You don't need to starve to lose weight!

This is my dinner from the other night.  4 oz steak, 2 oz cilantro lime shrimp, oven roasted carrots, garlic, and turnips.  I had never in my 28 years of life had turnips!  Turns out I love them :). Have you tried a new vegetable recently that you liked?  If not... I challenge you to try a new vegetable or fruit this week.

Finding time to workout

Recently a lot of people have been noticing my weight loss.  When they ask what I'm doing I tell them eating right and exercising a ton!  The response I've been getting is " I don't have time to exercise."  Well let me tell you, I used to make the same excuse.  I work at least 10 hour days and take an excessive amount of call as an operating room nurse.  I work on my feet all day often wearing 30lbs of lead and pick up heavy trays of instrumentation.  I would come home and just crash on the couch, often watching 2-3 hours of TV before bed.  When I finally got serious about my health goals I realized you don't have to find the time to workout, you need to make the time.  Schedule it into your day.  Make it your "me" time.  So i cut back on couch potato time and workout at home to save time that would be spent traveling to a gym. Two weeks into my workouts and now I crave the endorphin rush it gives me, I feel so accomplished even after a short workout. 15 minutes is all it took to burn 174 calories and get my heart rate up!  So make the time to workout. Aren't you worth it?

Weight loss update :)

So in the past 2 weeks I have lost 8.6 lbs.  Eating right and working out consistently have brought me here and I haven't felt this good in a long time.  I have also recently quit drinking diet soda.  I drink water like its my job.  Have you quit soda or another unhealthy habit?  What helped you push through cravings?

Non scale victory (NSV)!!!!

I bought this sweatshirt yesterday and was very excited when I fit into a LARGE!!!!  When I started my weight loss journey in January 2013 I wore an XXL and it was a snug fit!  Sometimes when I haven't had a big loss it helps to have an NSV like this. 

Spicy chicken salad

1 deboned rotisserie chicken

1 bag coleslaw

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Sriracha to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and enjoy!  Makes approximately 8 servings.

I like to move it, move it!

I post this picture not to make fun ( although the title of this workout begs for a smart ass quip).  I post this as a reminder that no matter what your fitness level is, there is a form of exercise you can do.  Completely out of shape? Try walking.  Painful joints? Swimming did wonders for my joint pain and helped me shed the pounds.  You just have to start moving. Start moving and don't stop.  Everyday try to increase the distance you walk or amount of time you are working out.  Eventually you can work up to more intense workouts if you so choose!

Truth

I was unhappy for a long time about my weight and health.  It took me awhile to get to the point where I knew I had to change something.  I used to eat take out for almost every meal and sit on the couch on my days off.  I was close to 240lbs and absolutely miserable.  I have had many low points and struggles when it comes to dealing with my weight, but this year I finally got serious about the food I was using to fuel my body and my lack of physical activity.  The weight is coming off slowly but I have never felt better!  I have more energy, my chronic back pain is almost completely gone, and my stomach issues ( I'll explain more in a later post) are gone.  I was unhappy with my weight so I changed my eating and workout habits.  You are in charge of your own happiness, make a change if you need to, take that leap of faith, live the life you deserve.