Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Welcome to my blog!

Hi Everyone! :)

So, I've been thinking of starting a blog for a long time, and I've finally decided to take the plunge. 

Dun. Dun. Dunnnnn. 

My plan is to focus my posts on all things happy & healthy, from nutrition, to fitness, to little stories about my life in general sometimes. 

My little disclaimer: I am not a registered dietitian and I do not have any formal fitness training, etc. The things I will write about are tidbits of knowledge that I have learned along the way as I strive for a happy and healthy lifestyle, something I am definitely still working on! :) 

With all of that said, what better way to start "Bright-Eyes & Bushy-Tales" than for me to share what helps me jump out of bed in the morning with a perma-grin...

BREAKFAST!! 

If you know me, you know how much I love & need my breakfast.  

I am not the type of person who can just walk out the door and stop at Starbuck's for a Latte and call it a morning. 

I need FOOD, preferably within an hour from when I wake up.  Whether I ate salmon & broccoli for dinner at 6PM after a hard workout like a "good girl," or splurged on some PIZZA (ahhh, pizza, mmm), I wake up absolutely starving! 

Let me just say: me = starving = not a good thing.  I am generally a very happy, upbeat person, but when I am overly hungry... I am just. plain. grumpy. 

So how do I fuel up for a big day out in the city? 

Well, most recently, I have been hooked on this little combo I created: 



I have been mixing oatmeal, with a spoonful (small spoon, let's not get crazy here!) of Jif Natural peanut butter, and a small handful of raspberries. I pop 1 packet of oatmeal + 1/3 cup water +1/3 cup organic fat free milk into the microwave, stir in the peanut butter, drop the raspberries on top, and TA DA -- a filling, protein & fiber packed breakfast! 

Why do I enjoy this meal? 

I will not sit here and tell you how many calories this breakfast has in it.  I have all but given up on calorie counting.  I just don't believe in it anymore.  

I know for some people trying to lose weight, or maintain it, keeping track of what you eat in some detailed food journal or cool iPhone app is really the way to go.  And for those of you who do that, that's great and you go girls (or guys?)!! :) 

I have learned over the years what works best for me, and counting calories just isn't it.  It just makes me kinda crazy about food and my lifestyle doesn't really allow for it. 

So, what is great about this breakfast? 

1) It has protein! I would estimate about 10.5ish grams of protein, depending on how crazy you get with the peanut butter. 

2) It is surprisingly low in sugar!  The Jif Natural has only 3 grams of sugar per serving (2 tablespoons), and the oatmeal has only 1 gram of sugar per packet! Those are some very low numbers for peanut butter & oatmeal!

I will tell you that this oatmeal can be difficult to find.  I got hooked on it over the summer, and then they took it away from me at my grocery stores! As Stephanie Tanner would say, HOW RUDE! But, don't despair (wow, did you know that was spelled with an "e"?), I have now found it at both Target & through PeaPod (we will talk about the Pod at some later date!). 

3) It has lots of fiber! Approximately 8 to 10 grams! Fiber keeps me full until lunch and it has some other benefits...but that's all I will say about that! ;) 

3) The raspberries sweeten it up a little, add some more substance, and are full of antioxidants (whatever those are!). 

Sometimes I will top this little number off with an extra splash of organic milk! 

After I eat this hearty breakfast, I feel like this: 



Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to take on the world!!! Well, at least Chicago!

(and no, I do not wear that top to school or to work, thank you very much!) 

I also enjoy myself a skinny vanilla latte on some days when I'm really feeling like doing it up, or as the peppy Starbuck's lady near my work likes to call it, a "skivizzle!" 

Hope you all have a great day & thanks for stopping by! :)

xoxo

Jess


  


3 comments:

  1. AHHHH I AM ALREADY OBSESSED WITH THIS BLOG JESS!!! Great idea :) If you need any "featured" amateur chef/foodie writers, you know where to go!!!

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  2. Hey Jessica,

    I am excited to hear more from this blog! I did WW last year to get my weight down but the counting points does get tedious so I'm pumped to hear about your tips and tricks. :o)

    Lauren (Updike) O.

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