Guest Post!! Allie from Pimp My Protein Shake

Hey here SGET readers! This is Allie the Protein Girl from Pimp My Protein Shake. When my new BFF-alter-ego Smoothie Girl asked me to guest post on her amazing blog while she’s off traversing the high seas, I squealed in more delight than a preteen with tickets to the New Moon Premiere.

I’ve struggled with my weight since I was ten years old, learning to starve and carbohydrate binge from my mother (who has since had a gastric bypass and lost 160 pounds) and to chronically stress eat from my father (who barely survived a massive heart attack last month). I’ve done the diet roller coaster and yo-yo game; I was very good it, but it wasn’t very fun.

Who the heck am I? Just a girl who finally figured out what works for her. After non-fat vegetarianism failed me (Susan Powter), after hardcore extreme low carb failed me (Atkins) after low-fat calorie counting failed me (Weight Watchers), and every diet book in between, I felt like…well…a failure. Because of course they didn’t fail me, I failed them. Or so I thought. But eventually, I began to crack the low-glycemic code.

What works for me is:

· Eating lean protein several times a day

· Eating boatloads (even international cruiseship amounts) of vegetables

· A healthy variety of fat (enough fats and oils but not tooooo much. Woman cannot live by butter alone.)

· Being mindful of my eating and calories without counting or obsession.

· Eating complex carbohydrates usually only at my post-exercise meal

· Being SUGAR FREE

· Moving 6 days a week. I call it movement because frankly exercise can be a 4-letter word. My newly discovered passions are spinning, weight lifting and yoga which have transformed both my body and my life. (You will never catch me in a step aerobics class because I would undoubtedly cause bodily injury to myself or innocent bystanders.)

(A sample Protein Girl dinner of lean protein and veggies)

And although I eat mostly wholesome, home cooked food, I do have a blender infatuation. I pimp a protein shake at least once a day. And because our beloved Smoothie Girl is looking out for you even while she’s out partying like it’s 1999, she asked us to share three pieces of advice with you. Here goes mine:

1. Marry your best friend

2. Wipe front to back (probably best left for discussion with your mother or OB/GYN)

3. Make fitness and mindfulness a lifestyle rather than a diet and workout program

Out of the three, only the second piece of advice has been easy…

I wanted to leave you with my favorite recipe, but eating white chocolate bread pudding made with croissants covered in caramel and custard using a Heath bar instead of a fork is hardly conducive to my low-glycemic lifestyle... So instead, I'll leave ya with a bit of low carb Frankenfood love in honor of Halloween candy.

The Almond Roca/Almond Joy Protein Shake

• 1-2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
• Milk/Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk or MimicCreme
• 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese
• About ¼ c. Sugar-free Torani Almond Roca syrup
• ½ tsp coconut extract* (or sugar free coconut syrup)
• Splash of Sugar-free Caramel syrup
• 1-2 Tablespoons toasted, unsweetened shredded coconut – for topping
• 1 Tablespoon unprocessed dark baking cocoa powder (the all natural nature of the cocoa powder cancels out the chemicals in the syrup)
• Ice cubes
• ¼ tsp guar gum
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum

*If drinking this before a grueling workout, add light coconut milk for the energy producing medium-chain triglycerides.

Blend, sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve in a ridiculously over the top glass. Because food should be fun, even if it’s Frankenfood. A big thanks to Smoothie Girl to allow me to guest star in her rock star blog! To learn more about me and my blender fun, hop on over to Pimp My Protein Shake.

Allie Smith-Hobbs

pimpmyshake@live.com

http://pimpmyproteinshake.blogspot.com/