Bringing Sexy Back!

I just got back from my very long leg and back workout at my mom and dad's house, and I thought I would write a blog while the endorphins are going! To give a weekly update, I will gladly say that I did indeed kick it up a notch this week! My body is ridiculously sore because I took too long of a break.  It feels like Anderson Silva (Greatest of all time UFC Fighter) punched me in both of my shoulders.  It is all good, I am back in action! Ahhh, the sweet pain of progress!

I am super excited to try some new recipes this week. I want to really keep the gluten level down, but at the same time have fast and easy meals!  I will be posting some of the meals I make on my blog next post. TLS has some recipes online that I really need to check out! Also, Pintrest for the win! If you guys want, you can follow me on Pintrest!  I find a bunch of yummy gluten free recipes and re-pin them for you guys! Here is the link to my boards! http://pinterest.com/lowen003/boards/

One thing that I have really learned this week is that muscle memory is down right amazing! I felt like a pop-belly pig after taking a break from working out, but two workouts in my tummy flattened and I felt just as amazing as I did before I went on vacation! Also I beat my max in bench press!!! That was a shocker! Learn from that ladies... When you take a break for a while and your butt looks 5 times flatter than it did when you were working out, that does not mean that the muscle is gone. You just need to give it a little "boost," so to speak.  Drop it like its hot with two 10 lbs weights in your hands by doing some of those squats you love so much! But seriously, after you workout you will see that you are not as far behind as you thought you were.  Just get out there and do it... there is no way that you will regret it!

Oh by the way, some of you have been asking what TLS is.  TLS stands for Transitions Lifestyle System.  It is not an eating program, as much as it is a lifestyle and behavior modification program.  TLS provides lots of different tools to get you to where you want to be.  Some people don't mind losing weight over a longer period of time, then there are those that want to go at it a little faster, and then there are the people that want to lose it much faster!  They have everything, from recipes to workouts to protein shakes to packaged up meals, as well as professional coaches that will help you achieve your goals at no additional cost.  I will be one of those coaches soon! They also have tools online to track your progress, along with free webinars with professionals to help guide you through it all.  I love it. If you guys have anymore questions, or if you want to get started on your body, then go ahead and shoot me an email, I will hook you up ;). Email me at lowen003@gmail.com.

Our daughter is already excited about daddy's American Express card... Uh-oh. We are in trouble!

Out of the Frying Pan and Into... My Thighs?!

Hey everyone!  So for those of you who didn't already know, Andrew and I went on a little vacation last week.  It was so fun! We went to Solvang and went wine tasting, then to Pismo beach/ San Louise Obispo, and then we stayed in Oxnard! I know what you are all wondering, and YES I was a naughty girl! I had a couple of pastries in Solvang, and I had the mother of all weight gaining drinks... alcohal.  Not to mention a couple of high calorie dinners! But I didn't do NEARLY as bad as I would have before I started TLS.  I splurged here and there, but over all I really ordered healthy! I only gained 3 lbs, which sets me back a couple of weeks, but I am ready to shock my body again! Now that I am home sweet home, its time to sweat all them sweets out!

I came home a couple of days ago, and since then I went crazy at the grocery store buying tons of fresh foods.  I seriously love TLS's Protein shakes.  I have been living off of them! I just add non-fat milk (or water), a hand full of spinach, some bananas or strawberries, and sometimes I will even add in a very little bit of organic peanut butter.  Can I interject something here?  Okay... people... something good to keep in mind is that just because something is organic, that does not make it healthy for you to eat it in bulk!  I hear all too many times about people eating WAY too much peanut butter, almond butter, or even egg yoke, and they are absolutely clueless to why they are not losing weight. Those are all great foods, but they are not calorie free!  Nor are they "good" calories when you eat too much of them.  Okay, so organic =/= fat free. That's all I am saying.

Don't worry, I have been fooled way too many times to be pointing a judging finger at any of you! I am little miss Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, and even the Diet Coke diet (You know! The diet where you eat nothing but saltine crackers and diet coke.  I came up with that bright idea when I was 14).  The reason I love TLS so much is that it is a lifestyle, not a diet plan. I noticed the difference when I was on vacation. It has changed my whole mindset.  Yes, I gave in a few times, but I gave in WAY fewer times than I usually do on vacation!  I love proving to myself that I don't need to eat bad in order to feel like I am having fun, when it is in fact the opposite! When I eat junk, I feel like junk.  When I eat well, I feel excellent!

Here are some fun pictures from our vacation!!  Enjoy!

At a wood fire pizza place in Solvang with Andrew... so yummy!  The Pizza was pretty good too. ;)

I was honest! 

I love my man! Eden was crashed, lol.

This restaurant was BOMB in Solvang.  Who is that stud?

Two princesses in "Bubblegum Ally" at San Louis Obispo! We are Princess Bubblegums! 

She did so amazingly well in the car! 

Eden and me at the Mandalay Bay Beach Resort in Oxnard

We left Eden alone for one minute.

She LOVED adventuring around all of the rooms!

Isn't she cute?  

WEEK 13 & 14: Before and After Pics!!!!! SO EMBARRASSING!!!!!!

3 months ago I started TLS.  Since then Ryan has helped me to lose over 25 lbs in just a few months with TLS.  I am doing things that I could only dream about doing when I was younger, and I am not even at my goal weight yet! Before TLS, the farthest I had ever run was 2.5 miles.  Today I can run over 4 miles without any breaks.  5Ks were so scary to me, but now I do them WEEKLY!  I am benching almost double of what I started with before the competition.  Even better, my goal clothes for October already fit me loosely!

Though my body‘s shape has improved drastically, the greatest change has been my renewed mindset.  I used to have no hope.  I truly thought that I could not change my life.   I was so wrong.  With God, all things are possible.  With a lot of help from Jesus, family, friends along with the TLS program, I AM changing my life. I AM becoming the person I have always wanted to be.  I WILL be there for my little girl, and I will be running, jumping, and not be dying from lack of oxygen in the process!  I WILL be the sexiest dame my husband has ever seen, and though he says I am already, I am finally starting to feel that way!  TLS has changed my path in life, and I cannot wait to see what else lies ahead.

Here are my before and after pictures for the last couple of months.  The before pictures were taken right when I started writing this blog! This is so hard to post, you have no idea.  The before pictures are just down right humiliating!

Before

After

After

Before

After

After

Before

After

Mommies can do it too!

WEEK 11 & 12: Fat Burning Adventures!

Crazy, fun, and emotional.  Those are the words that describe my last couple of weeks.  I ended up not writing a blog last week because it was so hectic!  Because I didn't do last weeks blog, I am going to combine it in this weeks!!! Last week I had so much fun at the Wild Animal Park with Erika and her little one, Aubry!  We ended up walking for 2 and 1/2 hours.  I got a nasty blister in the first 20 minutes!  Thank God I packed some flip-flops...  Anyways, Erika is crazy.  We are walking up one of the steeper hills, and I am panting because I am way too heavy to carry up all them hills, and that girl starts to do LUNGES up it!  Of course I give it a try, and after 2 I decided I will wait to do that when I don't feel like I have 10 lbs dumb-bells strapped to each of my thighs. I have lots of pictures for this blog!!!  Here are some of us on our fun adventure!

Hanging out on the bridge!

So neat! The Lions were right there!

Eden- I thought this pic was so funny!

Erika & Aubry Feeding the Ducks/Evil Catfish 

 Later in that week I was able to go to the park with Erika, Aubry, Alexis and her little ones, Raquel and James!  They had a very fun fountain to play in for the kids, and people like me!  I seriously wanted to jump the fountain, but I didn't want to scare the children. Eden had a blast just sitting in the water watching the big kids play!  I ended up satisfying my thirst for water by swimming laps when I got home. Oh yay!  More pictures!

Just chillin!

Thats Aubry in the back!

Raquel bending down to give Eden Kisses

The Crew!

She was so tired on the way home!

 The next weekend I had a tea party to go to!  I felt so great being able to shop at one of those little girly girl stores to pick out a fun outfit for the tea!  I seriously have lost so much fat!  More to go! I got to see a lot of old friends, and I even got to spend some time with one of Bree's best friends, Sarah =).  That seriously made my day.  Sarah's mom decorated the table, and it was beautiful! More pictures!

This was my outfit!  

Beautiful table!

Sarah and me!

My mom and me!

The next day I went to a bridal shower!  It was so fun.  Rachelle (the bride to be) was so pretty!  I can't believe how time flies... I got to see Rachelle's sister, Becca as well!  She is another one of Bree's best friends!  It was such a blessing.  

That should cover both the fun and crazy part of the week!  It was really emotional for me because I was missing Bree so much.  All of these fun events were things I used to do with my little sis, and seeing all of those faces really brought back fun memories of her.  I just miss her so much.  I cannot wait to see her again.  It can be really tough sometimes... I just praise God that I WILL see her again. 

So... workout and eating!  I was feeling so discouraged a couple of weeks ago.  I hit a major plateau.  I changed things up a little bit this last week and started to do a lot more muscular workouts.  For example... instead of running in the neighborhood, I ran up the stairs in our house... 94 times!!!! That combined with planks, squats, push-ups, and many other workouts made this last week pretty successful!    Not only am I REALLY soar, but I am starting to lose weight again!  only  a couple of pounds, but that is awesome! 

 I have been making lots of stir-fries and salads, and I have been drinking lots of water.  Food, I am learning, is so important to get right.  As I go along, I am learning more and more from TLS.  Its the eating/exercise program that I am on.  They hold weekly webinars every Monday night at 6 pm.  I would HIGHLY recommend checking it out this Monday!  Free education! =) just go to http://www.meeton.com/ then sign up, then click on the TLS webinar. I will be watching as well. It is so educational! 

So that is it!  I hope you enjoyed this post!  

WEEK 10: Swimerella

Oh my!  It is so HOT outside!  We Californians are so spoiled =)... I wouldn't have it any other way!  I only ran once this week... It is far too hot for me to put on a pair of black paints and run my BUTT off, and I'm not about to put on a pair of tight running shorts! Forget that! I will do the world a favor and save those shorts for those Soccer girls on the track! I am so happy that we have a neighborhood pool.  I swam for cardio and lifted weights in my air-conditioned home. It was so fun working out with Eden.  I put her on my shoulders and  did squats and lunges- actually I used her as a weight for several exercises!!!  She LOVED it.  Here is a picture I took of Edie Peedie that I took, and a video Andrew decided to take of me... what a stinker, lol!

I was lazy on food this week, so I invested in some Lean Cuisines!  I know, I am bad.  I need to go shopping for some more fresh produce!  I LOVE spinach. There are so many things you can do with it, its crazy! It's on my grocery list!

On a more serious note.  I have been feeling pretty unmotivated and worn out these last couple of weeks.  Sometimes I just felt like "taking a break."  I will do a hardcore workout one day, and the next I will want to do the bare minimum. I find it is easy to take a break from the hard-corness of it all, but it is pretty darn hard to get back on the horse!  I am so close to a number (my weight) that I want to see SOOO badly, but I sabotage myself by not doing what I really need to. What is up with that?

I need to prioritize all over again.  I need to constantly remind myself how important it is for me to get in shape.  This may come as a surprise to some of you, but Andrew and I want try for another baby at the end of the year or the beginning of next year. However, I want to be in shape before taking up another journey like that.  I want to get my body back so badly, and I need to WOMAN up and just do it.  I don't want to be the only fat one in our family!  If all else fails, I will just take the family out to McDonalds and donuts twice a week to fatten them up... JUST KIDDING... It would definatly be In n' Out Burger!  Anyways!  I am going to eat some awesome grub!  Here is a picture of what we are having tonight... I did good ;).

Teriyaki Chicken, Veggies and Brown Rice!

WEEK 9: Exercise Your Right to Get to Know Your Daddy!

Another great week.  A busy one though! I ran a full 4 miles without stopping for the first time in my life! Andrew and I have made it a point to take at least one day off a week and dedicate it to ourselves and Eden.  I cannot express enough how awesome it has been having that family time!  I have such a wonderful family.

God is so great!  Speaking of God... I thought I would speak a little bit about His grace and mercy today.  I was having a chat with someone, and we were talking about how easy it is to feel as though we have fallen away from God.  Truth is, once God has you (that is when you truly dedicate your life to Him) He will NEVER abandon you. As humans, we are prone to sin.  We will never be able to stop sinning completely, until we leave our earthly bodies and go to live with Him in paradise. 

God knew this, and He also knew that there was only one way for us to be saved from what we really deserved.  God loves us so much, that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to take our place. Jesus died on a cross for YOUR and my sins, and three days later He rose from the dead, just as He said He would.  

Here is the awesome thing.  He didn't just die for your past sins.  He died for your past, present, and future sins!  What great news! Which brings me back to my point... It is easy to feel distant from God when you have sin in your life.  Even after you have stopped, guilt can give you the illusion that God doesn't look at you the same way He did when you first asked Him to be your Lord and Savior.  That is a lie that Satan wants you to believe.  

There is NOTHING you can do to stop God from loving you.  There is no sin too big that Christ's blood cannot cover.  If you believe that Jesus is the ONLY way and accept His gift of eternal life, than you are saved. The only thing your sin can do is stop you from having a deeper relationship with Him, and that is if you let it.  Don't minimize what Jesus has done.  When you fall (sin), say your sorry, get back up, dust yourself off and praise God for His forgiveness!  He is always faithful to forgive. Instead of allowing sin separate you from Christ, use it as a tool to come closer to Him. He has already forgiven you the moment you accepted Him into your life.  Trust in Him.  He has got you in the palm of His hand. 

Delicious Gluten Free Low Fat Banana Brownies

These were AWESOME!  What a treat ;) 

Ingredients 

2 egg whites

1/2 cup of apple sauce

1/2 cup of agave syrup

1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of coco powder

1 1/2 cup of gluten free flour

1/2 of a banana

Directions

Mix egg whites, apple sauce, agave syrup and melted chocolate all together.
Mash banana and add to the mix.
In separate bowl mix coco powder and gluten free flour.
Then, mix all ingredients together. Mix well.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until inserted fork comes out clean.
Take out and let cool.
Enjoy your yummies!!!!!

WEEK 8: Lucha Libre!

I have to start off this post with something that made me laugh inside.  I was running yesterday and I put on a shirt that I thought would do fine.  No joke, 45 seconds into my run it had already ridden up past my bellybutton.  I had a mental image of what I looked like, and I immediately thought of Nacho Libre!  For those of you that have not seen that HILARIOUS movie, here is a picture of the famous NachooOOOOooooo!

Yep.  Just imagine that guy with blond, long hair and a pony-tail running, without the mask of course.  That was me.  I was wearing capries and everything! Soooo...50 seconds into my run I made a U-turn and changed my shirt into something that did not make me look like, well, Nacho.  

Okay, on that note.  It was a fantastic week. I will start off by saying I did have 2 1/2 bread sticks at Eden's dedication lunch, but other than that I was a true flubber blaster! I worked out pretty darn hard, even threw a 5K in the mix.  I am even dreaming of crazy workouts!  Last night I dreamed that I was in my brother's (Ryan's) jiu jistsu class, and he was making us do all sorts of crazy exercises Needless to say it was a nightmare.  I was wearing a gee with nothing under it so I was constantly making sure I was "decent," and they had to put me off to the side because there was no way in H E double hockey sticks that I would be able to catch up!  But back to reality...  My eating has been great (besides the bread sticks), and I have been drinking tons of water!  I watched another TLS webinar and learned that you can actually gain weight from artificial sweeteners, which stinks because I LOVE my sugar free candy! I also love Splenda.  Oh well, life goes on! 

There is some good news!  I can have grains again!  Not gluten, GRAINS.  In other words, buttery bread sticks are out of the question.  But I love that I can have a bit of brown rich or oatmeal once in a while!

 I took off 2 lbs this week.  Not my best as far as weight loss, but at least it wasn't from lack of trying.

Here is a picture of me and Eden rocking out our workout.  I have to admit,  I am a bit hotter than Nacho ;).

WEEK 7: 6 Steps Forward 1 Step Backwards

I was so bad this week!!!  Oh dear. Hear it comes... confession time.  I am not going to lie, IT WAS A BLAST!  First bad day was at my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's going away party.  I was a tiny bit naughty there.  But not nearly as bad as I was with Andrew the next day, and Easter Sunday at my parents house, all I can say is SHOW ME THE CALORIES!  Good news is, I have not stopped working out.  But I  still gained 1 and 1/2 lbs! Just goes to show you, you really cannot out exercise a bad diet.

Needless to say,  I am back on my eating program.  You know what that means. Spinach, egg-whites, spinach, protein powder, and did I mention spinach?  No, I have more than just that.  In fact, I just learned that I haven't been eating ENOUGH calories on my diet.  It is so nice having a TLS coach!  I was reminded that my body can actually go into starvation mode when not getting the calories it needs.  When that happens my body will start to grab and store whatever calories I put into my body, which can sometimes cause weight GAIN. As one of my supervisors (Glorivette) used to say when she didn't like something, SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! And...no thank you.  This time when I went shopping I bought a few extra things to bump up the healthy fats, like organic peanut butter, Swiss cheese, and dare I say 2% cottage cheese?  You know me, always livin' life on the edge.

Oh! Oh!  I learned a new exercise!  Thank you Jillian Micheals!  Grab a deck of cards and assign a different workout to every suit (Clubs, Hearts...etc.).  The number that comes up is the number of reps you do.  Jack, Queen and King all equal 10 reps, while the Aces give you a 1 minute break.  Don't stop until you get through the whole deck! This is what Andrew and I did...

WEEK 6: Happy Birthday Bree!

I know what you are thinking. "Is that Christy?! WOW she looks AMAZING!  HOW DID SHE DO IT?"  To answer your question, NOPE! Today is my little sister's birthday.  She would be 23 years old.  I cannot believe it has been 2 & 1/2 years all ready. She was a stunning girl here on earth.  I can only imagine what she looks like in her eternal body! I miss her so much!  She is my best friend and one of my main motivators.   Bree was- is a SUPER athlete!!!  I tell everyone how she could do 95 push-ups and 14 pull-ups.  This chick is AMAZING!  She would always encourage me and help me with eating my habits and different exercises, so whenever I work out I imagine  that she is watching me, rooting me on to keep going, DON'T GIVE UP, CHRISTY!  This last week I lost an additional 4 lbs.  I worked so hard this week!!   I dedicate this 20 lb mark to Bree.  Without her I wouldn't have done it, at least not at such a rapid pace.  She is such an inspiration!  I cannot wait to see her in heaven to give her a huge hug and tell her what an impact she has made on me spiritually, mentally, and physically!  She loves Jesus.  Her life here on earth was a great example of how I strive to live.  She really followed in Jesus' footsteps.

Andrew has been gone for the past 4 days (feels like 20!).  To put it simply, he is training people to make money in Philadelphia and Ohio.  I miss him so much, but I have been staying focused.  I want to look that much better for him when he returns tomorrow!  I even got a pretty green dress and some cute cowgirl boots, so I can be all dolled up for him when he returns.  I cannot wait...  Only one more day until I am back in his arms!

So I have mainly been doing lots of running and weightlifting this last week.  I was tempted a few times with the Yellow Deli, and Bree's birthday celebration today, but I am not straying from this path.  At first I thought for a brief moment, we should have cake for Bree's Birthday! Then I thought about what Bree would really want.  She wants me to be happy and healthy.  She used to tell me when I was about to splurge to remind myself, (her words) "What do you want more, this brownie, or a killer bod?"  The whole family decided we should eat healthy and celebrate at the Naked Cafe!

Well I have to wrap this up. I need to go workout!  Eden is sleeping so time is of the essence! 

Week 5: Lady in Red

What a week!  Actually it has been pretty mellow except for Eden getting sick.  We had to take her to the doctors on Saturday because she was sporting a fever for 4 days in a row.  I will spare everyone the details and just say that Saturday was one tough day, but she is doing much much better today! So happy she is her happy self again! 

So guess what everyone! So far I have lost a total of 16 lbs =).  I also learned some really interesting things.  A while ago I heard a rumor that you burn the same amount of calories walking as you do running the same distance... WRONG.   I guess that wasn't much of a surprise, considering how I feel like I am going to die when I run 1 mile!  I also learned how important it is not to focus only on endurance, but really try to bump up the intensity of your workouts if you want to lose that fat!  You need lots of muscle if you ever want to get those shredded abs! 

I have had a hard time getting motivated this week.  I know it has something to do with Edie Peedie being sick all week. What do you call that again?  Oh yeah!  An excuse!  Excuses don't burn fat cells.

Anyways... this is a short one.  By the way, I got into my goal dress a couple months early =) This WAS going to be the dress that I WAS going to wear to Andrew's high school reunion in August.  I guess I will have to shop for a new one.  Oh darn, or should I say, Flippin' AWESOME!

Check it!  Who's that lady in red????!!!!!

WEEK 4: Bad Christy!

I am sorry that I am late on this weeks post.  I have not felt like posting the last couple of days.  I was feeling really out of it yesterday and only felt like sleeping, as did my daughter Eden.  So sleep is what we did! I am really feeling great about my body.  I know I have a ways to go, but I feel amazing! I look in the mirror and I see a completely different person than I did a month ago.  Praise Jesus,  brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.  My pants are too big on me, and I am starting to fit into things that I haven't worn since before my pregnancy.  I am so excited! Also, I am becoming addicted to working out.  I didn't workout yesterday, and I started to get seriously depressed.  However, I know I needed that time to recover and take care of Edie Peedie!

Confession time... I suck at drinking water.  I need to drink way more than what I have been drinking lately.  Also, Andrew and I had our very first cheat meal this last weekend.  PIZZA!  The first wheat that I have had in 4 weeks!  Man did it taste amazing, even though it made me sick.  We also had wine!  Wow, so delicious.  I am a boxed wine kinda girl!  This was all before learning that alcohol can slow your metabolism down 70% or more!!!!  OMG!!  I was like, "crud, so I basically owned myself when I had wine with my VERY FATTY PIZZA???!!" Its one thing to fill up on pizza on your cheat meal, its a whole other thing to slow down your metabolism 70% while trying to digest a zillion fatty calories!!  So, yeah, lesson learned... the hard way.  It's all good, I just had to run a little harder and add alcohol to my DO NOT TOUCH list for the duration of this diet.

Anyways... That's it for this week, oh wait!  I forgot to mention that I hate sprints.  They stink. Erika kicked my butt at the track, and I am sad to say that I do not look forward to our next sprint date, though I am very happy with the effects on my butt that sprints have!  Oh and to top it off, the girls college soccer team was there running circles around me.  I would kill to have those thighs!  Again I say, whatever.  I am on my way!

This is going to be me this week... I am drinking WATER!!!!

We Need to Break Up

Yesterday I had the most liberating moment.  I went to Soup Plantation with Andrew and his mom and grandpa.  Every time I go to Soup Plantation I get salad and noodles with creamy garlic dressing.  Then, I hit the hot fatty soups, bread and pasta, and don't forget the ice cream for dessert!  However, this time was different.  A week ago I watched this documentary (Hungry for Change), and one of the ladies said something that has been really helpful.  Instead of telling myself that I want something but can't have it, I have started to remind myself that I CAN have it but I don't WANT it.  That has helped me so much.  Words are so powerful, so I actually say it out loud whenever I am tempted.

Anyways, the moment...  I was so good at Soup Plantation! I didn't budge on anything.  I just kept repeating the phrase.  I must have looked like a crazy woman.  On the way home I had this thought.  I always thought that sourdough bread and pasta were something I could never give up.  It was almost like they helped define me.  Does that sound crazy?  I realized how much I depended on them to make me happy.  Like food had the power to give me true happiness.  Then I realized something,  I do not need pasta and bread. I was never happy after eating too much pasta and bread, no matter how delicious every bite was!  They only made me dislike myself more.  We had a very unhealthy relationship, I, pasta, and bread.  So, I decided that it was time for me to start seeing different people, emmm, I mean food. God is helping me redefine myself, not into some who's identity is in food, but into someone who's identity is made up by her Lord Jesus, her family, her friends, her hobbies, goals and achievements.  Food aint got nothin' on me!!!!!!


Thought I would add a yummy desert in here as well.  As you can see, Andrew loved it...
Sprinkle some cut up apples with a little bit of cinimin and splenda, then bake them for about an hour at 390 degrees to make a tasty snack!

Baked Squash with Tasty Spinach/Meat Sauce. Husband Approved!

I have been cooking up a storm ever since I made the decision to get my sexy  body back!  This has been my personal favorites!  If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and I will respond back =).

Baked Squash with Spinach Meat Sauce

What You Need:

Jar of Organic Spaghetti Sauce

Half of an Onion

Can of diced tomatoes

Lean Ground Beef

Coconut Oil

Spinach

Green Squash or Zuccini 

Garlic Powder

Pinch of Shredded Romano Cheese

What to Do:

• Chop up the onion and cook it with the ground beef with a tid bit of coconut oil.
• In a separate pan start to cook the spaghetti sauce. Add the canned tomatoes (drain out the juice first), a hand full of spinach, and a pinch of basil, to the sauce.
• Chop up the green squash and spread it out on a cookie sheet that has been rubbed with a thin layer of coconut oil to prevent any sticking. 
• Sprinkle the squash with garlic powder and place in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. 
• Once the meat and onions are cooked, add them to the sauce and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• Let squash cool a little before serving.
• Pour some of that yummy sauce on the squash, and top it with a little bit of Romano cheese! 
• ENJOY!

WEEK 3: Less QQ & More Pew Pew!

Let me explain the title for those of you that are not married to a hot computer nerd...  "Less QQ" basically means less complaining (the QQ looks like tears coming out of eyes), and "more Pew Pew" means more action (imagine the sound of a 5 year old shooting a toy gun). 

I have been doing a lot of QQing this week! Working out and sticking to a healthy diet has been tough.  I still have not touched wheat.  Oh how I miss my sour dough bread! But my hunger has forced me to get creative with food.  I found some really fun snacks and meals that are low-fat, low carb, healthy and super yummy! 

 Shin splints and issues with my knees arose after pushing it too hard with running, jumping-jacks, high knees and sprints.  However, continuing with full force is CRUCIAL if I want to win.  I took a break from those activities and should be all ready to jump back into the torture- I mean FUN!  I don't have any more excuses! I did lots of walking, arms and hiking this week. There was also one day (Sunday) that I "planned" on working out... never happened!  Funny how easy it is to stick to your schedule when you have a lunch date with a friend, yet it is so easy to bail on yourself when it comes to working out.  I am realizing what works for me is to get it done first thing in the morning.  Stop hitting snooze and go hit the gym! 

I only lost 3 lbs.  Boy do I need to step it up!  I feel much better though, and I fit into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans... if I suck it in!  I wish I could suck my butt in.  Anyways... on that note!   Time to go burn some of this booty off!

This is Eden helping me with my measurements.  What would I do without her?

Tasty Low Cal Snack!! You Know What I am Having Today!!

French Onion Dip With Jicama

WHAT IS IT?

Jicama (Pronounced: hic-co-mah) is a great substitute for chips.  It is actually a root! You can dip it in salsa and  in this case, french onion dip when you are craving those carbs!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 Pack of French Onion Dip Powder

2 Cups of Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

Jicama Root

WHAT TO DO:

Mix the Yogurt with the Dip Mix, & chop up the Jicama root into 1/8 in. thin slices.

 You can peal it first if you want or you can cut it off after you slice it.

 ENJOY!

How to Burn Calories!

"Being overweight is associated with 400,000 deaths a year and an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon, breast, and endometrial cancers."- Cathy Newman

One of the main causes of a failed diet/workout plan is loss of motivation.  We know how important it is to eat right and exercise, but sometimes its hard to see the point when our end destination is so far away!  Fact is, it takes time to get healthy, and it is darn easy to quit when things get tough! 

Want to succeed?  Then get motivated!!!!   Read success stories, play music that pumps you up, place motivational quotes where you spend your time (car visor, bathroom mirror, office, etc.) and most of all PRAY!  His word does not say "I can do all things because I am going to work really really hard." But it DOES say "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." -Phil 4:13  Pray for motivation, strength, and persistence. Pray that HE will carry you through it.  He wants to!

Another Butt Kicking Day Deserves Some Yummies!

Today I did abs, lunges with weights, jump roped, curled, and planked with my cousin, Erika! We finished off our early morning work out with a run!  Not done yet!  Weight lifting with my dad tonight should be a great end to the day (working out chest tonight).   Keep on keepin' on! Thought I would share what we ate last night because it was so easy and yummy!

Easy Salad:

Spinach

Cherry tomatoes

Feta cheese

Fat free vinaigrette 

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken:

Boneless chicken breast

Onion

Pineapple

Teriyaki Sauce

Cooked on HIGH for 4 hours

WEEK 2: It Burns!!

It has been 2 weeks!  It feels like 4!  I have been dieting my butt off (literally), and the dieting isn’t nearly as torturous as I thought it would be. In fact, I’ve discovered some AMAZING yummy replacements for the stuff I used to crave!I focus on eating FRESH fruits and veggies, reducing sugars and fats (Especially processed white sugar. Goodbye cake, we hardly knew ye…) and taking all gluten out of my regimen.   Water has been my best friend.  There have been times where I still felt hungry after my meal, but I was really only dehydrated!   Tea has also been a lifesaver.  I try to drink at least 2 cups of green tea a day (1 in the morning, 1 after dinner) to help suppress hunger, and boy does it work.  TLS protein shakes are the bomb for breakfast and snacks, as well as non-fat Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a little bit of honey.  

What If Wild Animals Ate Fast Food?

Now, exercising, hmm… I definitely have a “love-hate” relationship with exercising.  It has been TOUGH sticking to my “2 workout a day” plan, but I have been doing it! I don’t just want to lose “some” weight. I WANT TO SHRED THIS FAT! Call me the Fat Shredder, because I’ve got BIG GOALS! This fat needs to be turned into lean muscle and a sexy bod by the time Summer hits, because I want to win $15,000!

Now that I have a great accountability partner/workout partner (my cousin Erika), it has been much harder NOT to stick to my plan!  If you do not have someone to help you along on this journey, it is a great idea to find someone that will really keep you accountable. Give them permission to go all Jillian Michaels on you – Accountability means that sometimes you need to hear you’re slacking and to quit being a baby!

I have lost 10 lbs in the last 2 weeks, which is AMAZING! However, I don’t expect to replicate that much weight loss in that time period throughout this program.  I know my body got rid of a ton of toxins and even some water weight from all of the salts of my original “diet” (Taco Bell, pizza, chips, etc.) these last few weeks.  Now that all the junk is gone, my body can focus on building lean muscle and burning fat! All this work has been SO worth it.  I feel my tummy tucking in, and I feel so much more energized than I did when I was not taking care of my body.

TIP: Green Tea can help you lose weight! Check it out!

WEEK 1: Goodbye Couch and Junk Food, Hello Pavement and Salad!

Rid House of ALL junk food: CHECK

Stock House with fresh fruits & veggies: CHECK

Break my body: CHECK

So this last week has been a great week for me.  Andrew decided he is going to join in on the craziness! We worked our butts off this week, but I know we can do better.  We have quite a few stairs in our new home, and going up them is not the problem! Every time I walk down the stairs I let out 16 squeaks of pain (one for each stair).  My butt and calves are killing me!!  We’ve worked out every day, once a day. We have rid our house of all junk food and gluten products (I’m gluten sensitive :p).  Low fat salads, blueberries,  plain non-fat Greek yogurt and chicken have been the staples in our diet this week.  Today we are putting in the order for Transitions Bars, Shakes and a few frozen meals for when we are on the go.  Thing are starting painfully well!  Should I post a picture of myself?  I don’t want to.  I am feeling too fat and too embarrassed to even go there! Maybe a myspace head shot! Nah, maybe next week.  This upcoming week I am going to step it up by getting in 2 workouts a day. Here we go!