Perfect Monday.....now that's an oxymoron!

I am one of the lucky ones whose company gives us the day off for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.  This morning I was Googling quotes by MLK and came across one that I had not read before and that hit home for me today. 

"If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." ~MLK,Jr.

When in doubt, put one foot in front of the other and keep moving - do the next right thing. 


Unfortunately S.E. did not have the day off but being an only child I don't mind days of solitude.  I slept in until 7:30, got up had a leisurely breakfast of steel cut oats and headed to the gym.  On the subject of steel cut oats - I have made an overnight batch in the crock pot that were pretty good, but the ones I made on the stovetop this morning weren't creamy enough for me. I guess I'll go back to the overnight method and make a big batch for the week, but I just hate being that committed to the same breakfast all week. 

Anyway I headed to the gym and got in a nice leg workout and about 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer.  I was going to run, but I worked my back yesterday with S.E and I am soooooo sore!  Anyway, I ran a few errands, came home, did some school work and cooked a little.  I made Cinnamon Swirl Protein Bread for snacks this week and have a huge pot of homemade marinara simmering on the stove.  We are going to have that tonight with spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  Even though whole wheat pasta is acceptable when eating clean, I have decided to forgo all pastas for the first few months.

Today is two weeks since I started eating clean and I really do feel well. I decided at the beginning I would allow myself 2 cheat meals per month and would only consume alcohol twice per month also.  Saturday night we went out to dinner and I didn't use a cheat meal, but I did have three Michelob Ultras while watching the S.F vs. Saints game - What.A.Game.  Anyway I had two experiences last week with eating out and with proper research of the menu before hand and asking for what I needed (no oil, butter, etc) I was able to keep my restaurant meals clean.  I am excited to weigh in tomorrow - I weighed 164 pounds on January 3rd and 159 on January 8th so I am definitely making progress; however that first week was a lot of water and detox.  I will be happy with an average 2 pound per week weight loss. 

I plan on enjoying the rest of my day off.  I'm not doing anymore homework or chores.  I am going to enjoy dinner with S.E., pack for tomorrow and relax this evening.

Stir Fried Silly

We love stir fry at our house.  My Mom bought me this great new wok for Christmas and I LOVE it!!! Clean up is a breeze, food tastes great, it is calphalon so there is not a need for a lot of oil. Simply wonderful.  Tonight I made a shrimp stir fry with broccoli, celery, red pepper, and  mushrooms. Store bought stir fry sauces do not meet the definition of clean; therefore I read lots of different recipes and created one that suited our tastes.  I didn't measure all of the ingredients, but I definitely will next time so I can post the recipe.  Essentially all that was in it was low sodium tamari, natural peanut butter, ginger, chili garlic sauce, and a small amount of canola oil.  I think next time I may even try to leave the oil out completely and see how that turns out. I did a quick nutritional content and it came in at 100 calories per serving but even with 1/2 cup of brown rice and the sauce my dinner was only about 350 calories.

All in all I am feeling pretty good.  I have a cold, but really who doesn't?!?

On another note, I am having a hard time staying motivated with my classes.  I feel like I have been in school forever and just want to be done. Almost. Almost. Almost.  My daily mantra.

Courtesy of Pinterest

Shewwww! Busy!

Today has been a jam packed day and its still not over.  I got in a leg session and 5K at the gym then headed to Kroger to do our weekly shopping.  I have a rule to not go to the grocery after 12 on a Sunday and I broke that rule today. IDIOT.  It was insanely busy and even with a list I managed to forget a few items, but that's ok my work is very close to Kroger so I'll just make another trip.

After the groceries were put away, I focused on my homework for the week and then meal planning.  I made Egg Muffins for Justin with eggs, egg whites, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and turkey sausage and I have Pumpkin Spice Protein Bars in the oven right now for me.  I also have black beans soaking as a a side for tomorrow's dinner, Crock Pot Mexican Chicken.  Purchasing dried bean versus canned allows me to control what is in them and I can flavor them however I want, also it is so much cheaper! 

Also I posted the first set of pictures over on the Progress Pictures tab.  I have to be honest, I had a real struggle with agreeing to post them; like most people, I am self conscious and only see the flaws.  However I felt like if I posted the pictures, I would have another reason to continue with this journey and more motivation.  Seeing yourself in a picture is so much different than looking in the mirror. 

Anyway, week one of eating clean was an absolute success.  No cheats.  It has required quite a bit of planning and preparing, but me and S.E are worth it.  Onto Week 2........

I Feel Good!

I didn't make it to the gym this morning. The bed felt too good and I had already planned to go for a Spin class this evening so I just decided I would lift after work too.  I did a 2+ hour session; upper body weight training, 30 minute Spin class, and then a 5K treadmill run.  I am not a runner, but am determined to mold myself into one with the help of C25K; maybe one day I'll even like it.  I had more stamina today at the gym and I'm sure it is a result of proper nutrition.  I just feel good today; the withdrawal headache seems to have subsided and my energy level is returning! Hallelujah!

Tonight is leftover night.  We have lots to chose from: roasted turkey breast, Moroccan Quinoa Stew, or Chicken and Broccoli with Soba Noodles - clean eating tastes pretty good!

Well, I stink (literally) so off to the shower for me.




Courtesy of Pinterest



Running on Empty

This one is going to be short friends.  I am still dealing with a dull headache and some fatigue; however from what I have read this is normal and I will start to feel markedly better from this point on.  Like many other drugs, processed foods (mainly sugar) are absolutely addicting to the body and I am simply going through withdrawal.  This is the end of day 3 so I am hoping I am over the hump. 

Classes also started back for me today so I no longer have free time. Ever.  There is always an assignment due sometime.  Organization is key for  me. Meal planning, packing adequate meals, cooking, classes, and more all require some portion of my time; not to mention my job and my family and friends! However I am determined organization and practice will make the juggling act easier within the next few weeks.  And to be honest, I love being busy; makes me feel like I have a purpose.

This post is a little ADD, but I want to post my menu from yesterday.  The Eat Clean Diet states you don't have to count calories, simply eat 5-6 meals a day with the appropriate macros of lean protein, complex carbs, healthy fat and maybe a fruit, but a clean eating lifestyle doesn't dictate if I count calories or not.  Clean eating just outlines the food I am allowed to fuel my body with.  Therefore, I am still logging my food due to I can justify anything......I mean technically aren't Skittles a fruit? Twizzlers?  Just kidding.  Eating 6 meals a day requires planning but I am definitely NOT hungry!

Here is the link to my menu from yesterday.  I use Myfitnesspal to track calories and exercise. My Fuel .

Good night friends! 4:15am comes early - Friday is a rest day for me and I need it!

Courtesy of Pinterest

3,2,1........GO

courtesy of Pinterest

Welcome to Clean Eating Chronicles! This blog is MY experience ONLY; I am simply sharing part of my journey in physically becoming the woman I know I can be.  Please don't think I am offering advice, medical opinions, nor am I a chef. However I am a woman who has struggled with her weight most of her life and I will be sharing what hasn't worked for me, what has worked for me, recipes, sources of inspiration, and even failures.  I'll even post the dreaded "before" pics........eventually.  Seriously, once I learn how to truly navigate my page and have tabs, etc I will post pics and measurements. 

My long-term boyfriend / spousal equivalent (aka S.E.) and I quit smoking on 1/12/2011 and joined a wonderful gym the next month.  We are still smoke-free and average at least 5 days a week at the gym.  I lift weights (heavy weight / low reps), participate in various cardio classes, and meet with a trainer for a new workout once amonth.  In the course of the last 10 months, I simply haven't seen the physical transformation I thought I would - I'm working out, eating right (most of the time)......why don't I look like Jamie Eason ??? If anything I feel and look a little bulkier! At first I thought I should lift lighter weight, do more reps, but after doing some research I realized I looked bulky because I was building muscle but NOT losing FAT! If I eliminate the fat, I am convinced I have some nice looking muscles under there.  OK, so lots of cardio and fat burning will eliminate the fat, right? Right.  I was a cardio machine for a few months and still no results.  That little voice in my head, some call it a conscience, we'll call mine Common Sense kept saying, "It's your diet, really, you can't eat good for 3 days, bad for 2 days, good for one day and expect to see results!" I kept telling Common Sense to ,"STFU! I workout hard, if I want to drink beer and have chicken wings every weekend, then I'm going to!"

Common Sense is right. I give! It's my nutrition, I know it is! I don't have a naturally high metabolism, I gain weight when I consume alcohol and eat crappy food, plain and simple.  I did manage to dodge the 20 pounds most put on after quitting smoking but that is it - I haven't lost any weight! So I started doing some research about clean eating and how it isn't a diet but a lifestyle change.  A VERY basic definition of clean eating is the elimination of processed sugar, white flour, man-made processed foods with upteen ingredients; essentially it is lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and complex carboyhydrates 5-6 times a day. I discovered there are varying degrees of cleanliness and I had to decide what was right for me and S.E.  Here are some sites I have found helpful:  The Gracious Pantry and The Eat Clean Diet. 

So this blog will essentially be about me changing my lifestyle and the way I view food.  I am going to try to post something daily; however I work full-time and go to school full-time (non-traditional, trust me I'm not young) so sometimes I may miss a day.  As my knowledge grows, I will pass it along and am always open for comments from readers too.