My Achilles Heel...

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I woke up this morning realizing I did something this past weekend I've done for years without really stopping to think about what I was doing. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I spent some time over the weekend unconsciously munching on food without even realizing what I putting into my mouth. Now with my heightened awareness of trying to get healthier, I woke up this morning, stepped on the scales and was somewhat surprised to see that the numbers have gone up a little.

I guess I REALLY shouldn't have been surprised when I think back to the higher carb choices I made over the past two days but I WAS a bit surprised at how angry I was at myself. You would have thought a stranger had stepped into the room by the way I was arguing with myself...dredging up some old taunts as I berated myself for giving in to my Achilles heel...weekend eating splurges...but then I suddenly stopped in mid sentence. In the sudden silence it dawned on me that I had reached my first roadblock on my way to a leaner, healthier me.

If every other time when the numbers on the scales go up ends in my tearing my sprit down & never changing my attitude to get healthier, then how would THIS time be any different?

IT WOULDN'T!

It's ME who has to do the changing. Change the way I think...the way I approach my weekends, the way I see food...if I'm ever going to get the tempting, taunting FOOD MONKEY off my back! So I took a few deep breaths, counted to ten, and headed out the door to my daily gym workout. I almost gave in to the feeling "what's the use" like I had in the past but determinedly headed toward the gym instead of going in the other direction because I KNOW that is where the changes in my lifestyle will come from.

I'm not saying it wasn't hard to shut the negative thoughts running through my head off, but it definitely was worth it. I'm sure there will be many, many more times during this journey of mine where I will be faced with the negative voices in my head, but for today, I've made one small step for me, one large step for healthier living!

Okay, so tell me what do YOU do to make it through the weekends? Plan your meals? Throw in an extra workout? Help me out with your words of wisdom in the comments below so I can prepare for next weekend...;~)

http://dessertswithbenefits.com/healthy-low-carb-gluten-free-monkey-bread/#ixzz3mOUbIFZY

RECIPE OF THE DAY:

Low Carb Monkey Bread

Dough:
• 16g (2 tbs) Psyllium Husk Powder
• 8g (1 packet) Active Dry Yeast
• 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 187g (3/4 cup) Unsweetened Applesauce
• 4 Large Organic Egg Whites
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp Butter Extract
• 2 tsp Stevia Extract
• 224g (2 cups) Organic Soy Flour
• 2 tsp Double-Acting Baking Powder
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 70g (1/2 cup + 2 tbs) Coconut Flour
Base Coating:
• 2 tbs Coconut Oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp Butter Extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
• 192g (1 cup) Organic Stevia Mix** or Truvia Spoonable
• 4+1/2 tbs Cinnamon

Instructions

For the Dough:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the psyllium and yeast.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, applesauce, egg whites and extracts. Dump the psyllium/yeast mix on top and quickly whisk together.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the soy flour, baking powder and salt. Dump the dry over the wet and fold together with a rubber spatula.
4. Shape the sticky dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm area for 1 hour (I used a warming drawer set to 90 degrees Fahrenheit).
5. In a small bowl, add the coconut flour. Take about 2 tbs and dust it over the sticky, slightly risen dough. Gently fold the mixture until it absorbs the coconut flour, then dust another 2 tbs over the dough and fold again. Do this with the rest of the coconut flour.
6. Shape the dough into a ball and rip off evenly-sized chunks, then roll into balls about 1.5" in size.
For the Base Coating and Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
7. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the coconut oil and microwave until completely melted. Stir in the butter extract.
8. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the stevia mix and cinnamon.
For the Assembly:
9. Line one 9” cake pan with a parchment paper circle and set aside.
10. Dunk the dough balls into the coconut oil mixture, roll around in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place into the prepared pan. Do this with all of the balls and sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar mix throughout the pan.
11. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a warm area for 1 hour (I used the warming drawer again)


12. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for ~32 minutes, or until the sugar melts into caramel-like goodness and the center of the bread is spongy yet firm when tapped.


13. Flip the pan over onto a platter and let cool upside-down for ~20 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off. Serve warm!

Notes

To store, keep tightly covered at room temperature for MAX one day, after that, this requires refrigeration (tightly wrapped). This recipe is: gluten free, sugar free, low carb, high fiber, high protein!

One two-piece serving yields 180 cal, 8 g fat, 160 mg sodium, 15 g carb, 8 g fiber, 11 g protein.

***I have more low carb recipes listed on my Pinterest boarrd at https://www.pinterest.com/donasdays/low-carb-goodies/ or check out my Clawing My Way Back To A Healthier Me board on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/donasdays/clawing-my-way-back-to-a-healthier-me/***