjustment period" for my bowels. It was something I took for granted as a quirk of my anatomy. There is nothing physically wrong with me that any doctor has been able to find. Well it's almost too good to be true, but after the last few days I definitely can't deny it...my stomach is happy! I've had no issues with nausea, and no repercussions from spicy food. Eating quickly doesn't bother me anymore, nor does that first drink of water in the morning. It feels consistently settled and steady, which is so foreign to me that I can't stop thinking about it every time I eat. You may think it's a placebo effect, but I DO tend to be very methodical and even cynical with my "experiments". I wasn't expecting any noticeable results to be honest. I am very pleased to be able to recommend adding aloe to your daily diet. At best you may experience the same healing effect that I have, and at worst you certainly won't be doing yourself any harm.