Curvy Girl's Journey....to the new year

Happy New Year! This is the time of year when everyone makes resolutions that they rarely keep.  How many resolutions have you made that actually came to be? 
Now I'm not saying we shouldn't make resolutions but we can't set goals Dec 31st then forget about them two days later. 
So how do you make sure you are celebrating the coming of 2015 by being proud of your goals accomplished in 2014? 
Start a journal.  In the front of this journal write your resolutions.  Then everyday (365 days) write an entry in this journal.  It doesn't have to be long or time consuming, just a sentence or two.  What should you write? Write down what you accomplished that day that worked toward your overall goal.  For example, my goal is to lose body fat and get even healthier.  So on Monday, i would jot down that I worked out for 30 minutes and drank my Shakeology for breakfast.  These steps will lead me to my resolution. 
So start 2014 in a new way and reach those resolutions!!!!

Curvy Girl's Journey.....to healthy eating

I have heard that a beautiful body is made up of 10% genetics + 10% exercise + 80% nutrition.  So what is the obvious thing to focus on for a more healthy and beautiful body???? Duh, Nutrition!!!
So here are my top ten nutrition tidbits for getting healthier.  I will be adding more nutrition information in the future especially since it is such a vital part of our lives, but here is a good place to start!

1. Drink lots of water!! You should drink at least half of your weight in ounces of water.  For example if you weighed 200lbs, you should drink at least 100oz of water each day! 
2. Eat breakfast everyday and within an hour of rising.  Studies show that those who eat a healthy breakfast are leaner, have a higher metabolism, and are less likely to overeat. 
3. Adhere to proper portion size.  Protein: palm of one hand, Starchy complex carbohydrate: one cupped hand, Complex carbohydrate from fruits and vegetables: two cupped hands, Healthy fats: one scant handful of nuts, 1-2 tbsp oil
4. Avoid sugar, white flour, and over processed foods. 
5. Plan your meals a week before and prep healthy food for accessibility. 
6. Avoid sodas, juices, and sugar drinks.  Also limit alcohol consumption. 
7. Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal. 
8. Depend on fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes. 
9. Drink green tea when hungry. 
10. Prepare as many of your meals at home yourself so you know exactly what goes into them!

Curvy Girl's Journey....to reach goals in 2014

If you are like me, every year on December 31st you make a resolution to lose weight, get healthier, diet, eat better, etc, etc.  But how many of us actually go through the year and reach our goals?? Not many, so don't feel guilty about not meeting your new year's resolutions!
I found that I need motivation.  I need other people to help me reach my goals.  This may sound lazy or reliant on others, but hey it works!
The best way to get this motivation is to have people that are trying to reach the same goal support you while you support them.  Every single person has an off day.  No matter what they say, at some point they don't want to get up and workout.   That is where challenge groups come into play.
 A challenge group is a private facebook group where assignments are posted everyday.  The participants are trying to get healthier just like you and can post their failures or successes.  These groups have helped me when I don't want to work out because i log on and see how many others have already completed their workouts and I think, "if they can, then I can."  I think a little of my competitive side comes to play as well but like I said before, hey it works!
If you are interested in a facebook challenge group, comment below and I will contact you!

Curvy Girl's Journey....with a sweet tooth

I have a major problem with eating healthy that I had to overcome...a sweet tooth! And I wasn't one of those people who would just eat a small, fun sized candy bar.  I've discovered that over time this sweet tooth has been greatly subsided, but I've also learned how to control myself when the craving hits.  One of the best ways is to substitute the candy with fruit. I know, I know, what kind of substitution is an apple for a Snickers bar. But if you want to see results, you have to make the sacrifice!

I found this picture on Pinterest and loved it!
You simply core a medium sized apple (any kind), slice it into 4-5 thick slices.  Spread some peanut butter on the apple slice and top it with chocolate chips and/or nuts!
I just had a slice of this today and my sweet tooth was completely satisfied.  I recommend eating only a slice or two and go easy on the nuts and chocolate chips. After all this is supposed to be a better option!

Curvy Girl's Journey.....and how she keeps track

 I know that counting calories is an important part of trying to lose weight.  But honestly, figuring up how many calories a meal was and how many I had left was more exhausting than just working out! Until I found the FREE app called Myfitnesspal.  It is a great app that calculates how many calories you should consume, how many are left for the day, and makes it easy to keep track.  You just type in the food you ate and the app does the rest.  You can also add friends (which I highly recommend).  Most people are motivated (myself included!) when others are involved. 
Let me know if you tried the app and what you think of it!!

Curvy Girl's Journey....so far

I began my journey to get healthy in April of 2013.  It wasn't an easy start but one that was necessary.  I noticed my "fat" jeans getting tighter and was even trying on a larger size at the stores.  I had no energy and with an active 3 year old daughter, this was a big issue.  I had tried other diets in the past but never stuck with any.  I even went as far as the "no solids, only juice" diet.  This one didn't even last a day!
I saw an advertisement for Insanity on TV and knew that working out would be my only way out of the mess I had put myself in.  So I convinced my husband to join in too and we purchased the Insanity DVDs.  I'm sure we were pretty comical trying to keep up those first few days to the muscled, lean participants on the video.  After the first week, I had already lost 7 pounds!!
Eventually, my husband left to work out of town and I left my motivation to get off the couch behind. 
I knew i needed someone to motivate me so I conned my mom into joining me.  We started using an awesome, free app call "myfitnesspal".  It counted our calories and kept us in control of our eating. 
I am proud to say that I lost 46lbs and my mom has lost 76lbs!!!

I am starting this blog to stay on track and hold myself accountable for my continued progress.  I am also hoping to help someone else who is in the same situation I was.  I know how hard it is to get started and even harder to stay motivated.  So I hope you will join me in my journey or just learn a thing or two!