Oh Happy Day!

Record high temps today! We were in the eighties, can you believe it? Craziness! Especially considering the fact that we had snow on April 1st!

Sunny skies  = One Happy Girl over here!

Sure, good weather can definitely improve my mood, but now, it's time to 'fess up.

I won't lie to you...losing 57 pounds (and still having weight to lose) messes with your head. Trying your best to lead a healthy lifestyle is tough in the beginning (and the middle sometimes!) Now, that being said, I want this blog to be a positive place. I want to inspire others (and myself) to continue leading healthy lives because honestly, in the end, it's going to make me happy.
Weighing 120 pounds isn't going to make me happy.
Wearing a size 2 isn't going to make me happy.

Sometimes I forget these things, sunny skies or no sunny skies.

Of course, being comfortable with my weight is going to make me happy. Reaching and maintaining my "happy weight" going to make me happy. :)
Taking a bite out of life, giving every day 100%, and being healthy is going to make me happy.

Little tip: Wearing yellow is said to create thoughts of joy!

Time to invest in a yellow sundress, perhaps? :)

But you see that girl up there? Her healthy is different from my healthy and that's different from your healthy.

We are all different, each of out bodies require different things, but they all need TLC. I stumbled across this and was blown away.
I can't take credit for it (although I wish I could! Maybe i'll make one of my own!) I found it here!

What It's All About

having thighs that don’t touch

Muscular legs that can carry me for miles, touching or not

a body that all of the other girls envy

A body that I can look in the mirror and be proud of

being a size 0

Knowing that beauty isn’t a number on a tag

Being able to go days without eating

Always eating healthy foods that fuel my workouts

 working out until I pass out

Working out until I am tired, but still feeling great afterward

being thin to get the attention of that certain boy

Knowing that the man I love is in love with my personality, not my body

doing this for my mom, that guy at school, the rest of the world

Doing this for myself, and not caring what the rest of the world thinks.

Now that, my friends...is happiness.
I think once I finally screw my head on straight and get a mindset like that, the rest will just fall into place.

Suite Stir-Fry

Okay, folks. Grab a pen because last night I created a dorm-friendly "recipe" for the books. (Heheh.)
What is it, you ask?

Why, it's a "Suite Stir-Fry"!


You see, I don't really live in a "dorm" anymore. I live in a "Suite" which is really just fancy way of saying we get out own bathroom, washer/dryer and living room, but NO kitchen. Wahh. :(
Anyway, that is just a long winded way of saying that I have no way of being able to cook my own meals during the semester.

Let me tell you this is TOUGH, but for the most part I stay away from the processed stuff and stick to produce, whole grains and all that. However, I would like to say that if I could I would be making different recipes each night with through-the-roof nutritional value, but I don't have the resources or the funds.

I am always on the hunt for the next best thing. (Steaming my own broccoli and sweet potatoes in my room? Yeah. My suitemates think i'm crazy.)

Fresh out of the microwave!

So, last night this hit me. It's not really a recipe because I really just threw stuff into a bowl and called it a meal, but oh well. I'm proud, and it tasted delicious.



Suite Stir-Fry

• 1/2 pouch Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Medley Vegetable Harvest Ready Rice **see note.
• 1 cup steamed Broccoli
• Red + Green bell pepper strips (as many as you'd like, i'm a HUGE bell pep addict)
  
  
  Directions:
  
  First, you must gather the ingredients. You can pick up the Ready Rice pouches at a grocery store on the cheap.
  As for the broccoli and peppers, steal them from the dining hall. I know, it may sound like I have no morals, but if you're in college, you know people bring tupperware and take food out like they're not going to eat for months. But you know what? The staff doesn't care. Plus, i'm taking vegetables. If someone ever stops me i'm going to be prepared with an argument. 1) "This stuff is just going to rot anyway! Plus, I don't have time to go to lunch tomorrow because my class schedule overlaps the lunch time." (This is true, in case you're wondering.) 2) "I'm sorry, but i'm not wasting my meals on food that I have no idea what is in it. I need to stock up on these things because I have lost 57 pounds and I don't intend on gaining it all back eating your fatty dining hall food, mmkay?"
  Alright, that last one may have been a bit of a stretch, but there is some truth to it.
  
  Now, to combine them!
            The rice is so easy to prepare, a college kid could do it. (It's the new Geico slogan.) All you do is tear open the pouch and plop it in your microwave-safe bowl. (BUT MEASURE!!!! I cannot stress this enough. MEASURE. The bag says that 1 serving is a cup and 220 calories and that there are about 2 servings in the pouch. I have found that it is less than 2 cups. Evenly divided I have found that 1 serving should be 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup.)
          Now, for the veg: steam em'! (Post coming about this little guy soon. It's an essential for college kids.)
        Then toss all the ingredients together in your microwave safe bowl, heat through one more time and add desired seasonings. (I add red  pepper flakes to everything.) 

And there you have it. A Suite Stir-Fry in your dorm. It has whole grains and veggies and most importantly no guilt or weird stomach pains from the dining hall frankenfoods.
Tell me: What's an easy, college appropriate meal you can think of?

You're a Brocc Star! Love your veggies, love yourself.

Oh hey, thanks for stopping by. I hope you're having a lovely evening.

My evening is only half over, I still have to work for an hour...fun.

Dinner was fun tonight, though! It reminded me of childhood meals at my Aunt's house.

              

•  1 whole wheat pita
• 1/4 c all natural marinara
• 1 c broccoli (I never minded eating my veggies as a kid, but my aunt would always tell me "Eat your little trees!" She would also say carrots are nature's candy, which I totally agree with. Apparently, telling me these things really worked out in the end. Here I am eating broccoli for dinner and nature's candy "to make my eyes pretty"
• + red pepper flakes

After dinner was SPINNING! :) 

I always get to class super early, so I thought "Why not sneak a pic?" ;)

Looking back, as i'm writing this post, riding your bike is a childhood activity, too, isn't it? But this is NOT the same. X-biking is no joke.

Usually the Tuesday night instructor's style isn't my favorite. She's very into deep breathing, stretching, and standing climbs (kill me now), but tonight it felt good to roll the shoulders. You know.

After spinning I grabbed another child hood favorite-


Applesauce! This was another staple in my aunt's house, in fact, i'm pretty sure if I peek into her fridge over Easter break i'll find some.


So onto the self-love portion of this post...

Remember when you were a little kid, not quite on the brink of that self-conscious age? Sometimes I wish I could have that mindset again. Not caring about what anyone thinks of you, saying the first thing that pops into your mind, and always sharing your ideas.


This picture always makes me laugh. Yes, I am HOLDING my snowcone...
In elementary school, I wore a dress every day for two months. I didn't care that I had gym class, I just wore shorts underneath my frock. I also wore my hair differently every single day, because when you're a kid, you don't care what's cool or popular or trendy. Most of the time you're carefree...

Let's get back to that. That part of you, no matter how long ago it was, is still you.

Yes, it was many years ago, we have many more things to worry about now, and many many things have changed, but that light you have inside of you remains.

So put on your favorite dress when the weather is nice, rock a new hairstyle and smile.

Just like the little kid you are.

Question: Did you always eat your veggies as a kid? Were there any that you hated?
Are there any pictures of yourself as a child that just make you chuckle every time you see them?

Easy Like Tuesday Morning

 Tuesday mornings might be my favorite morning this semester. I don't have any classes on Tuesdays and my mornings are totally free. My afternoons however are jam packed. Homework, real work, and spin class keep me plenty busy at night. That's why in the morning I like to take it easy, catch up on my blogs, do some yoga stretching and eat a leisurely breakfast.


Kashi GoLean, Unsweetened Almond Breeze, and 1 small frozen banana. (Freezing the banana chills the almond milk even more!)

Plus, half of this MONDO grapefruit.

It saddens me that this is probably the last wave of really good quality citrus we're going to get for a while now. Citrus season is ending, but berry season is just beginning! I can't wait to stock up!

Question: Citrus vs. Berries: who's team are you on?

I also did a few moves with my free weights before lunch, nothing too major though, the real workout comes tonight. I love spinning because I always leave the gym a sweaty mess. It makes me feel strong, empowered and healthy. Don't you just love workouts like that?

Lunch was the same as yesterday, since that second serving of turkey from yesterday needed to be eaten!


2 slices deli turkey on 1 whole wheat Sandwich Thin, 1 beaten up, but still delicious pear, baby carrots, cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes.

Alright, now the remainder of my day begins! Things are about to get crazy!

What's your favorite day of the work week?
Hope you're not too busy today!

2nd Day of Self-Love

In the words of the brilliant Regina Spektor:

"I've got a perfect body...but sometimes I forget. I've got a perfect body, 'cause my eyelashes catch my sweat."

I told you, she's brilliant.

I am lucky enough to have been gifted with the perfect body.

Sure, my hips may be a little larger than I would like, but, overall, I have a healthy body. Therefore, it is perfect.

It makes you stop and think about where your priorities are, doesn't it? It's true, though. I have fully functioning legs that allow me to go on an impromptu-14 mile-bike-ride with my best friend. My legs transport me to new places and through my day-to-day life.

I have wonderful arms that can lift up my little cousins when we're playing a game or give a high-five.

Most importantly, I have "salsa" hips. :) They can dance and sway to a rhythm anytime I'd like them to. But what if I couldn't? What if I was confined to a wheelchair or couldn't stand? I wouldn't be able to dance as easily.

It's things like these that make me wonder why I get so caught up in these negative thoughts about myself. I work fine! I am here, living my life with all of the intensity I can muster, and my body is a huge part of that.

Each part of my body helps me do the things I love to do, and honestly, I couldn't wish for anything else.


I think sometimes we all just need to be reminded of this very fact.

Tell me, what is one thing you love that your body can do?

Switch It Up

I am totally a creature of habit. I like my routine and get antsy at the thought of change. That means workouts and food choices, too, but sometimes life just throws you a curve ball.

I usually do my grocery shopping (for the dorm) every other Sunday, which would mean that I was supposed to have went yesterday. But you know how it is...something came up and I couldn't go.

Which meant I was OUT of Greek yogurt, out of my beloved grapefruits, and my baby carrot and whole grain supplies were dangerously low. Yikes!

Thankfully i'm hitting the grocery store today, but here are my "I'm out of food" meals so far today.

Breakfast consisted of coffee and an orange...

As well as oats with flax seeds and a shake of cinnamon. I also had some raisins before I headed out the door to class..
Then in class (hour 2 of my dreaded Monday Wednesday Friday 4 hour block...) I munched some trail mix.

Soy nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

Lunch was:

• an organic pear that I had laying around (it had seen better days, that's for sure. It tasted just as good as new though!)
• , the last of my baby carrots
• turkey that I picked up from the campus Grab 'n Go. (I ditched the white bun and American cheese and split the turkey into two servings. One for today and one for tomorrow) on a honey wheat sandwich thin 
• + veggies on top. Cukes, cherry tomatoes and some iceberg.
  
  Change can be okay, but I know i'm going to get a hankering for my beloved Chobani sooner or later...

Here's the grocery list...did I miss anything?

Some questions for you: Do you handle change well? Do you make grocery lists *and stick to them*? Or do you just wing it, buy whatever looks good/what's on sale? I'd be curious to know!

See you after the haul!

30 Days of Self Love

While browsing the blog world, I came across a beautiful project that I knew I had to take part in. After seeing Tina's posts about self love, I decided I needed to love myself more- just as I am right this moment, not 40 pounds from now.

Beating myself up because the weight isn't coming off as quickly as I would like it to is doing just that, beating me up. That's why today, exactly five months into my journey, I am starting my own version of the 30 Days of Self Love movement.

Each day I will *attempt* to post about something I love about myself, whether it be a physical trait, a personal strength or a special talent. I want this to motivate me, right up to the 6 month mark of my journey.

What better way to mark half a year than by celebrating myself and my accomplishments?(Like...losing 55 lbs?!)

But this isn't just about me, it's about all of you, too! It's about stopping the negative self talk and the comparisons...because each of you is beautiful, no matter what your size.

So to kick off this celebration- let's share something you absolutely adore about your physical self.

Mine is definitely my hair. I've always had a unique shade of reddish, strawberry blonde hair. I used to not like it at all because it made me different, but now I love it, for that exact reason. Every time I go to get my hair cut the hair stylist always compliments me and tells me to never, ever dye it.
PLUS, my hair is so low maintenance. I never blow dry it and rarely heat style it at all. I just let it air dry over night and i'm out the door.

So there's mine. Share yours! Go ahead, brag a little. I won't hold it against you.

Just your typical college eats...

I am totally your average college student. Pizza, cookies. You know....

 
 

Can you see me??

Because, really, what college student that you know keeps whole wheat pitas, 100% natural marinara and roasted red pepper flakes on hand?

Now, this is nothing compared to the "pita pizzas" I make at home (like I made on New Year's!) Usually I'll saute up some green and red bell peps, add a little garlic powder and oregano and spread it all out on a pita. Delish.
But this lil guy was pretty tasty, too. And easy. (It kind of has to be, I do live in a dorm right now)

I also crunched on some salad with Romaine, red and green bell peppers and cherry tomatoes.

Next up, dessert. :)

I like to call these "Mini Granola Bar Bites". I made up a HUGE batch over Spring Break at home, and i'm still eating and enjoying every last one... (except for the few my mom STOLE. because they were that good.)

I'll have to post the actual recipe later, since I didn't lug it out to school with me, so stay tuned.

So here's your question: If you're in college, what are your typical "eats"? Are you best buds with the dining hall or do you try to keep "healthier" options in your dorm/apartment/house? If you're not in college, what did you eat when you were, or when you were around that age?

It can be pretty tricky navigating the campus eateries so i'd love to know how you dealt with it!

And stay tuned for my survival guide coming to a computer screen near you soon!

A MUCH Needed Update

Here's the deal.

A little less than five months ago, I started this blog (which went by a different name, but we'll get to that later..) So. What was this blog about, you ask? Well, according to my my first post, this blog was going to be about all around health. Mind, body, soul, the whole nine- you get the picture, no?

It started out great, I was eating whole foods, kicking butt in the gym six days a week, and the pounds were falling off. I didn't count calories, I watched my portions while still eating enough. It went on like this, until about a month ago...

By this point, I had lost 48 pounds. Which was great! There was just one catch. I  wasn't losing the weight anymore, I was someone else. I was miserable and stressed. I was counting calories- something I had never done before- and was only getting around 1000 each day -on top of working out and burning about 500. 

Looking back, I can't even believe I didn't see something was wrong, but there clearly was. I would go to the gym, find out that I had gained weight, and then almost have break downs on the treadmill, until It all came crashing down one night.
It was a typical Tuesday, I went to classes, worked, did my thang'. I went to the gym in the morning, knocked out a half hour on the treadmill and a half hour on the elliptical. The usual, except that night I went to a spin class, which was fine, except my body was completely exhausted....After the spin class, the instructor talked me into taking a "Butts and Guts" class, which was a bad, bad idea, considering it meant I was going to be late to work, as well as completely insane. But I couldn't say no. I needed to lose these last two pounds. Two more pounds and I would hit fifty.

The next morning I woke up and had literally worn myself out. My immune system was shot- my throat hurt, my nose was running, my head hurt, I was achy all over (not just my butt and gut), and I didn't have energy to do anything- including shower.

That night, a good friend and I had a long conversation. She said I was "doing too much" and I needed to cut myself some slack...She advised me to maybe take a break from the gym for a month. I thought she was crazy (I had come so far- I wasn't going back now), but I did it anyway. And you know what? I began losing weight again- about three weeks later when I stepped on the scale.


So here we are. I've had ups, i've had downs. I've started a blog, i've stopped a blog. Now, i'm starting one again...except the old one was just about losing weight. This one is about life. It's about taking control of your life while still living. It's about treating your body right because if you can't do that, then you can't live up to your full potential. It's about Taking A Bite Out Of Life.

Losing weight is hard. Loving yourself exactly the way you are is even harder.
Let's change that, we're in it together.

Inspiration. Motivation. Determination.

Inspiration. Motivation. Determination.

Don't worry! I still have all three of those things. I mean, look at me-


If that isn't the face of determination, then I don't know what is.

Big post tomorrow.

Day 57 New Year's Eve!

New Year's Eve! 

Breakfast

• 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch (Honey Almond Flax)
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk
• Blueberries

 

Lunch

• 1 piece Honey Wheat bread
• 2 slices of turkey
• 2 stalks of celery 
• and I munched on some carrots

Snack

• 1 HUGE Honeycrisp apple...these babies are delicious!
• Coffee with 1 tablespoon Cinnamon Bun creamer

Dinner

• Salad beast! Romaine, red and green bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, 1 clementine, 1 tbsp All natural, organic, Ginger soy sesame dressing. 
• 1 Pita Pizza!
  It was make your own pizza night for New Year's! So, I couldn't just not have a pizza.  So..
  I took 1 whole wheat pita and put 1/2 cup of pizza sauce (1 serving size), then I sauteed up some red and green bell peps and popped 'em on the pita. I seasoned it with pepper and red pepper flakes.
  I toasted the pita, heated the sauce, sauteed the peps, and then broiled the masterpiece.
  Delish. (I didn't take a picture, but don't worry. I have a feeling "pizza" night will be around again!)

Snackin'

• Some fresh pineapple
• Some dried fruit. 1/2 cup dried Papaya and Pineapple
  
  Do you guys know anything about dried fruit? Is it loaded with sugar? Can I find it without sugar? It's sooo good, especially Banana Chips. Yummm.

• Some diet ginger ale (It looked extra pretty and calorie free in a champagne flute!)

The spread. Sure there were chips and dips, fondue, cookies, brownies and two types of Rice Krispie Treats (my favorite! Anyone know a low cal recipe?)........

 But there was also plenty of fruit!

 And although the fondue smelled amazing,

The fruit kept me plenty happy. :)

 Make your own pizza?

 Well, I sorta broke the rules.

 Diet Gingerale was also involved in the cheating. Ahhh well.

I hope you all had a fabulous New Year's Eve! And I wish you all a happy and healthy 2011!

xoxo
Tanya