Sunday Prep

People are always asking me what I am eating. It has taken me a while to find what works for me. I have tried different methods, different foods, and different "diets". In the beginning I was not getting enough protein and I am currently in the process of increasing it through means that I am comfortable with (I am not into drinks, etc.) After a lot of trial and error I found that it works best for me to do my food prep for lunch, breakfast, and snacks on Sunday night.

I did all of this on last Sunday Night: 1 large bowl of pineapple, 5 servings of cantaloupe, 5 salads, 5 salad toppings, and 5 jars of overnight oats (not pictured).

 

 

I started off by putting frozen chicken breasts in the oven to roast. I season the chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then I pour water in the dish, place the lid on top, and bake until it registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

I then start the quinoa to cooking. I cook one cup dry quinoa with 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and recommended water amount.

 

While the quinoa is cooking, I like to start fixing salads. I like to keep it simple and buy a large box of the organic salad mix, I divide this box amongst my bowls. These bowls hold 3 cups, so I just calculate that this is 3 cups of salad mix when I count my calories. I then chop up bell pepper and place 1 oz of matchstick carrots on top. That is it, easy! I do add 6 cherry tomatoes the night before when I pack the salad. When the chicken and quinoa is finished I place 1/2 cup cooked quinoa and 3 oz of chicken in a bowl to dump on top of my salad during lunch, below is what my salad looks like when I go to eat it at lunchtime. It is really yummy and satisfying.

 

 

I will then chop my fruit that I will be snacking on, divide it up if needed, and then wipe down the counters.

 

Then I pack my overnight oats. In each jar I place: 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats, 1 stevia packet, and 1 teaspoon psyllium fiber (optional). I do this in 5 jars, just enough to last me through the week.

 

The night before I will be eating them I place 1 cup almond milk in there with 1/2 cup blueberries.

 

In an hour's work I have a week's worth of:

Breakfast- Overnight Oats

Lunch- Salad with Quinoa & Chicken

Snack- Fruit of choice

 

 

What are you doing to help you stay on track with your eating? What works for you? Are you wanting to try one of my ideas for this week.

 

Love,

JamieLynn

 

 

 

Back at it Again! (Progress Picture Included)

Sorry, that I have been gone so long. I had A LOT going on at work, at home, and at me.

We spent one day of my fall break biking The Creeper Trail! I loved it. My backside REALLY hurt the next day, but it was so worth it.

 

I got my hair cut short! I love how easy it is to deal with. I have let it grow out a little bit, but will definitely get it trimmed back up nicely before the beach.

 

I got to see my beautiful Baby C dance in the Russian Ballet's Nutcracker, a once in a lifetime moment.

 

Celebrated my 28th birthday in November with new smaller clothes (I even purchased skinny jeans) and Cheesecake Factory. Yum!

 

In May we celebrated Mr. SB's birthday with Kayaks and Chop House. We are really loving the Kayaks, they are a great way to exercise.

 

We did a whole lot more in there. I planned two field trips and got snowed on. I took some really sweet kids to the TASC (Tennessee Association of Student Councils) and got rained on at Dollywood on a cool spring day. This was a very busy school year and trying to stay focused on my healthy lifestyle was not easy. In December I thought I was crazy because I was feeling sick to my stomach like I had rode amusement park rides all day. My lovely co-workers were all placing bets on when the baby was due. After a visit to the doctor I was informed that I had vertigo. So after one month of not working out and not dieting I had to ensue a second month because of therapy. That vertigo is a bad word, you can select which ever bad word you would like.

 

Well here is a progress picture from May.

I am happy with my results despite not being to my goal.

 

Are you where you want to be? Are you still working toward your goal?

 

 

Love,

Jamielynn

 

 

 

Weekly Weigh-In #3 & #4

I actually started this post last week, but I could not upload pictures, so here it is. Better late than never.
Weekly Weigh-In #3
I actually weighed-in on Monday, but this week has been super crazy. This week was the first week back for teachers and I am exhausted. I could so totally sleep for days. While this week has been crazy and I have not been able to work-out everyday like planned, I rocked it last week and it showed on my scale.

My previous weigh-in was 191.2.

This week's weigh-in was 187.4.

Week 7: 9 pounds gone

Week 16: 22 pounds gone

 

Weekly Weigh-In #4

Despite eating in range everyday I gained 4 oz., due to little working out. My total weight now is 187.8. When am I going to learn that I have to work out to see a difference. I know it but I have just been busy with school back in session. Praying that it will all calm down.

 

How are your weigh-ins going? Are you reaching your goals?

 

Love,

Jamielynn

Weekly Weigh-In #2

My week was good and I could tell I was doing great with my goals. Bam! Then the weekend came and it set me back some.  It was a great weekend filled with several events, events with great food.

My weight loss this week was going to be pretty great before the weekend came but I am still pleased with my loss.

This morning I weighed in at...

191.2

That is down by 1.4 lbs!

 

 

Here is some progress pictures, not a ton of difference but still progress.

 

Week 11 Weight 194.4

Week 15 Weight 191.2

 

 

Week 11 Weight 194.4

Week 15 Weight 191.2

My Weekly Goals #1

I love to make goals and I am learning to accept that it does not always happen perfectly like wanted.

Here are my goals for the next week:

1. Workout everyday by running, 30 DS, or weight training.
2. Start Level 2 of the 30 DS, I have been doing Level 1 since May.
3. Get in my 10,000 steps everyday. My Fitbit is really making me more aware of how active I am.
4. Hit the 20 pound loss mark before the end of next week, only have a little over a pound to go.

What goals do you have? What steps are you going to take to make them?

 

Love,

Jamielynn

I am linking up to Operation Skinny Jeans Weekly Goals Link Party.

 

 

My Cup Runneth Over

I am not going to lie about running. First, running did not come natural to me (still does not) and the first time I ran it was not pretty. I think the mile and a half took about thirty minutes. My lungs were burning and I had a metallic taste in my mouth. Some days it does not seem much better. I still can not run a full mile, I actually more or less walk and then run.

My time and distance yesterday. I love this app, only I use the free version by the same company.

 

I actually sometimes wonder why I put myself through it. Why go get hot and sweaty? Why stress my lungs? Why push myself so hard and I feel like I do not have anything to show for it?

 

The view I have when I am running.

 

So why do I run then? First, the view is amazing. I love running here because of it. Secondly, I love running because of the way I feel when I am done. I feel full of energy and accomplishment. Third, I run because fortunately I can. I can move, I can walk, I can run (even though it is not pretty). Fourth, I love the soul cleansing that it does for me. When my feet get heavy and my lungs are burning I know that I am stronger than the pain. I am strong enough to pick up my lead feet. I know that I am one day closer to my goal and one more unhealthy, sedentary day is behind me. I think about how I am a fighter, how a couple of years ago I fought what doctors thought would happen and walked through the hospital doors for my surgery, how at one point I would fight to climb stairs, and how now I will fight the pavement. I will win the battle like my mom is winning her battle with breast cancer. She is strong and if she can fight cancer why can I not fight the pavement and win.

 

My run yesterday was one of rare solitude because normally there is quite a few people there. I caught myself during those moments of solo running shedding tears. Why really I do not know, oddly enough it felt good. I started remembering a dream I had. Four years ago my mother was freshly diagnosed with breast cancer and it was not odd for me to bust out in random tears when no one was around. Around everyone but hubby I was strong, because if I cried it was like I was giving up on her and I would never do that. My mom is tough. During this time I remember watching the Iron Girl and I told myself I will do that one day for my mom and for other women. Well it was a dream at the time and I am contemplating making it a goal.

 

Do you have a dream? Do you have a goal? Are you contemplating doing something that you have never done before?



 Love,

Jamielynn

Weekly Weigh-In

 

Sorry that I have been gone for a full week. I have finally wrapped up summer school and am able to work on some things around the house. Like....


Cleaning the Adirondack chairs so that they can have a fresh coat of stain.



Cleaning the deck so it can be stained.



The finished project, I love how much cleaner it looks now and how many people we can sit out here.

 

 

So much easier to maintain now, I am too young to be spending my free time weeding flowerbeds.

 

Well I will shut up and get to the chase. I have not worked out as much as I would like to this week but I know all this yard work has kicked my butt. I did go for a couple of runs and did 30 DS a couple of times.

 

So, last Monday I weighed 195.6, up from 193. I knew it was going to happen and I was upset, but this week I am happy because I am down to...

192.6! 

 

I am hoping this week that I fit more workouts and runs in. I know that the yard work was strenuous because my fat was crying a lot this week. I am not normally a person who sweats, but sometimes I would come inside the house for a drink of water and I would be completely saturated and my hair would be wet like I had taken a shower. GROSS!

 

Did you weigh-in today? Did you make your goal?

 

Love,

Jamielynn