1/6/2018
In preparation for going back to work on Monday, I'm stock-piling some easy go-to breakfasts and lunches. I love the greek yogurt flips (coconut with dark chocolate and almonds is my favorite! Brandon eats the peanut butter one.). It's easy, delicious, healthy and filling. I love oatmeal (mentioned in Day 2's blog), especially in the winter, and the Quaker overnight oats are great when I remember to do them the night before! Quick easy and healthy lunches I like to pack and take are the tuna packs to go, salad with chicken (pre-grilled in preparation for the week), and the Bird's eye protein blends found in the frozen section (I eat 1/3 to 1/2 of a package and sometimes add avocado…Southwest is my favorite one). My favorite snack to take is the Sabra Hummus snack pack that comes with the little flat donut-shaped pretzels…roasted red pepper or roasted garlic. Yum.
Here's how today happened:
Breakfast: Yogurt Crossover. I betrayed my beloved Chobani because they were momentarily OUT of my favorite flavor. So, I had the Fage Crossover, which basically ripped of the Chobani Flip. However, it was coconut with dark chocolate chips and it was delicious.
I took my hot coffee in a cork cup and my SIC (seriously ice cold) cup, complete with stainless steel straw (I like my water to stay cold) and walked to the school to get some work done. By walk, I mean out my back gate and across the parking lot. :)
Lunch: By the time I got home, three hours later, I was really ready for lunch. I made a salad with spinach, grilled chicken, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette. It hit the spot.
We were going to the movies with some friends at Alamo Draft House, so I knew we would eat dinner out…again. I was also seeing the same movie I saw yesterday, and I was ecstatic. It was just as good, if not better, the second time around. (The Greatest Showman-seriously, see it. Then buy the soundtrack, sign and dance around the living room and burn a bunch of calories.)
The sitter was coming around 6:30, so in all of our wisdom, we decided at 4:00 to start demo day in my living room. We pulled up carpet and nails and foam and glue. We worked our tails off for 2 hours. Then, we sort of put the room back together and got ready to leave.
Dinner: After that impromptu workout, I was very hungry by the time we got to the movie. With more than enough calories to spare, I had sangria (theirs is my most favorite I've ever had), chicken strips and fries. Also, I drank a GINORMOUS glass of ice water.
I logged everything from dinner when I got home, and my app said I still had 800 some odd calories left. I was encouraged, because I was well under my goal and more than satisfied. I did end up finishing a bit of a Complete Cookie-Double Chocolate and am currently having a Zevia sparkling water. I am normally not a fan of sparkling water, but they were on sale at Sprouts and I needed something different. The lime isn't my favorite, but I really like the blackberry.
One day away from the end of week #1 and two days away from weigh-in. If you're still following along on the journey, thanks for reading. I would love to hear your tips and things you're doing to make healthy choices!
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Friday, January 5, 2018
Intermittent Fasting: Day 5
1/5/2018
This is the first day I have not been under my calorie goal since tracking, and that's including the 500 calorie day. I made some great, well-planned decisions and stuck to them. Then, I was also lazy in some areas.
Breakfast: Today was my last day until I don't know when to sleep in a little bit. So, when I got up and made breakfast for the kids, I just didn't want to make breakfast for myself. I wasn't hungry anyway, so I had an extra turkey sausage link and my water and coffee.
Lunch: By lunch I was a little hungry, so I had a chicken quesadilla.
Snacks: I went to the movies with some friends, so to avoid the temptation to get popcorn or a coke, I filled up my 32 oz. Nalgene with water and grabbed a package of almonds. It worked beautifully…except I finished my water and had to get up and leave during the movie to use the bathroom.
After the movie, I went to Sprouts to stock up on some fruits (apples, bananas and banana chips) and veggies (asparagus and brussel sprouts). I picked up some sparkling water and some lemons to add to my boring regular water. I also grabbed some Skinny Pop :)
Dinner: We were going out to eat with family, and I knew this in advance, so I had tried to plan accordingly for where we were going to eat. We get to the restaurant and they were not busy at all but apparently had so many take out orders to fill that it was going to be a long wait. So, we went next door to Twisted Root Burger Co. I had a hamburger and some fried pickles. Those pickles put me over my calories, but they were worth it!! Haha
Now…we just need to eat at home, so I can cook all this healthy food I bought!! I will be weighing in on Mondays and will share how this plan is affecting my weight loss goals. I don't expect to see a lot of change until I'm exercising again, along with the intermittent fasting plan.
This is the first day I have not been under my calorie goal since tracking, and that's including the 500 calorie day. I made some great, well-planned decisions and stuck to them. Then, I was also lazy in some areas.
Breakfast: Today was my last day until I don't know when to sleep in a little bit. So, when I got up and made breakfast for the kids, I just didn't want to make breakfast for myself. I wasn't hungry anyway, so I had an extra turkey sausage link and my water and coffee.
Lunch: By lunch I was a little hungry, so I had a chicken quesadilla.
Snacks: I went to the movies with some friends, so to avoid the temptation to get popcorn or a coke, I filled up my 32 oz. Nalgene with water and grabbed a package of almonds. It worked beautifully…except I finished my water and had to get up and leave during the movie to use the bathroom.
After the movie, I went to Sprouts to stock up on some fruits (apples, bananas and banana chips) and veggies (asparagus and brussel sprouts). I picked up some sparkling water and some lemons to add to my boring regular water. I also grabbed some Skinny Pop :)
Dinner: We were going out to eat with family, and I knew this in advance, so I had tried to plan accordingly for where we were going to eat. We get to the restaurant and they were not busy at all but apparently had so many take out orders to fill that it was going to be a long wait. So, we went next door to Twisted Root Burger Co. I had a hamburger and some fried pickles. Those pickles put me over my calories, but they were worth it!! Haha
Now…we just need to eat at home, so I can cook all this healthy food I bought!! I will be weighing in on Mondays and will share how this plan is affecting my weight loss goals. I don't expect to see a lot of change until I'm exercising again, along with the intermittent fasting plan.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Intermittent Fasting: Day 4
1/4/2018
I knew today might be a challenge. We spent the day out of town, and when you eat out, it can be difficult, but not impossible to make healthy choices.
Breakfast at home: I finally got eggs!! Scrambled eggs with spinach, onion, avocado and green sauce. (505 Souhwestern Flame Roasted Green Chile…mmmmm) Also, a turkey sausage link. Brandon has been eating the same meals as me when we eat together. He's done well and says he is enjoying the healthier meals.
Drinking water was easier today, because I spent quite a bit of time in the car and somehow that makes it easier. Maybe it gives me something to do??
Lunch Out: We picked up food from a favorite restaurant at my old stomping grounds, Canyon, TX, home of West Texas A&M University Buffaloes. I had blackened catfish, steamed rice and green beans, and it was delicious. Game day for Brandon, and an afternoon game threw off his schedule. He didn't eat lunch today.
The kids and I spent the afternoon with my BFF, who I met in college and our kids played together…we may have some arranged marriages in their futures. It was a perfect day. Then, we went to watch the TCS Runnin' Lions play basketball in Amarillo.
Dinner Out: Chili's. I ordered the buffalo chicken ranch sandwich with french fries. BREADED chicken on BREAD with FRIED potatoes and ketchup. At least I drank water :) I added it to My Fitness Pal, and miraculously I was still 122 calories under. This was fortunate, because I stopped for a small iced coffee in Plainview on the drive home, which could have been the difference between staying alert and falling asleep at the wheel. Brandon had Rosa's after the game before heading home.
One bad habit that I've become aware of and am working to break is finishing my kids' food. I didn't realize how much I did this, but now I catch myself and can stop doing it. I hate to waste food…or really anything. I am learning to let some things like that go, for the sake of better health and more sensible priorities.
Not a perfect day, but I would say it was successful…
I knew today might be a challenge. We spent the day out of town, and when you eat out, it can be difficult, but not impossible to make healthy choices.
Breakfast at home: I finally got eggs!! Scrambled eggs with spinach, onion, avocado and green sauce. (505 Souhwestern Flame Roasted Green Chile…mmmmm) Also, a turkey sausage link. Brandon has been eating the same meals as me when we eat together. He's done well and says he is enjoying the healthier meals.
Drinking water was easier today, because I spent quite a bit of time in the car and somehow that makes it easier. Maybe it gives me something to do??
Lunch Out: We picked up food from a favorite restaurant at my old stomping grounds, Canyon, TX, home of West Texas A&M University Buffaloes. I had blackened catfish, steamed rice and green beans, and it was delicious. Game day for Brandon, and an afternoon game threw off his schedule. He didn't eat lunch today.
The kids and I spent the afternoon with my BFF, who I met in college and our kids played together…we may have some arranged marriages in their futures. It was a perfect day. Then, we went to watch the TCS Runnin' Lions play basketball in Amarillo.
Dinner Out: Chili's. I ordered the buffalo chicken ranch sandwich with french fries. BREADED chicken on BREAD with FRIED potatoes and ketchup. At least I drank water :) I added it to My Fitness Pal, and miraculously I was still 122 calories under. This was fortunate, because I stopped for a small iced coffee in Plainview on the drive home, which could have been the difference between staying alert and falling asleep at the wheel. Brandon had Rosa's after the game before heading home.
One bad habit that I've become aware of and am working to break is finishing my kids' food. I didn't realize how much I did this, but now I catch myself and can stop doing it. I hate to waste food…or really anything. I am learning to let some things like that go, for the sake of better health and more sensible priorities.
Not a perfect day, but I would say it was successful…
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Intermittent Fasting: Day 3
1/3/2018
I thought I would be so ready to eat a lot today and that the struggle would be to focus on portions and restrain from overeating. It was more the opposite. I got to 9:00pm, felt like I'd eaten quite a bit today, with effort, and was still 620 calories under my goal. I guess it's a good problem to have.
It took me about an hour to drink 20 oz of water so I could eat breakfast and have coffee.
Breakfast: Quaker overnight oats-toasted coconut and almond crunch (prepared with almond milk). Oh my goodness, this is good stuff y'all.
No snacks…too busy making snacks for the kids. And not hungry.
Lunch: Leftover chicken spaghetti casserole. And more water. I'm really over the water thing. The chicken spaghetti, however, was incredible. The amazing parents at our school do a great job of blessing and honoring our teachers, and this was one example of many blessings.
I got a spa gift for Christmas from my mom-in-law, so I spent the afternoon getting a massage, reflexology and a facial. You know what they do when you go the spa…make you drink water. 😐 The reflexology (first time for me) and massage was so relaxing. Is it just me, though, or are facials painful? I feel like I'm being tortured. Anyway… no snacks this afternoon.
Dinner: I had put a roast in the crockpot this morning, with a packet of Italian seasoning and a jar of pepperoncinis over it. When I walked in the door, it smelled amazing. I had spinach, roast, avocado and a slice of cheese wrapped up on my Lavash Roll Up. We had steamed broccoli on the side.
It was a good day. I have decided to start back to the gym next week. One step at a time.
I thought I would be so ready to eat a lot today and that the struggle would be to focus on portions and restrain from overeating. It was more the opposite. I got to 9:00pm, felt like I'd eaten quite a bit today, with effort, and was still 620 calories under my goal. I guess it's a good problem to have.
It took me about an hour to drink 20 oz of water so I could eat breakfast and have coffee.
Breakfast: Quaker overnight oats-toasted coconut and almond crunch (prepared with almond milk). Oh my goodness, this is good stuff y'all.
No snacks…too busy making snacks for the kids. And not hungry.
Lunch: Leftover chicken spaghetti casserole. And more water. I'm really over the water thing. The chicken spaghetti, however, was incredible. The amazing parents at our school do a great job of blessing and honoring our teachers, and this was one example of many blessings.
I got a spa gift for Christmas from my mom-in-law, so I spent the afternoon getting a massage, reflexology and a facial. You know what they do when you go the spa…make you drink water. 😐 The reflexology (first time for me) and massage was so relaxing. Is it just me, though, or are facials painful? I feel like I'm being tortured. Anyway… no snacks this afternoon.
Dinner: I had put a roast in the crockpot this morning, with a packet of Italian seasoning and a jar of pepperoncinis over it. When I walked in the door, it smelled amazing. I had spinach, roast, avocado and a slice of cheese wrapped up on my Lavash Roll Up. We had steamed broccoli on the side.
It was a good day. I have decided to start back to the gym next week. One step at a time.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Intermittent Fasting: Day 2
1/2/2018
I have to admit…I have been a little nervous about fasting today. It's one thing when you're at work and too busy to even have time to eat. We are still at home on Christmas break, and I am making the kids' meals and snacks. I just knew it was going to be a challenge.
Here's the recap from Day 2:
I had a glass of water first thing, even before coffee. :) I had some ideas about what I could eat for breakfast, because I know I do better with a plan. I was not hungry, so I decided to save my precious calories.
I had a 9:00 appointment, and the temperature was in the teens this morning. I made some coffee to go with some Silk vanilla almond creamer…it was SO worth the 25 calories! The suggestions say you can have water, black coffee and unsweet tea to help with hunger. I don't do black coffee.
My sweet husband has not fared so well.
Breakfast: He had oatmeal…we like the Better Oats brand with steel cut oats and flaxseed…maple and brown sugar-100 calories. He does like his coffee black, if it's good coffee. Yes, we are coffee snobs.
He is a high school boys' basketball coach, and they had practice this morning. He also tends to be hypoglycemic. (We should have researched this more in advance.) So, when he got dizzy and felt like he was going to pass out, he ate a Milky Way. Poor guy.
Lunch: When he got home, he had some leftover chicken and butternut squash and an apple. I'm so thankful he's willing to try this with me, but we know that our needs are different and our bodies will respond differently, so we are ready to flexible and make adjustments.
I was still doing ok, so around 2:00, I made a salad: spinach, a hard boiled egg, avocado and balsamic vinegar dressing. I'm trying to learn servings and ounces and measurements, so right now I'm using the awesome food scale mom gave me a while back and my new measuring spoons my sis-in-law gave me for Christmas! Had my sweet, adorable, mooching children not wanted bites of my egg and avocado, it would have totaled 186 calories. It's a good thing they're cute.
The reading I've done says not to work out on fasting days but to do some yoga or something like that. We decided to take the boys to a trampoline park/ropes course/rock wall/laser tag place. :) We survived.
Dinner: We had an amazing 300 calorie dinner. The amazing part, other than the taste, is that Brandon was so hungry that he tried it and LOVED it. I have discovered Indian Vegetable Tikka Masala at Costco and paired it with Basmati Rice (both by Tasty Bites and prepared in the microwave). It was incredible. I accidentally let Brandon know, after he ate it and loved it, that it had green peas in it. He hates them but said he couldn't taste them. I did not tell him I read, after the fact, that it also had cashews in it. He's allergic to tree nuts. It won't kill him, but he might get sick :-0 Hopefully not.
I ended the day with 512 consumed calories and feeling fine. My Fitbit tells me I burned over 2,000 calories today. Brandon was a little h-angry but mostly a good sport. He did have a little beef jerky to tide him over.
I have to admit…I have been a little nervous about fasting today. It's one thing when you're at work and too busy to even have time to eat. We are still at home on Christmas break, and I am making the kids' meals and snacks. I just knew it was going to be a challenge.
Here's the recap from Day 2:
I had a glass of water first thing, even before coffee. :) I had some ideas about what I could eat for breakfast, because I know I do better with a plan. I was not hungry, so I decided to save my precious calories.
I had a 9:00 appointment, and the temperature was in the teens this morning. I made some coffee to go with some Silk vanilla almond creamer…it was SO worth the 25 calories! The suggestions say you can have water, black coffee and unsweet tea to help with hunger. I don't do black coffee.
My sweet husband has not fared so well.
Breakfast: He had oatmeal…we like the Better Oats brand with steel cut oats and flaxseed…maple and brown sugar-100 calories. He does like his coffee black, if it's good coffee. Yes, we are coffee snobs.
He is a high school boys' basketball coach, and they had practice this morning. He also tends to be hypoglycemic. (We should have researched this more in advance.) So, when he got dizzy and felt like he was going to pass out, he ate a Milky Way. Poor guy.
Lunch: When he got home, he had some leftover chicken and butternut squash and an apple. I'm so thankful he's willing to try this with me, but we know that our needs are different and our bodies will respond differently, so we are ready to flexible and make adjustments.
I was still doing ok, so around 2:00, I made a salad: spinach, a hard boiled egg, avocado and balsamic vinegar dressing. I'm trying to learn servings and ounces and measurements, so right now I'm using the awesome food scale mom gave me a while back and my new measuring spoons my sis-in-law gave me for Christmas! Had my sweet, adorable, mooching children not wanted bites of my egg and avocado, it would have totaled 186 calories. It's a good thing they're cute.
The reading I've done says not to work out on fasting days but to do some yoga or something like that. We decided to take the boys to a trampoline park/ropes course/rock wall/laser tag place. :) We survived.
Dinner: We had an amazing 300 calorie dinner. The amazing part, other than the taste, is that Brandon was so hungry that he tried it and LOVED it. I have discovered Indian Vegetable Tikka Masala at Costco and paired it with Basmati Rice (both by Tasty Bites and prepared in the microwave). It was incredible. I accidentally let Brandon know, after he ate it and loved it, that it had green peas in it. He hates them but said he couldn't taste them. I did not tell him I read, after the fact, that it also had cashews in it. He's allergic to tree nuts. It won't kill him, but he might get sick :-0 Hopefully not.
I ended the day with 512 consumed calories and feeling fine. My Fitbit tells me I burned over 2,000 calories today. Brandon was a little h-angry but mostly a good sport. He did have a little beef jerky to tide him over.
Intermittent Fasting: Day 1
1/1/18
What better way to start a new year than with a healthy eating plan?! Today, the hubs and I are beginning the intermittent fasting plan that will eventually be the 5:2 eating plan (5 days of eating regular/healthy, normal calories and 2 days of fasting-500 calories for me/600 for him). However, we are easing into it and starting with one fasting day a week. I am tracking my calories on all days on My Fitness Pal, so I can have extra accountability, and let's face it- I haven't been sticking to any kind of plan for a while. The purposes we are hoping to accomplish with this are a healthier lifestyle, weight loss, diabetes prevention (for me) and improving gut health. I am going to chronicle my journey, in hopes that it will help encourage and inspire others to make healthier choices with us.
Here’s how Day 1 went:
Breakfast: I made what I’m calling 'breakfast hash' (for the third day in a row). I chop up yellow squash, onion and spinach and sautéed in a skillet with some evoo. When it was soft, I added avocado and salsa on the top. It was so good. I know it doesn’t sound very breakfast-y, and it was developed when I had forgotten to get eggs at the store and had to use what I had. Now I’m in love. I had a slice of multigrain toast with a little butter. My sweet husband brought me Yellow House coffee (our most favorite coffee in the world).
I am really trying to drink water throughout the day again, but I’ve struggled to get in the habit. I drank one glass of water between breakfast and lunch.
Lunch: I had a wrap with turkey and mustard on a Natural Lavash Roll-Up and some Miss Vickie's jalapeño kettle chips.
I didn't snack in between meals, because I wasn't hungry. :) I did better on my water in the afternoon.
Dinner: Brandon made chicken in the skillet and the flavor was amazing…he used some cajun seasoning and garlic salt. We had some cubed butternut squash that we roasted in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper. I made Veggie Pasta with butter salt and pepper. It was delicious and even the kids were asking when we could have it again.
To my surprise, I had been satisfied all day and was still 600 calories under my goal.
I was nervous about not eating anything else, knowing the next day was fasting, so while we watched college football, we snacked on some crackers and cheese. I found this southwest smoked gouda spread at Costco. It's amazing.
I had planned to go to the gym today, but we took down our Christmas decorations instead. :) Chasing children was my workout today.
What better way to start a new year than with a healthy eating plan?! Today, the hubs and I are beginning the intermittent fasting plan that will eventually be the 5:2 eating plan (5 days of eating regular/healthy, normal calories and 2 days of fasting-500 calories for me/600 for him). However, we are easing into it and starting with one fasting day a week. I am tracking my calories on all days on My Fitness Pal, so I can have extra accountability, and let's face it- I haven't been sticking to any kind of plan for a while. The purposes we are hoping to accomplish with this are a healthier lifestyle, weight loss, diabetes prevention (for me) and improving gut health. I am going to chronicle my journey, in hopes that it will help encourage and inspire others to make healthier choices with us.
Here’s how Day 1 went:
Breakfast: I made what I’m calling 'breakfast hash' (for the third day in a row). I chop up yellow squash, onion and spinach and sautéed in a skillet with some evoo. When it was soft, I added avocado and salsa on the top. It was so good. I know it doesn’t sound very breakfast-y, and it was developed when I had forgotten to get eggs at the store and had to use what I had. Now I’m in love. I had a slice of multigrain toast with a little butter. My sweet husband brought me Yellow House coffee (our most favorite coffee in the world).
I am really trying to drink water throughout the day again, but I’ve struggled to get in the habit. I drank one glass of water between breakfast and lunch.
Lunch: I had a wrap with turkey and mustard on a Natural Lavash Roll-Up and some Miss Vickie's jalapeño kettle chips.
I didn't snack in between meals, because I wasn't hungry. :) I did better on my water in the afternoon.
Dinner: Brandon made chicken in the skillet and the flavor was amazing…he used some cajun seasoning and garlic salt. We had some cubed butternut squash that we roasted in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper. I made Veggie Pasta with butter salt and pepper. It was delicious and even the kids were asking when we could have it again.
To my surprise, I had been satisfied all day and was still 600 calories under my goal.
I was nervous about not eating anything else, knowing the next day was fasting, so while we watched college football, we snacked on some crackers and cheese. I found this southwest smoked gouda spread at Costco. It's amazing.
I had planned to go to the gym today, but we took down our Christmas decorations instead. :) Chasing children was my workout today.
Monday, January 1, 2018
If I'm being honest, it was not easy to think about facing a new year this morning. I am a living cliche of new beginnings, New Year's Resolutions, and starting on January 1st. Otherwise, what's the point? You miss it. You have to wait until next year. That may be an exaggeration, but one thing is true: I like a clear starting point, measurable goals and a plan. I intentionally started a year-long reading plan on a random day in November, because I knew I had other goals in mind that I would start in the New Year and did not want to set myself up for failure.
I have a long list of things I want to accomplish, improve and learn. I have more ideas and inspirations than time. I have dreams and desires for my children and how they will grow, ways I can facilitate that growth. It can be overwhelming and even daunting. But grace. My prayer is that I would have grace for myself and for those around me.
Discernment is essential. I want to prioritize what matters and let go of distractions. I want to make messes, laugh and soak up every precious second. I want to say 'yes' as often as possible when my kids ask me to lay with them for a few extra minutes at bedtime. I want to put down my phone and date my husband, even in the living room after the kids have gone to bed. I want to push back the darkness and live in the light. I want to have the courage to wake up and show up for my life and the roles I am meant to fill for the next 365 days. I hope you will, too. Happy New Year!
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