Lessons Learned

Another semester has come and gone, yet again. Except this time I graduate in a week in a half. In just these four short months I've learned a lot about myself physically and mentally.

My goal when I started my blog for my class was to lose 20 more pounds, and stay committed to working out and eating healthy. Of course that wasn't always the case. I ended up losing only about 10 pounds instead, and not eating as healthy as I should've. But you know what? I'm happier than I have been in a long time.

Working out alone has helped me tremendously this semester. Whether it was 5 times a week, 3 times a week, or even these past couple weeks only twice a week- I still feel happy that I've come this far in not only my weight loss journey; but in my college career as well. It has been a crazy ride and I've learned many things about myself and life in general.

Kickboxing

About 10 years ago when my parents were still together we used to go to the gym every night, because they were trying to get back into shape/lose weight.

We went to a place called All American which is now called 10 gym. It was probably one of the best gyms I've ever been to. They had racquetball, a pool, hot tub, sauna, tanning beds, group fitness classes, a track and all the fitness equipment. It was awesome!

At the time I was about 12 years old and working out with equipment could get boring sometimes. So I started taking some fitness classes while my parents were on the equipment.

Kickboxing was the first class I took, and I fell in love with it!

Kickboxing is one of the best work outs that you can get (and it's fun)!

It is a group of stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching. It was historically developed from Karate, Muay Thai, Kun Khmer, and Boxing. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general fitness, or as a contact sport. In 45 minutes of kickboxing, a 135-lb woman burns about 482 calories. The American Council on Exercise notes that the calorie burn for a 135-lb person may vary between 350-450 calories for a 50-minute kickboxing class featuring a warm-up, cardio portion and a cool down. Again, it usually just depends on your weight and how hard you actually work during the time.

There are also many plus sides to it such as:

• Fat burning
• Increased muscle tone
• Builds strong bones and ligaments
• Increased cardiovascular fitness
• Improved muscular indurance
• Improved core stability
• Improved strength and power
• Stress relief
• Improved coordination and body awareness
• Improves confidence and self-esteem

Most local gyms have fitness classes with kickboxing and UCO is currently trying to get a class for the coming up year (says my spin class teacher).

If you haven't tried it- then
you definitely should!

Beginner's Weekly Workout

Recently I've had a lot of my friends ask me:

"What kind of work outs do you do?"

"What do you eat?"

Of course, I do more vigorous and challenging work outs since it's been about a few months since I've gotten serious about this being healthy thing. And what do I eat? Well, you have a pretty good idea from my previous posts- vegetables, fruits, proteins, fibers.

Next Level Jalapeño Popper Dip

Spaghetti Squash has become one of my new favorite meals to make. There is so much you can do with it to make it creative, and tasty.

One thing I make at least once a week are jalapeño poppers. I love spicy food, and this meal satisfies my cravings.

Yesterday I went on Pinterest to look up some spaghetti squash recipes (besides the breakfast one) and found the Jalapeño Popper Spaghetti Squash. Seriously- the best thing I've tasted in awhile.

And it was so easy to make!

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti Squash
• 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and chopped  
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, plus 2 tablespoons extra for topping
• Turkey Bacon or Italian Sausage (which is what I used to mix things up)

*There are a few other ingredients in the original recipe, but this is what I normally use for my jalapeño poppers- so I just went with it.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds. Brush the squash with olive oil. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast for 30 - 40 minutes until you can easily puncture the skin of the squash with a fork.

While the squash is roasting make the jalapeno popper dip. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, ¼ cup cheddar cheese, ¼ Monterey Jack cheese, diced jalapeno, most of the green onion slices (reserve some for topping, and most of the crumbled bacon (reserve some for topping). Stir well.

When the spaghetti squash is done baking, use a fork to loosen the spaghetti squash.

Divide the Jalapeno Popper dip between the two halves of the spaghetti squash. Mix the dip into the "noodles" with a fork.

Sprinkle the top of each spaghetti squash half with remaining cheese, green onion slices, and bacon pieces.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Another week, and another easy recipe to get me through it.

Honey Garlic Chicken is a 5 ingredient, 15 minute recipe that is to die for.

It's perfect alone, or even over some pasta, rice, or veggies for low carb. The extra sauce makes it even more desirable to drizzle over these ingredients.

With sweet, sticky honey and salty soy sauce with a hint of garlic and red pepper flakes- SO GOOD.

Yes, it's that easy.

As Spring Break comes to an end, and graduation is quickly approaching; the semester has been getting to look a lot like Princess Mia driving the stang (see below).

With that being said, staying on track with a healthy lifestyle can be a little challenging.  My energy has been consumed with school, work, sleep, repeat. So trying to keep my exercises in the routine and eating healthy is seeming to be more and more difficult. 

I found an easy dinner recipe that I could make on the nights that I feel like my energy is so low. Believe it or not- this recipe takes 15 minutes tops!

Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus

Ingredients: 

• Medium Shrimp
• Asparagus
  
• Garlic Clove
• Parsley
• Paprika
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt & Pepper
• Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Rice and Pasta (if preferred)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Line up your asparagus on pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 pepper, Toss until evenly coated then line asparagus back in a single layer. Roast for 6-8 minutes depending on thickness.

3. Meanwhile, remove tails from shrimp.

4. Remove pan from oven, and push asparagus to the side (keeping them in single layer). Add shrimp and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes and fresh parsley. Toss until evenly coated then line shrimp in single layer.

5. Top asparagus with 1 tablespoon of butter, and top shrimp with 2 tablespoons butter. Roast for 6 minutes until shrimp is cooked.

6. Remove pan from oven and drizzle with lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pasta, rice, etc. (I use $1 Alfredo pasta from Wal-Mart pre-packaged. Takes 7 minutes to cook).

That's What Dory Said

Writing a blog can sometimes be a little challenging and isn't always the easiest thing to do. You have to write original ideas that stick out and are different from the rest. Keeping the audience attention is the most important factor into writing a blog. All in all, you just have to keep writing until you feel like you've got it all right. It's like a journal or diary, but a little better because you make it your own.

Switch It Up

Change is a constant thing with everything we do, and just in these last two in a half months my blog has changed. It has inspired me to try new things which then led me to write about them in different forms. My blog has changed as well as changes within myself. It has helped keep me motivated in doing what I love and wanting to inspire others through my blog- it has turned into a positive outlet. Whether it be new exercises or fun ways to keep my interests in them- same thing with recipes, and even lifestyle changes. 

Looking Forward

At this point, who the heck knows what I'm going to be doing with my career. My major is Strategic Communications so I'm wanting to go in the direction of working at an ad agency and possibly run social media accounts for a business, or two. Blogging is important (to whatever I'll be doing) by showing my originality and creativity through writing. If I decide to run social media accounts, then I have to be creative and come up with new and quirky ideas to stand out from the rest. 

The After Math

I never could picture myself having a blog. I always thought about writing one, but could never figure out what exactly my interests were, nonetheless how to keep myself interested. Along with that I've never even really been a writer because I feel like I just ramble on (kind of like now). Blogging in this class has affected me in ways I didn't really think could. It has helped me put my thoughts together on a screen in an organized way. It has also helped keep me interested and motivated in something that has helped shape me into a better and healthier version of myself. Lastly, it has expanded my mind to try new things and not just with fitness- but with everything. 

The Takeaway

A few lessons I've learned from this class is that you have to be creative in your writing and again, stand out from the rest of the million other bloggers out there. Another important lesson from this class is that there are no bad ideas/thoughts. Just keep writing until you get it right. If you don't think you've got it right- then keep going until you think you do. Knowing what to blog and put out there, and what not to put out there are also very important in the blogging world. Perfection isn't key in blogging- speaking your mind and getting your thoughts out there is the important lesson.

How to Stay Motivated

Remember those New Years Resolutions you made about 2 months ago? 

Are you still doing them, or have you lost motivation? Around this time most people lose motivation and quit doing their resolutions and sometimes even forget what they were. And of course, working out and eating healthy is one of the main resolutions people make every year.

I found a few tips to help keep you motivated and staying on track to your weight loss goals- or goals in general.

1. Take it one day at a time.

2. Surround yourself with positivity.

3. Create a vision board/weight loss chart 

(Which is what I do).

4. Make S.M.A.R.T Goals.

5. Reward yourself. 

(Buy a new shirt, get a tattoo, whatever).

6. Believe in yourself.

7. Acknowledge your positive attributes. 

(Don't be so hard on yourself).

8. Recognize your progress. 

(Take progress pictures to see how far you've come).

9. Visualize accomplishing your goals.

10. Be kind to yourself. 

(Say one thing you like about yourself in the morning).

11. Don't compare yourself to others. 

(Everyone is on a different path to success- don't worry you will get there).

These are just a few, and I'm sure there are plenty more. 

If you keep believing in yourself, and if you really want it you'll work hard for it. 

Blog Essay Pt. 2

Blogging has changed the fitness world in many different ways, especially in building friendships and connections. Kayla is from Australia, and look at how many people she has inspired just through social media and blogging in general from all over the world! Fitness blogs are also very educational and can give different ideas on recipes and workouts- to help switch up normal routines. Lastly, fitness blogs are very inspiring to the world-wide web. Seeing people change their lives is motivational and helps encourage others to do the same. I’ve seen many people post their before and after pictures, and the comments on them are nothing but encouraging words and saying how inspiring they are.

Fitness in the blogging world is constantly changing, along with the people that follow them. There are blogs mainly focused on recipes, workouts, basic lifestyle changes, whatever they may be- they are all changing the blogging world in one way or another. They continue to inspire, encourage and motivate people from all over the world.

Blog Essay Pt. 1

Fitness has become a very popular and common trend in today’s world. People are starting to work out and eat healthier more than ever. There are many reasons to this, such as wanting to become healthier so they can live longer, feel good about themselves physically and mentally, build muscles to become stronger, etc. Fitness can mean a lot of different things to different types of people, and it continues to shine especially through social media and blogs. All while encouraging others to hop on the train.

Breakfast for Dinner?

Besides Mexican food and sushi- the one thing I can eat every single day is breakfast food.

It can either be healthy for you, or really bad depending on what you choose to eat.
But I found a recipe that all breakfast lovers will find satisfying.

Vacation? No Problem

Spring Break is approaching us, and fast (thank goodness).

At the beginning of the year, lots of people have resolutions to start working out, and eating healthier to get that "beach bod". But, my group of friends and I decided to do something different this year besides the beach for our last hoorah.

Taco Tuesday Pt. 2

Mexican food is probably one of my favorite things to eat (mostly for the queso, of course). But faijtas and tacos are my second favorite.  To keep things healthy, I found a recipe on Pinterest on clean eating taco stuffed peppers.  Which combines both fajitas and tacos together into one.

You'll need:

• 4 medium bell peppers (any color)
• 1 lb lean ground turkey or ground beef
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 cup black beans (if using can, drain and rinse)
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 cup salsa

Toppings:

• 1/2 cup tomato, diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup of 2% shredded Colby jack (or shredded cheese of any kind)
• 1-2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Estimated time to make this recipe is 30 minutes. 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Wash peppers, and cut around the stem to remove. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the peppers. Set peppers on baking pan. Meanwhile, spray a large pan with cooking spray, and turn the heat up to medium high. 
2. Add the ground turkey, seasonings, and green chiles to the pan. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
3. Add beans, corn and salsa to the skillet with the turkey/ground beef and stir until everything is combined. Remove from heat.
4. Spoon turkey mixture evenly into 4 peppers and sprinkle 2 tbs diced tomatoes (if using) and 2 tbs cheese on top of each one.
5. Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until peppers are tender. Remove from the oven, and top with green onions if desired.

Hard Work Pays Off

As I've said before, I've been on and off this fitness journey for a couple years now. 2017 has so far been the year I've stuck with it for so long (sad, but true).

Looking back only 2 years ago I wasn't exactly the happiest person, but I pretended to be.

I wasn't confident in my body, who I was, and I didn't know where I was going in life. I just didn't feel like the person I used to be.

I lost myself.

Last year, I got out of a 3 year relationship and I thought it was the end of the world.

Little did I know, I think it was probably one of the best things to happen to me in a long time. Yes, I loved him and missed him and I probably always will, but it wasn't the right time for me to take care of someone else. I needed to take care of myself- and get serious about it this time.

Mentally, spiritually, and physically.

I've told you before, but last year I lost 20 pounds and felt so much better about myself. I gained some (not all) confidence back, and felt like my life was heading in the right direction.

I turned 21, I traveled to a few places, got to spend more time with my girlfriends, got closer to God, and focused on my future by getting an internship to start. I was still not completely happy as I was still going through the break-up, but it was getting better.

Here I am, almost a year later and I've lost almost 10 more pounds, just interviewed for the Disney College Program, about to be twenty-two in 10 days, and about to go on my last spring break trip in school ever here in a few weeks. I haven't felt this happy and confident in myself in a long time. And let me tell you,

It feels AMAZING!

If you feel like you just can't push through when times are tough, believe me you can. Make small goals, achieve them step by step, and you will feel like an entirely new person.

Trust me, if I can do it so can you.

Fitness Pal

Many times when I find myself on Pinterest looking up healthy recipes or new workouts, I see a lot of advice about keeping a food journal.

Now, there is nothing wrong with not having one, but if you are like me and sometimes eat whatever you want without thinking about it- a food journal is for you.

Step To It

This past weekend I had the absolute worst case of food poisoning in my entire life. I'm talking going to the hospital for them to put an IV and fluids into me because I couldn't stay hydrated. No matter what I did. Yesterday, I finally was able to fully workout and eat normally again without feeling sick.

With that said I did 45 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and the stair master together. I usually do the elliptical almost every time I go to the gym, but the stair master is my worst nightmare. I decided to look up the differences between the two and this is what I found:

Small Changes Make Big Differences

Sometimes life gets caught up with us and we get a little too busy. For me personally, I always try to fit my work out in whether it be late in the evening or early mornings.

Although I know for some it isn't that easy. Between working full or part time, going to school, having a family- whatever the case- these simple changes have helped me tremendously. I hope you find them useful as well.

Fabulous February

I've seen a lot of people retweeting on Twitter saying, "January was just a trial month... 2017 really starts February 1st." Well this isn't true for me.

Sunny and 70 in January?

As most Okies know, the weather in Oklahoma is unpredictable. The past few days have been sunny and 70 degrees... IN JANUARY.  Which I'm not complaining.

When you have a dog this is important to take advantage of, because it is the perfect time to get outside to spend time with them. Not only that but you can get active by doing something other than seeing the inside of the gym.

On Sunday, I went to Mitch Park for the first time and walked around the trail they had with my dog, Zeus. He absolutely loved it because for one it was somewhere he has never been before; and two, because he was spending time with me. Like I've said before, I am very busy throughout the week with school, work, my internship, working out, homework, and trying to have a social life.  So when I get to take Zeus out and about he loves it.

Yesterday we went to the dog park. I think he loves doing this more than he does going on walks, because it gives him time to interact with other dogs since I live by myself. The dog park can be an interesting place, and although it isn't a very "good" work out specifically- it gets you outside in the fresh air. Which is great for your overall health. Better yet, it gets the energy out of your pup and they get the exercise that they need (pictured to the right).

Take advantage of the weather when it's nice out, because not everyday is going to be sunny and 70 towards the end of winter.

Tortoise and The Hare

One day, a hare was bragging about how fast he could run. He bragged and bragged, and laughed at how slow the tortoise was.  The tortoise stuck out his long neck and challenged the hare to a race. The hare laughed and laughed some more, and agreed to the challenge- knowing surely he would win.

They made a map of the race, and then began. The hare took off and left the tortoise far behind. About halfway through the race, the hare noticed that he had plenty of time and decided to play in the meadow. When he was done, he decided to take a nap.


In the meantime, the tortoise was still slowly going and never stopped. Once the hare finally woke up from his nap, he decided it may be time to get going again. He ran faster than he did in the beginning. As he approached the finish line, he saw the tortoise sitting there patiently waiting his arrival.


If you haven't heard the story- which I'm sure most of you have- you know the moral of the story:

Slow and steady wins the race. 

Losing weight is a long journey and doesn't just happen overnight. If you want something, you have to work hard for it and never give up. Failure is not an option in my book, and never has been. Trust me- eating healthy and working out is NOT easy, and isn't something I desired to do in the beginning. Although, I knew it was something that needed to happen for my health in the long run.

I weigh myself every Monday to keep myself motivated and see my progress from the past week. Lately, I've been the same weight the past two weeks and it has made me disappointed, and sometimes angry. But, it has made me to want to work even harder than I have been.

Every time I get discouraged, I remember my dad telling me this story and remind myself to keep going- don't stop. Strive for progress, not perfection.

Taco Tuesday!

Eating healthy in a world full of delicious (and mostly fattening) foods can be tough. I've come to find out that working out is the easy part. Eating the nutritious and healthy foods is the hardest.

Although, I try not to completely deprive myself because that can end up leading to binging and making all your hard work a waste of time.

So today I have a recipe that will get you your Taco Tuesday craving out of the way (courtesy of Pinterest)- and in a healthier way! For me, Tuesdays and Thursdays are my busiest days as I am at school all day, work and try to fit my work out in. If you have a busy schedule like me, a crock pot is what you need- especially for this recipe.

Crock pot Chicken Tacos 

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts cubed (I just use one or two since it's just me)
• 1 white onion chopped
• 1 canned corn (drained) 
• 1 can black beans (drained)
• 1 can tomatoes and green chilies (drained)
• 1 packet taco seasoning

Directions: 

• Heat crock pot to HIGH setting for 4 hours, or LOW setting for 8 hours
• Add chicken, onion, corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, and taco seasoning to cooker. Stir everything well, and then cover to cook. Stir a little over next few hours.
• Once fully cooked, serve over lettuce (for healthier choice) or crush up taco shells for taco salad.
• Add favorite toppings such as fat free sour cream and cheese, with a little salsa on side.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/421649583848885261/

ENJOY!

Ride Along

No, it isn't what you think.

I'm talking about spinning classes. Now this is a new work out that I've picked up over the past couple of weeks, and I have fell in love with it!

It is a great source of cardio and full body work out for that matter. If you want to drip some serious sweat- do this class! They offer them this semester at the Wellness Center on Tuesday/Thursday at 4:15 and 6:30 pm, and Saturdays at 9:05 am.

So, what is spinning exactly? Spinning is a specific format of indoor cycling and it can be called by other names: "spin", "cycle", etc. It is led by an instructor and involves lots of fun music! If you hate working out alone, and need some type of motivation- spin is the work out for you. The instructor is always (usually) motivating and pushes you to your full potential.

It also burns a lot of calories. I googled to see the exact amount and it really just depends on your weight and how many minutes you go. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you can burn approximately 640 calories in 60 minutes. If you weigh 200 pounds, you can burn up to 860 calories in 60 minutes. So really, it depends on those factors and how much effort you put in.

I have found a new love for spin, and I hope this motivates you to go out and try it as well!

The Journey

fit·ness: noun: the condition of being physically fit and healthy.

Fitness means many different things to people. Some may think it is about being physically "skinny" or "fit" such as the definition. To me, fitness means being happy with yourself internally and externally; being confident in who you are.

This blog is going to be about my journey through my news years resolution in becoming a happier and healthier me. I have struggled with my weight all my life; especially starting at age 12 when my parents got a divorce. I was overeating and wasn't thinking about what I was putting in my mouth. Food was my therapy and made me feel good- especially for a teenage girl who was going through puberty, just got braces and was going into middle school. By the time I was 14 I weighed 145 pounds and was the heaviest I had ever been.

The summer before ninth grade I decided to do something about my weight and simply went on a run. I went running every night that summer and lost 20 pounds- I became obsessed. I would even run in front of the T.V. when I was bored. At this point I felt good about myself and was finally overcoming my depression of my parents divorce. At this point in my life I weighed 125 pounds.

Now all through high school, this was my ideal weight and I had never felt happier. I started gaining weight again when I came to college and got in a serious relationship- which led to the "happy" eating instead of "depressed". My boyfriend at the time and I would go out to eat ALL THE TIME.  And being a freshman in college away from my parents, I was drinking a lot more and not working out. Before I knew it I gained 50 pounds in my 3 years of being away at school. I honestly started to hate myself as this was now the heaviest I had been.

Last year, I lost 20 pounds and that is now up to date with today. This blog is going to be my thoughts on fitness, new workouts and new recipes that I try as I am on this journey to becoming a better me, for me. I hope you enjoy, and decide to join me on this long road ahead.