Day by Day

Morning gorgeous!

Happy Friday! I know there are sometimes where you don’t feel like doing anything, feel sluggish but it’s just temporary and you have to find the motivation somewhere to work out!

Remember not to get discouraged by the big picture and take each day as it comes. Don’t say “I can never have a oreo McFlurry ever again” because it’s not true and you deserve a few indulgences every once in a while. Indulgences have to be done in moderation because all your hard work is worth more than 5 minutes on your lips. Personally, it’s easier for me to focus on my fitness goals if I just think about this week and worry about the rest later. It’s a process which requires time and lots of it so don’t get frustrated right away if things aren’t going the way you want them to. You will get there as long as you just remember to take it one day at a time.

Today I’m sharing some inspirational pictures that motivate me when I feel like a slug.  You can print these out and hang them anywhere and everywhere you want so that you can achieve your goals!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a sweet day!

xoxo,

Health Bent

It’s no longer about being skinny it’s about living ahealthy lifestyle through exercising, healthy eating habits and carefulplanning.  Sorry for not posting yesterday but I had a killer math test tostudy for! Anyways, “skinny” is totally out of season and healthy isthe new trend that’s here to stay! I’ve tried just about every fad dietpossible from green tea to the Hollywood diet and as some of you know they’rejust quick fixes.  Sure it’s great for a few weeks but what about afterwards?Sound familiar? It’s no fun being on a diet I mean the word itself is such adrag. 

 

The word itself makes you cringe atthe thought of it.

Don’t

Imagine

Eating

This

C’mon how inspiring is that? None whatsoever which is whythis isn’t a diet it’s your new journey into a healthy lifestyle. Of courseI’ll post some salad recipes but I’m not going to focus on that alone becausehealthy eating can be fun! It doesn’t need to consist of restricting yourselffrom your favorite foods as long as you learn to come up with substitutions andadjustments. Food is meant to be enjoyed! Sure you may love mayo but cutting itout of your daily routine can save you 99 calories! By substituting it formustard (just 11 calories) think how much happier you’ll be when all theselittle things play into the big picture – losing weight, living healthy andmost of all being happy!

Before we start the first step is to write everything down!That’s why I found some great printables for you. Thanks to Design Sponge I’ve made them available foryou here.

Menu with grocery list

Grocery list

This actually works out perfectly because I am going groceryshopping today too so I will show how much fun planning your meals will be!

Ok so I actually didn’t follow one of my own shopping rulesand went while I was hungry! It’s actually NEVER a good idea! So I endedup buying some random things I probably didn’t need which is why you shouldmake sure that you are fueled up before heading out!

Anyways here’s a few recipes that I will be trying thisweek…

GET GOING BREAKFASTS!

1 cup Cheerios, 1/2 c. skim milk, 1 medium banana sliced

1 Vitatop muffin, Greek or lowfat yogurt {210 cals}

LUSCIOUS LUNCHES!

Crab and Avocado Salad

Per serving: Calories 314; Fat 14 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 73 mg;                              Sodium 552 mg;Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 8 g; Protein 22 g

Lean -o- panini

Calories: 264, Fat: 7g, Sodium: 898mg , Carbs: 31g Fiber: 7g, Sugars: 6g, Protein: 21g

DASHING DINNERS!

Boca Fresca Burger

Calories 250, Total fat 7g, Sodium 550g, Sugar 5g, Carbs 29g, Protein 20g

Jerzday Ziti

230 Calories, 22g Protein, 45g Carbs, 5g Fat (serves 9)

Ingredients

   * 1 box Fiber Ziti or Penne Rigate
   * 15 Ounce container of Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
   * 2 Large Egg Whites
   * 4 Cups Non Fat Mozzarella Cheese
   * 1 teaspoon garlic powder
   * Salt/Pepper
   * 1 tsp Crushed red Pepper Flakes
   * Low Calorie Marinara Sauce
   * 3 Tbsp Grated Fat Free Parmesan Cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 Degrees
  2. Spray baking dish with Olive Oil or Pam
  3. Boil Pasta noodles
  4. In a mixing bowl mix ricotta, egg whites, and everything else but leave 1 cup of        mozzarella cheese.
  5. Spread 1 cup of Marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish
  6. Add 1/2 pasta  on top of marinara sauce in an even layer
  7. Add another cup of marinara sauce over first layer of pasta
  8. Add the remaining pasta over the second layer of sauce
  9. Add mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese over the second layer of pasta
  10. Cover the dis with Foil
  11. Bake approximately 20 minutes
  12. Remove the foil
  13. Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted

SNACK ATTACK!

Vanilla Wafers : 8 cookies, 140 cals, Total fat 6g, Carbs 21g, Sugar 11g

Frigo String Cheese – Light : 1 stick, 60 cals, Total fat 2.5 g, Carbs 0g, Protein 8g

Any type of fruit you love

Have a sweet day!

xoxo,

Fit is not a destination…

It’s a way of life! Earlier this morning I started off with some motivation to get you excited about this journey and I’m continuing with this momentum! Yes, exercising does play a big role into your fitness endeavors but you can’t eat big macs all day and then assume you’ll work it off later. Think of your body as a temple…it’s sacred and you should treat it like gold. Even if you aren’t taking an accurate log of your intake you body always will.

When you get home from school or work today take at least 30 minutes to walk,jog,run whatever your little heart desires! As long as you made the decision to get up and get moving you’ve made an accomplishment for today which is a great start. Maybe you need a little bit more direction for your workout routine well no worries I took care of that too!

Now that you have a workout routine for today let’s get to the food! Healthy food can taste just as good as what you’re used to or even better! Did you know that eating healthier foods is actually cheaper than take out?

Hopefully seeing this has changed your thinking. It’s obviously easier to order takeout but it’s never worth it in the end. You may be overwhelmed by the choices available at the grocery store but don’t freak out. Take a breath because I’ve found some amazing tips to help you out in general.

1. Sugar free is your new bestie! It tastes the same most of the time and if you decide to buy something labeled “fat free” beware of the sugar content!
2. Eat all colored fruits/veggies! I know you’ve heard this a billion times but just to make sure it’s drilled into your coconut here it is again. Most of your carbs should come from veggies and/or fruits.
3. Pound on the protein! Sorry red meat lovers but it’s time for a new love that will work much better for you! Give chicken, turkey and Boca Burgers a try.
4. Forget the oils, butter and salts instead, use PAM products from now on.
5. Start drinking skim or 2% milk and if you can make it organic. There’s always almond milk as another option and it’s flavored.
6. Pack on more protein and calcium with cottage cheese and Chobani yogurt.
7. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I can’t say this enough! Drinking water will help you stay full all day and make your skin & hair healthier! There’s always the option to add crystal light for added flavor or try some tea.
8. When grocery shopping try to avoid the boxed frozen foods they’re never as healthy as they seem.
9. Chew sugarless gum whenever you can because it will curb your appetite. One study at the Mayo Clinic indicates that chewing sugarless gum burns 11 calories an hour and can help a person lose weight.
10. Keep a detailed record of your caloric intake for the day. If you have a smartphone there is a fantastic app “My Fitness Pal” which allows you to enter specifics and then gives you the right amount of calories you need daily. Another thing I love about this app is it also has cardio exercises that you can add to your food log. When you start losing weight My Fitness Pal adjusts your intake too!
11. Keep your weight loss goals realistic and attainable. Don’t say to yourself that you’ll lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks because that could lead to disappointment and discouragement. Instead focus on 1 or 2 pounds a week and keep it simple!
12. Don’t deprive yourself of treats because that will lead to binge eating. Instead give yourself a treat once a week of your favorite food. Your body still needs fat and if it’s not getting enough it will hold on to the supply available. Make sure your treat is allotted into your daily intake as well.
13. Organize your schedule for the week so you can stay on track with school, friends, work and your fitness routine! Making sure that you’re organized will help you plan accordingly in case you’re running late or an emergency happens. Creating a schedule will also make you accountable for your exercises because you have to write it down.
14. Make sure you have supportive people around you to encourage you every step of the way. Surround yourself with positive people!

Have a sweet day!

xoxo,

Morning Mod-ivation

Morning sweeties,

Ah the holiday season is upon us and that also means all those yummy treats can set you back in your fitness goals. Well no need to worry because I have been working on making this week entirely about fitness, healthy eating and some great tips to keep you in the best shape even through the holidays!

I know this feeling all too well after Thanksgiving when you know you did  a little damage and then you promise yourself  “I’ll start my diet tomorrow or Monday”. Don’t promise yourself anything if you can’t keep it! Instead of saying you’ll start next week make a conscious effort to change your habits for the long run. I know losing/gaining weight is part of every girl’s life but don’t focus on skinny focus on healthy! Today is a brand new day, a clean slate so get off your lazy bum 😉 and get to it! Remember that this isn’t a one shot deal and mistakes will be made because you’re human hopefully:) . ALWAYS REMEMBER IT’S A LIFESTYLE CHOICE! 

Just to clarify I am not an expert at this and you should always consult your doctor before you start a new diet lifestyle. My only goal is to inspire you to be even more beautiful than you are right now and be absolutely content with yourself. Learning to live a healthy lifestyle is going to be a hard and I’m saying this from experience so take it a day at a time.You’ll have to be extremely diligent about your food choices especially but it’s all doable and totally worth the effort! Don’t stress yourself out over a few tiny mistakes because you can always fix them and learn from them. Be proud of daily accomplishments. Being healthy shouldn’t be considered as boring it should be fun! Remember this is a POSITIVE thing you’re doing by transforming into a healthy and happy lifestyle. Stay tuned later on today for some workout ideas and a healthy helpful tips.

Here’s some thin-spiration to start off your week!

Source: healthy-is-the-way-to-go.tumblr.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Have a sweet day!

xoxo,