Jen - Week One

So Far So Good... Its been tough to change some habits but over all I'm really proud of myself.

First tough habit to break has been eating off my kids plates.
              -They hardly ever clear their plate and I feel so bad throwing food away but I've had to just keep telling my self "There's no point in me eating it... Just Throw it Away." I had started giving them smaller portions so its helped a bit but still feeling a little guilt. oh well I'm sure this feeling will pass in time...

Second tough habit to break has been taking time to feed and take care of myself.
              -I've been really trying to drink a lot more water so I've started carrying my cup around with me and making sure its always full. I've also started setting times for ME to eat. After the kids have breakfast and I have them set up playing I make my food. For Lunch, once the boys eat and Lennox is down for nap, I eat. Dinner has been pretty easy, we all eat together (like always) and I just pass on the pasta or rice and opt for a second helping for veggies or salad.

Lower my calories, drink a ton of lemon water (cold water).

               -Cold Water because your body burns calories just warming it up.
               -Lemon because its a natural ability to aid in digestion and cleansing of the body and blood.    The following info found on www.lifemojo.com

                            -Good for your Stomach       Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.

 

Incorporate some fat busting spices and lots of hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

               -Hot Sauce and Cayenne Pepper used to heat up the bodies internal temperature and kick start metabolism.
               -Cumin is a great detoxification spice also a great fat shredder. The following found on www.livestrong.com
                               - Aids in Digestion      Although this flavorful spice has a long history as a treatment for indigestion in Indian households, medical research has just begun to suggest the benefits of cumin to the digestive system. A study on rats by researchers at Mysore University, published in the "Indian Journal of Medical Research" in 2004, found cumin useful for both dyspepsia and diarrhea. The spice appears to stimulate the liver to secrete more bile, which aids in the breakdown of fats and the absorption of nutrients, leading to healthier digestion. In the study, cumin increased bile secretion in the rats by 71 percent.

Foods for the Week
         Two Eggs cooked with a small spray of Olive Oil. Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper and Hot Sauce.  After talking to a friend I've now lowered the calories of this meal by eating One Whole Egg and Two Egg Whites... This way it's more food, more filling, with less Calories. I've also added 1/2 Cup of wilted Spinach to this meal. Total Calories 141

Two 3oz Chicken Breasts with Wilted Spinach and Mushrooms.
           Once the Chicken is browned add a little water and scrape up the goodies on the bottom of the pan then add mushrooms for a great flavor. Also great to add Cumin. Total Calories 366

Another great meal I had this week was Mexican Turkey Burgers.
             Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast seasoned with cumin and a chili powder. Add a small amt of bread crumbs and egg whites to help form your patty. Once each side was brown I added some water to the pan and covered to help steam the burger all the way through. Serve with a table spoon of salsa... So good and the kids loved it too. Total Calories 191

No picture, Sorry :(

Sarah's Background and Plan

Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm a 20 year old college student at The Ohio State University and could not love it more. The large campus allows for some built in exercise time when walking to classes, but I'd like to get into a more regular work out plan as well. I already do pretty regular cardio, (I swim, as I have since I was 10 years old), but I plan to do some more weight training to tone my arms, core, and legs.

As for the healthy eating; since I've been in college that pretty much went out the window. I was one of the people that thought 'the Freshman 15' would never happen to me, but 20 pounds and 2 years later here I am. Its so easy to make unhealthy choices at school considering I'm surrounded by 24 hour fast food places, tempting 'drunk food' options, and on-the-go lunch options for in between classes. My plan is to start making a conscious effort to avoid the bad options, and eat more healthy homemade foods at my apartment, or packing a lunch if necessary. Keeping more fruit on hand for the mornings I think will be a good alternative to my usual bagels and coffee.

(pictures soon to come)

Plan; To eat more fruits and vegetables and protein instead of my usual carb loaded options (pasta, bagels, etc.) And to add more weight training options and regularity to my work out schedule.

My Goal; To get back down to my pre-college weight and tone my arms and core. (Loss of about 20-25 pounds) by the end of this semester in May.

New Years Resolution, here I come! Let's do this.

Jen - Background and Plan

Hi, I'm Jen, 32 Years Old, I stay at home with my 3 boys and love every second of it however this life style doesn't leave much "Me" time. Most of my days are spend refereeing fights, cleaning up spills and messes all the while trying to serve healthy meals to my kids but I end up just eating left overs, cereal bars and what ever I can grab through out the day. This year the Holidays have been especially hard with making deserts and cookies with the kids, I was always, licking the bowl, and testing all our yummy finished products...

I had my third son in July and since then my family has been visiting one after another (all great cooks). So needless to say we've been eating quite well since summer which hasn't even given me a chance to start a diet or exercise regiment that I've been able to stick with. This is why I've bit the bullet and decided to start now. Never a better time then NOW!!

My Plan: Start a healthy diet of lots of Lean Protein and Veggies. Not much starchy Carbs.
                Drink a ton of water and unsweetened fruit juices
                Low Impact Cardio and Light Weight Lifting, Three Times a Week.

My Goal: To fit in my Pre-Prego Jeans... Size 4 (now size 13)... by May...

Sounds Easy but Can I stick with it??  Stay Tuned!!