Getting back on track

Good afternoon! How is everyone's February going?  Cold? That's definitely mine.. I just got back from South Florida and even though I only got to stay a couple days, I realize now why people want to move to Florida..so beautiful.  Anyways, I was on a little vacation, and I definitely indulged  a little bit with my food - I came home, and only gained about a pound, but it's not about weight loss - it's about how I feel and look as well. I walked around a lot which helped keep my muscle tone, but I need to make sure I keep going to the gym like I was... I went today and it felt great to get my heart moving.

I wanted to share with you a great protein bar that I can eat (no nuts!) and one of the only one's I have found out there not to have any nuts at all in it.  The brand is PowerCrunch and the flavor is French vanilla creme - tastes almost like a vanilla wafer and same consistency.  This one does have a little bit of sugar in it (which is why it's great to taste) but I am just happy I could find a protein energy bar that doesn't have a lot of ingredients I am allergic to :) I am sold!

 I also enjoyed an Asian salad today for lunch later on.  You can make one easily at home with your choice of lettuce/spinach, mandarin oranges, chicken, wonton strips, and some ginger dressing. Yum!

 I have to keep going! Spring and summer are just around the corner, and I want to wear something that I will be comfortable in when the warmer weather hits!

 

KEEP GOING!

And if you ever want to get into a Challenge group on Facebook to hold you accountable and have a support system, please let me know! :) I am currently in a great group right now
with my Team Indigo. I even created this workout to do while I have been in the group and wanted to share it - challenge yourself and see if you can do it!

Healthier lifestyle

So, I stepped on the scale this morning at the gym... another 2 pounds down and released.  Very excited about that :) I am going to Florida February 16th so I am definitely in need of some pounds released.  If I have learned anything through this journey, it's that change like weight loss happens over time. It is not going to happen over night, and I can't push my body to lose more weight than it's ready for.  A pound or two a week for me is healthy and should satisfy me.  February 16th is right around the corner, and I am not going to be a size 4 then - and that's okay :)

5 ways I am successfully losing weight each week:

• Drinking lots of water (and only water except for the occasional coffee)
• Not eating late at night (Dinner is usually my last meal)
• Filling my belly with more vegetables (They are not my favorite, but I am trying!)
• Staying active! Even jumping jacks with my kids gets my blood pumping
• Treating myself once in a while - I let myself have what I want (in moderation) on the weekends.. or I would never be successful and keep it up!

Another one of my favorite recipes for dinner: lettuce wraps. Yum.
There are so many ways you can make them and you can use different meats.. but my personal favorite includes:

1. ground turkey or ground beef
2. taco seasoning
3. salsa
4. vegetables (I often use onions and peppers)
5. romaine lettuce (for wraps)

They taste delicious and they do not make me miss the tortilla shells :) The picture below shows a yummy lettuce wrap and this fabulous blogger also has a ton of other healthy recipes - be sure to check them out!

I hope you continue on your path to healthy success!

Day 5

So I woke up late today, and did my usual thing, but because I woke up late.. I was pretty full all day (that was a good thing!) The bad news is that I found out I am have a slight allergy to something in the protein powder of the shakes.. I am very disappointed but I know I can still do this detox and push on.
A lot of things happen for a reason, and this definitely jump started me into getting even more serious about my health.  It was only day 5, but I measured my hips and lost 1 inch, and my upper stomach and I lost an inch there too! I am very proud of myself and I do feel a lot better... but the protein shakes are not good for my body because of my allergies... so... I'm going to donate to a friend so they can get this detox kickstarted, AND I am going to continue to be white bread free, coffee free, sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free. 

I will still post here and there (not sure if anyone is out there reading this!) but I figured it's good for me to reflect on my days as well.  These past 5 days have been very difficult, but I see the rainbow at the end of the storm, and my body is happy with me eating clean :)
One of my favorite meals has become:

• Grilled chicken with a little salt, pepper, lemon, and garlic (cooked in a little extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/2 cup of brown rice (with a dash of salt and pepper)
• steamed broccoli or cauliflower (with a dash of salt and pepper)