How to get more Veggies into your diet!

We all need 5 servings of vegetables a day, that's right I said it 5. In all honesty, hardly any of us are actually eating all five of those servings.  I read that teenager's typically only eat 2 servings a day and one of those servings is french fries.  As adults we do about the same, maybe a serving better. What do we tend to eat instead of vegetables? Processed foods, aka junk foods.  

These foods are high in fat and sugars but low in protein, vitamins and minerals.  The high fat/sugar count makes it HIGH in calories and hardly fills us up.  So why don't we eat more vegetables?  There seems to be a stigma against healthy foods, either they are too hard to cook or too expensive.  Both couldn't be farther from the truth.  When shopping I tend to spend less when I am buy fresh produce vs. buying processed foods.  There are also plenty of quick recipes you can make involving fresh vegetables.

To get more veggies in your breakfast try making an omelet and stuffing it with tons peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes.  Want to spice it up a little? Add some salsa and red pepper flakes to the top! For lunch have a salad sandwich.  Instead of making your sandwich on bread, place all your toppings on top of a bed of lettuce or spinach.  For dinner you could make a fresh vegetable stir fry, or try having squash as your side starch instead of pasta. Carrots, celery, peppers and cucumbers are great for snacking on raw through out the day.

If you really want to get more vegetables in your diet you just need to try!  This week add more vegetables to your grocery list.  Look up a few new recipes and maybe even try a few new vegetables out!  Once you start adding more to your diet you will feel fuller and healthier! An added bonus is that you will spend less on your groceries per month!

 

Simple Vegetarian 'Tuna' Salad

When I first became a vegetarian I had to make the decision of whether or not I would still eat fish.  The only fish I ever enjoyed was Tuna, so I figured I would just cut out ALL meat all together.  Some days I still miss being able to make a quick tuna salad, so I came up with this quick and simple recipe substituting garbanzo beans for the protein source! I am not a low-carb person, but I do tend to cut out most bread and like to eat this salad on top of a bed of lettuce instead! Happy eating!

Simple Vegetarian 'Tuna' Salad

Ingredients:
    1 16oz can garbanzo beans, drained
    1/4 cup diced red onion
    1/4 cup diced celery
    2 tbs light mayonnaise
    1 tbs yellow mustard
    1 tsp lemon pepper
    1/4 tsp minced garlic

Directions:
-Drain garbanzo beans and place in a bowl.  Mash the garbanzo beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
-Dice onion and celery and add to bowl.  Mix.
-Add mayonnaise, mustard, lemon pepper and garlic to bowl.  Mix and taste.  Add other spices to your liking.

*Makes 2 servings. Calories per serving: 232 Protein: 12g

What I miss...

What I miss from 114lbs ago...

I miss eating without questioning what I was eating and wondering what the nutritional content of my meal was.

I miss devouring a whole pizza and washing it down with an ice cold drink.

I miss having almost a whole thing of oreos and glass of milk to myself.

I miss the feeling that food used to give me, a feeling of euphoria.

I miss how food had no boundaries, how the sky was the limit and I could indulge in anything I pleased.

I miss how serving sizes didn't matter, they were just a number on the label.

But here is what I don't miss.

Cowering behind food, using it as a mask.

Pretending the stares and comments didn't hurt. Trying to be the funny one to fit in and ignore the hurt I felt inside.

My legs chaffing as I walked, and never being able to wear shorts due to them always riding up.

Feeling winded after walking up a flight of stairs, not being able to run without feeling as though I was suffocating.

Gorging myself to the point of physical pain. 

My clothes being tight and leaving marks in my skin.

The embarrassment of having to shop in a specialty store.

I can pretty much say what I don't miss out weighs what I do miss.  I know the things I miss are things that only the unhealthy me needed.  The new me doesn't need those things to be happy.  Food can no longer be my mask, my comfort, my friend.  It is now just there to nourish me. On the occasion it is still there to soothe a stressful day, only this time I use it as the label states. One serving is all I need.

Corn on the cob made in an oven!

It is corn season and I couldn't be more excited about it.  Whenever I go to the store there is always a sale on corn. Last week was 5 ears of corn for $1. We got 5 because it's just me and my fiance in the house.  Once we got home I contemplated the best way to cook them.  Should I grill them, boil them, microwave them or was there another way.

Well all I can say is THANK YOU GOOGLE! I searched how too cook corn in the oven. My oh my it couldn't have been easier.  I was told you could cook it without soaking it, husks still on for 30 minutes at 350°. No Soaking required, well at first I was skeptical and thought I would end up catching the oven on fire but figured I would try it out anyway.  

So, I put the corn in the oven left it for 30 minutes and viola! The corn was done, and it was amazingly delicious.  No butter needed.  I did put a little cajun seasoning on top for 0 extra calories.  The corn was really sweet on it's own, and completely tender from being steamed in its own husk!

**One ear of corn has around 100 calories.

10 Steps towards a healthy life!

1. Get prepared for your new life! Get excited about changing your life and get prepared to make the change for good. Realize that this isn't another fad diet you are going to start, this time you are going to change your whole lifestyle.  This time it is forever.

2. Evaluate the people in your life. So you want a fresh start? Then you need to take a closer look at the people you surround yourself with.  Are they good influences on you or do they tempt you with every step you take. If they are  the latter as hard as it is you may have to try to let them go, or at least keep your distance until you are strong enough to stand up for yourself and tell them no!

3. Clear out your pantry. Check your pantry for things that may tempt you later on. If you feel like you aren't strong enough to have it in your house yet get rid of it.  It is easier to stay on track without temptation at arms reach.

4. Write down your feelings. When you feel bad and want to binge eat, write down how you are feeling.  Finding what triggers you to make unhealthy decisions may help you in the future.  Also, write about why you are making this change, why it is so important to you to live a healthy and productive life.  You can look back on this for support and encouragement when you are having a bad day.

5. START! You can only do so much preparation and think about it so much before you start. Make small changes first, this small changes with grow exponentially into bigger changes.  Once you start making the bigger changes you will be amazed at your momentum.

6. Make sure the good out weighs the bad. We are all human and as humans we slip up.  Just make sure that you don't let one slip up turn into a roller coaster of bad decisions.  One cupcake will make you gain a pound.  As long as you stick to your work out schedule and continue to eat healthy you will be fine.

7. Count your calories. That means logging them daily. Log everything, because the more you log the better idea you will have on your daily calorie intake. The better idea on you caloric intake the easier it is for you to see what you need to change in your eating habits to lead a healthier life.

8. Write down your goals. Write them down and hang them up! I hang mine up in my bathroom, that way I can see them every day. They serve as my daily reminder of why I never want to go back to where I was and why I intend on living a healthy life for the rest of my life.

9. Get an accountability partner. Find someone who is willing to support you no matter what.  Someone to lean on that you can talk to about your daily activities.  This person should be there to support you and be there to listen to you.  You in return can do the same for them.

10. Celebrate your victories no matter how small. Celebrate your change in weight. Celebrate your non-scale victories as well.  Can you walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath? Can you finally tie your own shes? Can you fit into a pair of jeans you wore in high school? Are people noticing your life change? Celebrate everything you can.  For all our victories no matter how big or small are all proof of our strength.  Proof of our courage and proof that we can do this.

Vegetarian "Meatballs"

This is one of my favorite meals.  Nothing says comfort food like spaghetti and meatballs! I found this recipe a few years ago and it is still one of my favorites for vegetarian meatballs.  I tend to make the "meatballs" a little smaller so they can crisp up a little more. I've tried making them bigger and they end up being a little too soggy for my liking. These "meatballs" are delicious served over any kind of pasta and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese! (I originally found this recipe from cookin canucks blog.)

Vegetarian "Meatballs"

(photo from cookin canuks blog, I forgot to take my own when I made it.)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cans (15 oz. each) Bush’s Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 roasted red bell pepper (2 halves), roughly chopped
• ½ medium yellow onion, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 egg
• ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 3 cups marinara sauce (canned or you can make your own!)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans and roasted red peppers. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.
3. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper until well combined.
4. Using a rounded 1 1/2 tablespoon portion of the bean mixture, form “meatballs” by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
5. Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and have developed a light golden brown coating, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. In a large saucepan, heat you favorite marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering. Add “meatballs” and stir to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

Healthy treats for your dog!

As human's we strive to eat healthy foods.  Ones with no preservatives and extra fillers. So why shouldn't we strive to feed our animals the same way? Not only do I want to be healthy so I can live a happy healthy life but I want the same thing for my dog. :]  Here is a recipe that my dog Koda just loves and is happy to scarf down.  They end up costing less than the less healthy treats you can buy at the store.  I found this recipe originally on the whole foods market website.

Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup oat flour
• 2/3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons all natural no sugar added creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Mash the banana in a medium bowl using a fork.
3. Add oat flour, oats, parsley and peanut butter.  Stir well and set aside for 5 minutes.
4. Roll the dough into 24 balls, using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each. 
5. Transfer the dough balls to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Use a spoon to press each ball into a circular shape.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool completely before feeding them to your dog.

**The parsley in these treats acts as a breath freshener.  You can substitute mint for the parsley if you would like. It is best to store these treats in the fridge.  I usually freeze half of the batch to make them last longer.

This is Koda my adorable taste tester.

Remember to go to the dentist

Not only is being at a healthy weight important to your overall health but so is going to the dentist.  So many problems stem from having bad teeth.  For one some studies have linked heart disease with having bad teeth and gums. Don't believe me? Check out this site.   Additionally, if you let bad teeth go for too long, you can get septicemia (blood poison), high blood pressure and mouth cancer. Now that doesn't sound like fun.  It's strange to realize that not taking care of your teeth can actually end up poisoning your whole body. Bad teeth can also cause typical problems such as mouth pain and bad breath.

After not going to the dentist for 4 years, I finally went a week ago at the urging of my fiance.  It was all bad news many cavities, a few crowns needed and I needed to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled.  Since that first cleaning I have gotten the right side of my mouths cavities filled and crown drilled.  I also just got my wisdom teeth out today. NEVER again will I not go to the dentist.  Even if you don't have insurance (which I do not) it is still important to go.  Groupon often has some great deals on dental cleanings and xrays, take advantage of these.  Your mouth and wallet with thank you!  Dental work only gets more expensive the longer you wait.

This is what I have learned from forgoing the dentist for as long as I did: If you can not make it to the dentist every six months like recommended, then strive for going once a year. Remember to floss daily also, this is super important.  It helps to break up the bacteria party that is trying to start between your teeth and on your gums.  If you don't break this party up they can lead to cavities.  Lets be honest, nobody wants a decaying tooth in their mouth, yuck! So floss daily, use mouth wash and brush at least 2 times a day.

We strive to keep ourselves healthy by staying fit, now we need to strive to stay healthy by taking care of our teeth!

Maintenance is a choice!

I have already written how it all started, and how I finally got my life under control. What I haven't talked about is how maintaining my weight has been just as hard for me as losing all the weight in the first place. When I first reached my goal weight I was ecstatic, thinking everything was going to be so easy and perfect now. Boy was I wrong! Within six months of reaching my goal I was up 7lbs. I realized I needed another wake up call.  Just because I reached my goal weight it didn't mean I could stop working hard. Here are a few things I have learned in the last year of attempting to maintain:

Just because you are at your goal does not mean you can stop counting calories. I realized this after I  gained the weight back.  Just because I am finally at a healthy weight it doesn't give me the excuse to binge eat.  Calories in are calories in, and 3500 calories worth of unneeded food still equals one pound of fat.  It is easier to see how many unneeded calories I eat when I am logging my food daily.  It helps me stay focused and on track.

Never stop exercising. Once you stop exercising it is hard to get back on track.  I have found that doing things I love makes exercising more enjoyable.  Lately I have been going on more hikes, walking the dog for longer periods of time and running.  These are all things I love so I never dread doing them. I am thinking about mixing in some weight training but need to find a fun way to do it.

Always set new goals for yourself! This doesn't mean you need to set new weight loss goals.  You can set any kind of goal you want.  I am thinking about setting some exercise goals.  Making sure I run at least 20 miles a week and walk the dog 6 days a week.  I also have a goal of only stepping on the scale once a week, this goal is to keep myself sane.  Weighing myself everyday just makes me crazy.  I know weight fluctuates daily, no need to stress myself out over it.

Always keep moving forward. Just because you are at your goal weight does not mean that all of your problems are solved.  I still have many hard days where I am having self doubt.  I am still self conscious but the only thing I can do is to keep moving forward.  Keep looking at the positives and continue my path to a healthy life.  It will never be easy but it really is worth it.

Maintenance is not just handed to you, it is a choice.  I have to choose to keep working out, I have to choose to eat healthy, I have to choose to stay fit.  I can not go back to my old habits ever.  I have to realize they are just as unhealthy to me now as they were when I was classified as morbidly obese. So now I choose to maintain my weight. I choose to stay fit and healthy.  I will maintain my weight for the rest of my life because I want to live a long and happy life.

New tattoo!

Today I went and got a new tattoo! It was semi spontaneous and impulsive.  I say that because I have been thinking about getting a new tattoo for a long time.  However, deciding what I wanted was near impossible.  Their are plenty that I would like to get.  One being a huge rib piece, but that is going to be expensive and I am sure I won't get it done for quite sometime.  Then I was thinking about smaller tattoos I would like. 

Last night I happened across a saying, 'I refuse to sink' and I thought wow this is so me. This quote is perfect for my life.  I refuse to quit, I refuse to lose, I refuse to go back to where I was.  I will not fail, I refuse to sink.  All night I was thinking about this and decided I was going to get it as a tattoo.  Then I kept thinking about it and decided I couldn't wait so I got it today.  Anyway here is the finished product:

I love the nautical feel to the saying so I thought an anchor would go nicely.  Plus, anchors symbolize hope and I am completely hopeful for my future. :]  Not only does this tattoo symbolize not going back as far as my weight loss it also reminds me that I can do anything I put my mind too.  I refuse to sink, EVER.  I will always have my head above water.  Whether I am barley treading water or doing laps I will always succeed.  I am in love with my new tattoo and am so thankful that Micah (the tattoo artist) captured what I wanted perfectly.

Happy Memorial Day weekend all. I hope you all refuse to sink and kick ass with everything you are doing.

Over 10,000 views!

Ahhh, this week I hit over 10,000 views on my blog! :] Thank you to all those of you who read my blog regularly.  Now that school is over for the summer I am going to try to post at least 2 blogs a week! Let me know if there are any topics you would like me to write about.

Thanks again for reading! Now for some motivational quotes!

 

Confessions from my inner self

It is one of those days, well I often have these days.  The days where no matter what anyone says me I still see myself as the old me.  I look in the mirror and often see the less fit, unhappy me.  The scale tells me one thing but when I look in the mirror my mind tells me another thing.  It is absolutely exasperating.  I have come so far and I know I look and feel a million times better than I did 3 years ago.  I am finally healthy, however I think my brain is still trying to play catch up with my physical transformation.

I know it takes a while to finally feel comfortable in your own skin after losing so much weight.  Even after almost a year of maintaining my weight I am still a little uncomfortable.  Perhaps I just haven't found a way to love myself completely yet.  I have always had a hard time with that, assuming it would become easier as I lost the weight.  Figuring that would solve everything. It solved some things, it has made me healthier and a little happier.  However, I am still struggling with loving myself completely. It is hard, but it will come.  I am lovable, completely worth love and have found love with my fiance.  Just need to find that love within myself.

Accepting the fact that I have transformed should be easy but it's not.  Everyone always says how great I look, but then I get some comments such as 'you are wasting away' or 'I hope you aren't trying to lose anymore weight'.  These are the comments where I want to scream I have been 235lbs before, I am at a comfortable 121ish and pretty damn happy.  I am not wasting away.  I am not too skinny, if anything my mind still plays those tricks on me, making me see myself as fat. BUT I am not fat anymore.  I AM HEALTHY.  No I am not wasting away, no I am not trying to lose more weight.  I am trying to gain muscle, I am trying to stay fit.  I will never go back to the old me.  Those kind of comments do not help me, they make me second guess myself.  I do not like that.

This whole inner struggle with my brain is tiring.  My struggle with peoples comments sometimes is tiring. I cannot wait for the day where my brain is FINALLY in line with my physical transformation.  I cannot wait to see the new happy, healthy, beautiful me completely.  Slowly but surely I will get there.  As of now I just have to look back at old pictures and remind myself that the old me is long gone.  The new healthy me is here to stay and I am never, ever going back.

I just want to be at peace someday.  Not focused so much on my appearance, but rather focused on my happiness.  Hopefully, someday I will fully realize how far I have come.  Someday I will.  I just know it. Someday I will finally love myself completely, then I will be at peace.

Vegetarian Taco filling

I love, love, love taco salads! They are probably one of my most favorite things to eat.  I tend to skip the taco shells and just load up on the veggies.  Here is an easy recipe for a completely satisfying taco filling.  I like to add peppers and onions to Quorn beef-style grounds.  It adds to the flavor and helps bulk up the serving size without adding too many calories.

Vegetarian Taco Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size red bell pepper
• 2 medium size green bell peppers
• 1 medium size brown onion
• 1 package Quorn beef-style grounds
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbs chopped garlic

Directions:

1. Chop up the peppers and onion.
2. In a pan cook oil and garlic on medium heat for 1 minute.
3. Add chopped peppers and onions, while stirring cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Add Quorn beef-style grounds to the pan as well as a splash of water.  Stir until heated all the way through.
5. Add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water.  Stir and let simmer for 2 minutes.

*Yields 4 serving (~1 cup each). ~15g protein and 155 calories.  

I usually serve it on a bed of lettuce with a bit of sour cream, Mexican cheese, salsa and fresh tomatoes! If you want to amp up the protein you can always add black beans to your salad.

Happy eating!

Magic Bullet

Ahhh I finally got a magic bullet! I have been wanting one for a while now but just couldn't get myself to spend the money.  In the end I didn't have to spend it anyway because I was given a brand new one for free! It was my lucky day.

I can't wait to start looking up new recipes and using it.  So far I have only made smoothies in it.  It has already proven to be easier to use than our big blender.  It makes less dishes since you drink out of the cup you made the smoothie in and it is super fast.  Hopefully in the near future I will use it for more than just smoothies.

Do any of you have a magic bullet? If so what do you make with it?!

Low-Calorie egg salad

This recipe is easy and delicious! With minimal ingredients you can be on your way to an amazing egg salad sandwich in no time at all!

Not Your Average Egg Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp reduced fat Hellmann's mayonnaise with olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Separate the yolks from the whites and throw away one egg yolk.  
2. Chop the 2 egg whites and one yolk up and place in a bowl.
3. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chives, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
4. Stir to combine.

*Yields 1 serving. ~9g protein and 115 calories.  

I usually serve it on one slice of multi-grain bread (80 calories) with lettuce, sprouts and tomato on top!  To amp up the protein I typically also eat this with a side of yogurt or cottage cheese.  Feel free to experiment with adding different spices and let me know how yours turns out!

Happy eating!

Get an accountability partner!

Having trouble staying on track? Find yourself an accountability partner!   Someone who you can call, text, email, etc. and tell them what you did to work out and how your eating went.  Do this daily.  This person can then in turn tell you about their day and you work together to motivate each other!

At the moment, my fiance is my accountability partner.  We keep tabs on each other daily.  Inquiring about what we did to work out and how we ate.  It really helps to have him around, it keeps me on track.  When I think about eating something bad for me I also think about how I would have to tell him I ate it.  This usually stops me from making bad decisions. It is also nice that I use him because we work out with each other on the weekends.  Motivating each other to go outside for a run/hike instead of just lounging around inside all day.  As much as I love having lazy time on the weekend, it is also nice to be active.

I also have a my fitness pal account and have added many friends on there.  MFP is a great place, with lots of motivated people willing to support you.  On MFP you can log your weight, food and workouts daily.  Others can see all of this and comment on things.  Supporting you throughout your weight loss journey! I have yet to find someone who is judgmental on there and just love the site.  Check it out!

Changing your lifestyle is hard, losing weight is hard but it is all totally worth it! Find yourself an accountability partner and get started on the right track today! You can do this, we all can do this.

Kale Lasagna

My fiance made a delicious Kale Lasagna the other night.  He followed a recipe found in my Vegetarian Times magazine.  Although he tweaked a couple of things, he followed the recipe almost exactly how they wrote it.  I couldn't believe how delicious it turned out and oh so filling. I ate mine with a side of Quorn Chik'n and was comfortably stuffed.  I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did if you make it.

Kale Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 8oz bunch Kale, stems removed
• 1 15oz package fat-free ricotta
• 4oz goat cheese
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 1/2  cups tomato puree
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 6 no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Cook Kale in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse until cool enough to handle.  Ring out kale and chop.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.
4. In a small mixing bowl, mix together ricotta and goat cheese.
5. Add garlic to a small sauce pan and cook on medium for 15 seconds.  Add red pepper flakes, tomato puree and diced tomatoes; simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
6. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the sauce.  Place 3 noodles on top of it.  Cover top of noodles with 1/2 remaining sauce.  Place all of the cheese mixture and Kale on top of the noodles.  Cover with remaining 3 noodles and place remaining sauce on top of them.
7. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bake for 40 minutes or until cheese has melted and lasagna is bubbly.

*Serves 8, about 183 calories and 14g protein per serving.

Happy eating!

My number one most asked question after losing over 110lbs.

My number one most asked question: Do you have any extra loose skin from all of your weight loss?

Answer: Yes I do, however I am working hard to get rid of it.  Right now I am doing some weight training and it has helped tone my arms and I hardly have any extra skin left on them.  However, my abdomen is a different story.  It isn't to the point where I can't feel confident in a bikini but it just isn't tight.  When I bend over I can see all the skin move to my center of gravity.  Not really what I want, but it is what it is.  I am working hard to try and get rid of it.  My advice to you is to start weight training NOW, it helps a lot in getting rid of the excess skin.  I really wish I had started weight training earlier in my weight loss journey.  May have helped my abdomen be less loose.

Don't starve yourself

IMPORTANT: Temporary diets, yield temporary results. You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off for good you need to change your whole lifestyle. You need to put in your full effort.  There is no quick fix, so stop restricting your calories so much and instead eat a healthy amount through out the day for your bodies needs.  That way your metabolism stays running high all day and can readily convert what you eat and drink into the energy your body needs. 

When you restrict your caloric intake for the day to something really low your body begins to use your muscle for energy.  So instead of losing that pesky fat you want to get rid of, you are losing your muscle.  Less muscle means a slower metabolism and a slower metabolism burns less calories throughout the day.  So now not only is your body getting rid of muscle, but it is burning less calories and you are losing less weight.  Does this sound like a good way to lose weight? NO! We want to keep our metabolism going strong all day and we want to lose fat not muscle!

If you want to lose more weight work on building more muscle. Our metabolic rate is partially due to the amount of muscle we have.  As said earlier less muscle means a slower metabolism, so if you have more muscle you will have a higher metabolism!  This is why younger people and men tend to have higher metabolisms. I know some women are afraid of weight training because they think they are going to look like a body builder but this is not the case (unless you are training to be a body builder, which takes years of dedication). So women, start doing weights it will do you a world of good in helping boost your metabolism!

In the end, eating too few calories can end up being just as bad for your body as eating too many calories is. It is important to remember that the less you consume, the less fat your body burns. So, eat healthy and skip the dieting.  Your body needs energy, let the food you put in it be that energy.

My early birthday gift: new running shoes!

Ahhh!!! My new running shoes finally came in! For my birthday my fiance let me custom make a pare of Nike Lunarglide +3 shield running shoes. :]  I have been wearing Nike to run in for the past 2 years now and would never switch to another brand.  They always fit my feet like a glove and seem to give me the best support.  This is my first time trying the Lunarglide +3, I was wearing dual fushion st 2 but they have discontinued making new models of that shoe.

To celebrate my early gift I went on a nice long run.  This also allowed me to try out a new app I downloaded for my iPhone called mapmyrun. It worked pretty well, telling me at each mile I hit what my pace was, how long I had been running and how many miles I had ran.  At the end of your workout it also allows you to see your stats (I have posted mine below).  You can see this on your phone as well as online.  I may try another running app I downloaded called runkeeper to see which one I like better.  Anyone know of any other good apps to track your runs?

So my take on my shoes after my first run?  I love them, they fit my foot perfectly and gave me just the right amount of support.  It was like I was running on air the whole time.  This is a great shoe for running on pavement, when I got home I had no aches or pains at all!  I can't wait to use them again on Sunday.

Low Calorie Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna

I love lasagna but HATE the calories that come along with it.  My fix for this: a noodle-less lasagna recipe that I found in the magazine Clean Eating (one of my favorite magazines!).  It turned out absolutely delicious.  Next time I may add some fresh or canned diced tomatoes to make it even more Lasagna like!   Nothing beats cooking a fresh and healthy meal.

Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 1lb eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 cups cottage cheese
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place eggplant, zucchini and squash out in a singe layer on the baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.
3. In a large non-stick pan heat oil for a minute.  Add onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent.  Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese and oregano.
4. Lightly spray a 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the dish with zucchini and squash.  Use all of the rounds, overlapping them to cover the whole bottom of the dish. Top with the cottage cheese mixture.  Place eggplant on top of the cottage cheese layer in overlapping rows, then top with mozzarella.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbling.

*Makes 4 servings, 23g protein, 250 calories per serving.  Add 80 calories if having a Quorn Chik'n Cutlet with the lasagna.

Happy eating!

Eating out

I absolutely love to eat out. There is just something about going out for a meal and not having to do a darn thing.  Don't get me wrong, as you can see from my blog I love to cook but once in awhile it is nice to have someone else do the cooking.  That way I even get out of doing the dishes!

What we all fail to remember is that it is okay to eat out! Now, am I saying that we should all eat out every day? No.  More than once a week? Probably not the best idea.  However, what I am saying is that as long as you plan it out ahead of time eating out can be less of a bad thing and more of a fun thing.

Now, it's time to get planning so you can go out!

Step 1: Find nutritional values for the place you want to go.  Most restaurants now readily provide nutritional information for there food.  If you cannot find any nutritional information online for where you want to go you can always call them and ask if they have it available at the restaurant.

Step 2: Plan it out! Figure out what you want to eat before you leave the house.  Are you going to have a dessert? If so which one? How is that going to affect what you choose as your main course?

Step 3: Plan out what you are going to eat through out the day before you go out to eat.  This way you are sure to stay around your caloric goal for the day!  If you plan on using a lot of your calories allotted when you are out to eat, try eating a bit lighter earlier in the day.

Step 4: Don't just think you have to get a salad.  A lot of the times you will be surprised to see that the 'healthy' salad you thought you were getting ends up having more calories than the food you were really craving.

Step 5: Enjoy your food, just because you are living a healthy lifestyle it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your food.  If you want the high calorie eggplant parm that comes with spaghetti and sauce, get it!  Just remember to use portion control.  Ask for a box right away and put half of your meal in it.  That way you aren't tempted to eat more than you allotted your calories for!

Once you have a plan eating out will become less stressful.  It will become fun again and you will be able to enjoy yourself instead of constantly worrying about how this meal is going to affect your day.

Written on my body.

I love how someone said my dedication is now written on my body.  What a perfect way to sum up all of my hard work, sweat, set backs, high points, challenges, ass kicking work outs, and lifestyle changes I have encountered over the past 3 years.

My dedication is written on my body.  Every time I look in the mirror I see a new me.  A healthier, happier and all together more amazing me.   I am not only healthier physically but mentally as well.  I can finally say I am proud of who I have become.  Now, I just want to live my life to the fullest and I want to inspire others to do the same.

Love your body and treat it with respect.  Then others will start to see your dedication written all over your own body.

Goal setting!

Whether you are at the end of your weight loss journey or at the beginning everyone has goals.  What are your goals? Write them down and hang them somewhere that you will see daily.  That way, when you are having a bad day you can remind yourself why you are working so hard.  You can remember what you are trying to accomplish.

Reevaluate your goals every once in awhile.  See which ones you have met and see which ones you would like to change.  If you meet all your goals, strive to come up with new, more challenging ones.  Life is all about challenging yourself.  Challenge yourself to do something you think is impossible at the moment.  Then, when you accomplish it you will realize that EVERYTHING is possible if you work for it.  Nothing comes easy, so keep working, keep setting goals and keep living healthy!

My goals at the moment:

1. To keep defining my abs, I want a tight body.
2. To do yoga 2 times a week.
3. To work out 6/7 days each week.
4. To work towards doing running race of some sort.
5. To love myself completely.
6. To focus on gaining muscle and not the pesky number on the scale.
7. To log my weight weekly (just to keep track).

These are just my health goals, feel free to also write down your personal life goals. :]

Vegetarian Spanish Chik'n and Rice

I found this recipe in an issue of Clean Eating magazine.  I was first intrigued by how good the food in the picture looked and next by the protein and calorie stats the recipe had.  I knew I had to try it asap as I was already drooling thinking about it! Luckily, it turned out to be even MORE delicious than I thought it was going to be and oh so filling.

Vegetarian Spanish Chik'n and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Quron Chik'n Cutlets
• 1/4 tsp sea salt and black pepper (per serving)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked instant brown rice
• 32 oz canned diced tomatoes with liquid
• 2 tsp chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup pitted and sliced green olives
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions:

1. In a large pan heat oil on medium-high.  Season Chik'n on both sides with salt and pepper.  Transfer to pan and saute until lightly brown.  Set Chik'n aside.
2. Add garlic and onion to the pan and saute for 1 minute.  Add bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes. Add rice and stir until it is lightly toasted and combined with the vegetables.
3. Add tomatoes with liquid, chile powder and cumin to pan.  Stir to combine and break apart and large tomato chunks. (If the rice is not fully covered by the tomato liquid add water until it is.) Bring to a boil then, reduce to a simmer.
4. Place Chik'n on top of the rice mixture.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until rice is tender.
5. Add olives and cilantro to the rice mixture and stir.
6. Portion out serving sizes before adding cheese evenly among all servings.

*Serves 4, serving size 1 cup rice mixture and 1 Chik'n cutlet.  340 calories and 32g protein per serving!

Enjoy.

Do this for you!

YOU have to want to lose weight, no one else can want it for you.  Be your own motivator, dig deep inside and find your inner strength.  Changing your lifestyle to a healthy one has to be done when you are fully ready to commit to a life of health. Only you can know when you are ready, but when you are commit fully to whatever plan you have.  Don't half ass anything.  If you half ass it eventually you will end up close to where you started.  Changing takes courage and commitment.  You can do it!  Have faith in yourself and you will see results. :]

Some days are better than others.

Don't let one bad decision ruin your whole day, week or month. You can do this I promise you.  Remind yourself of the promise you have made to living a new healthy lifestyle.  This promise isn't just for now but it is for the rest of your life.

We all have bad days but we should never let one bad day stop us from reaching our goal.  For example yesterday at work my boss bought us all a chocolate cake to share.  Now I am typically not a fan of cake, but this one looked delicious with a whipped chocolate frosting and cookie crumbles on top. Yum, it was too appealing to the eye to say no so I had a pretty good sized piece.


After eating it my mind immediately started turning wondering if I should have had it or not.  I pondered about it for a minute or so and then reminded myself that one piece of cake wasn't going to kill my day.  What would kill my day was if I let that one piece of cake spiral into eating unhealthy for the duration of the day. Right then I decided I would eat the rest of my normally planned meals for the day and I would be fine.


One thing I have learned through this whole weight loss journey is that it is okay to let yourself have a treat every now and then.  Does that mean I eat treats every day? No. Do I even have one every other day? Not usually. However, I do allow myself to have them every once in awhile.


If you deprive yourself of the things you love you will only crave them more. Just remember, when you do have a treat try to use portion control.  Instead
of eating multiple servings, just have 1 and really enjoy that serving.  Try not
to use eating the treat as an excuse to throw away the rest of your day. Eating a treat every now and then will not kill your progress, but eating unhealthy all day everyday will.

Vegetarian Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

I love this recipe for Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers that I found in my Vegetarian times magazine! It is absolutely delicious and as a lover of stuffed peppers this may be the best one I have made yet! I typically serve it with an extra side of veggies and sometimes a bit of salsa.  Perfect for a light lunch or dinner!

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (½ cup)
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¾ cup quinoa
• 3 large carrots, grated (1 ½ cups)
• 1 ½ cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Directions:

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

4. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving. 

*Serves 8, around 279 calories per 1/2 pepper and 14g protein!

Enjoy!