My 5 Best Tips to stay on target

 

No matter your journey, Stay positive! You will get there!

I am still on mine to get fitter, healthier, and happier!

Take each day as it comes. Somedays, it is a ~ take each hour as it comes. My life is translating into this as we speak.

Here are my 5 BEST TIPS to staying on top of the battle

1. MEAL PLAN – meal planning is two fold. It takes the guessing out of the day AND helps you save time and money in the grocery store.
2. Put your workout clothes on as SOON as you get home or get up. Depends on when you personally work out. This helps me SO much! If I put them on as soon as I get home, I ALWAYS work out. If I miss this step, it’s a struggle to get into workout mode.
3. EAT EVERY 2-3 HOURS. When you skip meals, your body goes into starvation mode. It doesn’t know when you will feed it again so it hangs on to what you just ate. Even if that meal is on the healthy side. If you aren’t feeding your body good clean food every 2-3 hours, you will have a difficult time reaching your weight loss goals permanently. Sure you can loose them temporarily but you WILL gain all that weight back and then some! Trust me. Been there! Done that!
4. BE CONSISTANT.  Life happens. We all know this. We get a curve ball and BAM, you are off track that quick. Remember that eating healthy and working out is something you should MAKE a permanent thing in your life so that the curve balls don’t disrupt anything. Sure you have a meal that doesn’t fit into your new way of eating BUT because you’ve incorporated all these new changes into your life, that ONE meal does NOT undo what you’ve worked hard for. Your metabolism is in a whole new zone. It will get burned off. You will not gain back ALL the weight you’ve fought off to loose. (Unless you continue to eat this way for weeks and weeks, well then its back to the starting line folks.)
5. MOST IMPORTANTLY ~ REMOVE THE WORD “DIET” FROM YOUR VOCABULARY! I cannot stress this enough! Once I stopped dieting – I started eating and enjoying my food!!!! I don’t diet I live! I enjoy everything I eat. I love food. I love to cook food and I’ve learned how to eat healthy, nutritious food that tastes SO GOOD! My food life before was fat, fried, processed, junk, frozen, fast, food. Now my food life is fresh, whole, natural, green, flavorful, robust, energy filled, carb loved, healthy fats filling, protein full, food! STOP DIETING AND STARTING OVER! START ENJOYING LIFE AND EATING AGAIN.   Eat what you love but with a healthy kick! Don’t deny yourself your favorite food either! If it is mac & cheese (mine is) eat it and enjoy it! Just don’t eat it everyday or find a way to make it healthier.

Here’s to hoping this helps someone! I know these things help me. As long as I stay consistent, I stay on top of the battle. Whenever, I loose sight of my goals, I tend to get a little off track. Work out with a friend or in a group helps keep me motivated and accountable for what I need to do and what I should do. Join a challenge group. Make it fun!

I am using the 21 Day fix to keep me on track with portion controls. Click here to learn more about it. I have a new group starting June 30th!

Happy Tuesday! Happy Week!

I made Muffins y’all…

Banana Oatmeal muffins (with chocolate chips) to be exact!

I don’t bake which is why this is a big deal.

I like to bake but it never turns out good, which is why this is a big deal.

I like to eat baked goods, which is why this is a big deal!

There was something about this baked goods recipe that grabbed me and said

“You will bake me tonight and it will turn out good”

I was kinda scared when I heard a muffin recipe speak to me, kinda like those creepy Pier One commercials that have things talk to you in the store

O^O  

I was afraid that if I didn’t make these I would have creepy nightmares….. wooo hahahaha.

I’m probably creeping y’all out with this creepy post.

Muffins

Sorry, here they are.

Ok first of all. These are healthy, not in I wanna throw them in the trash healthy, but as in no flour, sugar or butter healthy 🙂

Second of all, my teenager had seconds 🙂

And third of all, my first attempt at a recipe of this type and score 🙂

Make a batch for your bunch and see if they reach for seconds.

{Printable Link}

It makes 12 muffins.

You will need:

• 2.5 cups old fashioned oats 
• 1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 TBSP ground flax seed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ripe bananas
• ½ cup of Semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts if you prefer those instead)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 muffin tins with muffin liners and spray them so the muffins will not stick.
2. Place the oats in the food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds.  Add remaining ingredients to the food processor. (Now I don’t have a food processor so I used my small chopper to grind the oats and then mixed it all in a large bowl with the mixer and it worked fine. The processor would’ve probably given me a smoother texture but mine were just fine.)
3. Process until everything is mixed together and oats are smooth.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips. (or nuts or whatever you want to add really.)
5. Divide batter among cupcake liners, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let them cool on a wire rack for just a few minutes and then dig in. They are amazing when they are warm!

All I can say is yum! My second batch is coming up soon!

Recipe adapted from here.

Happy Monday to you!

OH and don’t forget to enter in my first ever giveaway here!! You still have time to enter and win!

Okra ~ Two ways

Growing up, I had the pleasure of having my Great Grandmother and Grandmother in my life daily. I didn’t realize how much I would grow to love and respect this relationship until I was much, much older.
Much older….. (With age you gain wisdom, they say)
My Great Grandma was the one that taught me how to make my her famous Chicken and Dumplins. Oh how I wish she was still here to call and have long conversations with on days when I miss her tremendously. She was our afterschool care taker, our sickday care provider and our make every wish come true maker. I loved her, I love her and miss her still and its been 12 years. Her house was ground zero for our family. Every Sunday was dinner at her house, every birthday was shared there, and every holiday that had a reason to cook was spent around her kitchen bar or at the dinner table. Her house was even the place of a few weddings in our family and a few fancy family portraits. It has a lot of history and if the walls could talk I’m sure a lot of stories.
Every year my Great Grandma would always ask “Honey what would you like me to cook for your birthday?” She already knew the answer before I gave it to her because every year it was the same thing ~ “Grandma I want you to make fried chicken, fried potatoes, fried okra, macaroni and cheese and banana pudding!” EVA RE YEAR!
When something is good, why mess with it.
I also have the pleasure of almost sharing my birthday (short by 2 hours and 45 minutes to be exact) with my Grandma (Great Grandmas only child and daughter). Her birthday is one day before mine =)
So not only did I get my favorite meal on my birthday, I got to spend it with my favorite person, My Nana. I love that woman. We are so much alike without even knowing, that it is scary at times.
So every year, I got my favorite meal and shared a cake with my favorite lady. Best of both worlds, BEST!
I decided to add that same best of both words flare to one of my most favorite veggies – okra. Love me some okra!
Try okra two ways and see if you can choose a favorite, I can’t!
We have the roasted version.
Then we have the old fashioned southern fried but ah ha baked version.
Roasted Okra:
{Printable Link}
You will need:

• 18 fresh okra pods, cut off ends but leave the tips (not frozen it doesn’t work right with frozen, just trust me on this one)
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake in oven for about 10 – 15 minutes.

Original recipe found here.
Southern Baked “fried” Okra – Not that frozen stuff
{Printable Link}
You will need:

• 18 fresh okra pods, cut in about 1 inch pieces. (not frozen it doesn’t work right with frozen, just trust me on this one)
• 1 Cup plain corn meal
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Spray a baking pan with non stick spray and add the olive oil to the pan.
3. After you’ve cut up the okra, add your corn meal, salt and pepper to a plastic zip lock bag or a bowl with a lid that can be used for shaking. Add the okra to that corn meal and shake shake shake. Making sure that the okra is coated well.
4. Add the coated okra to the baking pan and spread out evenly so there is no clumps.
5. Bake in oven for about 15-20 minutes or until nice and golden brown.

And there you have your Southern fried okra. Just like my grandma used to make but without actually frying it in the oil in a cast iron skillet on the top of her stove in the kitchen in January on my birthday or any day I needed good ole southern comfort.  I can smell it now……..
Ahhhh, okay distraction sorry.
I made ours with Eggplant Parmesan and Baked “fried” mushrooms, mmmmm. (We’ll talk about this later)

Enjoy your Monday!
Oh and don’t forget to enter into my very first giveaway ever here! Good luck!

Friday and a Giveaway! Italian Days at Publix and a $25 gift card giveaway….

My giveaway is now closed. I will announce a winner soon! Excited!! Thanks for all who entered!

Today is Friday!

Today is Friday!
I live for the weekend! Well really I live for shopping for shoes but for now I’ll take the weekend 🙂
It also is my very first giveaway ever! I am so excited about this one because I love, Love I tell ya, to shop at Publix.
Life just doesn’t get any better than shopping at Publix. Ok I’m weird I know. I’ve learned to accept this fact.
It’s the small things that make my day, the small things that add up to make the day grand!
So what could be better –  I love Italian, I love Publix I couldn’t be more excited!
Ok on to the reason you are here.
There is this grand prize below followed by my mini Prize so stick around to the end, you just might win something!

Italian food is always a huge crowd pleaser. Whether you’re feeding your hungry family or hosting a household of friends, everybody loves the taste of al dente pasta, a rich sauce or a delicious pizza.
At the Italian Days – Taste the Tradition event at Publix® from February 11th through March 1st, you can get great prices and coupon savings* on some of your favorite General Mills brands like Green Giant and Progresso. Plus, get great savings on many ingredients for great Italian recipes like Alfredo pizza and stuffed chicken manicotti.
And that’s not all! During the event shoppers will be able to enter for a chance to be 1 of the 500 shoppers that will win a $100 Publix® gift card! To enter for a chance to win and to download great coupon savings and delicious recipes, look in-store or visit www.clickcallmail.com. (Coupons are valid from February 11th through March 1st, 2013.) (No purchase necessary to enter. Open only to legal residents of AL, FL, GA, SC and TN. Void where prohibited. For Official Rules and how to enter go to clickcallmail.com.)
******************
For my first giveaway ever –
One reader is going to win a $25 Publix Gift Card!
You will have three chances to enter!

1. Required Entry – Leave a comment giving a shout out of your favorite pasta dish? You can even share the recipe if you’d like! **This first entry is required to participate in the giveaway.**
2. Bonus Entry #1 – Go like my page on facebook and come back leaving me a comment that you did.
3. Bonus Entry #2 – Follow me on twitter and come back leaving me a comment that you did.

I will end the giveaway on Friday, February 22nd at 5pm EST!
Disclosure: “The information, products and General Mills gift pack were provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark.”