Creole Chicken, rice, cauliflower, and tomatoes

So today was a good day. I got in a quick workout thismorning for about 15 minutes. It wasn't much, but it's all the time I had for, so better than nothing! 


Breakfast:
Raspberry smoothie with 
     1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt - 85 calories
     1/2 cup 1% milk - 50 calories
     1/2 cup raspberries - 25 calories
     1/2 cup oatmeal - 150 calories


Lunch: 
1/2 cup dry rice - 100 calories
4oz baked, blackened chicken breast - 140 calories
(to see my recipe for creole, which adds FANTASTIC flavor to chicken and fish without the calories, see the bottom of this post)
one on the vine tomato - 38 calories
6 cauliflower florets (boiled) - 24 calories
     with 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese melted on top - 110 calories


Dinner:
Oven Roasted Chicken on wheat with honey mustard from Subway - 350 calories


Snack:
1 peach - 50 calories
50 pistachios 160 calories
2 cups brewed green tea and 2 tbsp honey - 120 calories
10 cups of water again today - I am doing really good on that!


That tallies up at 1402 calories for the day. I'm glad for this, too, because I'm hungry!!! Maybe half a serving of spaghetti from last night? I know I shouldn't eat pasta this late at night, but it sounds sooo good right now, and I'm still ahead for the day. 


Neither my husband nor myself work tomorrow, so hopefully I can get in a good workout! I think shrimp for dinner - I just have to find some kind of recipe that isn't too saucy (all I can think of is alfredo or butter.....)


My creole recipe (makes 1 cup seasoning which totals less than 275 calories):

• 2 tablespoons onion powder - 46 calories
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder - 56 calories
• 2 tablespoons dried sweet basil - 22 calories
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves - 12 calories
• 1 tablespoon black pepper - 24 calories
• 1 tablespoon white pepper - 21 calories
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper - 24 calories
• 1 tablespoon celery seed - 25 calories
• 5 tablespoons sweet paprika - <45 calories

Day 2

I woke up today to an incredibly hectic morning. I planned on going to a doctors appointment for my son, today, at 9:15. Well, I woke up at 9:40, and while I was on the phone with the doctor's office, waiting to reschedule, my manager at worked called, letting me know that I was late. I had no idea I was supposed to work today! Needless to say, I did not get in the workout thismorning that I had planned.

I threw my breakfast and lunch together, and ran out the door. Today's breakfast included:

1 cup Coconut / Almond milk mix - only 60 calories
1 cup raspberries - 60 calories
1 Kashi Almond / Flax granola bar - 140 calories

Snack:
50 roasted and salted pistachio kernals - 160 calories

lunch:
Carl Budding turkey breast cubes (1.5 oz.) - 50 calories
Banana - 85 calories
.8 oz string cheese - 70 calories
1 cup green tea with honey - 70 calories

snack:
1 cup watermelon - 50 calories

dinner:
Hamburger Helper Spaghetti made with very lean beef 1 cup prepared - 290 calories
1 cup California mix veggies - 38 calories
1 glass brewed green tea with 1 tbsp honey - 60 calories
2 slices of wheat bread with 1/2 tbsp butter - 190 calories
12 spears asparagus cooked in olive oil and red wine vinegar - 130ish calories
(inserted: I ended up having another serving of spaghetti later at night, probably too late... but I was so hungry! And I was still within my calories...)

This gives me a grand total of approximately 1293 (+ another 290) calories, and 2 servings of dairy, 3 servings fruit, 3 servings of veggies, 3 protein, and 4 breads (and 1 fat, of course, I cannot forget the butter) Not too shabby, I could even have another serving of spaghetti if I want! I will probably have a snack later, but I am going to try to refrain from eating too close to bed time! I also have done very poorly on water. I have only had 6 cups today (goal is 10), so I need to start guzzling!!!

I was hungry frequently today, but I never felt as if I were starving. I do think today was easier than yesterday for the sole fact that I had planned my food for today, last night. It seems it is so easy to grab something on the run during our busy days, and that one thing could break us for the entire day. Just think of a Whopper and how many calories that has in it!

Uhhh, maybe don't think of a whopper.... lol

I am going to start planning my meals in advance. It would be nice to do an entire week, but since I am just starting out, I am going to do this day by day, at least planning the days meal the night before. I am feeling like tomatoes and chicken for dinner tomorrow.... hmmm

I took Broden, my son, for a walk today in his stroller. I ended up walking 25 minutes, at a pace of 3mph and a distance of 1.38 miles. I have this really cool app on my android phone that is called "Sports Tracker." If you do not have one I would suggest it, or something similar to track how you are doing. It also tells me that I burned 107 Calories. Wish it was more - but it's a start! $1 goes in the workout - tip jar! (I found this really cool post on Pinterest about tipping yourself $1 everytime you work out, and when you have $100, go out and buy yourself something nice!)

I also found another great pin on Pinterest that everybody should use! http://api.modelmydiet.com/eywomen This model will show weight difference between current and goal weight. You can customize it to look like you as well! Such a huge motivation. Goodnight to everyone, and good luck! Tomorrow is a fresh day!

Day 1

Today is the day to start my new adventure. 


That's what this will be for me: an adventure. I don't want to call this a diet, due to the negative connotation of starvation and eating only bland foods. I am lucky that I like such a large variety of foods. If you guys do not, there are easy ways to modify my recipes, if you would like to do so. 


I prefer not to say what I am staring my weight at, but I plan on posting once a week to update and track my loss. I will on the other hand post what I think is my most embarrassing / fat picture. Maybe if the progress is as good as I hope, I will post more pictures frequently. =) 

Because today is the first day, my "adventure" is not set in stone. I am not following any guides, other than the food pyramid and a sensible amount of calories. Because I am a nursing mother, I need to take in a few extra hundred calories a day than if I was no longer nursing. My daily intake plan is 1500 - 1600 calories. Just in the first day, though, I have found this easy to do. I am actually trying to figure out ways to add good calories to my dinner, because with the hectic morning I had, I didn't have time to snack. I have learned that eating multiple small meals a day is MUCH better for you that 3 larger meals. Hopefully I will get better about this in the future.


Today's food consisted of:


Breakfast:
1 1/2 cups of 1% milk (150 calories) mixed with 1/3 cup chocolate Carnation instant breakfast (130 calories)
1 small banana - 85 calories


Lunch:
6" sweet onion chicken teryaki from Subway with no cheese, added sauce, lettuce, tomato, onions, and bell peppers - 420 calories
2 cups of Lipton Green Tea with Honey - 140 calories


Snack: 
peeled apple - 75 calories
(not eating the skin saves around 10 - 15 calories!!!)


Dinner:
I was craving tilapia and asparagus, and I found this GREAT recipe that is only 144 calories per serving (4 oz tilapia and 6 asparagus spears) from the American Heart Association


http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Lemony-Tilapia-and-Asparagus-Grill_UCM_313561_Recipe.jsp


1/2 cup cooked rice (I used white because that is all I had, but a smarter choice would be brown) - 120 calories
3/4 cup Great Value snap peas stir fry veggie mix - 30 calories
1 cup cubed watermelon - 50 calories
1 cup Green Tea - 70 calories


I am a few servings shy in the breads category, but I was able to eat 2 servings of meat, 3 veggies, 3 fruits, 1 1/2 dairy, and 3 breads at only 1414 calories. I still have 75 - 175 to get another serving or two of the breads.... That is a huge dinner, though! I am also drinking 10 cups of water each day.


Hopefully tomorrow will go as well as today, and because I am getting up early, and my husband doesn't have to be at work until later, hopefully I can get in a good workout too.

I am no where near the most unhealthy person on the planet, but I am a FAR cry from the healthiest, as well. I lie somewhere in the middle, and while I never have been happy with my choices, especially due to food and exercise, I have followed the same pattern of fast food, Oreos and milk, and non-existent exercise for as long as I can remember. 


I have decided today is the day to make a change. 


Let me start by telling you all a little about myself. My name is Rebecca and I hail from Missouri. I have been married for 6 years at this point, and have a beautiful son that just turned 1 in June. I currently work part time in a jewelry store, and go to school part time at the local community college. 


I love all music, but I never wanted to be a musician. I just love singing along in my car, and going to concerts. I consider myself one of the least creative people on the planet, although I love all things art related. (I apologize if this entire blog is either completely lacking in design or so overwhelmed with color that nothing makes sense....) 


I am happy to say that, while I wish it paid better, I enjoy my job most every day. My husband is a tattoo artist, which he enjoys immensely, and it's nice that someone in our household is creative.


Enough background on me.


The reason I am starting this blog is simple:


ACCOUNTABILITY.


I need to put myself out there, exposed (figuratively, of course) in order to stick with a diet and exercise plan. Plus, this way I can gain perspective from others, and track my progress. My hopes are that anybody reading this will call me out if I am not exercising enough, making excuses, or backsliding.


I also hope that I can be an inspiration, or at least help, to others in similar situations.