Friday, January 21, 2011

It's Not Easy Going Green

I just finished my day 3 green smoothie.  And, it wasn't bad.  In fact, I sort of like them.  They are very spinachy, but that's not surprising, you know 'cause they are FULL of spinach.  And, more importantly, my body likes them.  I already feel better, just 3 days in.  I have more energy and feel like my concentration is improving.  Right now on the green spectrum I'm somewhere between mint and celadon.  I've got a long way to go before I reach kelly, forest, or the granddaddy of them all, hunter. 

In addition to the daily smoothie, I'm also cutting out sugar, eating only (mostly) whole grains, amping up my vegetable/fruit intake and trying to cut out as much salt and fat as I can stand.  I thought about going totally nutrarian, but I likes eggs and dairy and meat too much.  I haven't had any of those in days, but I'm not ready to cut them out completely...not yet.

It's going pretty well this whole new eating experiment.  But, here's the thing, I love, Love, LOVE sugar.  Well, not sugar per se, but I love baked goods, a lot.  Pie, brownies, tarts, tortes, cookies, and everything in between.

And then there are cupcakes.  

Cake I can live without, but there is something about the cake to frosting ratio in cupcakes that just makes my heart sing.  My favorite cupcakes in the whole world live at the Sweet Tooth Fairy in Utah, thank goodness.  But, even thousands of miles away, I still think about them.  Dream about them.  Wonder when I'll have them again.  It's a sickness, really.

2 blocks from my Master's program building is Georgetown Cupcake.  Their cupcakes are, good.  Better than I can make in my kitchen, but definitely do not compare to the Fairy!  And, they're a bit pricey, for just good cupcakes.  But, what they offer me that no other cupcake purveyor does is proximity.  2 blocks!  2!  And, I have to walk past them on my way to campus, twice a week.  It's a problem.  Especially, because EVERY DAY they have a free flavor.  All you have to do is know the flavor, walk in, order it by name and if you're one of the first 100 to do that, free cupcake.  FREE.  Who doesn't love free stuff?

Free + cupcake = Linsey has no willpower to resist

Confession: Yesterday, I ate one.  And, I was hoping to hate it.  Hoping to feel a little sick.  But, I didn't.  It was good.  Really good.  Better than I remember, even.  Vanilla cake, fluffy pink frosting WITH sprinkles, and free, what's not to love?  And, you know what, I didn't, DON'T feel guilty.  For the last week I've been eating better than I have in years.  And this one aberration doesn't diminish that.

I'm not planning on making the free cupcake pilgrimage a habit.  I am committed to changing my diet and feeling better.  But.  Let's be real, there might be more free cupcakes in my future.  The combination is just too irresistible for the currently only slightly green-hued me.

12 comments:

Adrianne said...

ok, we need to talk about this. I have been debating it for months. I didn't read the CHina Study, but read all 100+ amazon reviews. does that count? Seems the data wasn't as sound as they presented it to be.. or maybe that's just my copping out. But I have been drinking green smoothies - lucia and I both love them, we've only had whole wheat pasta for months, and this week I planned our menus totally without meat for the week. But then we eat at my mom's, where meat and cookie dough are plentiful...but I am trying to move in that direction.

I wonder if Robin is aware of how much she is influencing everyone?

Robin said...

I am glad Adrianne thinks I am influencing everyone. Because all these people jumping on the bandwagon keeps me motivated. I am also a sugar freak and will have sugar/fat if it is a highly unusual situation - like a delicacy you can't buy because it has to be hand made for special occasions. But if you can get it at a store or if I have tasted it before I try really hard to resist and mostly I am successful.

Linsey - I think as you get further in your healthy journey you will find that sugar has less of a pull on you. You will still love it but one day you will walk right past those cupcakes and not even notice that you passed them by! Yup. Anything can happen.

Lauren in GA said...

Ohhhhh, free cupcakes....en route to your Master's program building...I am so proud of you for only eating one.

calibosmom said...

I would never say no to a free cupcake! Good job on your green smoothies!

Jana and BJ said...

We've enjoyed green smoothies as well, although not so much recently. I do a leaf or 2 of kale and a handful of spinach so that it isn't so spinachy and I get a variety of nutrients. A sprig of parsley helps with the bitterness of the kale. Another fun idea we love is to freeze bananas and grapes in lieu of ice cubes.

Paige said...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? You're a big cheater. I've been on the friggin diet (can you see I have rage?) for 3 whole days and have not eaten a meat nor dairy and have only cheated with ONE choc covered pretzel b/c I forgot about the diet. The green smoothies are fine but I feel no different, other than deprived. and I eat tons of hummus. And drink tea. Plus, you know the diet is going to totally work for you, you big cheater, and I'll remain chubby while you get free cupcakes.

But good luck on the diet. Its a major life change for me. I drove my cart around TJ's while Celia threw weird items in and I lusted for the desserts.

Paige said...

OK I missed the part where you can't have fat. No hummus for Robin!! It's so good, even with carrots and celery dipped in it and not yummy pita...

the wrath of khandrea said...

this post cracked me up. keep it up!! good stuff.

Lindsey said...

hahah. I have given up eggs, and dairy for the most part, but still cheat with the meat! And girl, NO BODY in their right mind can pass up a great cupcake. And if I had to do that trek, I would be getting one too. Right now, I will just be grateful that I don't have cupcakes anywhere NEAR me! :)

Anonymous said...

I guess I didn't realize just how hardcore you were going from your original post...that is amazing! I've been thinking about eating more healthily and doing green smoothies for awhile now, but I've never quite gotten enough motivation because 1. I don't have much weight to take off, 2. It's seems expensive, and 3. I have terrible health anyway :) But I'm really interested to read any updates you post because you're probably the first person I know doing this that seems like a normal person and not someone who was born eating macrobiotic granola (if that exists) and running repeated marathons for fun.

Jake said...

Am I the only one left who's eating meat, dairy and sugar?

Good for you!

The Songer said...

I have never ever heard of "the green smoothie!" sounds like im missing out! Im think i better go google it! The spinachy taste is scaring me though!

 

Design by Custom Blog Designs/FreeStyleMama Creations