I have no confessions today!!

I had a lovely week of eating mostly salmon and salad. My body looks great, and my self-esteem is right where it should be. I’m happy in my skin, and my boyfriend just surprised me with an overnight trip to Napa. I can’t wait for summer, life is good.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Happy Thursday!!! We are all one- step closer to the weekend!!!

Today I want to talk about changing your mind before you change your body.

I know that weight loss is a mental battle as well as a physical battle. Not only do you need to work up a sweat on a regular bases, you also need to retrain you mind.

When I say retrain your mind, I’m talking about believing in yourself, and your mission. You have to truly believe that you can loose weight, and improve your quality of life.

When I decided it was time to change, it didn’t happen over night. I didn’t start working out right away, or start restricting my food intake. Instead I started working on my self-esteem. I knew to be successful I had to stop putting myself down, and feeling sorry for myself. I had to change my outlook on myself before I could change my physical appearance.

My mental battle is still present to this day. I spent 25 years telling myself I was fat, that I’m not worthy of real love, that I will always have to settle in life because of my weight.

What does your mind tell you?
Do you ever put yourself down and feel unworthy of a normal life because you are loosing your battle of the bulge?

Try positive affirmations.


Whenever I start beating up on myself I stop the negative thoughts and repeat to myself,  
I am worthy of love, from others and myself. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I am worth it.

I am a huge believer in positive affirmations. They have helped me with my self-esteem, and my body image. Making sure I don’t mentally beat up on myself seems strange, but after 2-3 months of positive thoughts I truly felt ready to workout and start to change my life. This journey isn’t all fun and games. Sometimes we have to dive into ourselves, and get real. Sometimes we have to do things other people think is strange to get us in a safe place.

I hope this post helps someone that has been struggling with staying positive.

Here are a few more positive affirmations

When you feel lonely and sad:

1. I feel the love of those who are not physically around me.
2. I take pleasure in my own solitude.
3. I am too big a gift to this world to feel self-pity and sadness.
4. I love and approve of myself.

When you feel terrified (without your safety being in danger):

5. I focus on breathing and grounding myself.
6. Following my intuition and my heart keeps me safe and sound.
7. I am making the right choices every time.
8. I am drawing from my inner strength and inner light.
9. I trust myself.

When you feel insignificant:

10. I am a unique child of this world.
11. I have every bit as much brightness to offer the world as the next person.
12. I matter and what I have to offer this world also matters.
13. I may be one in 7 billion but I am also one in 7 billion!

When you are nervous:

14. I trust my inner light and intuition to guide me.
15. Nervousness surrounding what I want to do is a good sign.
16. I know the situation will work out for my highest good.
17. Wonderful thing unfold before me.

When you are angry:

18. The anger does not reflect who I am.
19. I let go of my anger so I can see clearly.
20. I accept responsibility if my anger has hurt anyone.
21. I replace my anger with understanding and compassion.
22. I offer a sincere apology to those affected by my anger.

When you feel hopeless and at the end of your rope:

23. I may not understand the good in this situation yet but it is there.
24. I can muster up a little more hope and courage from deep inside me.
25. I choose to find hopeful and optimistic ways to look at this.
26. I kindly ask for help and guidance if I cannot see a better way.
27. I refuse to give up because I haven’t tried all possible ways.

When you feel conflicted about a decision:

28. I know my inner self will guide me to the right decision.
29. I trust myself to make the best and smartest decision for me.
30. I receive all feedback about a decision with love but make the final call myself.
31. I listen with love to this inner conflict and reflect on it until I get to peace around it.


*Homework,
Pick some of your favorite affirmations from the list provided, write them down on small pieces of paper and put them into a jar. Once a day pick an affirmation out of the jar, and keep it with you. Look in the mirror and say the affirmation to yourself when  you are alone and when you feel bad about something. Try this for 7 days and let me know if they are helping you stay positive.  

References
http://www.prolificliving.com/blog/2012/08/27/100-positive-affirmations/



 
I am on a mission to cook, edit, and consume low calorie recipes at least two to three times a week. 



Thai Salad
 
 

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons chile paste with garlic
2 Garlic cloves, minced
Cooking Spray
1½ cups vertically sliced red onion
4 plum tomatoes, each cute into 6 wedges
6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1¼ cups thinly sliced English cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint


Preparation
  1. Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves
  2. Heat a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat, coat with cooking spray
  3. Add onion, sauté for 3 minutes
  4. Add tomato, sauté for 2 minutes
  5. Place onion mixture, lettuce, cucumber, and mint into a large bowl, toss gently to combine
Calories 219 (35% from fat) Fat 8.6g, (sat 3.6g, mono 3.3g, poly 0.5g) Protein 24.1; Carb 12.3g, Fiber 2.2g, Chol 54mg; iron 3.1mg, sodium 456mg, calc 44mg

I love thai food, so much that I plan on visiting Thailand sometime this year. This salad is flavorful, filling, and exciting. I eat a lot of salads, and its very easy to get bored with lettuce in a bowl with a few different ingredients, that why I love this salad. It’s simple but very interesting with a spicy sweet dressing. I loved this salad, I hope you do too.


Happy Hump Day Recipes

 I am on a mission to cook, edit, and consume low calorie recipes at least two to three times a week. 



Farfalle with Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Kale
 
 

Ingredients

8oz uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 ½ cups chopped onion
8oz hot Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
6 garlic coves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14oz) can fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 (16oz) package fresh kale
1 (15oz) can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1 oz shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (about ¼ cup)


Preparation
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and fat
  2. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; keep warm
  3. Drain tomatoes in small sieve over a bowl, reserving 2 teaspoons oil, slice tomatoes
  4. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat
  5. Add sliced tomatoes, reserved 2 teaspoons tomato oil, onion, and sausage to pan;
  6. Cook 10 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble
  7. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute
  8. Add seasoning pepper, and broth to pan
  9. Stir in kale;
  10. Cover and simmer 5 minutes or until kale is tender
  11. Stir in pasta, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and beans
  12. Sprinkle with cheese

Calories 329 (25% from fat) Fat 9g, (sat 2.2g, mono 3g, poly 2.3g) Protein 18.7; Carb 45.7, Fiber 5g, Chol 26mg; Iron 4mg, sodium 669mg, calc 204mg

 
I don't consume meat, but my boyfriend does, to make this recipe friendly for both of us, I used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and I didn't add the sausage, I kept it in link form, and grilled them on the our foreman grill. My boyfriend loved the flavor of the sausage with the pasta, and I loved the flavor of the pasta without the sausage. Sausage or no sausage I know you are in for a treat. 





Today is Challenge Tuesdays….
Are you ready for a challenge???

Last week I challenged you complete a 15 minute walk everyday. I enjoyed this challenege, I usually don’t take walks, that changed last week. I feel like an exploer, stomping around my neighborhood, checking out houses, and elevating my heart rate. I enjoyed the challenge so much that I’m going to repeat this challenge this week, with one small change
I officially challenge you to
Complete a 30 minute walk everyday.
We know what a wonderful low impact workout walking is. Here are some other benefits of walking.
1. Walking Deflects diabetes. There is new research that connects brisk walking to significant risk reduction for developing type 2 diabetes. A British study proved people with a family history of diabetes who walked briskly or preformed some other from of challenging activities on an every day basis improved their insulin sensitivity.
2. Walking can improve your sex life. Sex and exercise is a two way street. In a study of women between 45-55 years old, those who exercised reported greater sexual desire and sexual satisfaction.
3. You save on gym dues. No matter where you live you can find a place to walk. 150 minutes of moderate-intensity walking a week can help prevent heart disease and manage stress. Moderate walking is equal to an average of 100 steps per minutes. San Diego State University researchers support using a pedometer and aiming for 1,000 steps in 10 minutes.
4. Walking can help you get off medicine. Data for the National Walkers’ Health Study found that people who took the long weekly walks were more likely to use less medication. You should add one long walk to your routine once a week.
5. Walking can help fade fibromyalgia pain. Fibromyalgia pain is a chronic condition that affects over 4% of the population. It involves pain, fatigue, and brain fog. A study proved that people that walked 60 minutes, performed light exercises, and stretched 3x’s a week for 18 weeks peopled significant improvements in walking and mental capacity.
6. “Walking can help you beat breast cancer. Women who walk regularly after being diagnosed with breast cancer have a 455 greater chance of survival then those less active.” Journal of Clinical Oncology
7.  Walking reduces stress. A 30 minute walk, 5 days a week can significantly lower your risk of having a stroke according to University of South Carolina researchers. Brisk walking had a 40%lower risk of suffering a stroke compared to people with the lowest fitness level.
8. Walking can save your mind. Researchers in Italy found 749 people suffering from memory issues and measure their walking and other moderate activities. They found people who expended the most energy walking had a 27% lower risk of developing dementia. Physical activities play a big role in increasing blood flow to the brain.
Personal Reflection
I live in Sausalito California, a beautiful town right over the golden gate bridge. Sausalito has stepper hills then San Francisco and I’m happy to take advantage of them. I like spicing up my walking by performing walking lunges, or walking backward, sometimes I even bring lightweights and complete shoulder presses while walking. Walking is universal and a great way to add cardio into your workout routine.

I challenge is to push yourself and complete a 30- minute walk everyday.
Good Luck!

Always listen to your body, if any exercise causes too much impact stop right away. 

REFERENCES:
http://www.rodale.com/benefits-walking
Here are my weekly pictures… Enjoy 






 
 
*What a wonderful week this has been. That’s easy to say since it’s Monday. I had a good workout week, and a good week of healthy nutrition. My abs are there, it feels like they are hidden under a layer of fat. Whenever I start to feel frustrated by this slow process I try to remind myself that this is a journey and I have all my life to complete it. I’m tightening up on my diet, and I’m adding more variety to my workout routine. I believe I’m at trying to get rid of those last stubborn 10 pounds. I’ve had a belly since I was a teenager so this fat is used to being on my body; but I’m fighting to get it off everyday.




Kick Kick Punch Punch

Targets: Abdominals, legs, arms, stability, balance



This is a simple exercise that will raise your heart rate.
  1. Kick
  2. Kick
  3. Punch
  4. Punch




I enjoy this exercise because I get to kick and punch the air while trimming and toning my midsection. I have always enjoyed kickboxing routines, they are exciting and fun, they get you pumped up and ready to fight. They also raise your heart rate and become challenging within the first 60 seconds. What more can you ask for?


  
Today’s entry has everything to do about things I try to hide from people. 


Confession 
Life is a roller coaster and so are my feelings towards myself. 3 weeks ago I felt fat, 2 weeks ago I felt blocked, 1 week ago I felt fit, this week I feel sexy! My range of emotion is nothing new to me, each morning is a different adventure. I know it has something to do with the fact that I’m a woman, and we are “over emotional” but I am not ashamed of my issues. I am who I am, and right now I’m in a good place. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I wish I wasn’t this emotional. I wish, no matter what size I am, that I felt beautiful no matter what. I do feel beautiful, but I inherited my mother’s body image issues. Its something I am constantly working on. I even started performing some life coaching techniques on myself, so I can get over some of my issues, but everything is a slow process. I know one day I won’t be so attached to my body image, but currently with no kids, no husband, and just me to worry about I get the luxury of freaking out weekly.


Confession
I love exercising at home. I used to work at one of the top gyms in San Francisco in Fitness Administrations. If I was still there I would have been Assistant Fitness Manager by now, but the gym wasn’t a place that I could truly share my beliefs, so I decided to start my own traveling personal training and life coaching business. I love that I am able to reach, and help, so many people; but I do miss all of the top of the line exercise equipment. I purchased some keetle bells, light weights, and a few other small things and now I exercise at my house. I love it, no one to look at me, no judging stares or annoying whispers. I can wear whatever I want, work as hard as I want, and scream as loud as I want. It’s a match made in heaven.


While an employee of a fitness club I got to meet a lot of gym people. I understand the culture, and I also understand that I do not fit into gym culture. I have been overweight most of my life, so sweating in front of people isn’t something I enjoy doing. Since I lost my weight in the comfort of my own home, I know I can do anything that I put my mind to. I love exercise tapes, trying new exercises and dressing super sexy while I sweat. It’s so much easier for me to jump out of bed, throw on a sports bra, some short shorts, and start my exercise routine. What can I say I’m addicted to the freedom, and I don’t think I’ll be joining a gym anytime soon.


You just peeked into my soul. I like being human, because I’m allowed not to be perfect; I’m allowed flaws and mistakes. I’m allowed to take a break from my strict diet, and crazy workout routine­­. As much as I love being in shape, I also realize it is not the end all of be all.




This is a never-ending journey that I signed up for. Thanks for coming long for the ride.

 -->
Today is a wonderful day.I hope you are feeling the same way I am wherever you are.

Counting Calories is oneway to loose weight by monitoring what you put into your body. Calorierestriction along with an active lifestyle will help you loose weight, but it’snot as simple as it sounds.

Most people that want toloose weight would like it to fall off within 7 days. I understand thefrustrations, but if it took 5 years to gain 50 pounds, pleaseallow 6 months to a year to loose those 50 pounds.

I also find that mostpeople, on a mission to loose weight, make drastic changes in their diet, andeveryday routine, in hopes of fast results. Fad diets, crazy exercise routines,and overly restricting certain foods are all drastic changes. As much as Isympathized with these people, I also feel as if they are setting themselves upfor failure. Drastic changes are hard to keep. Cutting out your favorite foods,or starting a body busting exercise routine seems like a step in the correctdirection, but 90% of the time, these dramatic changes just don’t work.

The person swears offmeat, but within 24 hours they just can’t resist the craving of a cheeseburger.A person decides they will attend spin class everyday, but after the first dayof panting, sweating, and soreness people usually need a few days to recover,and never fulfill the goals that they set for themselves.My baby stepping method worked for me. It wasn’t an overnight success, butwithin a year and a half I lost over 150 pounds.

Instead of drastic changesto your diet and current lifestyle create baby steps that are reachable andmaster them, then add more baby steps that will slowly help you attain yourgoal.

You didn’t gain weightover night, and most likely you won’t loose weight over night.

Come up with your firstbaby step today, and start stepping into a healthy future.

If you need help coming upwith your steps contact me, and I can help you set up your own personalize babystepping program.

Good luck, and goodhealth.

 I am on a mission to cook, edit, and consume low calorie recipes at least two to three times a week. 


Baked Sweet Potato
 

 


Ingredients

4 Medium Sized Sweet Potatoes
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Teaspoon olive oil

Preparation
  1. Rise, scrub, and clean sweet potatoes
  2. Dry Potatoes and rub each one with olive oil
  3. Puncture potatoes with fork a few times
  4. Place potato in microwave one a time and cook them for 4-5 minutes until done
  5. In small bowl place butter and brown sugar
  6. Stir together until butter is soft and brown sugar is completely mixed in
  7. Once all potatoes are done place equal parts of butter mixture in each potato

I am a fan of all potatoes, but they do not look that great on my figure. Most people know sweet potatoes are good for you. Sweet Potatoes are high in vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Iron. They are also a great source of magnesium, which is a relaxation and anti-stress mineral.
    Not only are sweet potatoes nutritionally good for you, they also taste great, and are simple to make. I truly enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you do to. 


    Smashed Potatoes
     
    Ingredients

    12-15 baby red or yellow potatoes (1-1/2oz each;  1-1/2 to 2 inches)
    Sea salt
    Pepper
    extra virgin oil
    cooking spray

    Preparation
    1. Pre Heat oven to 375 degrees
    2. Rise, scrub, and clean potatoes
    3. Coat potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
    4. Place potatoes on aluminum foil lined baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray
    5. Cook potatoes for 30 minutes or until tender and smash-able
    6. Take potatoes out and poke with fork
    7. Gently smash potatoes with fork or palm of hand                                                    *Don’t worry if some break apart, you can still use them
    8. Spray with cooking spray and place smashed potatoes back into the oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy and deep brown around the edges.
    9. Serve HOT 


    This is a simple low fat way to prepare potatoes. My boyfriend and I truly enjoyed them. I hope you do too.

    Try it out and let me know what you think! 

    Original recipe by: Cooking Light
    Adjusted with Love by: Me!





     
     
      Today is Challenge Tuesdays….
    Are you ready for a challenge???

    Last week I challenged you to complete 30 minutes of cardio a day for the next 7 days. This weeks challenge will enhance last week’s challenge, and will hopefully help you create a regular cardio routine. Taking a walk is not labor intensive, you don’t have to change into a stylish exercise outfit, mess up your makeup, or ruin your hair, for a nice leisurely walk during lunch, after work, or first thing in the morning. Walking is a wonderful form of exercise. So today:
    I officially challenge you to
    Complete a 15 minute walk everyday.
      
    Walking can trim your waistline and improve your health. It is a low impact exercise with numerous health benefits, that’s is accessible to pretty much everybody.
     
    Benefits of Walking
    • Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
    • Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
    • Lower your blood pressure
    • Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
    • Manage your weight
    • Improve your mood
    • Stay strong and fit
    Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, like jogging.


    Personal Reflection
    I love to sweat. Sweating makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something. When I sweat I know I am burning calories and/or fat. I feel like I finally have some control over something in my life. Sweat = Results in my book. So I enjoy doing anything that promotes sweating. Which is why I love exercising. Living in San Francisco, the hills are unavoidable. I like to take walks, so sometimes I’m stuck trailing up a hill trying to find my breath. I find that walking is a simple, fun, and challenging way to work up a sweat. I’m not talking about running, jogging, or even skipping, I’m talking left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, breath, breath, breath. Walking is a wonderful form of exercise. 

    The challenge is to push yourself to take at least a 15 minute walk everyday.
    Good Luck!

    Always listen to your body, if any exercise causes too much impact stop right away. 

    REFERENCES:
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

    Here are my weekly pictures… Enjoy






     
    *Happy with Me
    Hi all! At first I was super excited to post pictures of my abdominal journey, but over the last few weeks, I have been less then excited to share pictures of myself, terrified actually. I am finally inspired again, and excited to post weekly pictures of my progress, and or regress. I have gotten many inspirational comments, directed towards my confidence, and bravery. I appreciate all the support, and will continue to work towards my goals, while documenting my progress. 
     



      

    Clam Crunch

    Targets: Lower Abdominal, stability and balance



    1. Lie on back, bend knees placing them at table top position
    2. Place arms straight, in line with  ears
    3. Simultaneously lift shoulders and hips off  ground, moving knees towards hands, and hands towards knees
    4. Try to connect hands and feet in air
    5. Slowly return back to starting position, arms straight, knees at table top
    6. Engage your abdominals throughout the entire exercise.
    7. Complete three sets of 12 reps





    Clam Crunches tone your stomach and improve your stability and balance. It is a full body abdominal exercise that engages your lower and upper body while targeting that lower belly. I enjoy clams because they are demanding and fun. You can also add a kettle bell to your hands to make this exercise a lot more challenging. This is a great stomach shrink(er) that isn’t boring.

    REFERENCES
    http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/clam-crunch-3345.html



    Today’s entry has everything to do about things I try to hide from people. 

    Confession 
    I am not seeing the results I want to see from my diet and workout routine. I omitted lots of things from my diet but I still have a layer of fat that I just can't seem to get rid of, so I decided to get super duper strict on my food intake. I feel like I'm almost where I want to be, I just need a small push to get this last 10 pounds off. By cleaning up my diet I will be able to reach my goals faster. I need more results, and I'm willing to further restrict my food intake to get them.



    I have cut sodas, alcohol, and meat completely out of my diet. I restrict my intake of bread, fried foods, and sweets. I workout 6-7 days a week, and I can feel muscle under my skin, but I can't see the muscle. I realize I need to loose more weight to obtain my desired body. So I'm going to start following a strict diet. Maybe something like: kale smoothie and oatmeal for breakfast, salad with protein for lunch, snacks of nuts, fruits, and raw vegetables between meals, and baked, broiled, or grilled seafood and vegetables for dinner. It doesn't sound exciting, but I'm ready for the next step in my weight loss journey.

    Confession
    I took 7 days off of exercising and I realized I need more rest in between workouts. I usually enjoy pushing myself 6-7 days a week, not really giving my body a chance to rebuild the muscle I am breaking down during my weight training sessions. My body always shrinks when I take a few days off, and I realize I'm overworking myself and not giving my muscles proper fuel and the rest that it needs.

    Who truly wants to workout 6-7 days a week? I realize my weight loss still plays an active roll in my life. I am always scared of regaining the weight I lost. It is my biggest fear. It is the reason I push myself so hard, I am afraid of skipping 1-2 days, actually I'm terrified. I plan on working out 5-6 days a week, and not pushing myslef to sweat when I'm not in the mood. My body needs the rest, and I need to realize I'm never going to be 300 pounds again. I need to stop living in fear, and I'm going to truly work on changing my outlook on regaining weight.  

    You just peeked into my soul. I like being human, because I’m allowed not to be perfect; I’m allowed flaws and mistakes. I’m allowed to take a break from my strict diet, and crazy workout routine­­. As much as I love being in shape, I also realize it is not the end all of be all.


    This is a never-ending journey that I signed up for. Thanks for coming long for the ride.


    About

    My name is Mary! I was obese for most of my life, around 7 years ago I decided to take control of my life and successfully lost over 150 pounds. But that's just the beginning of my journey. Join me as I evolve into the person I was born to become. I love to cook, craft, read, and make people smile. I'm happy you've stumbled on by. Let’s Evolve Together.

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