Living in Excess

Confession time: I have a problem with excess.

I can't just have one cup of coffee a day...I have to have three.
I can't just buy one cookbook at the bookstore...I have to buy two.
I can't just eat one piece of cake for dessert...I have to have...um...a few.

I know it's a "cultural" thing. We all love to over-indulge (look at the mortgage crisis! How do you think that happened anyway?). As a society, we can't just be content. I don't feel like I'm on a high horse saying these things...because I know I fall into this vice as well!

I've developed a personal mantra that I try to think about each day. I write it in my day planner, I think it during meditation, and I like of hum it to the melody of a song while I'm driving. It goes like this:

I love myself. (I think this during the inhale of my meditation)
I have enough. (I think this during the exhale of my meditation)

Easy enough, right? It might sound ridiculous, but it works for me! Clearly, it isn't a cure all solution (I still ate 3/4s a bag of candy corn yesterday), but it works most of the time. And it's much cheaper than therapy...or getting into debt from overspending :/

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You may find me crazy, but I always eat before eating out. For instance, it's 6:30p.m. right now and I'm meeting friends for dinner at 8:00p.m. It might seem "healthier" to wait until ordering dinner later, but going too long without food can make you ravenous (and may cause you to binge eat at dinner!). I made this smoothie and feel confident that my dining experience with be enjoyable without excess :) Next time you eat out, see if this advice works for you!

Between Meals Smoothie
Some of the best healthy eating advice I ever read recommended eating a light snack or nosh before dining out. Whenever you go to a restaurant, you usually have to wait for a table, for drinks, for appetizers, etc. and end up STARVING by the time your entree arrives. Make a smoothie like this one about an hour before heading out to a restaurant and you'll be content until your food arrives (and, therefore, will be less likely to overeat).

- 1 cup unsweetend, original almond milk
- 1 scoop vegan protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
- 1 ripe banana (the banana must be ripe or the smoothie will taste slightly bitter)
- 1 large handful greens (lettuce, spinach, romaine)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until completely mixed. Eat about 1-2 hours before dining out. serves 1