The Basics

Who hasn't tried a crazy diet? I mean, no carbs? Really, anyone crazy enough to try that? Why would anyone ever give up carbs? .... Well, I tried it once or twice, but I think I only succeeded until I brushed my teeth that morning.

Here's the deal. To become healthy is to create and live by daily healthy habits. Start with ten. Make sure they are concrete, realistic, and relatively simple. They can be internal and external body goals, nutrition goals, beauty, home, creativity, or mental health goals. Anything you can do on a daily basis to create a healthy body and environment for yourself.

Here is my list.. and a few explanations why:
1. Multivitamin. (Easy peasy)

2. No eating after 9pm. (I get home at 8pm from work, so this one is tough, but I gotta do it.)

3. No fried foods. (Not too hard, unless I go out to eat. Love me a good fried calamari. And fries.)

4. No second helpings. (Even if the food is reaaally good.)

5. No candy. (This is a tough one because there is aaalways good candy at work.)

6. Yoga or cardio - must break a sweat! (I can do it, I can do it, I can do it..)

7. 15 pushups or 50 situps. (Muscles! Flat belly! Woot!)

8. 64 oz. water. (Recommended amount. Drinking enough - among other things - tends to curb appetite.)

9. Moisturize. (I have keritosis polaris. Moisturizing helps and I never do it.)

10. 7 hours of sleep. (At least!)

Give yourself a point for each one every day. Have a weekly goal and reward yourself if you meet it. ie: manicure, nice dinner out, fun movie/date night...

My goal is to maintain an "A" average for two weeks (an then some!). Then take myself on a mini shopping spree for a pair of ankle boots.

Not really sure I can afford Jimmy Choo's though.. 

My fridge speaks to me.

I told myself I wasn't going to eat when I came home from work tonight (@ midnight.. after working a 12 hour shift). But the leftover chili in the fridge was calling my name, so was the corn bread that went with it. Thank goodness I made both of them (well, the cornbread was from a box, but I made it with 1/2 water 1/2 skim milk to cut some calories).

I was doing so well too.

There is always the rest of today. Time for sleep.

Chili Recipe:

1 lb ground turkey
Onion
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper (or whatever bell peppers you like, really)
1 Zucchini diced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste, 1 can-full water
1 cup corn (off cobb)
Black beans (canned or dried, I used dried but it takes foreeeever to cook)
Chili powder
Oregano
Salt n' Peppa to taste
Frank's Red Hot (Yes, I do put that @#!% on everything)

1. Brown up the meat with some sauteed onions and garlic, throw a little olive oil on for some healthy fats.

Choose your own adventure:
2a. Throw everything into a crockpot and stir it up. Let cook for an hour or 3.

2b. Add in veggies, tomato paste, seasonings to meat skillet and simmer for 15 minutes or so, depending on how tender you want your veggies.

3. Eat.

Not defeated...

I always fall off the wagon with being healthy. But I always get back on... even if only for a day... or an hour. Everytime I mean it. I am serious, but then my lack of self discipline is my down fall.

Today I went to the gym with my sister at her big fancy gym. There was so much to do! And there were people around! My little puny gym is the size of a large bedroom and there is usually only one or two people in there on a busy day. There is no motivation to stick around there and I get bored kinda easily. I have been better at finding circuit routines to do there to keep me motivated and going - will post at a later date.

Food wise: Kashi has some yummy cereals. You need to keep an eye on the label for calorie and protein numbers, but some taste great and are low cal, high protein, and uber high fiber (Like I always say: a clean colon is a happy colon).

Lunch was at Hella's in Severna Park - their crab cake is the bomb! I had a side salad with white zin dressing and a crab cake (probably should have split it, but it was too good to share).