Been Awhile!

Yes, yes, its been forever I know!! Just an update on my life....
I have lost a total of 50 lbs! I really didnt know that I was that heavy! Working on it is hard!! I havent given up yet. 
         While, visiting with my parents last week, a friend told me her mother- in- law was selling her eliptical machine for $20 and I couldn't pass that deal up! I am so excited to get started. 


New Challenge:My dad told me about LOSE AN INCH A WEEK. He saw they were doing it at the gym he goes to. So, I have taken him up on it. We started on the 1st of April and goes until the end of May. I have to cut out all of my whites. Sugar, flour, and salt! My goal... I want to wear a cute dress and feel good about myself for my brother in laws wedding in September!
I am loving this weather, that we have been getting. Its nice to take my kids out and just play outside. Maggie, LOVES being outside with her big brother. Thank the lord for warm weather!! 
Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!(Stay away from easter baskets!!!)

My cousin Will and I at the Dino museum last week!

                             

What can I do if I am stuck and can't lose any more weight?

A questions I  received when I was away for a long (much needed weekend). 


I am stuck at a weight and I can't seem to make the scale budge, what do I do?


-This is a common complaint that I have noticed. I too had this issue and realized that by cutting out fruits and natural sugars, my body began to drop the weight I was holding. Natural sugars store up in your body and turn into fat if they aren't burned quickly. People who do not exercise should try to limit or avoid fruits and natural sweeteners. If you notice the feeling of not losing weight, maybe a little bloating in the mid section, sugars are probably the number 1 cause. Try slowly cutting back to one sweet a day and see if that scale doesn't give you a big surprise. (Boy followers don't read the next part!) Girls- you probably notice that the scale is not friendly to us during that particular time of month. Don't let this week discourage you, stay off the scale and continue eating the same way. I am not a fan of the scale in general. I don't think it matters what the number reads, it is all in how you feel. If you notice your pants getting tight, cut out some of the junkier food. If you are dropping pant sizes, keep doing what you are doing!


If cutting out fruit and natural sweeteners doesn't work, try increasing your daily activity. The rule is "play an hour a day". Go on a walk, do some squats, sit-ups, push-ups, stretching. Basically get off the couch and move around. If I don't feel like going to the gym, I will vacuum my whole house, garden, walk up and down the stairs, play fetch with Sali or just walk around. KEEP the TV off and move. 


I am currently at a stand still with my weight. I like the size that I am and now I am working on toning and strength. I am running and doing Crossfit style workouts and I will begin swimming soon. Because of the amount of exercise I get, I eat a good amount of fruit to maintain carbs but I don't recommend this if you are only walking a few miles here and there or doing a few reps for strength and conditioning (that won't burn the natural sugars). 

Coffee is a great hunger stimulant. Try it black or just a little cream. We walked and drank coffee for breakfast every morning!

Check out this yahoo news article that I came across today. I agree with most of this article but remember- all things in moderation! Eating bags of chocolate chips and Pounds of cheese will make you fat but if you eat them in moderation, yes I believe they can be a fat release. It is kind of like the 4-hour body by Tim Ferriss, the small amounts of certain foods help your body to maintain a healthy weight and your body fights and burns these calories when done right. 

Brandon and I walked over 20 miles in 3 days while we were at the beach. The weather was cloudy but warm and we couldn't help but walk and explore every street!

Spicy Chicken Soup

A beautiful 65 degree day! Had a nice 2 mile run outside around the neighborhood with Brandon. Then he installed our new pull up bar. (I can't do pull-ups so I should probably call it something else!) I had Brandon put me up on the bar and then I hung and slowly let my self down. I did this twice for chin-ups and once for pull-ups. Then I did 6 Standing pull-ups (Lean back with feet on the ground and slowly pull and release yourself from the bar). 3 Australian pull-ups (An upside down push-up using the bar).  For some this may sound easy but... pull ups are hard. Then I had to do 5 "REAL" push ups. After all the working out, I was glad I had thrown dinner in the crock pot this morning.  This gave us time to work out, enjoy the beautiful weather and have a little quality time before bed. 


For Dinner I made up a spicy/hot chicken soup 

Spicy Chicken Soup

Ingredients: 

1 C. Celery leaves, chopped finely

4-6 Chicken Breasts, cook whole

1 (8oz. can) Tomato Paste

1 Jar Tomato Sauce + 1 Jar of Water

1 Tbs Chili Powder

1 Tbs Hot Sauce

1 Whole cloves of Garlic

3 On the Vine tomatoes, diced

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Add all the ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 7 hours. 

Shred the chicken into chunks with a fork and mix the soup well.  Add more Hot Sauce if you would like more heat to the flavor. 

Enjoy! 

What do I do when.. Q&A time.

Our Fridge  prepared for lunches and Breakfasts for the next day

I have had some great feedback from my previous blogs. I have also had a lot of questions from people trying to eat healthier. Here are a few of the questions with some of my advice. Before you read this- go to Costco and invest in TUPPERWARE. I hope you find some answers to any questions you had. If not, ask me questions and I will do my best to answer them.  

1.) If I buy veggies and fruits and just throw them in a drawer- I tend to forget about them and they go bad before I can salvage them for a meal. Do I have to grocery shop every day for fresh veggies?

I have gotten into the routine of washing it all, cutting it, packaging it for lunches or putting it with the other foods that I am going to make a meal with. This is my OCD showing but it is a great way to make sure I don't waist great food. This only takes about 30 minutes once you've got your Tupperware/baggies and routine set in place.

2.) I eat more fruit because it is small and it seems more easily accessible. How can I get more vegetables in my diet?

In an attempt to eat less fruit, I decided to cut and package veggies, pre- cook and package veggies and keep them more accessible than my fruits. I have been grabbing the carrots, tomatoes and celery over the pineapple and strawberries.

3.) Lunch is HARD to do because I work, what do you do for lunch?

My best advice here is- make extra! I always make extra pieces of chicken or extra meat for leftovers. I throw it on a salad or with some steam fresh veggies and it is a perfect lunch. Another great idea is to make some soup on Sunday and pre-package it into Tupperware for the week. Most soups can be frozen and saved for later in the week.

4.) What Can I do for Breakfast besides Eggs?

Eggs can raise your cholesterol so I have been told to eat no more than 6 a week. Other options are muffins- check out some of the muffins on the blog, Meat (sausage, bacon, ham, leftover steaks etc.) and sweet potato hash, fruit with some nuts and seeds or pancakes (we have had pancakes leftover from dinner and they are fine reheated in the morning.)

5.) How do you work all day, come home, exercise and prepare meals?

I have an amazing husband who helps me, motivates me and encourages me daily. He will jump in and cook meals if he is home first. We have an I cook, you clean system. We generally help prepare the menu's, grocery shop and organize our meals together. I prepare our lunches and get the coffee set up the night before. I pre-make a lot of the meals on Sundays. Because I eat healthy, I have more energy and (a lot of days Brandon begs me to go run off my energy). I think the keys here are: Preparation and a partner who encourages you or joins in your healthier lifestyle with you(it doesn't have to be a spouse, it could be a friend- I have a friend who does Sunday cook day with her daughter and then they package the meals and distribute for the week).

Eating healthy can work for you and to stay consistent, you have to stay organized. If you go to your fridge and there isn't any food, you will devour anything you can find. There have been days where I walk in and will literally eat whatever is in front of me. On my prepared days, it is veggies or fruit but on my unprepared days it is chocolate or less healthy items.

What are your healthy tips for others? What do you do that helps you to eat veggies over fruits or chocolates?



Thursday motivation

“80 percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen

I tried Boot camp at my gym tonight and Monday I am going to my first Cross Fit session. I really am not a strong person, I have ZIP, ZERO, ZILCH upper body strength but I am interested in the different classes and strategies that will help me gain some strength. I would not normally go to classes that I can't walk in and stand in the back until I am comfortable with them but I had some friends invite me to tag along. Thanks to my friends for always encouraging me and helping me out. Especially my wonderful Husband and Tim Morrill for your demanding workouts for my push up/pull up goals :) OUCH!

If you are struggling with getting  out, joining a gym, walking/running a race- The best advice I can give you is to invite a friend, force your significant other or just show up and force someone in the class to be your friend!!!

Why YES, This was how I felt tonight!