Awesome August: Healthy Habits & Having FUN!

Friday was one of those great summer days when the sun is out and it is hot but there are billowy clouds that are calling for you to get outside and DO something!  Luckily for me, my job allows us to have a couple of Fridays off over the summer and this past Friday afternoon was my turn!

I'm proud of myself for how well I've been doing planning and then logging all my meals.  I can't say that I have stuck 100 percent to my planned out food, but I bet I'm averaging well over 85 percent and - for me - that is a win! : )

To keep up with my planning of food, I needed to hit the local farm stand and grocery store to get some healthy foods ready for the weekend and coming week.  I have a friend who wanted to go with me - talk about your healthy eater - this gal is paper thin and up for any sort of challenge... and I'm not kidding! ; ) (Cue the FitStella montage!)

It is soooo wonderful to have the farm stands stocked with local summer fruits and vegetables!  I picked up local watermelon and berries, cantaloupe, three varieties of fresh lettuce, sweet corn, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes - all from Wilson Farm in Lexington, Mass.  I stopped at my favorite little local fish market and picked up scallops and the local Stop 'n Shop for skinless chicken and avocados.

After getting home, it was time to get ready for the weekend ahead with some food prep... one huge garden salad and one huge fruit salad were in order with FitStella overseeing the whole operation! : )

All the lettuces got broken into smaller pieces and rinsed and spun dry.  When that was done it was onto the fruit salad... 

Personally, I could eat fruit salad everyday of the week if it was always THIS fresh and juicy.  But I have to portion it out because there are many more calories in fruit salad than a green salad... but still... I'm oh-so-willing to walk a half a mile to burn off a few extra scoops of fruit salad that is this delicious! : )

After the salads were stored in the frig, it was time for some fun exercise in the sun... bike riding! Yay!  Helmet and Go Sport ID both in place, an expected 30 minute bike ride ended up being 90 minutes on the bike path because it was so darn nice out I didn't want to turn around and come home! : )  But FitStella suggested we probably should ride home before dark since I hadn't brought my headlight or blinking rear light for the bike with us.  (Not only is she fit and healthy, FitStella is smart!)

We made it home long before twilight with just enough light outdoors left for me to snap this photo! 

FitStella will be traveling to someone else's home this coming week... and she'd love to visit a home that has kids in the house!  Any chance you're a health, weight loss and/or fitness blogger and interested in hosting her for a week?  Let me know if you would like FitStella's adventure to continue at your home and I'll let you know the details! : )

It was a great day and leisure biking is an easy way to burn calories without even realizing you are! Those are the best activities sometimes! : )

Here's to our health, friends!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

An Awesome August 1st in Pictures : ) PS: FitStella Arrives! (Woot!)

I've had a great on-plan day for the first day of the Awesome August Challenge... so great and so busy that I'm tired out and want to get to bed to get a good night's sleep to start it all again in the morning! : )

So tonight's post is a pictorial (kind of...) of Monday, August 1st... a day in the life of a healthy loser gal! *grin*

Breakfast looked something like the photo over there... 'cept it was plain yogurt and raspberries and blueberries. But the photo I took of breakfast is on my work laptop which is... unfortunately... in my office.

I made a turkey, avocado, tomato with dijon mustard sandwich for my lunch at home and brought it into the office... with a fresh, juicy peach.  Really delicious! :)



Did my food journal thruout the day!



After work I headed for my first workout at Healthworks in Porter Square to take advantage of the all club pass I won at FitBoston.  I really "got my sweat on" and was only there for 35-40 minutes working out.  More on Healthworks tomorrow night, but this is a photo of Danielle who oriented me to the great fitness club and spa yesterday.  She shared with me that she has lost 100 lbs and started at over 230 lbs.  Now she's toned and sculpted and just ran over 4.5 miles last week.  So very cool. 

Drove back home and was pretty tired out by this point, but - lo and behold!  What is this in my mailbox?! Ohhhh... woohooo.... Fit Stella has arrived in Lexington!   She and I are going to have an awesome week together.

What's that? Who or what is FitStella?  Well - short 'n sweet, you can read about her on MizFitOnline's site but you'll be seeing her plenty this week on the blog.  She's a world traveler... she's a health icon... a fitness guru.  And Stella and I have some sites to see, some healthy food to eat, some adventures in store.  Stay tuned!

Nearly 8:30pm by the time I'm out of the shower, flowers are watered and I'm ready to make my planned dinner.  Huge salad with balsamic dressing, skinless 4oz chicken, fat free Hood cottage cheese with a little salsa on both the chicken and cottage cheese - oh so delicious.  And a small (4oz) glass of Reisling.  Reward for staying on plan and a great day!

A pretty perfect day, all in all.  August really IS going to be awesome! : )

Dream... because we all need to believe we can do great things.
Believe... 'cause when you truly believe and work hard toward your dreams, great things begin to happen!
Achieve... you'll be amazed at all the goals you'll surpass, all the magical moments your life will hold!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Losing 100 pounds - - Steering Back on Course!

In a couple of weeks I will be at the one year annivesary mark of having lost 100 pounds.  And while I am so very thankful to have lost the 100 pounds, in reality - at the New Year - I was at 122 lbs. total lost, working out 4-5x weekly, and then gained back seven pounds over the course of a difficult few months AND let up on my exercise.  And those 7 pounds have stayed on me and I'm not too thrilled about it when I truly examine my own conscience.  The reason I'm a little peeved with myself is because I know in my heart I could have kept the 122 lbs. off had I tried a little harder... had I not used the excuse of my life being a little difficult.  And I *felt* better at that weight and still had some to go before I was where I think I will ultimately end up. 

So... that said, the one thing I have never done successfully is plan my food.  I'm an avid food logger / exercise log writer, but I absolutely stink at planning out my food.  As of tonight - as of this blog post - that stops. I believe that is the last hurdle I need to overcome to feel I am where I need to be in my learning curve for a truly satisfied "healthy loser" experience. 

Wish me luck.  Tomorrow morning starts with my typical cup of no fat yogurt, berries, and Kashi GoLean Crunch.  Banana at mid-morning.  Water. Water. Water. : )  Lunch will be a slice of whole wheat bread, 3 oz turkey, slice of swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, dijon mustard and tossed salad with 1/2 hard boiled egg, balsamic dressing and a pint of low fat chocolate milk.  That's my plan thus far.  I'll figure out dinner tomorrow morning when I log the cals/fat grams for the food I already have planned.

Advice is welcomed on what I need more of, i.e. protein, fats, etc. 

I'm strong and stubborn and my decision is made.  I'm doing this!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal