Meal Planning for Feb. 2- 15, 2016

I'm planning out our dinners for the next two weeks. Here's what we'll be having. Hopefully, it'll give you some ideas of what to add to your own menu. How're you doing with meal planning so far this year?

Please remember to vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs by clicking the pink banner at the bottom of the post then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE buttons on the next page. (If you don't click one of those on the next page, it doesn't count the vote :( ) Thank you!

2/2 Tuesday 
Cheesesteak sandwiches topped with peppers and with green salad on the side

2/3 Wednesday
Orange chicken, jasmine rice and broccoli

2/4 Thursday
Mixed greens salad topped with chicken strips

2/5 Friday
Ranch chicken wraps

2/6 Saturday
Baked ziti with green salad

2/7 Sunday
Herb baked salmon with mixed veggies and Italian bread

2/8 Monday
Turkey burgers with baked potatoes and corn

2/9 Tuesday
Marinated pork chops with brown rice and green beans

2/10 Wednesday
Roasted pumpkin, carrots and potatoes with quinoa

2/11 Thursday
BBQ chicken thighs with mashed potatoes and leftover roasted veggies

2/12 Friday
Grilled cheese and soup

2/13 Saturday
New Orleans red beans and rice

2/14 Sunday
Tuna salad on a bed of lettuce

2/15 Monday
Slow cooked pork roast with white rice and corn

Establishing Healthy Habits Update and New Goals Jan. 28 - Feb. 11

I've been pushing myself to keep on track with my health goals this year by giving myself healthy habit goals and a challenge each two weeks. Here's how I did the past two weeks and my challenge and goals for the next two. You can read more about why I'm doing this and what I set for myself last time and why here.

Two Week Update on Healthy Habits Goals

The Challenge: No Soda
I'm proud to say I did great with this one! I still keep craving diet Coke, that stuff is so addictive. This is going to become part of my goals for the upcoming weeks.

Drink more water
This one I still need to work on. I was doing great until I got sick, got extremely dehydrated and fell back into my old ways. Slowly, I'm getting back on track. This habit needs more work.

Reach for fruit and veggies instead of unhealthy choices
I'm doing pretty good with this one, but still need improvement.

Watch portions
Proper portions for weight loss is big. Even if it's healthy, if you're eating too much of it, you're not  going to lose weight. The past few months I've been piling way too much on my plate rather than practicing portion control. That's about to change! The majority of my plate is going to be veggies and lean meats with carbs and starches taking a side role. All the foods in moderation, of course. If I'm still hungry, I'll be reaching for those fruits and veggies I have prepped to go.

Exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a week
A big failure on this one. While I got in more movement since I've been doing more cleaning, I didn't get in my 60 minute a week goal. I got 30 minutes one week and that's it. Between battling the tiredness from anemia and then spending one of the weeks sick with stomach flu, exercise didn't happen. I think I need to adjust this given my current health limitations.

The Next Two Weeks of Healthy Habits and a Challenge

In addition to keeping up with the habits I've been establishing, I'm adding a few more. Some are ones I wasn't successful with before as they still need to be a focus.

The Challenge

Exercise

The last time, exercise was my big downfall. I've decided I need to adjust this to work better with the fatigue and tiredness that comes with having severe anemia. With that in mind, my challenge is going to be to exercise 10 minutes 5 days a week. I figure if I can do that, I can build on it. Weight lifting and pilates are my usual go-to exercises, along with kick boxing and some time with the Wii playing Just Dance.

Healthy Habits

Limit soda

I don't want to fall back into my soda habits so I'm keeping this on the list. Rather than no soda (which I know I can't keep up long term) I'm going to limit myself to one 16 oz soda a week.

Cut back on carbs and sugar

Anyone who knows me knows I've got a major weakness for carbs and sugary treats. Neither of which helps with my goals of being healthier and losing weight. As much as I love bread, pasta, cookies, chocolate, hot chocolate and ice cream, I've got to break the habit. Rather than having a carb with every dinner, I'm going to load up on veggies and skip carbs more often. Less toast, more protein shakes. Healthy eating is about balance though, so I'm not looking to cut the carbs totally, just get everything in moderation. The same goes with sweet treats, though those I'm going to be cutting back on even more. I want to get to the point where I don't rely on having a piece of chocolate or a cookie daily, rather every other day, or even longer. Realistically, I know that'll take time so this two weeks is about cutting back and moderation.

Drink more water

Water, water and more water! Five glasses a day, here I come!

More fruits and veggies

With cutting back on carbs, I want to eat more fruits and veggies. These are the healthy treats I should crave. Fresh fruit is something I keep in the house for M2 and B. Now, I need to eat more myself. While we have veggies with every dinner, my portions need to be larger in that food group.

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

Establishing Healthy Habits Update and New Goals Jan. 28 - Feb. 11

I've been pushing myself to keep on track with my health goals this year by giving myself healthy habit goals and a challenge each two weeks. Here's how I did the past two weeks and my challenge and goals for the next two. You can read more about why I'm doing this and what I set for myself last time and why here.

Two Week Update on Healthy Habits Goals

The Challenge: No Soda
I'm proud to say I did great with this one! I still keep craving diet Coke, that stuff is so addictive. This is going to become part of my goals for the upcoming weeks.

Drink more water
This one I still need to work on. I was doing great until I got sick, got extremely dehydrated and fell back into my old ways. Slowly, I'm getting back on track. This habit needs more work.

Reach for fruit and veggies instead of unhealthy choices
I'm doing pretty good with this one, but still need improvement.

Watch portions
Proper portions for weight loss is big. Even if it's healthy, if you're eating too much of it, you're not  going to lose weight. The past few months I've been piling way too much on my plate rather than practicing portion control. That's about to change! The majority of my plate is going to be veggies and lean meats with carbs and starches taking a side role. All the foods in moderation, of course. If I'm still hungry, I'll be reaching for those fruits and veggies I have prepped to go.

Exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a week
A big failure on this one. While I got in more movement since I've been doing more cleaning, I didn't get in my 60 minute a week goal. I got 30 minutes one week and that's it. Between battling the tiredness from anemia and then spending one of the weeks sick with stomach flu, exercise didn't happen. I think I need to adjust this given my current health limitations.

The Next Two Weeks of Healthy Habits and a Challenge

In addition to keeping up with the habits I've been establishing, I'm adding a few more. Some are ones I wasn't successful with before as they still need to be a focus.

The Challenge

Exercise

The last time, exercise was my big downfall. I've decided I need to adjust this to work better with the fatigue and tiredness that comes with having severe anemia. With that in mind, my challenge is going to be to exercise 10 minutes 5 days a week. I figure if I can do that, I can build on it. Weight lifting and pilates are my usual go-to exercises, along with kick boxing and some time with the Wii playing Just Dance.

Healthy Habits

Limit soda

I don't want to fall back into my soda habits so I'm keeping this on the list. Rather than no soda (which I know I can't keep up long term) I'm going to limit myself to one 16 oz soda a week.

Cut back on carbs and sugar

Anyone who knows me knows I've got a major weakness for carbs and sugary treats. Neither of which helps with my goals of being healthier and losing weight. As much as I love bread, pasta, cookies, chocolate, hot chocolate and ice cream, I've got to break the habit. Rather than having a carb with every dinner, I'm going to load up on veggies and skip carbs more often. Less toast, more protein shakes. Healthy eating is about balance though, so I'm not looking to cut the carbs totally, just get everything in moderation. The same goes with sweet treats, though those I'm going to be cutting back on even more. I want to get to the point where I don't rely on having a piece of chocolate or a cookie daily, rather every other day, or even longer. Realistically, I know that'll take time so this two weeks is about cutting back and moderation.

Drink more water

Water, water and more water! Five glasses a day, here I come!

More fruits and veggies

With cutting back on carbs, I want to eat more fruits and veggies. These are the healthy treats I should crave. Fresh fruit is something I keep in the house for M2 and B. Now, I need to eat more myself. While we have veggies with every dinner, my portions need to be larger in that food group.

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

How to Get Kids Motivated and Focused

If you're like me, you're tired of bargaining, cajoling and begging your child to listen and do what they're told. It feels like a daily power struggle to get even the simplest task completed. Now, I've been introduced to KidCash, which takes reward and sticker charts to the next level. We're on our way to revolutionizing how behavior is handled in our house.

KidCash is an incentive system designed to motivate kids to want to have positive behavior. It takes abstract concepts and makes them more concrete so kids can understand them. At the same time, it encourages communication with parents and teaches kid how to manage money. It comes in a box set of bank books. instructions, various types of KidCash The various types of cash are marked for specific things: gifts, candy, activities, devices or savings. That way, kids know exactly what incentive they're working toward. For the little ones like M2 who aren't reading yet, each type is color coded and has a different picture in the center.

To get started, all you do is set an allowance schedule, then let your kids earn bonus bounty, get violations and use their dollars. At the end of the day, meet with your child to discuss the day and hand out their cash. Help them to set up goals for the next day. That way, they're getting daily feed back and positive reinforcement along with some one-on-one time with you. Be sure to set up your rules worksheet so that the kids know what they need to do to earn cash and what violations cause them to lose it.

With the allowance, you set how much KidCash they'll get and when for each kind, along with how much they'll need to purchase their reward. Kids can earn extra cash with bonus bounty, which is where you assign a chore or task along with how much they'll earn if they complete it. There are so many ways to apply the bonus bounty to fit your needs, including The Fairy Told Me, the Hole in One, the Mailbox and many more. What happens if your child is getting in trouble? Not listening to you? Issue a violation ticket. The first is a warning, any after that will cost them some of their cash.

Since kids are saving up their cash in order to earn different rewards, they're learning about how money works. Each day during your talk, you help your child to fill out their bank book to track how much they have of each type of cash and what they've spent. Additionally, they're learning about delayed gratification and how not everything in life is instantaneous.

Kids as young as 2 years old can start using KidCash. It's really adaptable for any age and you can apply it based on your child's ages and needs. With younger kids, you can use the bank book and money to teach them counting. You can help the older ones learn about earning interest on money by allowing them to have an interest rate and a schedule of interest.

For special-needs children like M2, KidCash is a great way to work with them on behavior in a creative way that will keep their interest. The usual sticker charts don't keep M2's attention. She loves collecting and carrying around papers (many autistic kids do) so the cash earned with the KidCash method suits her well. As with other kids her age, she likes to copy what mom does, which includes keeping the cash in her purse and spending it on things. That makes KidCash perfect for keeping her engaged, learning and encouraged to have good behavior.

The decision making that comes into play is also extra important for spsecial-needs kids. It gives M2 the chance to learn more real-world scenarios that can be applied for future lessons as well. Turning her behavior into choices and deciding how to spend her money gives M2 a better feeling of control. They're working with you to make choices and set up their goals, rather than feeling as though everything is dictated to them and they have no power. When you already feel out of control at times because of autism, having something like KidCash boosts confidence.

I love how the KidCash site breaks down all the accepts of the kit to give you different suggestions, ideas and all the support you need to make it effective for your situation. You're not left on your own to figure it all out. The manual that comes with it is helpful, easy to understand and sets you on the right course, too. I don't know about you, but I hate when a product makes the directions long, complicated and nearly impossible to understand, so I love how KidCash is set up.

Everything about KidCash is adaptable. There's no real, "You absolutely must do it this way," which is awesome. Since M2 is younger, we keep KidCash simple for her. We're using the slow buildup approach ourselves. We work on just a couple behaviors at a time -- such as listening to what she's told, sitting to eat her dinner and daily chore of putting her dirty clothes away. Too many things to do at once would overwhelm her. Every day, we go over what she needs to do to earn her cash for the day by telling a story. Rather than giving her a violation after one warning, she gets two. We give her the cash she's earned immediately, rather than having her wait longer since for her. So if she does something good, like listens the first time, she'll earn her cash. This works better for her since she won't care anymore about it as much or connect it with the behavior anymore if we wait too long. This allowance method (there are many) is the Immediate Reward. There's also the Daily Pay Out, the Auction and others. The money is kept with each kind in it's own little baggie, kept pinned to the bulletin board in the kitchen where she can easily see it, along with her allowance schedule, bounty and violation pages. It helps to remind her that it's all there.

As soon as M2 saw the box, she wanted to open it up. Once she actually saw what was inside, she was all over it wanting to do it. She gets excited to spend the colorful money to get things that she wants. It's really helping her to learn that behavior has consequences, whether they're good or bad. I'm working with her so she stops to think about her behavior, which can give time for her brain to reset, focusing on the KidCash rather than whatever it is that's upsetting her. It's not always perfect, but like anything, it takes time, patience and effort. KidCash sets the foundation for us to build off. Really, it's almost like behavior therapy for M2. Her therapists have suggested various things in the past that KidCash helps us to incorporate and apply more easily in daily life. So far, we're really liking the progress we're making and are hoping it continues.

Now that you know more about KidCash, it's time to try it out for yourself! Buy the kit online to get your child started on the road to positive behavior and money education.

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!





This post is sponsored by KidCash and contains affiliate links.

Saying Goodbye to a Toxic Friend

Let's face it: Having friends as an mom is difficult. As moms, we're always busy, pulled in 50 directions and having a child screaming as though their head is being ripped from their very neck isn't really conducive to interesting, scintillating conversations. When you have a special-needs child, having friends is even more difficult. So when having a special-needs child reveals that someone you thought to be a good friend truly isn't, it hurts your heart.

Why am I sharing the following story with you? To inspire you to be there for your friends who have special-needs children, even when it isn't easy. We know it's not always easy to be our friend. It makes us appreciate you even more. Just as importantly, I want to encourage you to end your own toxic friendships. Recognize your worth. If you're a fellow special-needs mom and are hanging onto old friendships that no longer bring your life anything good, don't hang on just for nostalgia's sake. Life isn't the same. Sometimes, a chapter in a book has become so yellowed,the words so smeared, the pages so stained and torn that no tape can save it. You can't hang onto that chapter just because you remember when it was fresh and new, when the rest of the story has gone far passed it and it no longer has any positive bearing on the future.

It's truly amazing how having a child with autism brings out the best, or the worst, in those around you. The majority of our friends and family have been understanding, supportive and there when we need them. Then there's the random outlier, such as the friend I had expected to be the most supportive with what I've been going through. I mentioned some of what I was experiencing in a previous post. A friend since our early days as little girls, who has an autistic child herself, I thought I'd have someone to talk to for ideas, support and an a listening ear.

I found the exact opposite. From day one, she claimed I was making up the diagnosis; that my child wasn't autistic, she was defiant; and interrogated me over the testing, symptoms and so much more. Then the "friend" proclaimed that it wasn't fair that I hadn't dealt with autism as long as she had, that M2 shouldn't have been able to get a diagnosis so fast (which must mean the doctor was crap) -- so she couldn't deal with me and refused to listen to anything to do with M2. In truth, she barely talked to me because "she just couldn't deal." I was shocked. When I needed a friend who had been there herself the most, my "friend" abandoned me. I won't lie, it hurt. A lot.

The negativity continued. Hurtful comments and lack of any support were the norm. The "friend" took issue with the fact that I blog about M2's autism. She faulted me for getting M2 an aide, saying she knew others with multiple autistic kids who never got an aide. To her, it didn't seem to matter that every child and each situation is different. The prying questions didn't end either, even after M2's school agreed with the autism diagnosis.

I became uncomfortable with what I was being asked. There are certain things that were private and simply none of her business. Even after a team of school psychologists, teachers, therapists and other staff agreed without a doubt that M2 is autistic, my "friend" wouldn't accept it. Never mind that this "friend" had never even met M2, like the doctors, therapists and other specialists had.

It felt to me that in her mind, no one else could have a special-needs child or any difficulty in their life, except for her. No one had fought as long, had as many issues, went through so much, so their life couldn't possibly be difficult. No other child was as special as or needed help like her child.

When I tried to express my feelings, to tell her how much she was hurting me, I was told to get a thick skin and get over because tons of people were going to talk to me like she had. That she was allowed to say whatever she wanted and I should just get over it. She deemed necessary services M2 receives to be "luxuries" and gave the idea that my life is one of ease while she has to struggle. I was judged harshly and unfairly, while she bleated loudly that no mom should judge another mother.

No one's life is all rainbows and roses. We all have struggles, battles and hard times despite the happy pictures you may see on Facebook. Just because someone is going through something, it doesn't mean that another's problems are insignificant or unimportant. Good friends are there for each other, no matter how hard things are personally. So many people told me I should cut all contact with her. She wasn't bringing anything positive to my life.

Yet, for much longer than I should have, I let the "friendship" drag on, I made excuses for her. Well, her life is difficult right now. She'll come around. Her child has finally gotten a diagnosis, she'll be able to "deal" with me now. I tried to support her through hard times, despite what she'd been putting me through. Time and again, I was proven that my excuses for her were just that -- excuses. They weren't the truth. The truth was a hard pill to swallow and one I was slow in accepting.

Finally, I let my fear of losing a friend I'd known for so long and shared so much with get tied to the back of a pickup, dragged through a pasture of cow manure, get trampled on by a wild stampede and then thrown deep into a muddy, nasty, faraway ditch to rot. I ended a friendship that had been toxic, negative and done absolutely nothing good for my life for a long time.

I faced the truth that this was no longer a friendship or even a person I should have in my life. The friend I was hanging onto wasn't the one that was actually there. That person had changed long ago. Now, she was no where to be found. I finally accepted the truth that this person was never going to be there for me, would never accept me or my child for who we are. Would never acknowledge or accept that my problems and difficulties were valid and in no way diminish her own. I faced that truth that good friends don't do any of the things she'd done to me.

I quietly cut off all modes of communication with the "friend." (I've even gotten a new phone number, though that was by coincidence.) I've said goodbye in my own way, through this post and in my heart. Truth be told, I hope she never reads the post. It isn't for her: It's for me and you. What lies in front of me now is a brand new chapter, gleaming with newness. I may think of the warn-out, destroyed chapter now and then, but I know turning the page was the best choice.

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

Saying Goodbye to a Toxic Friend

Let's face it: Having friends as an mom is difficult. As moms, we're always busy, pulled in 50 directions and having a child screaming as though their head is being ripped from their very neck isn't really conducive to interesting, scintillating conversations. When you have a special-needs child, having friends is even more difficult. So when having a special-needs child reveals that someone you thought to be a good friend truly isn't, it hurts your heart.

Why am I sharing the following story with you? To inspire you to be there for your friends who have special-needs children, even when it isn't easy. We know it's not always easy to be our friend. It makes us appreciate you even more. Just as importantly, I want to encourage you to end your own toxic friendships. Recognize your worth. If you're a fellow special-needs mom and are hanging onto old friendships that no longer bring your life anything good, don't hang on just for nostalgia's sake. Life isn't the same. Sometimes, a chapter in a book has become so yellowed,the words so smeared, the pages so stained and torn that no tape can save it. You can't hang onto that chapter just because you remember when it was fresh and new, when the rest of the story has gone far passed it and it no longer has any positive bearing on the future.

It's truly amazing how having a child with autism brings out the best, or the worst, in those around you. The majority of our friends and family have been understanding, supportive and there when we need them. Then there's the random outlier, such as the friend I had expected to be the most supportive with what I've been going through. I mentioned some of what I was experiencing in a previous post. A friend since our early days as little girls, who has an autistic child herself, I thought I'd have someone to talk to for ideas, support and an a listening ear.

I found the exact opposite. From day one, she claimed I was making up the diagnosis; that my child wasn't autistic, she was defiant; and interrogated me over the testing, symptoms and so much more. Then the "friend" proclaimed that it wasn't fair that I hadn't dealt with autism as long as she had, that M2 shouldn't have been able to get a diagnosis so fast (which must mean the doctor was crap) -- so she couldn't deal with me and refused to listen to anything to do with M2. In truth, she barely talked to me because "she just couldn't deal." I was shocked. When I needed a friend who had been there herself the most, my "friend" abandoned me. I won't lie, it hurt. A lot.

The negativity continued. Hurtful comments and lack of any support were the norm. The "friend" took issue with the fact that I blog about M2's autism. She faulted me for getting M2 an aide, saying she knew others with multiple autistic kids who never got an aide. To her, it didn't seem to matter that every child and each situation is different. The prying questions didn't end either, even after M2's school agreed with the autism diagnosis.

I became uncomfortable with what I was being asked. There are certain things that were private and simply none of her business. Even after a team of school psychologists, teachers, therapists and other staff agreed without a doubt that M2 is autistic, my "friend" wouldn't accept it. Never mind that this "friend" had never even met M2, like the doctors, therapists and other specialists had.

It felt to me that in her mind, no one else could have a special-needs child or any difficulty in their life, except for her. No one had fought as long, had as many issues, went through so much, so their life couldn't possibly be difficult. No other child was as special as or needed help like her child.

When I tried to express my feelings, to tell her how much she was hurting me, I was told to get a thick skin and get over because tons of people were going to talk to me like she had. That she was allowed to say whatever she wanted and I should just get over it. She deemed necessary services M2 receives to be "luxuries" and gave the idea that my life is one of ease while she has to struggle. I was judged harshly and unfairly, while she bleated loudly that no mom should judge another mother.

No one's life is all rainbows and roses. We all have struggles, battles and hard times despite the happy pictures you may see on Facebook. Just because someone is going through something, it doesn't mean that another's problems are insignificant or unimportant. Good friends are there for each other, no matter how hard things are personally. So many people told me I should cut all contact with her. She wasn't bringing anything positive to my life.

Yet, for much longer than I should have, I let the "friendship" drag on, I made excuses for her. Well, her life is difficult right now. She'll come around. Her child has finally gotten a diagnosis, she'll be able to "deal" with me now. I tried to support her through hard times, despite what she'd been putting me through. Time and again, I was proven that my excuses for her were just that -- excuses. They weren't the truth. The truth was a hard pill to swallow and one I was slow in accepting.

Finally, I let my fear of losing a friend I'd known for so long and shared so much with get tied to the back of a pickup, dragged through a pasture of cow manure, get trampled on by a wild stampede and then thrown deep into a muddy, nasty, faraway ditch to rot. I ended a friendship that had been toxic, negative and done absolutely nothing good for my life for a long time.

I faced the truth that this was no longer a friendship or even a person I should have in my life. The friend I was hanging onto wasn't the one that was actually there. That person had changed long ago. Now, she was no where to be found. I finally accepted the truth that this person was never going to be there for me, would never accept me or my child for who we are. Would never acknowledge or accept that my problems and difficulties were valid and in no way diminish her own. I faced that truth that good friends don't do any of the things she'd done to me.

I quietly cut off all modes of communication with the "friend." (I've even gotten a new phone number, though that was by coincidence.) I've said goodbye in my own way, through this post and in my heart. Truth be told, I hope she never reads the post. It isn't for her: It's for me and you. What lies in front of me now is a brand new chapter, gleaming with newness. I may think of the warn-out, destroyed chapter now and then, but I know turning the page was the best choice.

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

On the Meal Planning Wagon Jan. 19 - Feb. 1, 2016

It's time to plan the next two weeks of dinners in order to stay on the meal planning wagon! So far, it's going well. Do you do meal planning at your house?

Here's what I'll be serving up to the family for the rest of the month:

Meal Planing Menu

1/19 Orange chicken with brown rice and peppers
1/20 Mixed greens salad
1/21 Pizza (crust from scratch)
1/22 White Belgian Ale salmon with jasmine rice and mixed veggies
1/23 Potato soup with Italian bread
1/24 Italian marinated chicken with quinoa and corn
1/25 Steakumms covered in peppers and mozzarella
1/26 Pasta wheels with sauce
1/27 Leftovers
1/28 Mixed greens salad
1/29 Marinated salmon with French cut green beans
1/30 Three cheese baked ziti
1/31 Pork stirfry
2/1 Herb baked chicken with baked potatoes and carrots

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

On the Meal Planning Wagon Jan. 19 - Feb. 1, 2016

It's time to plan the next two weeks of dinners in order to stay on the meal planning wagon! So far, it's going well. Do you do meal planning at your house?

Here's what I'll be serving up to the family for the rest of the month:

Meal Planing Menu

1/19 Orange chicken with brown rice and peppers
1/20 Mixed greens salad
1/21 Pizza (crust from scratch)
1/22 White Belgian Ale salmon with jasmine rice and mixed veggies
1/23 Potato soup with Italian bread
1/24 Italian marinated chicken with quinoa and corn
1/25 Steakumms covered in peppers and mozzarella
1/26 Pasta wheels with sauce
1/27 Leftovers
1/28 Mixed greens salad
1/29 Marinated salmon with French cut green beans
1/30 Three cheese baked ziti
1/31 Pork stirfry
2/1 Herb baked chicken with baked potatoes and carrots

Please remember to vote for me by clicking the pink banner below. Thanks! 

Establishing Healthy Habits to Drop Extra Inches

Healthy eating, getting in shape and losing this extra weight I'm schleping around are all part of the bigger picture I'm working hard on this year to be a better me. The first step is to get back to healthy habits I'd established last year when I was losing a bunch of weight. I felt better, had more energy and was enjoying watching the pounds melt off. Then, I started back into my old ways and now I feel crappy and the weight is sticking around like a lump of bricks.

To get me kick started, I'm going to give myself a healthy eating challenge every two weeks. Along with that, I'm implementing new healthy habits over that period. That way, I'm not trying to change a ton of things all at once which I know won't work. The good habits are going to build on one another, I'm not going to do them for just two weeks then go back to the old ways. I'll keep at it, redoing ones when I fail and adding new ones until healthy eating and exercise are back to being second nature. I want healthy options to become my go to, rather than my current heading for yummy Christmas cookies and other sugary treats.

Why two weeks? I figure one week isn't really enough time to break or make a habit, so I'm going to do two weeks at a time. After the two weeks, I'll share with you how I did (to keep me accountable) and will tell you what's up next.

I'd love if you'd join me in doing this! Leave a comment if you'd like to join in. I'd also love to hear what healthy habits you have and how you broke unhealthy ones.

Healthy Eating Challenge

No Soda
Soda is a major weakness for me. One that wrecks havoc on my body though. I've got to kick the habit (again). Diet or regular, drinking soda regularly just isn't good. I end up with heart burn, stomach pain, drinking less water, craving more sugar and feeling addicted to the stuff. When I've been able to go a few weeks without it, it doesn't taste as good to me anymore. Going cold turkey is the only way to kick this habit.

Healthy Habits

Drink more water
I don't drink enough water. At all. That doesn't help weight loss, my headaches or anything else. That's got to change! For the next two weeks my goal is to drink 5 16 oz. glasses of water a day. For me, that's a whole lot of water.

Reach for fruit and veggies instead of unhealthy choices
Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, apples, mandarin oranges and bananas are going to be on hand. I've already cut up a whole container of carrot sticks so that they're ready to go when I'm looking for something quick to eat. To often lately, I grab something unhealthy simply because it's easy. Now, the healthy foods are going to be the easiest to grab.

Watch portions
Proper portions for weight loss is big. Even if it's healthy, if you're eating too much of it, you're not  going to lose weight. The past few months I've been piling way too much on my plate rather than practicing portion control. That's about to change! The majority of my plate is going to be veggies and lean meats with carbs and starches taking a side role. All the foods in moderation, of course. If I'm still hungry, I'll be reaching for those fruits and veggies I have prepped to go.

Exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a week
This isn't a whole lot of exercise. It is enough to get me moving in the right direction, though. Up and out of the chair, lifting weights, walking -- anything to get in 60 good minutes of exercise each week. It'll get the ball rolling for my ultimate goal of at least 150 minutes a week (30 minutes 5 days a week). Cleaning and my usual chores don't count, this has to be extra exercise.

What healthy goals are you setting for yourself?

Please vote for me by clicking the pink banner below, then clicking the GREEN or ORANGE button on the next page to confirm the vote! Thank you!!

Establishing Healthy Habits to Drop Extra Inches

Healthy eating, getting in shape and losing this extra weight I'm schleping around are all part of the bigger picture I'm working hard on this year to be a better me. The first step is to get back to healthy habits I'd established last year when I was losing a bunch of weight. I felt better, had more energy and was enjoying watching the pounds melt off. Then, I started back into my old ways and now I feel crappy and the weight is sticking around like a lump of bricks.

To get me kick started, I'm going to give myself a healthy eating challenge every two weeks. Along with that, I'm implementing new healthy habits over that period. That way, I'm not trying to change a ton of things all at once which I know won't work. The good habits are going to build on one another, I'm not going to do them for just two weeks then go back to the old ways. I'll keep at it, redoing ones when I fail and adding new ones until healthy eating and exercise are back to being second nature. I want healthy options to become my go to, rather than my current heading for yummy Christmas cookies and other sugary treats.

Why two weeks? I figure one week isn't really enough time to break or make a habit, so I'm going to do two weeks at a time. After the two weeks, I'll share with you how I did (to keep me accountable) and will tell you what's up next.

I'd love if you'd join me in doing this! Leave a comment if you'd like to join in. I'd also love to hear what healthy habits you have and how you broke unhealthy ones.

Healthy Eating Challenge

No Soda
Soda is a major weakness for me. One that wrecks havoc on my body though. I've got to kick the habit (again). Diet or regular, drinking soda regularly just isn't good. I end up with heart burn, stomach pain, drinking less water, craving more sugar and feeling addicted to the stuff. When I've been able to go a few weeks without it, it doesn't taste as good to me anymore. Going cold turkey is the only way to kick this habit.

Healthy Habits

Drink more water
I don't drink enough water. At all. That doesn't help weight loss, my headaches or anything else. That's got to change! For the next two weeks my goal is to drink 5 16 oz. glasses of water a day. For me, that's a whole lot of water.

Reach for fruit and veggies instead of unhealthy choices
Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, apples, mandarin oranges and bananas are going to be on hand. I've already cut up a whole container of carrot sticks so that they're ready to go when I'm looking for something quick to eat. To often lately, I grab something unhealthy simply because it's easy. Now, the healthy foods are going to be the easiest to grab.

Watch portions
Proper portions for weight loss is big. Even if it's healthy, if you're eating too much of it, you're not  going to lose weight. The past few months I've been piling way too much on my plate rather than practicing portion control. That's about to change! The majority of my plate is going to be veggies and lean meats with carbs and starches taking a side role. All the foods in moderation, of course. If I'm still hungry, I'll be reaching for those fruits and veggies I have prepped to go.

Exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a week
This isn't a whole lot of exercise. It is enough to get me moving in the right direction, though. Up and out of the chair, lifting weights, walking -- anything to get in 60 good minutes of exercise each week. It'll get the ball rolling for my ultimate goal of at least 150 minutes a week (30 minutes 5 days a week). Cleaning and my usual chores don't count, this has to be extra exercise.

What healthy goals are you setting for yourself?

Please remember to vote for me by clicking the pink banner below! Thanks!