Pinterest Boards: Three Tips to Get Organized!

Hi there!

I know I've written before about my love for Pinterest, but let me just emphasize my affection.

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I friggin' love Pinterest.

My good friend Amber told me recently that her recipe boards are organized two ways: by recipes she has made and enjoyed and another with recipes she wants to try.

Brilliant, I tell you!
I wish I would have thought of this a long time ago!

So now I bring you my TWO newest boards on my Pinterest profile:

I know, I know. The names aren't too exciting or creative.

Also, I seriously can't believe that I've made 90 recipes!

As I've struggled with my weight over the years, my original "Healthy Foods!" board, as it was previously named, has been so reliable. Yes, a lot of the pins are from SkinnyTaste, but there's quite a few from other bloggers and sources. I have certainly been populating and updating my boards since January 11 of this year, when I restarted Weight Watchers. Keeping meals interesting and varied has helped me to stay on track.
(And after 3 months I've lost 17 pounds and 16.5 inches! I still have a long way to go but I'm on my way thanks to these recipes and a ton of exercise!)

Here are three tips the keep your boards in tip top shape:

1) Dig in. I like to click through to view my source and the ingredients before I commit to pin it.
2) If you are interested in a list, click through and see which recipes truly suit your fancy. Then pin those recipes from that post. This will cut down clicking and scrolling when you go to cook. Honestly, I need to go through my pins that list things such as "20 Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipes," pick recipes from that list to pin individually and delete the list pin on my board. I know I won't make the recipes until I take this step! It's lazy but true!
3) Be realistic. If there is a difficult recipe I probably won't make it, so - going back to #1 - I like to look at the ingredients and steps involved to achieve the final product. Unless it's for a special occasion I keep my pins attainable. Also, for tougher recipes (for me this typically involves baking and/or unhealthy ingredients) I have another board called #ThisIsWhyImFat...and I haven't made a single recipe on the board.

These tips translate to areas aside from recipes, too. I need to organize in this manner for my "Motivation" board and hairstyles I've tried from my "My (Wannabe) Style" board.

Interested in my favorite healthy and/or "healthified" meals I've prepared? The best of the best, if you will? Let me know and I'll create some posts to share both recipes I make again and again as well as some new finds.

Have any good Weight Watchers pins to share? Please leave your username in the comments or go ahead and send me a pin or two!

Have a good one!

Work It Out Wednesday: Week 21

Hi gang!

Rough week for me. I just feel tired, which doesn't make sense. It's been tough for me to wake up in the mornings, and my workouts at night have been lackluster. Help me out of this funk, friends!!

As promised, I did try a new workout this week. I've actually been doing quick 10-minute morning workouts a few times this week. It doesn't do much for me, but it's better than nothing!

Weekly Workout:

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Weekly disclaimer:
Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no fitness/nutrition authority. I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.

How I made it harder:  Nada. No energy to add on, I just wanted to get it done!
Overall impression: I'm happy I carved even just ten minutes to do this. My head really hurt when I woke up, but I took a day off the previous day and NEEDED to do something to not hate myself entirely! I know it's a silly issue.
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): Meh, a 3. It was 10 minutes. haha
How I felt when it was over: I knew I could have done more if I had time. But again, it was something
Would I do it again? Absolutely! I want continue to try a bunch of 10-minute workouts for late mornings and for after work.

Weekly recipe:

I'm excited to use the slow cooker this Saturday and I found this recipe on Skinnytaste.com that looks too good to pass up!

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Weekly motivation:

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So true. I need to remember this!

And I need to love my body! Someday? Maybe?

Weekly workout sass:

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TOTALLY.

Earlier this week I went for a run and it was awful. It was my fifth run outdoors this month and my absolute worst. My goal was to run four miles, and my knees hurt and feet cramped after 1.5. I was so ashamed and walk/ran for another mile before calling it quits for the day. I was so disappointed in myself and felt like a whale...but I at least got out there.

I have to remember how I feel when I don't do anything vs. when I do something and it doesn't work out the way I was hoping it would.

Anyone else have this issue? How do you overcome it?

Have a good one!

Work it Out Wednesday: Week 18

Hi gang!

Thank you so much for the overwhelming support about my announcement last week. It means the world to me that all of you who commented believe that I could make a good Beachbody coach. And thanks for making me feel normal and not fat! :)

I'm so busy with everything and from taking an incredible mini vacay this weekend, so I need to buckle down and build my business! Luckily my Piyo, boxing and Pinterest workouts are always there for me, even when I'm busy.

I even posed like a dork on the beach this Monday!

LOL my jumping jacks and squats crack me up!

Gosh I wish I was still on Amelia Island...sigh...

Alrighty back to it. Please feel free to send me any good workouts that you see. I'm always on the lookout!


Weekly disclaimer:
Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no fitness/nutrition authority. I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.


Weekly Workout:

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I love this workout, but you have to click through to view descriptions of the moves and such. I made a quick image if, like me, you just like to see what you need to do without scrolling!

Click through for descriptions if you don't know what all of these moves are (I didn't!).

How I made it harder:  I paired this with two other workouts!
Overall impression: I loved doing this after a short Piyo workout and the daily workout for my Beachbody 6-Day Shred Group. I really need to work on my back, so I was excited for all of these moves.
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): This wasn't a sweaty one, even after two other workouts. I think I was at a 4 after the whole shebang.
How I felt when it was over: So great! I loved giving about 45 minutes to myself Tuesday morning. Total body workouts make me happy.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! I should just do this as I watch TV at night. It really didn't take long so I'm happy that I added it!

Weekly recipe:

I don't know what's happening but I am CRAVING to cook! Honestly it's all I want to do as I'm writing this. I already planned my crock pot for Sunday. If you're curious, it's one of my favorite recipes from My Whole30: shredded salsa chicken. I'll also be making my mother-in-law's delicious black beans to go with it! I'm so excited!

Aside from that, last night I made Gina's recipe (from skinnytaste.com) for dinner this week: One Pot Turkey Taco Chili with Mac and Cheese!

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I mean, hi. It is SO amazing. Low fat and Weight Watcher-friendly? All the better.

Weekly motivation:

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I need to print this and post it on my mirror!

Weekly workout sass:

My friend saw this on Instagram and I immediately reposted it!

It made me giggle!

Have a good one!

My Whole30: A Recap

You guys! What an incredible program! I loved Whole30!

Today this post is all about my Whole30 experience: I'll answer some questions, share some tips and tricks, ...and basically link to all of the awesome recipes I tried.

On board? Sweet. Let's jam.

I started the Whole30 Program on January 2. Some co-workers also participated in Whole30, and my husband, Andrew, ate most of what I made, too. It was a great support system!

Now that it's over, I honestly miss how I felt during those 30 days. I stupidly ate and drank a bunch of gunk right when the 30 days expired, and instantly felt like junk. The program advises to reintroduce different foods gradually to see how they affect your body. Then you can choose to make changes to your overall lifestyle.

Welp, I had carbs, dairy and booze most of the weekend. All in one fell swoop. I didn't pick and choose. The gang was all there.

I think I felt more hungover from the processed food and sugar than from the alcohol. I was also sluggish. Was it all in my head? Maybe a little, but my stomach hurt and I had a headache, so probably not completely.

When Monday arrived this week I ate clean, wholesome food again. And wine. :) Aside from the wine headache I now feel better. Phew! I'm happy I hopped back on the wagon. This further supports that a paleo lifestyle is totally for me. For the most part I will continue to eat clean and healthy, and, on occasion, will indulge in the big three c's: Cheese, Chocolate and Cocktails. Trying to cut out things completely just isn't realistic for me. A girl's gotta have some sweets every now and then, amIright?

OK here are some deets:

1. I missed the following: caffeine, pop, wine, and chocolate.
2. I surprisingly didn't miss dairy, which was strange because cheese is a good friend of mine. However, I found myself missing lattes, but only because it's cold outside and lattes are more of a comfort than a necessity. That was a mind-blowing realization considering I previously either had coffee or lattes every day. 
3. I still snacked. Granted, you're not supposed to...something about your brain thinking desserts and anything sweet (including fruits) could process the sweetness and make you crave the bad sugar later. Or something like that. Whatever. I could only eat so many veggies. Some of my favorite snacks were/are cashews, Chomps Meat Sticks and Larabars (the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors are the only Whole30-friendly ones that I could find). Those satisfied my salty and sweet cravings. I ate a ton of fruits and veggies, though, don't worry.
4. I messed up. I drank pop a couple of times and had some flavored water containing sucrose. I had a latte once. My husband and I went to Milwaukee for a mini vacation and I ate and drank so much that I shouldn't have. I also baked some delicious breakfast bars that had coconut sugar, which is apparently not Whole30-friendly. Whoops.
5. I didn't care that I messed up. Why? Well, I went right back to the program after I faltered. No one is perfect. Just because you fall off of a wagon doesn't mean you can't jump back on.
6. I loved cooking, but it did get tough. Seriously gang, stock up. It's so easy to resort to the easy stuff (aka take-out) when you don't have some meals prepared or easily handy. Make a bunch of the yummy meals you make and freeze them! Sundays were my big cooking days.
7. I wasn't too social and rarely ate out at restaurants. January is probably the least social month of the year. It was a good month to pick for this. When I did go out to eat I would go low-carb, high protein and dairy-free. AKA I'd get a burger with lots of veggies and without the bun or cheese. I'm sure it was cooked in something I shouldn't have had, but whatever. It's better than fried food and more interesting than a salad!
8. I worked out consistently. Admittedly there were times that I felt dizzy or faint, so I knew that I needed more protein pre- and post workouts.
9. Eating healthy is expensive, but I still saved money. Considering that I didn't go out and/or drink, the grocery bills weren't so bad at the end of the day.
10. I lost 4.5 pounds. Yep, I'm still your trusty chubby friend. I didn't expect to lose a bunch because I still ate a bunch. I still need to work on portion control! What can I say? The recipes were so good!!

Speaking of recipes:

l | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7 | 8
9 | 10 | 11 | 12
13 | 14 | 15 | 16

1. Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas
2. Easy Paleo Pot Roast
3. Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bites
4. Turkey Avocado Wraps
5. Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken
6. Caramelized Apples & Cinnamon
7. Crock Pot Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with a Balsamic Glaze
8. Paleo Cabbage Roll Skillet Dinner
9. Bolognese Sauce (over zucchini noodles!)
10. Shredded Salsa Chicken
11. Healthy "Ramen" Noodles
12. Paleo Italian Chicken Fingers
13. Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein
14. Paleo Shepherd's Pie
15. 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
16. Strawberry Banana Paleo Breakfast Bars

I wrote about all of these in my previous weekly posts with opinions and recipe modifications. I definitely have favorites (Numbers 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16) and one I won't try again (#11 - it was tasty, but it really didn't taste like Ramen). These recipes were phenomenal and I am so thankful to the creative bloggers who came up with them and shared them!

Overall, I recommend Whole30. It's awesome. It helps you hit "reset," especially after the indulgent holiday season. It helps you feel better. It was tough at times but it was definitely worth it!

Did I miss anything? Do you think you'll do Whole30 in the future? If you want a buddy, count me in!

Have a good one!

Work It Out Wednesday: Week 15

Hi gang!
Anyone else have issues waking up these days? I go to the boxing gym a few times a week for the 6am class and WOW it's tough to wake up! On my non-gym days it's hard to wake up at that time, too...but luckily I have quick workouts on my Pinterest Motivation Board that give me swift ways to earn my morning shower! ;)

Please feel free to send me any good workouts that you see. I'm always on the lookout!


Weekly disclaimer:
Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no fitness/nutrition authority. I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.


Weekly Workout:

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How I made it harder:  I added weights allowing me to do some bicep and shoulder exercises during the squats and lunges and I did not go to my knees during the push-ups.
Overall impression: This was a pretty decent workout. It wasn't my favorite or anything, but I didn't hate it!
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): About a 6.
How I felt when it was over: Great! I had woken up late when I completed this workout, so I was happy to have a little sweat fest in about 20 minutes.
Would I do it again? Definitely! This is perfect for traveling!

Weekly recipe:
Just because I'm finished with Whole30 certainly doesn't mean that I'm finished sharing recipes! (I plan to do a recap of my Whole30, by the way!!)

I picked two recipes from my favorite site, Gina's Skinny Taste, for a lovely Friday meal with our cousin: Arroz con Pollo and chocolate parfaits!

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I can't recommend these recipes enough! They are delicious!!!

Weekly motivation:

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This is so so so true, especially for me. Anyone else a stress eater? 

I think this is the most important thing to remember:

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Weekly workout sass:

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Cooooooooookies!!!!!!

haha gotta love Cookie Monster :)

Have a good one!

My Whole30: Week 4

Hi gang!

As a reminder, I started the Whole30 Program on January 2 and I'm posting once a week to share some of the recipes, while highlighting my favorite on my Wednesday posts. Some co-workers are also doingWhole30, and my husband, Andrew, eats most of what I make, too. Great support system!

Today marks Day 25 of the 30 day program and I still love it. I took a break on Saturday, though, I must admit. We took a mini vacation over the weekend! We took the train Saturday morning to Milwaukee to watch Georgetown beat Marquette in OT! It was AWESOME!!!!! I just love Milwaukee and I sure did celebrate the city. YUM! I don't feel guilty one bit and I went right back to eating right on Sunday. This is just further proof that I really think a paleo lifestyle is totally doable and I will adopt the 80/20 lifestyle after my Whole30 days are done. Essentially I will eat clean and healthy a vast majority of the time, and, on occasion, will indulge in the big three c's: Cheese, Chocolate and Cocktails. Trying to cut out things completely just isn't realistic for me.

Anyway, on to the recipes!
I froze a bunch from last week, so I have a lot of repeats for lunch this week (not complaining!). Here's what's coming for this week:

l | 2 | 3 | 4

1. I am so thankful for this recipe, as this Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein completely satisfied a Chinese food craving! I added chicken to the recipe and loved the results! I have sooooo much left over, too! Yay! Also, the amount of ginger in the recipe is WAY too much in my opinion. The next time I make it I will halve it for sure. I substituted the brown sugar and instead used coconut sugar. Tasted good to me!
2. Um hi, Shepherd's Pie. I am excited to make you. Yay for clean comfort food!
3. I love everything Gina has to offer, and I am pumped to try her 3-ingredient Almond Butter Cookies recipe! I plan to substitute the sugar with coconut sugar. Fingers crossed it still tastes amazing!
4. One of my friends from high school suggested that I try this Strawberry Banana Paleo Breakfast Bars recipe and I am so excited to give it a shot! I picked up some sugar free strawberry jam and the other ingredients on Sunday. It looks so tasty! I can't wait to make it!

How is your Whole30 going? We're almost finished! Go us!!

Do you have recipes that I should try? Please share!
(More of mind are on my Pinterest board - check it out!)

Have a good one!

Whole30: First Post

Hi gang!

On January 2 I started the Whole30 Program. Some co-workers are doing, it too, which is awesome. So far, so good! Granted, it's only been a couple of days and I haven't been in social situations, so I'm sure this will get tougher. Hopefully not, but it's probable.

I thought I'd share some of the recipes I'm trying in case anyone out there is looking for some good ones. I'll update about once a week and highlight my favorites on my Wednesday posts.

Sound good? Cool.
Let's get started.

By the way, I say "we" a lot. My husband, Andrew, is eating all of this, too!

So far, here's what we have had or have made for the upcoming week:

1. My favorite recipe, Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas from Gina at skinnytaste.com. We luckily had this frozen so we defrosted it to have something quick knowing we'd be cooking a bunch. It's DELICIOUS!! So great over a salad with homemade guacamole. 
2. Easy Paleo Pot Roast (Whole30 Compliant) from I Breathe...I'm Hungry. We are having this for dinner tonight! I'm sure it will be amazing. Pot Roast in a crock pot is a no-brainer.
3. Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bites from Mark's Daily Apple. I made this today and will eat it for breakfast throughout the week. I snuck a bite once it cooled and YUM! Delicious breakfasts are on the way! For this recipe I used spinach, onions, red pepper and Aidells Chicken and Apple sausage.
4. Turkey Avocado Wraps from All Things G&D. This is easy enough to quickly put together for work lunches. I'm sure it's awesome, considering turkey and avocado are two of my favorite things. I'm using Applegate Naturals Roasted Turkey Breast.

I've been loading my Healthy Foods Pinterest Board with tons of recipes that I know I'll try long after the 30 days are done!

So far the only things I'm missing are pop and caffeine. I don't like black coffee or tea, so this is the biggest issue for me. I love water, but only drinking that gets old quickly!

Are you doing Whole30? Have you ever done it? Do you have recipes that I should try?
Please share!

Have a good one!