Hello, Old Friend

Hey hey hey 😀 How’s it going? Hope your night is treating ya well <3

I started my day off with a coffee-berry smoothie

smoothie

-almond milk

-1/2 frozen banana

-1 C frozen organic blueberries

-1 scoop Sun Warrior (or any protein)

-1 T cacao powder

-1/2 t espresso powder

If you haven’t tried the coffee and berry combo yet, I promise that it’s amazing 😀

And then I got to werk tackling unpacking and organizing to surprise the Pilot 🙂

My half of the closet is done,

closet

[tips for closet organization are on the fashion page]

kitchen almost finished (1 more box to go through!)

and I took a boatload of clothes to Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange. It always feels good to get rid of clutter and unnecessary things- esp. when you can donate them or make some moola.

Some eats:

Omelet with goat gouda + a ginger ale Zevia

omelet

brown rice bread + goat cream cheese

toast

I like to rotate a couple of grocery items each week, just to get different nutrients and prevent boredom. Every week, I’ll choose a different salad green (usually arugula, mixed, kale, baby romaine or spinach) and a different gluten-free bread product (teff tortillas, brown rice wraps, Udi’s bread, French Meadow whole-grain).

It was fun to bring an old friend back this week:

brown rice bread

Brown rice bread!

Of all of the GF breads I’ve tried, this one is one of my all-time faves. It’s more dense and chewy, and has pretty fab nutrition stats and ingredients. I’ve noticed that with gluten-free products, sometimes companies will replace the gluten-factor with a bunch of creepy ingredients.

Gym time was weights at the base gym:

gym

and made the mistake of going during PT hour. It was INSANE- I had to fight the big beefy dudes for the weights and machines :/

The Pilot just got home and it’s dinner time then cardio over here 🙂

See ya in the morning!

xoxo

Gina

Today’s tip: Switch up your bread products and greens! It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and changing things up will get your body some different nutrients… you may even find a new fave <3

Some swap-outs that are fun:

Kale, Chard, Spinach, Romaine, Arugula, Collard greens, Dandelion greens

Brown rice bread, millet bread, quinoa bread, whole wheat bread, kamut bread, spelt bread, teff bread, hemp or flax breads

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56 Comments

  1. Emily on August 2, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    Coffee berry smoothie sounds awesome but my body doesn’t tolerate caffeine so well, I might take the advice and try it with green tea! Also, great work on the house thus far, its so gorgeous 🙂

    • Fitnessista on August 2, 2011 at 10:28 pm

      thanks girl <3

  2. Ali @ Peaches and Football on August 2, 2011 at 10:23 pm

    I am definitely trying the coffee-berry smoothie. It sounds amazeballz 🙂 and I love the gorgeous color!! I just found some rice cakes I really like too but I may look for that bread in the store on your recommendation. I agree – most GF breads are scary!

  3. Megan on August 2, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    I just decided to start switching out our breads! I actually want to start making my own since we live 30 minutes from the closest TJS. I found some fun recipes I want to try at: http://www.nourishingmeals.com/p/recipes.html. She has another one not on the list yet that is to die for: http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2011/04/gluten-free-bread-xanthan-free-vegan.html

    • Fitnessista on August 2, 2011 at 10:28 pm

      that looks incredible! thanks for posting the links 🙂

  4. katie on August 2, 2011 at 10:26 pm

    where do you get your goat cream cheese? trader joes?

    • Fitnessista on August 2, 2011 at 10:27 pm

      yep 🙂

  5. kaila@healthy helper blog ! on August 2, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    You are a machine! Two workouts a day….and pregnant!!! WOW!!!

  6. Allison @ Food for Healing on August 2, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    switching up greens is always a great idea. I know i get tired of the same thing everyday.
    I could totally go for some ginger ale right about now.

  7. Sara K on August 2, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    I wish MY CLOSET looked like that! Awesome! I switch up my greens a lot too- have you tried the wasabi arugula at Trader Joe’s? It’s delicious and seriously TASTES LIKE WASABI!

    • Fitnessista on August 2, 2011 at 10:42 pm

      wasabi arugula?!? how have i never heard of this bfore??? wow!

    • Rikki on August 3, 2011 at 9:44 am

      I saw that last time I went to TJ’s and when I went this week they didn’t have it 🙁
      I am definitely getting it the next time I see it!!! I LOVE arugula, its my staple green ;0)

  8. Rachel @ The Perseverance Diaries on August 2, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    I like your suggestion of switching it up every week. I have a bad habit of buying too many items at once and then they go bad! Looks like I’ll be sticking to one or two greens a week 🙂

  9. Krystina (Organically Me) on August 2, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    Girl, that closet is to die for!

    • Fitnessista on August 2, 2011 at 10:42 pm

      thank you!

  10. Liz @ Tip Top Shape on August 2, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    It’s a good idea to switch up your greens. I usually like romaine just because it is so simple to mix stuff with, but I discovered kale a few months ago and am hooked! It is just so hearty! I feel like a salad with that is a meal by itself!

  11. Namaste Gurl on August 2, 2011 at 11:06 pm

    I love chocolate- bery smoothies, especially with the addition of avocado and greens! 🙂 Never tried with coffee before; will have to!
    Brown rice bread is my favorite as well!

  12. Girl In the pink on August 2, 2011 at 11:09 pm

    I like how you rotate your greens – I always just stick with spinach!

  13. Holly @ The Runny Egg on August 2, 2011 at 11:19 pm

    I like your idea of rotating greens — the most I rotate is buying romaine one week and spinach the next!

  14. aj on August 2, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    haha. I like how you call unknown ingredients creepy. Hilar.

  15. Chloe (In Fine Feather) on August 2, 2011 at 11:34 pm

    My main goal when I move is to get an awesome blender to make Fitnessista-inspired smoothies 🙂 There are so many I know I would love if only I had the means to make them!

  16. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga on August 3, 2011 at 12:07 am

    Thanks for that GF bread review. I don’t really buy GF breads b/c they usually are pretty (or very!) meh at best, horrid at worst. So thanks for the tip!

    And love that Instagram-ish pic? Are you on IG? If not, that’s a super cool filter and I need the deets on what you’re using! I love me some fun filters to jazz things up!

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:05 am

      yep it’s instagram!

  17. mi-an on August 3, 2011 at 12:22 am

    i fb’d you last nite about the berry coffee smoothie!! i had it at night so i put decaf coffee…oh wow soo good!!
    i also like to swap my greens, i had arugula last week, so this wk was kale. i massaged it with avocado, lemon juice and olive oil, added some millet, cucumber, tomatoes, and seasoned with low Na+ soy sauce. yumm yumm! i do love that brown rice bread after you posted about it last time… 🙂

  18. pushups with polish on August 3, 2011 at 12:32 am

    that smoothie looks amazing. yum. gonna go get me some espresso powder. ASAP. xxo

  19. Ali @ urbanfruitbat on August 3, 2011 at 12:44 am

    You two are unpacking MACHINES! Way to go! Those Zevia drinks are pretty outta control, are they not?

  20. Kristi on August 3, 2011 at 1:31 am

    Hey Gina, what’s your take on Ezekiel sprouted grain bread??

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:04 am

      love it!

  21. Yolie @ Practising Wellness on August 3, 2011 at 4:56 am

    That’s a great idea to switch things up like greens and grains – it would make a huge difference for adding variety and extra nutrition to meals 🙂 I like it! you know what else i like? your CLOSET, lol! seriously, its amazing…you are definitely a domestic goddess Gina – cleaning, cooking, organizing…you do it all! 😀
    i so so look forward to the day when me and the kiwi have our own place. right now it’s me, him, and two other guys his age sharing a house. i am experiencing severe testosterone overload, lol! One day, i hope. Take care and have a wonderful day – happy cardio! <3 xyx

  22. Brittany @ Itty Bits of Balance on August 3, 2011 at 5:35 am

    I havent tried Food For Life brown rice bread, but I’m loving Ener-G at the moment. They even have light brown rice bread so I can have double servings 😀

  23. Hannah on August 3, 2011 at 8:02 am

    you should see everyone doing zumba on the today show. saw it and thought of you!!!

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:03 am

      ahhh i missed it! so fun!

  24. kristine on August 3, 2011 at 8:03 am

    AH I love how huge your closet is! And your smoothie may just have inspired breakfast:)

  25. Mo on August 3, 2011 at 8:24 am

    I covet you closet! And your wardrobe for that matter! I would never think of pairing coffee with berries – but I will take your word for it and give it a try. Coffee is also a popular seasoning for dry rubs – for barbecuing. My husband went to our farmers market yesterday – we had swiss chard for dinner. Any ideas on how to remove the “bitter”? I figured if anyone would know, it would probably be you! Take care.

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:03 am

      hmm i have no idea, since i always eat chard raw, like a lettuce wrap. i kind of like the bitter taste 🙂

    • Amanda Hinderliter on August 3, 2011 at 10:41 pm

      You can cook it like you would spinach. I like it sauteed in a stir-fry or even just boiling it. I got a ton through my CSA the past few weeks, so I boiled some and froze it. I hope that works like spinach does!

  26. Shayla @ The Good Life on August 3, 2011 at 8:30 am

    I spy a beautiful big Louis bag in your closet, is it?! Love love…Louis is the man 😉

    And I’ve never tried coffee in any of my smoothies before…I’ll have to give it a try!

  27. Shannon on August 3, 2011 at 8:50 am

    My closet is organized the same way! By type, then color. My dude laughs at me for having it color coded. But then I color coded HIS closet, and he can’t live without it! 🙂

  28. Hillary on August 3, 2011 at 9:30 am

    Funny—I was just going to write a post today on how I tend to be a “monoeater.” Thanks for giving me even more food for thought (yep, pun intended).

  29. anne on August 3, 2011 at 9:46 am

    I never know if when you say ‘cacao’ you mean cocoa powder??

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:01 am

      yep, but i used the unprocessed version- cacao

  30. Rikki on August 3, 2011 at 9:46 am

    Have you tried the FFL Brown rice english muffins? I think they are much better than the bread, they are a bit more…fluffy or something… Probably because they have more air in them. DH always jokes when I buy gf bread because its more like a brick than bread~
    Udi’s is my fave when it comes to taste… but I don’t think its as healthy as ffl

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 11:00 am

      i have- they’re amazing!

  31. Amber on August 3, 2011 at 9:55 am

    I’ve been wanting to start eating a lot healthier and even try GF products. I’ve had some stomach problems and after some research I think that will help out a lot. Problem is my husband is dragging his feet about eating super healthy. (When we first got married he hardly ate veggies.) We are on a budget and can’t afford to buy a bunch of different snacks or meals. Any tips on how to ease him into it or how to split? Also what are some tips to stay eating healthy when everyone else around you isn’t?

  32. Laura (Cookies vs. Carrots) on August 3, 2011 at 10:30 am

    I do the same thing with bread! It’s just little ol’ me in my house, so it doesn’t make sense to keep a ton of different breads around that will likely go bad before I can finish them. Instead, I buy one type each week and come up with different ways to use it!

  33. Cait @ Cait hates Cake on August 3, 2011 at 10:37 am

    I love Zevia! Every once in a while I just WANT a soda and don’t feel the least bit guilty about drinking those.

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 10:59 am

      yep it does the trick! 🙂

  34. Steph @ A Life Without Ice Cream on August 3, 2011 at 10:51 am

    This was a great post! Despite having been out of school for 5 years I find that the situation your reader explained is something I still deal with. There is a lot of night life in my city but there is also a lot of really fitness minded people. Its all about striking a balance and surrounding yourself with people who have similar priorities. I don’t tend to go out more than once a week and when I do will have 1-2 drinks (sometimes none) and just schedule my fitness differently the next day. Sometimes its a day off, sometimes its a light day or just an afternoon workout. I have friends who are all about fitness and some who think I’m a bit of a wing-nut because I’m running the next day 😛

    I think there will always be times in life where you need to balance life and changes… I have a feeling Gina is thinking about those things a lot these days with the new bundle on the way 😛

  35. Nicole on August 3, 2011 at 11:04 am

    I have a huge bag of clothes ready for donation and I know there are several items in there that are designer brands with tags still on (I know, I know…I blame my online shopping habit for making me buy things I wouldn’t actually wear!). I never even thought about consignment! Have you done it before? Can anyone give me a quick run down on how it works? Thanks!

  36. Julie (A Case of the Runs) on August 3, 2011 at 11:46 am

    I’ll keep my eye out for that bread!

  37. christina cadden on August 3, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    I need to clean my closet out! You inspired me!

  38. Julie on August 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    Can you eat goat cheese while pregnant? I thought soft cheeses were to be avoided during the prego months (although I could be wrong… and not really sure if goat cheese is in that catagory)

    Only asking cause I wish you and the pilot the absolute best of luck with your pregnancy!!

    Also…I have mad closet envy right now 😉

    • Fitnessista on August 3, 2011 at 9:24 pm

      thanks girl!
      pasteurized cheeses are fine- you just have to read the ingredients and make sure it was made with pasteurized milk

  39. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin on August 3, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    That’s such a good idea to rotate products every week! I tend to get into ruts of buying romaine and kale all the time. 😛 I think I might also use your rotating idea for root veggies, squash, and cheeses!

  40. Pam on August 3, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    Hmm coffee-berry sounds really good!
    Great tip to vary greens and breads. I really like the Food for Life millet and rice bread. I did a lunch ‘n’ learn class today about eating greens – why eat them, benefits, nutrients, and gave some fun recipes to the class.

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