What I am GIVING UP in 2015

In 2015 I will be giving up........... RED MEAT. I have actually been trying, and doing really well eating raw. There are several things that I have a hard time giving up. Two in particular, cheese and eggs. I love them, I love them very much. I will be working on trying to loose my love for them this year, but one thing for certain, is I will not be consuming red meats. Even chicken and turkey. That stemed from me not knowing what i was eating, the quality of meat, and or what the heck is it in. I get sick even thinking about what I am possibly eating when consuming meats. It has been so strong, that I have honestly lost the desire for them. I have just recently watched a video that FullyRawKristina posted, on her experience in having to kill her own meat, if she wanted to consume them. I have never been in a situation, where I was the one to have to kill my own food, and when I think about it, which I have never done before, it makes me sick! So, watching that video feed my thoughts against meat even further. I am so excited to be giving up something, that has no benefit to my body, whatsoever. You don't need to consume meat to sustain life. If you eat the foods that nature gives us, that is all you need. What are you giving up? What are your goals for 2015? and why? Have you given up meat and what was your reason? I would love to hear them! Happy New Year lovelies!!

How To Crack A Coconut

How To Crack A Coconut  

THINGS YOU WILL NEED 

1. Sharp object 

2. Hammer

3. Cup

4. Potato peeler

5. Oven 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 

2. There are three eyes on a coconut. Find the soft one and with a sharp object pierce it, and work it in. What I used is in the picture above. (You will be able to tell quickly which eye you need)

3. Drain the coconut water and drink it. 

4. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 min. I did mine for 10 min and it cracked. 

5. With a hammer hit around the equator of the coconut. It should pop out of the shell very easily. If not use your sharp object to pry out. Should not take much. 

6. With a potato peeler peal the skin away. 

7. Eat! 

** Coco nut is such a great snack and satisfying snack. 

What Is Clean Eating?

Through the past 6 weeks I have learned that many people do not know exactly what clean eating is, so I will explain. It is actually quite simple.

WHAT IS CLEAN EATING?

Clean eating is consuming foods in its most natural state. My rule of thumb is if you can kill it or grow it then it is a good choice. Think of how they used to eat back when we were not so industrialized. They did not have prepackages food stuffed with additives and preservatives. Also, if there is a commercial for it don’t touch it.

-Know your labels- clean food should only have one or two ingredients. Anything with a long ingredient list is man made and not considered clean.

-Know where your meat is coming from- It is good to shop in local stores for your meat.

-Organic- Buy organic when possible. If you can’t buy organic at least buy the “dirty dozen” organic.

-Avoid processed and refined foods- White flour, sugar, bread and pasta. Go 100% whole wheat. The first ingredient on the ingredient list should be whole-wheat flour, if not it’s not then you might as well buy white bread.

-Drink LOTS of water- Stay away from soda, sweet tea ect. Other choices would be green tea sweetened with raw honey and black coffee.

-Portion control- Follow your body. If you are hungry EAT! You will not get fat eating unprocessed foods.

-No No’s- nothing high in sugar, saturated fat, or trans fat, and nothing fried.

-EAT- Clean eating is not about counting calories or points it is about nourishing your body with natural whole foods whenever your body tells you to.  

-Eat healthy fats- Nuts, Avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, and salmon. (Not all fats are created equal)

Note: If you follow my grocery list you can’t go wrong.

THE BIG PICTURE

The big picture is HEALTH. Plain and simple, you cannot be healthy without eating healthy. I know people who are used to eating processed foods are going to think they don’t like vegetables because they are not used to them, but I promise that will change. You will start to enjoy the natural taste of the food we are meant to eat. I honestly crave healthy foods and don’t care to touch anything that isn’t. I am not saying at a party I wont have a cup cake or anything like that, but doing it on a daily biases is no longer desired. Once you experience the benefits of eating clean, you will no longer want to go back. You will wonder how you used to eat like you did before. It actually grosses me out when I think of all the processed foods I used to eat.

Results

I am going on three weeks of clean eating and people are already starting to notice results. Through this time I have not been perfect but I never give up and I honestly don't want to. I love the foods that are meant for us to eat and I love the way they make me feel. I am continuing to feel great and have energy. At work while trying to order my super annoying order a co workers asked "why am I even trying to lose weight anyway?". I am not just trying to lose weight or maintain weight I am doing this to be healthy. Luckily a perk of being healthy is also not to be over weight. Just because you are thin does not mean you are healthy! 

What I have consumed 

Sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread with oven roasted turkey deli meat, spinach, tomato and ranch made from plain Greek yogurt. 

This taco is made from ground turkey, homemade taco seasoning (the packaged stuff is crap), tomatoes, lettuce and a sprinkle of cheese on a whole wheat soft taco. 

Vanilla bean Greek yogurt with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and walnuts. This satisfied my sweet thooth. 

Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and walnuts. 

Banana, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, peanut-butter, and almonds. It was amazing and I got stuffed. I know this is not a pretty dish with the almonds but it was super easy to fit them in because they stuck to the fruit and was able to eat them fast. (I am always pressed for time). 

Oatmeal with cinnamon, Vanilla bean Greek yogurt, raisins, walnuts and a sprinkle of brown sugar on the top. I will defiantly be having this again. It was SO delicious! 

chicken, broccoli and carrots sautéed in a pan with a small amount of oyster sauce, teriyaki and olive oil.

Filet beef tips, broccoli and asparagus. No oil or butter and it was still delicious.

A snack of pineapple, kiwi, and walnuts. 

Shrimp with a little bit of teriyaki sauce, sweet potatoes with cinnamon and brown sugar sprinkled on top and asparagus with garlic powder and onion powder.

Tips 

While grocery shopping it is really important to read the labels. Just because something says natural does not mean that it is. It simply means if they put that on their product they then have to list the ingredients. You will be surprised what is in them. I buy natural peanut butter but one brand (I can't remember which one) had something hydronated. Like in the link below states stay away from anything hydronated. 

Grocery Guide: The Smart Shopper's Printable One-Sheet Guide

Food, Motivation and Tips

WHAT I HAVE CONSUMED

I don't always post something I have had before unless I feel up to it or a little something is different. Most of my meals are fast and easy because of this Momma being busy with my little angels. I am not giving up on myself and my health though. I feel so alive and I don't ever want to feel like I did a couple of weeks ago.

Peanut butter and banana sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread.

I ordered this while at work. It is filet beef tips with a double order of broccoli with no oil or butter. 

A sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread with peanut-butter and a little honey. Kewi on the side.

Most mornings I wake up starving because I nurse during the night and well, I don't have the patience to make something that takes longer than these delicious and filling things. Also, most of my meals are very hearty due to the lack of time for snacks.  

A delicious smoothie made from raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, spinach, flaxseeds, almonds, Greek yogurt and just enough fat free milk to mix all the ingredients. 

This is also a meal that I ordered at work. It is salmon and again a double order of broccoli with no oil or butter. It was delicious! 

A hearty avocado and oven roasted deli meat sandwich on 100% whole wheat bead with grapes on the side. After this I was literally not hungry for several hours. 

A toasted 100% whole wheat English muffin with cream cheese and strawberry slices. Pineapple on the side. 

This was ordered for lunch at olive Garden. It is salmon seasoned with herbs and olive oil and obviously broccoli. 

This is fresh fish thanks to the fiancé. We had cabbage on the side. Now, if I can get him to give up golfing and take on hunting. We could have unlimited healthy meats. :)

A power breakfast of eggs and an apple. 

MOTIVATION

Get right in the kitchen to succeed in the fitness! The single most important thing you can do is get right in the kitchen. That is the key to health. You are what you eat. Most of the foods America sells is pure crap. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, as they are full of nothing but sodium and calories! 

It's ok to make a mistake, it's ok to not be perfect, and it's ok for you to try and not succeed every. Single. Meal. As long as you don't give up and keep trying you WILL get there and you WILL feel great. A life style change does not happen over night nor is it easy! Just keep trying and don't give up. Keep your eye on the prize!

TIPS

Check out the link below for tips on how to gradually start eating healthy. It gives you simple steps to incorporate in your diet a little at a time and also gives you tips. 

How To Eat Healthy

Enjoying The Healthy Life

Fitness

This is my second day working toward running. I am doing good and feeling good. The hardest part is starting. All you have to do it wake up one morning and start! You don't have to go hard core on something for it to count. Doing something is better than doing nothing. I will be working toward this 4 days a week and doing other exercises the other three days of the week. Since I have small little ones I am limited but that won't be my excuse. 

What I Consumed Today

Breakfast: A toasted 100% whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and strawberries.

Lunch: This is probably the best salad I have ever eaten. It's romaine lettuce, spinach, almonds, walnuts, strawberries, raisins and avocado. For dressing I used 1 Tbs of ranch that I made from plain low-fat greek yogurt. Mouth watering delicious!!

Dinner: Quinoa, chicken and garlic sautéed spinach. 

in the quinoa I cooked it with a small onion, bell pepper, garlic and onion powder, and Mrs Dash salt free chicken seasoning. 

Snack: Vanilla bean low fat greek yogurt with almonds, organic cherry and vanilla granola, and raisins. 

Snack: 1/2 banana cut into slices with peanut butter on top. 

Note: I am a nursing mom and require 300-500 more calories a day than a non nursing mom. 

Tips

While surfing the internet (something I do everyday) I ran across a web sit that breaks down food groups to help you with your shopping list for healthy foods. Figuring out what to get can be a challenge. Check out the link below. 

Make a Healthy Grocery List in Minutes

6 Days Going Strong!

Today will mark the 6th day I have been eating a clean well balanced diet. I forgot how much I loved eating well and how good it makes me feel. Just in 6 short days I feel like a new person. I have more energy, I feel hungry less, I feel lighter, and each day that goes by I am more motivated because of how amazing I feel. I am not going to lie it is a challenge to try and prepare my meals and make sure I eat enough but with practice I am hoping it will get easier. 

WHAT I HAVE BEEN UP TO

Baked chicken with garlic powder, onion powder and lemon pepper. Steamed asparagus and cabbage on the side.

What I have most days before I go into work because I get extremely hungry at work. haha  

Oatmeal with vanilla bean low fat Greek yogurt, cranberries, raisins, almonds and cinnamon.

Baked chicken, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots with onion and garlic powder.

spaghetti squash filled with spaghetti sauce made from tomatoes, a can of organic tomato paste, onion, a little sugar and salt, oregano, Italian season, garlic powder, onion powder and ground turkey. 

Snack!!

Quinoa with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder and onion powder topped with broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus.

Baked chicken and a spinach salad. The salad has balsamic vinaigrette, strawberries, cranberries and almonds.

scrambled eggs and a spinach, strawberry, and oats smoothie.

100% whole wheat bead with oven roasted turkey and avocado.

 Filet beef tips again with broccoli and asparagus. No oil or butter included.

A smoothie with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, pineapple, oats, spinach and enough fat free milk to mix the ingredients up. On the side is carrots with homemade hummus.

Low fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt with raisins, cranberries, oats, and almonds.

Seared tuna with broccoli, squash, zucchini, and onions. 

Chicken, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, almonds, raisins, and tomatoes. I topped it off with a low fat Italian dressing. The raisins were really good in this. I'll be adding more next time.

Scrambled eggs with spinach, bell pepper, onion and some garlic powder with cantaloupe on the side.

TIPS

1. When eating out there are healthy options. Two meals above I choose at work. Lean meat, chicken or fish accompanied by vegetables are always good choices. I always ask for no butter or oil.

2. Get moving! There are simple things you can do to try and fit in to burn extra calories. I always park in the pack of the parking lot and take the stairs. Check out this link below for a few examples. 

9 Sneaky Ways to Burn Calories 

Do's, Dont's, and Tips Overview

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK

   1. Fried foods WHAT SO EVER!!!

   2.  White foods (try to replace everything with whole wheat) EX. Bread, pasta, bagels, English muffins, rice, tortillas ect. (Good for keeping blood sugar level, Aids digestion, keeps you fuller longer, and people who eat whole grains tend to be thinner.)

   3. Drinks WHAT SO EVER: Soda, Sweet tea, anything that contains calories. Drinking water strictly and a lot of it not only cuts your calories but is proven to aid weight loss.Wouldn’t you rather eat your calories? I know sure would!

   4. Beer and wine: If you want to drink you are going to have to go to low calorie liquor drinks. If you don’t want to give up your drinks you will have to learn to like them. There are actually really good drinks that will not pile on the pounds.

   5. Limit your sweets to once a week. One a day is not a treat it is a habit. (My problem!!! Haha)

   6. Try to switch your beef to ground turkey and stick to lean meats. Chicken and fish should be your best friend and a lean steak once or twice a week.

   7. Try and shop the out skirts of the grocery store. If you can’t kill or plant your food then it is probably not a good choice.

   8. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, which includes: pre made meals, if it is not fresh and you did not cook it, it is mostly likely not a good choice. You can NOT get fat by eating unprocessed foods. Examples: Fruit, veggies, and meat.

   *This is just a start that can help you loose weight and guess what? If you stick to the healthy alternatives/eliminations from your “new diet” it does not stay a diet it is a life style change and you will never have to worry about weight gain again. Whoo hoo! :) 

TIPS

   1. There are healthy alternatives to the food that you love.

   2.  If you mess up that is not a pass to do bad the rest of the day or give up completely. We are human so we make mistakes. I promise when you mess up you will feel like you failed but you only fail by giving up. Doing bad once a day is better than doing bad all day every day.

   3. Do not give up. Every time you give up you are that much farther away from your goal. You will reach it BUT it does not happen over night.

   4. Don’t eye the scale. Focus on healthy changes and exercise and the weight will take care of its self. One day you will wake up and you will be able to wear your skinny jeans. Seriously!

   5. If you want to be thin it does not take a genius to know you can’t eat fried chicken, mashed potatoes, donuts, beer, gravy, high calorie drinks, pizza, French fries. You get the point.

   6. Weight loss is a very easy concept. YOU HAVE TO BURN MORE CALORIES THAN YOU TAKE IN!!! 

   7. On the weight watchers program Fruit and veggies are ZERO points SO this should be the bulk of your diet. Most of them are also negative calorie foods which means it takes more calories to digest them than what is in them.

   9. You eat for survival not for pleasure. Get this through your head. Do you want that donut or do you want to feel good in your skin? That donut is not going to pleasure you but only for a split second but being thin will last a lifetime.

  10. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF! Yes, you will loose weight but it is very unhealthy and will only last while you are starving yourself. YOU HAVE NO METOBALOSIM WHEN YOU STARVE YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!

  *Note: It is a good idea to take baby steps when trying to change your life style. Slow and steady changes tend to stick.