Kick the addiction.

Why hello there friends, missed me??

I'm back to blog about something that is a personal weakness of mine. My best friend and my worst enemy.

SODA.

Before I dive into some motivational facts on why we should all jump off the drinking soda bandwagon, let me first bring up something else:

SELF DISCIPLINE.

This is the one thing that I am constantly working on, because with this all things are possible. And this is one thing you need to have if you are a soda lover like me.

If you really want to be healthy and lose weight, cutting out soda is a must. Get it in your head that you are going to do it, and just do it. You can't dilly-dally forever thinking that someday you might possibly think about maybe trying to cut back a little.

Make a decision and do it. Easier said than done, yes, but still possible to do. Anything we do in life is just making a decision and doing it. Done.

If you drink soda often, the quickest way to lose pounds as well as bloating in a short amount of time is to cut out your soda intake. Shall we look at some convincing facts now? Mmmmkay.

1 - Empty and Useless. There are no nutritional benefits to soda. None whatsoever.

2 - Weight Gain. I've read research that says each soda consumed increases risk of obesity 1.6 times.

3 - Diabetes. Anything that increases weight gain is going to increase your risk of diabetes, but there are also new studies on the effect of the High-fructose corn syrup. Read up here.

4 - May cause osteoporosis, due to being highly acidic.

5 - Rots your teeth. Your dentist will thank you for quitting!

6 - Don't follow the crowd. One of the biggest reasons that people end up drinking soda, myself included, is because it's just there. This is a very rich industry that does a very good job of advertising and slapping vending machines on every corner of every building in every town. Be aware that it will always be around you, there will always be people drinking it next to you and offering it to you and tempting you with delicious looking pictures of the dripping, ice cold beverages. It's convenient and easy. But remember, don't follow the crowd-you're better than that!

And this all goes for Diet Soda as well. Just because it's low in calories, doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain. Don't be tricked! Diet soda is also still 100% nutrition free, and daily diet soda drinkers are linked to diabetes as well.

So let's all kick this nasty addiction. Even the first week without it you will notice a huge difference.

If I can do it, you can do it.

To see what I'm doing along with kicking my soda habit, click here.

Don't believe everything you read

This applies to all areas of life. I think we need to remember that just because you read something, doesn't mean it's true. No matter where you read it!

Some people say you need to get 8 hours of sleep. Some people say you shouldn't eat meat. Some people say 6 days a week is exercising too much. Some people say 3 days a week is too little.

The list goes on and on. I read an article recently on how "all things in moderation" is a bunch of crap. I read the whole article and thought to myself, well I don't agree with that at all! Why? Because it works for me. And I had a realization:

Bag what you read. Bag what people tell you. Take good advice for what it is, but when it all comes down to it-do what's best for you. Follow your heart. Do what works for you, and don't give a you-know-what about what other people say or think or do. Don't compare yourself to other people.

Work on yourself, be happy with yourself.

For me, all things in moderation works fabulous. I once started keeping track of my calories and after a few months of doing this I realized there wasn't a single day that I went over my recommended calorie intake. And I wasn't even trying not to. So why keep track? I'm very good at eating small amounts often. Who cares if I splurge on a Dr. Pepper here and there or some yummy chocolate cake? It works for me. And if I notice my stomach becoming something I don't want it to be, I change my habits quick! Stop drinking soda for a few weeks, lower my sweets, or workout harder at the gym.

Working out is my key. As long as I'm working out 3 - 5 times a week, I find I am happy with my body. I stay healthy that way.

BUT this doesn't work for everyone! Some people have a weakness of junk food, some people over-indulge and eat too much, some people hate working out, some people work out constantly and still gain weight. EVERYONE is different.

You need to find what works for you!

If you have a hard time with eating in moderation and need to diet, I recommend Weight Watchers. It's the only diet I've seen with people in my life that really works, and keeps the weight off if continued. I know many people that have lost a lot of weight using this method.

If you have a hard time with motivation to work out, I recommend getting a gym buddy or splurging and getting a personal trainer. Having someone push you is a key to being motivated.

And the key to this all is self-discipline. If you can master self-discipline, you will find a way to do anything. This is something that I will be working on my whole life!

Today I do have some healthy advice. I read this yesterday and I whole-heartedly agree with it!

"Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince,

and dinner like a Beggar."

That works for me. That works for A LOT of people. Try it out, see if it works for you!

Meal Plan Challenge

I have big plans for next week, and I'm posting it here for anyone who wants to follow along. The reason I'm posting this today is because I use the weekend to go grocery shopping for whatever I need to buy for my meals next week. So if you'd like to follow along on my meal plans, write a list of what groceries you need and plan on some shopping today or tomorrow!

I just started scribbling my ideas down on paper, and this is what I came up with:



The left sheet is my meal plan, the right is my grocery list.

On the right side of my meal plan I also scribbled ideas and goals. Like how next week I want to make homemade honey wheat bread and homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes. I have a "grow my own cilantro" goal, and if you notice I also mapped out my workout schedule for the week.

You can find all of the following recipes in my "Recipes" tab at the top of this page. {I got my recipes from: allrecipes.com, budgetbytes.blogspot.com, and self.com.}

Sunday September 11

Breakfast: Apple Flax muffins

Lunch: Pizzadillas

Dinner: (insert your own dinner here. We are doing a family steak dinner this night.)

Monday September 12

Breakfast: Leftover Apple Flax muffins

Lunch: Fresh vegetable and green salad with Italian dressing

Dinner: Hummus & Grilled Vegetable pizza with balsamic fries

Tuesday September 13

Breakfast: Southwest Frittata

Lunch: Veggie sandwich on homemade honey wheat bread

Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Wednesday September 14

Breakfast: Apple Cheddar Melt

Lunch: Fresh salad with veggies and italian dressing

Dinner: Maple Salmon

Thursday September 15

Breakfast: Berry-Ginger Parfait

Lunch: Balsamic Caprese Panini

Dinner: Leftovers

Friday September 16

Breakfast: Strawberry/Banana/Peanut butter shake

Lunch: Fresh tomato sandwich

Dinner: Tacos

**Note: along with my grocery list, I placed an order at Bountiful Baskets for all my fresh fruits and veggies. If you're interested in this go to bountifulbaskets.com, they have pick ups every other saturday. This is my first time trying it, I'm excited!

If you'd like to do this with me, feel free! Or you can make up your own meal plans and substitute whatever you like. I don't have an exact calorie count on all of these meals, that's something I will work on for next week.

I hope you all have a happy, healthy week!!

No Equipment Workout

If you have days where you don't make it to the gym but you still want to sweat a little, here is a great at home workout I found. Easy to squeeze into your day, no excuses.

12 situps
12 pushups
1 minute wall sit
60 jumping jacks
repeat 3 times.

Love your breakfast

I love finding healthy ideas for meals. Dinner recipes are everywhere, but I often forget about breakfast. I usually end up slipping into the habit of grabbing a granola bar or eating a bowl of (sugary kids) cereal. The time to break those habits is now!

Breakfast is so important people. The reasons why go on and on, but my favorite reasons: you'll be more energetic and awake throughout the day and you'll boost your metabolism. Don't skimp on breakfast. This is the best time to fill up, remember you're burning calories all day long!

I found and tried some of these fabulous healthy breakfast recipes. I dare you to try them: (About 350 calories)

Mediterranean Wrap

Whisk 1 egg and 2 egg whites with 1 tbsp of water. Pour eggs into a nonstick skillet (coated with cooking spray) and scramble over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives (I left that one out, ew), 1/4 c reduced-fat cheese (try feta), and 1/4 c chopped tomato. Lightly fold into eggs until spinach wilts. Fill one warmed whole-wheat wrap with egg mixture.

Banana-Pecan Cereal

Top 1 1/4 cups whole grain flake cereal (Post Bran Flakes) with 3/4 cup skim milk (I substituted vanilla soy milk), 1/2 medium banana sliced, 1 tbsp chopped pecans, and cinnamon. You can also substitute yogurt for milk to make a thick mix.

Southwest Frittata

Whisk 1 egg pluss 2 egg whites in a bowl. add 2 tbsp shredded reduced-fat cheese, 1/3 cup corn (thawed or frozen), 1/3 cup black beans and 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro. Saute 1/4 c chopped red bell pepper and 1/3 cup chopped onion with 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet until veggies are soft, about 3 minutes. Add egg mixture to pan and cover until eggs are set, about 8 minutes. Serve with 1/4 cup salsa.

Apple-Cheddar Melt

Spread half a 3-oz whole wheat bagel with 2 tbsp plain hummus. Top with 3 slices apple and 1 slice reduced-fat cheddar. Broil until cheese is golden and melted, 1 minute. Serve with a cafe au lait made with 6 oz skim milk and 6 oz coffee. (You can use swiss cheese in place of cheddar.)

Pineapple-Ginger Parfait

Layer 6 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (canned in juice, drained), 1 tbsp sliced almonds and 1/4 cup granola. (Pineapple hurts my mouth so I replaced it with berries, and it was delish!)

*TIP* I have found the best way to stay consistent on eating healthy is to plan out my meals for the week ahead of time (I try to do it on Saturdays) and then go grocery shopping for everything I'll need for that week.

AND REMEMBER healthy snacking in between meals. Stay away from the sugars and sodas. I have a great list of healthy sweets I'll share with you all soon, so if you need to get your sweet kick you'll have some options!

I'm still working on perfecting this, so let's all work on it together, yes? Next post I'll share some healthy lunch recipes.

This feels soooo much better then dieting. Stick with it, you'll be glad you did!

The truth about MILK

A few years ago I bought and read a popular book called "Skinny Bitch" "a no-nonsense, tough love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and look fabulous". I love this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who 1. Isn't offended easily and 2. Wants to get health smart and skinny.

As we have been unpacking I found this book and started reading it again. What a great reminder of things that I have forgotten! Granted, this book is a tad extreme for me. One chapter encourages you to be a vegetarian, and I have to skip this-because their reasoning is so right, but I just know that's not something I could do!! Maybe one day I can work into that. For now I have to take babysteps, or I'll fail miserably!

Today I wanted to post on a specific chapter I read last night that I think is information everyone should know. Milk does a body good. True or false?

You see the ads in every magazine and the commercials on tv. We have all been ingrained to know that milk is healthy, we all need milk! Isn't it amazing how much we read and believe without any studying or research? I know I do this all the time. Well take a seat because you might be shocked when I tell you that the answer is...FALSE!

Think about this: when we have babies, we breastfeed them until they are a certain age. And then we stop, right? And that goes for cows and all other mammals on earth. They produce milk only when they give birth, they feed their young, and then they stop. In the book they address the fact that we are the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species. Why? Because the multi-million dollar dairy industry has convinced us that we need milk to have strong bones.

If you actually look at statistics, Yale researchers found that countries with the highest dairy and meat intakes also suffer the highest amount of osteoporosis rates. What?! I had never once doubted the ads that tell me milk makes strong bones. I have always pushed myself to drink more milk, even though I've never loved the stuff. (Until I got prego, imagine that...) I just "knew" that if I didn't drink my 2 glasses of milk everyday my bones would be brittle and break. Everyone knows that, right??

The truth is, we can get adequate calcium from leafy greens, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, and beans. And another plus? All these foods come without the steroids, hormones and antibiotics found in dairy. This is something I've been a huge fanatic on lately. Watch the documentary "Food Inc.", you will seriously die. All of the hormones and steroids that are being pumped into the animals we eat via meat and dairy, it's disgusting. It will totally give you a new perspective on watching what you eat!

Farmers pump their cows up with tons of steroids and hormones so that they will produce much more milk then they are designed to produce. Do you think that farmers in this business milk their cows every morning by hand, just like a movie? No way-they hook their animals up to machines that pumps the milk all day long. Their udders get swollen and infected from the machines, but do they stop pumping? No way! (Infection=puss and open sores. Yummy.) Sure they pasteurize the stuff, but that just adds to the fact because pasteurization kills all the enzymes and natural antibiotics that would make our bones healthy in the first place!

Have you ever tried Soy Milk? When I was single I bought soy milk because I could drink it in the mornings before the gym and I wouldn't get side aches. I remember the first time I tried it and I was so worried it would be disgusting, but I loved the stuff!

If you eat a lot of cereal, like me, try soy milk instead of regular milk. Then try cutting milk out of your diet-no more drinking the stuff! Eat your veggies, nuts and beans. No calcium pills, no milk. And try to get the "milk=healthy bones" out of your mind, because it's just not true.

If you are interested, I recommend picking up a copy of the book and reading it. If you aren't, stay tuned and I will post more from the book on my blog!

Size Matters

Todays motivation is something I've written about before, and I'll write about it again. I just can't say it enough-it's all about portion sizes! All things in moderation people, that's the key!

Imagine you are ordering a small coffee from Starbucks. When you get your coffee, do you ever think "That's a small?!" I sure do. Last weekend we went out to eat icecream at a local shop. I ordered a small, and when they handed it to me over the counter I was almost positive they must have made a mistake and given me a large. That is, until I saw the woman behind us ordering a large cup. It was ridiculously HUGE. Why in the world do we even offer such a large amount of ice cream for one person?!

When I go out to eat these days I often order kids meals and kiddie sized things. The problem with this is that a lot of places won't let you buy a kid size unless you are 12 years old or younger. Again, ridiculous. So either I have to buy a huge amount that I won't eat even half of and waste the rest, or I have to eat up and stuff myself overly full?! No thanks.

In europe they don't even have cups as large as our small cups here in America, unless it is a beer mug. And it's not just the portion sizes that differentiate us from Europe. It's also the fact that we have so much processed, synthetic, high carbohydrate and sodium filled foods for preservation and fast availablitly. That's not something they do much in other countries.

This gorgeous european model is great inspiration right?

We live in America, but that doesn't mean we have to conform to these HUGE American portion sizes. I found a chart once to understand portions sizes better, and it's been very helpful for me. Let me share:

• A baseball or size of your fist- would be one serving of vegetables or fruit


• Tennis ball- measures to about ½ cup of food (for example, ½ cup ice cream)


• Golf ball or large egg- is about a ¼ cup of dried fruit or nuts


• Six dice or one domino- would equal one serving of cheese


• Deck of cards or the palm of your hand- equivalent to a serving of meat, fish or poultry


• Tip of your thumb- about one-teaspoon of peanut butter


• Computer mouse- one serving of a baked potato


• CD (compact disc)- equals the serving size of a waffle of pancake


• Check book- equals a 3 oz. serving of fish


• A rounded handful- about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta

This is so important people. Portions! Moderation! Practice self disipline, in the end it will be so worth it. Stay healthy, don't starve yourself. Small amounts often, that's the key!

I have plenty of weaknesses. If I buy a Dr. Pepper, I only buy a small can. (Have you noticed how hard it is to find just a can of soda these days?!) And then I only drink half the can. If I buy a candy bar I eat a third of it and give the rest away. If I decide on dessert at the resteraunt, I split it or get a small personal sized dessert. Get the idea?

ALWAYS LOOK AT FOOD LABELS. This is where you will find the serving size, amount of calories (don't forget that's per serving size, which is often a few per package!), Nutrients, and ingredients. If you can't pronounce an ingredient listed, you should probably rethink eating it!