My Lifestyle Change

        I've spent the majority of my life struggling with my weight. Over the past couple years I've lost over 50 pounds by eating right. My major down fall is my sweet tooth, but I just recently started baking healthy and believe it or not the recipes have been amazing! I will share the recipes with you as I make/approve them! But back to my lifestyle change, I try to incorporate a "super food" (see super foods below) into every snack/meal. My snacks and meals consist of foods high in fiber and protein and low in added sugar and processed ingredients. I eat mostly whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, oats, popcorn, nuts and dark chocolate. I enjoy every snack and meal I eat and feel it is so important to enjoy your food because to me food and how it taste is very VERY important! If I was depriving myself like many people do who start a "diet", I would have never been successful in my weight loss. Because I eat REAL food and food with a lot of nutrients and benefits, I feel healthier and  more energized than ever!
     "It's not a race, it's a marathon" is a quote that has helped me be successful in my weight loss, as well. It has helped me take it slow and not deprive myself. If I tried to race to my goal I would not have become the person I am today. I would have just deprived myself, lost the weight, and then gained it all back with more because nothing new was learned. However, thinking of it as a marathon and not a race, I was able to learn how to change my lifestyle into a healthy one. I never deprive myself because I think there needs to be days where you indulge in your cravings. You crave things for a reason, but that does not mean it is okay to go eat 10 Snicker bars! As long as you eat good more than you eat bad you're on the road to success. 

     Life is all about making good choices and decisions, so why not make better choices when it comes to food? Research has shown that weightloss is 80% nutrition and 20% fitness, so just by eating right you are 80% of the way there! But to get to that 100% you need to exercise too! I just recently starting enjoying exercise. Why? Because I took my time with it! When I used to think of exercise I used to think of going to the gym and killing myself for hours so that I could than indulge in whatever I want. That's not realistic or healthy! Like my successful healthy eating, I decided to take my exercise slow. I started off walking 2 miles everyday for 2 months. I gradually increased to 3 miles. After I had been exercising for about 4 months I started jogging. Now, a year into my daily exercise routine, I do an hour of Zumba! If you start out slow, you will get into an exercise routine that does not kill you and you may actually start to enjoy it!
Now I do not even think twice about my exercise routine anymore as I could not imagine a day without it. Exercising helps relieve stress, releases natural endorphins and is my hour to "escape".
     Below I will provide you with my grocery list, my meals, super foods, and foods to avoid. Enjoy!

My Grocery List 

Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Kiwi
Watermelon
Blueberries
Bananas
Avocados
Cucumbers
Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli
Spinach
Onions
Peppers
Corn
Shrimp
Chicken breasts
Ground Chicken
Chicken Sausage
Steak
Lean Pork Chops
Talapia
Boars Head Maple Turkey
Boars Head Less Sodium Roast Beef
Butterball Turkey Bacon
Brown Rice
Quinoa
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Barbara's Shredded Spoonfuls (Cereal)
Quakers Oatmeal (Plain) (I add 2 splendas per a serving)
Lowfat Mayo (Green lid)
Eggs
Lox
1/3 Philadelphia Less Fat Cream Cheese
Touyafan Smart Bagels
Roll up Wraps
Flatout Wraps
Mission Carb Balance Tortillas (Small)
Thomas Better Start Lite English Muffins
Lite Vans Waffles
Sugar Free Syrup
Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Moose
PLAIN Greek Yogurt (I add one splenda)
Barely Naked Granola
Sugar Free Cool Whip
Sabra Hummus
Wholly Guacamole
Reduced Fat Sour Cream
Salsa
Special K Chips MY FAVORITE!
Cheez Its
Pop Secret 100 Calorie Butter Popped Corn
Pop Secret 100 Calorie Kettle Corn
Bars (South beach, Atkins, Think Thin)
String Cheese (Made with 2% Milk)
Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios)
Sugar Free Dark Chocolate
Hershey Special Dark Kisses
Dream Fields Pasta* BEST THING EVER
Velveeta Cheese (2% Milk)
Almond Butter (Trader Joe's and Whole foods are the best)
Peanut Butter (Natural)
Sugar Free Jelly
Ore-Ida French Fries
Chocolate Carb Smart Ice Cream
No Sugar Added Ice Cream
Wafer Cones
Crystal Light
Splenda
Libby's Pumpkin Puree
Unsweetened Apple Sauce

Meals

Breakdown:
1 serving of fruit = 1 medium apple, 30 cherries, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 10 large strawberries, 1 medium banana, 7 oz pomegranate, 2 kiwi


Breakfast:
Option 1: 1/2 cup dry oatmeal with 1 serving fruit
Option 2: 2 oz lox with a 1-2 tbsp 1/3 fat Philadelphia cream cheese  on 2 slices light whole wheat toast (60 calories a slice or less) or weight watchers bagel or English Muffin with 1/2 serving fruit
Option 3: 2 eggs any style with 2 slices light whole wheat toast (60 calories a slice or less) or English Muffin with 1/2 serving fruit
Option 4: 1 cup PLAIN Greek Yogurt (add splenda for sweetness) with 1 serving of fruit
Option 5: 1.5 TBSP almond butter with 1 TBSP sugar free jelly on an English Muffin or light whole wheat toast (60 calories per slice or less) with 1/2 serving fruit
Option 6: "Blueberry Grilled Cheese" 2 slices light whole wheat toast with 2 tbsp 1/3 fat Philadelphia cream cheese and 1/4 cup blueberries
Option 7: "Cheddar Cheese, Broccoli, Turkey Bacon Egg Cup" (*See recipe URL on Recipe Page)
Option 8: "Waffle Egg Sandwich" 2 vans lite waffle with one scrambled egg and turkey bacon in the middle (I put 1/4 sugar free syrup on the waffles before adding the egg and bacon.)
Option 9: 2 vans lite waffles with 1/4 sugar free syrup and blueberries (Can add 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips)
Option 10: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffin
Option 11: 2 Dark Chocolate Chip Muffin
Option 12: 2 Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffin
Option 13: Pumpkin Greek Yogurt (Add 1/4 cup Libby's Pumpkin to 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt.)
Option 14: Oatmeal Shake. Try my new recipe for Fall! Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Lunch: 
*You may have 1 serving of fruit with 1/2 serving of Special K Chips with all lunches.
Option 1: 4 oz turkey on a whole wheat wrap (120 calories or less) or "Flat Out" with 1/4 avocado.
Option 2: 2 oz lox on a whole wheat wrap (120 calories or less) or a "Flat Out" with laughing cow cream cheese wedge and 1/2 large cucumber sliced thin.
Option 3: Salad with 4 oz grilled chicken (Use 1/2 TBSP of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress the salad)
Option 4: 1 can of tuna, or 4 oz of chicken or 2 eggs to make tuna, egg or chicken salad. Use 1 TBSP low fat mayo (green lid) to make the salad. Put the salad on top of lettuce or make a sandwich using 2 slices of light whole wheat toast (60 calories per slice or less).
Option 5: "Super chicken Salad" (3.5 oz chicken, low fat mayo, 1/4 apple and 1/4 cup blueberries) on whole wheat wrap, or "Flat Out".
Option 6: Spinach, chicken and feta pasta salad. (Make 2oz dream fields or whole wheat pasta. Mix with spinach chicken and feta.)
Option 7: 4 oz chicken cutlet or turkey with 1/4 avocado and buffalo sauce. Have with 1/2 bag lettuce with small apple chopped up and balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tsp olive oil.

Dinner:
Option 1: 4-8oz of Steak (4 oz for females, 8 oz for males) with 1 medium sweet potato or 1 serving of quinoa and 1 serving of corn or 1 serving of broccoli.
Option 2: 2 oz of uncooked whole wheat pasta (usually 1 cup cooked so 1/2 cup dry) with 4 oz of chicken and 1/2 cup broccoli with 1oz Velveeta cheese made with 2% milk.
Option 3: 4-6 oz chicken stir fry (use low sodium soy sauce and sugar free syrup as the base) with either edamame or broccoli and 1 serving of brown rice or 1 serving whole wheat noodles and 1 tbsp peanuts.
Option 4: 4-8 oz of Pork (4 oz for females, 8 oz for males) with broccolini and edamame and 1 serving of brown rice or quinoa
Option 5: Lentil soup with 2 chicken sausage links cut up
Option 6: 2 chicken sausage links with peppers and onions on a whole wheat hoagie (use misto to saute the onions and peppers)
Option 7: 2 oz uncooked whole wheat pasta with 2 chicken meatball and tomato sauce and 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese.
Option 8: Lean Pork Chop topped with apple and onion slices and a sweet Potato and salad (use balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tbsp olive oil for dressing.)
Option 9: Lean Pork Chop with 1/2 cup apple sauce and 1 serving Ore-Ida French Fries and salad (use balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tbsp olive oil for dressing.)
Option 10: "Fish Taco" 1 Mission Carb Balance Tortilla, around 5 oz Talapia, 1 tbsp reduced fat sour cream, Salsa and 1/4 avocado. Serve with 1 cup low fat refried beans and 1/2 cup rice or 1 serving Special K Chips.

Snacks:
Option 1: 1 serving of fruit
Option 2: 20 special k chips with 1/4 avocado or 2 tbsp hummas
Option 3: Bar
Option 4: 10 Almonds with 3 Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses
Option 5: 1 serving peanuts
Option 6: 1/2 medium apple with 1 light string cheese
Option 7: 1 TBSP almond butter and 1/2 fruit or 3 Wasa Crisps
Option 8: 1 cup PLAIN Greek yogurt (add splenda for sweetness) with 1/2 cup blueberries
Option 9: 100 calorie popped corn or kettle corn
Option 10: 2 oz lox rolled up with 1 laughing cow cream cheese wedge and 1/2 large cucumber sliced thin
Option 11: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffin
Option 12: Dark Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffin
Option 13: Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffin 
Option 14: 100 Calorie Pistachio Peanut Dark Chocolate Trail Mix (10 pistachios, 1 tbsp peanuts, 7 special dark chocolate chips.)

Dessert:
4 oz FroYo (Stay away from bad toppings!)
3/4 cup chocolate carb smart or no sugar added ice cream with 1/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup no sugar added in small wafer cone
1 Sugar free jello mouse with 2 TBSP lite cool whip and berries
1 Sugar free jello with 1 TBSP lite cool whip
1 Kozy Shack or Jello Rice Pudding with 2 TBSP Cool Whip
1 "Baked Microwaved Apple Pie" (Slice apple and add 2 tbsp water and microwave for 2 minutes. Then top with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 splenda, dash of cinnamon a couple walnuts.)
Dark Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffin
Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffin
Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

*Women: Each day choose 1 breakfast option, 1 lunch option, 1 dinner option,  2 snacks and 1 dessert or 3 snacks if you do not like dessert. If you work out add another snack.
*Men: Each day choose 1 breakfast option, 1 lunch option, 1 dinner option, 4 snacks and 1 dessert or (5 snacks if you don't want dessert). If you work out add another snack.
*NOTE: This is just an estimate for each person. You may need to adjust it depending on your size. This averages to about 1800 calories a day for women and  2400 calories a day for men.

Super Foods

Almond butter
Artichokes
Blueberries
Cherries
Dark Chocolate
Apples
Avocados
Broccoli
Coffee
Edamame
Eggs
Kale
Goji Berries
Kiwifruit
Lentils
Mushrooms
Oats
Olive Oil
Parmesan
Peanuts
Pomegranates
Popcorn
Pumpkin seeds
Quinoa
Sardines
Steak
Sweet Potatoes
Whole-grain Pasta
Wild Salmon (Aka Lox)
Yogurt

*Note these Super Foods are from SELF Magazine. They state "Eat more to weigh less! These 20 foods rev calorie burn and curb cravings!"

Foods to Avoid

Soda (Yes, even diet!)
Juices
White starches
Candy
High fat proteins (Ex: sausage and red meats although red meat is okay in moderation!)
Anything "Fat Free" (*some exceptions, see below).
     Did you know that when food companies take out fat they replace the fat with sugar. Sugar breaks down to fat, so in fact your "fat free" treat is not fat free. You're better off eating the natural version of the product as it contains less preservatives and sugar. The fat will not kill you!
*There are a few exceptions. Fat free mayo contains no sugar and has a quarter of the calories as regular mayonnaise. Also, sour cream is great in its reduced fat version instead of the full fat version. Do not ever buy fat free sour cream or fat free cheese because when they take out the fat the taste goes out with it!