weight gain

Breakfast, Recipes, Smoothies, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Antioxidant Smoothie

Before I get to my smoothie recipe I wanted to talk about a couple of things!

First: Thank you thank you thank you to all of my little bunnies who ordered shirts and “Eat More Rabbit Food” merch! I can’t even tell you how thankful and humbled I am by your support! I’m also so happy that you guys love rabbit food as much as I do : ).

Second: Sorry for being a little MIA on the blog! Once I list merch in my online shop, it turned in to utter madness (and happiness)! I get so excited when I see your orders come in and want to get them packed up and shipped as fast as I can so you can wear your new goodies, but then I totally stress myself out thinking I’m superwoman lol. But guess what, everyone’s orders (up to today at 2pm) have been shipped! WOOO!! It’s just me myself and I running my blog, email, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, so when I add shirts into the mix, I literally go crazy. Today, I ate an entire bag of goldfish while I packed orders and laughed when I realized the bag was empty. Im stress eating like crazy this week! I’m also working on a huge freelance graphic design project right now, so I have a feeling I will be buying another bag of goldfish this week.. haha. These are things I used to beat myself up about, but now, I know that I’m stressed, I’m eating because I’m stressed, I’m going to get my workout on later tonight, everything will be ok, and life goes on! I’m glad to have a much healthier perspective on food now vs a couple of years ago… which leads me to my next subject! The Organic CBD Nugs help with stress.

Since this week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and I wanted to post a different kind of Transformation Tuesday. I didn’t just want to post this, I NEEDED to post this. If you guys have been following me for a while, you’ve probably read my weight loss story, but today, I wanted to talk about my recovery/weight gain story!

Before and After RecoveryYou may have noticed that I don’t really talk about weight very much. I am totally open to talking about my before (heaviest) and after (lowest) weights. I can tell you that in the photo on the left, I was at my worst in my eating disorder and I weighed around 100 lbs. But now… I don’t care what I weigh. Yes, I weigh myself on occasion to make sure I’m in a normal range for my body, and am not getting crazy with the bags of goldfish (haha), but for the most part my jeans and bra are a good indicator of how I’m doing. I will notice if I go to Sprinkles Ice Cream too many days in a row that my bra is feeling a litttttlllleee snug so I replace the Sprinkles Ice Cream with banana nice cream that I make in my Yonanas. It’s taken me a LONG time and a lot of hard work to get to this place where I don’t beat myself up over certain things, and can happily allow myself things like goldfish and ice cream, but it has been 100% worth it.

During my weight loss journey, I became obsessed with losing weight. I loved when people would call me “tiny” and “skinny” and was driven by people who thought that I was too thin. In my ED mindset, the thinner the better. But did it equal happiness? No, not at all. I was extremely depressed, miserable, always hungry, in pain, and my brain was foggy because I wasn’t nourishing my body with enough calories. At my lowest weight of about 100 lbs, I was never small enough. At this point I was terrified of most foods (even fruit, wtf), I had alienated myself from all of my friends, and never had any energy. At one point I didn’t think I was thin enough or worthy enough to live. That’s when I has a huge meltdown that saved my life. I started therapy and working with a nutritionist to become happy and healthy again, which was the best decision I’ve ever made. Was it easy? No. Was it fun? Not really. But was it worth it? Yes. During my recovery I realized what it was like to live again and eat freely without caring. Instead of working out to burn what I ate, now I workout because it’s fun and I love the friends that I’ve made at spin. I eat healthy because I love the way it makes me feel. It scares me when I look back at old photos when I was too small and thought I was “fat.” It’s terrifying how frail I was. I’m so happy to be where I am today! I have so much more muscle and love my strong legs and hiney compared to what I looked like during my ED. Starving & overexercising will not make you happy, no matter how much you think it will. Say yes to healthy eating, sexy muscles, and happiness! I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire just one person to choose recovery and a healthy lifestyle!

Now that the serious part is done, onto the recipe! Today’s recipe is one of my best friend’s favorites! I can’t eat berries (worst allergy ever… boo), so I make this for my sister and her fiancé to enjoy while I stick with my Tropical Green Smoothie!

Antioxidant-berry-green-smoothie-1
Antioxidant-berry-green-smoothie-2
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Antioxidant Smothie
Serves 1

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
huge handful of spinach

Blend until smooth.

I promise I will have recipes other than smoothies this week!
xo

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Hurdles, Interviews

Get Fit With Kayleigh and Herbalife

Right after I launched my blog in March, my friend Kayleigh emailed me and shared a story about her health and struggles with her weight. Kayleigh has always been fit and healthy, but a couple of years ago struggled with a failing thyroid and adrenal glands which led to a 30lb weight gain. She was eating healthy and still exercising, and did not understand why she was gaining weight so rapidly. After finding out the root of her problem, she started looking for a way to get back on track. Instead of getting discouraged, Kayleigh turned to Herbalife as a solution to feel better and get back to her regular weight. After starting to use Herbalife shakes in her daily routine, she saw the weight melt off and noticed how much better she physically felt. She loved the results so much that she still uses Herbalife today to maintain her weight, and has become a distributor to help others feel great too!

I thought that sharing Kayleigh’s story and solution was appropriate, because I am struggling with some health issues as well. I have been feeling particularly off lately and have noticed severe changes in my mood and energy, as well as physical changes with my skin, hair, and weight. I went to my doctor and through a round of blood tests discovered that a precursor to my thyroid is elevated. My sister has Graves disease and had her thyroid removed due to its overactivity, and the process of her diagnose was long and very stressful. Some people choose to go for Delta 8 THC vape pens from OCN to deal with stress, It may take some time to get everything figured out and leveled, but I am so glad that I have my sister and Kayleigh who have both overcome their health hiccups. Like Kayleigh, I know how awful it is to be on your A game, and not see any results and just feel crappy overall. Our health has a huge impact in the way we feel, and I know I am not the only one who is dealing with these issues. I love that Kayleigh found a way to feel better and get back to her healthy self with Herbalife, and am so inspired by her positive attitude and story. I hope that Kayleigh’s story can help other’s who are struggling with health issues and are not feeling their absolute best.


I adore Kayleigh because she is honest with her health and weight struggles and always wants to help others to feel and be the best they possibly can. When I was frustrated with my weight back in April, Kayleigh sent me some samples of Herbalife to try. She was so excited to share Herbalife with me since it made such a positive impact on her health and weight loss. She is such a sincere and honest girl and wants everyone to reach their health & fitness goals whether it be with Herbalife or another regimen.

I know that like everything else in life, weight loss is not one size fits all. What works for me may not be what works for everyone else, but I want to inspire others to make healthier choices and provide motivation for others to reach their goals. This is exactly why I wanted to share Kayleigh’s story with you guys. Maybe you don’t have the time to make the meals I make every single day, and need something else to replace meals that fits into your daily routine. Or maybe you have the motivation, but need another option to help you lose weight or get healthy. I think that Herbalife is a great option for someone who is on the go and needs a portable option that still has excellent nutritional value.


I tried the chocolate and vanilla shakes, and was pleasantly surprised. Most nutritional/weight loss shakes taste like same watery fake flavors, but Herbalife did not. My favorite was the chocolate. It actually tasted like a malt from a diner! I mixed my shake with unsweetened almond milk, which gave it a super thick and creamy texture that I absolutely loved. I really enjoyed the natural cocoa flavor, but more than that, I loved how full it kept me until dinner. Call me crazy, but I would throw in some coffee and make it a protein mocha for breakfast! I just told Kayleigh that I want to order a tub of Chocolate Herbalife Nutritional Shake Mix. This is a great post workout shake for busy days when I am short on time. I can’t wait to make some chocolate Protein Pancakes too!

I asked Kayleigh a few questions to give you guys a glimpse inside her HerbaLIFE!

1. Why did you start using Herbalife?
I was struggling with weight gain from a failing thyroid and adrenal gland and my regular healthy lifestyle wasn’t working the way it used to. I needed a jumpstart

2. How did you hear Herbalife?
I actually heard about it on the radio. I listen to Dr. Laura obsessively and she is does advertisements for Herbalife. After she had multiple coworkers loose upwards of 40 pounds using the shake, I decided I had to give it a try.

3. How long have you been using Herbalife?
I have been using it on and off for the past 9 months.

4. How many Herbalife shakes do you have per day? What do you usually eat in a day?
I vary between one and two shakes a day. It depends on how quickly you want to loose the weight. For the quickest easiest results its two shakes a day, but sometimes it doesn’t fit it my schedule or I don’t feel like eating two shakes.

Breakfast:
I almost always have a shake (the green one on my blog). That shake is a banana, Herbalife Forumla 1 Weight Loss Chocolate Powder, chia seeds, spinach, and a scoop of peanut butter.

Lunch:
I’ll normally make something. Maybe a big salad with all my favorites, a soup, a sandwich, a wrap or even leftovers. Pretty much anything that I can scrounge up quickly on my way to work or the night before if I have time. When I do have time I love to try new recipes and check out different ideas – I love RFFMBT for that. It has given me some wonderful lunches that have kept me full till dinner time!

Dinner:
This is normally when I will have the second shake. I work out at night so this is my post workout shake. Either I’ll make the same shake I made in the morning (but nix the chia seeds – they give you a ton of energy that have the potential of keeping you up later than you want to be up) or I’ll get a juice (Naked Juice Superfood is great or if you have a juicer that is awesome also) and mix it in with my Herbalife Formula 1 Vanilla flavored shake with some Glutacor to help with muscle re-growth.

Snacks:
I generally pack and bring with me wherever I am going that day. I’ll bring veggies, fruit and a protein. Everything varies based on the day but for proteins I either bring a bag of mixed nuts or an Herbalife Snack Bar (the lemon one is my favorite) I suggest getting creative with your fruits and veggies. You can eat as many as you want a day because they are just great for your system and you are supposed to have 8 servings a day anyhow so mix and match and use the veggies fill up if your having a mid meal craving or need for a munch fest!

5. How is Herbalife different from other nutrition/diet shakes?
I find that other shakes are either extremely expensive to purchase, not very good tasting, or had to work into your daily life. For me Herbalife is simple. It tastes delicious, it works wonderfully and I can add it to pretty much anything. I go and buy single small bottles of Naked Superfood Juice in bulk and then will bring it with me for the day if I’m out and about. It’s easy to shake up and drink. It doesn’t need a blender, it doesn’t need its own can. Got a craving for something sweet? Throw the chocolate flavored one in milk and drink up and you have a full meal of chocolate milk that will keep you full and energized all morning or afternoon! Its so simple and their are so many options and flavors.

6. How do you make your shake?
Depends on what kind of time I have. I’ll make the chocolate one with milk or water if I’m in a hurry. Or the vanilla with natural juice. When I’m home and I have my Magic Bullet Blender I will blend with ice and other yummy mix-ins. Sometimes fruits and veggies, sometimes peanut butter. Depends on my mood and day of the week, but your options are endless.

7. What is your favorite shake flavor?
Well, I love the chocolate because it fills my sweet tooth, but the vanilla is wonderful for adding to anything. Can I say there is a tie?

8. What is the average price of Herbalife? Where can I get it?
The price of the Formula 1 shake with shipping and handling and tax comes out to just a little over $48. It varies slightly on where it is being shipped to. Depending on the supplements you add, or if you want a workout protein powder as well (Herbalife 24 which is also great) those things vary. You can find all that information as well as the full catalog on my Herbalife sales page.

If you’re interested in Herbalife, or want to connect with Kayleigh, you can follow her Twitter, Tumblr blog, and purchase Herbalife from her sales page!

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Hurdles, Recipes, Tips

Frustration

Most of you have read my weight loss story and are aware of my success, and struggles. Today, I hit a bump in the road and found myself stuck in another body image slump. When I started this blog, I wanted to be honest with my readers and share my story, tips, recipes, struggles, and frustrations, so today I will share with you what I have been struggling with for the past few months.

Got a tres chic “Eat Rabbit Food” bracelet made from a street vendor at Fisherman’s Wharf when I was in San Francisco this weekend!

 I feel like I have been “dieting” for so long that losing weight is extremely easy for me. To my surprise, maintaining my weight is the real challenge. I know exactly what it takes to consistently lose weight, but maintaining is a whole different story. After I had lost a substantial amount of weight and wanted to start toning, I began to research, and read so many different theories about gaining muscle that it was enough to make my head spin. I had no idea which solution would work for me, weather it was a high protein low fat or low carb diet, weight training, resistance training… ahhh! I started adding more protein into my diet, but along with the protein came extra calories, which quickly turned into too many. I really struggled with finding a perfect balance to keep my weight stable while gaining muscle. Although I finally figured out what combination worked for me, it was a frustrating battle. During this time, I gained 5lbs, which was extremely discouraging for me. This was the first time I saw my weight go up since the start of my weight loss. Even though it was a small amount of weight, my obsession with the number on the scale was still present. I became depressed and stressed, not wanting to go out with friends or see anyone in fear of them noticing my “weight gain.” I was disappointed in myself for working so hard for so long and then “slipping up.” Even with the praise and encouragement of others, I could not be happy or content with my weight; it was purely mental. This was around the same time that I started to severely restrict my diet before turning my habits around.

Knowing how obsessive I can get about dieting, I wanted to let myself indulge and enjoy the holidays this past year. Over Christmas, Sam came to visit for a couple of weeks and I allowed myself to go out to dinner with him and actually enjoy food. It was still an uncomfortable struggle to eat a normal meal at a restaurant and not feel guilty or restrict afterwards. After Sam returned to Texas, I got back to my regular routine of healthy home cooked meals and felt very proud of myself for getting back on track and not having one ounce of guilt from the food I had consumed over the holidays. A week later I went to Texas to spend new years with Sam, and then flew to Denver with him and his family to go skiing. I had so much anxiety on this ski trip because of my eating habits. I didn’t want to look like the crazy girl with food issues, but I’m sure it was showing full force. I can’t eat like my 6’5 friend or his 6’6 brother and other tall athletic family members. I tried so hard to enjoy the vacation, but I was constantly thinking about food and counting ever calorie in my head. It was exhausting, but I couldn’t let go of it and enjoy myself in fear of gaining weight during the trip. After I returned home to Los Angeles, I could not get back to my regular routine. I was angry, and annoyed with myself that I could not get back to my healthy eating and exercise routine, and then I was even more upset with myself for letting this whole thing get to me. It was a terrible few weeks of self-hatred and disappointment, and it was all caused by food. After I finally got back on track and felt my clothes fitting again, along came a whirl of celebrations and events. My grandpa’s birthday, sister’s birthday, Valentine’s day, mom’s birthday, launch of my blog, trip to Japan, and trip to San Francisco all happened from January to April. It seemed like every week I had a commitment and I had no time for myself. I became stressed beyond belief, but was working on allowing myself to indulge without regret or anxiety at every affair. I noticed my weight starting to rise, but continued to exercise when I was home, and tried my hardest to cook balanced healthy meals. I wanted to be at peace with food and allow myself to celebrate and enjoy.

How cute are these veggies phone charms that I got from Japan? The Japanese never fail to make healthy foods cute.

When I arrived home from Japan , I noticed that my clothes were much tighter and I was uncomfortable, even in my favorite outfits. I stepped on the scale and noticed a significant weight gain. Once again my obsession with the number came back. If you remember how depressed and angry I felt after the first 5lbs I gained after my weight loss, you could only imagine how I felt at this time. I became ashamed of myself, embarrassed, and most of all; sad. I spent a majority of my days looking at myself in the mirror and thinking about how much I hated myself and my body. I was angry and started snapping at my friends, family all because I felt unhappy with my body. I hate that this has so much control over me. I don’t want my weight to affect my happiness anymore. I am not being fair to myself by letting food, weight, and body image get to me the way it does.

After an impromptu trip to San Francisco last week, I decided it was time for a change because “if you do not change, you will remain the same,” and I cannot sit around and be depressed about my body anymore. There are so many other things to be excited and happy about. After eating our way through San Francisco, my friend Erica, her sister Cece, and I watched the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead together. The film is about an Australian man who juices for 60 days to reboot his system, heal the inside of his body, and lose weight. If you haven’t seen this movie already, you should definitely check it out. I have actually watched it twice before, but this time (third time is a charm, right?) it really struck something in me. Since I love a challenge and love to prove others and even myself wrong, so I am taking the juice challenge to cleanse my system of toxins, refresh my palette, and give my body the vitamins and minerals that it has been craving after months of celebrating. I am not sure how long I will juice, but I am excited to try different recipes and document/share my honest emotions and thoughts each day of the challenge. Since many people think that healthy eating is expensive, I’ll try to find the most affordable way to get the tastiest juices possible!

Last night I went to whole foods and found  a bunch of bottled juices on sale for 2 for $5, so I bought 6 of them, and then emptied the contents, removed the labels, and cleaned the bottles in preparation for my homemade juices.

Tonight, I am going to Erica’s house to create my first round of juices, and then starting tomorrow, Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth is going allllll liquid! Of course I will transition back to my fun Rabbit Food Pyramid meals after the challenge, but for right now, I need to take some time for myself to get back to where I was when I started this blog. If anyone else is interested in joining in on the juicing challenge, leave me a comment! Even swapping out one snack/meal per day with juice could be a great healthy start!

To prepare for my juice challenge, I am drinking Green Monsters and tons of water all day today! This recipe is based off of my original green smoothie with the addition of pineapple and more mint!

Green Monster:
makes 3 servings

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup almond milk
1 bunch kale
1 frozen ripe banana (peel and freeze beforehand)
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup of mint leaves (I use one small package from Whole Foods)

Start off by combing orange juice and almond milk with kale and blend until smooth. Then add the frozen banana, mango, pineapple, and mint leaves. Blend until thick and smooth, pour into 3 glass jars and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.


Question: What do you do when you are having a bad day? How do you get re-inspired to get healthy and stay on track?

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