Lifestyle Challenge | Week 21 & 22 Update & SUCCESS!!

You guys... YOU GUYS... I DID IT!  I actually lost 50lbs by Christmas.  I know, I have been absent from the blog but I promise it isn't from lack of activity or because I have fallen off the wagon.  I have been working my little(ish) tail off and staying on plan and this past weekend, I was rewarded with that elusive FIFTY POUNDs lost mark.  OH MY GOODNESS... I was so shocked to see it that I stepped on the scale 3 times to make sure and then sat on the bed for a few minutes to let it sink in... I DID IT!

One of the questions that I get asked the most is How Did I Lose the Weight? 

To be honest, there is no special secret behind it.  I was challenged by one of my friends, Tracy, back in June, to lose 50lbs by Christmas... two pounds a week and we could easily get it done.  For some reason, that lit the fire and I strapped on my Fitbit (was a Charge HR then, now a Blaze) and started walking and watching what I was eating.  I also upped my water intake and tracked my calories.  It's been that basic formula the entire time... calories in vs. calories out.  I try to have a calorie deficit of 1000 per day which SHOULD equal the 2lbs a week... sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't but that's what I try for each day.  Clearly it's working and I will be staying with this plan until my body decides it's at it's natural weight... until it doesn't want to lose anymore and I am officially balanced and healthy!

WINS and CHALLENGES for the week:

I am actually going to stop posting this section as it's been 6-months (almost to the day) of this lifestyle journey and I don't necessarily have WINS or CHALLENGES anymore... just everyday living and that comes with both but unless it's something special to note, like Halloween, Christmas or some vacation, I don't think it's necessary to put them down on paper anymore.

HAPPY NOTE for the week:

It's SNOWED today... anyone who knows me knows that I love winter and snow and Christmas and ALL THINGS that relate to that!  YAY!  

While we are at it... can I just say that Tim Horton's has stepped up their holiday game as well...

WOOHOO!  Let's bring it on!

Lifestyle Challenge | Week 20 Update & Tackling Halloween

Whoops... guess I went a little AWOL there for a bit, eh?  I kept meaning to post an update but sometimes life gets in the way and you need to just take the time to do what you are loving.  Lately, for me, that is reading.  Yep, I feel like I have come full circle and am back into loving life with my nose in a book.

Here is the update for the past couple of weeks... As I said, I moved my weigh-in days to Sundays because of my rest day and I have been loving it.  Not wearing my Fitbit on Sunday's has been wonderful... I can read, watch tv, hang with the boys and not worry about how many steps I am getting.  This past Sunday, I weighed in and lost another 2lbs which brings my new weight loss total to 45.5lbs.  YEP... we are less than 5lbs away from my original 50lbs by Christmas challenge.  WOWSA!!!

WINS for the week:

1. Halloween - this may be a longer WIN but it was Halloween on Monday and as a mom with a young child, I ended up with a LOT of candy in my house.  In fact, there were multiple stops to drop of more and more candy that included full size bars (Crunchies... YUM) and pop and chips and OMG... so much candy.  However, I didn't have a single piece... at all!!  Instead, as each pillow case of candy was dropped off, I dumped it out, sorted it (literally) and moved on.  Instead of eating candy, I drank a cup of amazing Peppermint Tea (a new favourite), watched Halloween (a fave movie) and walked around the house.  It was a TOTAL WIN!!!
2. Cooking - Yep... I have been cooking more and more, including making hamburgers from scratch.  I love it... creating (or re-creating) recipes and finding new favourites for the family!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Halloween - while I was able to tackle Halloween like a beast, I still have to say that it was a challenge.  I could have given myself an allowance of candy that I was able to eat but I honestly didn't feel the need!

Here's hoping that I can get back into the regular groove of blogging and keeping my updates coming at you on the weekly basis!

Recipe | Black Bean & Salsa Chicken

Somedays, you get home from work and all you want is a nice warm dinner... especially in the fall weather.  This last week has been very rainy and cold and with the weight loss, I seem to be feeling the temperature change more than years past.  I know that makes sense but it's still crazy to go from never needed a jacket (even in the winter) to feeling like you're freezing in the early fall.

This week, I made a dish that I learned from my mom a couple of winters ago when we were in the middle of an ice storm and had no power... does anyone else remember moments like that?  We went to my parents house because our house was dark and cold and they, even though only 3km from our house, had power.  The dish is Black Bean & Salsa Chicken.

Ingredients:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I use 4)
1 - 650ml jar of Salsa (we use milk but you can pick your temperature)
1 large can of Black Beans
1 cup of Frozen Corn
6 servings of Rice (we use white rice because that's just what we have on hand)

Directions:

1. In a deep pan, brown chicken breasts.  I use a splash of olive oil to coat the pan but you can use whatever you prefer... just makes it easier to flip the chicken around
2. Once the chicken has been browned to your liking (I am always cooking it through because chicken freaks me out), add in the salsa, drained black beans and corn
3. Simmer over low heat for 30 mins minimum (I have done up to 2 hours and the longer you simmer, the more tender the chicken)
4. Prepare and cook rice as directed on package
5. Serve it up!!

One serving (1/2 cup rice, 1 chicken breast and the salsa/black beans/corn) is just shy of 500 calories.  Super tasty and very filling!!

Enjoy!

Lifestyle Challenge | Week 17 Update

Happy Monday... it's a dreary, warm day here and it's supposed to be 26 degrees (31 degrees with the humidity) tomorrow and I am NOT a happy camper.  My life has moved into full fall mode and the warm weather doesn't work... I can't believe that I am actually thinking about flipping the switch on the air conditioner for the day.  GRRRrrrr.

On to better things... I changed up my weigh-in day to Sunday (but will still continue posting updates on Monday) to coincide with my rest day.  It felt off taking Sunday as my rest day and then weighing in on Monday's.  Not that I cheat on my diet, it's just not something that interests me, but I was feeling guilty about not doing anything right before stepping on the scale.  So, yesterday was my first official Sunday weigh-in and I am happy to report that I lost another 3 pounds!  My new weight loss total is 41.5lbs!!  WHOOP WHOOP... start the happy dance!!

It's safe to now say that the week before I get my period is definitely a good weigh-in week.  Not sure if there will be any bounce back next week because of such a large drop but hey... I am enjoying it while I can!

WINS for the week:

1. StepBet - DONE!  I completed the Step Through September challenge and am an official winner.  We haven't heard what the official winners are yet but I will add that in once I find out!  Also, I have already joined a new StepBet that kicks off today... it's only the warm-up week but I am going to just keep on keeping on.  My new daily goal will be 13,283 and the stretch days are now 16,972.
2. Flying Solo - The boys went away for the weekend so once again, I was flying solo.  Didn't really have any challenges and even made myself a BBQ Chicken Caesar salad for dinner... who does that when they are alone?!
3. Jeans - I bought a pair of new jeans in size 34 and not only did I fall over from shock that they fit but they are comfortable ALL DAY LONG!  Seriously, so excited!!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Period Woes - Once again, I had a 'hungry' day and I know that I have mentioned it before, but it seems like I get one, once a month, right before I get my period... it sucks!  I handled it but I'm telling you... I was ready for dinner at about 3:30 on Saturday.

Lastly... while the boys were away, in Buffalo, I was able to get them to swing by Target and stock me up on some Luna bars that aren't available here in Canada.  WOOOoooo!  I am nicely stocked up for a while and excited to have some new flavours to throw into the mix.

I am still in shock that I have lost over 40 pounds and have less than 10 pounds to go until my initial "Lifestyle/Diet Challenge" goal.  Insane!!!

Recipe | Goulash

This past weekend was Thanksgiving but I don't do the cooking for that (WAHOO) but it was also the first weekend of fall that we had cold weather.  There was actually a frost warning on Sunday and Monday night... YAY!  When it's cold out, I get in the mood for all sorts of 'homey' meals... casseroles, chili, and anything hearty.  Gone are the days of BBQ and in are the days of crock pots.

Today I have a recipe for Goulash and I have been making it forever... mainly because it is so easy but also because it was something that my mom made when I was a kid and I have always loved.

One serving with garlic bread

Ingredients:
1-lb of Extra Lean Ground Beef (you can use Ground Turkey)
2 cans of Condensed Tomato Soup (I use Campbell's and each can is 284ml)
2 cups of cooked Macaroni Noodles
1 cup of Frozen Peas
1/4 chopped Red Onion
Garlic Salt*
Chili Powder*
Red Pepper Flakes*

Directions:

1. Fill pop with water and set to boil, add splash of oil and salt, add noodles once boiling
2. On high heat, brown Ground Beef and Onion in a deep skillet (*use spices to make the meat more tasty)
3. Once meat is browned, add in the 2 cans of Tomato Soup and the 1 cup of Frozen Peas and turn down to simmer.
4. When Macaroni Noodles have reached your desired level of tenderness, drain and add in 2 cooked cups to the mixture.
5. Stir and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes

This makes 4 servings and each one is 417 calories.  I like to serve it up with some toasted garlic bread... makes for a great meal for a cold night and also freezes nicely for meals on the run!

Enjoy!

Lifestyle Update | Week 15 & 16 Combined Update

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian peeps.  I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and were able to spend some time with family and friends... and remember to think about all the things that you are thankful for!

First off, sorry for not posting last week, the week got away from me as I was dealing with a stomach bug and before I knew it, it was just easier to wait and post the two weeks together.  SOooo... For the last two weeks, I have lost a combined 3 lbs for a new weight loss total of 38.5 lbs.  Yep, I am now just 11.5 lbs away from my Christmas goal of 50 pounds total.

As I hit the 4 month mark of my lifestyle overhaul, I also took some pictures to show the differences in my body... it's really remarkable how the body works and I am loving the changes.  There is one week left in my StepBet and then I am hoping to add weights (arms) and ab work into the routine to start tightening things up!

I had already lost 13.5lbs in the first set of pictures!

WINS for the week(s):

1. StepBet - I don't know if this counts as a win but I'm still going strong with the steps so, to me, that makes it a win!
2. Thanksgiving Dinner (see picture below) - I decided that I wasn't going to worry about calories at dinner because it really makes it so hard when you aren't the one prepping the food.  Happy to say that I had a full plate of food, stopped eating when I was full, and didn't feel the least bit guilty.  #WIN

CHALLENGES for the week(s):

1. Being Sick - I mentioned it above but I had a bit of a stomach virus/bug this past week and even with that, I was able to stay on plan and still got my steps in... not easy when all you want to do is lay on the couch but if I could do it, I was going to get it done!

So, that's the story for the last couple of weeks!  Nothing too exciting or too challenging BUT, I foresee some temptations coming up with Halloween... hoping to breeze through as I have with most of the challenges thus far!

Bye-Bye to Plus Size

It's been a glorious thing... I finally got out of plus size tops.  I think I am technically in plus-size pants (size 16ish) but as for the upper half, I am now firmly into an XL.  As you all know, or at least you would if you have read all my posts, I am in the middle of a full-declutter.  My closet has been over-run with tops/sweaters/sweatshirts of all different sizes and it was finally time to go through, try everything on, and declutter anything that I either didn't like OR that was too big.

This all started with the change in the weather... this past weekend was actually 'chilly'.  I quickly realized that I needed to figure out the 'bottom' half of me because I have been living in yoga capri's for the last month or so.  Thankfully, I kept all the jeans that I wore on the way up to the size I started this journey at (20/22).  The only size I didn't have in my collection was an 18.. which would be the size I expect to need... however...

These babies are a size 16!!!

Fine, they are a little tight and I have a slight muffin top when I wear them BUT, they do up and really, that is all that matters.  I figure another 5-10lbs and these will fit perfectly!!

On to the tops...

WHAT?!  I have very few things left in my closet now but that's okay... I am going to wait until my size levels off... likely will be a large... and then I will start to replenish my wardrobe.  Thankfully, a lot of the items that still fit are more fall/winter anyways so that totally works!

So excited to actually be out of the plus-sized tops.  It was one of my goals and one that I am most happy about achieving because it means that I can now shop at all the stores and buy the 'normal' looking clothes.  Have you ever tried to buy clothed from the plus-size section?!  UGH!

Lifestyle Update | Week 14 Update

Happy Fall!!  I am so excited that it is officially fall... last week was warmer than I liked but over the weekend, it cooled off and now, I am thrilled!  Candles burning, thriller books out and YES, I am ready!

Today was weigh-in day and I can't believe that I lost another 2lbs... usually the week of my period ends up with a lower than normal weight loss (I am backwards and lose more weight before I get my period and then less after it... not sure why!).  So that means that I have now lost a total of 35.5lbs!  WHAT?!?!  How friggin exciting is that?  I am less than 15lbs away from my next goal and totally on track for hitting it by Christmas (not that I am setting any official goal dates but hey, one can hope).

StepBet Update for the week:

Not much to report but did just want to check in and let y'all know that I made it through another week.  Got my two stretch days done on Monday and Tuesday and then legged out the active days on Wednesday thru Saturday.  Literally did NOTHING yesterday and loved it.  I actually decided that I wouldn't wear my Fitbit so that I wasn't thinking about how low my step count was and that seemed to make me feel better about taking a rest day!

WINS for the week:

1. Smaller sizes - WOOOOOOO!!  I cleaned out my closet and have a GIANT bag to donate full of plus sized clothes.  FULL!  I will have a separate blog post about this so stay tuned!
2. Fall TV - totally not weight loss related BUT, you guys... FALL TV is back!  I loooove watching TV (is that something to be proud of?) and most of my fall shows are once again back and I am loving it!  I don't generally watch them live because I am always watching baseball BUT, having something to toss on the boob-tube is always appreciated!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. None!

I feel like this wasn't the best post but I really enjoy the weekly update, even as something to look back on so, for now anyways, I will keep em coming!  

Luna Bar | Recent Reviews

In my never ending quest to find the perfect protein bar, I happened to stumble across the Luna Bars, made by Clif, and YOU GUYS, not only are they so tasty, but they are cheap!!  The Luna Bars are made specifically with women in mind so there are more nutrients geared towards females but I am sure that men would totally enjoy them as well.  The price of these bars ranged from $1.25 to $1.79, depending on where you buy them... I like to look for the sales and snag as many as I can.  Sadly, here in Canada, we can only buy three of the flavours (at least that is all I have found) and the funny thing is, every bar is stamped with a 'Made in Canada' so WHAT THE HECK?  Made in Canada but I have to get a friend to send me them?  NOT FAIR LUNA BAR... NOT FAIR!

Thankfully, I have an amazing bestie, Kathleen, who was gracious enough to go shopping and snag me a whole bunch of flavours to try before I head to Amazon to grab an entire box.  I thought it might be fun to give you my thoughts on each bar as I eat them.. so this is the past week's thoughts.

First up, Chocolate Dipped Coconut.  You guys... this is basically a dieting gal's version of a Bounty Bar (or Mounds in the US, maybe??) and I absolutely LOOOOVE coconut and chocolate so this one is a major fave.  Will definitely be ordering this one in the future. (190 calories) 

Next up, Chocolate Cupcake.  I had high expectations for this one and sadly, it fell a little flat.  Sure, the chocolatey part was there but it was missing that 'cupcake' aspect.  Maybe it was the texture... cupcakes are usually moist and soft, whereas this was dense and hard so that may have been a little off-putting.  Either way, it was tasty but not a go-to. (190 calories)

Next up, Chocolate Peppermint Stick.  YUM!  If you like the Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks, this one is right up your alley.  Okay, no coffee flavour but the peppermint is nice and subtle and not too strong to make your mouth burn.  I really liked this one and can definitely see myself picking this one up again in the winter months. (190 calories)

Last up for this week, Blueberry Bliss.  WOW... I am shocked by how much this one blew my socks off.  There is not a lick of chocolate in it but I absolutely, 100% love this one.  So much so that I would say it's my favourite one thus far.  The blueberry taste was on point, there was a sweet drizzle of something delicious on top, oats and granola... HEAVEN.  A definite, DEFINITE must buy!! (190 calories)

I have tried all of the flavours that are available here in Canada (Lemon, Chocolate Walnut Brownie & S'Mores) and will review those once I pick them up again.  Hope these help if you are on the search for a new protein bar/snack!

Lifestyle Update | Week 13 Update

Happy Monday... no?  Too early?  I don't know about everyone else but I have started to look forward to Monday mornings because it's the start of a new week.  I get to see the progress that I have made and start the new week ready to conquer more goals!  Today was the weigh-in for week 13 (insane) and I am beyond excited to share that I lost another THREE POUNDS.  How does that even happen??  So my new weight loss total is 33.5lbs and I can honestly say that I feel the weight loss now... clothes feel better, my legs look thinner(ish) and I just feel more alive.

Yesterday (or today depending on how you look at it) also marked the end of the first official week of StepBet.  Yep, if you missed goals this lasts week you were eliminated from the challenge.  Happy to report that, not only did I kill my goals, but I did so with style and was able to sit on my behind ALL DAY yesterday and take a proper rest day.  Kinda loving the new Sunday rest day thing... I'm debating taking off the FitBit so I don't actually see how lazy I have been but one step at a time.

I've also found myself really enjoying reading again.  Not that I ever stopped reading but I was pretty much only reading at bedtime and was so tired that I would get through 3-4 pages and literally fall asleep while holding up my book.  I spent a good part of yesterday with my nose in my book (okay, iPad) and loved it.  It's so relaxing... maybe a couple of book reviews will pop up here and there because, hey, this blog is about what makes ME happy!

WINS for the week:

1. Family Dinner - we had a family dinner this weekend (roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggies, gravy... the whole nine yards) and WOAH, so good!  It was the first meal in 13 weeks that I didn't count my calories for because it would have been too hard to figure everything out.  So, I just ate a healthy portion of each dish and stopped eating when I was satisfied.  I think I nailed it!!!
2. StepBet - Already touched on it but I nailed my StepBet goals and am ready to kick butt again this week.  Also happy to see that 90 people have already dropped out so we are getting close to making MONEY!!  Whoop!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. PMS - I have come to realize, three months into this journey, that the Thursday before my cycle begins is the worst day of the month for me.  I can't say there are any definite cravings but more the feeling of being 'unsatisfied'... wanting more of whatever.  Thankfully I haven't given into the feelings yet but I have definitely noticed the pattern... now that I am aware of it, I think it will be something I have to plan for.

Well, that marks the end of week 13 and now we move on to this week... back to baseball try-outs so the meals are a little tricky for the week but we will make it work.  Thankfully, this should mark the end of ball, for this year anyways, so we can officially be back to normal (for us!).

Lifestyle Challenge | Week 12 Update

Happy Monday... hope all you Football Widows made it through opening weekend.  My hubby is a 49ers fan and they start tonight so here's hoping the house is a happy one!

Today marks the official end of the first quarter of my new lifestyle... can you believe that it has been three months already?  I am shocked!  For my week 12 weigh-in, I am happy to report that I lost 1.5lbs for a new weight-loss total of 30.5lbs.  THIRTY POUNDS!!!

I just love getting new badges from FitBit... it really makes the journey so much more fun and rewarding.  Can you tell I am a competitive person?!  HAHAHA

Along with another month passing, it was also time to take some progress pictures.  I haven't shared them anywhere before because I was too self-conscious and it felt like such a personal thing BUT... it's time.  I am loving the changes that I see but because I don't have any new clothes (yet), most of the things I am wearing are too big so you can't really see any major changes.  The 'before' picture is actually already a month into this new lifestyle so I had already lost 13.5lbs and likely some bloat and maybe even a couple of inches but it still shows a dramatic difference between 4 weeks and 12 weeks.

WINS for the week:

1. StepBet - I did an entire blog post about joining StepBet but today is the official start of the elimination rounds and I am soooo excited to have some extra 'step' motivation.  I kicked the warm-up rounds butt so I am confident that I can kick the regular week's butt too.
2. Rest Day - I finally did it... I had a rest day!  No goals were met yesterday and it was planned that way.  I still went for a walk and did my normal daily things around the house but I also didn't stress the steps.  It was great... yes, slightly guily inducing, but well needed!  My plan is to take every Sunday, during StepBet, as a rest day to recover from the extra activity during the week.

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Mid-Week Weigh-In - Stoooopid me decided to step on the scale mid-week and it showed a gain of 0.5lbs... so of course I stepped on it again the next day... same... and the next day... up a whole pound.  The way it affected my mood was insane!!  At the end of the week, I clearly lost weight so the moral of the story is STAY OFF THE DAMN SCALE!!!

Loving life right now... I know that as we near Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Holidays that there will be some new challenges but I find that every day I put under my belt is another day closer to conquering these old 'diet' demons!

Step Bet | Step Thru September

You guys... I joined a StepBet challenge!

Okay, now you are all probably asking yourselves, "what is a stepbet?" and looking at your screen with those crinkles across your forehead.

Well, because they are better at words than I am, here is how the app describes StepBet:

StepBet is a fitness game that motivates you to be more active.  In each StepBet game, players pay an initial "bet" and commit to meeting certain step goals during every week of the challenge.  If you meet your goals each week, you split the pot with the other winners. 

The cost (or 'bet') is $40USD per challenge and each of the challenges lasts 6 weeks (5 weeks of elimination and 1 week of warm-up).

When I signed up, the app linked with my FitBit and gave me a predetermined number of steps that I needed to reach based on my step history.  Four days a week, I need to walk 13,151 steps which is only a little over my normal average amount now and two days a week, I need to walk 16,840 steps.  Other than having one free day a week, if you miss your steps, you get eliminated from the challenge.

I am so excited to see how many steps I can do every day and while I know that those two days a week are going to be tough, I plan to knock them out first so I don't find myself walking my ass off at the end of each week.  Keep you fingers crossed and send me all your steppin' vibes!  I will post how my week went in my weekly updates.

Lifestyle Challenge | Week 11 Update

Whoops... I totally forgot to post because weigh-in day was a holiday and we got busy doing things.  Hey, life happens, right?!

Monday was the end of week 11 of my new lifestyle challenge and I am happy to report that I lost another TWO pounds this week.  Yep, that means I am now down a total of 29 pounds!!  HOLY CRAP!  I know that I say this almost every week but I am still shocked with the ease with which I have been able to stay on plan... at how the cravings for sweets and eating out are basically gone now.

My husband and I talk about eating out and how it would feel like such a waste of both money and calories.  We can now look back on our past habits and see how 'gross' we would feel after splurging (read binge) on a GIANT bag of candy.  I used to get a huge bag of Malteasers and about 2/3 into it would feel full and starting to feel gross... would I stop eating them?  Nope, I would finish the bag because I felt that leaving 1/3 of the bag would be a waste... as if the treat wouldn't be enough the next time I ate them.  Did you know that a huge bag of Malteasers is over 900 calories?  NINE HUNDRED?  #dead

How Awesome is the 10% reward?!!?

WINS for the week:

1. Emotional Eating - Yes, this is a win... because I didn't do it!  This past weekend I found myself in an emotional/family drama moment and am happy to say that I laced up the running shoes and headed out for a walk instead of eating my way through house and home.
2. Clothes Fitting - One of my biggest wins so far is being able to wear clothes that I hadn't been able to before.  Murray bought me a size XL women's fitted shirts for Christmas and I knew on site that it wouldn't even go over my head.  Well, this Sunday, I wore it out for breakfast and it was totally fine.  In fact, more people noticed my weight loss than ever before.  LOVED that feeling!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Emotions - It hasn't happened often, which is great, but I do have very strong emotions and being an emotional eater, I have had to re-direct my feelings.  As mentioned in my wins, I seem to be okay with doing the right thing BUT am always on watch.
2. Lazy Day - Over the last 11 weeks, I haven't missed my step goal once and am finding it really hard to take a 'rest day' or a 'lazy day'.  I don't know if it's because I am afraid of failure or afraid that it will send me into a tailspin, but I just can't seem to let myself have a day where I do absolutely nothing.

Still on track and still totally motivated to keep going.  I am not setting any goals with dates attached to it because I don't want to miss and feel like I failed but I am so excited about seeing how far I can go!!

Lifestyle Challenge | Week Ten Update

WHOA... we are into the double digits now... still in some disbelief that I am still going and not only that but still on plan!  I can honestly tell you that I haven't had a slip up yet.  I know that with the upcoming Halloween and Holiday seasons, that likely won't stay true for long BUT... as of 10 weeks in, I am still going strong.

Today was also an awesome day on the scales because I dropped another TWO pounds which put me over my 26.5lb goal for 10% of my body weight lost.  Yep, I am officially down 27lbs, effectively SMASHING the first goal outta the water.  WHOOP WHOOP!!!

In other news, my boys have been away since last Tuesday so I have been flying solo at home.  Now, in years past (this is an annual trip they take), that meant sitting on my duff and ordering all kinds of fast food, snacking of every kind of junk food and drinking all the pop.  This year, I wasn't even tempted to do those things.  It actually caught me a little off guard because I planned the menu for when they were gone and we grocery shopped as per normal and then the first night they were gone, I cooked and worked out.  Simple as that!  It wasn't until I was chilling out, watching the Jays game, that I suddenly realized what I had done... I had survived my first night alone without even thinking of cheating!  WHAT???!!  Who am I?

WINS for the week:

1. Cooking - No, not a standard win because I cook most weeks BUT... with my boys out of town, I am more than impressed with myself and the fact that I cooked three times, with plenty of leftovers, so I didn't eat out once!  A new record for me when flying solo!  I didn't even have Subway...
2. Walking - While I didn't get to the gym, no real excuse, I did a ton of extra walking.  I was in early to work each day so got a good 20-30 min walk in and then another at lunch.  After work, I took Joey, our Golden Retriever, for a 30 min walk so all in, I was getting over an hour of walking each day!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Gym - For some reason I have been slacking on the gym lately.  While I am still getting my steps in every day and doing lots of walking, I don't want to go to the gym.  I think because the weather is nice and I am able to do it throughout the day, I don't feel the need... maybe as the weather changes (if it ever does), I will want to move indoors.  We shall see... in my mind, as long as I am getting it in, it really doesn't matter where.

I'm shocked that there was only one main challenge this week, because the boys were away, but I am struggling to think of anything else.  Thankfully we will be a full family unit again tomorrow night so things can get back to normal... until school starts next week.  UGH!

Recipe | Apple Cinnamon Oats

With September upon us, I am already moving into full blown fall mode and craving all things cinnamon and spice.  Have you ever walking into a Michaels Craft Store?  That's the smell I love... ah, bliss!!

To satisfy that craving, I decided to make a recipe that I saw on my friend Jen's Instagram and WOW, not only did it taste delicious but the whole house smelled like fresh baked apple pie.  HEAVEN!

Ingredients:

3 apples, assorted variety
1.5 cups of Almond Milk
1 cup steel cut oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar (I used Splenda brown sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp Butter (I used margarine)
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Completely coat crockpot with cooking spray
2. Chop apples into small pieces, I did about 1-2 cm squares
3. Add all ingredients into the crockpot
4. Mix ingredients together
5. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (I did 3 because I like the apples a little more crunchy)

Makes 4 larger servings for 310 calories each.

This is the perfect dish to have as either a breakfast or a dessert... just dress it up.  I took half a serving and mixed it in with vanilla greek yogurt (2%) and topped it with cinnamon for breakfast and it was delicious! (only 250 calories)

Enjoy!!

Lifestyle Challenge | Week Nine Update

Every time I title one of these update posts, I am amazed by the time that has passed since I started this challenge... it's been NINE weeks!  Insane!

For today's update, I am happy to announce that I am down another 2.5lbs for a new total of 25lbs... TWENTY FIVE.  That's only 1.5lbs away from my first goal of 10% body weight lost.

Each week that I step on the scale, I am so thrilled to see a change but something else has become clear to me... I am so much happier.  When I started blogging, I was on a 'quest' to become a healthier, happier version of myself and I can actually say that I am there... while still working on the healthy aspect, I am doing things that make me happy... smiling more, spending quality time with my family and just enjoying life.  Old habits that felt like a weight on my shoulders, like YouTube, are now something I do for entertainment.  I only watch videos when I am walking or working out and even then, I sometimes forget to see what's new.  WOW... such an awesome change in such a short period of time!

WINS for the week:

1. Water Intake - I don't know if I touched on this before but I guzzle my water like it's my job BUT, I decided to focus on increasing it to 120oz a day and did that everyday last week.  Not only do I think that's helping me eat less (thirsty not hungry) but my skin is so much smoother. However, I don't think that the nightly pee-breaks are as fun... hahaha!
2. Walking - While the gym was lacking this week, I was able to spend some great quality time with Steven going on almost nightly walks to catch Pokemon... sure, it's a silly game but we have a great time catching them and hatching eggs.  Family time plus activity is a bonus in my books!!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Hunger - I had a couple of days this week where I couldn't stop the feeling of needing to EAT ALL THE THINGS!  I didn't cave and now that I think about it, it was likely period cravings but it was sure a challenge to push through.  
2. Gym - Not sure what was up but I wasn't into heading to the gym at all this week.  I did go twice so that's still a win but my plan of 2 days on, 1 day off sure didn't happen.  While my steps each day are totally fine, I feel like I should be doing a little more.  Here's hoping that I can get back on the gym bandwagon this week!

Last up... I have to share my new nails!  I did another declutter (post to come) and actually went and got acrylic nails on Saturday.  Yep... I have travelled over to the dark side and am in love!  HAHAHA... who knew?!?!

Eek... now to Pinterest to find my next nail design!!

Recipe | Taco Casserole

What happens when you have a meal planned and then realize that one of the key ingredients is no where to be found?  Well, you improvise!

Turns out that just writing Tacos on the menu isn't enough to indicate that we need to add taco seasoning to the grocery list so when I went to add the spices to the meat mixture, there was an 'Oh Crap' moment.  Being on a planned menu and 'diet' means that I am not really all that flexible on my meals so I took to the pantry and fridge and here is what happened... Taco Casserole!

Ingredients:

1-lb extra lean ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
2 cups of uncooked white minute rice which makes 6 servings (or brown/multigrain)
1 - 650ml jar of salsa (pick your heat)
1/4 of a large red onion
1 tbsp of minced garlic
1 cup of frozen corn
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Mrs. Dash original
Chili powder
Red pepper flakes
Black pepper
Basil (fresh or dried is fine)
Garlic powder

Directions:

1. Using a large wok style pan, add in the chopped onion and saute in olive oil until slightly tender.  Add in garlic and continue to saute for another minute
2. Add in ground beef and cook through
3. Use Mrs. Dash, chili powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, garlic powder and basil to spice the meat to taste.  I didn't use any official measurements, just added until it was tasty.
4. While beef is cooking, prepare and cook rice
5. When beef is cooked throroughly, add in the full jar of salsa and the corn and stir
6. Once the salsa starts to bubble, mix in the rice and remove from heat.
7. Serve it up!

Serves 5 and is 416 calories per serving (made with beef and white rice... may vary depending on any substituted ingredients).

I personally like to wait a couple of hours, leaving the pan covered on the stove, before eating this to let the rice soak up any of the juices but you can eat it right away if you prefer.

Bon Appetite!

Lifestyle Challenge | Week Eight Update

Today is a bit of an up and down emotions day for me.  On one hand I have my weekly weigh-in results and on the other, the baseball playoffs story... either way, let's get started!

This weekend was the end of the Rookie Select season for the Clarington Colts.  Playoffs started on Friday night and continued through a rain soaked Saturday (including many tornado warnings) and on into Sunday.  Sadly, our guys didn't come in at the top of the league so our season has come to and end... bittersweet as I didn't want it to come to an end BUT I also didn't want to have another weekend away in London for the Provincials.  Either way, I feel a little blah today knowing that the team we cheered for all season will never be the same... BOO!  However, they did amazing and it was so much fun being on the sidelines with great parents and watching some fantastic kids do what they love!

2015/16 Rookie Select Clarington Colts (second place finishers)

As for the weekly weigh-in results, well, WE HAVE A VICTORY on the scale!!  I lost another 2.5 pounds this week for a new weight loss today of 22.5 pounds.  WHOOP!  We are now officially 4 pounds away from my first goal of 10% body weight lost (26.5 pounds).  So happy to see the weight continue to drop and the efforts that I am putting in be proven on the scale... yes, I know it's just a number but it's still nice to see it drop each week!

WINS for the week:

1. GYM - Still making the gym a priority in my schedule.  Now that baseball is over, scheduling will be a little easier, but I have gone 4 times per week for the last two weeks and I am really happy with that.  
2. Cravings - Odd win, I know, but last night was our 12th anniversary and we actually talked about how we would have been eating, pre-lifestyle change, on a weekend with baseball AND an anniversary.  Neither of us even has the cravings for fast food or junk like we used to.  It's so funny to picture eating a McDonald's meal now because I don't have any desire to get one.  Even things like Dairy Queen or a simple chocolate bar, the cravings are gone!  Will they come back, I have no idea but for now, I just don't want them!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Shin Splints - OMG... I am not even kidding when I say that shin splints are some of the worst pain that I have had.  SO MUCH OUCH!  I had been getting them here and there since starting this journey but this past week it was beyond my abilities to even walk.  I got them so badly on Thursday that I ended up skipping the gym to go and buy new running shoes.  Thankfully, they seem to be working and I have been able to walk at a slightly increased speed without any issues.  Fingers crossed that was the cause of the problem.
2. Baseball - Last weekend for this one (at least this year).  We had playoffs this weekend so I wasn't able to get to the gym and even though they were planned days off, the guilt factor still crept up.  I was able to get in all my steps (10,000 a day) and even had some nice longer walks with my parents but, missed my hourly goals and was a little less active than normal.

Asics Gel-Kayano 21's

All in all... a great week!  I took some new progress pictures yesterday to show the difference between one and two months but I am still a little 'shy' to show them here... maybe when I lose a few more inches I will be comfortable posting them!  

The Struggle Can Be Real

It's not a shock to me that there are ups and downs in this lifestyle journey but what is surprising to me is that I had my first 'down' day yesterday.

Something felt 'off' all day but it wasn't really anything I could put my finger on.  I continued to do my workouts as I normally do, including hit up the gym for my 4th of 6 straight days (need this so I can take Friday and possibly Saturday as a 'rest' day for baseball playoffs).  While at the gym, my stomach felt bloated and gassy and just unhappy so I called it a day after 30 mins on the treadmill and headed home.

Let's look back for a second... (two things)

1. I received my first workout 'outfit' from Fabletics in the mail and was super stoked to wear it to the gym.  The leggings are a XXL as is the tank and the sports bra an XL... all currently the size that I am wearing from Walmart... just prettier (read more expensive).  Got home all geared up for another great workout and not a single piece fit... in fact, the pants wouldn't even go past my upper thighs.  UGH!  Not how I was hoping that would go.  So, I pulled out my normal, more boring (read cheap) duds and put them on.  Feeling slightly demoralized that the XXL was too small, I went off to the gym
2. I spend a lot of my time on Instagram looking at accounts of those who have paved the road, so to speak.  The people who have been where I am (or further away) and made it to the finish line.  I like to go to the start of the account and go picture by picture through the journey and see how it all went... the ups, downs and the wins and the losses (literally).  Well, on top of the whole workout outfit and the gassy/bloated (read make you feel fat) feeling in my stomach, I started getting those 'why can't I be at the finish line?', 'why is it taking me so long?' feelings.  

So, now you understand what I mean by the 'down' day.  No, I didn't skip a workout making me feel guilty.  No, I didn't eat a 'cheat' meal or 'cheat on my diet' making me feel like a failure... I just had a moment of doubt.  A moment where I wondered if the effort of losing the weight and changing my lifestyle is really worth all of the hard work.  It was time to take a step back and regroup... so, I hit the shower, had some dinner and went to bed early.

Today, I can see clearly again.  The scale this morning showed that I am still moving in the right direction (no, I don't typically weigh in any day but Monday's but felt I needed it today), that the hard work I am putting in is, in fact, worth it!  Those Instagram accounts are amazing for inspiration, motivation and ideas for making it to the end of the journey.  However, I have to remember that while I may not be where they are, they have all been where I am.  They all have had moments of doubt and felt like quitting.  Taking one day to go through 2 years of pictures only makes it seem like they did it so fast and the weight just FELL off but no, they put in the hard work and had the same results I'm having day in day out.  It takes weeks, months... heck, even years to get to the finish line (is there even one) and once there, looking back at the time it took, will be awesome!  The dedication that it takes to stick to it will be worth every single struggle along the way!

Just remember, Mama always said there would be days like this.  Don't let it take over the whole picture... wallow in the moment and then pick yourself up and move on!

Diet Challenge | Week Seven Update

Happy Monday!  It is the start of another week and that means that it is time for the weekly diet challenge check-in... speaking of which, I think I want to change the name from 'diet' challenge to 'lifestyle' challenge because that's really what I am doing, changing my lifestyle.  A diet makes it feel like there is an 'end' date and once I get to my goal weight (swooooon) I don't plan on stopping.

With that out of the way, I am happy to say that the scale was very good to me again this week and I was down another 1.5 lbs for a new weight loss total of TWENTY POUNDS!  Let's dance!!  I am thrilled to hit this little mini-milestone and it is one that I have tried to hit again and again over the last couple of years.  Gotten close but never succeeded in reaching it.  Twenty pounds makes me feel like I am here... I am on the right track to changing my life for the better and I can't wait to see what else I can do!

We are now in the home stretch of baseball season so one more weekend to go... it will be a tough one though because it is playdowns (or playoffs to us regular people) which means Friday, Saturday and possibly Sunday.  UGH!  Not that I don't love watching my little man play ball but it really does make it hard to schedule in time at the gym and planning meals a little more challenging.  Oh well, that's why this is a lifestyle change... life has moments that are hard to plan and it all part of the game!

WINS for the week:

1. GYM - I did it!  I joined the local community centre gym on Tuesday (first visit was Wednesday) and went 4 times.  My plan is to focus on going to the gym and get in a routine for the month of August... doing cardio and then come September, I will get a personal training session to learn about adding weights into the routine as well.  I am pumped, excited and totally motivated to see how life will change with adding this into the mix!
2. Loose Jeans - Technically I think this was a win for last week but it still applies!  I am able to pull my size 22 jean capris up and down without undoing the button.  WHOOOP!  When I started this journey, they were slightly tight (as in 'get these off me' status when the day was done) so this is a total NSV (non-scale victory).  I also went through my pants drawer and realized that I have sizes to get me all the way down to size 12!  So that should help the wallet out a bit!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Schedule - Not really anything new but with the addition of the gym into the routine, scheduling time has been a little more challenging.  However, with baseball ending and Murray's summer hockey coming to a close, those schedule conflicts should come to a close soon.

That's all I can think of this week... it wasn't a really up or down week (other than the awesome of 20 pounds and joining the gym)... these far outweighed the challenges!

So, for now... time to keep on keepin' on!  

Summer No Buy | Two-Month Update

Happy August... Not going to say it, you all know what I am thinking.  Yes, I am starting to crave the fall because I am more than over the super hot temperatures and the humidity.  Seriously OVER IT!  If we could have fall-like weather all the time, I would be the happiest camper on the planet.

On to the Summer No-Buy update... month two.  It's a pretty boring one because I didn't purchase a single thing.  Not a nail polish, not a makeup item, not even any body care stuff.  I know, BORING, right?  Well, it may seem boring to everyone else but to me, it is a major victory and I am blown away by how easy it has been to retrain my focus onto bigger and better things.

Even more than NOT buying anything in July, I actually started another purge of my nail polishes and while there aren't very many that I was willing to part with this time (in comparison to the previous destash), I still got rid of close to 40 more bottles.  FORTY!  My new collection stands at 271.  There are definitely more that I can get rid of but I need to get past the mental block that is making me keep them.  It's been close to 3 or 4 weeks since I have even worn nail polish on anything other than my toes and that's only changed every 3ish weeks.  So really, 271 bottles seems like slight overkill!  However, Rome wasn't built in a day so I will continue to check back in with my collection and make changes as needed.

So, there is one month remaining until the end of the Summer No-Buy so let's see if I have a more exciting update for you come September!

Diet Challenge | Week Six Update

I can't believe that it's already August... it blows my mine that we are in the last unofficial month of the summer.  Maybe it's just me but when August starts, I move into fall mode... I want it to be cooler, I want to burn candles and I want pumpkin everything!  Not sure how I will handle the need for all things pumpkin this year but we will worry about that in September!  LOL

Today was weigh-in day and I am, once again, thrilled to have had another scale victory and lost 1-lb for a new weight loss total of 18.5 lbs in just 6 short weeks!  WAHOOOO!  I am getting close to losing 10% of my body weight now and my goal for that is by IMATS on October 1st.  I don't like hard set goal dates but I think this one should be achievable!

Before I get into the WINS and CHALLENGES of the week, let's talk about the Baseball Tournament that we had this past weekend in London!  Our Clarington Colts did amazingly well and won 2 of 3 games.  We didn't make it to the final round but we had fun and it was a great weekend away.  The boys (and girl) had so much fun both on and off the field and as a parent of a 'socially quiet' child, watching him flourish in the environment was so awesome!  The whole weekend made me want to go to more and more road tournaments!!

WINS for the week:

1. HIT THE GYM!!  Yes, that deserves all capitals!  The hotel that we were staying in this past weekend had a little gym (2 treadmills, 1 bike and some weights) but I made it my duty to hit it up on both Friday and Saturday to get as much of a workout in as I could before hitting the fields.  It felt AWESOME!!  So much so that I am going to be heading to the community centre this week and joining the local gym!  WAHOOOO!!!  TOTAL WIN!
2. Staying on plan - Yep, being away for the weekend was so challenging when it came to eating. We brought lots of snacks and breakfast foods but nothing that was perishable because we didn't want to overdo it.  Thankfully my parents came up on Saturday and brought a nice healthy lunch of chicken salad sandwiches with lots of fruit and veggies... couldn't be more happy with that!  We also did a lot of restaurant research and found dishes that I could eat that would fit into my calories allotment and would be filling... check out my Instagram for my choices!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Out of town - I already touched on this but the biggest challenge of the week was being out of town for three days.  Not knowing the area we were staying made it hard to pre-plan but we made it work and it was a successful weekend.
2. Water intake - Again, this stems back to the travel but I found that I was a lot slower on my water intake than I normally am.  The ice in the hotel ice machine made the ice taste funny so I ended up not drinking the water I prepped for the field.  I tried to make it up once we would get back to the hotel but knowing the bathroom situation at the fields was less than stellar, I didn't want to overdo it either... UGH!  Such a catch-22.  

Overall, week six was great!  While the loss on the scale isn't huge, it's a loss and I know that after a weekend away, any loss is a sign of success.  WOOHOO!  I am dancing right now.  Now we get to see what August brings.  I have no goals or expectations because I find that takes away the disappointment and pressure... just going to do more of what I have been and keep my fingers crossed that my efforts don't disappoint!

Diet Challenge | Week Five Update

Happy Monday... no really, it's a HAPPY Monday!!  But before we get started... need to do a big Happy Birthday shout out to my amazing hubby, Murray!

Okay, enough talking about other people, let's bring the focus back to me ;)  I am SUPER pumped to report that this morning's weigh-in was successful and I lost another 4-lbs for a new weight loss total of 17.5-lbs.  I can't even express how happy it makes me to be down FOUR pounds in one week.  As I have said before, I am not expecting major drops and am happy with not gaining but seeing all the hard work that I am putting in, paying off, brings a GIANT smile to my face and makes me want to keep going!

My newest Fitbit badge!

WINS for the week:

1. First 'Eat Out' Meal - Yep, it was bound to happen, the dreaded restaurant meal.  However, if you read my blog post from last week, you will know that I did it with flying colours!  I planned it all before leaving the house and stayed totally on plan for the meal and didn't feel the least bit guilty with my choices!
2. Steppin' Up - Killed it with the steps this past week.  I did close to, or over, 12,000 a day and made sure to get two walks in each day.  Not sure if I will ever increase my step goal beyond the 10,000 but am more than happy to knock it out of the park every chance I get.  

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Making Cupcakes - I happen to be the cupcake queen of my family so for most occasions, I am asked to make some version of cupcakes.  Saturday was my niece's 5th birthday and, of course, I made cupcakes.  Usually my routine is to fill the cupcake wrappers and leave enough batter in the bowl for me to enjoy a super yummy, and horribly fattening, batter snack.  Add on top of that, the licks and tastes of icing and sprinkles and whatever else goes into making them look pretty and it's basically an all-out schmorgishboard (no idea how to spell that).  Not only did I not eat any batter, but I didn't even have a lick of the icing!  WOOHOO!
2. Birthday Party - Same day, different challenge!  My niece's birthday party was on Saturday and it ran right into when I would be having lunch (late, as usual) so instead of being tempted by snacks, I just brought along my salad and ate it instead.  WIN!!

This upcoming week is loaded with challenges so I am going to have to do some MAJOR planning to stay on plan, as much as humanly possible.  We have a baseball tournament this coming weekend, out of town, so that means staying in a hotel ALL WEEKEND long.  I plan to bring snacks (fruit and whatnot) to fill in the gaps and eat at Subway as much as possible.  There is also a gym at the hotel (I know, I actually checked... who am I?!) and I will be bringing gym clothes to work out each day in hopes that any extra calories I do eat are burned off!  Fingers crossed that next week's weigh-in, is at worst, a stand still!  My goal is for NO GAINS!

Restaurant Eating | How to Successfully Plan

It can be very stressful when you are in the middle of a diet-plan and a friend asks you to go out for dinner or a family event pops up.   My son's 9th birthday was on Monday and his favourite restaurant of life is Buffalo Wild Wings.

Restaurant food is high in calorie, high in fat and oh-so-tempting... but you don't want to trigger those guilty feelings that throw you off your plan or start a downhill slide back to the beginning.  So, how do you add in a visit to a restaurant without throwing in the towel on your diet?  Here's how I handled it...

1. Figure out which restaurant you will be dining at.  If you have the choice, pick somewhere that you know serves healthy foods but if you don't, don't worry... you can still make it work for you. (Our restaurant was Buffalo Wild Wings... home of the deep fried everything!)
2. Go to the restaurants website and search for the nutritional information section.  If you can't find it, you can always google for it or call the restaurant and ask them to fax/email you a copy.  Almost every restaurant has their ingredients and nutritional information available for their customers. (I had to google for the nutritional info but was able to find it fairly easily... although it was the American version, a lot of the dishes carried over to the Canadian menu)
3. Determine how many calories/grams of fat/sugar (whatever you are counting) you are okay with eating for that meal and then search for items that fit within that limit.  I tend to stick to the appetizer section because the 'meals' are smaller.  If it's ever possible, try to go for lunches so you can get even smaller portions... makes eating seem less daunting when you can order a 'full' sized plate and it still isn't HUGE! (I opted to stay below 500 calories which is still more than I normally have for lunch but figured I could just swap my dinner and lunch around and not worry too much)
4. When you are at the restaurant, drink WATER... don't waste your calories on alcohol or soda because it's not worth it.  Even diet soda is full of sugar (the fake kind which is actually worse for you) and it will make you bloated and crave more of it in the future.  Keep your glass full and keep sipping!  
5. Don't look at the menu because you will be tempted by other choices... order what you planned and don't veer off course. 
6. Once everyone is done their meal, pay up and head out... maybe to a coffee shop to continue your visit (less tempting than the dessert menu) or perhaps for a walk! (If you do indulge, just remember you need to work off those extra calories!)

Shown: Southwest Street Tacos - 480 calories

Like I said, restaurant meals are going to happen... friends are going to ask... family events will come and go but you do not have to give up on your diet to participate.  Just make smart choices.

Planning is the key to success!

Diet Challenge | Week Four Results

First off, this post must start with a GIANT HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little man who is 9 years old today!  He brings me joy every single day and is inspiring me to become a healthy mom!!

Okay, onto week four's results... I weighed in this morning and was down 1lb for a new total weight loss of 13.5lbs!!  To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect on the scales this morning because yesterday was Steven's birthday party and while I know that I made really good food choices and got in all my steps, I still think my calories were higher than normal.  However, I cheered for myself when I saw the drop on the scale... at this point in my life, I have yo-yo'd enough to know that a loss is a loss, whether it's 5lbs or 0.5lbs, you celebrate the loss regardless.

Before I get into the WINS and CHALLENGES of the week, I wanted to talk about how I am feeling after a month of 'dieting' or a month into the new 'lifestyle'.

I am overwhelmed by my motivation and extremely proud of my success.  Having been on this journey before, I have never had the ability to stick with it for longer than a week or two.  The only two major successes I have had have been my two stints with Jenny Craig (losing 38lbs the first time and 90lbs the second... and then gaining it all back).  Knowing that I am doing this ON MY OWN this time... prepping the food, doing the exercise, being my own coach, is making me understand what it will take to be a healthy, happy person for the long run.  I am not even close to being where I want to be but I know that this time, it will stick and I will reach my goals.

WINS for the week:

1. Motivation - It has to be said that one of the major keys to my success the last month has been my motivation!  It's still at an all-time high and it's helping me get through each challenge as it presents itself!
2. Floors - Kicked it up a notch this weekend and nailed enough floors to get my next badge from Fitbit.  Yep, I did 25-floors in one day and for someone who lives in a townhouse and works in a one-level building, that's pretty impressive!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Baseball - I know, it's starting to sound like a broken record but seriously, it's every weekend!!  We had another double header this weekend and I was 'forced' to plan for 6-hours on the field.  I ended up grabbing another 6" from Subway because we didn't have good 'portable' meals but overall, I think I did well.  My water intake was a little low because there weren't any bathrooms nearby so I didn't want to be in an emergency situation.
2. Birthday Party Number One - Yep... we are in the middle of the birthday bonanza so the first party was yesterday.  I did the best I could for planning and prep and made sure I got all my steps in but there were some foods that I had to guesstimate the calorie count on... I only had a small amount of those to be safe but still, posed a big challenge.  Not to mention the dairy queen cupcakes... those were definitely a challenge - but I resisted!  Not worth the guilt!

Plans for the upcoming week include another birthday party, a birthday dinner and perhaps more baseball.  

Today marks the beginning of the second 28-days so I will be adding in some more exercise and also planning to decrease my calorie intake by 100 calories a day (from 1700 to 1600)... time to step it up a notch!

The Next 28 Days | Fit Girl's Guide

WOW, am I actually sitting here, typing out this post, and able to say that I have almost made it to the 28-day mark of my Diet Challenge? I can't believe how far I have come in such a short period of time.  Not only am I happy but I am getting healthy and feeling more fit!

So, what does the next 28-days look like?  Well, I have decided to step up the game just a little and join the Fit Girl's #28daychallenge (look up the hashtag on Instagram and you will see all sorts of amazing inspirational pictures).

I purchased the Fit Girl's Guide & The Jumpstart Journal to not only teach me how to become more fit but to also help me along the way... both with diet and fitness.  The book was great and I was able to power through it in an evening and the Jumpstart Journal is so much fun... I even grabbed the pencil crayons and coloured the cover page!

After reading the book, I printed out the exercise/fitness portion and am ready to start using that on Monday but I am still a little stuck on the menu/food planning portion.  While I would love to go into this full tilt, I found that a lot of the foods they suggest are just not to my liking (like avocado, sweet potato & mushrooms).  I am willing to give most things a whirl but I know that these things are not up my alley of likes so will need to tweek the recipes to get them to work for me.  If I can get these worked out by Monday, then I will definitely give the diet a whirl too.  However, I am feeling really good about my food choices thus far that I really don't think it is THAT big a deal if I follow my own diet plan (counting calories using the Fitbit App) and incorporate the new fitness aspect.  We shall see how that works out and if needed, perhaps I can add the full diet in for the THIRD 28-day cycle!

So, this weekends plans are to get some 'before' pictures taken (okay, not officially before but close enough) and to take my measurements.  I won't post any of that right away but at the end of this 28-day cycle, I will post a comparison photo to see what kind of change took place!

Here goes... as I have said, my motivation is just as strong now as it was when I started.  Being past that 21-day hump really gives me hope that there are many brighter days ahead!

Recipe | Chicken, Peppers & Rice

Being on a diet means a lot of the same old foods... you get used to the routine and it is hard to find new recipes that work, not only for the calorie count, but also for the entire family to enjoy.  This past week, I saw a post on Pinterest that showed a picture of chicken with peppers, served over rice and I thought, 'Hey, that has to be low in calories... let's give it a go'.  So here is how I made an amazing 450 calorie dinner.

Chicken, Peppers & Rice

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 each of red, yellow and orange peppers

1/2 lrg white onion

2 cups of brown Minute Rice

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Soy Sauce

Medium dash of Mrs. Dash (original)

Red Pepper Flakes to taste (depends on your desired heat)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

1. In a large pan, dice onion and saute in olive oil
2. Cut up chicken into small pieces and toss into pan
3. Add in minced garlic and cook until chicken is cooked through
4. Season mixture with Mrs. Dash, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire Sauce and Soy Sauce
5. Prepare rice as directed on box.  I use the max serving (6 people) 
6. Add peppers into the pan with chicken and onion and cook until the peppers are the desired tenderness (generally 10 - 15 mins)
7. Once cooked, add rice to pan and mix everything together
8. Let simmer for another 5 minutes and add any additional seasonings you feel it needs.  I sometimes add an extra dash of Worcestershire Sauce or some more red pepper flakes.
9. Serve it up

This makes 4 servings and each servings is approximately 450 calories (depending on how big your chicken chunks are and just how much seasoning you used!)

Super tasty and very easy to make... something the whole family will love!

Diet Challenge | Week Three Results

They say that it takes 21-days to form a habit that will last... don't ask me who 'they' are but that's what I have always read and yesterday was day 21 of the Diet Challenge!  I can tell that new habits have already taken root just by the simple fact that I spent 6+ hours on the ball field yesterday and didn't cheat on the diet... even when the fellow parents I was sitting with decided a trip to the Chip Truck was necessary...  THREE TIMES!  Legit almost died!

Picture Source

Week three is now in the books, a thing of the past, and I am happy to say that I have lost another 1.5 lbs for a new weight loss total of 12.5 lbs.  As I have said for the last two weeks, the losses will slow down and settle at a more 'normal' range and I am thinking we are there... losing between 1-2 lbs per week is what I am hoping for!!

WINS for the week:

1. Baseball - I already mentioned my big win on the field yesterday (both the team won and I did!) but I think that was a HUGE sign of how far I have come.  Not going to say that I didn't spend some time researching which fast food restaurant had the lowest calorie foods, but I didn't cave and that is the most important thing.  We went home, had what was on the menu and went to bed completely satisfied with another awesome day under our belts.
2. Steps - Another amazing week when it comes to my fitness goals.  I increased my step count to 10,000 (the most I have ever tried for) and beat that by a mile most days.  It helped that Murray was also wearing a Fitbit so we did a Workweek Hustle Challenge (kicked his butt)... we are too competitive for our own good!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Baseball - Do I sound like a broken record yet?  My biggest challenge for the week was by far Sunday on the field.  Just the smell of those Chip Truck fries was enough to make me want to dive off the edge and into a bucket of greasy goodness.  However, I planned ahead and brought a sandwich, fruit and other snacks so was able to fight off the desire.
2. Mental Cravings - There were a couple of nights this week that I felt as though I needed to eat out... I craved junk food like McDonalds or my standard Malteasers.  I don't even think I was hungry when I was having these cravings so honestly think they were more mental than anything... like my mind was in sugar overload withdrawal.  Again, I didn't cave but it did take some serious self-reasoning to keep myself on track.

Overall, a great week!  I did end up eating at Subway on Friday night while the boys were at the WWE event but again, like last time, I only had a 6" sub and water so don't really consider that 'eating out'.  Still haven't had any pop or candy or junk food of any kind so I do really feel like I have made some positive steps towards healthy habits.

The next two weeks are going to be a bit more of a challenge and take a lot of planning on my part because it is basically a BIRTHDAY BONANZA up in our house.  Steven's 9th birthday is on the 18th and Murray's birthday is on the 25th... sandwich my niece Emma's in on the 23rd and you have the birthday trifecta!  Here's hoping that some good pre-planning and smart choices leads to another positive win on the scale next week!!