Have You Tried and Failed? It's Never Too Late to Restore Your Temple!

Have you bought into the deception that your temple is beyond the point of repair? Perhaps you have tried countless times to fix the damage to your body by eating healthier, losing some weight, and exercising, only to eventually fall off the bandwagon of the good habits you began to establish and fail miserably; resulting in being in a position of more ruin than when you first started.  You want to change yourself but based on the account of your history, you’ve lost all hope that a restoration of your temple is actually possible. The above statements once accurately described my thoughts about myself and being able to lose weight.  I had tried so many times- you name the diet, the pill, the promising exercise routine- I had tried them all! Looking back now I can laugh, but I must have been pretty darn desperate to actually attempt something as grotesque as “the cabbage soup diet” with expectations of obtaining lasting results! While I would like to forget about a lot of the crazy diets I tried to lose weight, I’m thankful for them because they served a significant role in my weight loss journey.  Each one of those failed attempts at losing weight functioned as a stepping stone that paved the way to my point of breakthrough, when I realized that my mindset towards losing weight needed to shift drastically.  

My Father is a mechanic by trade and delights in fixing things, in fact recently, he received the nickname “fix-it” by a friend and it couldn’t have accurately defined him any better!  His favorite thing to fix is cars, especially classic cars.  I have many memories as a child of being loaded up in the family car to visit the local junk yard to go on a treasure hunt for various parts he needed for the car he was working on at the time.  Being the only girl in the family, I was never quite as thrilled as my brothers were when we were required to go on such outings, nonetheless, I always tagged along and helped my Dad with his search.  I remember as we weaved in and out of each row of totaled vehicles, I would think to myself, “who would actually pay money for this junk” but my father had a much different perspective from mine!  What I observed as something that was beyond the point of repair and of no use, he viewed as something of great value that possessed the potential to be transformed and restored into something amazing.  Time after time, I have watched my father transform junky cars into stunningly restored classic cars.  Only recently, did I make the correlation between this childhood memory and my own weight loss journey.   

After many failed attempts of losing weight, I could be compared to one of the trashed out cars sitting in the junk yard.  Just as a car cannot fix itself, I sat “parked” for years as I attempted to restore myself only to fail miserably.  When I had reached the point of no hope, my Father in heaven, looked down at my junked out self and saw the potential of what could be transformed and restored into something new.  My friends, the breaking point in my journey was when I came to the point of surrendering my trashed out temple to God and allowing him to have full reign in the restoration process. When my perspective shifted from one of self-help to one that aligned with the Father’s perspective of me, was when restoration began to actually take place.  Perhaps today you are in a similar situation- you have tried many times to lose the weight only to fail.  You may believe your temple is ruined and beyond the point of repair but your Father sees the potential of what can be restored into something beautiful, if you will simply change your perspective.  While my Dad loves to fix and restore cars, my Heavenly Father delights in fixing and restoring something much greater, his children. To take what the rest of the world deems as beyond repair and restore it into something so amazing is his specialty-complete turnarounds that leave the world asking how did they do that?   Your age doesn’t matter, how many pounds overweight you are today doesn’t matter, how many times you’ve failed doesn’t matter- God is ready to restore you! Of course, you will have to do your part, God isn’t a Genie who is going to wink from the sky and poof you’re skinny (although that would be pretty awesome!) but he will direct your steps and give you the strength you need to walk each step of your journey to complete restoration.  If you have been living in ruin for far too long, take hope! You are never too far gone, it’s never too late to restore your temple my friend!

Meal Prep Madness- Grilled Chicken with Firecracker Green Beans

Meal prepping is a great way to stay on track with your healthy eating regiment.  For this meal prep, I paired a simple grilled chicken breast with a side of spicy firecracker Green beans. This green bean recipe would also pair nicely with fish or pork.

Firecracker Green Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 of onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Ground pepper and salt (optional)

Steps:

1. Steam green beans to desired softness

2. In a large skillet, combine chicken broth, diced pepper, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes
3. Simmer on med-high heat until most of broth is absorbed and vegetables are tender
4. Add cooked green beans to sautéed vegetables and simmer until remaining broth is absorbed

The Waiting Game- Trusting for an Outcome When it Seems Like it Will Never Arrive

Most people don't find pleasure in waiting for something in life. Let's be honest, most of us quickly grow impatient as we stand in grocery stores lines or when we hear that annoying voice recording played over the phone as we wait for an operator to answer our call. These everyday life situations can definitely be annoying.  But if such trivial things as these can get under our skin, what about when you are waiting for something that carries a much heavier significance in your life? On any journey in life; whether it be to lose weight, reach a personal goal, find true love or land your dream job, waiting will inevitably be involved. As frustrating as the process of waiting can be to endure, it's important we shift our perspective about waiting and acknowledge that there are different seasons we will go through in life and waiting is one of them. I'm sure you may have heard the popular 1965 song by The Byrds', "Turn, Turn, Turn" which is based on the book of Ecclesiastes' observations that in life there is a time and season for everything.  We will endure some seasons that are difficult and filled with heartache, suffering, trial, labor, and hard work and we will also endure jubilant seasons filled with love, prosperity, joy, harvest, and celebration. 

Anytime we set a goal in our life and want to make changes to cultivate that goal, we need to realize that change is a process. We want the change in our life but we really don’t want to endure the process that is required for the change to take place. When you sow a seed, there is a necessary period of waiting when the seed is cultivated, when it slowly grows each day, until eventually it is fully matured and ready for harvest.  Seasons can last longer than we desire.  We live in a culture where almost everything is instant- we have instant food, instant messaging, instant information at our fingertips and because of this we’ve become accustomed to not having to wait for anything. Let's be honest, nobody likes to stand in line or wait to get something they want. But as much as waiting sucks, there is a purpose for it- it develops your character. Traits such as patience, perseverance, and becoming a hard worker are results of pressing through unfruitful seasons towards your goals until you reach your season of harvest.  Faith is defined as, "the strong belief or trust in someone or something"(Merriam-Webster).  When we are in a season of waiting, our faith is cultivated and grown and also highly likely to be tested as we patiently persist in trying to achieve our goal.   It's important to never lose our faith and get discouraged.  It may seem like your harvest time is never going to arrive but don't lose sight of the fact that there are some things in life that are worth waiting for, worth suffering for, worth putting up the fight for!  Don’t give up my friend, learn to embrace and appreciate your seasons of waiting and continue to cultivate the seeds that you've sown, for in due time, you will reap the harvest!

Waiting for something you want so badly can be an incredibly painful process. You may begin to question and doubt yourself.  You'll find yourself wondering if you will ever cross your finish line or if this is even worth staying the course for.  The mind loves to mess with you when you’re in a season of waiting. When you are weary from a long season of waiting, thoughts of doubt, fear, and lies will begin creeping in and if you don’t quickly address them, you may begin to agree with these destructive thoughts, which will likely derail you off the path to reaching your goal. Take a stand against these destructive thoughts- your goal IS worth fighting for. You WILL get there eventually if you stay the course.  So how do we stay encouraged in seasons of waiting? How do we stand once again after being knocked down countless times?  How to we press on in times of trial?

• Trust the process and keep the faith- You will indeed one day reap all the seeds that you have sown!
• Stay the course- take time and review your goals and your plan of action to achieve them. Stick to the plan and stay the course, even when it doesn't look or feel like progress is being made!
• Take time to look at how far you’ve already come! Be proud of all that you’ve already accomplished! Even if you're not where you want to be, be thankful that you're not where you used to be! 
• Change your attitude towards the process of waiting- learn to appreciate the process. Acknowledge that with every good seed you plant and with each day that you tend and cultivate that seed, you are one day closer to your harvest season!

A Smarter Approach to Weight Loss- The Beginner's Guide to Macros

When it to comes to losing weight, many people stick to the old school method of counting calories.  I'm sure you've heard the logic behind the whole “calories in vs. calories out” method.  It seems rational that if you consume less calories daily than the amount of calories you burn, that a weight loss would occur. The flaw in this rationale, is that all calories are not created equal.  Yes my friends, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 300 calories consumed from candy bars is not the same as 300 calories consumed from lean protein and vegetables.  Different types of foods and nutrients are processed differently by our bodies.  For example, as I discussed previously in the post, The Key Ingredient to Losing Weight, there is the thermogenic effect (the amount of calories our bodies burn to process/digest a food) which varies on the type of nutrient being consumed.  Our bodies burn the most calories digesting protein.  Since not all calories are created equal and are utilized by our bodies differently, it makes sense then to monitor the main nutrients we are consuming instead of placing our focus on just the overall calorie intake number.  Furthermore, through monitoring the macronutrients that we consume, we have the capability to tailor the amount of each nutrient we should consume based on our body’s individual needs and to assist us to reach our desired goals (building muscle, fat loss, athletic performance, etc.).  So what exactly is a macronutrient and how can you get started?

Macros Defined

Every food you consume can be broken down based on the macronutrients (macros for short) that it is made of. There are 3 macronutrients- protein, carbohydrates, and fats, and each of these nutrients provide the body everything it needs to function and develop properly. Macronutrients are the main components within our diet and they each contribute differently to the proper functioning of our body.

Protein: Protein is the building blocks within our bodies, responsible for building, repairing and maintaining body cells and tissues.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy.  When we eat carbohydrates they are converted to glucose which our body then uses to fuel the cells throughout our body.

Fats: Fat is the body’s protection source providing things such as insulation for protecting our organs and temperature regulation within the body.  Fat also assists with cellular growth and plays a role in the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.

Getting Started With Macros

When you begin counting macros, the first thing you will need to determine is your ideal macro ratio intake that will help you reach the desired goal you have for your body.  Since each macronutrient functions differently within the body, more or less of each macronutrient will need to be consumed depending on the desired goal at hand.  For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you will need an ample amount of protein which will help you build and maintain muscle and also keep you full throughout the day.  On the other hand, if you are an athlete or training for a marathon, your body will need more carbohydrates to provide the proper energy required for your lengthy workouts.   When it comes to determining your macros, I suggest following what I refer to as the simplified version of macro counting which focuses on hitting a daily goal percentage for each macro nutrient versus the method of macro counting which focuses on having an exact gram number requirement for each macro and aiming at reaching that exact gram number daily.  Focusing on macronutrient percentages instead of focusing on exact gram numbers allows the freedom for your daily calories to fluctuate, while still having the capability to stay within your macro goals. It’s highly unlikely that you eat the exact same number of calories everyday and actually if you do that your body will adapt to it quickly, making that method of eating highly ineffective.  It makes sense to eat a different amount of calories based on your body’s specific needs for each day.  For example, on a day when you are doing an intense workout or lifting heavy weights, you will need more calories to fuel your workout and help your body recover and on a day when you are not working out at all your body will need less calories to function.  So how do you determine the right macro ratio to reach your desired goals?  Let me preface these recommendations by saying that macros are very much a trial and error process.   You may need to adjust your percentages based on how your body responds and everyone’s body functions differently, so what may work for one may not work for another. 

Goals                  Macro Ratio

Fat Loss:                      Protein-40-50%, Carbs-30-40%, Fats-20-30%
Building Muscle:         Protein-30%, Carbs-40%, Fats-30%
Athletic Performance: Protein-15-30%, Carbs-40-60%, Fats-15-30%

When it comes to getting starting with counting macros, there are a couple of great tools that will make the process much simpler.  

• A food tracker app- In my previous post, The Importance of Food Journals, I discussed that research shows that tracking your food intake increases your weight loss success.  Many food tracker apps, such as My Fitness Pal, are very user-friendly and enable you to monitor your daily macro intake.  You can enter in your goal macro ratios with my fitness pal, which makes monitoring your macros much easier to manage than trying to track them yourself. To input your macronutrient goals in the my fitness pal app, follow the following instructions, My Fitness Pal Macro Instructions
• A Food scale- In my previous post, The Game Changing Kitchen Gadget That Will Help You Lose Weight, I stressed that using a food scale to measure your food is a game changer when it comes to weight loss.  Accuracy is very important when it comes to monitoring your macros.  Having an accurate measurement of your food will ensure that you are not over or underestimating on a particular macro and skewing your percentages. 

Jump Start Your Weight Loss with These Simple Steps for Beginning a Healthy Lifestyle!

Photo: Truly Blessed Photo

You want to change yourself and have made the decision to start living a healthier lifestyle, but perhaps you are feeling completely overwhelmed and are unsure where to even begin or what step you should take first.  My friend, let me assure you that you are not alone in having this feeling, it is a common response to be a little overwhelmed at the start of a weight loss journey and the more weight you have to lose, the more overwhelmed you may feel! I remember beginning my journey and the thought of losing the amount of weight I needed to lose seemed nearly impossible and incredibly overwhelming!  But take comfort in the truth that no matter how much weight you have to lose, everyone has to take that first step and begin somewhere and the fact that you've already decided to make a change in your life is already a step in the right direction!  So whether you have 5 pounds or 100 pounds to lose- following these simple steps will help to jump start your journey to successfully implementing a healthy lifestyle! 

1. Access the current situation: Before you make any changes, it's a good idea to take a few minutes and assess your current situation.  Weigh yourself and take measurements of your body and write them down. These are great tools to use through out your journey for gauging your success.  Lastly, I know you may hate it but take some before pictures of yourself, you will appreciate them down the road, I promise!
2. Write goals: Knowing exactly what it is you are wanting to accomplish on your journey is important, as it can be used as a tool to keep you focused through out your journey. It is beneficial to set both short term and long term goals that you would like to accomplish.  I've outlined how to do this in my previous post The Battle Plan-Preparation for Your Weight Loss Journey
3. Shift your mindset: Transform the negative thought patterns you may have regarding "diets". What you are starting is not a "diet" but rather a lifelong healthy lifestyle.  There are no quick fixes for weight loss! Diets don't work and statistics suggest that they have upwards of a 90-95% failure rate and do not deliver the permanent results you desire. It's crucial for you to change your thinking about eating healthy as a lifestyle, not a temporary diet.
4. Plan: Take a look at the week ahead of you and make plans for how you will incorporate your new lifestyle.  Plan when you will fit exercise into your day and what you will need to do to in order to eat healthy. For example, if you know you will have 3 nights where you will not be at home for dinner, make a game plan to prep some healthy meals to take with you.
5. Raid your refrigerator and cupboards: Go on an epic quest to de-junk your refrigerator and cupboards, getting rid of the foods that are unhealthy and potentially hazardous to your new lifestyle. Give away the food to a skinny friend or throw it away, but it needs to go!
6. Grocery shop: After you've raided your cupboard and fridge of all the junk, you are ready to fill it up again with all the healthy essentials you will need to successfully begin eating healthy! If you are ready to lose weight, I've outlined what foods to focus on in my previous post What to eat to lose weight and build muscle and if you want to begin meal prepping I've complied a list of what you will need to get started in my previous post Stocking Your Kitchen for Success
7. Gradually make changes: When you begin your journey it's easy to be all gung ho and go all in too quickly. This mentality usually ends up backfiring on you because you get burned out quickly and fill deprived. Instead of going all in straight away, I recommend focusing on one to two changes at a time to ensure that they become habits in your life.

The Selfie Sabotage- It's Time to Change Your Life Lens!

Login to your favorite social media outlet and you're likely to have a feed inundated with "selfies" of your friends enjoying their lives. Selfies give us the opportunity to view others experiencing life in the moment-vacations, restaurants, concerts, etc. all shown through a first person point of view. Generally, selfies are lighthearted and enjoyable for friends to view.  However, I'm sure you may have that "one friend" who has taken their selfies to a whole new level, with pictures taken in every imaginable situation and location possible, many of which you would never have the slightest desire to see! The trend of selfies doesn't seem to be dying out anytime soon.  In fact, a recent study conducted by USA Today, estimated that over 1 million selfies are taken and posted to social media accounts every day! While selfies have allowed us to experience life through another's eyes, they also at the same time, have begun to bring about a societal shift for us to tend to focus only on our "selfie".   When we are on our journey to improving ourselves, it's easy to view life exclusively through the "selfie lens".  It makes logical sense that as we are working hard towards losing weight, training for a marathon, or trying to break a personal record on a lift, that we can be so intently focused on accomplishing that goal, that what is going on around us holds little significance.  Furthermore, it logically follows that with each step of progress we make towards our goal, we’re thrilled and want to share it with our friends.  While our intentions may be of the purest of motives, there seems to be a fine line in which “selfies” depicting our everyday progress can cross over into what becomes a quest of self-exaltation and seeking praise from others for our efforts.  The truth is that your hard work should speak for itself, results speak so much louder than any cheesy gym selfie ever will. 

It’s important to guard ourselves from not falling into the trap of seeking the approval or praise from others on our journey to self-improvement and to always try to remain humble.   Matthew 23:12, "for those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted".  I’m not suggesting you should never share your success with others, you should!  It’s important to celebrate your accomplishments and you have a right to be applauded!  What I am proposing to you is that if you take a quick glance at your social media accounts and you have more selfies than a Kardashian, then you may want to evaluate the motives behind your selfies. My friends, if you have fallen into the snare of seeking the approval and praise of others, you will never be satisfied on your journey.  No amount of “likes” on all those selfies you post will never be enough to fulfill that inner void which you seek to be fulfilled.  If you are working towards improving yourself, the applause of others should not be needed in order for you to continue making progress towards your goals.  The misfortune of living life with the “selfie lens” is that you are so focused on yourself and what others think of you that you completely miss the opportunity of speaking life into the dreams and goals of others. 

When you widen the lens from which you view life, you will begin to experience the most beautiful moments in life that will bring much greater inner satisfaction than you could ever create and accomplish through your own ability.  Being a part of others journeys- encouraging them, inspiring them, building them up, seeing them reach their goals- this is what life is about my friends.  You want to live life to its fullest?  Widen your lens, look around you and see who you can encourage, motivate, inspire, who you can speak life into and build up.  Look around my friends!  You're surrounded by people who are fighting battles you could never imagine and they could use some encouragement! See that elderly man who just pushed his walker across the gym floor over to the weights and nailed out a set of bicep curls? Tell him that he’s inspiring you.  See that overweight girl drenched in sweat, looking like she could pass out at any moment but is still fighting through her workout? Tell her that she is doing a great job and to keep up the hard work. You could be the very reason someone doesn’t give up on their journey. You could be the one one to give someone the hope that they need to continue fighting their battle.  Words of encouragement spoken to others are so much more motivating than any picture of your smelly fish and brown rice prep meal or selfie of you flexing your bicep pump in the gym mirror will ever be. You see life isn’t about your “selfie” and the sooner you make this realization, the sweeter and more satisfying your journey will become.  When you view life through the lens of love, you will see there is a much wider perspective to be observed than just your own.  You’re part of a community unified in the fact that we are all on a journey and that while our goals and destinations may each be unique, there is a common longing in each of us to be encouraged and supported while on that journey.  So today my friends, I encourage you to change the lens from which you may have been viewing life, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  

No Matter the Circumstances, No Excuses!

Let's be honest, life can be hard.  Sickness, death, breakups, abuse, betrayals, and accidents are things we certainly never plan for in life.  However, painful circumstances like these come seemingly out of nowhere onto our paths and our lives are in an instant completely changed.  Nobody is exempt from troubles in this life (John 16:33).  All the money in the world, having the greatest of looks, possessing the highest level of intelligence, or maintaining the utmost level of integrity will not spare you from the trials and suffering that you may face in your life.  You can’t buy your way out of an illness, nor, will your high IQ score spare you the heartache of a painful breakup.  Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who became famous for his "Last Lecture", which he gave to faculty and students as he was battling terminal cancer, made the profound statement, that "we can’t change the hand of cards we are dealt in life, just how we play the hand”.  No matter how painful and difficult our circumstances may be, we have the ability to rise above them and not allow them to hinder us from reaching our goals in life. You may be caught in one hell of a storm in life right now and although it’s pouring, the decision is up to you if you will let the storm keep you locked up inside and at a standstill or if you will suit up anyways and venture out despite the tough conditions you face.  My friends, I encourage you to learn to dance in the middle of the storms in your life. It is important to not allow our circumstances to become our excuses for not reaching or pressing on towards our goals.  You can overcome difficult circumstances and accomplish amazing things!

As you probably know, my son is battling cancer. Through the two years that I have watched him fight this illness I have been blown away by his innate ability to not allow his circumstances prevent him from enjoying and living his life.  He could easily use his illness as an excuse to not attend school or participate in activities but his response is the exact opposite! There are days when he is physically ill with side effects from chemo but he begs to still go to school to play with his friends, who all see him for who he is, not a as a cancer patient. I know it can only be by God’s grace and mercy that a small child could dance so beautifully in the midst of their storm.  I can also tell you that he is not alone in having this approach to living with the “C” word because every time that I have sat in the children’s hospital cancer clinic where he is treated, I observe the many other amazing children who are just like him!  I have witnessed in the midst of what outsiders would assume is a cold and sad environment, groups of children- some bald, some toting iv poles behind them, some with scars from recently removed tumors- of all ethnicities and of all socioeconomic backgrounds- gather together in the center of the treatment center in what is referred to as the “playroom”. The room is filled with smiles, giggles and laughter, and unexplainable joy and together, despite some of the grimmest of circumstances, these children have fun!  They don’t discuss how unfair their circumstances are.  Nor do they make excuses for what they can’t do in life…. no, these amazingly beautiful children come together and dance through their storms!  I never would have chosen the circumstance of being a cancer mom, but my goodness, if I could only find the words to accurately convey the incredible life lessons I have learned from enduring this storm. How can children despite having incredibly hard circumstances, some who are fighting death, be capable of having the right attitude towards life’s difficulties, while most adults when caught in the storms of life are so quick to allow their circumstances to hinder them?  

Storms in this life are inevitable. Some of us may face more fierce storms than others but we all will at some point face them.  We must learn to rise above life’s circumstances and develop a no excuses attitude. Yes life may be hard, but we can’t let the storms of life stop us from perusing our dreams.  While you may feel that your circumstances have left you shattered in a million pieces on the ground, as you press on, each piece can be put back together again. And although you will never be the same as you once were before the storms, you’ll have some dings and cracks that others can see.  But there is beauty that lies within the fact that through these very imperfections and flaws, your inner light will shine through for others to see. You see friends, while no one wants to face a difficult storm in life, it’s only in these storms that we see what we’re made of, what we really believe in and what we are capable of overcoming.  The choice is yours to make: are you going to dance in your storm? Or will you allow your circumstance to become your excuse? 

Lose More Weight by Making These Simple Food Swaps!

Just because you are eating healthy doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your favorite foods! You can still eat all your favorite dishes like pasta, tacos and burgers just by thinking outside of the box a little and making a few simple swaps in your favorite recipes to make them more figure friendly!  Making these simple food swaps in your diet will save you hundreds of calories daily and pay off on the scale! These are some of my favorite food swaps I have learned along my journey and at this point, except for a rare occasion, I really don't even miss or crave the original ingredient I have learned to swap out!   So be a little adventurous today my friends and don't be afraid to try new things or experiment in the kitchen, you may pleasantly surprise yourself!

 Instead of olive oil- low sodium Chicken Broth

Substituting low sodium chicken broth in place of olive oil is great in recipes such as hummus and pesto sauce, which generally call for a considerable amount of oil, by replacing some or all of the oil with chicken broth, you will save hundreds of calories in these recipes. You can also use chicken broth in place of oil for sauté’s and stir fry’s. One of my go to methods to spruce up veggies such as green beans or broccoli is to sauté them in chicken broth with fresh minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Instead of taco shells, buns or bread- Romaine lettuce leaves

Enjoy taco Tuesday without the guilt, by replacing your traditional shells with lettuce you will save about 170 calories (even more if you've been frying your shells)! You can also use lettuce in place of buns on your burgers and bread on your sandwiches.

Instead of rice or potatoes- riced cauliflower

At first I was skeptical when I read of others substituting cauliflower for rice and potatoes in recipes but I promise you, it really does taste similar and you will save a lot of calories and carbs! You can purchase cauliflower already riced at specialty stores like Trader Joe's or you can make your own simply by placing roughly chopped cauliflower into a food processor and pulsing it until it has a similar texture to rice, be sure to squeeze out any extra liquid in the "rice" before cooking. Here are some Skinnytaste recipes that I recommend trying that substitute cauliflower for rice or potatoes-Mexican Cauliflower Rice, Cauliflower Fried Rice, Loaded Cauliflower Mash.

Instead of milk-Almond Milk

Swapping traditional milk for almond milk will save you 100 calories. I use almond milk in place of milk in recipes and also in my protein shakes.

Instead of pasta- spiralized zucchini 

If you haven't invested in a vegetable spiralizer, I highly recommend getting one! They are inexpensive (about 10 dollars) and can be purchased at any major box store. By ditching your pasta and trading it for spiralized zucchini or squash you will save 200 calories per serving, not to mention all the carbohydrates! You can top your veggies with your favorite sauce, my favorite to use is a simple marinara sauce. 

Instead of Mayonnaise or sour cream- Non-fat Greek yogurt

This swap comes in handy in recipes such as chicken salad that generally calls for quite a bit of mayonnaise. You can also use non fat Greek yogurt to make healthier cream based dressings such as ranch.

Instead of breadcrumbs- Parmesan cheese

When breading meat and veggies, the calories add up quickly when using breadcrumbs as most recipes call for. I've found that substituting Parmesan cheese works just as well as far as creating that "crispy" effect when used under the broiler and it will cut down on the calories and carbs you are consuming. I use this method to make healthier versions of chicken Parmesan, baked "fried" zucchini and eggplant Parmesan. 

Instead of Ricotta Cheese- Blended Low-fat Cottage Cheese

I'll be honest, I was really skeptical about this replacement when I saw it listed as an ingredient in a lower fat and carb lasagna recipe I was trying, but I gave it a try and was sold! For this replacement, simply blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until smooth and then add to the recipe you are preparing. This is a great substitute in lasagna, baked pasta dishes, cheesecakes, etc. 

Fun Food Finds- August 2016

When I first started eating healthier, I often found myself getting stuck in the rut of eating the same foods day after day because it seemed easier just to stick to the same reliable foods that I knew were safe, then to try and venture out to find new food ideas.  But that way of living got old real fast!  Let's be honest who wants to eat the same boring chicken breast, brown rice and broccoli every day...barf! So in order to prevent becoming bored with eating the same foods, I am now always on the look out for fun new food products to spruce things up and I would love to share them each month with you! Starting this month, I will share some of my favorite recent product finds and where to purchase them so that you give them a try too!

1.  Trader Joe's- Reduced Fat Cilantro Salad Dressing

I recently found this reduced fat cilantro salad dressing in the refrigerated section of Trader Joe's next to their refrigerated produce.  Each serving has 45 Calories, 2 carbs, 3.5 fat, and 120 mg of sodium which is pretty good considering that most salad dressings are loaded in sodium! I have used this dressing to create a southwest salad and a spicy chicken lettuce wrap.

2.  Trader Joe's Riced Cauliflower-

Another great Trader Joe's find is this riced cauliflower.  Cauliflower is a magical veggie in the fact that if you are watching your carbohydrate intake, it is an excellent replacement for rice, grains, potatoes, and can even be used to make a pizza crust or bread! My favorite way to use this riced cauliflower is as a rice substitute, my favorite recipe can be found here Skinnytaste Mexican Cauliflower Rice . While my personal experiences with attempting to create the perfect cauliflower based pizza crust have resulted in some epic fails, there are some Pinterest superheros that have been successful in creating this, so have fun experimenting my friends!

3.  Let's Skip the Sandwich Low Carb Wraps

I found this product at my favorite local farm store and have also seen it at Clark's Nutritional Stores, if you don't have one of these stores near you, check their online retail locator here- Store Locator These low-carb wraps are perfect for making not only sandwich wraps, but they also crisp up well in the oven and can be used in place of a pizza crust.  They have only 60 calories, 2 grams of fat, 6 grams protein, 7 grams of fiber and 11 carbs.

4. Fresh Gourmet Baked Parmesan Crisps

These Parmesan Crisps can be found at most grocery stores and are diet friendly! They are great substitute for croutons on salads and also are a nice low carb topper for soups.  Each serving has 25 calories, 3 grams protein, 1.5 fat grams, and 1 carb. 

5. Kroger- Carbmaster yogurts

This product is not new, however, I just recently became aware of it and love it! These yogurts are Kroger brand and can be found at Kroger and Ralph's grocery stores. They have a large variety of different flavors to choose from. My favorite's so far are the white chocolate raspberry and key lime pie.  Each serving is 60 calories, 9 grams of protein, and only 4 carbs.

Overcoming Gymtimidation: A Beginner's Guide to Surviving the Gym

We know the necessity of exercising in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but for many, the thought of joining a gym elicits such powerful emotions that it's much easier to just avoid the gym completely. The fears associated with going to the gym are very real and if you are experiencing them, you are not alone!  A recent UK weight loss study, found that, "many people avoid exercise because they are blighted by 'gymtimidation'".  The term "gymtimidation" is a slang term that refers to the, "fear of working out in a gym because everything from the crazy contraptions to the seriously ripped bodies are extraordinarily intimidating".  When it comes to feeling intimidated at the gym, the UK study concluded that women were twice as likely to feel embarrassed or self conscious while exercising than men. In fact, the feelings brought on by "gymtimidation" are so common among exercisers, that a popular gym chain has capitalized on them by addressing "gymtimidation" in their advertisement campaigns.  These advertisements present a depiction of a commonly experienced intimidating gym experience and afterwards they take a stand against such "gymtimidation" and suggest that it does not occur within their gyms.  When it comes to being intimidated and fearful about going to the gym, I have been there too my friends.  I have shared in my own weight loss story that even though I had purchased a gym membership, it took me over 3 months to actually use it because I was so fearful of stepping into a gym.  It is important to not allow the anxieties you may have regarding the gym cause you to avoid it altogether. As I stated in my recent post, The Thief of Gains..., fear is the most destructive mindset you will encounter on your journey to becoming healthy and it will hinder your success if you don't address it quickly. My friends, I ensure you that once you face your fears of going to the gym, you will likely realize like I did, that the gym really isn't as bad as you had envisioned it to be. For those of you who may be experiencing "gymtimidation" right now, here are some tips to make your experience with the gym more comfortable.

Beginner's Guide to Surviving the Gym

1. Workout during off-peak hours- If you're new to the gym, going during the less crowded times will allow you to become comfortable in the setting and also the opportunity to explore the machines without having to wait in line for them or feel rushed by someone waiting for the machine. Gyms are generally most crowded in the early to mid morning and then in the late afternoon to evening.  So your best bet to beat the crowds is to workout anytime between 10:30 am to 3:00 pm if possible.
2. Hire a Personal Trainer- If the thought of trying to figure out how to use the machines in the gym or what exactly you should do for a workout overwhelms you, hire a personal trainer to show you!  Many gyms will offer a free trial session or will give you a discount on training packages when you purchase a gym membership.  Take advantage of these offers! 
3. Try a Group Exercise Class- Many hold misconceptions when it comes to group exercise classes, envisioning a drill Sargent type boot camp workout or a perfectly choreographed aerobic routine like those advertised on TV infomercials.  But in reality, most of the class participants are just like me and you and the instructors give variations of the exercises for different fitness levels so everyone can get a good workout.  Group classes are a great way to not only learn new exercises but also to meet friends that are also working on similar goals as you. We weren't meant to do life alone, even if you're antisocial, a few gym pals, will make the gym atmosphere more comfortable and fun!
4. Bring Earphones- Many studies have shown the positive effects of listening to music while working out.  There just seems to be something that happens if you have a great playlist playing while working out, where you can tune out all the distractions and get a great workout. 

I love a good laugh, so I couldn't pass on including the below video that a friend sent me, which makes light of what you may be thinking working out at the gym might be like.

Sources
UK Weight Loss Survey
Gymtimidation Definition

The Thief of Gains - Don't Allow This Destructive Mindset to Rob You of Your Results!

Would you willingly open the door of your home to a thief and allow them to come in and rob you of your most valuable possessions? I'm venturing a guess here, that your answer to this question is definitely "no" and that you probably assume such a question is ridiculous for me to even ask! Friends, I pose such an absurd question to illustrate the fact that many of us would never intentionally allow someone to rob us, yet many of us at this very moment, by living with a particular destructive mindset are allowing ourselves to be robbed of our desired results on our journey to becoming healthier! I have mentioned in prior posts that losing weight is just as much a mental battle as it is a physical one and that in order to be successful in losing weight, you must first win the war within the battlefield of your mind. Being victorious on the mind's battlefield involves removing every destructive thought and mindset, never allowing their harmful seeds to germinate, take root and grow inside of you. If ignored, negative thoughts and mindsets are very much like a fire, they start as a tiny spark, yet, if left unattended they rapidly spread and burn like a wildfire, eventually consuming you. There are many different types of hazardous thoughts and mindsets that can hinder your success on your journey, but the most destructive mindset that you will ever encounter on your journey, is fear. Fear is a liar and a thief, which is why I have labeled it the "thief of gains" and nothing can bring your journey to a dead stop more quickly than fear.

Merriam-Webster defines fear as "being afraid (of someone or something), to expect or worry about (something bad or unpleasant)".  Fear always begins as a thought but can quickly spiral into something that controls us and prevents us from doing something in our life.   Fears' tactic for bringing you down works by telling you that the dangers or risks of doing something are too high and if you accept this mindset, you've just been robbed by the thief of gains! Often times, we fear the unknown, the "what-if's" in life and let's be honest, it's difficult to step out of our comfort zone into the unfamiliar.  But my friends, if you stay in the comfort of your familiar nest forever, opportunities will just pass you by and you will miss the joys that you can only encounter when you jump out of that sucker and fly! Nobody is exempt from encountering the strong emotions that fear can illicit while on their journey.  Everyone will be faced with fear at some point.   Fear is the ultimate distraction, it will take you as its' prisoner, wrapping you up in chains that are so heavy, that taking a step forward towards your goal is nearly impossible.  There are many people who never reach the finish line of their race in life because fear has crept in and robbed them of achieving their dreams and fulfilling their destiny.  Many times we minimize the influence that seemingly "small" fears have on our decisions and ability to move forward. These small fears tell us we can't do something or shouldn't even bother based off our track record. When it comes to weight loss, these "small" fears may sound something like this, "I'd like to try a low carb diet but I love carbs so much, I'd never last a day" or "The kickboxing class at the gym looks like a great workout but I'm so uncoordinated that I could never keep up". It's easy to be dismissive of these small fears, but they are robbing you of your results and hindering your success! I have shared with you in my post, Breaking Free My Journey to Losing 160 pounds , how I encountered fear at many points on my road to successfully losing 160 pounds, including the fear of going to the gym and being judged by others, the fear of trying new things, and even the fear of sharing my success story with others for fear being mocked and criticized. Yet even greater than the above fears, I've also been faced with the horrendous fears associated with having a 5 year old son with cancer who continues to fight a battle for his life as I write this very post. So friends, to say I've encountered fear on my journey is perhaps an understatement, because fear has come in and tried to rob me so many times it's not even funny.  It's with great humility that I pray that the fears you may encounter on your journey are never as great as those I've faced on mine. But in overcoming the many fears I've had on my journey, I can now shed some insight to you, give you hope and tell you that the greatest way you can overcome fear is by faith and I encourage you to boldly face whatever fears you may be facing today.

When it comes to facing your fears, do so quickly, don't allow fear the opportunity to grow and consume you. I wish I could say that my response has always been to face fear immediately with great faith, but like many, I have had to learn the hard way and it's only now in hindsight that I can see that I would have achieved my goals much sooner, had I not allowed the "thief of gains" to take up residence in my mind. As a teacher, I have an awareness that there are always lessons to be learned from everything we encounter in life and that mistakes can be our friends, as long as we have learned something valuable from them.  Perhaps the most valuable lesson I have learned in regards to facing my fears, is to just do things that I fear afraid instead of letting them stop me. Just do it afraid my friends!  You'll be surprised, often times that fearful thing that seemed impossible for you to accomplish, once you face it, you will realize it really wasn't that horrible at all!

I have mentioned many times in prior posts that my faith in God is what has been the game changer on my journey to losing weight and that prior to involving God in my journey, my attempts at losing weight always ended in failure.  When faced with the fears I have encountered on my journey, I have learned the importance to trust and lean on God and his word to help me break free from the chains of fear. God's love for us is perfect and there is no fear in perfect love. 1 John 4:18, tells us that "his perfect love casts out fear".   We need to be so full of God that there is no space for fear to dwell within us.  He will bring us peace that surpasses all understanding.  So even when we are scared, we can still be at peace.  I can attest to you, my friends, the validity of this concept; as a mother on a journey with her son fighting cancer, in the middle of all the chaos and so many unknowns, I have a supernatural peace that could only come from God because in the natural it makes no sense.  I don't know what tomorrow may hold but I do know that God will never leave me or my son (or you!) to face anything in this life alone. There are hundreds of scriptures that address fear and the Bible makes it incredibly clear that we are not to live in fear.  God wants us to walk by faith, not by fear! 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that, "God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-control".  Victory is on the other side of fear and you can conquer your fear through exercising your faith.   Exercising your faith against your fears, can be done by doing the following things:

1. Prayer- Ask God for the courage to face your fears, for the strength you will need, etc. 
2.  Read his word- Reflect on the many promises that God has for you, plans to prosper and not to fail.
3. Speak Life- Our words carry power, speak words of life over your journey! 

So the next time you feel fear creeping in on you, turn to God and I promise that when you do, the thief of gains will find his way out very quickly and you'll be on your way to success!

Sources:
Definition of Fear