I’ve been making changes recently. I told you about how I started drinking green smoothies, and believe it or not, I haven’t given up on that yet. I’ll admit I’m getting a little tired of the strawberry-banana-date rut I seem to have landed in, but rectifying that should be easy enough. (I bought a book.)
So, it’s 16 ounces of water every morning, drop off son #1 at school, down a 16-oz smoothie, drop son #2 off at school, and then…
…and then Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I go to the gym. (Does this sound like the Lisa Clarke you know? No, it didn’t sound like her to me, either.) I do strength-training at the local Y, and some recumbent bicycling before coming home to enjoy my coffee break.
That coffee break consists of a pour over brew and a power bar. I started out with chocolate mint Luna Protein bars, which are good, but the sweetness of them hurts my teeth sometimes. Now I’m making my own bars.
These are all variations on one recipe, actually: Cherry Pie Lucy Bars from the book Power Hungry by Camilla Saulsbury (thanks to my cousin for the recommendation!). Lucy bars are meant to be copycat Larabars, and while I am no Larabar connoisseur, they seem pretty close to me.
I made Cherry Pie last Saturday, and Aidan and I fell in love with them. So Sunday I gathered some more ingredients and made the Key Lime Pie, PB&J, and Cappuccino variations. I think each flavor is delicious, but Aidan would chuck them all, apparently, for a big box of Key Lime Pie Lucy Bars. The boy is smitten.
Fear that my teenager would eat all of the fruits of my labor before I could, prompted me to make another four batches last night. I tried two new ones (Apple Pie and Gingerbread) and made second batches of Key Lime and Cherry. I accidentally forgot to buy more almonds for the cherry, so I made it with cashews instead. That’s the beauty of this recipe – I suspect you could experiment with all kinds of dried fruit and nuts, and still end up with something very edible and delicious.
These Lucy Bars are so delicious, I have no interest in trying any more recipes in this book. I’m done. Completely satisfied.
I’m surprised I’ve taken to the Cherry and Lime flavors so much – I’m usually a peanut butter and/or chocolate bar girl.
So, I have a big box of bars in the fridge (they last for 3 weeks) and a box of the same size in the freezer (frozen, they’re good for 3 months). I’m thinking ahead to our long weekend away at the beach later next month, and hoping that I’ll have enough bars to bring with me. It’s definitely do-able, as long as Aidan doesn’t scarf them all down first!
Hey, while I’m shocking you with how much I am getting my healthy groove on, I should mention: I’m eating salad for lunch every day.
I know, CRAZY!
I haven’t lost much weight yet, but I feel healthier than I used to, and I tend to think that’s more important. Although, if 10 or 20 pounds wanted to fall off of me at the same time, I wouldn’t argue…
My next challenge? Not losing my mojo when we take that aforementioned beach trip. I want to enjoy the pleasures of boardwalk food, but I need to balance that with some of the healthy habits I’ve started. Bringing these bars and some pre-made salads with me should help with that. I hope.
I so have to order that book! I recently lost twenty pounds using my app on my phone the fitness pal app. I am sedentary I work 7 a to 7 p with my spouse we have our own business and so hard to find time to exercise oh and I work weekends!UGG Any way I also make the green smoothies, but counting and logging in my calories each day and seeing what I actually put in my mouth amazing! It was so easy I was embarrassed I struggled so long with my weight! I am now exercising a few days a week but I dropped the weight then decided I also needed to exercise. My friend who turned me on to the app lost 30 pounds and still wont exercise!
I’ve been using My Fitness Pal for about a year, too, although I keep losing and re-gaining the same 5 lbs over and over again. I feel like I’m on the right track now, though. All of these little changes I’m making have to add up at some point, right? And I agree that logging your meals can be such an eye-opening experience!
Congrats on your weight loss – you must feel great!
Hi Lisa,
They sound yummy! Cherry pie. Mmm! I still have 15-20 pounds to lose. I’m like you. I lose and find the same pounds over and over again. Although my hubby and I did do Medifast and have kept 30 of the 40 pounds off. It’s almost time to go back on it again to get those 10 off again…maybe some more. Daughter wants to join the Y again. Maybe we should! Are you enjoying it? If I only had the…motivation.
Just found that my library has the book! Yay! Thanks for the recommendation. I am eating grain-free, so those bars are good, but pricey.
I’ve been doing the same switch to healthier whole foods. I am totally in love with smoothies, matcha, and chia seeds! My fav smoothies include bananas and peanut butter with chocolate almond milk. I feel so much better but like you I haven’t lost much weight. Ultimately I think it’s more important to make healthy choices. Everything else will follow when it does.
Thanks so much for this post. I’m going to definitely order this book!
Ooh those bars look yummy! 🙂
HECK YEAH KEY LIME POWER BARS FTW!
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