I have WILLPOWER!!! (today, anway...)

I sincerely apologize if this gives anyone the urge to RUN to chiptole and scarf down a burrito.


This afternoon, I was out running errands. I was at the library (which is across the street from Chipotle) when JJ called to see if I wanted to meet him for lunch because practice had just ended and he was hungry. I told him I was at the library, so he said ok, I want Chipotle.
I had just had a yogurt and banana at home, and wasn't hungry, but I wanted to see him because he's so busy lately, I'll take what I can get!
We're going to a Japanese Steak House for dinner tonight for Valentine's Day, so I know I'll be pigging out then. When we got to Chipotle, JJ ordered his burrito, and I PASSED ON GETTING SOMETHING! Even though the chicken was fresh and the peppers and onions were fresh (my favorites)... I said no!!!
Now I LOVE Chipotle, I could eat it every day, it's my favorite, so for me to pass because I could literally sit there and think - No, I'm not hungry, so I shouldn't eat - was a BIG step!
So there ya go, there's some willpower!!!

Reader Questions Answered

Amanda: I have to eat two packets of instant oatmeal to be full. Is that still a healthy breakfast? I would look at the calories in the two packets. If that fits into your daily allotment of calories, I don't think it's a problem (it might be around 300). You might also want to try getting a big container of the oats. A serving size is 1/2 c., maybe try eating 3/4 c. and see if that fills you up more. I've noticed that when my husband makes his cinnamon instant oats packet, he gets less in a packet than I do when I measure 1/2 c., and the calories on his are 10 more because of the added sugar in the packet.


Is regular slow cook better then instant oatmeal (in other words, is the instant stuff just as bad as sugary kids cereal)?
You can buy plain instant oatmeal that has nothing added to it. Look for "Quick Cooking Oats" in a big container, or the plain kind. It will have no added sugar, and is MUCH healthier than sugary cereals. You really have to read the labels though, to see exactly what is added to the packets. That's why I like to add my own mix-ins, so I can control the sugar and calories.


Most of the times that can keep me satisfied from 8-12, sometimes I have to have a small snack around 10 or 10:30.
That's how it works for me, too. I eat my oatmeal around 7am, then I have a banana around 10, which keeps me from getting too hungry at lunch time!
As long as you keep your calories under control, and spread out a bit, I think you're doing just fine!




Melissa: Right now I am struggling with my own weight loss. I went hard-core from July through November of last year and lost 30 pounds. Then I took December off and gained back 10 of those thirty. Well now, in January, I have been back on track again but have barely lost any weight. I am doing the same things I was before when I was steadily losing weight. What am I doing wrong? Do you have any ideas for me? It sucks to be trying so hard but not see any results and I'm really starting to get discouraged.
First off, Don't get discouraged!!! Sometimes your body doesn't respond the way it did in the past, the way you think it should, or want it to! That's ok!
Perhaps your body has adjusted to what you were doing in the past, and you need to try some new things. After I ellipticalled for so long, the results weren't as good, so I switched to c25k, and jump started my weight loss. Are you doing strength training? Maybe that is something you can incorporate. Plyometrics are great at getting the metabolism going.
You might also want to look at your diet, has it changed much? Are you not as active as you were? You can be exercising the same, but the rest of your day might be more sedentary. I know in the winter, I am less likely to add the long walks with Pumpkin, which do add up! I also don't run 4-5 miles on the weekends, I stick to 30 minutes on the treadmill, that time adds up.
I would try some new workouts, pay close attention to your calorie intake, drink lots of water, and make sure you're eating all your friends and veggies!
If things don't change after that, you might want to talk to your doctor.




Ashley: In regards to the Shred did you start by doing Level 1 with 5lb weights or what? how long did you do level 1 before moving on to level 2?
When I started shredding, I used my 5lb. weights. I did 10 days at each level for the month of June. Now I alternate between levels 2 and 3 each day.
There have been questions about the shred, whether it should be done daily, etc. My point of view is this, though you should take days off when lifting weights, I don't look at the shred as lifting, it's just toning muscle, it's not as strenuous as a weight lifting session would be where you're really working to build muscle fast. So I don't have a problem shredding daily. Also, since I alternate between levels, I am using different muscles each day so it's not overly repetetive. Every few weeks, I'll take a day off from the shred, but I love doing it daily!

Oatmeal, the Love of my Life!

As long as I'd been over-weight, breakfast was a hit or miss event. When I was in high school, I didn't have the time to sit down and eat something. When I was in college, I'd end up in the cafeteria getting eggs and biscuits (and yes - sometimes sausage gravy... oops! the down side to going to college in the south!) It wasn't until I graduated, got a real world job, and got a schedule that I really figured out how important breakfast is!
The first few days I went without it, I'd be ravaging at lunch, and I'd make bad choices. I've never really enjoyed breakfast food, I'm not big on cereal, I don't like milk, sweet things tend to make my stomach hurt early in the morning, so I struggled to find something I liked.
One day I was reading my mom's Prevention magazine, and saw an article about the importance of breakfast, and how great oatmeal is. I always thought oatmeal took forever to cook, was thick and flavorless... not anything exciting to me!
I was SO WRONG!
Now, oatmeal is my everything. The health benefits are AMAZING! See this article here, from Quaker.
Some people do not like the Quick Cook oats because they can get a bit thick and loose their texture, but I don't have a problem with them! I think oatmeal is a delicious canvas for a million flavors. Some of my favorite additions are: soy milk, skim milk, pumpkin puree, dried fruit, bananas, apple butter, pumpkin butter, flax seeds, cinnamon, and peanut butter. Usually during the week I just add some milk and honey, but over the weekend I really like to make it something special.
If you really want to see oatmeal art, and someone who loves it, see Kath's Tribute!


So if you struggle to get something down in the morning because of time or you just can't find something you like, try oatmeal! Not only is it so good for you, it will keep you feeling full, it will warm your belly, and you can change it up daily! You can buy preportioned 'weight control' oats, where you just dump it in a bowl with some water, or you can do what I do and get bulk oats in a bin, and keep a 1/2 c. measuring scoop in there!


Note: Photo is from Quaker website.

Alternative to Soda

I have always been a big soda drinker, always diet coke with limes or lemons in it... but as I read more and more about the bad things soda contains, and how it can trigger hunger, I now only drink it when I go out to eat or go to someone's house. Not drinking soda has left a bit of a void in my life though! I don't eat many sweets, and Diet Coke was the one sweet thing I really indulged in. Drinking only water does get a bit boring, but I don't like to drink crystal light, or anything with too many sugar free chemicals.

My sister's friend - Kelly - loves to drink Cranberry juice with sparkling water rather than soda. Kris calls them Kelly-pops. The good thing is sparkling water has no calories, no sweeteners, and no sodium, it's just carbonated water. And it's much better to have a splash of real fruit juice than something with added sugar.

Recently my mother in law sent me a box of grapefruit from my grandparent-in-law's tree. Sometimes I get so jealous, how awesome would it be to have orange, lime and grapefruit trees in your back yard?!?! Anyway, I decided to juice some of them and add them to sparkling water, and it's so refreshing and delicious! A great alternative to the empty calories in soda, or the chemicals in diet soda!

Healthy Meals!

Many of you know that I have a cooking blog, where I try to make healthy, creative, and cultural food. I recently made this post on my food blog as a "Resolution Helper" that contains links to my recipes that are of classic dishes made lighter, and some inventions that are healthy.


I have so many people ask me about food and calorie count, so I thought this might be a good list! All of the dishes are linked to my cooking blog posts.

Lightened-Up Classic Recipes (all linked to the post)

• Burger and Fries I (Cranberry Turkey Burger with Squash Fries)
• Burger and Fries II (Thai Turkey Burgers with Mango Salsa and Sweet Potato Saratoga Chips)
• Burger and Fries III (Southwest Turkey Burgers and Grilled Corn)
• Baked Corndogs
• Baked Chicken Parmesan with Eggplant Penne
• Spaghetti and Meatballs (low-fat/cal) with Baked Zucchini Sticks
• Baked Eggplant Parm, Lowfat Caesar Salad
• Stuffed Peppers
• Veggie and Tofu Pad Thai
• Pasta, Pesto and Peas
• Ratatouille
• Baked Eggrolls, Sesame Chicken Teriyaki
• Chicken Milanese (based off Uno's)
• Lasagna (Spinach and Chicken Sausage)
• Pasta e Fagioli
• Boneless Buffalo Tenders and Spicy Ranch Fries (Baked)
• Classic Meatloaf
• Turkey Meatloaf Wellington (play on Beef Wellington)
• The Breakfast Horseshoe (NOT healthy, just a 'lighter' version of the original!)

Healthy Recipes from My Kitchen (all linked to the post)

• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas with Fire Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart (made with low-fat crust) &Spinach Citrus Salad (with a light citrus dressing)
• Shredded Pork Soft Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw (try it with corn tortillas and leave off the Guac. for a super healthy meal)
• Tuscan Veggie Pappardelle
• Asian Slaw in Baked Wonton Cups, Spicy Asian Chicken Meatballs (great healthy appetizers!)
• Herb-Citrus Inspired Turkey Dinner with Fixings - all super healthy!
• Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry
• Asian Salad with Chicken Potstickers and Carrot Ginger Dressing
• Rice Noodle Slaw Salad Bowls
• Fajita Pasta
• Roasted Beet Spinach Salad
• Butternut Squash, Stilton, and Apple Phyllo Tart

Reader Question/Updates/Plans!

Today's Reader Question comes from: sunflowerramos!

I would love to know your eating/exercise habits.
My exercise habits have changed throughout my weight-loss journey. At first, I was soley using the elliptical and walking my dog. That took me through the first 50 lbs. After that, I started running with the C25K. Then I started using The Shred. I like to change it up depending on the season, and how my body feels.
In the very beginning, I was more focused on cardio and building up resistence and working out longer. Also, I bought an elliptical, so I mostly did that.
After I got bored with the elliptical, and the weather was nice, I started C25K.
Then I wanted to start doing weight training for some muscle definition, so I started The shred.
Now, I use a mixture of everything, some days I run and shred, some I just shred, some I just run, some I swim at the Y. I try to do something every day, no matter how short (20 min. shred) or long (2 hour walk with Pumpkin).


My eating habits have been pretty much the same throughout, I've just recently upped my calories.
Here is a snipet from another post where I talked about food and my food blog:
"I try to keep my dinner to 700 calories each night. I also try to make sure I have one starch, one lean protein, and 2-3 vegetables. From the healthy living standpoint, I use almost no pre-packaged products (with the exception of coindiments) and I use minimal canned vegetables or pre-made sides. If there is a specific recipe you want a caloric breakdown for, please ask! Also, most of my meals are made for 2-3 servings (so my husband has some extra). "




Do you use a journal?
For ther first 50 lbs, I used a journal. It really helped me track my food and exercise. It also had a glossary in the back that had calorie counts for common fruits, veggies, meats and starches.
Here is a snipet from a previous post that I wrote about the journal:
"The journal I used, I Will Lose Weight This Time, is set up like a reference book with helpful tips, as well as a guide to calories and fat in certain foods, it also has interactive sections where you can record your weight loss goals, it encourages many small goals. It also has a place for you to put your measurements and a picture.I used the food diary section for the first 3 months of my weight loss process, just so I could get used to counting calories and remembering how many were in each food I ate. It also has little stickers for you to put on the day when you did a good job!The daily journal has a place for your weight, foods you've eaten, and exercise, so you can keep track of it all."




Updates:
Back in the day when I was starting my weight loss, I would weigh myself on Friday and Monday, hoping to see a -1 each time. Then I started to slow down, and only weighed on Friday, hoping to see -1. Now that I've got momentum working and I've been doing well, I'm going to try to get off the last 19 (yes, I'm down one more!) in the same fashion. It is an unfortunate time (CHRISTMAS!!!) to try to lose the weight, but since my body seems to be working the way I want it to right now, I'm not going to try to hold off and maintain until after Christmas.
It's so interesting how the body works, some months it's torture to lose 1 lb., sometimes I'll take off 2-3 in a week when it seems like I'm just sort of trying.


and now, Plans!
My plan for the last 10 is to have a big old countdown going on, and put in lots of photos of me along the way. Since I'll be at my parents for Christmas, I'll try to gather some photos that mark the lbs. along the way. Now I still have 9 to lose before this starts, but I'm getting really excited. I'm going to need everyone's support, especially now and during the next 2-3 months!


So this might be my last post until after the holidays. I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year! Be safe, indulge a bit, have a great time with family and friends, and workout hard!


As an aside,
I am so floored by the support and amazing comments you all left on my 'reward outfit' post! Seriously, it meant so so so much to me. I can't thank you all enough. It's been a long journey, and I'm excited that we're so close to hitting that -100!!! I really do feel so great, and I really appreciate the motivation you all provide.

So I'll leave you with a few photos from our Christmas card session back in November!

Organic Eating

I've had readers ask me about eating organic, how to choose what you should buy organic, and what the benefits are.

Of course I'd say buy all organic when possible because who wants extra chemicals in their body, but I know with cost and availability, it's not always an option.

I have spent a lot of time reading up on organics, as well as listening to the advice of my sister. My whole family is very passionate about eating organic, supporting local farmers and eating local produce, and fair trade. My sister has a blog called It's Easy Being Green, where she occasionally blogs about living green! I encourage you to check it out.

She published a top 10 organics you should purchase list, and here it is.

Top 10 Organics you should purchase:

1. Tomatoes
2. Potatoes
3. Grapes
4. Lettuce

5. Strawberries

6. Celery

7. Peppers

8. Apples

9. Peaches

10. Pears

For the most part, it's my understanding that if you eat the skin of something, it's best to go organic. I always buy organic canned tomatoes and beans, and not on the list, carrots.

The top 10 safest non-organics are as follows:

1. Asparagus

2. Avocados (pesticide can't be absorbed through thick skin)

3. Bananas (pesticide remains on the peel)

4. Broccoli (crop faces fewer threats, farmers use less chemicals)

5. Cabbage

6. Kiwi fruit (thick peel, again)

7. Mango

8. Onions (few threats)

9. Papaya

10. Pineapple

Fajita Pasta

Melissa asked me to post the caloric breakdown in a recent dinner of mine, Fajita Pasta! It was absolutely delicious and quite healthy! As you know, I'm a big eater, so I go for bulk (lots of veggies) and even 1.5 servings of pasta, because the calories allow it! I use the Smart Taste pasta in a purple box, it has added calcium, fiber, and protein, which are 3 things I have trouble getting into my diet. It's also 170 calories/serving, when most pastas ate 200!

Here it is, Melissa! Enjoy :)

Fajita Pasta
½ lb. Rotini or any short cut pasta (3 servings, 595 calories)

½ lb. 99% fat free ground turkey (2 servings, 280 calories)

2 cloves minced garlic (10 calories)

½ red onion, sliced (30 calories)

1 c. sliced button mushrooms (30 calories)

1 zucchini, sliced (30 calories)

1 red bell pepper, sliced (25 calories)

1 green pepper, sliced (25 calories)

1 jalapeno, sliced (10 calories)

Salt and Pepper

1 15 oz. can organic diced tomatoes (75 calories)

2 tbsp. taco seasoning mix (I had Penzeys on hand) (5 calories)

1/4 c. 2% shredded cheddar cheese (70 calories)

Chopped cilantro, Sour Cream or Guacamole for garnish (These vary, so you will have to check the pakage)

TOTAL CALORIES - 1,185, per seving - 592

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and pour into a large casserole dish.In a large skillet, cook turkey over medium heat, season with salt and pepper. When cooked, pour into the casserole dish with pasta.

In the same skillet, add mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, onion, and garlic. Sautee veggies for 10-15 minutes, until they’re tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour into the casserole dish.Add tomatoes and taco seasoning to casserole; stir well to mix all ingredients.

Top with cheddar cheese and put in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbly.

Plate and serve with garnishes.

Large lunch calls for a small supper...

I usually stick to my small lunches and save up my calories for dinner, but every now and then I have to have a larger than normal lunch. On my first day of work, my co-workers took me to lunch and I had a soup/sandwich combo. Since I estimated it was around 750 calories, I had to keep dinner small, but filling. The best way? Loads of veggies! I made a salad with lots of filling iceberg lettuce, a lowfat dressing, and some black beans for protein. In all the salad was around 350 calories!

Lettuce (2 c.)- 30 calories

Tomatoes (1 medium) - 25 calories

Red Pepper (1/2) - 30 calories

Red Onion (1/4 c. diced) - 15 calories

Corn (1/4 c.) - 40 calories

Black Beans (1/2 c.) - 110 calories

Lime Juice (half of a lime) - 5 calories

Cilantro (2 tbsp. minced) - 5 calories

Dressing - 50 calories

(1 tbsp. sour cream, 1/4 tsp. ranch dressing seasoning, 1/4 tsp. taco seasoning, splash of skim milk)

Cheese (2%, 2 tbsp.) - 45 calories

Salt and Pepper

Total: 350 Calories!

Snacking!

I don't snack much during the week because I'm at work, but on the weekends I graze all day long. It's so easy to eat granola bars, fruit snacks, bags of chips, cookies, and even 100 calorie packs. Now the 100 calorie packs are good because of the portion control, but they're full of sugar, bad carbs, and preservatives. Not good! Resist!

My favorite snack option? Veggies and Hummus, or Fruit and Yogurt!

Now here's what I do every Saturday after my weekly grocery shop - I chop up all of my veggies and put them in tupperware or make a mixture in ziplock bags so I can grab and go all week long.

I make my own hummus at home with just a touch of tahini to keep it low fat, and I use plain yogurt with some honey and almond extract for my fruit.

You're SO much more likely to eat your veggies when they're waiting for you like the granola bars in the pantry.

Some of my favorites:

Carrot Sticks

Celery Sticks

Cucumber Sticks or Rounds

Bell Pepper Strips

Cherry Tomatoes

Broccoli Florettes

Cauliflower

I also like to get a big melon or pineapple every week and chop it up and keep it in the fridge. You're much more likely to grab pineapple or watermellon chunks over ice cream when it's waiting for you and you don't have to process it!

Healthy dinner for those who LOVE to eat!

If you read my cooking blog, you'll see that I cook dinner each night and try to make it as healthy as possible. I also rarely repeat meals, but this one was so good, and so filling, I had to make it again, especially since I'm really pushing now to lose the last 25 lbs.

This is seriously one of the largest bowls of awesome food. I could eat like a horse, all day and night, and this is the perfect meal for me! It's very healthy, and large, because it's got tons of veggies stretched out with lots of cabbage and vermicelli rice noodles, skinny ones that really bulk up! Many of the veggies in this can be swapped out for similar calories, such as water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and broccolini.

This recipe is for 1 giant serving! Caloric breakdown below...

Rice Noodle Slaw Salad

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 red onion, sliced

1 tbsp. muscat orange champagne vinegar (trader joes, sub any vinegar)

2 tsp. honey

2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. thai chilie paste

1 tsp. hot Chinese mustard

1 serving thin rice noodles
1/2 c. sugar snap peas
1 1/2 c. cole slaw cabbage mix or sliced cabbage

1/2 shredded red cabbage

1/2 can baby corn, chopped

1 small block of thai peanut baked tofu (trader joes, sub any tofu around the same calories)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in rice noodles and let them cook for 3 minutes, add snap peas and boil for 1 minute, drain and set aside.
Pre pare the sauce in a large bowl by whisking together garlic, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, chilie paste, and mustard.

Add the onions and stir.

Add noodles and snap peas to the bowl with the sauce, toss to combine. Add cabbages, corn and tofu. Toss to combine, plate and eat at room temperature, or store in the refrigerator and eat cold.

Caloric Breakdown:

Garlic - 10 calories

Onion - 10 calories

Vinegar - 20 calories

Honey - 30 calories

Soy Sauce - 26 calories

Lime Juice - 5 calories

Chilie Paste - 0 calories

Mustard - 5 calories

Cabbage - 75 calories

Corn - 30 calories

Tofu - 160 calories

Snap Peas - 40 calories

Rice Noodles - 180 calories

TOTAL: 591 calories!

Fat - 5g (all in the tofu)

Reader Questions Answered:

1. Are the recipes on your blog healthy? I'm assuming they are but I just want to make sure.

The recipes on my blog, with the exception of my baking and catering, could almost all be considered healthy. From a fat/calorie standpoint, I try to keep my dinner to 700 calories each night. I also try to make sure I have one starch, one lean protein, and 2-3 vegetables. From the healthy living standpoint, I use almost no pre-packaged products (with the exception of coindiments) and I use minimal canned vegetables or pre-made sides. If there is a specific recipe you want a caloric breakdown for, please ask! Also, most of my meals are made for 2-3 servings (so my husband has some extra).

Since I consume the bulk of my calories at dinner, some of my meals might be more calories than you budget, so you can cut down on the serving size.

2. This may be a stupid question but can you give me an idea of how you go about making your grocery list? I'm trying to be as cost conscious as possible, and I really want to start trying your meal suggestions, but i'm not sure really where to begin with my list. I feel like I will spend a ton of money and I would just keep buying and buying. DH and I are so busy so we (regretfully) don't take time to really prepare healthy meals.I have read your suggestions on your blog about grocery shopping, but I still feel like I would be spending a TON of money. Are there certain "staples" you always have on hand?Any additional suggestions would be great!

It can be very costly to eat healthy! Our budget for food shopping each week is $100, but that also includes household items like cleaning suupplies, dog food, etc.

I plan my meals ahead of time each week by looking at what coupons I have (though it's hard to coupon shop because there aren't really coupons for fresh produce!) Then I also look at the market's circular to see what produce is on sale. For example, when asparagus is 99 cents a pound, we might have asparagus 3 nights that week, I just create meals around it. Same with bell peppers when they're on sale, if bag salad is cheap, i'll have salads for dinner all week.

I also check out to see when organic chicken and ground turkey is on sale, and stock up and keep the freezer loaded with it.

For fruit, I also just have for lunch whatever is on sale - apples, bananas, peaches, etc., to keep the cost down.

Also, frozen veggies are really good for you. They're flash frozen at the peak of the season, so they're still loaded with their nutrients.

Some staples I always have on hand for quick/easy meals are:

Produce: Bag salad mix, canned organic tomatoes, bell peppers, frozen peas, and green beans (i love the steamfresh bags)

Grains: Whole wheat pasta, rice, and sweet potatoes

Protein: Boneless/skinless chicken breasts, ground turkey, tofu

Fruit: Frozen sliced strawberries

Extras: Assortment of light dressings (love trader joes), organic chicken stock, whole wheat pizza crust dough balls, a loaded spice rack, light sour cream and lowfat cheeses

From all of those almost non-pershiables, you can make many of the meals on my blog! Use the tag feature to search for recipes when you see something is on sale.

Reader Questions Answered

Today's Reader's Question comes from Melissa!
I've been doing pretty good with my healthy eating and calorie counting (around 1200 a day) but there are a few days where I just can't control my cravings and I end up screwing up. Do you ever have this problem and if so, how do you deal with it?

I definitely have cravings often! I have found that at night, all I want is anything chocolate and sweets. While I would love to be able not indulge, sometimes I do! I try to find better alternatives, however, to satisfy the cravings.

When I want chocolate, I like to get fat free pudding pops (preferably no sugar added, watch the calories!) or eat some chocolate pudding. Every now and then, I'll even make some lower in fat cookies. No, they're not chewy and buttery, but they still have chocolate! You can see them here, on my cooking blog. If you're not a great baker from home, try no pudge brownies.


Because this is a lifestyle change, I look at it this way, I cannot stop eating chocolate all together, or sweets, cookies, etc. However, I can find a healthier alternative, and I can eat that instead!


It is also VERY important to remember (and I'm telling myself this, everyone else can just overhear me): Take it one day at a time. This isn't a diet, you don't have to hit goals by exact dates, this is a lifestyle change. Just because you have one bad night, doesn't mean you should say screw it, back to my old ways... There's always tomorrow to turn it around! So you had a high calorie lunch, eat a lighter dinner. Don't skip the workout at night because you went way over on your calories for the day.
Too many times I would go really strong for a month or two, have one bad day, then throw it all away. It's not about how fast you lose the weight (because now, I'm not trying to get it off as fast) it's about your quality of life, moderation, and realizing that it's not ruined by one bad meal or one skipped workout.
::Steps off soapbox::


Seriously, all directed toward myself :)

Vacation!

Me at the Indianapolis Zoo dolphin show &
My husband at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This past weekend my husband and I went on our version of summer vacation. Sadly, it was only a 3 day weekend... but we had a wonderful time!

Here are a few of my tips to having an enjoyable, yet healthy vacation:

Food Tips:
1. Pack food that you normally eat at home. When you're on vacation, you may find that the hotel breakfast bar doesn't have oatmeal or yogurt, bring some along so you don't sabatoge your calorie count.
Example: I packed yogurt, fruit, and carrot sticks.
2. Allow yourself to have more calories than normal, but still count, and make sure you're not eating more than you're burning.
Example: I try to eat 1200-1500 calories a day at home, on vacation, I bumped it to 2000, because that is around how many calories I burn in a day.
3. Try to eat 2 regular meals per day, and have one meal where you are a little indulgent.
Example: If you eat a big hearty pancakes and eggs breakfast, have a salad with dinner when you go out.
4. Alcohol is something that will need to be cut way back, or out, when you're trying to lose weight. I've never been a big drinker, but especially now, I only drink 1 beer or glass of wine, and I nurse it. Tip: Drink your beer with water, if you have 2-3 glasses of water with 1 beer mixed in, it will last longer.
5. Don't get dehydrated!!! You'll think you're hungry when you really just need to drink some water. Always keep a cooler with you stocked with ice or if you have to, bring bottled water (make sure you recycle those bottles!)
6. Don't bring any extra food, and don't bring extra cash! When we were at the race, the couple next to me was very large, and ate the entire race. They constantly were pulling things out of their cooler. JJ and I only packed water and Coke Zero, so we didn't give outselves the opportunity to overeat. Also, at the ballpark, I was watching people walk by with ice cream, but I didn't bring any extra cash so I could not buy an ice cream.


Remember, just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want all day long. I had ice cream at the Zoo, but I had a veggie wrap for lunch to even it out. At the race, I had some nachos and a beer, but then for dinner I had a citrus chicken salad.




Fitness Tips:
1. Incorporate fitness into your vacation. Sure, everyone loves to lay on the beach, but lay out for half an hour, then play some sand volleyball or throw a frisbee.
2. Go places that require lots of walking - if you're staying in a city, book a hotel that's not so far from what you want to see that you can't walk. We walked to dinner, the ballpark, and did some sight seeting all without the car!
3. Book a hotel that has a fitness room, and use it! If you normally run in the morning, get up and go run in the morning before the day begins and you get too busy to work out.

The 250 Calorie Lunch

This is what I eat for lunch every day. Sometimes the veggies change (snap peas, bell peppers, peas, etc.) and the fruit (apple, pear, peach, grapes, banana, mango, etc.) But overall, it's a very filling plate, and only 250 calories! I absolutely love yoplait light yogurt. I should be a spokesperson for them, I eat one every day because I'm not a big milk fan, so it's my main source of calcium. Occasionally I have hummus instead of the light sour cream/ranch dip, but it's a bit more calories/fat, so I will change my dinner accordingly.

Look at your grocery list

I shop for the week to help budget and I hate side trips to the store. It also keeps me from picking up junk food on a side trip. When you write down your grocery list, it should contain tons of fruit and veggies. You also should be staying on the outside perimeter of the market - where the produce, meat counter, and dairy is. Rarely should you be in the aisles with the pre-packaged and prepared food when you want to eat clean and healthy. (Except for maybe pasta/grains and canned/frozen fruit and veggies).
Having a list and sticking with it for the week helps you budget your calories, balance your meals, and if you're like me and you stick with just the list, you won't be adding snacks and junk food to your cart.
(I write out my list so it's in order of the way I travel through the store, produce is first and takes up most of my time/money)

Just because it's "healthy"...

We all know there are some foods that are good for you, like avocado, walnuts, almonds, and extra virgin olive oil. Even though they pack a healthy punch, they pack a high in fat and caloric punch as well.

It is important to realize that you may have to forego these healthy foods, and find others to replace them if you're trying to lose weight. If you're just maintaing a healthy lifestyle, consume these superfoods in moderation.

When you're in the weight-loss phase, you have to pay special attention to food labeled healthy, because true, they're healthy, but eating a serving of an avocado is how many calories I would spend on lunch! Be creative with finding other options to attain omega 3 and 6!

Avocado

Serving: 1 cup cubed

Calories: 240

Fat: 22 g.

High in Vitamin K, Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids (which are critical for heart health)

Substitutes for weight loss: Broccoli, Organic Eggs (some say high in Omega 3's on the label), Soybeans, Spinach and Salmon; all of which are much lower in fat and calories

Walnuts
Serving: 1/4 c.

Calories: 164

Fat: 16 g.

High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Substitutes: Same as Avocado

The First 50 - Menus!

I will say this until I'm blue in the face - "Healthy Food Does Not Taste Bad!!!"


Cutting down to 1200 calories a day is a challenge, no doubt! I say that's what I ate, but in reality, some days I went over. But for the most part, I stuck with it, and here is how...


I absolutely love to cook. If you haven't noticed, I have a cooking blog as well. That's my real baby, this one is just to keep myself motivated, and for you to hold me accountable to hitting my -100 lb. weight loss goal!
I have always loved to cook, and that has been very beneficial to me in the weight loss process. When I was 12, I decided to become a vegetarian. And while my mother cooked for me most nights, sometimes she just told me to look up vegetarian recipes and make them myself. Thanks goodness for that, because that's when my love of cooking really developed.
If you're not a good cook, or you don't like to, stop and think about why.
Is it because you aren't confident? You're not creative with food? You don't know much about it? Those are all great reasons, but they can be overcome!
You don't have to be creative to be a good cook. Some people follow recipes to a T, and that makes them a great cook. I like to learn about ingredients and then find others that will contrast or compliment, I like to experiment.
If you are truly going to lose weight, it's going to be very hard to do it without spending some time in the kitchen! Restaurants are great, but they find ways to sneak fat and calories in the most seemingly healthy foods. When you cook for yourself, you control it all!


My #1 recommendation - subscribe to Cooking Light.
Every month it's chock full of recipes that vary from quick and simple to a little more intense, but could be used for entertaining or holidays.
Magazines are also great because they're seasonal, so you're able to cook with tons of produce that is in season, which means it's cheaper and fresher.


My tips:
-ALWAYS measure, until you know exactly how much 1 tbsp. is, measure it
I still measure my oatmeal every morning, rice at dinner, etc.
-Pay attention to serving sizes!
-Fat free doesn't mean low-cal, since I don't eat much fat anyway, I count calories!!!


Here is how I spend my 1200 calories on an average day:
Breakfast:
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
Splash of skim milk
1 tbsp. sugar free maple syrup
2 c. of coffee with a splash of fat free/ no sugar added creamer
Total Calories: 200
Lunch:
1 piece of fruit (apple, banana, pear, mango, whatever is in season)
2 servings of veggies (carrot sticks, snap peas, cucumber)
1 tbsp. fat free sour cream mixed with 1 tsp. ranch dip seasoning
1 yoplait light yogurt
Iced tea with a splenda
Total Calories: 250
Dinner:
4 chicken meatballs, 6 oz. of meat
2 servings of asparagus
1 serving of pasta
Total Calories: 700
Dessert:
1 serving of fruit
(2 c. watermelon, 1/2 c. sliced strawberries, 1/2 c. frozen raspberries)
Total Calories: 50


Dinner is done a little differently, I change it up every night, obviously, but I stick with a certain plan, which is 1 protein, 1 starch, and 2-3 veggies. Of course there are add-ins, like cheese, sour cream, sauces, condiments, etc., but make sure you account for those calories, as well!
Most important - eat your veggies, and make sure your protein is lean! Also, whole grain starches are best!
You can find many different dinner ideas in my blog, but here is one pictured above



Now I'm sure I break some sort of diet rule by eating the bulk of my calories at dinner, but this is what works for me. If you're super hungry at lunch time, you can move the calories around, but I need a big meal when I get home from work. I also choose to exercise at night (around 8pm) that way I don't feel like the food is sitting in my stomach when I go to sleep.