Beautiful Blogger!

Woohoo! I was tagged as a Beautiful Blogger by Melissa. Thanks girlie!

Okay, so now I'm pretty sure I have to say 7 random things about myself. So here goes:

1. I am obsessed with TV shows. But usually only on DVD. I can go through seasons and seasons of one TV show like their water. And almost every one I watch, I love. I recently watched all the seasons of Friends and Sex and the City. I am now addicted to: The Office, Lost, Gossip Girl, Greys Anatomy, Entourage, Californication, Weeds, and more. I am constantly finding them to watch free online or buying seasons of new shows. It's one of my favorite things to do.

2. Wet paper/paper towels make me gag. I have no idea why, but just seeing them makes me squirm and feel sick. It's the weirdest thing ever. And touching them? Forget about it.

3. I have a problem with cracking my knuckles. It is slightly out of control. I crack every part of my fingers and hands you can imagine, and when I'm bored, I do it over and over again. I will regret this later in life, I'm sure. Also, it annoys EVERYONE.

4. I have only been in 1 serious relationship. For 5 years, I had the same boyfriend, who was also my first boyfriend. I have not had a legit relationship since then. Of course I've been with other people and have casually dated them, but nothing serious. I kind of enjoy it, but sometimes it's lonely.

5. There is nothing I don't add salt to. I put it on salads, pizza, pasta, popcorn, sandwiches, fish, rice, bread with butter, eggs, potatoes... almost anything I eat, I add a lot of salt to it. It's gotten to the point where I can't enjoy something without the taste of salt. It's a terrible habit.

6. The beach calms me down more than anything. No matter how upset I am, I can go to the beach and feel better. It is my ultimate comfort zone, and it's my favorite place in the world.

7. My biggest pet peeve is when people are rude. I am an extremely polite person. I am not pushy, aggressive, or nosy, and I speak to people with respect. I am NEVER rude, unless I'm have a horrible day, and that rarely happens. So I cannot stand when people are rude and don't consider anyone's feelings but their own. It drives me absolutely insane and will make me instantly dislike a person.

And now I get to tag 7 people. Here you are:

Jillian - http://peaceluvmunchies.wordpress.com/

Gina: http://fitnessista.com/

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/

Tena: http://methinner.blogspot.com/

Deb: http://smoothiegirleatstoo.blogspot.com/

Lara: http://www.thinspiredblog.com/

Heather: http://healthhappinesshope.wordpress.com/

Now, onto food! I'm a bit off schedule, so I need to write about yesterday.

Sadly, I did not do that well. Remember those drinks I had Tuesday night? They came back to haunt me all day Wednesday. I was hungover, and had a horrible tummy ache all day =( I had a bagel for breakfast in an attempt to soak up the alcohol, but that was all I had all day because after that my stomach hurt too much. I made that minestrone soup for dinner for my grandparents, the amazing one that I fell in love with. I had 2 small bowls and a little bit of salad, but that was all. I had a tiny piece of carrot cake for dessert.

I don't think I did that bad, because I didn't eat much, and the bagel was the worst thing. But I would have liked to do better.

My stomach has been bothering me today too! It's not that I'm in pain, it's that I have no appetite, and eating is just bothering it more. So I've barely eaten this whole day. I had a cheese stick on the train ride into NYC, and then my usual triple-grande non-fat vanilla latte from Sbucks. I felt a little light-headed at around 2, so I ate a Fiber-One granola bar. I figured I should eat something a bit more substantial, so I bought a brown rice salad from Bread Market. It was small, but it was really yummy, with lots of veggies. And don't ask me why, but I thought potato chips might help matters, so I had half a bag of plain ones. They didn't. So that's all I've eaten all day, and I might have some veggies for dinner, but right now I think I'd be okay if I didn't eat for the rest of the night.

I've had stomach problems for as long as I can remember, but that doesn't make them any less annoying. A few years ago, I had my gall bladder removed. The experience was terrible, other than the fact that I lost almost 40 pounds. I was sick for a long time before I had surgery, and sometimes I would go 2 or 3 days only eating ONE thing. I have had ulcer problems for a few years, so it's not surprising that I feel sick after a night of drinking - alcohol never sits well with me, so I try not to drink a lot. And when I go a few weeks without drinking and then get drunk, it always bothers my stomach.

So I'm just feeling kind of uncomfortable. I know it's not good to not eat, but when I can't bring myself to when I feel like this.

Random news, but I read in Self magazine that drinking non-fat lattes in the morning are proven to keep women fuller throughout the day. Woohoo! I have a non-fat latte almost every morning from Starbucks, and I have to say, it does keep me pretty satisfied.

Oh wait! I went to the gym yesterday! I was very proud of myself, because I made it there even through my hungover state. I did a Tummy Tuck and Butt Lift class, so it was all toning (just imagining cardio was making my stomach hurt even more). But it was a good class and it definitely helped make up for that stupid bagel I ate.

Okay, goodbye blogging world! I'll be updating tomorrow, hopefully with pictures!

yesterday's food adventures

I never got the chance to write last night, but I have pictures of all the food I ate yesterday! So I might as well post them now instead of wasting them, right? 


Yesterday I also went to the gym. I did a Step class and a class called Core on the Ball. Both of them were awesome! I worked out my abs like crazy in the ball class but it felt amazing. Step was really hard, complicated moves, but I absolutely love when the class is like that so I was happy. I had a lot of fun. It was a really great workout! 


On to the food: 

I had one of my favorite breakfasts: 3 egg whites on a toasted multi-grain sandwich thin with a little bit of mixed cheese melted on top. So yummy!

I added a Light & Fit yogurt to keep me full, and the Key Lime is my favorite flavor. It's so refreshing! I ended up not finishing it, but it was still good.

I also had some tea with lemon and honey because my throat was still bothering me a little. Tea with lemon and honey is so soothing and delicious. It's my favorite way to have it.

For lunch I had Amy's Organic Split Pea soup. So so good! Like I've said before, I love Amy's soups. Their organic, vegan, low-fat, and always delicious. The split pea is awesome because it's hard to find vegetarian split pea soup that's still flavorful, since most places make it with ham.

I read the January issue of Self while I ate =) Carrie Underwood is such a diet inspiration.

I don't really know why this is upside down, but whatever. I ate a Cliff bar before the gym in a desperate attempt to get some energy to work out. I was exhausted. I don't know if it was my imagination or if it really did work, but either way, I suddenly had a lot of energy working out. And this flavor was sooo good - White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. MMMmmmm I will definitely be buying more.

For dinner, I had a big salad. I was feeling so good from the gym that I wanted something healthy. I added some tuna, Craisins, walnuts, Asiago cheese, and balsamic vinegar and oil. It was really really good.

I ended up going out after my after-dinner snack (popcorn - guilty). I had a few beers and one shot. I didn't have any drunk munchies, but I did drink a little more than I wanted. :-/ I was kind of disappointed because I did so good all day but whatever.

Almost time for dinner! I'll write later about my day today =)

Creepy...

Seriously, no matter how much I want to change my weight and sometimes my appearance, I am so, so glad that I would never ever do something this creepy:

I mean, what was she THINKING??? She looks fake and plastic and like a wax person in the wax museum. It just creeps me out to no end. Like, that is NOT what Heidi looks like. Ugh.

last night

Good morning! I just wanted to write about the end of my day yesterday really quickly...

I ended up having to stay at the Us Weekly office until 7:20. Eeek. I had to stay later than normal (I usually get out at 6ish) to do a very stereotypical intern duty - get the editors coffee. It sucks, but every Monday 2 interns have to stay later to go to the Starbucks 2 blocks away and pick up coffee for the editors, since they need to stay way later to finish the issue. Since I had to stay later, I had to refuel with some coffee, but I didn't get it from Starbucks. I opted for Bread Market coffee, since a medium is only .89 cents, as compared to Starbucks $5! And since I knew I wouldn't make it home for dinner until around 9, I had to have a little snack, so I searched the vending machine until I found something relatively healthy (and probably the healthiest thing in there), honey wheat pretzel sticks.

I got home at 9, and my wonderful mother had dinner waiting for me. She made me whole wheat pasta with broccoli rabe, and it was DELISH! I couldn't even finish the whole bowl it was so filling, and it was very yummy. And the best thing was that I had nothing else to eat the rest of the night.

Today I had planned on going to the gym in the morning, but reconsidered and got my shift at Outback covered so I could go in the afternoon. I'm really sick of Outback and probably going to look for new jobs today.

Also, today I have the time and luxury to take pictures of what I'm eating. Woohoo! So there will be a long post with pictures tonight.

Oh wait! My mom picked this book up yesterday, Cook This, Not That. It's really crazy to read! There are so many helpful tips in there. Some of the things they say not to eat are really surprising. I've read the other ones, Eat This Not That, but this one is cool because it gives you recipes. It compares the recipes to dishes in well-known restaurants, including Outback. When I saw the calorie count of some of the restaurant food, I almost had a heart attack thinking about how I've eaten it before and thought I was eating something relatively healthy. Anyway it's a fun book, I'm sure I'll try some of the recipes.

distractions...

Sorry I haven't written in a few days! I'm disappointed in myself, but my sinus problems have been acting up so badly that I have mostly just been being a bum at home. And if I'm going to be honest, not eating very well. I've been so sick that I haven't been able to go out with my friends, so I've just been kind of miserable, bored and lonely. And you know what that usually leads to.

But this is a new week, so I'm really going to try hard. (I feel like I say this every Monday by the way)

I weighed myself this morning, which was a bad idea, because it was more than I wanted to see. But at least now I know - I want to lose 7 pounds in a few weeks. That won't bring me to my goal weight (I still want to lose at least 10 more after that), but it sounds so much less intimidating when I break it up that way. If I can lose 7 pounds, I will be very very happy. And with my tiny frame, those 7 lost pounds will for sure make a difference.

The thing is, is that I had wanted to lose those pounds by now. I have my little cousin's Sweet 16 coming up next weekend, and I have to wear a tiny dress in front of the majority of my family. The week after that, I have my other cousin's wedding. I actually just bought a new dress for that - it's shimmery gold with a plunging neckline, relatively short and also sleeveless. I hate sleeveless, because I hate my arms, but honestly the rest of the dress looks pretty decent and flatters my body. So I guess I'll suck it up or try to find a wrap to wear.

I'm interning today, so I can't take pictures of my food =( I mean, I could, but I guess I would feel a little awkward doing that right in the middle of the office. So I'll just say what I ate.

Breakfast: I missed my train, so I had time to come home and eat something. I had 1 egg white fried and nibbled on a half of a toasted multi-grain sandwich thin. When I got into NYC, I got my usual, a triple grande skim vanilla latte. I didn't have my Fiber-One granola bar until around noon, to hold me over so I could have a late lunch.

Lunch: I had a yummy salad from Bread Market. It was mixed greens with roasted cauliflower, walnuts, shredded mozzarella, and balsamic vinagrette. It was really good and I don't think it was that bad, right? It was pretty filling. Afterwards, I munched on a small bag of BBQ Baked Lays. I know chips should be off limits, but sometimes I need them in my life.

I haven't had any snacks yet except for a medium coffee I've been nursing for the past hour and a half. I will probably end up getting something out of the vending machine before the end of my day, because I don't get home until so late. Usually I bring a piece of fruit just for the late afternoon, but we had none at home today. I hope I can have some whole-wheat pasta with veggies for dinner, and I will make sure that tides me over for the rest of the night!

The topic of pasta brings me to something else. I am kind of stealing an idea from a website I read, but not really. I'm considering giving something different up for like 2 weeks every 2 weeks. Here are my ideas:

-Give up carbs.
-Give up soda.
-Give up fruit juice.
-Give up Starbucks (oh, the horror!)
-Give up potato chips.
-Give up cheese.
-Give up tea loaded with sugar.
-Give up chocolate.

I think it might be kind of a cool experiment. My hope is that after those 2 weeks, I will get used to not having those things and might not need them as much. The only thing I'm worried about is that backfiring, and after the two weeks I go on a binge where I eat exactly what I gave up. But I don't think I will let that happen. I'd like to try it - plus it will give me something to blog about.

Sorry this has been a long post with no pictures to speed up the process! (If anyone is even reading this)

Productive day

Hi guys! So today I started taking pictures of the food I was eating, taking a lesson from my fellow food bloggers. It made making all my meals a little bit more interesting kind of, because it kind of made me think about making them look nice. Haha I know that sounds silly, but it also made me a little bit more excited to eat! 


I did pretty good today. I haven't been feeling too well the past few days, I have a little sinus infection, so that's why I haven't been updating much. Today, whenever I ate, I ate slowly and tried to enjoy each bite. And my dinner tonight was so yummy and satisfying that I actually didn't even need seconds! 

For breakfast I made myself some oatmeal with Craisins, fresh blueberries, walnuts and a little maple syrup. I usually leave the oatmeal to my mom for weekend mornings, because she makes it so good, but I have to say it was delish! The maple syrup gave it a nice little sweetness and it was so packed with yummy add-ins that it didn't taste plain at all. Plus, it filled me up and kept me full for a while.

As a snack I had these little guys (took the recipe from that 100-calorie snack cookbook). They were SO SO SO yummy and both of them are 100 calories together. I def recommend this snack! It was filling, sweet and sugary, and so good. Here's how their made: 2 thin slices of apple, 2 tsp of peanut butter, cut up banana slices, blueberries, and 1/8 tsp each of sugar and cinnamon. You just put the peanut butter on the apple, put the bananas on top, sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on there, and then add the blueberries. Ta-da! A yummy little snack!

Lunch was a little later in the afternoon, and I just had some Amy's Organic Lentil Soup. I love Amy's soups because their vegetarian and usually vegan, and their the best canned soups I've ever had. For a long time, I was scarred by memories of watery Campbells and Progresso soups that had no taste, so I stopped eating canned soups despite how easy and fast they are. But Amy's is awesome because it's tasty, healthy, organic and vegetarian! I love the Lentil soup, it's so hearty and satisfying. I had some Bagel Chips on the side to dip in.

And I just LOVED my dinner tonight. I made whole wheat pasta with Swiss chard and broccoli. It was my first time making and eating Swiss chard, and I really loved it - definitely the new vegetable staple in my house. It's like spinach and escarole, but a little bit more satisfying and filling. It was great with the pasta - very, very good! I loved the whole meal. I made it for myself because my mom made chicken cutlets for the rest of the family... but everyone ended up being pretty jealous of my little dinner =)

I snacked on a few things in between lunch and dinner, I had a handful of mini rice cakes and a Smartfood popcorn 100-calorie bag, but I think that was it. So over all, I think I did good today! The only thing I'm bummed about is that I didn't go to the gym. I just haven't been feeling well all week, Monday I even left my internship early, and I really want to get better. Plus, I spent over 3 hours cleaning and organizing my room today! But I still should have gone... I promise I will make up for that though!

For the rest of the night, I will probably be watching re-runs of Lost! I can't wait until the new season comes on, I'm really obsessed with that show! I might stop at the bar my friends are going to and grab a glass of red wine - just 1 though, and only for like an hour, because I have to be up early tomorrow for the internship.

Goodnight everybody!

baaaaadd weekend

Okay so this weekend I really disappointed myself. I did a horrible job on my diet, especially Saturday! =( It makes me feel really sad because I did SO good all week and made so many improvements. I feel like I threw it all away this weekend. This is what usually happens when Saturday rolls around though. I wake up later than normal, don't go to the gym, and eat badly. Ugh. I guess I'll get it over with and write the gory details down. I'm hoping it will make me think about it more next weekend, so I don't make the same mistakes! 

Saturday: 
I just did not do a good job. For one thing, I had planned on going to the gym in the morning - I had an ambitious schedule, starting with 9:30 Step, then 10:15 Total Body, then 11:00 Zumba. Unfortunately, I went out the night before, and came back later than I wanted. I slept through my alarm and woke up at 10:20 and just couldn't get myself to go to Zumba. So... the day started off good, with oatmeal with cranberries, walnuts and apples for breakfast.... but it went downhill from there. I was STARVING all day Saturday, like no matter what I ate, it was just not enough. I had a snack in between breakfast and lunch, rice cakes with Laughing Cow light cheese wedge, which wasn't that bad, but still - I NEVER snack in between breakfast and lunch. Then for lunch I had the last bowl of minestrone soup, which is healthy, but wait for it. I showered and had to be at work by 3, so I ate before work in an effort to control my hunger at work. I had leftover dinner from the other night, whole wheat pasta with broccoli and asparagus. I ate so fast I doubt my stomach even registered the food, then went to 7-11 and got a medium coffee with too much sugar. At work, I just couldn't stop. I was munching on things here and there and it was awful. 

First of all, someone brought in dark chocolate covered pomegranate candies, and those were just my downfall. They were amazingly good, and I had barely treated myself to anything rich all week. I tried to avoid them for the first few hours, but my hunger and curiosity got the best of me. After hearing, "Oh my God, these are so GOOD" for the billionth time, I finally gave in and tried one. And they really were delicious. I told myself I would only have a few, but then I kept reaching in the bag. I justified it by thinking, their very tiny, dark chocolate isn't that bad for you, and pomegranate is a fruit. Hah. Even I knew it was pathetic as I was doing it. But it didn't stop there. I was just so hungry! I kept grabbing pieces of broccoli (which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the mound of butter Outback added to their vegetables) and even had a spoonful of mashed potatoes and a few handfuls of cheese. 

But the worst came at night. I came home and ate some more snacks. Then I went out with some friends, where I had 1 Corona. Wait for the worst part - we went to the diner later on, after we uh... smoked a little. I ordered a side of fries and ate almost the whole thing, complete with honey mustard and ketchup. 

Ugh. I felt AWFUL the next morning. I woke up with my stomach hurting, and I just felt sick thinking about what I had eaten the day before. It was terrible. I was so so disappointed in myself =( 

Sunday: 
 I tried to do better, but the motivation just wasn't really there. Because my stomach was bothering me, I didn't even have a real breakfast - just eating some whole wheat Chex out of the box and a handful of walnuts. I snacked most of the day, eating plain rice cakes, a pack of Smart Food popcorn, and pretzels. For lunch I had Amy's organic vegetable barley soup and rice cakes. I probably had another snack after that, but I honestly don't remember. I had whole wheat pasta with eggplant and a salad for dinner. Really, that was a good dinner. But then after dinner I was still hungry. I had tea with too much sugar and some popcorn. 

I'm just disappointed because I know I could have done better. Looking back on it, I didn't do TOO horrible. The chocolates and the french fries were definitely the worst things. Everything else wasn't too horrible, it was just that I wasn't paying attention to portion control at all. And I'm mad that I didn't have the motivation to work out. I wish I did better this weekend, but I'll make up for it but doing really great this whole week! 

So far today, I've eaten: 

Breakfast: 
-triple grande non-fat vanilla latte from Starbucks 
-Fiber 1 strawberry and oats granola bar 

I'm interning today so I can't work out. I would later, but I really just do not feel good. I took some Vitamin-C pills, and I have a thing of cough drops in front of me, so hopefully I will start feeling better. But today is just not looking good. It's not even noon and I'm already incredibly exhausted. I feel slightly feverish and my throat is irritated and really bothering me. I'm light-headed and feeling a little dizzy and very stuffed up. I wish I would feel better because I absolutely need to go to the gym in the morning - besides, its Step and Total Body, 2 of my favorites. 

Hopefully being sick will help curb my appetite! Ha ha. I know that's not really great to wish for, but oh well!

summer comes pretty fast!

I want these bathing suits. And they WILL be mine for the summer. So these are my current motivation for weight loss: 

And if I could look even CLOSE to like that in them, I'll be pretty freaking happy!

motivation, motivation!

Okay so I lied and did not wake up bright and early this morning for Step class or Total Body. I actually slept through my 9 am alarm (something that probably had to do with waking up at 6:30 am yesterday then working until 6:30 with 1 cup of coffee and no naps). You know when your so exhausted you barely remember pressing the off button? Yeah, that's what I did. Instead, I woke up at 11, feeling slightly dazed and confused... and then very disappointed that I had slept through both classes - the night before I was actually looking forward to taking them! 


Now, usually, my routine after missing the morning classes would be: nothing. I would make breakfast, watch a little TV, and probably take a nap before my waitressing job. But today, I didn't do that! I actually went downstairs and popped in the new workout DVD I got for Christmas, Denise Austin's Cardio Blast. Ah, the powers of motivation! 

I have to say, I really liked it. She wasn't that annoying, and it was pretty fun. It was all cardio, which I normally don't do - I usually add in weights. But this had kickboxing and dancing and stuff like that. The only annoying thing was to watch her and the other perfect girls go along to the tape, their hair staying neatly in place (not even in a ponytail) and not a drop of sweat appearing on any of them. Meanwhile, I'm wearing old Jones Beach shorts and a see through t-shirt, my hair in a gross, greasy ponytail, and sweat dripping off every inch of my body. Oh well! 


So I did that for about 45 minutes, and thought it was a pretty decent workout. Much better than doing nothing, that's for sure! 


What I Ate Today: (So far) 
Breakfast: 
-1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, scrambled and mixed with spinach and a little red pepper. (See, told you I liked that recipe!) also, 1 apple and a cup of Chai tea. The Chai tea probably wasn't the best idea, cause I added a lot of sugar =/ 


Snack:  
-fruit smoothie, taken out of my 100-calorie Snack book... so it was only 100 calories! It's pretty yummy and I would definitely make it again, so here's the recipe if you're interested: 
Blend together 5 frozen or unfrozen strawberries, 1 kiwi chopped up, 1 teaspoon of shredded coconut, and 1/4 cup of orange juice. It doesn't make that much, but you see, I always think I need a big smoothie and never end up finishing it! So this ended up being perfect. 


Lunch: 
-1 bowl of that leftover amazing minestrone soup I made a few nights ago. Still just as yummy! 


Now I have to go to stupid work. I guess I've never really written about what I do.... so I will quickly now. I'm a waitress at Outback Steakhouse, where I've worked for over 3 years. I give Outback a lot of credit for making me gain weight. In case you've never been to an Outback, we have amazing bread, just so you know. That bread is also over 1,000 calories. That doesn't stop hungry employees from eating a whole one by themselves... something I admit I've done way too many times. Also, I worked there before I stopped eating meat, and since we work such weird hours (right through dinner time and until kind of late), I started eating dinner there all the time... fried coconut shrimp, chicken fingers, steaks, mashed potatoes, Buffalo chicken... you name it, I ate it. Not to mention the coffee I used to get everyday before work: a medium caramel latte from Dunkin Donuts, which I don't even want to KNOW the calorie count of. Oh, and the drinking after work... sugary cocktails at Applebees after a night of dealing with angry customers? I was always there. 


But I stopped eating meat over 2 years ago and so I also stopped eating everything at Outback. Except for the bread. But in the last few months, I've stopped that also. And I no longer get those caramel lattes everyday - I mean seriously, what was I THINKING? 


Anyway, I also want a real career working for a fashion magazine, so I've recently started interning at Us Weekly magazine. I don't get paid, I actually pay to get in the city to work there, but I absolutely love it. It takes up a lot of time, so I've cut my hours at Outback... thank God because I'm getting completely sick of that place! 


Anyway, that was a little about me! Time to get ready for work though... boooooo. 

busy as a little bee

I think I did a decent job today. 


What I Ate Today: 
Breakfast: was in a rush to make my train, and it was too early for me to eat, so I just grabbed something quick. 
-Fiber One strawberry granola bar (by the way, these are DELISH. I'm not a huge fan of granola bars, but I love these! Everyone should try them!) 
-triple grande nonfat vanilla latte from Starbucks 


Lunch: I put a lot of space in between lunch and breakfast. I try not to snack between those meals, because I'm most hungry in the afternoon, so I save my calories until then. 
-Salad: spinach leaves, walnuts, artichoke hearts and chickpeas, and a little bit of Parmesan cheese with balsamic vinagerette. 
-small piece of pumpernickel bread. 


Snack: 
-Craisins, pretzel thins, and white chocolate chips mixed together. I got the recipe from that 100-Calorie Snack Cookbook, but I ate a little bit more than one serving. It was nice to have something sweet though. 


Dinner: 
-whole wheat penne pasta with fresh broccoli and asparagus and some walnuts in a little oil and garlic. Very yummy! Broccoli is one of my favorite foods, and whole wheat pasta with veggies is one of my fav meals! Always fills me up and leaves me satisfied =) 


Water: 
1 16 ounce water bottle. :-/ 


Basically, I need more water, but other than that, I think I did a good job today. I wanted to save a snack for after dinner, like some popcorn, but I have kind of a stomach ache. Normally, I would force myself to eat the snack. I don't know why I do that, but I guess it's because I spend the whole day telling myself I can have it later, and I don't want to disappoint myself? I don't know, but I hate that I do that. Eating when you're not hungry only stretches your stomach! So I'm proud of myself that I didn't force myself to eat. 


No exercise today, and no exercise yesterday. I'm being a bit of a bum this week. I haven't exactly been feeling up to par, and yesterday my throat hurt and I was super sore from the gym the day before. Excuses, excuses. I promise myself I will be up early tomorrow for Step and Total Body!! 

Lazy Days

What I Ate So Far Today: 
Breakfast: 
-recipe from 100 Calorie Snacks: eggs mixed with spinach. Very, very filling and satisfying! I put it on a multi-grain sandwich thin (those things have literally saved my life) and didn't need anything else like I sometimes do for breakfast. It was easy to make and pretty good. Here's the recipe: 
2-3 eggs, beaten (I used 2 regular eggs and 1 egg white) 
about 1 cup of finely chopped spinach (I used a little bit more because spinach is my fav) 
1 scallion, green and white parts, chopped 
about 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
Just mix everything together and then cook in a pan over medium heat until done. I definitely recommend! 


Snack: 
-1 cup of tea 
-2 plain rice cakes with 1 Laughing Cow cheese wedge 


Lunch: 
-small salad: baby arugula blend lettuce, small handful of Craisins, toasted hazelnuts, and a little Asiago cheese with oil and vinegar. 
-1 bowl of leftover minestrone soup 


So I thought I didn't do too bad today, but looking at everything written down makes me feel like I ate a little bit too much. Especially for lunch. I should have cut out the Craisins and the cheese in the salad. 
For dinner, I'm making a salmon recipe and pairing it with baked sweet potatoes and a vegetable. I hope it's as delicious as what I made last night! 


Here's some thinspiration pictures for myself and anyone else! 

Bar Raefaeli has an amazing body. I would pay a million dollars to look like that in underwear.

I think Blake Lively has basically a perfect body. She's got some curves, a nice shape, and she has the best legs! As a short girl, it's something that I will forever be jealous of because no matter what I do, I can't get that. Siiigh.

I would do anything to look like Scarlett Johansson - and the best thing is, I kind of have the shape to do so - if I keep up with my diet and exercise! I hate when girls are too skinny. Like, Alessandra Ambrosio def has an amazing body, but that girl is stick skinny! ScarJo has curves, and it's def the thing guys love about her! She is one of my biggest body inspirations.

Drunk Munchies

What I Ate for the end of Yesterday: 
Lunch: 
No lunch. Was running around like a maniac and didn't have time. 
Bad idea. I was starving the rest of the night and am convinced that wouldn't have happened if I had had some lunch. 


Snacks: 
-2 plain, salted rice cakes. 
-Melba Snack toasts with 1 Laughing Cow cheese wedge. 
-Fiber 1 granola bar. 
-handful of pretzels. 


Dinner: 
-2 bowls of minestrone soup that I made homemade. 


Yesterday wasn't too horrible, except for the mindless snacking before dinner. But I think that happened because I didn't eat lunch. It wasn't that they weren't healthy snacks, but there were just too many of them. 


The minestrone soup I made last night was absolutely DELISH and def going into my favorite recipe pile. Plus, it was low-fat. I used this recipe: the best minestrone ever, from Cooking Light. I recommend that everyone try it. The soup is ALL vegetables, and the only fattening thing in it is the pasta - which you really don't need much of, because the veggies are so delicious. I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth and it came out just as yummy! 


Also last night I went out to the bar with some friends. Usually going to the bar is my downfall, because along with a few harmless drinks inevitably comes the drunk munchies. And my bar of choice is conveniently located right next door to a 7-11. Every time me and my friends leave there, we always wind up in Sevs, grabbing the junkiest of junk foods we can find to scarf down and hopefully soak up that alcohol. And I always do it because my guard is down when I'm drunk! 


But I'm happy to report that I did not give in to the drunk cravings last night =) At the bar, I had 2 glasses of Miller Lite and one very fruity lime green shot, so I don't think I did that horrible. Although next time I go out, I will def get some vodka/cranberries... much less calories than beer, but I can't pass up $2 taps! Anyway, I had those drinks and was feeling a little buzzed after my shot (yes I am the biggest lightweight ever, don't judge), and when it was time to go home, I desperately wanted something to eat. I thought about Swanson frozen mac and cheese, which is my absolute favoriteeee drunk food. I thought about nacho cheese Dorritos on a buttered roll from 7-11 (don't knock it until you try it - its incredibly delicious when your wasted). But I didn't get those things or anything else. Actually, I didn't even step foot in 7-11. I went home, grabbed a handful of pretzels, and passed out in my bed. 


So I'm pretty happy with myself. Nights out are usually the nights that make me lose all control of a diet, and then in the morning I always hate myself for it. But I didn't last night, so I'm proud. 


Today is a new day! Time to eat healthy, drink lots of water, and exercise! 

Morning Update

Some thinspiration for me and anyone else who needs it:

Carrie Underwood has a sick body, especially compared to how she looked in American Idol.

What I Ate Today: (So far)

Breakfast:

-3 egg whites on a multi-grain sandwich thin, with a little bit of mixed cheddar and Montery Jack cheese on top.

-1 orange.

Satisfying, filling breakfast. 

Water:

2 water bottles, each 1 pint.

Also managed to hit the gym this morning for the first time in 2 and a half weeks. Went to a Step class and decided to challenge myself by using a higher step than I normally do. It was definitely a challenge - I was exhausted by the middle of the class, and my legs were in so much pain I could barely get through it. I tried to stick it out for the next class, Tummy Tuck and Butt Lift, but not even halfway through, I felt like I was going to pass out. Maybe it was the combination of challenging myself and of not being at the gym for a while, and the slight cold I have going on, but I knew I should leave before I actually did pass out (it's happened before).

So hopefully I can keep up the good work today, with at least 2 more water bottles, a nice healthy lunch, and an even healthier dinner. I plan on going to the bar tonight, where I know I'll have at least 2 drinks, so I need to be good the rest of the day.

Let the adventure begin....

Diet Tip of the Day: 

Buy 100-Calorie Snack Cookbook by Sally Sampson. 


Today was the first day of my new diet. I can't really call it a diet, though, because it's more of a healthier eating plan. Basically, eat less - smaller portions, less snacks. And eat healthier - no afternoon chocolate bars or late night drunken mac n' cheese. You know how it goes. At $20, it's a little pricey, but totally worth it. The snacks are delish, easy to prepare, and fill you up - and obv 100 calories or less. I know a lot of people stick to those handy little 100-calorie snack packs that food companies invented to try to make some money out of obsese America, but trust me when I say that it is so much worth it to make your own 100-cal snack instead of being lazy. That mini bag of chocolate covered pretzels might not be chock-full of calories, but it still isn't going to fill you up and hold you over like a satisfying snack should do. The snacks in this cookbook will. 




What I ate today: 


Breakfast:
-Triple grande nonfat vanilla latte from Starbucks. 
-Low-fat chocolate chunk granola bar 
Let me tell you, this is definitely NOT the breakfast of champions. The latte from Starbucks doesn't have TOO many calories, but there is just too much sugar - I need to switch to just plain lattes and ditch the vanilla. And that granola bar really did nothing to fill me up, plus their not that tasty, so it's just empty calories. But I'll give myself a break, because I was in a mad rush to make a train, and make it to my fab internship on time. 


Lunch: 
-Salad: baby spinach leaves, avocado, black olives, shredded mozzarella cheese, and walnuts. 
A decent lunch: got protein from the avocado and nuts, and those plus the spinach are all filling. Obviously I should have left out the cheese, but everything else was pretty good so I thought I could sneak that in there. Filling, satisfying, and yummy. 


Snack: 
-Half a bag of plain, lightly salted Soy Chips. 
-Small hazelnut coffee, with milk and sugar. 
Soy Chips are good, but not plain like this, hence the reason I ate half the bag. The plain ones kiiiind of taste like cardboard. I will def stick to the BBQ ones next time. I only eat Soy Chips when I'm dying for a potato chip, because their a healthier alternative. But the coffee needs to go - there was waaaaay too much sugar in that little cup. But, once again, I'll give myself a break here since I was interning and was exhausted. 


Dinner: 
-Morningstar Pizza veggie burger 
-About 1/2 cup roasted baby potatoes 
-About 1/2 cup Trader Joe's frozen mixed carrots. 
Could have definitely been better. My mom put butter on the potatoes, and those pizza veggie burgers don't have the lowest calories. But not horrible. 


Water: 
-1 16 oz. bottle 
-1 glass 
NEED. MORE. WATER. 


Okay. So looking back on today, I probably could have done better. And I still plan on having a little bit of dessert later, but nothing too serious - probably just some light butter, low-fat popcorn.


Overall, I think my first day went fairly well. Besides the fact that it's almost 8:30 and I'm starving. Oh, and ignoring the fact that I didn't exercise today. Honestly though, I didn't have time to hit the gym! I know, lame excuses. But tomorrow I will be there for Step class bright and early =)