Day One Hundred Eighty

Today was a good day. I am stressed with the amount of work I need to accomplish, however I am doing well and know that I will get to where I need to be soon. While I was cooking last night, I made my own coffee, so I didn’t need to buy this morning. For lunch, I ate the cauliflower “fried rice” I made yesterday. I found the recipe online. It was delicious, not what I expected, but very good regardless. Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe. I made it yesterday and divided the batch into five for lunch all week. I would rather have switched my lunch and dinner because this is lower in calories, but this is easier to heat up.

I prepped everything then added it all to my wok that I pulled out of the back of my closet.

After class tonight, I really didn’t want to go to the gym. My allergies were acting up and I was tired. But I forced myself to make it to the gym, suffered through a workout, but felt much better that I did the 40 minutes on the elliptical. Better than nothing.

I refuse to let my excuses get the better of me. So I got home, and ate dinner before I could think of anything else. I found another recipe online that I adapted. Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe. I used canned chicken salad, because that’s what I had in the cabinets and added carrots. Celery, cucumbers and tomatoes all diced up into the chicken, Greek yogurt and goat cheese mixture. This I put ontop of the eggplant and lettuce leaves. One serving of the chicken salad mixture fit on two eggplant sandwiches. It was definitely a fork and knife messy meal, but was so good..

This makes me proud, that at least I have one part of my life under control! And now to try and get as close to eight hours of sleep as possible!

Day One Hundred Seventy-Nine

Things have been up and down lately. On the healthy lifestyle path, I’m doing well eating and being prepared. I have started working out again, and plan on increasing my time at the gym this week. Friday, I ate well, went out for happy hour and still kept myself together. I only had two simple drinks of tequila, club soda and lime. Then everyone around me ordered fries, and I had very few, but refused dinner with a friend because I wasn’t planning on eating out since I went for drinks. I walked home and ate the dinner I planned… Tilapia over mushrooms, onion, and red peppers, topped with salsa and avocado.

It’s delicious! It made me feel good that I chose good things that day. I continued my good streak yesterday, which was Saturday. For my grad class, I had to go walk around Harlem because that was the neighbor I was assigned for a demographics project. I walked for 3 miles around Harlem, then decided it was a beautiful day so I would continue to walk. I walked for 5 1/2 miles down to Union Square. Then I shopped for a few fresh fruits and veggies that I needed for the week.

I finished grocery shopping when I got home in the food store. A few things were on sale, so I purchased more than what was on my list, but resisted all of the junk food that I really wanted. I felt that last night might turn into a snack night, where I watched movies and picked on junk food, but rather didn’t allow myself to bring processed foods into the house.

I think that’s why it was so important to eat a small snack before I went to the foot store. I tried a chia snack. Chia seeds are so popular right now, I’ve been meaning to try them. Last week in the food store I saw a snack similar to yogurt. It was interesting, enough that I would buy it again.

A friend of mine wanted to have dinner last night, but everything mentioned was not worth the calories. Because I had food planned for me alone, I made that, which was a sweet potato with broccoli and cheese topped with salsa and the last of the avocado. And I remained firm on my decision to eat what I made as opposed to Chinese food.

Today I still plan on eating well. I am going to cook for the week and get some work done. I am trying out two new recipes this week, one for lunch and one for dinner, with my own little spin on things.

This morning I tried on all the jeans in my closet. I keep looking at my body and feeling like I’m still so fat, because my stomach falls over my jeans and my shirts show that bulge. But then when I tried on all my jeans, many of them were greatly loose, so I was able to pull them off over my hips while still buttoned and zipped. So I know I need to cut myself some slack and just keep trucking away at this, adding in some more exercise to tone my body.

I will love myself because I can always find something that I don’t like, but there are some things I just can’t change!

Week Two of School

It is the first day of week two, and I am exhausted. Last night I fell asleep somewhere around 10:00 with my lights on and my class readings in front of me. This morning, I was reluctant to wake up when my alarm went off, and I should have enough sleep, considering I’ve been getting more than usual already this school year. I hope this doesn’t last long because I have too many things to do that this will hinder.

This week I still don’t know if I will make it to the gym, however, I will definitely start walking home the 4 and 1/4 miles will do me good. Yesterday, since I was trying to get my class readings done, I didn’t cook all of my veggies for the week, which I will do today. I did however, have a delicious early dinner, which consisted of sautéed broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and asparagus with a taste of pasta, covered in red sauce with chicken and fat free ricotta. I filled me up, satisfied my hunger and kept me full all night long.

Today, I have my salad packed already and my yogurt is at school. I am ready to eat well, although I am feeling overwhelmed with all of the other things going on in my life right now. I know I need to take one day at a time and it will fall into place, there’s only been one week of school, but I hope things get better. I can’t keep going on feeling blah! Not sad or upset, but in this limbo of frustrated tiredness.

First Day of School Completed!

Yesterday was the first day of school. I was worried but it went well. I brought breakfast, lunch, and a snack to work with plenty of water. However things got busy in the morning and I ended up eating my breakfast for lunch and not eating my lunch at all.

After school I had my first class of the semester and then was planning on going to the gym. However since I didn’t eat lunch I was hungry and gave up on my work out before it started for home and dinner. I promised myself I would go this afternoon.

For dinner I made a salad with grilled chicken on the side of spinach. The chicken I marinated Sunday in some lime juice, cilantro, and fresh garlic. Then I grilled it on my Panini Grill. It tasted delicious over my salad today what some light balsamic vinaigrette. Also that night I chopped up some onions and garlic and sautéd them with fresh spinach.

The lunch I never ate, but intend on eating today,was made of chicken lettuce wraps using the same chicken I grilled on Sunday for lunch and dinner for all week. Along with the chicken and iceberg lettuce I sautéed fresh mushrooms, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic to put on top of the chicken and lettuce. I can’t wait to eat it.

I know my body has been greatly dehydrated from all of the alcohol I’ve been drinking.

For that I intend on drinking lots of water all week. I hope to buy a new Britta filter for my new refrigerator at work, so I always have fresh, cold water on hand.

Although I didn’t get to the gym, I feel much better that I started eating better yesterday. Little by little I will get back to where I was before the summer hit. My goal time frame is rapidly approaching and I need to at least make more progress towards that goal before the end of the year. If I exercise my willpower and determination I know with healthy eating and movement I can get there. I just need to believe in myself and do it. My self sabotage needs to end and I need to move forward.

As for today step one will be to make it to the gym.

Saturday Morning Motivation

I need to let myself get over my mistakes, like last night’s night out. Move on because today is a new day!

Frozen Treat: Peanut Butter and Banana Graham Crackers

Tried these last week when school had extra bananas that looked ever so enticing…

Peanut Butter and Banana Graham Crackers

I added some sugar free blackberries preserves that I had in the fridge to them.
I found the inside to be delicious, but the graham cracker to grow too soft for my liking. Will have to experiment and find a solution!

Last Day of Scoring Motivation!

Haha! Part of the reason I started my daily motivation, I need it!

Hopefully next week will change everything, I will be sleeping more and able to tackle the world… at least all I have to do in the next month till the end of school.

Happy Mother’s Day Motivation

There is so much to say, but things have just been so busy!

I am heading to my mom’s today, but it’s nice and early, and I’m in my running clothes. Gonna hit the park for some change in scenery before the rest of the family comes over. I will force myself to drink lots of water today, but I’m nervous about the food… I’m a grazer and I just have to keep reminding myself all day that it’s not worth it!

I tried on every pair of jeans I own this morning. I have quite a few that look good in me now, and some that are actually too big. I’m going to need more jeans, but I refuse to buy them because I don’t intend on staying this size for very long…. Size tens here I come! I hope by the end of the month.

On a motivating note… Went to the gym last night and was on the elliptical for an hour… Under 12 minute miles. I feel great and know I still have a lot to go, but also know I have come so far!

Off to mom’s… HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

Late Saturday Motivation

It was a crazy morning!

All I want to do right now is kick something. I wish I could be in class right now beating up a heavy bag.

Day Thirty-four

I am exhausted right now and am going to bed, although I only have a little homework left that I should finish, but I feel sleep is more important right now… The reading will wait for tomorrow!

Yesterday, as part of my Sunday routines, I went food shopping and cooked for the week. I went to a concert last night with two of my nieces, and although I stayed in my budget of calories, I didn’t make the healthiest choices… more alcohol and less food. I am going to eat yogurt for breakfast, and cut up veggies with hummus for dinner. For snack, I am obsessed with the laughing cow triangle cheeses… particularly the garlic and herb and chipotle flavored ones. Lunch was my concoction of the week! I made a box of couscous and divided it into 5 portions. Then I boiled broccoli rabe and divided that into the five containers. Next I steamed in a little water one red onion and two red peppers. Lastly, I steamed about 40 shrimp. I mixed all of these ingredients together, with some cayenne pepper, garlic, and fresh parsley. It’s delicious!

This morning, I weighed in and lost another 2.4 pounds. I am feeling better, and hit the gym again today. It was a nice day and I felt successful. My jeans are loose and I feel great about it. I can’t wait to see where this journey goes.

Tomorrow is the first day I am letting myself really splurge a bit on dinner. Chipotle is celebrating teacher appreciation week with buy one, get one, and I love Chipotle salads. I am going to let myself have one, with guacamole, since I really wanted Mexican on cinco de mayo that I didn’t get a chance to eat. I just need to make sure I’m good the rest of the day, and I’m trying to figure out how to best work this with the gym and Chipotle’s closing times.