Clean Eating Link Up!

I've touched on my feelings about this topic a little bit in the past, but today I'll really get to the nuts and bolts of why I feel the way I do.  CLEAN EATING...it's really become a hot topic among the fitness world and you hear those words together a lot!  I started on the bandwagon myself many months ago, and while it helped a little, I still was feeling gross, bloated, lethargic...something wasn't working for me.  Then someone recommended the Whole30 plan and I spent hours pouring over the website and decided to just go for it!  That was way back in November 2012 and it was great!  After the initial "carb flu" period I was feeling great.  I lost about 12 pounds in 30 days and I'd never felt better, more focused, or energetic.

Enter Christmas...and several more months of falling off the wagon.  I'll be the first to admit that I am an emotional binge eater.  I fight it every single day.  I simply can't keep anything in my house that I want to avoid because I will eat it every time.  During these months, I gained back every pound I lost plus a few.

Once I'd had enough of feeling like trash again, I went back to the beginning.  I decided to read this book:

I'm not huge on science, but Dallas and Melissa Hartwig really explain the science of how certain food affects our body from the inside out in terms that I can understand.  All sorts of ailments and diseases begin with what we put on our plate and we don't even realize it.  Weight gain is just a symptom of all the other things that could be happening in our bodies.  Scary things like diabetes, leaky gut syndrome, and even seasonal allergies.  And since I am doing this for my overall health and not just to lose weight, it made sense for me to cut out the junk and follow the guidelines set by this book.

I'm not perfect and I slip up sometimes, but it's been easier to resist eating things when I remind myself how bad I feel afterwards and how these foods affect my overall health and not just my weight!

One hurdle I've really had to fight through is the idea that the normal "low-fat" American diet that most people try to lose weight with will NEVER work.  Healthy fat doesn't make you fat....refined sugar and processed foods do.  If you read labels you'll find out that sugar is hidden EVERYWHERE!  That "healthy" yogurt...more sugar than a Snickers bar!  I'm looking forward to seeing Fed Up, a documentary about this topic!

I've rambled enough...if you've made it this far, I HIGHLY recommend checking out this book and program.  It won't cost you a dime (other than buying food!) to follow the Whole30 - unlike other popular programs out there.  In the long run, you'll feel better!  I know I do!

Now if I can just get the exercise going...

What are your thoughts on clean eating?  Link up with Jasmine at Fleurty and Fit and share with us!

A Friendly Reminder...For Myself

I can feel myself getting lazy.  It's gradual and slow and then all of a sudden I'm doing nothing.  So here's a little reminder of all the great reasons there are to get out there and sweat!

My favorite reasons are numbers 1, 5, 21, 46, and 48 ;)  What are your favorites?

Off to put on my workout clothes!  

Have a great Hump Day!

A Tool and a Story

I've been doing SO much better this past week!  Other than blogging - womp womp.  I spent all of last Friday at the computer planning my meals and preparing for the torture that is grocery shopping!  For this undertaking, I use Ziplist.  It really has been a lifesaver when it comes to food prep.  You can save recipes, plan your food using Google calendar, and create lists that sync with your smartphone.  Really, really helpful!  You're welcome.

So, now that is out of the way...want to hear a story?  We live in a quiet little duplex/triplex community.  Never ever have we had any excitement or trouble.  All that changed Sunday night!  We're sitting watching TV about 10:30 pm and all of a sudden we hear gunshots.  Like REALLY close - so close that the hubs made us leave the living room and go to the back of the house.  Talk about terrified.  The adrenaline was pumping so much I couldn't stop shaking.  This was me:

We stayed away from the windows even though I wanted to know what was going on.  About 10 minutes later we see police lights, so we braved looking out.  Turns out the shots were fired at the unit on the opposite end of ours - WAY too close for comfort.  The car in the driveway had a window busted out but it doesn't appear there was any other damage.  The cops hung around taking pictures until about 1 am and then they're just gone.  I don't think anyone was hurt - never saw an ambulance.  I didn't sleep very well that night at all!  I still don't know what exactly happened.  It's scary and I'm really hoping that the neighbors who were involved have received their eviction notice!

Have a great Tuesday friends!  See you again soon.

 

A New Low and A New Start

I'll put it all out there and say that I've been having a terrible time the past few days with diet and exercise.  I was super motivated to hit it hard when the 90 Days 'Til Summer Challenge started, and then PMS hit me harder.  It's basically been 'eat all the foods' and 'lounge on the couch' for the past week.  I feel terrible!

So, thankfully, last night I had a good talk about things with my sister-in-law who is also on her own journey to lose weight.  Our paths are very different, but just talking things out with her really helped me to put things back into perspective and focus on why I'm doing this.

That being said, I have recognized in myself a problem with eating.  Basically if it's there, I can't help myself.  I seriously can not stop thinking about whatever terrible food is in the kitchen calling my name.  I eventually give in, eat way too much, and feel like shit - physically and emotionally.  So today, I will be cleaning out my kitchen of all the crap foods that I don't want in my body.  This will be good for my whole family!  None of us need to eat gummy worms.  Ever.  

Here's to rebooting.  May it be the last time I ever have to do it.  I'm expecting success and starting today I'm going to take control of my journey again....starting weight 170.2.  Yikes.  That's the heaviest I've ever been in my life and it's way too much for my 5'2" frame.  

Happy Friday!  I hope your weekend rocks!

Late, Late, Late Weekend Update

I know it's Wednesday already, but I had a great weekend and it kind of spilled over into the beginning of the week!  Never a bad thing.

We had family in town so there was a lot of family time and fun hanging out.  Friday we went shopping and my cousin spoiled H with some new clothes for spring/summer and of course we can't leave without at least one toy!  Then we went with the whole family to a local mexican restaurant so that meal was a big thumbs down for my 90 Days 'Til Summer Challenge.  And you know what - it wasn't even that good.  Wasted calories!

Saturday we had plans to celebrate our 14th anniversary, so H stayed the night with Grandmommy and Poppy.  Can I just insert right here that I have the best parents on the planet?  They do so much for us and H just loves them to pieces!  J and I went to see Divergent and then to try a new local seafood restaurant, The Half Shell.  It was so good!  I had crab cakes, bacon wrapped green beans, and a few sweet potato fries.  I liked it because it wasn't your typical huge plate with loads of food - they were appropriate portions of fresh seafood and I didn't feel stuffed afterwards.  Which was good because - you know - we were celebrating our anniversary (bow chicka wow wow).

At the restaurant above and our first married kiss below :)

We didn't take the fam to the airport until late Monday evening, so Tuesday I spent all day doing all of the typical cleaning and catching up that I missed over the weekend.

And now it's Wednesday and here I am.  It's freaking 40 degrees today which stinks because it was near 80 over the weekend.  Maybe this bipolar weather will relax soon and we'll be complaining about how stinking hot it is come August!

So, back to the grind today.  I gotta get back on the workout train for sure!  Check y'all later!

Just Stopping In Real Quick

It's Friday and I've been slack over here this week!  I've got family in town from Baltimore that we don't get to see very often so I've been spending every minute I can with them.

Today officially starts the 90 Days 'Til Summer Swimsuit Challenge.  I'm so excited to really put everything I have into this 90 days!  I'm so beyond ready to see some real results.  I've been eating ok leading up to today, but I'm going to hit it hard now.  Officially starting Monday I'm going to begin another Whole 30 program.  Reading 'It Starts With Food' has really motivated me to make healthy choices in the kitchen.

Anyway, headed off to hang with the family!  Happy Friday!