My morning (or anytime) pick-me-up: The Java Chiller

So I've been Fuel Cycling on Trim Healthy Mama for the past week,and it's been great! Comparing my weights for the 1st vs. 8th day, I'm down 3.8 pounds! That is huge for me, since I'm generally a turtle whose weight moves super-slow. I attribute part of my success to this luscious drink that I concocted to make it through the week. I call it The Java Chiller.

If you yourself are a Trim Healthy Mama, you probably know that the Fuel Cycle is a bit more restrictive than just freestyling. If you are not a Trim Healthy Mama, then, well, you should be! Ha, really, if you are not, the Fuel Cycle is just a weight-busting week to try to kick a few stubborn pounds. Normally, yummy things like cheese and yogurt and nuts are encouraged on THM, but on the Fuel Cycle, they are not really allowed, at least not in the quantities that I normally use them (and now you know why I need the Fuel Cycle!).

Anyway, this past week I was looking for a good way to drink my coffee. Normally, I load it up with heavy cream or half and half and just enjoy it. But this makes it an S (= Satisfying, low-carb but high fat), and really, I try on the Fuel Cycle not to have as much cream as normal. So, for my S days, I made Bulletproof coffee - oh Yum! I used Extra Virgin Coconut Oil instead of MCT Oil , and it was divine - delicious, creamy, and very satisfying.

But coffee on S days wasn't really the problem - I have S breakfasts almost every day simply so that I can have creamy coffee. This issue is that the Fuel Cycle has 2 FP (= Fuel Pull, low-carb and low-fat) days plus 2 E (= Energizing, low-fat but higher carb) days, so that's 4 non-S breakfasts to get through. This gal is NOT giving up coffee on those days, so I needed a solution.

One possible solution is fat free half and half. I'm not a purist, and I don't mind it, but I just didn't have any on hand, and I was being a cheapskate and spending my money on higher quality stuff instead. So what's a gal to do for FP and E coffee? Enter the Java Chiller! This worked perfectly for me, not only because it provided me with a great coffee fix each morning, but also because it was a cool and refreshing drink to sip on at any time of day as our temperatures inched closer and closer to 100 degrees.

The Java Chiller is a modification on the Fat Stripping Frappa (FSF) found on page 240 in the Trim Healthy Mama book. Both the FSF and the Java Chiller are considered Fuel Pull, since they have no significant source of fat or carbs, so they can be eaten anytime, anywhere (well, anywhere you have access to a blender), with anything. Without further ado, here ya go, the Java Chiller:

First fill your blender about 1/3 - 1/2 full of ice.
No need for a high-end blender here. My old Osterizer works great!

Then pour in your coffee - I use 14 ounces of strong dark coffee
Have I told you yet about my Keurig Vue® ? I LOVE it!!

Now add in the following:
1/2 to 1 cup of almond milk
1 scoop of protein powder
1/2 tsp of Glucomannan (optional)
a bit of salt
1 TBSP of Truvia (or a few shakes of stevia extract)
a dash of vanilla

Blend to desired consistency.
This makes 2 very large servings.

I like mine to still be a little slushy when I pour it into my cup, like this.

Be careful when you drink it. It's so yummy that others might try to steal it away from you. See Tigger's hand creeping in there to grab it? Don't worry, I snatched it out of his reach and kept it all to myself :-)

I'm linking up to Trim Healthy Tuesday over at Gwen's Nest and Stacy Makes Cents - head on over to check out all the other THM-friendly treats they have to offer!

[Please note that product links may be my affiliate links, giving me a small benefit if you click and buy. If you are uncomfortable with this, please feel free to go directly to Amazon or the site of your choice for your purchase.]

Sweaty Summer Cycling - Fuel Cycling, that is!

This week I'm starting the second week of my Trim Healthy Mama Fuel Cycle. Right at this point I'm down about 1.6 pounds from the day I started my Fuel Cycle, and that's a pretty good loss for me, so I want to see if doing the second week will push me along even further.

Update on Day 8: As of today, my scale tells me that I am down 3.8 pounds on one week of the Fuel Cycle! WooHoo! Last week, I planned my menu carefully, selecting my meals with an eye toward health, calories, and whether they were S, E, or FP. Unfortunately, I didn't really consider the weather, which, here in North Texas, was in the 90's. So as I moved into my FP and E days and we hit the first official day of Summer, I found myself improvising, desperate to keep my kitchen as cool as possible and serve cool and refreshing meals rather than warm soups and things like that.

This week, the weather looks like it's going to be about the same around here. This is really gonna test the effectiveness of my homemade deodorant!

In planning this week's Fuel Cycle menu, I deliberately chose meals that either (a) require no cooking or (b) can be fixed quickly and easily on the stovetop or in the toaster oven without heating up my kitchen. My Deep S breakfasts and dinners fit category (b), but those are yummy and Satisfying enough that they are worth the bit of time at the stove. Many of my FP and E meals, however, require no cooking at all. Pair those with a nice refreshing glass of Good Girl MoonShine, and you've got a cool and refreshing meal that can be served - and enjoyed - on even the hottest days of Summer!

Tuesday (Deep S)
B: Soft boiled eggs, bulletproof coffee
L: Large salad with grilled chicken, oil and balsamic dressing
D: Pan-fried salmon with faux fried rice
S: GGMS, skinny chocolate, basic whey smoothie, cucumbers

Wednesday (Deep S)
B: Fuel cycle frittata, bulletproof coffee
L: Steak fajita salad, oil and vinegar dressing
D: Salmon fillets with green fries
S: GGMS, skinny chocolate, tummy tucking ice cream

Thursday (Deep S)
B: Spinach omelette, bulletproof coffee
L: Salad with tuna, oil and balsamic dressing
D: Fish tacos (fried salmon in wonder wraps), fresh cabbage
S: GGMS, skinny chocolate, peppers, cake in a mug

Friday (Fuel Pull)
B: Overnight oats w/ raspberries, java chiller
L: Low carb tortilla w/ laughing cow and lean turkey, pepper strips, savory yogurt dip
D: Tuna salad with light mayo on wasa crackers
S: GGMS, yogurt with berries, tummy tucking ice cream

Saturday (Fuel Pull)
B: Cottage berry whip, java chiller
L: BLT on a wonder wrap, cucumber chips
D: Fuel Pull Pizza, lots of veggies
S: GGMS, yogurt with berries, tummy tucking ice cream, wasa with laughing cow

Sunday (E)
B: Black bean breakfast burrito, java chiller
L: Chicken salad wraps with apple chunks, zucchini chips
D: Mexican cottage cheese salad with mango salsa,
S: GGMS, yogurt w/ berries, apple w/ 1 tsp pb

Monday (E)
B: Sourdough french toast, java chiller
L: Pico de gallo gazpacho, Deutsche Kuche bread with light yogurt spread
D: Southwestern black bean salad, greek yogurt
S: GGMS, yogurt w/ berries, ricotta creme

I'm linking up to Trim Healthy Tuesday over at Gwen's Nest and Stacy Makes Cents - head on over to check out all the THM-friendly treats you can incorporate in your own Fuel Cycle!

I'm also linking up to Menu Plan Monday over at Organizing Junkie. Head on over and see all the great menu plans to inspire you!

[Please note that product links may be my affiliate links, giving me a small benefit if you click and buy. If you are uncomfortable with this, please feel free to go directly to the site mentioned for your purchase.]