Keeping Goals in Sight and a Healthy Milkshake

Sometimes, life gets busy. You have to choose between having really nice hair, or going for your morning run, or getting up early enough to accommodate both. This means you choose between going to bed at a “reasonable” hour or watching those last two re-runs of 30 Rock, or investing in a venti red eye at the Starbuck’s drive through.

To make the right decision, that is, to stick with my regular fitness routine, I find it helpful to keep myself accountable to a goal. For some readers, the Goldleaf Fitness Challenge provides the accountability that gets them to put their Zumba DVD in and shake their booties, or to say no to the office candy dish or beckoning drive through on the way home. One of my best birthday gifts was 12 personal training sessions with a great woman who helped me pay more attention to my eating habits and taught me that lifting weights would not make me into Hulk Hogan. I don’t see a personal trainer anymore, but I’m enjoying my CrossFit experience (see previous posts). My On Ramp course ends this Thursday, and I know that I need to stay focused. So I signed up with my sister to do the CrazyLegs race on April 28, 2012!

I’ve run Crazylegs a few times before. It is a fun race, about 5 miles, with proceeds benefiting my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s athletic department. This year I’m especially excited to run with my little sister, who got bitten by the running bug about a year ago.

I started running when I was 11 with my dad. While I’ve grown accustomed to running long distances (10-13 miles), some knee issues have forced me to revise my running goals. Starting last year, I began doing speed work, increasing from a comfortable 8:30 mile down to a 6 minute mile. While the feeling isn’t necessarily the same as a 10 mile runner’s endorphin high on an otherwise lazy Sunday – in fact it’s nothing like it, I want to die after running a 6 minute mile, I still get the same feeling of accomplishment. That feeling keeps me lacing up my shoes in the morning and sprinting my heart out.

What keeps you motivated? Do you sign up for marathon after marathon, up your reps or weights?

Now on to the good part, a healthy milkshake. Surely this is an oxymoron, you are thinking to yourself. It’s not, trust me. You can drink this pre or post work out or while you’re sitting on the couch watching those 30 Rock re-runs when you should be in bed. Sheeesh, grow up why don’t you?

Ingredients

1 serving Vanilla/Chocolate/whatever your little heart desires whey protein*

1/2 tbsp guar gum (you can find this at HyVee, WholeFoods, and probably even Copps/Pick ‘n Save if you look hard enough or harass the person in charge of ordering inventory. Trust me, you will find yourself why you ever drank smoothies without this once you’ve tried it. Just be sure not to add too much, or you’ll end up with milkshake pudding).

1/2 tsp salt (do not omit)

8-10 ice cubes – I like my milkshake cold and with  thicker consistency, though the guar gum takes care of that

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Stevia to taste

Garnish – fat free whip cream, one of those disgusting red cherries you get in a Shirley Temple, cereal, etc.

Directions

1. Put ice cubes, whey protein, almond milk, salt, and stevia into a blender and blend on high until mixed. Stop and add the guar gum, and blend on high for an addition 30 seconds, until the milkshake is super creamy. Pour into a tall glass and add your toppings.
2. Drink it.

Total Calories: 150 calories, depending on the whey protein you’re using.

*Choose a whey protein that packs at least 22 grams of protein and less than 5 grams of carbs. I like Tera’s Whey or Designer Whey.

What else do you like to put in your smoothie? I see a lot of people getting on the kale/greens train, but I don’t have a nice enough blender to attempt it.