Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Remember the old saying "you are what you eat"? It's definitely true, because your body is a reflection of your lifestyle. For the longest time, I never really thought about what I ate, ignorance was bliss. Besides, I wasn't eating McDonald's everyday and thought I was doing okay. But then again I didn't have a desk job, I was outside the majority of my work weeks...haha, see where I'm going with this? Then I settled for the desk job and the activity lessened, my eating habits stayed the same and the pounds started coming on. I blamed it on metabolism, getting old, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Over the past year, I've made some serious changes when it comes to my eating habits. I started taking a real hard look at what I was eating and was surprised by how much CRAP (Carbonated drinks - Refined sugars - Artificial food - Processed food). OMG the amount of processed food that was supposedly 'healthy' that I was consuming was alarming. I would purchase the easy pop in the microwave meals because I didn't have time to cook. Those of you who eat the process food just take a gander at the Nutritional Facts...what got me was the amount of sugar and sodium in some of these meals. Well, no wonder why I'm so bloated. Then I started noticing how I felt when I would eat processed food and junk...yeah, it might have tasted good at the moment, but I was lethargic and just meh all the time.

When I first started clean eating, it was hard. But the reason it was hard was because I was going through withdrawal, craving sugary and salty snacks...fried food, etc. But a few days in and I started noticing differences. I didn't need to snack a lot, because I was giving my body the needed nutrients it needed to be satisfied. The bloat had reduced, I had more energy and just overall felt better. Not to mention I lost about 4 lbs in a week...love seeing those kind of results! I don't eat clean 100% of the time, but try at least 75-80% of the time. I am human and if you know me, you know I'm a self-proclaimed chocoholic. :-)

I'll leave with this, eating healthy doesn't mean boring. I've made some really tasty meals that are really good for you too. And even Chris enjoys them, although he still wants his burger with a fried egg on top when we go out. :-)

Last night's dinner was Chinese Chicken served over brown rice. Super good and super easy!

Adjust the measurements for the number of portions. Below is for 1 serving (300 calories per serving)

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup of broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (I left these out....not a fan of the fungus)
• 1/2 cup of snow peas
• 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp peanut oil or sesame oil
• 1/2 c quinoa, cooked or brown rice

1. In a large skillet, lightly coat with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat until cooked thoroughly, about 7-10 minutes
2. Remove chicken from pan and add broccoli, mushrooms, and snow peas. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Add chicken back to pan with vegetables and season with soy sauce, broth and oil.
4. Serve over quinoa or brown rice

Day 34: Challenge Groups

It's hard to believe that it's been a little over a month since I started this program, but it just goes to show that being in a challenge group really helps to keep me going! This group of women that I'm in this journey with are completely amazing! We post daily, give each other pep talks, keep each other motivated and accountable. If I were doing this alone, I don't know if I would still be keeping up or would have found some excuse to stop (no time, too stressed, missed a workout...oh and another, too tired, etc).

I've been in challenge groups before, however this one is different. We are like a group of Marines and don't leave anyone behind. This week was a key example on how much we care about each other (and most of us have only met through this online group)! You know the saying, when it rains, it pours? Well, that definitely rang true for our group this week. It seemed that week 5 was the week to hit a wall for us as there was a roller coaster of emotions coming from most. However the amazing thing was how we all helped each other get through the week, stay on track, and keep pushing forward. No matter what anyone says in the group, there is no negative remarks made by anyone to another person in the group. It's quite refreshing from posts you see elsewhere within social media, it's nice to see positivity and genuine caring for others. We truly have bonded as friends and consider each other as family.

If you've been struggling to keep up with a fitness program, eating healthy, etc., I highly encourage you to find an accountability partner, coach, or group to help keep you motivated. If you need help or need a coach, just let me know!