Thursday, March 27, 2014

I'm starving!

Today marks my FINAL day of my "plateau breaker"! Not only did I stay on track but I didn't scare my boyfriend off to bad with my angry hunger spells either :)

Plateau Breaker- when a persons body has adapted to what they are currently doing (working out more or better eating), which isn't a bad thing. When a person feels as though they have hit this "plateau" something needs to be switched up! Either harder cardio or less of a calorie intake. Basically, an act that will shock the body and switch it up.



My plateau breaker was for two days (cut out carbs/protein based)--
For the people who follow my Facebook, I lost 10 pounds last month as of March 25th (Tuesday). I started my breaker on March 26th-March 27th, I weighed again today and i've lost 3 pounds since I started :).  No, this isn't water weight that I post people... I switched it up and I got results! plateau breakers truly do work!



What I ate: Both days!

Breakfast:
2 scrambled eggs

Mid-Morning Snack:
1/2 grapefruit

Mid-Afternoon Snack:
Green Vegetable

Lunch:
2 cups Lettuce
1/2 chicken breast

Dinner:
2 cups lettuce
1/2 grapefruit
6 oz hamburger
(zucchini)



Not a lot to eat... at all! I have been freaking starving but, I stuck to this plan for only two days and i've lost 3 pounds! This stuff works people!










Speaking of eating-- I was at work today and I was going though some of my co-workers pre-made "healthy choice" or "active & fit" frozen meals. I took a little peek at the back and HOLY COW, they are not as good for you as you may think! Some are decent but it could be way better! Yes, better than fast food but not better than a home cooked healthy meal! 

Try something next week- cook all of your meals! Like a fresh home cooked meal with fresh foods from the store or the farmers market! The amount of Carbs and Sodium you will be saving yourself will be amazing! If your wanting to be healthier, take the time to cook your meals.

If your reasoning for purchasing pre-made meals is because you don't have time, check out this website for great and healthy crock pot ideas! Not only is it healthy, it saves time, AND it will make enough for the whole week! Whats your excuse now? :)

I

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Eaters Remore/Binge eating

Finally the weekend is over!!!

Weird to hear someone say that right? Reasoning-- I usually eat like crap on the weekends. I get so excited when Sunday evening comes; I've cooked all my meals for the week and I do a cleanse which usually makes me feel slightly better... just slightly though.

There are two different "issues" that people tend to have when it comes to eating.

Eaters Remorse and Binge Eating

Me personally, I have eaters remorse. After eating extremely healthy for over a year now, when something I KNOW is bad for me enters my mouth and the thought of it sits in i'm literally pissed! Weekends are the worst because i'm always out and about. I'm at the ball fields or somewhere else watching some type of sports game or out for an event.
I've been doing awesome though- Softball is in full swing and i've mastered the system. Just because my work week is over, doesn't mean I need to stop prepping!

This weekend in my bag:
1 serving of small carrots
1 serving of mixed veggies
1/2 bag sunflower seeds
1 protein bar
2 apples

This beats eating at the concession stand AND going to the gas station for a bag of chips or other crap (also saves money$$). You just have to do it, for it to work!

Now, onto the next! A lot of my friends have said they have Binge Eating Disorder-- this is when you uncontrollably eat depending on issues in your life and what not. Most people will eat because they are stressed, they are then upset that they have eaten horribly which then causes then to continue eating.

In my eyes (which i'm not a doctor) all of this can be controlled (binge and remorse). It's all mental people! I don't have to put crap in my mouth, there is always an alternative; if I do decide to put something bad for me in my mouth, I shouldn't beat myself up over it. Other's don't have to continue to push food in there mouths when they know they shouldn't because of an issue; it is part of life that we all have to deal with. It's honestly all mental! (geez I just sounded like my father!)

Alternatives:
*Eating something healthier than you normally would
*Chewing gum is proven to help people who are binge eaters
*Always have healthy snacks with you to keep that tummy full
* Plan ahead! You make dinner plans and events ahead of time right? Its easy :)

Check out this website if you wanting to know some of the good foods that you should have entering your mouth and body!

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/eat-healthy-america-52-superfoods-25519

As you can see, just because its healthy doesn't mean it has to be boring! My dinner this evening had under 200 calories and I put my plate away with a full tummy!

Calories break down of the serving sizes
(my sauce (low sodium) was only 2 tbps; which is way under the 140 calories; red onions were only 2 calories)


(Picture is not of low sodium sauce)



I personally love pizza and this is a great alternative to still get the flavors, crust feeling, and the sauce! On top of that, its still healthy and GOOD!
















I hope everyone had an awesome weekend and your prepped and ready for the week to come!
**Remember, try to make a positive change in your diet this week! Happy weather is just around the corner :)

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

We all have issues

I've always been a listener, for as long as I can remember I would just sit there and listen to someone talk. Listen to what they have to say and take it all in before I speak. With all the listening i've been doing, i've started to realize how unhappy some of my close friends and family members are...

Your unhappy because you aren't the size that you "think" you should be. Your unhappy because something doesn't look the way you "think" it should look.

We all want a an imagine that we honestly can't always have and we all deal with this issue!

Me for instance, I want blonde hair, I want to be taller, I want my boobs to me smaller, I want smaller thighs, and I want lighter eyes.... I want I want I want... At 25 i've FINALLY realized I can't always have it.

The one "want" I could control was my size.
I've never openly talked about my waist size before to be completely honest, I didn't even talk about it with family because I personally was embarrassed and disgusted with the way I let myself get.

I use to be a size 28 in jeans, today I can proudly say I am a healthy and comfortable 15/16.
Did it take longer than I wanted? Yes! Did I have to struggle through a hand full of knee surgeries to finally be active? Yes!

The fact of the matter is- I did what I WANTED!


(larger is a size 24 top is a size 15/16)

I can say that i'm proud of myself, and if you personally are making positive changes you should be proud of yourself as well!

Stop comparing yourself to the skinny girl next to you. Stop thinking you'll never be loved, and most importantly stop thinking someone always looks better than you!

We all have issues, we all struggle with appearance which for some people, then leads to excessive eating. Once you can control your mind, I promise you can control your body.

People have to learn to stop looking back at what they were and start looking at who they are today.

Start out small:
*Become more active
*Eat smaller portions
*Eat meals earlier in the day
*Remember to plan

Even trying eating some of these Super Foods (there are way more than listed). These can not only help you internally but they will make you feel so much better about yourself!



These small changes can help any person reach the goals they may have been "wanting" to meet.

Just remember, we are all beautiful in our own ways. You don't have to be a certain type of person to truly be beautiful :)



Sunday, March 16, 2014

Prep yourself and support yourself!

Preparation is the key!

When you prepare your meals for the week before the actual week gets started, its amazing how many excuses get cut out. Every Sunday, I prepare for the week that I have ahead of me.
  • Breakfast
  • Snack
  • Snack
  • Lunch
  • Snack
  • Dinner
I set aside an hour to an hour and a half each Sunday evening or mid day to prepare my meals. When the task is complete, this is usually what my counter looks like :)
This picture doesn't include my dinners, because I still have hamburgers left from last week!

*When making your meals ahead of time, you can't have an excuse of not wanting to cook!

Now, I understand that people have children, families, school work, church, or maybe they are caregivers. I completely get that... Me personally- I have a full time job, I have a part time job, I'm a girlfriend, a full time student, and a coach. If I am able to do this you are as well.

I have a ton of things that I could use as an excuse but, I decide not to be full of excuse! 

Thats what brings me onto my next top. In order to be able to do this you have to have a----
*support system*

I would like for you all to meet my family :)

The best support system a person could have, is there family. My dad has always encouraged me to drive to be and do what I want. My sister, she has always been such a strong role model while growing up. Lastly, my amazing mother without her this family would not tick the way that it does. She has shown me how to be strong, independent, and do anything that I want.

When you have a support system thats what they do--- they support your decisions and they stand by your side. Without a support system, you truly have nothing. The battle is to hard to fight!

I would now like for you to meet my boyfriend! 
Not only do you need a support system in your life but, you also need a rock to continue pushing you through. David is as hard headed, stubborn, and as competitive as I am. He has always pushed me to continue being who I want to be along with supporting my healthy life style! 
David and I have been together for a little over a year now, when we first starting dating both of our eating was poor. I decided last summer, prior to my knee surgery I was ready for a change and to get back on track with my eating. David wasn't ready for the change but, he supported me 110%. Not to long ago, before David has his own surgery in Dec of 2013 he decided he was ready for the change as well. We have now fought this battle together and we have now both changed our lives for the best..

The moral to all of this-- you have to have someone there supporting you. Someone there to lift you when your feeling down, you have to have drive from your family who have been by your side longer than anyone else. And most of all, you have to have someone who makes you feel beautiful even when you cant see it yourself.


In the long run, only you can push yourself to the max. Only you can have the full determination to succeed; and only you can be fully happy at the end of the day with your choice!

Set reasonable goals, nothing crazy or completely out there!
What was my goal? Show my true strength and do a one handed push up.... Did I fail or succeed? 

You bet your butt I succeed :)

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

What did you eat today?


Over the past few years i've realized that it always comes down to what you eat.

*A person can work out day in and day out but, if they continue to eat in a negative way the changes YOU are wanting will never come.




I ask myself every night "what did you eat today?"

I personally go the journal route, this is the easiest way to not only write down the foods that i'm taking in but also what I do when i'm at the gym working out.
Don't feel like hauling around a notebook?

*Notes on your phone
*Journal 
*Work Doc on your computer
*Food apps

No reason for excuses when we are making lifestyle changes :)

So, back to the topic! What did I eat today?...

Breakfast:
2 Scrambled eggs
1/2 cup oats with water

Mid-Morning Snack:
1/2 Grapefruit

Mid-afternoon Snack:
1 cup veggies
Garlic Hummus (moderation)

Cheat:
serving size of cheez-its

Lunch:
3 cups lettuce
1/2 chicken breast
feta cheese
red onions

Dinner:
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup baked and seasoned potatoes 
1/4 baked zucchini 

You notice I cheated? ITS OK!!! I promise you its not the end of the world! :)

(picture doesn't show 2 of my mid snacks)


You should never be ashamed of what you eat. When you let yourself get down, thats normally when you give up. There is no reason to give up on something that you are wanting to succeed at!

I've come to realize I will never eat perfect and I don't want to. I still want to be able to live my life whether its with choices I make or the food that I decide to eat. You shouldn't feel like your being punished for eating better, its suppose to be an amazing experience making a change in your life, not a hassle!

I challenge you to challenge yourself-- Make one change in your day tomorrow. Whether you go to the gym, for a walk, drink any extra glass of water, or change up a meal that you wouldn't normal eat. 


Monday, March 10, 2014

Welcome!!


Over the past few months, I've had multiple people email and text me about eating right and working out. Recently, I have had people comment on my Facebook wondering how they can staying motivated and positive and how they can eat right and working out. THEN, I even have people telling me they are following my Facebook to see the progress i'm making! The fact that these people are asking me, an everyday person with no physical training background or nutrition background how THEY can do better, is the best motivation a person could ask for!

After a lot of thought and support from the people closest to me, I've decided to blog about my journey that is now a true lifestyle change.

*First, its a lifestyle change which means it isn't successful if you don't change the negative in your life.
*Cheat days are allowed, if you don't take them you will fall off the bandwagon!
*Remember- you don't have to be skinny to be healthy!

Where I started--



Where I am now--


I've officially lost over 87 pounds total :)

I'm thick, but thick doesn't mean fat! I squat over 250 pounds, and I bench more than most guys. I'm thick because I have muscle, and I'm thick because I have curves.
DON'T let society tell you different :)

The key to it all-- Thick girls can be healthy too!

I've never been a size 2, 4 or even an 8. To be completely honest, I simply don't want to be that small! I LOVE my curves! I LOVE that I can fill out clothes! I LOVE that I have shape!

Not a single person but you, can make you feel beautiful! But, you have to believe it first!
And I will tell you now, you ARE beautiful!

I've made many changes over the years. My first biggest change was in 2011 when my best friend, Garrett was suddenly taken from this world to soon. I realized that anything can happen and we can't always control it. But, I can control my health and I can control what enters my mouth and the activities that I do. 
I lost 30 pounds from the emotional stress of his death and I decided there was no better time to start than now!!

The second biggest change, I have now been over 9 months without fast food or soda!! A person can drop up to at least 30 pounds from this alone!

My goal in this blog is to just post what I do, how I do it, and what I get out of it! I'm not in the gym 24/7 and I don't eat amazing all the time. I have free days from the gym, and I also have cheat days! If a person doesn't allow positive in there life, they will end up failing. 

I am a very competitive person, and failing is not an option.

I hope to help many others through the process of succeeding and realizing you don't have to be skinny to be healthy! :)

First thing you can do: Decide something today or tomorrow, or even starting next week that you want to change and do better about! Doesn't have to be anything big, it can be the smallest thing ever but, make sure its something that you stick to and DO. This is the first step to a lifestyle change... doing it!

Well, i'm off to make my post workout meal! Protein it up! Lesson number one :)