Tuesday, July 30, 2013

A heath bar for breakfast???

Today is just one of those days....  It is only 9:21 and I just ate a Heath mini.  Yep, I sure did.  AND...I have yet to eat my breakfast!  It is rainy and I have PMS.  But most importantly, I am human.  I am by no means starving myself or depriving myself, of what I want.  No  guilt was involved either! :)  It was only 50 calories after all! I can burn that of, chewing gum..lol!  Sometimes you just have to eat what you KNOW is not good for you.  I figure if I have that now, I will be good for the day!  I mean I am still going to eat clean, from here on out! :)

Breakfast: 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, cooked and then I will add 1/3 cup fresh blueberries.  SO YUMMY!!  Those little berries just pop in the hot oatmeal.

Snack:  Wait didn't I have it already????  Yep, but it doesn't count!  So I will have my 40 calorie whole grain toast (2 slices) with all natural peanut butter.

Lunch: chick pea burger with whole grain rice and string beans

Snack: Watermelon

Dinner: Tonight is Turkey burgers and roasted sweet potatoes.  I use the 80 calorie whole grain buns and scrape out the insides, of the top.  Takes away a good 20 calories.  I will have my roasted sweet potatoes with spicy mustard.  SO YUMMY!  Veggie will be roasted cauliflower.

Snack: Fage Greek Yogurt (o% plain) with a nectarine. 

Workout today is JM Ripped in 30.  I will also do 25 weighted crunches, 25 weighted pliĆ© squats, 50 weighted crunches and 50 push-ups. 

There you have it!  A day that started off with a mini Heath, with no guilt, will still be a good day!

Hope you all have a fabulous day!  Eat a candy bar, if you feel like it! :)

                                                                     XO,
                                                                     Lori

Monday, July 29, 2013

Motivation Monday

MotivationMonday
Wendy @ Daily Dose of Del Signore
Veronica @ V Watts' Thoughts
Morgan @ Fat to Fit Confessions
Tiff @ The Fit Train
Katie @ The Carb Monster
Alisha @ Coily Locks


It's Monday....ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!! UGH!  I just wish I didn't have to work on Monday. And I wish Ray didn't either and that the kids didn't have school.  I wish Monday could be "stay home and snuggle with the ones you love" day. 
 
Any who, I am linking up once again, with some amazing women!  If you haven't already, go check them all out!
 
Today I thought I would tell you the top ten things that keep me motivated.  Be prepared, some are pretty vain.  But hey, if it keeps me going, then so be it!
 
1. My amazing children.  I want to be on this earth with them for as long as I can.  Even though, it cuts into my "play time" with them, they understand why mommy MUST work out.
 
2.  Being able to wear ALL of the clothes in my closet.  This is huge for me.  It's the first time I can say that.
 
3. Old clothes that used to be tight, that are now fitting like a glove or are too big.  This happened over the weekend, when I could get into my "Vegas dress" and actually feel great in it. Vain, yes, I know.  BUT...for a girl who used to cringe at her image in the mirror, this is big.
 
4. Seeing my hard work pay off.  In the past few weeks, I have seen it in my legs, the most.  I still have that DAMN loose skin, but I now see some pretty shapely muscles shining through.
 
5.  IG and bloggers that I follow.  I cannot tell you how many times I have not wanted to workout, until I checked my phone.  I see all these amazing women with super busy lives, giving it there all.  SO...it pushes me, to go get my sweat on.  Thank you ALL, for that!
 
6.  My smile.  Yes, this seems a bit weird, I know.  BUT...for the first time in YEARS, I am actually showing my real smile.  It is no longer forced.  And it is NOT because I think I am pretty.  That I doubt I will every truly feel.  This natural smile comes from living my life.  I am 100% happy.  I don't care that I am not rich, or the thinnest, or that I have stretch marks and saggy tits.  All I care about is that I  give each day, my all.  I have learned to take the good with the bad.  I truly am stopping to smell the roses...
 
7. Emails and comments, from those that follow me.  You all have NO idea how much it means to me, when people take the time to reach out.  Especially those super sweet comments, that I am inspiring them.  That means the WORLD to me!  These sweet words keep me going.  They motivate me to keep my health and fitness in check, because people are looking to me, for motivation as well!
 
8.  The way that my hubby and I communicate now.  A few years ago, I was one unhappy/miserable BIOTCH.  Just ask Ray...lol  It was because I was not working out, watching what I ate and allowing my whole self worth, to be based on that effing #, on the scale.  Now I feel like a young couple in love.  I have so much fun with my hubby and miss him, so much when we are apart.  And I truly feel loved, by him.  This did NOT come from me, losing weight.  It has been 100% mental.  Ray has loved me at any weight.  What he loves so much about me now, I roll with the punches. I am NOT obsessed with what I eat and what I weigh...yay!!! Oh and he LOVES that I am no longer cutting myself down.  This used to happen on a daily basis.  I cannot and will not ever do that again, I have a daughter that looks up to me.  So.....knowing that living a healthy lifestyle keeps me sane, a better wife and mom, motivates me to keep on truckin!
 
9. The ability to go out, eat what I want, and not care nearly as much as I used to, about gaining a gazillion pounds, over night.  This shows me that I really am OK and that I know how to eat and workout, to maintain.  HUGE for me!!!  It keeps me motivated because of this,  I "know", how to eat and workout to maintain, even when I have days or weeks, that I might fall of the wagon!  Still working on the whole rest day thing though...
 
10.  I look and FEEL better at 41, than I EVER thought possible.  Yes, I know that I am being vain, once again.  But so many people tell women, that once they  hit 30, it is all downhill from there.  NOT TRUE!!!  You can achieve anything you want, through hard work and dedication.  NO matter how young or old you are.  Just seeing how far I have come in 6 months, motivates me, to see just how much farther I can go.  Hell, maybe one day I will wear short shorts.  Ummm.....THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN...EVER!!!!!!! :)
 
XO,
Lori

Friday, July 26, 2013

How I eat "clean"

I want to start by saying, this is how I eat clean.  By no means am I am 100% clean.  BUT...I try and eat as clean as I can and do what works for me.  I think the hardest part about eating clean, is all the prep that involved.  I will come home for lunch and some days, it takes me a good 30 minutes to get my meal cooked and packed to bring back to work.  I take lunch from 12-1 and that is just too early for me to eat, so I eat at my desk, about an hour later.  So on days that I workout on my lunch hour, it has to be a shorter workout, like tabata, I can prep and get back on time.  Luckily, I live 3-4 minutes from my office.  :)

Here are ten things I try and use as a guide, to clean eating.  Before really diving in, I did some research.  Because like I said, I really had no idea what "clean eating" was, until IG. 

1. Limit alcohol.  This becomes super easy once you really start eating clean.  You just don't crave it or even think about it.  The other night I poured myself a glass and get this.... I couldn't finish it!!!  Those of you that know me, know this is quite shocking...lol

2. Limit sugar.  One easy way to do this, cut out all FAT FREE crap!  It is LOADED with hidden sugars.  Even the light stuff is.  SO....go for the full fat version.  It will fill you up, and fill you up much longer.  One thing I do now is make my own salad dressing.  I take some balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard and olive oil.  SO YUMMY!

3. Limit salt. Sodium will bloat you and just make you fill ick!  One thing I have tried to do, to limit my sodium intake is avoid pre-packaged and canned food.  To make those items have a long shelf life, they add bad crap to them!  So try and buy fresh or frozen.  If you do buy canned, throw it in a colander and wash it, before using.  This will get rid of some of that icky stuff.

4. Try and limit saturated fat. This one is hard if you  like butter and whole fat cheeses.  I try and buy the 2% skim cheeses and I don't use butter.  Unless I am baking.  Try and look for healthier unsaturated fats, from plant foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil.

5. Avoid refined grains.  This is white rice, white flour, white bread, etc...  Look for WHOLE GRAIN.  Even if it says,  whole wheat, you want it to say whole grain as well.

6.  Try and limit processed food.  This is all your boxed meals and even the frozen "diet meals".  I know it's hard, because they are so convenient.  I still have them, if I am in a crunch.  But try and make your own, if you can.  And let me tell you, when you do, you will be amazed at how filling they are.  AND....how little calories you need, to feel full.

7. Eat more fruits and veggies.  And what a better time to do this.  In the summer you can find all kinds of fresh veggies and fruits.  I makes sure that I always have fruit every single day and veggies.  Same with the kiddos!

8. Drink more water.  As of now, that is all I drink.  I try and drink a HUGE glass before each meal.  Helps fill up that belly!  AND...it helps flush out all those toxins!

9. Drink green tea.  It has so many health benefits.  I have yet to really do this.  BUT...I am going to start.

10. Eat whole grains.  I cannot express this one enough.  This is how you can eat those carbs but not feel guilty!   I am telling you, whole grains will keep you satisfied much longer. 

So I took some pics of my clean eating staples.  Besides these items, I always have tons of ground turkey, skinless chicken breasts, a plethora of different types of fish and Fage Greek yogurt.  I get the plain 0% fat kind. 


 

 
 




 

 







                                                
    I chug this glass of water, every morning when I get up, first thing! It doesn't look huge, but it is. :)

 

 

                             





Here is a typical day of eating for me...

Breakfast: Old fashioned oats with fresh strawberries.  I don't add any milk.  I just cook the oats and then add the berries in while it's still hot.  To sweeten, I use splenda.

Snack: whole grain toast with all natural peanut butter or PB2.

Lunch:  HUGE salad loaded with things like yellow peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.  I also make my own dressing as I mentioned above.  Then about an hour later, I have a grilled protein with whole grain rice and string beans.  I season my protein with spicy jalapeno mustard.  It gives it flavor and it's "clean".  I throw it all in a bowl and eat it like you would stir fry.  It is not only super yummy, it is SO filling!

Snack: Watermelon or any other fresh fruit.  Some days I will add a 1/3 cup of Fage Greek Yogurt to it and about an 1/8th cup of oats.  YUMMY!

Dinner: Protein that is grilled, with either a red potato or a sweet potato that has been cut up and sprinkled with some Mrs. Dash and olive oil.  I then roast them at  450 for about 25 minutes.  I also dip them in my spicy mustard. :)  I also have a roasted veggie.  I LOVE roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts or broccoli.  I am also a huge fan of mustard and collard greens.

Snack:  If I want one, it is usually my Kashi cereal dry or Greek Yogurt.  Oh and I am an ice cream fanatic!  SO....I keep Edy's lite on hand.  And yes, this is not clean, but like I said, I am not 100% clean.  At least I measure it out and never have more than a 1/2 cup!  I also love popcorn and look for the "healthiest" version I can have.  Of course this version makes Ray and the kids cringe...lol!

I hope this helps those wanting to know how I "eat clean".  This is not by the book, it's what works for me and has helped change my body.  I try and stick to it at least 5 days a week. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

                                                                        XO,
                                                                        Lori
 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Rest days...

Ok so I have realized that I have an "issue" with taking rest days.  Well not so much that I don't want to, it's the whole mental thing that takes place.  I start back to my old mentality.  I start telling myself that if I don't work out, I am going to gain a gazillion pounds, on that rest day.  Even if I eat healthy.  I guess I thought I had conquered this.  I will come home and TRY and sit down and just kick back! But then I start to get antsy and my anxiety kicks in.  UGH....this just pisses me off!  Why can't I let that go????  Is this something that is burned into my brain, forever???? Will the day come that I can rest.... and not feel guilty about it? My husband describes my workout ethic as "hardcore".  Which is good and bad.  SO.....I am going to try VERY  hard to not feel guilty on my rest days.  I mean can you imagine if I got injured and COULDN'T workout.  Inured because I refused to let my body recoup!?!?!  Oh Lord, no one wants to be around me, if that happens.  So you are all hearing it first, this is yet another goal I am setting for myself!  I won't lie, I tried making today my rest day, but just couldn't do it.  I knew that I was getting my hair did tonight which means I will be having some wine. See my hair stylist is my very good friend.  As the color is baking on my head, we sit back and shoot the shit, with a glass or two, of wine.  Sorry, "shooting the shit"  is what my dad calls, "gossiping". :)  I'll keep you posted on how my next rest day goes.  I will try and shoot for tomorrow!

One more thing I want to touch on, is plateaus.  I just read this AMAZING paragraph from the Huffington Post.  I hope you ALL, take it to heart.....


Every plateau has a silver lining. At some point in your weight-loss journey, you will hit a plateau. It means you'll have to work even harder to continue to lose weight; even when you break through it, the loss may not continue at the same pace as before.
But consider the bright side: A true weight loss-plateau is your svelter new body's way of telling you this: "I'm so much smaller now that I need far less energy to keep my leaner self going." It also means you've mastered the dietary patterns required to maintain a slimmer new you. That's a major milestone worth recognizing and celebrating. Pause for a moment and enjoy the new skin you're in before setting off on the next leg of your journey!


I know I promised a post on my clean eating, that will come tomorrow.  Today's lunch is string beans with red pepper flakes, whole grain brown rice and some ground turkey with jalapeno mustard.  I packed cucumbers and cherry tomatoes along with watermelon, for my snacks today.  Dinner will be whole grain pasta, with fresh tomatoes and a veggie.  Most likely a green one!

Hope you are all having a great Thursday!

                                                                    XO,
                                                                    Lori

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Proof is in the pudding...

When I first started following health and fitness related girls on IG, I saw a lot were eating clean.  I was like, wtf is eating clean?!?!?!  I mean, does it really make you look and feel better.  Is it going to bloat me like a pig???  Will I get all gassy and stink up the house???  I mean it is eating a lot of veggies and fiber!  So I first gave it a try when I did the Advocare Cleans.  Ummm...yeah, I did get all bloated, stunk up the house AND couldn't go #2!  TMI???? Yes, I know it is!  Sorry but I am just being real.  SO....that kind of threw me for a loop.  Was I going to feel like this all the time???  I stopped the cleanse.  I just couldn't handle the icky feeling of being bloated and so gassy! BUT....I wasn't willing to throw in the towel just yet!  I decided to just eat clean 5 days a week and see how I felt.  Surprisingly I felt amazing.  The bloat went away and I was full ALL THE TIME!  I even stopped drinking soda!  This is pretty huge for me.  I used to have one every afternoon, as a little snack or when I ate pizza or popcorn.  Not anymore!  Only time I have had one, is when we go to the movies.  Oh and I did have one at Chick-fil-A.  But I don't miss it at all.  Eating clean has also helped me with my sweet tooth.  This girl LOVES sour candy.  I mean if I could marry it, yeah I would...lol  Didn't your sibling ever say that to you when you were little????  I would say, " I love macaroni" and my sis would say, "then why don't you marry it"???  So yeah, that is how much I LOVE sour candy.  Haven't missed it a bit!  At my mom's I had maybe 2 twizzlers and a handful of starbursts.  That is new for me.  I used to eat a shit ton!  Eating clean has also helped me drink less wine.  Now let me clarify, when I drink, it is just a glass.  UNLESS, I am out without the kiddos or with my sisters!  Then I will have 2.  Now I don't even think about it.  Again...this is pretty huge!  I mean how can eating a certain way, do that?!?!?!  It's because I am cutting out all those nasty preservatives.  Those little evil things are what make you crave crap.  Yep, crap makes you crave crap.  Clean eating makes you crave clean eating.  I won't lie I was a HUGE skeptic!   But the proof is in the pudding! 

The other big change, I noticed, is my body.  When I was on vacation, my muscles and abs, were a little lack luster.  Yep, I was adding back in some crap, to my diet.  I took a pic of me and Liv in our suits and I look "bloated".  No ab definition at all, really.  But as soon as I got home and started back at it, I shit you not, the definition was back.  It's like a detoxed it out of me! You can see the comparison here:
Before vacation...abs are there!
 
 
 
 
 
 
The left pic is early morning, the right is after I drank a ton of water and had a "clean" lunch.  Not much of a change, but definitely a little more definition
 
 
 
 
 
Abs are back, just after eating clean for 2 days!  And I swear, those preservatives make my cellulite appear more.  Like in this pic, I look less
 
And no, I don't use makeup to draw in my abs....I SWEAR!!!!!  It is simply from eating clean, only drinking water and working out.
 
Last night started my new challenge!  I am pretty sore today!  BUT....I love that feeling!  It shows me that I worked hard.  I am excited to see the changes, come 29 days from now! Tomorrow I will post about some of my favorite "clean" meals.
 
Happy Hump Day!!
 
XO,
Lori
 
 

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Back to life, back to reality....

Hey all!  Yes, I have been MIA for a bit.  I just needed a mental break.  My babies were gone for ten days and quite frankly, I am just not "me" without them.  Don't get me wrong, the time with my hubby was wonderful.  BUT....we missed those little cuties SO much!  I am the type of person that just can't "sit around".  I am always on the go.  I don't sit down at night until the kids are in bed.  Well.... unless I am snuggling with them, watching the boob tube! :)

 
:)
 
 
:)


Today is my first day back from vacation. We got home at about 5:00 yesterday.  As soon as we got home, I had to get the kiddos ready for school.  WHAT?!??!  Yep, they go year round and we actually missed the first 4 days.  That was bad planning on my part....oopsie!  Oh well!  I also had to hit the grocery store for a few things.  HA!  Those few items cost me a whopping $155! YIKES! Then it was pack lunches and get uniforms out.  I tell you what, I am not ready for this! Homework and lunches just add extra work...lol  Of course Liv was up at 6 am, raring to go.  She could not wait for her first day!  Drew was still missing Grandma and Papa. :(  He even slept with a picture of Grandma last night.  He is seriously the sweetest most lovable little boy.  Liv is super sweet and lovable as well, but she isn't a snuggler, like her big brother! When they were babies, Liv would eat her bottle and want to go straight to bed.  Drew on the other hand, wanted to be fed in my arms and fell asleep there, each night.  I am still amazed at how different they are.  I love that they are both independent with their own "special" qualities! :)


                                     She seriously wakes up this happy almost every day!!


 
                           My babies have the BEST daddy ever!!  He is such a loving and playful daddy!
 
 
 
                                                            Lu Lu playing in the sand. :)



                                     My lovely running partner in Grandma's black socks...lol
 
 
 
 
 
                                                          She is seriously part fish!


     
                                                                  My cool dude!!!


 

                                        The kids must have done this 124578975849 times!!!




                               Jacuzzi time with my little man!  He is a mama's boy and I love it!!!
 


                 These two keep me and my health in check.  I MUST stay on track to be a good example!!



                          My daddy still represents the IL State Police when he is drinking by the pool...lol








 
 
 
                                    The one man that has ALWAYS stood by my side, no matter what!




                              Only pic I was able to get of my mama!  Oops, it's of her butt...lol :)




                                                           Me and my Drew-man!



                                                 
                                                   This skinny Minnie eats ALL DAY!!




                                Ray and his fake smile...lol!  He hates when I take his picture!


So now that I am back from vacation, I am really excited about getting back at the fitness game!  Never thought that would happen. I mean the old me, would have gone hog wild with my eating on vacation and then come back and pouted about it.  You know, feel sorry for myself but do nothing about it!  Well this time is WAY different. I am so excited to do my workouts.  Holy Crap did Hell freeze over?!?!?  Nope, it's too dam hot! :)

I was actually very good on vacation, but noticed when I did eat out of my norm, I felt like shit!  I also started running on vacation.  I did like it!  BUT....that is probably because I got to do it first thing and then jump straight in the pool, to cool me off.  Yeah, that won't be happening here.  My goals for the next 4 weeks are as follows:

1. Eat clean 5-6 days a week, all meals.  I notice I get much better ab definition when I eat clean.  When I eat stuff that has lots of preservatives, I get all bloated and that damn "food baby" appears, way too often!

2. Do 50 weighted crunches, 50 weighted squats and 50 push-ups, 5-6 days a week.   I am really starting to see some great things happening with my legs, so I want to kick it up a notch! Now if only I could have the loose skin thigh fairy, come cut the extra skin off! I HATE IT!  But, it is better than having them rub together!  I won't lie, it was so nice to run in the heat and not get chafed.

3. Ripped in 30, for the whole 4 weeks.  Taking one day off a week.

4. Do some extra weight training.  I want to really get my arms in better shape.  They are OK....But I want GREAT!

5. Run or walk, 3-5 days a week.  I would like to get this part done in the early am.  I am shooting for some 6 am runs.  I live by a beautiful park so this is definitely doable!

6. Lastly, blog about all of this.  So many of you wonderful readers, follow me for these type of posts.  So anyone that wants to join in on my little challenge, let me know!  We can keep each other motivated and in check.  I will take before and after photos as well.


Wish me luck!!!


                                                               XO,
                                                               Lori





                                           Side note about Lori....I am deathly afraid of frogs! So check out this little f*cker!  Eeeek!!!  My parents pool cage, would have teeny ones on the outside every day.  Even those little boogers scared me.  Yep, I am a puss! :-)
                                                       

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

"M"

Hey all!  I thought I would give you an update on "M".  I posted a little of this email, on IG.  But I wanted you all to see the rest.  I know all too well, what this sweet soul is going through.  I was not 600 pounds, but I was 265.  I was also married to someone that was completely embarrassed by me. He once told me this, "you know why I never take you anywhere, because you are so fucking fat and ugly".  Yep, he sure did!  This lovely human being also grabbed my thigh one night, so hard that he bruised me horribly.  Why did he do this....oh he was doing it to make me feel like shit.  He was grabbing my fat and showing it to me.  Like I didn't know it was there.   I won't lie, this totally took its toll on me.  It made me never smile or look anyone in the eye.  I heard it too many times, that I was disgusting, so I began to think I really was...  So when "M" reached out to me, I made it my goal, to get him on the right track.  I want him to believe in himself.  I want him to know he has a TRUE friend in me.  I BELIEVE IN HIM! This is what blogging is for me.  It's putting it all out there, in hopes of reaching at least one person, that is struggling.  I want them to see me as someone who battled their weight and won!  I also want them to know that I failed too many times to count.  But that is OK!!! As long as you keep getting back at it, you will eventually succeed.  I think it is so much easier to get inspiration from someone, "real".  Not from some model in a magazine. I need real people, like all my fellow bloggers and IG family, to keep me motivated!  I need before and after pics and selfies of  you guys post workout!  I want posts of healthy recipes, from real people, not from Chefs in a magazine.  YES.....THAT IS WHAT MOTIVATES ME, YOU GUYS!! 


Here is the email....


"Hello Lori I'm always glad to hear from you.  It's nice to talk to someome with a similar history.  I'm sorry to hear that you were in a abusive relationship and  that you had a hard time growing up.  I was married once. My weight was a big issue because I was physically limited.  As well as my eating habits.  Plus the fact that I put a lot more weight on while we were together.  Also she was embarrassed by my weight.  So my weight was the main reason why we got divorced.  Anyway It's great how you were able to turn your life around. To the wonderful life that you have now.  I did get a bunch of Jillian Michaels DVD'S . As well as some weights. So I am doing bicep curls and leg lifts in bed.  The moves on the dvd's are hard for me to do but I'm doing the best I can.  Just like with the walking I have to stop and rest.  Plus Ihave the pain in my back/joints and legs.  Although the walking is getting a little bit better. I am able to go  a longer before resting.  As far as my eating.  It's very hard trying to eat less.  I'm used to eating a certain amount because I really don't get a feeling of being full.  I have been drinking more water and having salads before my lunch and dinner.  As well as trying to eat more healthy food.  Also finding other things to do.  To take my mind off eating.  I'm always thinking about what I am going to eat next.  Food dose'nt judge you/criticize you or make fun of you.  It's just there to make you feel good.  No matter what mood you are in.  I'm also eating more grilled fish/grilled chicken and turkey.  Plus more vegetables like corn on the cob/green beans/spinach and broccoli and cheese/white rice. I've also try to eat some nuts. As well as using less butter.  I eat a lot of bread everyday more than half a loaf.  Between toast with my breakfast and my sandwiches.  Usually ham and cheese/roast beef/pastrami or peanut butter and jelly.  Also do you think I should get the wheelchair?  It means a lot to me.  All the help you are giving me.  I'm open to all suggestions that you give me".


To say I am proud of "M" would be a total understatement!  I am beyond proud of him! 

XO,
Lori