One Healthy Month: Month 7 Goals

This morning I’m sitting in my CPR/AED/First-Aid certification class. Honestly, I’m such a nerd for being excited…but I AM SO EXCITED! Once I pass this and get certified my next step is my health coach certification. So that makes today a good day! 😉

Before we get to month 7’s goals…let’s take a quick look at Month 6.

Month 6 Fitness Goals:

• 2 rest days a week. I definitely did this. I might have taken more than just 2 a week a few times.
• Be in bed by 11:00PM. Honestly, April was a crappy month. I never like April…it’s so weird. It was a long month and there were a few nights that I didn’t sleep a single hour. So I definitely did not accomplish this at all.
• Write down a time that I’ve been proud of myself for something health related. I didn’t necessarily do this…but I did something else. I’ll try to share with y’all soon!
• Set aside 10 minutes each morning for “quiet time”. I always make this a goal and it doesn’t happen. I don’t know why. If someone has an hour, let a girl know!!!

One Healthy Month

May 9th – June 5th

So with this month I decided to do something a little different. I decided that I wanted to have a healthy month. Everyone has their own version of “healthy” so a healthy month to me might look different than a healthy month for you.

Like I said above, April was just a really crappy month for me for a lot of reasons. One of those reasons being that I felt as though I was sick for the majority of the month. And the only way to make that different is to change some things. First thing, I am playing around with my diet.

Physically/Mentally:

1. Follow the Low-Fodmap Diet. Honestly I am running out of things to try to get my bloating and digestion problems under control. I once went to a gastroenterologist who told me I had IBS but we shrugged it off because she said “this is what we say when there’s nothing else” I’ve been researching IBS again and based on what I have found some of the foods align with what I feel like is making me sick…so I am giving it a try for a month.
2. A month of clean eating. I have not been good about this at all this month and that could be playing into how I am feeling. Hopefully this will confirm or deny for me but it’s a lot like going Paleo and all of that stuff. I have high hopes this month!
3. Straight to my Bible in the AM. Look, I WILL get this down. Even tomorrow I have an alarm set for before my CPR class.

Socially/Emotionally:

1. Send 1 people a random (kind) text each day. I’m happier when I can make other people happy and who wouldn’t love a thoughtful text in the morning?? That’s 30 different people that will receive a kind text from me. I’ve already planned out who with each day.
2. Delete social media apps off my phone. Yup, I told you I was making changes. This is a huge thing for me because y’all I spend way too much time during my day scrolling through Instagram, Snapchat, etc. My Fitness Pal is probably controlling my life a little more than it should. I’m not taking it out completely, I’m just planning to keep the apps on my iPad and can scroll through and see what happened at the end of the day. It can be my “wind down” time.
3. Spend time with 1 girl friend each week. My friends are coming home and I am so excited…so I want to spend time with AT LEAST one of them each week 🙂

Professionally:

1. Sign up for my health coach cert test. Whoop!!! After today I will be able to!
2. Figure out job. While I am growing my business, I need to have an income, so this month my goal is to decide what that will be.
3. Begin work on my health coach website. It’s time to start planning! Eek!

That’s a healthy month to me…being productive, being social while spending time with my favorite people, and working on myself.Think I can do it?! 😉

Almond Butter Banana Waffles

Ah, good morning!

I’m sharing a super simple, super nutritious, and super delicious waffle recipe with you today. Believe me, you’ll be begging for more before you’re even done.

These waffles have LESS carbs, MORE protein, and the same amount of fat as a serving of eggo waffles!! WITHOUT the sugar either (they have 6g)!

Ingredients (makes 1 waffle):

1 ripe banana
1 egg white (3 tbsp)
1/2 tbsp almond butter + more for serving
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tbsp cinnamon (I personally like a lot)
1 tsp vanilla extract (if not on Paleo, Whole30, Sugar Free diet)

Method:

Mash your banana with a whisk. Mix in the egg white, chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Once mixed, add in your almond butter.

Grease your waffle iron and spread the mixture. Cook as you normally would. I personally like mine on a darker setting. It takes a little longer for these ingredients to form together as there isn’t any flour.

Serve with melted almond butter and sliced bananas. Serve with syrup. Serve with jam. Regardless of how you serve it, you’ll love it.

The best part is…if you want, you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make ahead and then store in your freezer. Wake up, toast a waffle, spread some almond butter on top, and breakfast is on the table in seconds!

Nutrition (per 1 serving):

223 calories
6g fat
27g net carbs
9g protein

I love that while you’re still getting carbs from the banana and chia seeds, they are low glycemic. Which is why we like those ingredients! Plus check out all the health benefits of chia seeds that I linked to above.

I’ve never known a single waffle to have 9g of protein…i’m all about it.

These waffles are high in fiber with 8g. Me oh my.

You’ll think you’re cheating with this recipe, but you’re really not. Make the waffles and let me know how they turn out!

What’s Up Wednesday: March

What’s up?!

I’m here and i’m linking up with Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer. Every last Wednesday of the month, we all blog about what’s been going on. If you missed 2015’s posts, check them out!

What I’m eating:

I post about food a lot…if you hop around here you’ll be able to find something. 😉

Yesterday I posted everything about the sugar detox I completed.

A couple weeks ago I mentioned my daily eats.

Before that I told you all about my favorite lactose free products. Later this week my favorite gluten free products are coming!

What I’m reminiscing about:

My spring break in the midwest. Oh how I miss it and my family. It was such a great vacation. Check out my recaps of this trip:

Day 1, 2, and 3
Day 4, 5, and 6
Day 7, 8, 9 and 10

What I’m loving:

Kale.

Look, I realize i’m hopped on this bandwagon super late, but I am ALL ABOUT kale right now. This salad has kept me going for the past couple weeks.

What I’ve been up to:

A little bit of everything. I like to keep busy, so that’s just what I have been doing!

What I’m dreading:

All of the schoolwork that I see coming up on my calendar. It’s just so time consuming and boring and I just want to whine okay 🙂

On another note…I love the simplified planner.

What I’ve been working on:

Something exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I don’t want to mention anything just yet in case it doesn’t pan out, but there’s the potential that I may have just gotten my degree in one thing and take a complete opposite direction.

What I’m excited about:

Baseball is back!

Last night I cheered on my brother at his baseball game…

…and in 2 weeks i’ll be cheering on the Red Sox for opening day!! YAY!

What I’ve been reading/watching:

I’ll talk about what i’m reading next Wednesday, April 6th for Bookworm Wednesday!! Link up with Katie and I for that.

As for what i’m watching…

My last Bookworm Wednesday turned into TVworm Wednesday. Check it out because I talked about all my favorite shows. But since then I found this show on Netflix…

…and i’m obsessed with it. I find it so dang hilarious. Do you watch?!

What I’m listening to:

This song on repeat for the past month!

 What I’ve been wearing:

Jeans, booties, and some kind of cute shirt. This is my go-to outfit. Always.

What I’m doing this weekend:

Work and school. Nothing exciting is on the agenda this weekend.

What I’m looking forward to next month:

The semester being over and only having 3 classes standing between me and graduation! I’ll be looking like this come last week of April!!! 🙂

 

What else is new:

I’m trying to get myself, specifically my blog out on social media.

Follow me and i’ll follow you back!!!

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01 here
Facebook: click here to like my blog
Pinterest: @mollymiddleton1 here
Bloglovin’: click here
Snapchat: I’m “mollymiddleton”

What is my favorite spring cleaning tip:

To get rid of all the winter clothes in your closet that you didn’t even wear. I like to do this after every season. My clothes get all sorts of piled up and I end up keeping it because I think i’ll wear them next season, and then I don’t, and then they sit. Just do it now!

And that’s March!

Colors of Life: Daily Eats (Gluten and Lactose Friendly)

Hello!

Today, we’re talking food. Woohoo! I get quite a few questions about what I typically eat on a daily basis and as y’all know, I have an allergy to gluten and lactose. I know there are some people out there looking for healthy alternatives or who have been diagnosed with a food allergy and need some guidance. HAVE NO FEAR, MOLLY IS HERE!

I am no nutritionist (I KNOW, SHOCKER). But this is what I’ve found that’s working for me right now. I do A LOT of research any time I can, so I just want to share it with you guys. Cooking is a hobby of mine. Finding foods that I can eat, that are healthy, and that I can create is one of my favorite things to do. So it works for me.

Some things to know:

1. You have to experiment with foods/times/etc. Finding what works best for you and your schedule is going to be key. I love to get ideas from others, hence the constant research i’m doing, but ultimately it’s about me and my body.

2. I try not to eat the same thing 2 days in a row. Not that eating the same meal 2 days in a row is bad, but I think it’s important to switch it up. Moderation is key. Besides that, i’m the queen of finding something I love, eating it for weeks straight, and then burning out on it completely and I don’t want to do that!

3. I listen to my body. If I know I should eat some fish, but i’m craving a pizza, then I go with pizza. Chances are i’ll just keep thinking about the pizza and the fish won’t satisfy me. And if i’m full, I stop eating. And if i’m not hungry, I don’t eat. I know many say to eat snacks in between meals even if you’re not hungry, but I personally disagree. I think eat when you’re hungry…

4. I eat when i’m hungry. If you read my COL on eating disorders, you saw that I didn’t eat when I was hungry. I ate when the clock told me I could. I look back to that now and wonder how I ever did that.

5. I watch what I eat. I try not to cut out any particular food groups. That’s just cruel! But if I have some carbs for lunch, I don’t load up on carbs for dinner too. I like to keep a healthy balance of what goes in my body. That said, I don’t eat many packaged foods. I just don’t like them or the way they make me feel.

6. I don’t drink my calories. I was the kid that hated soda, lucky for me. I was also the kid that hated milk though (foreshadowing of lactose allergy?). I don’t drink soda, sweet tea (anymore…which is so sad), juice, or creamers/sweeteners with coffee. I like my coffee black except when I add some almond milk or soy milk to it. AND I LOVE WATER. I always have water on me and i’m always drinking it. Just check my day in the life!

7. Stock up on the freezer foods. I only cook for myself. My family doesn’t like my food so when I cook it’s usually for me and it goes bad quickly. This is why I like freezer chicken, fish, etc. It saves a lot of money too.

Alright, those are just a few tidbits on me and my diet. So here we go…

G’Mornin’!

At 6:54, it’s go time. Time to get that coffee brewing and the ice water cup filled. If necessary, i’ll grab a little trail mix to snack on before the gym.

Breakfast

For the LONGEST time, I was not a breakfast eater. From middle school through college I didn’t eat it. But after being told approximately 395873 times how important it is for you, I’ve attempted to start making it part of my routine. Now, when 10:00 hits, it’s breakfast time.

Something you may not know is that when we wake up in the morning hungry, it’s really our body telling us that it’s needs protein, fat, and carbs. This is because we broke all of these nutrients down throughout the night and it needs the fuel. Therefore, one of the best breakfasts you can have (and my personal favorite) is…

Avo-Toast

Toast up a piece of your favorite bread, smear 1/4 of an avocado on top, and spread 1/3 cup scrambled egg whites on top. I love picante on mine.

I love a good egg-white omelet…

…and an egg-white scramble.

Protein Pancakes

1 banana
1 scoop protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup egg whites (or 1 egg)
milk until you reach desired consistency (I think about 1/2 tbsp…I usually just pour)

Mix together and make like a regular pancake.

Creamy Chocolate Fudge Protein Shake

If I make this, it’s usually right before I walk out the door and I sip on it while i’m at work. I like this because it lasts longer than just eating breakfast and being done 🙂

Frittata a la Veggies

Make this on a Sunday, cut it up, and store in your fridge for a quick breakfast to heat up on the go!

4 Ingredient Pancakes

1 Banana
1 Egg
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (I like a lot, choose how much you want)
1/2 package travel size flax seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in a bowl, and cook like a pancake. Serve it up with a side of cantaloupe for your sweetness instead of syrup!

Momma’s French Toast

And sometimes you just need some good ol’ carbs on a weekend morning. If you can’t already tell…I LOVE egg whites for breakfast. They’re light, they’re nutritious, and they’re easy to make. You’ll soon learn about my love of vegetables as well!

Snack

Usually by 12:30/1:00, it’s time for a snack.

I like almonds. Scratch that, I love almonds. Almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts. I’m not picky. Just make sure you watch your portion size with nuts because although they’re healthy fats, they can be high cal if you’re not paying attention.

Other times, it’s just an iced coffee.

I get an iced doppio espresso in a grande cup. Then I fill it with my own milk and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. You  have to like your coffee black if you order this!

If i’m wanting a little bit of a heavier snack, I go with some tuna and cucumbers. And I make my own dressing on top.

Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice. Yum and refreshing.

Lunch

Around 2:30/3:00 I have lunch. I eat a lighter breakfast and a small snack so when I get home for lunch i’m usually pretty hungry. Therefore I want something delicious and satisfying.

Chicken, fish, and tofu are my go-to for lunch. I love proteins and these are my favorite sources.

I like to make chicken breasts at the beginning of the week and keep them in the fridge to put in recipes throughout the week. But when I don’t have chicken breasts we buy John Soules’ freezer grilled chicken breast strips and just keep them in the freezer. All you do is put them in a pan to heat up and then you can eat them. Sometimes i’ll sauté some peppers and make chicken fajitas.

Speaking of that chicken, I like to make it with roasted sweet potato fries and broccoli as a side. I love to make my plate colorful!

Speaking of sweet potato fries, they are the best!!! It’s simple really. Cut up a sweet potato, heat the oven to 425, drizzle some avocado oil and salt and pepper on top, and then bake them until they turn brown and roasted. It’s about 25-30 minutes.

That bowl is holding my tofu noodles and they’ve become a staple in my diet recently.

This is what they look like at the store and I get them all the time.

You can do so much with them! But I usually make them like the package says, add some chicken, some pesto, some herbs and enjoy!

Speaking of tofu…

I usually have a large block sitting in my fridge. This is great for all you meatless folks out there. This day I made Tofu Cauli Fried Rice. Deeeeelish. Right now my mom is gagging. She likes pizza for lunch every day.

In the freezer we always have a big bag of Costco’s individually wrapped cod, tilapia, salmon, mahi mahi. I love to grill some fish and serve it with some guacamole, avocado, mango, etc. It’s fun to get creative with fish! You can easily make fish tacos too.

Dinner

Unless my mom is making a new recipe for dinner, this is the least exciting meal in my opinion. I usually have commitments during the dinner hour so I eat at random times, but I still try to make it healthy and protein packed. This is when prepping, planning, and pre-cooking comes in handy for easy heat up. I’ve learned that if you have a decent sized, protein filled dinner, the less likely you are to snack late at night. So somewhere around 7:00, it’s dinnertime.

I sometimes make a burrito bowl…lettuce, beans, tomato, cheese, beef, and guac. It’s the cheaper version of Chipotle 😉

But more often than not, it’s leftovers. Whatever we have that sounds good and can be re-heated. The crockpot is my best friend when it comes time for dinner. I like to make different crockpot recipes/soups to keep in the fridge. Bison quinoa chili was delicious this night.

Vegetable soup is good for the soul.

Shay’s sweet corn chili is never a bad idea.

And I love a good salmon burger or a turkey burger. With some greens on the side of course! Check out my recipe for basil mayo.

On the nights i’m not as hungry, I just like to saute some vegetables and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.

Now i’m not going to pretend that I don’t ever eat pizza or anything like that…because I totally do when I get the craving. Sometimes I can’t decide, so I do 1/2 BBQ chicken, 1/4 Hawaiian, and 1/4 Canadian Bacon and Sauerkraut. Yup.

Dessert/Snack

I usually either have a snack between lunch and dinner or after dinner…depending on what the day holds.

I enjoy snacking on fruits. Ever since I’ve been cutting down on the amounts of sugar I eat (blog post to come), I crave fruit. Grapes are one of my absolute favorite snacks.

Other times, I need something more substantial…so i’ll toast up some bread, spread some kind of nut butter on top of that, and then slice banana on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and it’s divine!

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Pie

A protein packed chocolatey dessert? You got it dude. I made this when my sister was home from college this winter and I only had one piece…because she ate it in 3 days. “It’s healthy right?” is what she kept asking me.

Another one of my favorites is a quest bar. Heat it in the microwave for 23 seconds, then spread some nut butter on top. Ohhhhh it melts in your mouth and hits the spot without you feeling guilty!

I could go on and on about Larabars. I always keep them in my backpack for my night class.

And then at 8:00 i’m in bed. Just kidding…but I wish. It’s usually more like 11:00.

Well. That’s a day on my plate. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments!!!

For my gluten and lactose sensitive friends, later this week or next week i’m planning a blog post about all my favorite food allergy products that you can buy at the store. Seriously, after trying SO many different products, wasting a lot of money and time, I think you all will want to read that post 🙂

You can check out my most recent Day In The Life post to see how closely this correlates.

And how I stay healthy in college as a commuter.

Happy Eating!

Friday Favorites

Hello Friday!

Hello FAVORITES!

I saw this picture the other day on Facebook and it made for my FAVORITE “LOL” this week because it’s so true. And it kind of reminds me of my post from yesterday where I said to bring your pillow and blanket to school with you 😉

My FAVORITE way to chew gum…by the half stick. I never thought it was weird because growing up my dad would only give us a half stick of his gum at a time. Because he didn’t want to waste it, RUDE. But then I just got used to it and began chewing my gum that way. #ownit

My FAVORITE group text moment…is actually from a couple weeks ago. This one is self-explanatory.

Mom acting like she knows what she’s doing. Haha!

My FAVORITE song changes all the time. Right now, this is it. On repeat. All the time. Also, listen to it before you hit the gym because warning: It will pump you up!!!!

 Check it out here if you’re too lazy to go to YouTube!

I didn’t really know if I liked it at first. So if that’s you right now, give it a second chance another time, okay? Okay!

Snap Kitchen is my FAVORITE. I first heard about it from my co-worker because she was talking about this place she goes that has healthy food and a lot of food allergy friendly items. I heard food allergy friendly and was like I’M IN. So i’ve been going here since this past summer. If you have one, you should try it. They company has a dietician who has approved everything in the story and they offer such great products.

I only get a couple of meals at a time because they will go bad (they’re natural foods so they go bad quick) and i’ll usually pack this in my cooler for lunch/dinner/snacks throughout my school day. Also, if you like black coffee try the almon-ccino and the black coffee! It was my first time to get the juice drink and that milkshake and when I tried them they were pretty good.

Bubble baths are my FAVORITE way to relax. Honestly, I did not like baths growing up. I was always a shower person. I never understood why someone would want to sit in their own dirt…but now I do take baths. #neversaynever Give me my eucalyptus spearmint aromatherapy bubble bath soap, a bath and body works candle, and a book and I found my FAVORITE way to relax. But only in the winter! And only after i’ve already showered, is that weird? Yeah that’s weird. Oh well. #ownit

So 40 degrees and below is FREEZING around here. My body is used to the Texas heat. After my night class the other day, I was so thankful for the seat heaters  in my mom’s car. Seat heaters are my FAVORITE during the winter months. And sometimes I use it when it’s not freezing because I feel like it relaxes my muscles. Do you think that’s a thing??

Andddd that’s my random assortment of FAVORITE things this week. Hope y’all have the best weekend!

A College Commuter’s 10 Tips To Staying Healthy

When you first think of the word “college”, what do you think? For me,

Parties.

“Everyone’s” favorite part.

Stress.

Before you go to college you hear everyone talking about how hard college classes are. You’re on your own and responsible for keeping track of 15-18 hours of coursework.

Poor.

Tuition? Yeah, you mean my life savings?

Unhealthy.

And unhealthy…how many people have talked to you about gaining that freshman 15? Because it’s easier and cheaper to go to the McDonald’s dollar menu vs. buying groceries and making a meal. Right?

I discussed my college experience at The University of Oklahoma in a different post, but when I transferred home it became a different type of college life. I was now in a different classification…I became a commuter. My school is about 45 minutes from my house, so I made my schedule where I only drive there on Tuesday and Thursdays. But i’m there ALL. DAY. After attending this school for 3 semesters, I came up with some tips of my own for trying to stay healthy.

1. Take your lunch.
   • Be nice to your body and pack lunch, dinner, and snacks that you know are nutritious. At the same time you’re saving money too! This semester i’m on campus from 11:30-9, so I bring a cooler filled with food and water.
2. Utilize your breaks.
   • I have a THREE HOUR break during the day on Tuesdays to sit around and do nothing. By utilizing my breaks, I become so efficient. I get my blog post done, I get my assignments done, I answer my e-mails, I have my Quiet Time, I exercise. I just try to do something.
3. Bring your laptop.
   • There is one class that I have at night where I am not interested one bit. This professor rambles and has the longest PowerPoint slides ever. I decided that if i’m already going to be playing around on my electronics i’ll just bring my laptop and blog or work on schoolwork instead of wasting time on Pinterest.
4. Check out that gym.
   • It’s free! And we’re in college, so we like free! You’re paying for it with that expensive tuition in case you forgot. Once class is over, go lift some weights. Walk a couple miles on the treadmill. Attend a group exercise class. I’ve been going during my 3 hour break to just walk on the treadmill and foam roll for 30-45 minutes. It’s a refreshing break from learning that’s for sure.
5. Wear workout clothes to class.
   • Some people don’t believe in this by saying “dress for success”, but let’s be realistic. If you’re sitting in classes all day the last thing you want is to be uncomfortable. Wear something you’re comfortable in, plus if you’re already wearing your leggings and tennis shoes then you’ll be more likely to hit the gym during your break or maybe before and after class.
6. Stand in between classes.
   • During the Fall semester, I was in 4 classes straight from 1:00-6:45PM. That is a LONG time to be sitting in a chair. I can barely handle that much sitting as it is, but I’ve now gotten into the habit of standing in the hallway up until the professor starts talking. Stretch your legs and give that booty a break.
7. Put a pillow and blanket in your car.
   • This is weird. I know. But I say if you’re exhausted who are you to deny yourself a nap? Instead of laying down in the middle of the business school, pull out your pillow and blanket and take a nap in your car. #commuterprobs
8. Buy the expensive parking pass.
   • If your school has a large amount of students that are commuters, then you know my pain when I say PARKING SUCKS. I don’t know if you knew this, but schools will sell about 3 passes for every 1 spot. Dumb right? With buying the expensive parking pass I’ve found that while I may have to drive around for a while, I can usually find something within decent walking distance eventually.
9. Take a refillable water bottle.
   • Now, I already said I pack a cooler for my long days at school. I’ll put about 2 water bottles in there and then fill up my camelbak before I leave. I’ve found that my school has water fountains all around, so once you finish all your water bottles, fill that camelbak up. We all know they up-charge water, so it’s a heck of a lot cheaper! Drink. Your. Water. even if you’re just sitting all day!!!!
10. Create a routine.
    • By now you should know I am a woman of routine. I thrive on routines. On occasion i’ll switch it up but if I have my routine of everything that I want/need to get done in a day planned out then I make sure to stay healthy – physically (hitting the gym), mentally (planning assignments), etc.

As you can see, being healthy doesn’t just pertain to physical health. It’s important to keep healthy emotionally, spiritually, and mentally too. I’m sure I could probably list some more as well, but these were the first 10 that came to mind when I was sitting in class yesterday and thought of this post.

Let’s stay healthy! Do you have any tips for what you do/did to stay healthy in college whether as a commuter or not?

Fitness Goals (for Friday Favorites)

My favorites this Friday are going to be a little different.

You know, close to once a month I end up texting Jonathan about his fitness goals and then ask him how I can do it too. I know i’m not overweight by any means, but this is just something I want to do for myself. And for this reason right here…

It’s the truth. I am dying to see that day where I can stand in front of the mirror and be happy with what i’m looking at. Like I said, it’s just something I want to do for me. To prove that I can do it. And not only that, but one of my guilty pleasures is looking through people’s health and fitness posts/pictures/stories…I just get so much joy from people seeing their goals have been reached. And I find it interesting too because you can really learn a lot!

Jonathan and I met in middle school and he still wanted to be my friend through all of my awkward phases. You can’t get rid of those people 😉 Well i’m always texting him about what i’m doing wrong fitness wise, what he’s done that works, what some good pointers are, etc. Jonathan is really into cross-fit and I think if anyone asked him he would say it’s changed his life.

I’m tired of texting him complaining about whatever and i’m sure he’s tired of it too. If I want change, I have to make it happen. I’m young and I need to take care of my body too. On Wednesday, we were texting about fitness goals and we both came to the conclusion that I should write down my fitness goals just like I do my monthly goals and make it a blog post. So starting yesterday, 11/5/15 these are the 5 goals I want to accomplish in one month. On 12/5/15 (well that’s Saturday so actually 12/4/15) I am going to re-post these goals with my progress. And what i’ve learned through the process.

1. No eating after 8:00 p.m. I have been trying to follow this goal for a while now, but sometimes it’s not always easy depending on what I have going on that day. Like Wednesdays, I volunteer right in the middle of dinner time. So what do I do? I researched this yesterday and studies have shown that it’s not necessarily eating late at night as much as it is what those people are eating that late. If it’s not an every day thing I don’t think it’s a huge issue.
2. Meal prep every Sunday for the week ahead following the 21 day fix plan. The 21 day fix has a set amount of each food group to eat in a day depending upon your calorie intake. I want to really focus on that and divide out the right amount of fruits, veggies, proteins, and carbs in a day.
3. Eat 5 small meals without snacking in between those. Every 2.5 to 3 hours I need to fuel my body with some type of food (including eating breakfast!!). What I mean by no snacking in between is not eating right after I finish a meal. Maybe a meal is a snack (like a Quest Bar or LaraBar or some yogurt), but I have a tendency to eat right after breakfast if I still feel hungry when i’m really probably not.
4. Work-out 5 days a week. I go back and forth with this one. I want to work out to get toned, but I don’t want to gain a ton of muscle because I don’t want my legs getting huge and making my pants tight. You know what I mean? But I think switching up my workouts and using light weights will be okay.
5. Cut down on the carbs. To be honest, I don’t eat many carbs as it is because of my gluten issue. But sometimes I make a loaf of homemade bread, or some pancakes, or i’ll eat some cookie dough, etc. I eat a ton of fruits, but it is high in sugar. I just need to be mindful about what i’m putting into my body in a given day. This is why i’m saying don’t cut them out, just cut back on my intake.

I know it takes longer than a month to really get/see changes, but if I set the goal for 3 months out (which i’ve done for a 12 week program) it just seems so far away that I lose interest. I think a month is very attainable.

Wish me luck!!! Ha, just kidding. Have a great weekend!

And don’t forget to link-up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci fellow bloggers 🙂