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I am a former career girl and am now a stay-at-home-mom to 2 amazing little girls. Exercise and "dieting" have never been easy for me. But now more than ever, I am determined to adhere to a more active, healthy lifestyle. I am not dieting - just making smarter, more natural food choices. I want to set a great example for my girls. I starting running last year with the Couch-to-5K running program. I've lost over 35 pounds since last year and I want to lose 60 more. I completed my first race (a 5K) in October and I running a 10K by this summer. My long-term goal is ultimately to run a half-marathon in 2012. I've created this blog to put it all out there and most of all - to keep me honest. I include a tested recipe & inspiring workout song on each post. I am also hoping to inspire and be inspired by you! I would love for you to join me for this journey and become an official follower of this blog!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Sometimes you just gotta eat!


In the past when I followed diets, I followed them strictly... maybe too strictly. Then if I slipped and ate a "forbidden" food or a food that was very high in points, I would blow it for that whole day and tell myself "I will start again tomorrow .... or after the weekend." I would then eat whatever I thought I had been depriving myself of... it wasn't pretty.

Guess what? I had pizza on Monday and not just regular pizza - it was greasy square pizza and it was exactly what I needed at that moment. I didn't eat half the pizza or have dessert or feel that I needed to eat foods that I shouldn't - it satisfied my need and I was done. Did I gain all my weight back... no. Will I loose as much weight this week than if I wouldn't have eaten it - probably not. But what I am realizing (finally) is this isn't a race.

Now that this exercise regiment is a big part of my life (running at least 2 miles a run now - and it's not easy...), I can eat what I want in moderation sometimes and go back to eating healthy again right away. And I don't need try to loose 4 to 5 pounds a week - 1 or 2 is just fine!

As discussed in previous posts - one other thing I am doing in my quest to get healthy - is eating more nutritious, wholesome foods. In every issue of Clean Eating magazine - they have a 14-day clean eating meal plan. I was thinking of trying it (from the july/aug issue) making a few subs. along the way (i don't like cod for example). I think it would be great to be a little stricter for a short burst and open my eyes to different foods. I'll let you know next week how it's going! 

SONG THAT KEPT ME RUNNING THIS WEEK: "B.O.B." by OutKast (this song really helped me push through yesterday's 25 minute run- I played it twice!)
RANDOM TIP OF THE WEEK (new weekly segment): Keep produce visible. I try to keep fruit and vegetables that don't require refrigeration out on the counter (see pic) - and those that do in the front of my fridge. You are more likely to eat them when they are top of mind - and they might even inspire a recipe. I made a good flank steak salad with plums and blue cheese the other night - inspired by a plum!                                                           THIS WEEK'S RECIPE: Healthy Version of Sweet and Sour Chicken (adapted from Clean Eating magazine)
This recipe is super low calorie approx. 170 per serving not including rice. It was easy and filling. I had the leftovers on a whole wheat wrap for lunch the next day and that was good too. 

I love cooking in my cast iron skillet!
1/3 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
2
 tbsp Raw Honey (find at health food store) 
4 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp fresh Ginger Root, grated
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/4 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup Yellow Onion, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups FRESH Pineapple, coarsely chopped
12 sprigs Cilantro
1 1/2 cups cooked Brown Rice (optional - it's good with the rice!)

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Place chicken in a large shallow dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over chicken, tossing gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min. or up to 8 hours. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and marinade and saute for 5 min. or until chiken is cooked through. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 min or until veggies are slightly tender. Add pineapple and cook for 2 more min. Spinkle with cilantro serve immediately over rice for a complete meal.

6 comments:

  1. Way to go, Kelli. You are doing awesome and are so inspirational. I loved the sweet and sour chicken - a keeper for sure!

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  2. good job on the running kell - I can't believe you're running at least 2 miles now - so awesome. re: the green smoothies - since they have equal parts fruit and veg, you can't even taste the vegetables. I highly suggest using a banana since it has such a strong flavor. You should try them, super healthy and Madeline might like them too :) xx

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  3. Found your blog today, but I'm sorry to say I can't remember how. Had to be from Active Running or a running something or another. Anyway, congrats on your success. I failed the Couch to 5K b/c I think I have running ADD and would focus more on the change than I did the activity so I got bored easily, so I've had to restructure myself. Anyway, I love your blog and look forward to trying some of your recipes.

    Good luck and be well...

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  4. OOOH GO YOU!!

    the 5k in october is a perfect goal.
    now, please to come over and cook for me?
    pleaseplease? :)

    MizFit

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  5. I just found your blog through your post to the C25K group on facebook, and I'm glad I did! I'm replying to this post instead of your most recent one because I don't find all that many others who aren't focused on "dieting" - I'm trying very hard to start making exercise a regular part of my week and to keep pushing myself further and further, and I'm trying to make much better and smarter food choices, but like you, there's nothing to bring on a bout of self-sabotage than having the attitude that foods are "forbidden" or that I was "bad" for eating something. You have a very healthy attitude about all this, and I'll be following your blog for inspiration. Any chance that you're on dailymile.com? I'm loving that community for support and inspiration, as well as for keeping a good log of my workouts. If you're on dailymile, please "friend" me at http://www.dailymile.com/people/buela. Thanks!

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