Update

Ok, eating the same thing everyday sucks, so I'm on to other strategies...

I've been doing not great in the diet area because somehow there have been lots of treats shoved in my face lately. Ok, maybe I'm the one shoving them in my face, but you get the idea. I eat healthy meals, but too many treats.

On a more positive note, I've been keeping up with weight training and running, and I'm actually starting to like it. Running is definitely getting easier. I run for about 30 minutes, and then walk for 20. Running is such a great workout. I can tell it's really effective. I'm going to keep it up, and I think I will enjoy it more and more.

In the healthy diet department- I have been eating a bit too much, but I'm also starting to adopt the Eating Clean lifestyle, which I really think is going to change things for the better.

First of all, I've started eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and I think its a great idea because it really does keep you full for a long time. The author of the book is all about oatmeal for breakfast. Its really healthy, and low-calorie, and you can mix it up by adding different fruits and stuff. I have to admit, it was hard for me to give up cereal for breakfast. My favorite cereals are Special K with Strawberries, Multigrain Cheerios, and Honey Bunches of Oats with Cinnamon, which are pretty good choices, but just not as good as oatmeal. The only real problem with cereal is that it doesn't keep me full for very long at all. So now I really feel like I'm starting my day the right way.

For dinner I've been making Stir Fry, with lots of vegetables, chicken, low sodium soy sauce, and brown rice. I really enjoy it, and it is very healthy.

So if I could stop eating treats, things would be great. Still working on that.

Something new

Yesterday I hosted a small luncheon at my house for a monthly Relief Society group. One of the women that came said she couldn't eat anything because she was on a crazy diet.

So I asked her about it, and she said that actually quite a few women in our ward are on this same diet. This is how she described it...

For 6 weeks, you eat this everyday:

1 grapefruit

1 apple

5 oz. of lean meat

1 cup of vegetables

Ok, that's like 400 calories. Maybe 500 at the most. Wow. So I was thinking, hmm... I think that's called starvation, but anyway... it got me thinking that maybe I really need a strict eating schedule for a while. Not something with extremely few calories, but just something that is a routine so that I don't have to even think about what to eat. I will just have it all planned out. I haven't been eating very well lately, and I know I need a change. I think this will help me get back on track.

So for the next week, I'm going to eat this everyday:

1 bowl of healthy cereal + skim milk = 225 calories

1 yogurt = 100 calories

1 can of Progresso soup = 200 calories

1 apple = about 80 calories

1 Slimfast bar (to help with my chocolate addiction) = 220 calories

1 serving of brown rice with black beans and vegetables = about 250 calories

1 bowl of vanilla almond oatmeal = 160 calories

This adds up to about 1250 calories, which I think is a good amount.

So I will do this for a week, and if it works out well, then I will come up with a new routine for the next week, so that I don't get super bored with these foods. Wish me luck.

Chocaholism and Night Eating

I haven't been doing so great the past few days. Lately, I have been feeling an uncontrollable need for chocolate- like all the time. Something is wrong here. And its not helping me in my journey.Also, does anyone else have a problem with eating at night? I have always struggled with this. I usually eat very healthy all day long, and then something crazy happens around 8pm or so. I just lose all control. Am I alone here? I really believe that if I could stop eating in the evening, I would not struggle with my weight at all.

So... does anyone have suggestions? How do you keep from eating too much at night?

Eating Clean

I've been reading this book called The Eat Clean Diet, and its pretty cool. It's all about eating super healthy, but not counting calories or cutting out entire food groups. It really isn't a "diet" because its not a short-term, crazy thing. It makes perfect sense. I'm learning a lot from it, and it really gets you motivated to just eat more healthy. I would recommend it .

The biggest thing I've taken from it so far is to drink tons of water. I'm always trying to drink more, but it's hard to force it down sometimes. But I know it does make a difference, and it makes everything run smoothly. Plus, it makes you feel full, so that's helpful.

Before

Blah.

Havana Salad

HAVANA SALAD

This recipe is from the "Eat Clean" diet. I made it today and it was really good! Especially for a super healthy salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
4 cups brown rice, cooked
15 ounces black beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

METHOD:

In a large bowl, combine the avocado, vinegar, olive oil, cumin and black pepper, and then toss.
Now add the rice, tomatoes, beans, parsley and cilantro, and mix thoroughly.
Let the salad chill in the refrigerator before serving.

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING: Calories: 277 Fat: 7g Carbs: 45g Protein: 9g Cholesterol: 0 mg

Progress

I've lost about 2 lbs so far. Not a lot, but its a start! Stay tuned for more updates. And maybe a "before" pic.

Kettle Corn... and other nonsense.

Awesome. This light version of Kettle Corn has just 225 calories in the entire bag. Not that I would eat the entire bag by myself. Who would do that.... right?

In other news, I'm doing well with working out regularly and eating healthy. Ya know- eating less than you normally would is a big sacrifice. It sucks sometimes. The decision to make that sacrifice is really hard when you've been so used to eating whatever you want. Over the holidays, I basically pigged out. Now I have to completely change my mindset and realize that if I eat whatever I want, I will continue to gain weight, which will make me miserable.

The good news is, making the sacrifice to eat smaller portions, and healthier foods gets easier with time. When you get into good habits, junk food starts to seem even junkier, and being sedentary starts to seem even sendentarier. Don't you think?

So far

I'm only a few days into this, but I'm doing well so far. I've been staying under my calorie limit, and I've been doing Turbo Jam also. I just got it in the mail on Friday, and I like it. Today I will be running at the gym. I'm sure most people already know this, but I've really learned lately how crucial it is to have good music to listen to when you're doing cardio. It really helps me to stay motivated and sometimes I even forget that I'm working out.

Here are some songs from my workout playlist:
(some are on my blog playlist, if you want to hear them)

Shake it- Metro Station
We're in Heaven (techno)- DJ Sammy
Cry for you (techno version)- September
Hot and Cold- Katy Perry
Disturbia- Rihanna
SOS- Rihanna
Umbrella- Rihanna
No One- Alycia Keys
Hips Dont Lie- Shakira
La Tortura- Shakira