Hi everybunny!
This weekend was super busy and aside from working/blogging, I managed to spend a lot of time outside! Yesterday started off with a walk through town to the local bagel joint with my mom, Sam, and my family’s two dogs Teddy (corgi), and Elin (Yellow Labrador). After we walked back home, Sam and I picked up my best friend Lauren and Trevor for some kayaking. We ended up kayaking around the bay for an hour and managed to survive, sunburn free! Great weekend!

Now it’s back to work on this hoppy Monday! I’m really excited to share my first ever Q&A! Last week, I mentioned that I have been flooded with amazing emails from readers and after getting quite a few repetitive questions, I decided to do a Q&A of frequently asked questions! Thanks for all of your questions on Facebook and Twitter, you guys came up with some great material for today’s post!

Where can I buy your “EAT MORE RABBIT FOOD” shirt?
I handmade the shirt that you see pictured on my blog! By popular demand, I am in the process of having shirts screen printed! I’ll let everybunny know when they are available!

How long did it take you to lose the weight?
It took me a total of 10 months to get from 192lbs to 112lbs (-80lbs). In the beginning of my weight loss journey, I was consistently losing 10lbs per month, but once I started to get closer to my goal, the weight started coming off slower and required more exercise. Remember that everybody loses weight at different paces, so don’t get discouraged if it comes off slower. Plateaus are a part of the process, and I am proof that they don’t last forever! If you stay focused on your goals and eat clean, it will happen! Remember that the way our bodies look are 80% diet, 10% exercise, and 10% genetics. Abs are created in the gym and revealed in the kitchen!

How do you stay motivated to eat healthy?
I eat healthy because I love the way it makes me feel. This always keeps me on track and helps me from binging on junk food because I remember how terrible junk food makes me feel afterwards. When I eat clean ‘n’ green like a little rabbit, I have more energy, am free of digestive issues, and just feel better overall.

Are you a vegetarian or vegan?
Neither. My diet is basically 95% vegetarian. I never cook meat at home, so I am what I would like to call a “kitchen vegetarian” because if it comes from my kitchen, it’s vegetarian! I like having a plant strong diet because of how healthy it makes me feel, and love the challenge of cooking vegan meals, but I will occasionally eat white meats such as turkey or chicken while dining out, but it is pretty rare. Any of my recipes can be altered to your liking. For instance if you are vegan, use ½ cup of beans and legumes for your protein serving, or if you eat meat, use 3oz of meat.

What is your favorite exercise?
As you know, I’m obsessed with The Bar Method! It’s a great full-body toning workout that is based on interval training and uses mostly your own body weight (except for arm weights). I’m not a huge fan of cardio, but when I feel like I need to get my heart racing even more, I will hit the elliptical for 30 minutes, or go out for a 30 minute run.

What motivates you to run?
This is usually how I de-stress. I run because I can get my frustration out and not be bothered by anything else at this time.

How do you get yourself out the door for a run on days where you are not motivated?
We all have those days. If I told you I didn’t have this problem… that would be a blatant lie. I usually throw on a cute running outfit that I feel confident it, and then I tell myself that I’m only running 15 minutes out. I turn on my iPod, and set an alarm for 15 minutes and once my alarm sounds, I run back (15 minutes). This way I can talk myself into “only running for 15 minutes away from my house” but in reality the entire run is 30 minutes because I have to get back!

What is the difference between juices and smoothies? Is one better than the other?
Blending fruits and vegetables keeps the fiber intact, which acts like a scrubbing mechanism to clean your digestive system. Since smoothies take out the “chewing aspect,” this makes it easier for your body to digest. Juices are stripped of the fruit and vegetables’ natural fiber, easily providing your body with a flood of nutrients without having to use the digestive process. Juices allow your digestive system to rest while using energy in other parts of the body. I don’t think that one is better than the other, and it really depends on the situation and the person. I personally like smoothies more since they keep me fuller, longer!

I want to do a juice cleanse, where do I start?
Joe Cross from the documentary “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” has a great website for juicing/juice cleanses. It’s called Join The Reboot, and has tons of tips, recipes, and a guide on how much juice you should drink for your specific needs. If you are worried you won’t like the taste of certain juices, build your own starting with a base of your favorite sweet/fruit juices and then add veggies form there. You probably won’t even taste them!

I don’t have a juicer, can I use a blender?
You could use a blender but I don’t recommend it because you do not get as much juice from the fruit/vegetables as you would with a juicer. To make a juice in a blender, you would have to blend all of your ingredients and then strain it very thoroughly with a nut milk bag or cheese cloth. I suggest investing in a juicer before trying to extract juices from a blender. Amazon, Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Costco have great deals so keep your eye out for sales!

How can I eat healthy on a budget?
For one, start cooking at home! Make your kitchen your new favorite restaurant and you will definitely start saving money. I shop at all different stores from regular grocery stores like Ralph’s, Vons, and Kroger to specialty food stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, and even places like Target, Walmart, and Costco. Yes, organic can be great, but if you don’t have the budget for it, that’s ok! When I buy fresh items at Costco, it challenges me to make as many meals as possible with the particular item before it goes bad. This way, if I buy a huge bag of spinach, I will make it a goal to include it in as many meals as possible so it doesn’t go to waste. I recommend using fresh fruits and vegetables, but canned (unsweetened, and no salt added) could be used in substitution in some recipes. Make sure to always choose whole-grain items, and don’t be afraid to buy non name-brand items. The ingredient list is the most important party about buying any type of processed or prepackaged food. Look for short ingredient lists, and words that you can actually pronounce!

How do you plan your meals?
I tend to get obsessed with certain meals, and I will eat them over and over again everyday for a couple of weeks until I get sick of them and want something else. Sometimes I will want something different every single morning of the week, you never know! I try to make Sundays my prep days. I like to wash and chop up veggies so that they are easily accesable and ready for cooking. This takes a lot of prep time out of meals when you are in a hurry or don’t feel like cooking. Then half of the work is already done and you have no excuse to not eat healthy!

Most Sundays, this is how I prep for the week!
Step 1: Select breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for Mon-Sun.
Step 2: Write the exact ingredients needed for each meal
Step 3: purchase the required ingredients on your list
Step 4: Pre-wash and chop veggies/produce (that don’t spoil) for the week
Step 5: Cook any type of grain (quinoa, rice, pasta, beans, or anything else that takes a while to cook) and store it in the fridge for the rest of the week

What is a normal day of meals for you?
I try as hard as I can to stick with my Rabbit Food Pyramid, but I’m not perfect and some days I just need a second snack or a slice of pizza. Some weeks I will eat the exact same things everyday, and some weeks I will get strange cravings and want a different meal every day of the week! For the most part, oats, quinoa, and greek yogurt are daily staples that remain the same!

Breakfast  – Cashew Butter Oatmeal + Apple Soy Smoothie
Produce: 1 apple
Whole Grain: ¼ cup rolled oats + ½ cup water
Protein: 1 cup soy milk
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp cashew butter
Oatmeal: cook the oats with water on the stove. Stir in cashew butter.
Smoothie: blend the apple and soy milk together.

Lunch – Greek Stuffed Pita
Produce: 1 cup romaine, ½ cup chopped onion, ½ cup chopped tomatoes
Whole Grain: ½ slice whole-wheat pita bread (1 pita pocket)
Protein: ¼ cup nonfat feta cheese
Plant Based Fat: 10 olives
Directions: Toss all ingredients together with balsamic vinegar and stuff inside the pita. Add fresh black pepper if desired.

Dinner – Lemon Garlic Quinoa
Produce: 1 cup asparagus, 1 cup broccoli
Whole Grain: ½ cup cooked quinoa
Protein: 1/2 cup chickpeas
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp olive oil
Directions: Cook quinoa to package instructions. Chop broccoli and asparagus into 1 inch sections. Place vegetables in a microwave safe bowl, cover, and let them steam in the microwave for roughly 2 minutes. In a blender combine ½ clove of garlic, olive oil, and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, and blend until Smooth. In a separate bowl, combine quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables. Add the dressing to the bowl and mix until quinoa, chickpeas, and veggies are evenly coated.

Snack – Banana Almond Butter Roll-Ups
Produce: ½ banana
Whole Grain: 2 whole corn soft taco sized tortillas
Protein: 6oz cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp almond butter
Directions: Spread the tortillas evenly with almond butter. Top with banana slices, sprinkle with cinnamon, and roll up into wraps. Enjoy with a side of Greek yogurt.

I had so much fun reading and answering all of your questions. You guys inspire me each and every day and I am so in love with my blog and followers! I cannot believe I only started blogging 3 short months ago! I have been so blessed and smothered with incredible opportunities!

What did you think about my first official Q&A? xo