HOW SODA IMPACTS HEALTH

Alexander Khokhlov, "Silhouette"

Pablo Picasso, "The Dream" 1932

SPAGHETTI SQUASH PASTA

1. Heat the oven to 350. 
2. Slice the squash in half.
3. Scoop out the seeds just like you would do to a pumpkin or melon.
4. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
5. Place the squash halves seed side down.
6. Bake for 50-65 minutes or until soft.
7. Hold the squash with a oven mitt and scrape the insides with a fork over a bowl. 
8. I added 2 tbps of low sodium spaghetti sauce. 

source: undressedskeleton.tumblr.com

THURSDAY CHECK IN!!!

Happy Thursday Everybody!


I'm hailing from Chicago today and I've been in Chicago all week, which is probably why I've been so MIA recently. I haven't worked out for about a week now, since I've been on vacation, and I've been staying away from the scale because during the time of the month I gained about 10lbs of weight due to bloating. 


While on vacation on Chicago, I've been eating ONLY when hungry, and I've been trying very hard not to overindulge. I haven't been eating as clean as I should be, but I've been trying to eat better. I think Im finally getting a grasp on eating healthier. 3x I've gone out to eat with friends at different restaurants, and EACH TIME..I ate only until I was full and I DIDN'T EAT ALL MY FOOD. 


I am so proud of myself!!! This is so new to me, this is the first vacation I have taken in years where my life didn't resolve around food. I wasn't going to weigh myself because I was scared that I had gained weight. I finally weighed myself today, and I actually I've lost 3lbs of bloating from my TOM, and I have yet to work out. I plan on going for a run today in Chicago to maintain the weight loss. 

On Tuesday, I went to a pizza restaurant in Chicago and tried their famous deep dish pizzas. I only had ONE piece of pizza. I WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF. Usually I eat all I see in front of me until I'm overly stopped and I come back from my trips 8 lbs heavier. 


I think this blog and learning how to revamp my relationship with food has been a great experience for me. This trip has taught me that I can eat all sorts of food in moderation and still maintain weight. I leave Chicago on Sunday, and from Now till Sunday, I will:
1. Keep eating everything in moderation.
2. Exercise at least 2x 
3. Be proud of myself whatever the scale says on Monday in Saint Louis, because I have taken steps in discipline that I haven't taken in years!


HAPPY THURSDAY!!!

SMALL CHANGES FOR WEIGHT LOSS!!!

SELF-RESPECT

MAKE THE PLEDGE!

HOW PERSPECTIVES ON SIZE CHANGE

In the 50's in America, this woman's body was thought of as "perfection", she had hips, curves, and was proportionate. Now in America, there is an obsession with "thin" and looking like a hanger. 

My perspective on body is this:...

Medically speaking, a healthy body is one that does not have a high amount of fat in the abdominal area. Since fat in the area are usually portents of diabetes, heart disease, and a high amount of other fat-related diseases. I think beauty is beauty and as long as one lives a healthy life-style, exercises, eats in moderation, and keeps their abdominal fat to a minimum. They are on the path to life-long fitness. 

It's just interesting to see how society sets its standards for beauty and how unfortunately the individuals in society can be enslaved by the desperation for perfection.

THURSDAY AM CHECK IN

 GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY THURSDAY.

 



I know I've been MIA for a while but I've been at different functions this week, swamped with work, and frustrated with TOM (time of the month). I haven't really worked out for a week, and I've been bloated, retained water, and positively miserable. But IM BACK


Today I woke up and went for a run and burnt about 1200 calories (per my hrm), it was about a 2 hour run. I am now back to eating cleaner. I haven't weighed myself because I know I've gained from water weight from bloating and not eating healthy, so I'll keep working out, eating cleaner, and weigh in when I'm back from my trip.

Hope all is well with everybody, and I hope everybody is working hard both in the gym, and in all aspects of their lives. 

NAMASTE!!!

NO GYM? NO PROBLEM!

FOOD LISTS

THURSDAY AM CHECK IN!

GOOD MORNING FELLOW FITNESS ENTHUSIASTS!


This Morning I woke up at up 6:15 am and went for a "quick" morning run. I burned about 1147 calories and although I'm extremely tired, I am glad that I went for a run. I have run 4 days out of the week so far, and only need to run 1 more to hit my goal of 5 days exercising this week (I'm going to try to run two more days). 


Tomorrow is a rest day for me, I find myself very winded on my runs and I think I need a break from cardio and I need to relax...I'll probably do some situps or squats...or maybe just RELAX AND STRETCH..at this point I feel a deserve a little break.


This Week I have had extreme success with portion control I HAVEN'T BINGED AT ALL. I find that having fewer snacks through out the day keeps me less hungry ( strange right?). So I have a nice breakfast, nice lunch, maybe a snack and nice dinner (dinner is usually my lightest meal)...so at most 2 snacks in the day instead of 3..and I only snack IF I feel hungry...NOT because Its time for a snack. 

Today I will be:

Positive

Poised

Patient

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

FOR MY VEGGIE LOVERS OUT THERE..(AND NON LOVERS CUZ WE ALL NEED VEGGIES!!!)

TUESDAY CHECK IN

HULLO  AND HAPPY TUESDAY!

The above picture is of my shrunken afro of me today post my workout on my way to work. Running and sweat and humidity tends to shrink my hair 5-6 inches...CRAZY RIGHT? Today I went for a run and was very very winded...(not sure why..maybe I'm running too much and need a break?). Had to wog..(jogging and walking combined)...but still managed to stay the track and not turn around..I burned about 1250 calories doing 2 hours of "wogging". 


Its 4:11 pm over here and so far I'd say I'm doing great with my food intake. Breakfast was peanuts...and lunch was red kidney beans, salmon fillet, and a sweet potato. 


I'm trying the fewer snacks challenge where I don't eat as much snacks in between because for some reason..snacks tend to make me "hungrier"...not sure why. So i'm going to try to stick to 1-2 snacks (instead of 3) during the day, maintain the same calorie intake (1200-1500), and see if that makes any difference with my urges to binge.


Today has been a very positive day for me, and I am so proud of myself because I HAVEN'T HAD ANY URGES TO INDULGE IN UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS..KNOCK ON WOOD!!!


Cheers to a happy Tuesday, and learning about BEAUTIFUL DISCIPLINE!

SHRINK YOUR WAIST!!!

CURVES ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

BIGGEST LOSER OATMEAL PANCAKES

 

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup cottage cheese
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.
Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat
Spray skillet with Pam olive spray
For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle
Flip when they start to bubble
Cook until golden brown and repeat with remaining batter
Makes about 10 pancakes

Number of Servings: 3

Nutritional info per serving (about 3 pancakes):
181 calories, 2.7g fat, 20 g carbs, 2.8 g fiber,  
 

SIMPLE BMR CALCULATOR

WEEKLY WEIGH IN- 107 POUNDS LOST

HOORAYYYYY...I can now cross off my second mile stone...I have surpassed 225, and this morning weigh in at 223.2 lbs. I now have 10 milestones left to cross out before I hit my first COMFORTABLE highlighted weight of 170 lbs!


Last week I was 228.8 lbs for a weekly weight loss of 5.6 lbs and an overall weight loss of 107 lbs.


I cannot be happier, I really pushed myself last week and still made sure I was eating between 1200-1600 calories, and NEVER LESS THAN 1100 calories..


My goal for next week will be to hit that next milestone and be at 220 lbs...(doesn't matter the ounces, as long as I see 220 before the decimal point).


To do so I will:


Work out 5 times this week (1 down, 4 to go)
Drink at least 8 glasses of water
Introduce more salads and protein in my diet and less processed carbs
Be proud of myself regardless of what I weigh on Monday :)


Happy Weekly Weigh In!!!

MONDAY AM CHECK IN

Happy Monday My fellow fitness aficionados!

This morning I woke up and ran for about 2 hours...I was EXHAUSTED..but I burned 1440 calories, and I am pumped for the rest my day. 

This past weekend (Saturday and Sunday) were my rest days, so I didn't work out at all, but I still made sure that I was watching my caloric intake and drinking lots of water.

I was very nervous about taking two back to back days off, but I still managed to lose weight and give my body some much needed recuperation. So now I am focused more on understanding how my body works, and understanding that rest days are very important.

Today I will:

1. Work on understanding the value of a calories
2. Not yield into to any temptation to binge
3. Drink 10 glasses of water
4. Stay Positive
5. Take each day for what it is: A chance to excel and to challenge myself
6. Work on not comparing myself to others.

Words to Eat AND Live By

SMALL VICTORIES

Today I:


1. Exercised
2.Didn't beat myself up for my poor food choices last night
3. Ate relatively clean
4. Walked by Auntie Anne's at the Mall, stood in line and then walked away
5. Stood in line to get bagels at panera bread, then walked away
6. Went to the movies, and didn't buy ANY FOOD, packed some crackers and water to anticipate any temptations.
7. Drank my water
8. Am prepared for what tomorrow brings me


How was YOUR day?




Good Night :)

WHAT I ATE FOR LUNCH TODAY-SPICY CHICKEN TENDERLOINS, QUINOA, RED POTATOES AND GREEN BEANS

For Lunch Today I baked some chicken tenderloins, had a serving of quinoa, and some Green Giant roasted potato steamers with green beans and roasted potato butter sauce all for 450 calories.


Ingredients:
Pack of Chicken Tenderloins (Aldi's, less processed for me).
5 tbsp red hot paprika pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice (pure lemon)
2 tsp cajun spices( or more season to taste)
1 tsp black peper
2 cubes maggi (can be ommitted for those watching their sodium)
1 tbsp Lawry's Jamaican Jerk Marinade (season to taste)
1 tbsp Lawry's Tomato Basil Marinade( season to taste)
1/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup Green Giant  100% Natural -Valley Fresh Steamers-Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans and Rosemary Butter Sauce


Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash the Chicken Tenderloins, and in a large bowl add in the paprika pepper, cajun spices, maggi, marinades and finally the lemon juice.
2. Mix together thoroughly and lay the tenderloins on a flat cooking sheet sprayed with Pam Olive Oil Spray

3. Place in the oven at 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until baked to your desire (I like my tenderloins juicy so I don't like them to dry out too much).
4. Place 1/4 cup Quinoa in a pot and put about 2 cups water in it and set to a medium boil covered. Add water as needed to ensure quinoa is fully cooked. It should look like this when done:

5. Microwave packet of steamers for about 5 minutes and measure out 3/4 cup to eat (thats 1 serving)

Enjoy Your meal when fully cooked. 4 oz tenderloins is a serving( so about 2 pieces). I have 2 servings(4 tenderloin pieces)  on my plate because I am upping my protein and wanted more meat. if you only have a serving of tenderloins then you are at about 360 calories (give or take). 

Serving size: approx. 450 calories, 51g Carbohydrates, 5g. Fat, 53g protein, 5g Fiber

VISUAL AIDE FOR VITAMINS FOUND IN CERTAIN FOODS