My Fitness Journey

I’ve tried everything. 

The Zone diet. Weight Watchers. Noom. Tracking macros. Pilates. Kickboxing. Yoga. Beach Body dance videos. Pole dancing. Juice diet. I’ve danced to Richard Simmons sweatin’ to the oldies. I’ve ab roller-ed (is that a word?). Used weights. I’ve done it all. 

Live footage of me

I’ve always been interested in fitness and diet. And now more than ever, health. It’s so fascinating and so overwhelming the amount of information that is out there. The amount of trends and fads and advice. Do this, no do THIS. No take that! So much noise and that’s probably why so many people ignore it. Because they don’t know where to start. 

I grew up in the 90’s and 2000’s, the waif period and time of baby doll tops and low rise jeans. Then social media started coming out and you saw more celebrities, and then more influencers, and everyone was so skinny and swore on their skinny jeans that they ate everything under the sun and just happened to looked like that. My favorite Instagram posts were really thin ‘influencers’ and models who always posed eating a burger or some huge gross food but never actually put it in their mouth. Always makes me laugh. No girl, you have no idea what that tastes like. Lemme show you how to devour it...

I feel like it was always a fight to be ‘thin’; whatever that means to you. And I think the really funny part is that there are moments in our lives where we don’t think we are thin. And then we look back at those pictures and are like ‘Damn girl! You should’ve been walking around naked you look so good!’

We are our own worst (and loudest) critics.

I know I am. I look back at pics in my 20’s and I can’t believe I thought I was so ‘big’. I have shorts I found and it’s quite inconceivable they once went over my thighs!

Indoor beach party back in 2012. I’m sure I thought I was fat back then. Fucking idiot. I wish I could fit into those shorts.

I am also now back at my weight before I got pregnant (which was 10 lbs. heavier than I would’ve liked to have been at the time). I just lost 10 lbs in 6 months. That happened with focusing on the things I put in my mouth and working with a dietician. Although I am well versed in nutrition and diet, I was so frustrated that the scale wasn’t moving in the Fall. So I reached out to a dietician and it has been a great experience to have someone to look at my history and see what it is that I was missing in my plan.

You can always ask for help and there are resources out there to help you online if you don’t want to talk to someone face to face. I am trying to be better at not having to do everything on my own. We can do things on our own, but I think that at some point it is always better to talk to a real live person. That is why none of the apps ever really worked—at a certain point you will always hit a plateau and have to pivot your plan. Most people just don’t know what that pivot is.

I think a lot of people have issues with their weight which not only factors from our shitty American diet and the way we process food here, but from our mostly sedentary lifestyle as well. And I think a lot of people think it’s hopeless and that it’s just the way their body is supposed to be, but I’ve seen the progress you can make with only a few tweaks.

I didn’t do anything major in the last 6 months except focus on eating more protein, fiber, and measuring out my ice cream and chocolate bars instead of just mindlessly eating the whole thing. I didn’t deprive myself. I think that is the key—slow and steady. And I know the frustration about it going ‘too slow’ or ‘the long term plateau’. This is where asking for help…helps.

Some ideas you can do to jumpstart weight loss:

It starts with small habits. Just replacing or adding one or two things until you do it without thought. Then moving on to the next thing.

• drinking more water and teas
• avoiding places like Starbucks and Dunkin
  • That really got me and I was out of control especially during days at work. Dunkin was the only choice around to get something. And once I started tracking the calories and amount of sugar, I was OUT. That’s a once in a while treat. But if you must go, you can reduce the number of pumps on the syrup and swap regular milk for almond milk which is lower in calories
• if you drink soda, swapping it for sodas that are good for you. I was never a soda person in my adulthood but my new favorite is Olipop for a little something around that 3pm slump
• focus on high protein snacks. I always have at least one stashed in my bag or desk in case I get hangry. Here are some I love:
  • dried edamame beans
  • chomp meat sticks I like the pepperoni turkey and jalapeno turkey
  • IQ protein bars
  • Lupini beans
• If you must eat sweets (who doesn’t) pick high quality and eat the serving size. I can destroy a Haagen-Dazs but I feel better when I eat my serving (sometimes 2) instead of the whole pint. I choose high quality chocolate and I’ve actually found its more filling than the cheaper version and I’m satiated with just the serving size
• Add vegetables when you can. Find 3-5 that you really love and always have them on hand. And don’t force yourself to eat the ones you don’t! I fucking hate cauliflower rice and I forced myself to eat it for over a year. Fucking terrible. You are not real rice!!!
• Eat more fiber! Most people do not even eat close to what they are supposed to (for adults 25-30 grams/day). I eat the same breakfast pretty much every single day (oatmeal) and that is where I get the most fiber—from adding seeds. Try adding them in your oatmeal, smoothies, add to pancake/waffle batter. Trader Joes has most of the list below
  • chia seeds
  • ground flaxseeds
  • hemp seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • sunflower seeds
  • Some food with high fiber: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, popcorn, quinoa, sweet potato, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, avocado, spinach

Hopefully some of those things help and if you are also struggling with your weight you are not alone. It’s even harder when you get older so we really need to focus on having good habits.

Micro habits all add up to a bigger goal. Slow and steady DOES win the race…Or eventually get you to fit into your pants better…You get the idea.

** Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment and share. It helps me know I’m not just talking to myself **

Meal Prepping Tips And Tricks: What To Eat And How To Do It

Recently people have been asking me about meal prepping because, if you look at my Instagram feed, it consumes my life. Mostly, they’ve been asking if I can pack meals and deliver it to them. If I had a big enough kitchen, I would totally do that instead of my current job.

I figured I would share some tips and tricks I’ve learned in the last 6 months and also share what my typical purchases and preps are. I’ve always had a lot of food containers but prepping for two people at least 3 days ahead of time showed me that I didn’t. So the first thing is to invest in containers that you actually love. Ones that don’t spill in transit and that aren’t too big to carry around. I HATE carrying around containers. I usually carry my meals in my bag because I also HATE lugging around 2 bags (especially in the winter when I’m freezing and barely want to be outside). I take the train to work and

My beloved oatmeal containers by Sistema. So convenient to pack ahead of time

walk a lot so I need things that fit in my bag–that usually includes 2-3 food containers, a travel coffee mug and a small shaker bottle–also my usual wallets, keys, 6-8 lipsticks/glosses, charger, tissues, pen, small planner, etc. It’s a lot.

 

Once you have those containers sit down and plan the upcoming week. I consider my start of the week as Sunday, so I start thinking about cooking on Thursday or Friday. It’s a lot easier if you’re solo and you don’t have to cook for a whole family, trying to please everyone throws you for a whole other loop, but meal planning is also easier if you’re not on a program because you don’t have to count out specific measurements. But always look for meals that can carry over as leftovers. I don’t mind eating the same thing for 4 days, I hear some people are picky about that but just consider all the time and money you’re saving and get over it!

Write out the meals you plan on making then figure out the ingredients you need. I write everything out on a paper then cross off when I confirm I have it already in the kitchen. If you’re like me and you’re on a budget, then you have to compare prices at different

What my desk at work looks like every day

stores. It’s a lot of extra work but I got it down to a science now. I usually shop at BJ’s Club and Stop n’ Shop–I love that both their apps have coupons you can load right onto your card so there’s no more clipping. I look at the coupons first then go to the circulars for that week and compare pricing at my local stores.

 

We try to do our shopping on Saturday that way I don’t have to leave the house on Sunday and can focus on the actual cooking. But sometimes I start the cooking on Saturday, shop on Sunday, and then finish the prepping Sunday afternoon/evening. It depends on how much we have going on during the weekend.

When I started the Transform App, the first few weeks was trial and error—determining what meals we liked to eat, what was easiest to make, the amount of 1 ingredient we would need for the week. At first I tried to make a lot of different meals during the week which would leave me with leftover foods that would spoil because I wasn’t making the same meals. Then I started only making 1 or 2 new recipes each week and made sure to use ingredients that I already shopped for and used. Once we had a list of the 10-15 meals we constantly ate, it was A LOT easier to shop at the store.

Protein powder and meat are the biggest investments. For powder, shop around until you find the one you like that will also not break the bank–there are some expensive ones out there! There’s a brand I like but at $68 a bag, it’s not practical. I found a powder on Amazon that is super cheap and made for women (my hair and nails look amazing btw)– Nature’s Bounty-Amazon . I usually end up drinking 1 shake a day and then the powder goes into smoothie recipes or oatmeal for the most part.
Meat is expensive and I found that BJ’s Club is the best for that. Supermarkets also have sales on meat and if you have the space in your freezer I would definitely recommend stocking up during a cheap sale and freezing it. We don’t have the space so I can only hoard 2 packs of ground turkey at a time. I’m obsessed with the rotisserie chicken at BJs. For $4.99 you get a whole bird that can give you at least 3 days worth of meat. I break it down when I get home and put it in a container, then anytime I need chicken I just take from there. In the beginning I was getting chicken and ground turkey then it would take me an hour just to prep the meats which was such a waste of my time.

Vegetables are the easiest and it makes me so sad I don’t have a farmers market close to me. Or a garden so I can grow my own. One day. At first I was buying fresh and breaking down the cauliflower and broccoli then cooking it. That took a lot of time. I’m obsessed with those steamable veggie bags–they make meal prepping so easy, are typically cheap, and a lot of different brands are doing them now so you can always find a sale. I always have steamable bags of broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and cauliflower rice in my freezer for when I need quick preps. It takes about 4 ½ minutes in the microwave and while that’s going I can prep other things. Super convenient!

Fruits are mostly used in the smoothies or my oatmeal so I buy a bag of strawberries and blueberries from BJs and that usually lasts about 1-2 months (depending on how often you use it). The first month of shopping I took a big hit on my grocery budget because I had to stock up on big things like oatmeal, protein powders, peanut butter, and frozen fruit but the trade off is that it usually lasts for 2 months so it’s not too bad when you break down the cost.

Things I buy at BJs Club (starred are weekly or biweekly) :

1. Rotisserie chicken*
2. Ground turkey*
3. Frozen blueberries
4. Frozen strawberries
5. Brown Rice
6. Jars of salsa
7. Peanut butter
8. Quaker 1 minute oats
9. Feta cheese crumble
10. Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
11. Jarred marinara sauce
12. Almond milk*
13. Peanut butter powder
14. Cans of black beans
15. Rice Krispies
16. Almonds
17. Quaker Chewy bars
18. String Cheese
19. Franks Red Hot

Things I buy at Stop n Shop or the local grocery store:
1. Fresh fruits: apples, grape tomatoes, bananas
2. Fresh herbs: cilantro and green onion
3. Fresh vegetables: cucumber, sweet potato, onion, avocado, baby spinach, bell peppers,     zucchini
4. Frozen steamable bags: broccoli, cauliflower, cauliflower rice, snap peas, green beans
5. Shredded cheeses
6. Laughing cow cheese wedges
7. Deli turkey and cheese

Some of my favorites: BJ’s rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, steamables and rice

And the most important thing to putting these meals all together are: SPICES.
If you spice your meals properly then you don’t need to cover them in heavy sauces. I used limited amounts of salt and have increased the use of my other spices and I don’t even miss the salt. Also, I use hot sauce on everything–Franks Red Hot is my go-to because it’s not too spicy, just gives it a kick.

When I’m browning my ground turkey these are the spices I use to give it a little kick before adding it to my specific meals. There’s no measurements (if you read my previous posts you know I’m a pinch of this and a dash of that kinda girl) because it’s how you feel—maybe you like a lot of paprika, maybe you hate it–who am I to tell you how to live your life

Spice mix for ground turkey (sprinkle it over the turkey while it’s cooking in the pan):
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika
Chili powder
Cumin powder
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Cayenne pepper

Next post I’ll be breaking down the actually meal prepping. This was just set up, people!

Meat And Potatoes or Chicken and Cauliflower Rice?

I’m ok with eating a lot of vegetable and having rice and beans. I never was much of a meat person–I eat it but I’m really picky–white meat only, not a lot of fat, no skin–I interrogate it like an enemy of the state. It occurred to me one day that my poor husband has not been eating any meat other than ground turkey and rotisserie chicken this last year. Mostly because it’s expensive and were were trying to save money. This poor carnivore was probably dying though so I went to the market and got some chicken and a steak for him. He had 2 full days of meatful bliss before I gave him soup and salad for dinner again.

He recently said that he’s amazed I can make him eat such healthy things that he actually enjoys–buffalo cauliflower, cauliflower rice, butternut squash soup—which makes me feel really good because:
1. Those things are cheaper than meat and,
2. We’re eating healthy and I don’t have to make a separate meal just for him!

But recently he got steak and potatoes because sometimes you just have to splurge and let a man have a steak.

It’s interesting how you can have such a large volume of vegetables and fruits that equal the same calories as the bad stuff:

Not sure of the source of this picture. Can’t believe it’s the same amount of calories!

 

This is insane–same amount of calories and sodium but with one meal you will be hungry in 2 hours and the other you won’t be able to eat all of it in one sitting! And this just reinforces the fact that it is the quality and macro breakdown of the food we eat that really DOES matter.
Americans eat a meal that is equivalent to a whole days worth of food and, if we do this enough, our bodies get used to it and need more and more. Once you train your body to eat just enough to fill you, you end up eating smaller portions than you would before and there’s less overeating of the bad stuff.

A few years ago I did a cleanse-type diet that went back to basics–I eliminated alcohol, bread, coffee and sugar (ABCS) for 2 weeks. Disclosure: I didn’t really cut the coffee since my 8am coffee indicated I was at work and it was the only joy I got for a second, but after the two weeks was up, I went to put sugar in my coffee and I hated the taste. I haven’t added sugar to my coffee since about 2012. And if you really think about it, sugar is so damn processed and it’s something your body actually starts craving when you eat/drink it often enough, (cookies, cakes, sodas, etc) and then you need it. It IS addictive. But once you cut it out, you’re very aware of how much sugar things have—That’s like when ex-smokers say smoke bothers them after quitting or that they have a better sense of smell. We become so much more aware when we DON’T have something and sometimes it ends up being better for us.

It’s all about making small changes. If you’re used to eating the Burger King meal every day, start cutting it down to only twice a week. If you have 3 cans of soda a day, cut it down to one until you can eliminate it altogether. Do I still eat ice cream and pizza? Hell yeah I do! But I try not to eat the whole pint or 4 slices and limit that to once or twice a week. But mostly, it’s because my stomach has shrunk down and I can’t do 4 slices of pizza anymore. Man , I really love pizza….

Moderation is the key to everything. And sometimes, all it takes is a small step. Like taking sugar out of your coffee.

Eating Right: What I Learned About Meal Prepping In The Past Year

Below I’ve listed my typical meal prep before I started the Transform program with Chris and Heidi Powell and what I eat now on the program. I still have some adjusting to do since my husband officially moved in a few months ago so I’ve been running out of meals earlier in the week when I cook. It takes some getting used to when a pot of rice used to be 5 servings for one person but now it’s only 3 servings total for both of us (boys eat a lot!). And meat for two people? Insane! I don’t know how people feed families over 4 people..it’s so expensive…pb&j for everyone!

I’ve been trying to prep myself for the week AND also feed my husband. The poor thing has had to eat a lot of these Transform meals since making two of something is easier than creating a whole separate meal. I just increase the carbs and protein for him. Sometimes I make a crock pot of something and that lasts him for a few days so I can just focus on myself. But that guy lucked out—he lost  about 10 lbs. 2 months after I started the program—HE WASN’T EVEN OFFICIALLY ON THE PROGRAM!
That just shows how much food really does impact our bodies. We can work out for 3 hours every day, but if you’re shoving donuts in your mouth and eating carbs late at night, then all that work is for nothing. I’m still learning how to perfect meal prepping and making sure that I’m eating the right things but I sure have come a long way from 2 years ago when I thought I was doing OK. This last 6 months have brought me to a whole new meal prepping level.

BREAKFAST
Old Way: Before prepping: usually just coffee at 8am then I would have my first snack at 10am.
New Way: I now have oatmeal M-F and then treat myself to a fruit smoothie and toast

Oatmeal, Monday-Friday

with peanut butter on the weekends. When I began prepping, I tried changing up my breakfasts so I had half the week oatmeal and the other half a ground turkey sweet potato skillet meal but then I realized I was OK with oatmeal 5 days a week so why add more work to my prep on Sunday for no reason? The turkey meal took more time and used up my meat which I could save for lunches and dinners.

SNACK
Old Way: I would pack 2 snacks for the day, like a small zip lock bag of pretzels and animal crackers. And if I had more time and I wanted to be fancy I would have cut up vegetables and have a cheese stick or snack bar. None of that was very filling probably since it was low on protein.
New Way: I now eat 2 snacks while I’m at work and it’s usually a protein shake with almonds, cheese sticks or Rice Krispies Treats–depending on if it’s a low or high carb day.  When I can actually make it to the deli I like to do a couple turkey and cheese roll ups. If If I have more time on my meal prepping day, I make a bigger meal so I’m having a larger snack and lunch during work and then I’m not tempted by all the donuts and treats going around because I’m so full. I realized on this plan that although I was eating 2 mini snacks during the day before, they weren’t very filling which is why I was always starving by the time I got home at 4:30pm and then ate very naughty things.

LUNCH
Old Way: Make a vat of chili (with meat or just beans) and it can feed you for days. Add some rice to your chili and I had lunch. That’s my favorite way to save money on food. Or pasta with cheese and sauce or soups. But it’s very hard to transport soup to work. I have done well recently with freezing the soup servings into plastic cups and then slipping (or breaking) them out of the cups and transporting it solid to work. Less spillage.  Sometimes I would make a small salad and add some grilled chicken to it.
New Way: I follow the Transform App meal plan and eat meals according to my allotted macros and whether it’s a low or high-carb day. I never feel bloated, I’m always pretty full, and even though I’ve increased my protein intake and decreased my pasta/rice (which has increased my grocery budget), I think it’s worth it. That means less mini-snacks in between my other snacks. Typically I’ll have some ground turkey with

ground turkey, broccoli, marinara and Parmesan cheese: one of my frequent go-tos

marinara sauce, broccoli and Parmesan cheese (low-carb) or I’ll have chicken with black beans, corn, salsa and rice (high carb).

DINNER
Old Way: Usually it’s leftover from the night before–chicken or ground beef, vegetables, rice or salad. Or some soup again–usually from a can which is full of sodium! Rice, potatoes, and pasta were usual contenders because they’re the easiest to make for dinner since I was starving early on in the night when I wasn’t eating my high protein snacks.
New Way: Going on the Transform App made me realize I ate too many carbs for dinner so I’ve transitioned to a more low-carb meal at night and upped the protein intake. I feel so much better going to sleep at night since I eat all my heavy stuff earlier in the day and then I’m not starving at night. Typically I make that ground turkey with marinara that I listed for lunch or my other favorite, Taco Salad–ground turkey, onion, salsa, lettuce, olives, shredded cheese, and avocado. And hot sauce. On everything.

So, if you’re finding meal prepping daunting, don’t fret. It takes a while to get a rhythm. Some weeks I have a really good prep and I have 4 days worth of food in under 2 hours, and other weeks (like this week) I lose my shit on Monday when I’ve barely made 2 days worth of meals and I also have to squeeze in my workout, wash the dishes, and do all the other little household things and it’s already 7pm. In those cases you have to realize that you have to let something go in order to keep your sanity–so I moved my workout to another day in the week. I felt a little better but sometimes you just have to focus on what you can do and don’t beat yourself up so much. We’re all still learning.

Meal Prepping: My 2nd Job

More meal prep talk! I began intensely meal prepping last year because of Chris and Heidi Powell’s book Extreme Transformation. They really emphasize the idea that if you are prepared for your meals then you typically eat healthfully and mindfully and…it can

The book that started it all last year

also taste good! I think what throws people off when trying to change their lifestyle is they take what is written and force themselves to eat things on a meal plan they don’t like without realizing that they can swap things out and customize to what they actually like to eat. On the other hand, if they get a blank meal plan they freeze and don’t know what to make or what they like to eat and then give up. I think it’s a good idea to look at several plans and tailor it to what you want to eat.

Once I started realizing that it’s not about following someone else’s plan to a tee but making it my own, it was easier to weed out all the recipes I wasn’t interested in: like cottage cheese, yogurt and eggs. Bleh. In some cases you can just swap out a particular ingredient like, if you don’t fancy mushrooms in your stir-fry you can add asparagus. But that requires thinking outside the box and the people who think they have to follow that meal plan to the letter are the same people who measure out the exact amount of things for a recipe and don’t deviate. My husband is like that–he’ll sit and dice each piece into exact measurements and if it says ¼ teaspoon of chili powder you know that’s what you’re getting–it drives him crazy when I throw in a handful of this or add some more of that. I’ve been cooking since I was 12. Sometimes you gotta go with your gut feeling.

Most of my recipes are based on other recipes that I’ve changed or added extra to because, in most cases, if I have 90% of the ingredients I’m making it. What am I gonna do–run to the store every time I need 1 lime or a box of penne? No thank you. And some people just think they can’t do it if they don’t have everything on the list which then means they’re going to the store every day for some ingredient or another. Who has time for that! Most of my planning comes from what I currently have in the fridge that I need to eat before it goes bad or whether or not I have meat like ground turkey or chicken or if I have to use beans for my protein (meat’s expensive and we’re on a budget!). A recipe calls for broccoli but I have cauliflower. Swap! Need black beans? I’m adding red beans! That’s how I roll.

I must say, since I’ve been following the Powell’s meal plan (which is rooted in Macro-science), I feel great. I’m less bloated and gassy and never feel gross after eating a meal. And ladies, when you have a boyfriends or husband and you’re still trying to keep the romance alive, it’s nice not to have to hold in your gas because you don’t really have any when you eat right! It’s never fun and it’s never sexy sitting on the couch saying to yourself “Don’t fart…hold it in. Oh he wants to cuddle? Damn, I can’t move from this position!…don’t make any sudden movements…” (you know what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend. We’ve all been there).

My meals for the following 3 days are always planned and I have flexibility on the weekends—especially Saturdays which are reward days for me and that makes my husband happy since we can eat pizza. But meal prepping also means carrying around a bunch of Tupperware all the time BUT that also means I never get to the point where I’m hangry and want to murder people….like out of my mind hungry…once I hit that point, get out of my fucking way.

It’s also like having a 2nd job–when I was following the plan 100% it was my job to meal prep and to work out. By the time I got home from work, worked out, showered, and cooked…it was 9pm. I really can’t imagine what that would feel like with kids pulling at you all hours of the day. I don’t know how people do it and I say kudos to them. I do know how the celebrities do it though: nannies and chefs. One day…