All it Takes is Ten Minutes ..

One thing I hear constantly from others is that "I just don't have the time" to _________ (eat breakfast, work out, eat meals made from home, eat healthy meals, etc ..)

You have to ask yourself: how important are my goals? Do you want to eat healthier and save some money by not eating take-out every day? Are you tired of going hungry in the morning because you didn't have a proper breakfast? Are you feeling insecure about your body but "don't have the time" to exercise?

Guys - YOU are in control of your day, just like YOU are in control of achieving your goals. If it is important to you, then you will FIND or MAKE the time to meet your goals. All it takes is a few minutes of preparation to set yourself up for success. 

I took ten minutes to pre-cut and mix some veggies (mushrooms, onions, bell peppers) and wash black beans to leave in containers in my fridge. Now I can make a fast egg scramble or a Mexican omelette in the morning for breakfast. It only took a few minutes of food preparation to help myself stay on track with my goal of having a healthy, nutritious breakfast every day. 

I can do it - you absolutely can too. How much does it mean to you?

Final Soup Challenge!

This week we didn't quite make a soup .. We made a big pot of hearty, healthy chicken stew! It is one of my favorite recipes from my bible, The Looneyspoons Collection, called "I Got Stew, Babe". We alter the recipe somewhat (we always add extra cups of mushrooms, carrots and green beans!) and add a touch more flour and stock as hubby prefers a more juicy stew .. And it is so delicious! It yields a lot so we are able to just grab and go from the fridge, and it's so healthy and guilt-free! 

Roasting the veggies!

Ready to mix together ..

The finished product!

I plan to continue making big pots of soup (or stew!) throughout the winter .. It's so easy to have a big pot filled in the kitchen, so I've got a quick supper for work or a hot lunch at home. It's cheaper than buying cans of soup and it's way healthier and super convenient! 

The Kids Are Watching

I have many reasons for wanting to live the healthiest life possible. My asthma is easier managed at a smaller weight and when I'm active. The risks of developing diabetes and heart disease significantly declines. I feel WAY better overall - more positive, happy, fit and confident. I live healthy to BE healthy, because as that old saying goes, nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels! I love being active and I feel great eating right. 

But one of the most rewarding parts of living healthy? This: 

My family lives healthy too. They see it, learn it, and live it. And that is the greatest thing in the world. 

Live healthy. Be happy!

Gulp.

So .. I've committed to doing something that I swore I would never do. 

I'm going to run a half-marathon September 2016. 

Yeah, it's super far away and I have lots of time to get ready. Yep.

I struggle hard through a 5K. I haven't run in a loooooooong time. Is 23 months enough time?! 

Here's why I committed to this thing.

I met an incredible lady, Heather, through my first Beach Body challenge group. Her positive sprit and energy immediately made me like her, and we became friends. She's a big-time fan of running and challenges herself all the time (the Great Wall of China marathon is on her race list!) 

She wants to come visit. And run. And a 5K just doesn't seem to be worth all that traveling for .. So I suggested the Army Run Half and she instantly said she'd add it to her race list. I'm in! 

My husband also set a goal for himself - he wants to run the half in 2015. He's so inspiring! 

I love to run. LOVE to run!! So why did I allow myself to stop?

Well, I let me asthma scare me off. Running in colder weather really makes it hard to breathe, so I had to "pause" for the Fall / Winter season .. Where I have fallen off the wagon for the past two years. And then I need new running shoes, because mine are totally shot. And running shoes aren't only twenty bucks, y'know? 

... Are the words "excuses, excuses, excuses" running through your mind right now? Cuz they totally are in mine.

So I have a big goal to reach. I'm not just running this thing for Heather (though she'll be worth it!) but I need to do it for me. I'm working hard on myself and part of that work is setting a goal and achieving it. So yes, it's one that is far off in the future .. But it gives me a LOT of time to crush my 5K and 10K goals and take a proper training class for the half! And I'm really excited for it!

So .. Gulp! Half-Fanaticland, here I come! 

Soup Challenge #3

This week we made a super hearty vegetable soup. We loaded it with turnips, zucchini, carrots, legumes and beans .. So it was extremely filling and had lots of protein! Pairing a hot bowl of this vegetable soup with a grilled cheese sandwich made for an amazing lunch on a cold, rainy day (which this week has been filled with!).

So far, I'm loving this soup challenge! It's so convenient, having a big bowl in the fridge that I can scoop a cup out of and heat up on the stovetop .. Quick and easy and the best part - healthy eating! :) 

Soup Challenge #2

I'm a few days behind on this post, as I still had a bunch of the sweet potato soup I was working my way through! Now that's done .. And this week, we made a homemade chicken and vegetable soup! We bought one of those precooked chickens from our grocery store's Food To Go counter (WAY cheaper than buying a fresh, uncooked chicken .. We paid $8.99 for the cooked one but a raw, uncooked one was $23!! Madness!!)

We prefer a hearty soup so we loaded it up with tons of celery, carrots and onions .. And it's so delicious and filling! Yum! 

How I Survived Thanksgiving

We all know how it goes .. Thanksgiving weekend is filled with family and friend gatherings .. And FOOD. Lots and lots of food. Pumpkin and apple desserts and mashed potatoes and breads and gravies and turkeys and hams .. 

It's all so tempting. I've been known to go a little crazy on the buffet line, especially where dessert is concerned. And every year, starting with Thanksgiving, with the warm foods and the colder weather, is where I often begin to slip off my healthy track and into dangerous, binge-eating-bad-foods territory of winter. 

This year, I am determined to break that cycle. I'm done with restarting my weight loss every summer. I'm done with being unhealthy. Done.

This picture spoke volumes to me .. Loud and clear!!

No excuses! My goals for my health and body and LIFE are way more important than a turkey and pie hangover and the regret and grossness I'd feel the next day. 

I woke up every morning and immediately planned my meals for the day using My Fitness Pal, as I always do (even on non-holiday days! It's my routine to keep on track). I knew what was on the menu for Thanksgiving feasts and I planned for it all, and I even kept on with my workouts every night! 

After I finished work on Sunday, I came home to have a Thanksgiving meal with Team Lego .. Daddy worked hard in the kitchen to make a homemade pineapple sauce for the lean ham, lightly buttered asparagus and mashed potatoes! We went for a family walk after dinner instead of having a dessert, which was way better :) 

Thanksgiving Monday we had dessert for breakfast! 

Daddy Lego made apple pie crepes .. Whole wheat and flax crepes made with egg whites! They were stuffed with apples sautéed in a touch of butter and cinnamon and topped with light, real whipped cream. It was so delicious and it totally cured Daddy's apple pie craving!

We went for a long walk after breakfast. The sun was out and it was the perfect Fall day! 

Look at all the geese!!! There were hundreds!! 

We made it home in time to have a round of showers for everyone, lunch: 

Homemade chicken and vegetable soup! And then we were off to the country for a family gathering. 

My focus was on family .. Not the food. And that's how it always will be for me! Family is truly what's important about the holidays, not the food! Although .. The food was phenomenal. We brought two veggie dishes to contribute to the meal (to fill up on!) 

I had a few pieces of turkey too, after I took this photo. I skipped the gravy (I get the worst indigestion with gravy, boo). I'm not going to lie .. I totally wanted the pumpkin pie that was served for dessert. I've had the Costco pie before and it.is.to.die.for. But .. I didn't have enough calories for the day to have even a small piece. My backup plan, decided earlier in the day while I made my meal plan for the day? Pumpkin pie shakeology after my workout!! Absolutely delicious and guilt-free. 

These people are my world. Not the turkey dinner :) 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

(And ps. Even if you did indulge this weekend - no problem. The weekend is over now, today is a new day .. Get yourself back on track!) :)