28 day kickstart

A couple days ago I decided that I would start a challenge for myself. I haven't been doing very good diet wise/exercise wise the last couple weeks, so I thought what better way to start fresh than with a challenge! 28 days flies by these days it seems, so I thought 28 days (4 weeks) would be a simple number to start with. Two pluses of the 28 days, it would start a habit of each of these things, and two, it would end right before Halloween, so I could munch on a piece of candy since one of my challenges is NO SUGAR.  

I started today, but if want to wait until the first of the month to start, that would be perfect too. I printed out a chart, and put little check boxes next to each goal for each day, who doesn't love accomplishing something and being able to check the box?! I sure do! More incentive, I think :)

I am going to do weekly posts on how my 28 days are going, so keep me posted on yours too!

Here are some examples of my daily challenges I am giving myself for the 28 days, they are fitness/health related and then I have a couple personal ones too.

-no sugar (candy, cookies, etc)

-102 oz of water per day (3 34 oz bubba mugs)

-workout 6 days of the week (I even have a check box for my rest day which will be Sundays)

- log my fitness pal every day to keep track of what I am eating

-scripture/prayers everyday (as a family)

-8:30 food cut-off every night

-10:30 bedtime

-blog at least once a week (try for twice)

Here is the chart I created so you if want to join you can print it out and write down your daily goals.

If you are joining, tell me what your goals will be!

gearing up.

I feel like when you are deciding on a lifestyle change, which is what I am trying to accomplish, you have to prepare yourself. Not only mentally and emotionally, but physically. Do you have the things you need to accomplish your goals?
For instance, you wouldn't decide to go boating, and not get a boat, right? Right.

When I decided to start this journey of mine, my hubs was definitely on board and super supportive! I had plans and goals in mind, but not the gear to reach those goals, like weights, good gym shoes, and some work out clothes.

Daniel and I took our girls to Boise to visit his parents a few weeks ago, and the second day there his mom offered to watch the girls so we could go do some shopping, so we headed to the mall. I searched a few places with no luck in the right fit, but the last place we decided to go, Finishline, I found these nikes I really liked, but they didn't have my size, so the employee brought out some different ones he thought I would like, I thought they were cute, tried them on and LOVED them! Perfect. Done deal. I also got some new socks and a sports bra there.

I am going through this I hate everything in my closet and want new cute clothes, but don't want to buy anything because I'm trying to lose weight thing. It's rough stuff, people. So we hit up Forever 21, JC Penney, and Downeast for a few items to help me feel a little better about myself, and then my favorite, yoga pants at Victoria's Secret Pink! I could live in yoga pants. It was a very successful day, and Daniel spoiled me, as always. Dang, am I a lucky lady!

The next day we went to the bodybuilding.com store and Daniel was in heaven (about how I feel in beauty supply houses). He got some pre workout, multivitamins and a few other things, and I got some multivitamins as well. When we got home we ordered some protein powder online. Daniel is trying out some new stuff called Jym (I think), and I got some Fitmiss Delight protein powder in the chocolate. It is yummy stuff! It seriously tastes like a frosty from Wendy's. Yum.

A couple weeks ago my parents watched the girls so we could go on a date, we went to Target and got me some dumbbells, and a yoga mat. I am now set! I am sure as I reach goals and make more the gear I need will change, but for now I am set! I have been doing some at home workouts I found on Youtube and I am loving them! I will link them up in a post soon.

Things are going fairly well. I went back to Boise last week, and let's just say I didn't do so well. So I am beginning again, after all, every day is a new day to start fresh!

Until next time...

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Daniel and I are trying hard to make changes in our eating habits. I have been trying new recipes and creating my own. I won't bombard you all with recipes all the time, but every once in a while, when I find a good one, I will share! So after trying many different beef and broccoli recipes I have created my own version.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry:

3/4 lb sirloin beef, sliced 

(I will either but flank steak and slice it thin, or pre-sliced fajita style beef)

2 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. ginger (I use ground, but i'm sure fresh would be great too)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tbsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (add more if you like it spicy)

1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 c. juice of an orange 
(you could add some orange zest too. last time I made it I didn't have an orange, so I used the juice from a can of mandarin oranges, yes not as healthy because of the sugar, but it worked great)

2 tbsp. water

1/2 lb broccoli florets (I use frozen)

optional: brown rice

Heat EVOO in a large pan. Toss beef, cornstarch, and ginger in a bowl until beef is coated in cornstarch then put in heated pan. 

Add red pepper and stir fry until just cooked through, and then take the beef out and set aside. 

While stir frying beef, add broccoli to a bowl with a little bit of water and nuke in the microwave for about 3 minutes, remove and drain excess water. Add the broccoli to the pan with the garlic, and red pepper flakes and stir fry for about 2 minutes. 

Then add the soy sauce, orange juice, and water and simmer until thickened.

We serve ours over brown rice, but I'm sure it would be great without. 

I hope you all enjoy it! :)

a journey for the books

The summer before I met my husband I lost 15 lbs. Back then it didn't seem like much, I started out at 164, and got down to 149. I still thought I was "fat" and would constantly smack down any comments about how good I looked with things like "no, i'm still so fat. I have a long way to go still." and I look back now and want to hit myself. (PS, I HATE THE WORD "FAT") I was healthy.  Not only was I at a fairly healthy weight, I ate healthy, I went to the gym or running/biking nearly every day and enjoyed it. Then I started beauty school and gained that weight back, and then some. I would do work outs with the girls at school every once in a while, but after 9 hours of being on my feet all day, when I got home all I wanted to do was go hang out with my friends. And on lunch break grabbing something was easier then going home and making something and having to drive back to school.

Fast forward to December 2011. I met my husband, and he is a gym freak! He's got some crazy muscles (and a heart as big as those muscles, too) and he loves working out. When we were dating and when we first got married we would go to the gym together, I was determined to lose weight, he was determined to gain more muscle. It was a great bonding time for us, and it definitely made us closer, not to mention built up some heat, if ya know what I mean ;) seriously, what's better than seeing your man across the room lifting some weights?!

Anyway, 4 months into our marriage we found out that we were expecting our first baby, a girl, who I refer to as miss D. Thanks to 9 hours of school each day, plus crazy morning sickness, my working out came to a screeching halt. Then 6 months into my pregnancy I found out that I had gestational diabetes, I was devastated. But it became what would get me started on wanting to change my lifestyle. I needed to be healthier, not only for the growing babe in my tummy, but for the future, for when my baby was on the outside and didn't just survive off of what I ate. I discovered some great recipes, and I stuck pretty well to eating healthy the rest of my pregnancy. I only gained 11 lbs with little miss, and she only weighed 5 lbs 15 ounces (which is TINY for a GD baby). I was so proud of myself. Then after I delivered little miss I struggled, I wanted to eat everything I "couldn't" when I was pregnant, and I did.

(pregnancy #1, MARCH 2013) this is just two weeks before miss D made her arrival.

After miss D joined our family, I was determined to lose weight. I saw pictures of myself and they made me sad, so I decided to start my journey…..

And then we found we were expecting baby #2, due just before miss D's first birthday. I was so excited, but also sad thinking about having another pregnancy with GD and overweight. I was determined to do well with eating again so that this baby was healthy too. I did fairly decent, only gained 10 pounds, and delivered a healthy baby girl that weighed 8 lbs even. Miss O is now 4 months old, and I am starting my journey over again, with ZERO intention of getting pregnant before I hit my healthy weight goal.

(pregnancy #2, MARCH 2014) this is just 2 days before miss O made her arrival.

Becoming a mom has definitely made me realize how much my health will benefit my family's lives. I want my kiddos to live an active life, know how to eat healthy and WANT to eat healthy, and to live happy, fulfilled lives, started with their health!

I have come to the realization that only I can get myself into this journey, and only I can keep myself on track. So, with that said, here is a list of my plans to keep me on track to reach my goals.

SUGAR.

All things sugar are a weakness of mine. Candy, cakes, cookies, juices, shaved ice, you name it, I want it. So this is my number one on the list of getting in check! I have already stopped drinking pop (going on 6 weeks *insert back pat here*), and now I want to have one "cheat" day per week for that sugar fix I have been wanting the whole week. Meaning ONE single candy bar, ONE cookie, OR ONE of something that I have been wanting. ONLY ONE. Everything in moderation, right? Right.

PORTIONS.

Portion control is tough stuff. Its hard. When something is good, you want more, and its hard to say no. You can even overeat healthy food, so with that said, I am cutting down portions. Serving sizes, measuring, and taking control of how much I let into my body.

WATER.

Water is so important for SO many reasons, and my goal with this one is to drink 90 ounces or more per day! My plan is to get lemon or other types of fruit, along with a large pitcher to keep in the fridge, flavor my water naturally, and drink, drink, drink!

CALORIES.

Counting calories. Some may say counting calories is "bad", and maybe it is, but it works for me. If I see how many calories I am intaking it makes me realize how much better I need to be. My calorie goal according to my fitness pal is 1510 calories. So doable.

ACTIVITY.

A big goal of mine is to be more active. I love taking my girls for walks, and they love it too. Getting out of the house makes us all a little happier, exercise makes us happier, and being in nature, showing my girls how beautiful our world is makes us all a little happier. I have also been doing at home work outs, some favorites of mine include Tae Bo (yep, old school) and this cardio video. And between two littles I am definitely on my feet all day, with no time to actually hit the gym walks outside and at home videos are my only way to go.

MEDITATION.

I want to start doing yoga a couple days a week, and journal writing more often.

Here's to the start of this great journey….