I shall prosper

I pictured my weight loss journey going a little differently. I was going to eat right and workout as hard as I could then reality struck. The temptations got to me and knocked me down gain.

I was doing really well at first, but then my meal times became tedious. I indulged a little too much and felt guilty once again. My workout regime came to a standstill and I was back at square one. The thought of losing twenty five pounds discouraged me and I am questioning if I could really pull it off. In my first month of my journey I lost 10 pounds, but as of today I am at 159. I still have a lot of work to do.

This time around will be different. I can feel it. I went to my first boxing class the other day and it was so intense! I could not feel my body the next day, but it was a great way to get my heart rate going. I was fortunate enough to have my father pay for my boxing classes, so that has motivated me even more.

I took a deep breathe, went outside, and recollected my thoughts. If I really want to lose weight I will. The only person holding me back from my goals is myself. My goal was originally to lose twenty five pounds by the end of the semester, but at this rate I am just going to play it by ear. I’m just going to remain positive and do what I have to do to reach my goal. I had to vamp up my meals and get more creative if I wanted to stick to this diet.

Orignially, I would eat either oatmeal or organic cereal for breakfast but I could not take myself to eat it anymore so I switched it up.

Scrambled eggs are the simplest things to make and do not take much time to cook. So I added some vegetables to spice up this plain dish.

Scrambled Eggs or Omelet:

 

– Two large eggs or 4 egg whites

– ½ cup of tomatoes

– ½ cup of onions

– ½ cup of brocolli

– 4 leaves of spinach or basil

Blueberry/ Rasberry Chia Smoothie:

– 1 cup unsweetned vanilla almond milk

– 2 tablespoons of protein power

– ¼ Chia seeds

– 1 cup of frozen blueberries or rasberries

– ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

I found out that egg whites are not my cup of tea so I just used regular eggs. Any vegetable option is a good one, so feel free to add more or to use different ones. I chopped up the veggies and sauted them for a couple of minutes prior to adding my eggs. I usually like to add a side of spinach with my eggs in addition to the spinach leaves I mixed into my eggs.

Chia seeds are a total fiber boost. One serving is 14 grams of fiber. A high fiber diet is beneficial when it comes to weight loss, because it produces regular bowel movements. I found out that cinnamon is actually a fat burner so now I always incorporate it into my smoothies whenever I can. This smoothie is quick and delicious.

 

I love eating pasta with tons of marina sauce or alfredo sauce, but I knew I had to resist. So I flipped my pasta dish into something healthier.

– ½ cup cooked whole wheat pasta

– 2-3 oz of grilled/baked chicken breast

– ½ cup of marinara sauce

– 2-3 cups of sauteed vegetables

– 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese (optional)

The vegetables are the base of this meal instead of the pasta. I boiled the veggies until they were soft, because I do not really like the crunchyness of them. I used brocolli, carrots, tomatoes, and spinach for the veggies and sauteed them in olive oil.

This meal led me to believe I was splurging, but I knew I was not. It made me feel great and I wished all food would taste this great and be good for you. I will defientely experiment with more pasta dishes.

 

Seriously, who does not love tacos? I know I do. They are cheap and quick to make and always seem to satisfy my cravings. The taco mixes that I have seen at the grocery store are really high in sodium so I just season my own meat.

– 6 ounces of ground turkey

 – season with:

 ½ teaspoon of cumin & garlic powder

¼ teaspoon oregano

– 2 whole wheat tortillas (raw or pre-cooked)

– ¼ tablespoon of parmesan cheese

– 2 cups of prepackaged baby greens

Every now and then I like to add onions and salsa to top it off.

My biggest issue I have faced during this journey has been limited snack options. Sometimes I get bored and just want to eat, but I know it is not that simple.

According to Rachel Beller, President and Founder of Beller Nutrional Institute, there are plenty of snack options that will satisfy you and will not induce a guilt trip such as:

• 14 almonds and a cheese stick
• Low-carb tortilla with 2 ounces of turkey, vegatables and mustard
• 2 cups of strawberries with 1 square of dark chocolate
• 2 Wasa crackers with 1 Laughing Cow cheese spread
• 1 cup of Kamut Puffs, ½ cup of frozen berries, and one hard-boiled egg
• 1 Wasa cracker, some mixed veggies,and 2 tablespoons of hummus
• 10 crackers with one serving of Babybel cheese
• 30 pistachios and 1 serving of Babybel cheese

I like to prepare these snacks so I can just grab it and go.

I took the liberty to stop by the Fitness Zone here on campus and see how they could help me live a healthy lifestyle. I was told personal training sessions are offered for a low fee and they may even be able to help me set up a nutrition plan. I e-mailed Tabitha Tipton, Assistant Director of Student Life Recreation and Fitness, in hopes of setting up a session with one of the trainers.

I have been trying to encourage those who are closest to me to workout with me, but it seems like they are pretty hesitant since they do not have the same weight issues as I do. On the other hand, my mother is willing to attend free crossfit sessions with me starting the beginning of April, so that is something to look forward too.

I shall prosper!