Tag Archive | Healthy living

Thankful Thursday Week 1/52

The first thankful Thursday of 2020! I’ve been thinking all day what I wanted to share tonight as my Thankful Thursday topic.

Practicing gratitude is definitely something I try to do daily and especially when I’m feeling off. Spoiler alert, I’m feeling very off today!

So today I’m thankful for quiet, rainy afternoon runs to Starbucks! I know that may sound frivolous and spoiled but sometimes it’s nice to take a few minutes out of the day to reset and quiet my brain!

What are you thankful for today?

Consoled a cup of coffee but it didn’t want to talk…

Jan2

2020 …. How did that happen? Wasn’t it just 2010? Didn’t I just start nursing? Get married? Become a mother? How did 10? 20? Years go by so fast?

I’ve got very little advice to offer at this point other then to be weary of people in the darkness who hold flashlights. Not everyone drawing you towards them wants to help you.

No Apologies…

Apr25

Happy Monday! I would love to tell you I’m well rested and excited for the week but I’m not! I covered a 12 hour night shift at work on the weekend, had an Epicure party, got our taxes done, had a ton of things to do and generally didn’t take any time to recharge!

I’m hoping next weekend will be a bit different. Friday night I have an Epicure party, Saturday is Epicure’s Big Buisness conference and also my Birthday!! But Sunday I’m keeping open for some quiet time!!

So you’re probably wondering how my week went in terms of healthy living! Well this morning I weighed myself and I’m down 2 pounds! I’m happy with that because I know slow and steady truly does get things done!

My successes last week were definitely meal preping for my at work meals, increasing my water intake, and better portioning.

I was challenged with eating on the weekend because I didn’t prep. As much as I’d like to wing the weekends I don’t think that’s an option for me. I do best when I’ve thought things through and planned for my day. I’m going to try preping lunches and breakfasts for the weekend Thursday night this week.

I allowed myself a cheat snack on Friday and a cheat meal yesterday morning of pancakes and sausage. It was yummy. I’ve also been having 10 chocolate chips once a day to keep the cravings under control! So far so good! I refuse to fully deny myself of the things I love because I know that will lead to a full on binge.

I was happy to get in some good walks this past week and a few mini at home workouts. My goal is to get to the gym 3 times this week! I find getting to the gym since having Jacob is extremely tough for me but I acknowledge I need to make it a priority!

I wore my Fitbit a few days last week and I truly hate how it rubs my wrist! I need to get a different band if I want to wear it frequently.

I’ve included a few photos of my food choices and pictures from my walks! I’m trying to decide if I want to update daily or weekly! So many choices!

Here’s The Truth…

Apr17

227 pounds.

I said it. I wrote it. I own it.

Mostly I want to change it.

Last month I weighed myself and weighed 224 pounds. The number repeated itself in my head all day and the days following. I considered writing about that number but at some point I changed my mind. I ate well for a few days and then went right back to how it’s been for too long.

I’ve never openly posted my weight. I’ve never openly told anyone “my numbers”. Last time I had a major lifestyle change I talked about how much I lost but never exactly where I started! I was 228 pounds the day I walked into Weight watchers back in 2011. I lost over 50 pounds on that journey. 228 pounds… The heaviest I’ve ever been! Today I’m 1 pound below the heaviest I’ve ever been. I let that sink in all day today.

It’s time for a change. I want to change. I’m not even going to post my list of excuses about why I have gained weight. I am however going to tell you I have too much respect for my body and what it’s capable of to keep treating it this poorly!

Those of you who follow my Instagram, blog, Facebook or who know me personally know the food you see is in fact the “healthy food” I eat. It’s not even the baking I post that’s the issue. I honestly don’t eat 99% of what I bake. I give it away. What you don’t see is the chocolate. You don’t see the double cheeseburger I grab (frequently) in the drive thru because I haven’t made healthy choices a priority.

You don’t see the night time binge eating.

I don’t have a hashtag for hey guys I ate an entire box of Purdys…. Again!

I don’t share those things but it obvious as I continue to get bigger.

My body deserves better than this.

My body gave me a beautiful son and I want to have this under control before my poor habits damage his ability to know what healthy really means!

My body (and my persistence) carried me across the finish line of a 1/2 marathon.

My body carries me through my days and my life.

My body truly deserves better and right now is the first minute of better!

This isn’t just about the number on the scale. This is about so much more. It’s about finding myself, loving myself and treating myself the way I deserve to be treated.

Clean Living Buying Club! Veggies, Community, Health!

Jan29

I recently got the opportunity to take part in a new veggie buying collective organized by a lovely lady named Maria. Maria has organized an awesome program so local families can pool their funds and buy organic, locally grown produce at a great price.

The veggie buying club is a fantastic way for local community members to access fresh, healthy, organic produce while supporting local farms and keeping dollars in our own community and nearby communities.

I am excited to take part in this as it embraces supporting local farms, and eating healthy! Plus it brings together community members! All great things in my eyes.

The club currently offers two boxes, a 5 pound harvest and a 15 pound harvest box. Both boxes contain an assortment of veggies and herbs that will change with the growing seasons! They also offer a juicing box.

This weeks farmer and harvest boxes contained kale, chard, carrots, beets, a variety of potatoes, leeks, herbs, garlic and the option of wheatgrass add ons.

We have already eaten the white potatoes, carrots, and rainbow chard, All of which have been delicious, fresh and flavourful.

Maria is in the process of getting more farms and local products involved! Hopefully soon the collective will have one stop access to local eggs, honey, seeds, etc.

I am throughly impressed that Maria has give up her own time and energy to bring something so amazing to her community.

If you’re interested in taking part in the collective or just looking for more information check out The Clean Living Team website.

A Fresh Start…

Jan1

As the first day of January in this brand new year winds down I thought I’d share my day and my thoughts with you!

As some of you know I am taking part in Epicure’s new healthy living program Good food real results. Today was my kick off day! While I can’t share specific recipes and program material, I can show you what I’m eating these days!! I’ve decided that sharing my food and blogging more both things I want to do to help keep myself on track!

My meals today have been healthy and delicious! Full of clean, whole ingredients.

I’ve never been one to jump on the resolution bandwagon or get into that “New year, new me” mentality. However this year the things in my life just line up as January being a starting point. I don’t want to call these things I’m taking part in “resolutions”, I see them more as goals, opportunites and experiences!

One of my goals is more family time. We send lots of time together in general but I mean uninterrupted family time! No phones, no tv, no internet! Today my little family ventured to the duck pond to feed the ducks and go for a walk! Afterwards we had a quick visit with Grandpa and Grandma. Jacob was a big fan of both.

Muffin didn’t come on our like family outing because she has an ear infection. Her and I did venture out for a walk this morning and discovered a little fairy garden in our neighborhood. I love seeing thoughtful little things people do to make others smile.

The rest of my day has been pretty quiet. We took down the Christmas decorations, did some planning for the week and enjoyed the sunshine.

I hope everyone enjoyed the first day of the year.

Quitting…

Dec9

We all have a thousand things to do this time of year! Lets face it, we have a thousand things to do at all times during the year. Life can be overwhelming at times and for me yesterday was one of those times.

Yesterday I made the decision to quit Weight Watchers. I am both saddened and relieved by this. I am saddened for a few reasons, mainly because I will miss the weekly visits with my meeting friends. I’ve made some strong friendship connections since joining in June. I know I will still see those friends, just not as frequently. I am also saddened because by quiting im losing my built in accountability of a weekly weigh in. Back in 2011 (before my Lupus got bad) I had amazing success with Weight watchers. I lost over 50 pounds in a year with the program! Of course my life was very different then and I had amazing support from a friend, freedom/ability to workout when I wanted, much less responsibility, etc. This time around my success has been much slower. I’ve lost 15 pounds since June 1st. I realize my illness and my new Mom life are both factors in my slow loosing and I accept that. I make a point of eating healthy and doing what I can when I can, that to me in itself is a success! Not all victories are revealed by the number on the scale or the size of my pants!!

You might be wondering why I quit given I just told you all about my success! I quit because I can’t get behind the new program released this week. The changes are substantial and I can’t wrap my head around a program that says I can have a beer for less points than a glass of milk! I can eat heavily processed/ chemical laden brand name potato crisps for less points than a 1/4 avocado. In my opinion the points values of many foods no longer represents their nutrition! I can’t force myself to follow a program that doesn’t give me enough daily points to have oatmeal with milk, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for breakfast. A green salad with 4 oz of grilled chicken, 1/4 of an avocado, & 1 tablespoon dressing for lunch, and a high fibre wrap with 4 oz lean protein, 1 oz of cheese, veggies and salsa for dinner. Plus one serving of Greek yogurt and berries for a snack! That’s three healthy meals and one snack and according to the new program I wouldn’t have enough points for that.

When a program starts to cause more stress than health benifits it’s time to throw in the towel. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing in the towel on healthy eating! I’m just throwing in the towel on paying $60 a month to be stressed out when making healthy choices!!

Naturebox Review

Sep17

I’m a big fan of healthy, fun snacks so when I got my free Naturebox I was super excited to bust into it!

Naturebox is a monthly subscription box that ships right to your door. You can choose 3 or 5 snacks and add on premium snacks like turkey jerky for an additional fee.

Naturebox allows you to pick your own snacks each month from a huge list of snacks. They have something for every type of snacker! Sweet, salty, crunchy, soft. Nuts, cookies, dried fruit, crackers, popcorn, etc.

It took me a while to pick out what I wanted to try but I finally settled on Prailne pumpkin seeds, Peanut butter yum yums, Harvest nut mix, Sweet and Salty nuts, and Whole wheat strawberry fig bars.

It is safe to say I enjoyed all my selections but the Harvest nut mix was my favourite!

I am a huge trail mix fan and the flavours in this mix were delicious! I loved the corn and the cracker sticks! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a slightly salty, crispy snack.

My second favourite selection was the Praline pumpkin seeds.

These are sweet little bites of crispy goodness! They are a very Autumn feeling snack thanks to the pumpkin pie spice. They cured my sweet tooth without breaking the calorie bank!

My next favourite snack was the Sweet and Salty nuts.

I am a big fan of nuts on salads and these mixed sweet and salty nuts where perfect for that!! They weren’t overly sweet or salty, as Goldilocks would say “Just right!”

Next I tried the Peanut butter nom nom’s.

Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about peanut butter!! Very amorous is how I feel for those who don’t know!! These were tasty little treats but ring in at 100 calories each! It is hard to eat just one as they are like soft little cookies but 100 calories each seemed high to me.

My final snack was the Whole wheat strawberry fig bars.

I enjoyed these and think they would make a great snack to grab to keep in my bag for those days we are out and about longer than expected. They packed a big fig flavor and the whole wheat made them feel more healthy than a traditional fig cookie.

Over all I really enjoyed my Naturebox sample box and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys healthy snacking. A box of 5 full size snacks will run you $19.99 a month and you can cancel your subscription anytime or order your box more frequently as you choose. In my opinion the price is totally fair given the high quality, full size snack you receive.

I’m definitely looking forward to picking next months snacks!

Check out Naturebox here!!

Argentinian Chimichurri Flank Steak

Aug27

Kevin and I have decided to seek out one new dinner recipe a week to cook together and share. This week we thought the recipe for Chimichurri flank steak in this weeks Weight watchers weekly looked good!

We made the marinade last night and let the steak marinade a full 24 hours prior to cooking. I really enjoyed the flavors of the marinade but Kevin found the red wine flavor a touch over powering. We both agreed we would double the garlic next time!

As stated above this is not my recipe. It is a Weight Watchers recipe.

Ingredients
1 Small bunch parsley
4 Cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
1 1/2 Teaspoon salt (I used 1 teaspoon)
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 Teaspoons olive oil (divided)

1 Pound lean flank steak
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper pinch

Method
24 hours in advance prep and marinade the steak.

Combine first 8 ingredients and purée in a food processor until relatively smooth.

Place 3 tablespoons of Chimichurri into a small bowl and add 1 tsp olive oil.

Rub mixture over steak and allow to marinade for 24 hours. Refrigerate remaining Chimichurri after adding remaing Olive oil.

When ready to cook preheat grill to high heat. Wipe off marinade, pat dry and season steak with salt and pepper. Spray grill with cooking spray. Grill steak for 5-7 minutes per side, flipping once. Cook to medium rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest. Drizzle remaining Chimichurri sauce over steak and serve!

I would recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a flavorful healthy steak recipe.

Starting Over

Apr2

“You only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low.”

It’s been a while since I posted anything except recipes! I figured today is as good as any to change that. It’s been a long few months. Being off work has not been anything I expected it to be. I have found myself with zero motivation to eat healthy, workout, etc. I have taken giant strides backwards from where I was because running and working out has caused me too much pain. My mental struggles of being unable to get my body to work with me has been a frustrating experience.

On Monday Kevin and I met with Chris, a personal trainer at a new local gym. We spent four hours with him and it was an amazing experience. Having the chance to voice my experiences and frustrations was almost a cleansing experience. I walked away from the session having realized a number of things.

I realized I have spent the last months letting my illness get the best of me both physically and mentally. I have spent all my time focusing on where I’ve been and not where I’m going. I let the past cloud my vision of where I am today and what I need to do to take care of myself.

I realized I have forgotten to pay attention to what my body can do VS what the Lupus says it can’t. I need to be more realistic about my training goals. I need to embrace the good days and accept the bad days with a little more understanding and grace.

Chris reminded me that those bad days are going to be that much worse if I give up all together. Things will be harder if I continue to let my healthy eating slide.

Somedays I won’t be able to do a full workout or run. Somedays I’m going to hurt. Somedays I’m going to make poor food choices but that doesn’t mean I need to give up completely. One slip doesn’t mean I need to fall off the mountain and sit idly by and let it crumble on top of me.

On Monday I decided to spend the next 30 days embracing the life I have. I decided to go back to square one. The past is done with and where I was 6 months ago, a year ago, 2 years ago no longer has any bearing in where I am today! I’ve decided to embrace what I learned and what I was capable of in the past but to leave it alone and start fresh.

My main goal is to listen to my body. Going back to basics will hopefully reenforce the good healthy habits I know I am capable of embracing. Starting fresh gives me a chance to relearn what works for me right now.

Last night I took the trainers advice and took Muffin for a brisk 30 minute walk to warm up my muscles before jumping on the treadmill and attempting my first “back to basics run” of hopefully many. I walked as I needed and felt strong the whole time! Afterwards again at chris’ advice I spent a good amount of time stretching and foam rolling to avoid aches and hip pain. This morning when I woke up I stretched my legs and was thrilled to feel no post run pain! This was a huge victory for me and reminded me that even though my body isn’t perfect and lupus kicks my ass it can still do some amazing things! I am cautiously optimistic regarding my running. I know I can’t push it and I know that if the Lupus pain flares up I need to reevaluate things. But for today I’m calling it a win!

Today was a gorgeous day and we took Muffin to the park for a 3 km walk. It was nice to be out in the sunshine and fresh air. We came home and made a healthy dinner and then I headed off to the gym for an hour workout.

I keep picturing the little tortoise,from the children’s book The Tortoise and The Hare, not because I feel like I’m racing anyone or myself but because he reminds me that dedication and determination are the stepping stones to my own success.

I’ve spent too much time letting my self perceived failures dictate my current endeavors. I was reminded that nothing is a failure, it’s simply an experience. I realize that despite feeling good the last few days my body will undoubtedly challenge me again in the near future and that is why I realize it’s best for me to take baby steps one day at a time. As cliche as it sounds I really believe baby steps are the answer to my getting back on track. Maybe in a few months I will be strong enough to set more substantial goals, or maybe I won’t. Either way I’m fully committed to starting fresh and embracing myself and all the things my body and mind are capable of doing. It’s a much better option than the self sabotage I’ve grown accustom to the last 6 months!

Life With The McGavins

100% Not Sugar Coated