my first post

     Hello everyone!  This is my first blog about my new healthy lifestyle as a healthy mama.  About 6 months ago I started eathig healthy and exercising to lose weight.  After several years of being over weight I wanted to change that.  I started out with a goal of 20 pounds to lose.

        A tool I found that helped me was an app called "my fitnesspal."  I use it daily to add all my food I eat, my exercise,a and keep track of my calories.  It's a great app and I encourage people who are trying to loose weight to get it.  It really helped me stay on track.
      Another element to my success in loosing weight has been finding healthy meals that actually taste good.  I had to become very creative and be willing to try food I may have not tried in the past.  My tastes have really changed over the last 6 months.  I have learned more about cooking at home and have grown to love cooking. 

      Along with cooking healthy meals, I have given up fast food, junk food, and soda.  I mainly eat lean meat, veggies, fruit, whole grains, Nonfat plain Greek yogurt,  nonfat milk, some cheeses, and eggs. I also love sweet potatoes and brown rice. I try to refrain from sugar unless it's natural from fruits and veggies. On occasion I will have a sweet but not very often.

      I have learned that even eating healthy you have to keep portion in mind. The main idea and success behind weight loss is calories in and calories out. You must burn more calories than you consume.

   The third component in my wight loss success is exercising. I have heard many people say that exercising is boring.  I say that if you find the right exercise it can be very fun.  Exercising is something I look forward to each day.  It's my time all to myself for 30- 60 minutes a day. I love exercise videos grom youtube and running. I'm now up to four miles in 40 minutes or less.

Since I started this journey over 6 months ago I have a lot catching up to do on here.

      

Here is what I looked like 6 months ago and what I look like now.  I have lost about 38 pounds total.

TODAY'S BREAKFAST: 307 CALORIES

Ingredients:

One Eggo toaster waffle (85 calories)

One whole egg (70 calories)

3 large egg whites (51 calories)

 1/2 cupGreat value mixed frozen berries ( 35 calories)

100 % pure corn startch (10 calories)

one 2 1/2 diameter red delicious apple (56 calories)

DIRECTIONS: 

-Combined three egg whites with one whole egg in a small mixing bowl.  Add salt and pepper and mix all together. set aside

-In a small to medium sauce pan add your frozen mixed berries. turn heat to medium.  Then add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil

I added a little stevia to sweeten it. (if your not into Stevia you can substitute for honey or agave.  it will add more calories)

Then add 1 teaspoon corn starch and mix until combined

bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer until it's all saucy and has thickened up.

-While the berries are cooking place your eggs in a pan on medium heat with a  light spray of cooking spray.

Cook until one side is done then flip.

-Place your waffle in the toaster.

Once your waffle is done put your warm berry compote on top.

TODAY WORKOUT: 51 minutes total

I did two different cardio kickboxing videos. I didn't have the resistance band for the first workout so I used two 5 pound hand weights instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVdKlPG2bsk(30 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciOeavTJo1A (21 minutes)

MY LUNCH:  264 calories total (sorry no picture)

I had a large salad and green beans on the side

Ingredients:

2 cups of 50/50  salad mix (20 calories)

1/4 of a large avocado(58 calories)

Great Value deli sliced rotisserie seasoned chicken breast (50 calories for 4 slices)

 1 Fresh select carrot form Green Giant (30 calories)

2 tablespoons garlic hummus dressing from Girards (60 calories)

1 cup frozen cut green beans

Directions:

place lettuce in a large bowl

add diced avocado

add sliced carrot

add chopped deli meat

 add dressing

 and toss.

in a microwave safe bowl add green beans (frozen)

put in microwave one minute at a time until steamed up

I added salt, pepper, and garlic powder to my green beans.

SNACK: 95 calories

Ingredients: 

 1/2 La Tortilla Factory low carb whole wheat high fiber tortilla ( 40 calories)

 2 teaspoons of Winco natural peanut butter from the bulk food isle.  With no oil (55 calories)

Directions: 

take a tortilla and split it in half

add two teaspoons of the peanut butter on it.

I will post my dinner later tonight