Resolution Update #10

I forgot to post a resolution update last month! Things have just been crazy busy and I sort of forgot! So I have to tell you all I'm so excited to be writing this post today! Since I made my New Years resolutions I've lost 27lbs! I'm beyond excited! It's the most weight I've ever lost! I've gone from wearing a size 2X top to being able to buy an XL! Now of course I can't wear all XL tops but for me trying that top on and having it fit! And look cute was so worth it! Now I still have a long ways to go until I'm where I want to be, like 50lbs more to go! But it was 75lbs! I'm a third of the way there! For me this is so awesome! I feel like I can see my goal and that I can achieve it!

The most exciting part is I lost the majority of those 25lbs while the Hubster was deployed, so he was surprised when he came home last week and it's a smaller me!

So I want to encourage all of you out there that are struggling with your own weight loss journey that it can be done! One more step and maybe one less bite at a time! 

What have I been doing to get to this place? It's easy, I've been working out at least 5 days a week! I'm making that a priority! If something happens and I can't get to the gym one day I make it up on the weekends! If I'm making plans with friends I let them know I can't do anything until I'm done with my workout! The not so easy part, and I really believe the biggest part, is what you are eating! I've struggled with this part for a long time. I don't do well with restrictive diets and I like to be able to eat what I want to eat, when I want to eat it. So I do, I just eat WAY less of it. No going back for seconds, use a smaller plate, and add more fruits and veggies at every meal. I still drink the occasional soda, but I try to limit that, I still eat chocolate, cause well I can't live without chocolate! But I just try to watch what I'm doing! And I drink a TON. OF. WATER! I try to get at least 64oz a day and most days I get somewhere between 72 and 96! I really think this helps with eating less and drinking less soda! 

As for my other resolutions, well... Ok so yeah the whole organizing thing isn't going so well! I've done a little in the kitchen, I did get rid of a bunch of utensils that I never ever use that were taking up space and I rearranged all my baking pans, but that's as far as it's gotten! 

Spending quality time with Man-Child, we haven't don't a lot lately, he has become quite the social butterfly and would much rather go hang out with his friends than with his Mom, which is great for him, me well I'm having a bit of a rough time with all this independence he's wanting! So I take our quality time in the amount that it's given, like working out together on a Saturday morning and then going to get a Starbucks after (which I know is totally counter productive) as Moms we have to take what we can get! Now that the Hubster is home though we have some really fun things planned! 

I hope you all have a great day and go one more step than you did yesterday!

Enjoy

Copycat Recipe: Arizon Green Tea with Ginseng

Well it’s time again for my Resolution Update, This past month has been a little crazy and I don’t think I really have much to update! I am still getting on the healthy train, although my attendance at the gym was a little lacking, but I have gotten in some swimming and hiking! I haven’t lost anymore weight BUT I haven’t gained either! So YAY!

Man Child and I haven’t had lots of time for quality time but We are getting ready to finish up our school shopping and we are planning on making a day of it! It counts right?

Organizing? Weeelll… I did get a TON of new stuff from my Grandma that passed away this winter. I got a bunch of her craft supplies and fabric and some other mementos and when my Sister was here we did get it all sorted and put up, so that counts too right?

I have another Copycat Recipe for you! Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng!

I like that this version is a little healthier, in that it doesn’t have things like high fructose corn syrup! Plus anytime you can make something at home and 
save a few pennies it’s totally worth it right?

Here’s what you’ll need:

6-8 cups Boiling Water

4-5 Green Tea Bags

½ cup Honey

1 (0.35oz) bottle Ginseng

1TBSP Lemon Juice

Here’s how you make it:

Place the Tea Bags into a large bowl with a pourable spout. Add in the boiling water and let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add in the honey, ginseng and lemon juice. Stir until the honey is dissolved, Pour into a Drink Container and Chill until ready to serve. Serve over ice!

ENJOY

Farmer's Market Bounty & Resolution Update

I love the Farmer’s Market! We have a really great one here! They have such a wide variety of things. Fruits and Veggies and Fresh Baked Breads, Fresh Cut Flowers, local Cheeses, and Man-Child’s favorite Sno Cones! Our Farmers Market also has Live Bands in the evening down by the Sound! Which is so great! I haven’t gotten to go listen to the music yet but I hope to at some point this summer! If you are in this area I hope you’ll check out the Steilacoom Farmers Market. I really encourage you to find a Farmers Market near you and enjoy some of the fresh foods that you can get there. If you don’t know where one is located you can go to localharvest.org and find one near you!

Here are some of the great things I’ve gotten at our Local Farmers Market.

Now that you’ve enjoyed all the pics of my Famer’s Market finds it’s time to update you on my New Year’s Resolutions!

I have to admit that organizing has taken a back seat; you know the one way way WAY in the back! I’ll get to it soon I’m sure.

Family Time has been great! Man-Child and I had a great time at the last Farmers Market and even went out to dinner afterwards at a cute little old fashioned Soda Shop!

Getting Healthy

Well you know I’ve been doing the 12 week program at the YMCA! I am LOVING it! I go anywhere from 3-5 times a week, with summer I haven’t been as regular but I am still going at least 3 times a week. It will be like 3 times one week 5 the next so I feel like that’s a good balance with everything else we are busy doing! I’ve lost 8lbs and 4% body fat WOOHOO! My 12 weeks is up and I am planning on continuing! The Hubster comes home soon and I really REALLY wanna lose more weight before he gets here! My eating has been better, which is easy to do in the summer for me!

How are your Resolutions coming? Let me know!

ENJOY!

Resolution Update:Lemonade

How are the rest of you doing on your New Years Resolutions? Anyone still keeping up with them or have you let them go by the wayside? I'm attempting to keep up with mine! Here's my progress...

Organization:
If you saw Wednesday's post you saw that I got some organization done! YAY! This next month I would like to organize my Master Bathroom and the Kitchen! It's kinda of a big task, the kitchen anyway! We  I have so many gadgets and gizmos that I need to really think about what I need and only keep that! Or maybe if it isn't something that I use regularly I can regulate it to another part of the house, like the garage!

Quality Time:
Man-Child and I went to see Star Trek and then went to lunch and then did a little shopping. It was really nice. This next month I am trying to get a list together of things we want to do this summer. A Summer Bucket List if you will. We'll see how that works out! 
Getting Healthy:
I joined to YMCA back in January before the Hubster left, but I've just started a new program they have. It's a 12 week program that gives you a different workout every day. You check back in with a trainer once a month to see how you are progressing. I'm on week 3 and I am making it to the Y 4 days a week. I'm trying for 5 but that just hasn't worked out yet! I haven't seen any numbers moving on the scale BUT I am feeling stronger and that's what counts right? RIGHT? So I thought I would share a nice refreshing drink that is sort of healthy (in that it's homemade and doesn't have any icky weird things in it)

It’s starting to be that time of year when a nice refreshing drink is so appreciated! I love freshly squeezed lemonade! It just screams SUMMER to me and since Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of Summer it’s time to get squeezin’ and enjoy some lemonade!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Lemons about 10 juiced

½-1 cup of sugar (depends on how sweet you want it! I use ½ cup)

½-1 cup water (this is for the simple syrup so it depends on the sugar)

3-4 cups Cold Water

Here’s how you make it:

Juice your lemons, I used my juicer! You need about a cup of lemon juice. In a small sauce pan combine your sugar and water (equal parts) and heat until sugar is combined, it takes just a few minutes. Let cool slightly. Pour Juice and simple syrup into a pitcher, add in 3-4 cups of cool Water and stir. You can serve immediately over ice or let it chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes!

ENJOY!                         

Resolution Update: Da Bomb Salad

The weather here has been gorgeous the last few days and with this nice weather comes the reminder that the year is going by really quickly! As each month passes I feel like I am accomplishing less and less! As I get to the end of each month I sit here and wonder where the heck did the time go? Honestly though with the Hubster being deployed I am all too happy to have time go quickly! So how am I really doing with this whole Resolution thing? Here’s the update:

Getting Healthy: I’ve been hitting the Y at least 3 days a week this month! YAY! However I haven’t lost any more weight BOO! I’ve decided that I need to really watch what I’m eating and snacking on! I also am going to try and make sure I get my 8 8 oz glasses of water each day.

Quality Time: Man Child and I went on a Mother Son date to a Hibachi Japanese restaurant and it was soooo GOOOOD! And if you haven’t ever been to one check it out they are so much fun! Man-Child has liked going to them since he was little (like 3 or4)!

Getting Organized: Yeah so far this month that was a fail! I feel like when I’m busy or stressed the housework is the first thing to go?! Anyone else feel that way? This next month I plan on clearing out my Hall Closet and Master Bath.

So since it is so nice out I thought I would share a recipe that is Healthy and delicious! It’s also refreshing while being filling! This salad is so good you will be like that salad was Da Bomb! Or something like that! Any ways there are lots of ways you can change it up too I use mango for the fruit but have also used Nectarines and Apples. So mix in what you like and try it!

Side Note: Man-Child LOVES this salad!

 

DA Bomb Salad

 

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Mango

1 Bell Pepper (I used the little peppers and used 3)

Tomatoes (fresh is best but I didn’t have any on hand so I used canned)

2 small Zucchini

2 Jalapenos

1 Red Onion

1 Can Corn

1 can Garbanzo Beans

1 can Black Beans

1 can Chicken (you can use leftover chicken too if you have it)

 

 

 

Here’s how you make it:

Chop up the Zucchini; Bell Peppers, Onion, Jalapenos, Mango and Tomatoes. Place them into a food processor or blender. Puree it. In a large bowl, combine the Corn, Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans and Chicken. Pour the Pureed mixture over the Beans and stir until combined. You can eat this by itself or with Tortilla Chips for a little something extra!

ENJOY!

Resolution Update: March

Can you believe it’s almost April? Me either! Where has the time gone? Well honestly for me it’s great that the year is going by quickly. This means we are that much closer to the Hubster coming home from Afghanistan! We are now 2 months into our 9 month deployment and every day down is a day closer! Are you still keeping up with your resolutions? I am trying!

Here’s how it’s been going for me:

Getting Healthy: I’ve really noticed that I’ve cut back on how much I eat. I've been trying to use our smaller salad plates to eat on instead of our big dinner plates. I am noticing I am satisfied with less which is a big batch of AWESOMESAUCE! Since the beginning of the year I have lost 14lbs. YAY! So this month got a little off track with the exercise routine, but the last 2 weeks I’ve been at the YMCA or working out at home at least 3 days a week! YAY again!

Getting Organized: I saw on another blog, and now I forget which one but the idea was to get rid of a 100 things in a weekend! So I did! Whew… some of it was easy, some of it not so much! Like throwing away the proof sheet from the school pictures. Why is that so hard? Over half of the stuff came from my bedroom! I was thinking I probally could do a get rid of 100 things from every room in the house! But for now 100 things from the house will have to do. I even got Man-Child in on it; I had him get rid of 50 things!  So that’s actually 150 things out of my house! YAY! Check out the pile of stuff I got rid of!

Spending Quality Time: We went on an unplanned road trip this month when my Grandmother passed away. When you lose someone you realize the important things, and I am grateful for all the great memories that I made over the years with her. Sometimes the best memories are from the littlest events in our lives. Did you see my post about 15 Mother Son date ideas? Check it out, and create memories to last a lifetime.

So I feel like I am doing ok with the resolutions this year so far! How are you doing with yours?

Resolution Update #2

Did you keep your resolutions? I know by this time of year, a lot of people have given up their resolutions. I have to admit that I haven’t done as much as I could and I’ve not been as consistent as I would like.

Getting Healthy:

We did join the YMCA and I love it there. I haven’t taken advantage of any classes yet, but I look forward to doing so in the next month! I also love that Man-Child can go there and get a little exercise in as well. He likes to play racquetball. I’ve been trying to eat healthier as well. I have lost a few more pounds. This brings the total weight lost to 6 pounds! I’ll take it!

Getting Organized:

WOW ok so where did the month of February go? Because seriously I feel like I got nothing done! I had wanted to do my kitchen and so did not get that done! So it’s moved down my list to March.

Family Time:

 

This month Man-Child and I went to the Tacoma Glass Museum, with some friends. It’s a really cool place the glass art is amazing! The gift shop is just scary though! All those breakable pieces that cost more than we make in a month. Yeah I couldn’t wait to get out of there!

This month was so so on resolution keeping and I hope next month is better! How’s your resolution keeping going?

ENJOY!