I'm participating in a weight loss challenge with my mama's group, and so far I've lost 1.21% of my body weight in 2 weeks. Prrrrretty pathetic, especially since I could stand to lose about 30% of myself. So, I'm swearing off white, refined, delicious, terrible sugar.
To do that, I'm going to start up another 30 day green smoothie challenge!
For 30 days, I'm going to eliminate refined sugar from my life and also be sure to drink at least 24oz. of green smoothie per day.
I did one of these challenges before, and I totally loved it. I was drinking smoothies every day and cut WAY back on my sugar intake. My three year old was also consuming a big serving or two of dark, leafy greens every day. Oh yeah.
Then I got pregnant with Louise and suddenly, smoothies were at the top of my barf-inducing foods list. So sad. Every time I even thought about a green smoothie, I had to lie down and try to power through a wave of nausea. The two times I actually attempted to drink one? Well, let's not talk about that.
Now that Lulu is almost 9 months old, green smoothies are back on my yummy list. Unfortunately, sugar has a yummy list all of its own. So, here we go! 30 days of smoothies, starting soon!
(I'll write more when I officially begin this challenge, so check back for smoothie recipes and info. Also, let me know if you'd like to join me for 30 days of smoothies! I'll even accept guest posts about your own smoothie challenge with a link back to your blog.)
So...
Since I'm swearing off chocolate for a while, I thought that you should pick up my slack. These locally crafted, gourmet chocolates aren't going to eat themselves! I present, in celebration of reaching 100 followers today:
Two readers will receive some delicious, creative chocolate from Mon Amie Chocolates. Mon Amie has a wonderful collection of standard and unsual chocolates and international candy. Pittsburghers, be sure to visit them in The Strip! They're my favorite candy shop, ever.
Winner #1 will receive
Cinnamon, Rosemary, Lavender and Cayenne Pepper Chocolate Bites from Mon Amie.
Winner #2 will receive
Rosemary, Sea Salt, Rose and Lavender Chocolate Bites from Mon Amie.
For a chance to win:
1. Leave me a comment telling me about your favorite green smoothie recipe, or with some personal tips for cutting back on sugar and/or being healthy overall.
2. Leave me a comment about your favorite local business, and tell me why you like it so much!
3. Become a follower of Last Mom On Earth on Blogger. Leave a comment and let me know.
4. Fan Last Mom On Earth on Facebook. Leave a comment and let me know.
5. Blog or Tweet about this giveaway, and comment here with a link!
Leave a separate comment for each entry and make sure I have a way to contact you. I'll choose a winner in one week, on April 5, 2011 via random number generator. Entries will close at midnight on April 4th.
I am a follower!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite green smoothie has ice, greek yogurt, soy milk, banana, lots o' blueberries, and spinach, and some water to de-thicken. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
ReplyDeleteI will join you in your smoothie drinking, but as I am pregnant, I will not be giving up sweet, delicious chocolate. You should just give it to me now.
Also, I follow you on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteI am now following your blog :)
ReplyDeleteand following you on facebook
ReplyDeletei've never made a green smoothie, but now i might try it. i usually go for fruit and yogurt smoothies. thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteTry to use organic foods when possible.
ReplyDeleteslb3334@gmail.com
No green smoothies for me, yucky sounding! But I will eat my spinach with no problem, cooked! Id rather have a fruit smoothie!
ReplyDeletefrogz60@hotmail.com
My tip for cutting back on sugar is to use honey or agave syrup instead!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorite local business is More Cupcakes because they have the tastiest cupcakes and really interesting flavors from savory ones like BLT and Foie Gras to cocktail cupcakes like Pina Colada and Margarita!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow your blog publicly with google friend connect
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
I like you on Facebook - my FB name is Amanda Moore
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
I cut back on sugar by drinking water all day except with dinner. Then I allow myself juice or lemonade.
ReplyDeleteMaizuru@aol.com
Mmmm, chocolate! Thanks for your comment on my blog. I'm a new follower of your now. :)
ReplyDeleteThe best way to cut back on sugar? Drink lots of herbal tea! It's ALMOST like dessert and was about the only thing that I could do when I quit sugar to not go crazy. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy tip for cutting back on sugar is when baking use about 1/4 cup less sugar than what the recipe calls for.
ReplyDeleteaustma7@aol.com
Hi Amanda! Loooooong time follower :) (Formally countessdelioncourt) I miss your shop on etsy and your wonderful skirts. I STILL receive compliments on my beautiful black and white skirt, so I must thank you again. Mmmm I want some chocolate LOL
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've never tried the green smoothies, so I couldn't tell you my favorite recipe. For weight loss tips however, I drink 3-4 cups of green tea per day (decaffeinated because caffeine actually gives me headaches). It's a great appetite suppressant and great for your skin as it's loaded with antioxidants. I hope all is well and congratulations on your wonderful family!
I'm also following you on facebook :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite green smoothie is Spinach (maybe kale) apple juice, lemon juice,and greek yogurt. It tastes like a creamy lemonade.
ReplyDeletebethelderton59 at gmail dot com
I joined you as google friend #104!
ReplyDeletebethelderton59 at gmail dot com
I have to say I have never had a green smoothie so I am totally stoked to follow your blog and see how that goes. I have gone back to being vegan and that has helped so much keep in check on what kinds of foods I am putting in my body. Plus I do watch and make sure I am eating as whole foods as possible. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite local business is the Saturday Market here in Portland, OR. All the crafters who make handmade things come out and sell during the weekends here. It is awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of yours on facebook now.-Sadie Carey.
ReplyDeleteI am a blog follower. :)
ReplyDeleteI have never had a green smoothie but it is something i would like to try-i cut back on sugar by using less that the recipe call for and drink lots of Plain Tea or water
ReplyDeleteWhen I was pregnant, smoothies were one of the only things I COULD eat! Until I made one with a frozen organic blueberry/pomegranate blend and the pomegranate seeds made me want to die.
ReplyDeleteIts funny you are doing this, I might join in! I just bought nummy ingredients for my own green smoothie: spinach, blueberry, raspberry, pineapple, coconut milk and almond butter. YUM.
I am a determined follower, as you know! Good luck wit cutting out sugar! All that fruit in that smoothie sure looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteRegarding healthy choices:
ReplyDeleteI don't think I eat a lot of sugar -- I didn't have a big sweet tooth growing up -- I never liked maple syrup on pancakes or anything until I was an adult.
I think it's about reformulating how we look at meals to think about high fat, high sugar things as treats. But it seems to me like you already do that.
A nice dessert to me would be a cup of milky tea and a couple pieces of dark chocolate. If I fill up on low-calorie liquids, I can be satiated with fewer sweets, I think. And it helps me slow down on eating too since I am also drinking yummy milky black tea.
Those flavors of chocolate sound delicious!
I don't have a recipe because I'd rather eat my greens than drink them, but I do use Stevia from the health food store and really like it to sweeten my tea and oatmeal. It's not exactly like sugar in taste, but it is not unpleasant and cuts down on my sugar consumption.
ReplyDeleteFollowing on gfc (clc408)
ReplyDeleteI am both a follower and a face book friend! :)
ReplyDeleteSo the past couple years I have been on a health kick. I too have an extremely large (one might call Snaggle) Sweet tooth.
At first I tried to go cold turkey with sweets. That only lead to binging and guilt.
Now, I allow myself a sweet treat every once in a while for being such a good boy. Nothing too extravegant. Sometimes its just a peice of dark chocolate, sometimes its even just having a lofat yogart. but my favorite allowance is a all natural peanut butter. I used to hate it. I thought it tasted like cardboard. Now, I cannot even look at proccessed peanutbutter. A couple spoonfulls of that, or on an apple and I am a hapy boy!
Never had a green smoothie...sounds intense! I am at my healthiest when I cook almost all of my meals at home...helps deter me from buying things that are delicious but terrible for me.
ReplyDeletewolverina401 at gmail dot com
I try to use organic foods when possible
ReplyDeletei never made my own green smoothie but i want too, i crave them actually and i think the farmer's market would be perfect for ingredients.i eat a lot of greens though!
ReplyDeletei love tea,especially when i add fresh herbs in the summer months;)
cyclonma66 at aol dot com
My local Village Herb Shop has classes all year long and great herbs to buy too!!
ReplyDeletecyclona66 at aol dot com
Have not had a green smoothie but think I might try to make one after reading what you wrote. I cut back on sugar by not adding it to anything like cereal or coffee and I stay away from junk foods
ReplyDeleterdgarnett at hot mail dot com
My daughter made me a green smoothie that was delicious (but I haven't made my own). Her recipe was just peaches, spinach leaves, water and ice.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI follow Last Mom On Earth on Blogger. mcgillrmcgill(at)charter(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI'm not that good at smoothies but I do lots of juicing. My favorite organic juice would include just a little broccoli (it overpowers), lots of spinach, kale, ginger and liberal amounts of apple for consistency and sweetness. I'd cut it with some citrus, probably lemon but maybe orange.
ReplyDeleteky2here at msn dot com
My favorite local business is a polish bakery three blocks away. Everything is fresh, you never know what they're going to carry and they open when they feel like it.
ReplyDeletegood times.
ky2here at msn dot com
Following GFC as kycouple2000.
ReplyDeleteky2here at msn dot com
Like U on FB as kyhere here.
ReplyDeleteky2here at msn dot com
Cut back on sugar??! Agh! I did it once by following a vegan diet & I did lose about 40lbs which was great, but of course once I changed back to normal eating (I sooo needed a cheeseburger) I gained it back. I have never had a green smoothie...Sounds like something I will have to try.
ReplyDeleteyummyfaerie at hotmail dot com
I follow via GFC.
ReplyDeleteMy fave green smoothie is-
ReplyDeleteKale-Strawberry-Peach
1 bunch green kale
1 pint strawberries
3 small peaches
2 cups water
So good!
Thanks! ard1977@gmail dot com
My fave local business is a small sewing shop! They have things you can't find any where else and host classes weekly! Thanks! ard1977@gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteGFC follower amied027. Thanks! ard1977@gmail dot com
ReplyDeletelike you on FB under Rene Denning. Thanks! ard1977@gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteI don't really follow recipes for my green smoothies, but my favourite one has spinach, frozen peaches, and huckleberries (along with a liquid and sometimes some almond butter).
ReplyDeleteikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
My favourite local business is my local corner store - they'll bring in pretty much anything we ask for, from groceries to hardware to outdoor equipment. We don't have a lot of choices here, so it's really convenient to have them around.
ReplyDeleteikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
My husband has been put on a low carb diet for life--so I make his smoothies with no fat Greek yogurt with a little stevia sprinkled on it.
ReplyDeleteWe spend all summer picking blueberries so I keep my freezer full of blueberries.
1 frozen banana, thawed for 10 to 15 minutes
1/2 soy milk
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons flax seed meal
1 sprinkle of stevia
2/3 cup frozen blueberries
kakihararocks@gmail.com
following via gfc
ReplyDeletekakihararocks@gmail.com
I'm replacing the sugar in my coffee with honey. it cuts back on my refined sugar intake and since the honey was made less than a mile from my house, it helps with allergies!
ReplyDeleteI recently gave up drinking pop so I'm sure that cut out some sugar and is healthier.
ReplyDeletelunabutterfly79@yahoo.com
The way I cut back on sugar is making my own juice, instead of buying it.
ReplyDeleteitsjustme62613 at gmail.com
follow you on GFC as its just me
ReplyDeleteitsjustme62613 at gmail.com
tweet
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/MistySunrise/status/54827504447401984
itsjustme62613 at gmail.com
like you on facebook as Misty Sunrise
ReplyDeleteitsjustme62613 at gmail.com
I had a green smoothie one time when I was pregnant with my first child it had ginger, and some other stuff it was okay but weird.
ReplyDeleteI try to cut back on candy and substitute fruity snacks instead
cookster77@aol.com
I dont know if Graeters is local or not but I love them cause they have delicious ice cream and pastries
ReplyDeletecookster77@aol.com
I am on google friend connect Erin Cook
ReplyDeletecookster77@aol.com
I like you on facebook Erin Cook
ReplyDeletecookster77@aol.com
Never had a green smoothie. My tip for cutting back on chocolate is to snack on nuts instead.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to get healthy by eating less fat and more vegetables and I walk for exercise
ReplyDeletethose look yummmmmy
ReplyDeletewe try to cut back sugar and watch what we eat!
kendraco22 at yahoo dot com
thanks for the give away
GFC Kendra22
ReplyDeletekendraco22 at yahoo dot com
I suggest that all breads and cereals ingested must be whole grain!
ReplyDeletetheyyyguy@yahoo.com
We tried some with spinach, kale, ice, greek yogurt, bananas and blueberrys, cocounut milk and liked them!
ReplyDeleteto give up sweets i have to go cold turkey, i can't do it any other way, sugar makes me crave more sugar
ReplyDeletesusansmoaks at gmail dot com
I look at serving sizes and count or measure things out that way I know what I'm eating and how many calories I'm consuming.
ReplyDeleteI am weening off white sugar by using honey instead
ReplyDeleteluckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net
Bolthouse Farms "Green Goodness" smoothie drink is WONDERFUL. It's got spinach, kiwi, pineapple, mango, apple, banana, garlic, algae (yup) and the list goes on. I absolutely LOVE it & would LOVE to be able to make it. :)
ReplyDelete