Holidays

I just returned from 5 days away on a Mama vacation!
While away I did not eat clean but did manage to eat in control. Woohoo!
Today I am back to clean eating and going for a massage.

One Meal at a Time

Yesterday was a struggle!
I felt stressed and worked hard to get through it without over eating...after about 5 hours I caved!

Today is a new day and I have been back to clean eating all day!

Breakfast~ Trim Healthy Mama Pancakes with raspberries, Greek yogurt and a drizzle of Maple Syrup.

Lunch~ Sunflower seed bread with natural peanut butter and 1/2 banana.

Afternoon Snack~ Orange and Larabar.

Supper~ Taco Salad

Tomorrow I leave for my first Mama vacation alone in a very long time...woohoo!
Excited, yes! To be going to have some quiet time.
Scared, yes! That I will not eat in control.
Sad, yes! That I will be weaning my son as a result of this time away. He is 28 months old though so it is time.

I Need Simplicity

I am a busy woman! I do not have time to make special meals for myself or make fancy recipes for the family.

That is why I love clean eating; no special ingredients, no separate meals.

I feel in love with clean eating 5 years ago and I am not exactly sure how or why I left this comfortable place but it does feel good to be back at it!

How is this for easy...

Monday Meals

Breakfast~ Overnight Oats with Raspberries

Lunch~ Havarti Cheese, grapes, walnuts, apricots and cucumber

Supper~ Turkey Barley soup, homemade biscuit and Apple Crisp topped with Greek yogurt and Maple syrup

Evening Snack~ More of the Apple Crisp

Tuesday Meals

Breakfast~ Steel cut oats with pecans and almond milk and half an apple.

Lunch~ Tea Biscuits

Supper~ Turkey breast, cooked carrots and stuffing. Some more apple crisp.

Snack~ Popcorn

Today's meals were not perfect but it was progress and it was sugar free and in control.

Thanksgiving Day 2014

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with a turkey dinner and I will be honest that I did not eat clean...actually I did not even try. I knew that my plan was to enjoy whatever I wanted and not feel guilty about it. This entire month has been some clean eating days and some not.

Today is the day that I begin to eat clean COMPLETELY!
Up to this point I see my walk over the last 6 months as baby stepping.
Kind of like many attempts at walking but just as many stumblings.
I know I can do it because I have before.

I am making Turkey Barley Soup with lots of veggies and biscuits for supper tonight. I will also make a clean Apple Crisp and top it with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. YUM!

Thanksgiving

I love fall! 

It is my most favorite season of the year!

The changing colour of the trees, cool breeze and the crunch of the leaves under foot.

Just Beautiful!!!

It is time of change!

It is my time to change!

I have about 60lbs to lose and it starts now, October 2014.

Reasons Why!

Today I had some time to reflect on the many reason why I need to lose weight and live a healthier life!

• A few weeks ago someone mistaken me for being pregnant.
• I can no longer wear my wedding rings.
• My jeans that were falling off of me just 3 months ago are now so tight that I can no longer wear them comfortably.
• I have spare tire that is bigger than it has ever been.
• Moody!
• Cravings are out of control!
• I want to be run and play with my children.
• I need to be that great role model for my family and friends.

This Is My Battle

For years I have lost and gained weight but not until yesterday did I realize that this is MY battle and if I do not choose to actively stay in the fight then obesity related disease will take MY LIFE away from me.

Great revelation? No! but it is necessary for me to tackle this now and to beat the odds.

So my starting weight as of this morning is 192lbs.

The plan is simple...
1) Eat Clean as described in Tosca Reno's books.
2) Exercise more than I am now.
3) Stay committed.

What time...?

of the day do you tend to overeat or have the desire to overeat?

For me lately I have been eating so well all day but once I get the children tucked into bed I go mad with my eating.
This habit is not going to lead me to further weight loss.
I am not even hungry usually it is just a WANT!!! UGHHHHHH...

Low calorie, clean snack ideas are welcome.

Shopping in the City

For those that have read my blog for a while you will know that I live on a small island in the middle of Lake Huron which means the variety of groceries is limited to little more than the basics. 

So today I made a trip to the nearest major city, 2 hours away.

On my agenda was some fun shopping for a new bedroom comforter set, bathroom towels, shower curtain and rugs. Also my purpose was to buy some food items that I can not get here on the island.

My trip was successful! 

Here is a peak at just some of the items I bought that I can't get near home.

I also bought a variety of vegetables that I can't get at my local grocer.

I am a happy Mama!

Today's Meals

Strawberries and Skinny Chocolate

Ezekiel Bread with Turkey Breast and mustard

Pear and Almonds

Ezekiel 4:9 Golden Flax cereal with Banana, Peanut Butter and Almond Milk

and as every other Canadian I had 2 Tim Horton's coffee while travelling.

Clean Eating Day One

I am so surprised at how much of a brain switch it is to go back to Clean Eating!
I need to reread my book 'The Eat Clean Diet Recharged!' book to get things all straight again.

Today's Meals were;
Meal #1 (9:30am)
Overnight Oats and Strawberries
Meal #2 (12 noon)
Ezekiel Bread with Natural Selections Turkey Breast, onions, lettuce and mustard & 2 pickles
Meal #3 (3pm)
Cashew Larabar and apple
Meal #4 (6 pm)
Baked Sweet Potatoe topped with cinnamon & coconut oil plus a smoothie made with ice, almond milk, cottage cheese and whey protein powder

Normally I would have a minimum of 5 meals and some days 6 meals with Clean Eating but I had a later start to the day so 4 meals today it is.

As far as weighing in goes I am going to stick to only weighing and posting on the 26th of each month. I want to rely more on my clothes and trusting the process than on a number on the scale that can be influenced by so many different things. I have been enslaved to the scale for so many years that sticking to this may be tough at times but I am going to try to make this goal.

Picking a Plan

A wise friend shared with me the other day that picking a plan is not as important as sticking with the plan that you choose is.
I TOTALLY agree!

We all choose a diet lifestyle for different reasons. We also change our mind on what diet lifestyle we will follow for many different reasons. Some may change the way they eat many times in their life depending on circumstances, health or any number of reasons.

This is where I am at right now...I have been following the Trim Healthy Mama program for the last number of months and have made progress in my weight loss. I am not completely happy with the program though so I have decided to switch back to clean eating. There are things about the program that I love also but right now I  must follow my heart with this decision.

I have always loved clean eating! 
This weekend I plan on catching up on some blogs that I use to enjoy reading and  making a menu for this coming week for the family and I to follow.

I hope to get back to blogging more consistently also...but no promises there!