Simple Snacks

Even before starting this lifestyle change, snacking was never something I was very good at keeping up with. I either forgot to eat it, or ate too much. Now, following Jamie Eason's eating plan, I am eating 3 meals a day with 2 snacks. It seemed like I was eating so much food in the beginning, but after the first couple of days my body really started to crave food every 2-3 hours like it should. Before, I could go almost an entire day without eating anything- this is horrible for you (if you were not aware, when you skip a meal your body goes into starvation mode, so the next meal you eat will be stored longer because your body is uncertain of when your next meal will be). By eating every 2-3 hours you help boost your metabolism, which is what you want when trying to lose weight! Here are a few snacks that I have been eating the past few weeks.

• PB2 is a great alternative to regular peanut butter. It is 45 calories for 2 TBSP vs. regular peanut butter which can have 150-200 calories for the same amount. With PB2 the peanuts are processed to remove the fat and oil to turn it into a powder. (If you prefer the creamy version, just add water!) I love to use PB2 with my fruit, sometimes I just sprinkle the powder on top. It is also amazing in protein shakes! They come in regular and chocolate flavor :)
• Are you a ranch dressing lover? Get some plain Greek yogurt (great source of protein) and mix in a little dry ranch seasoning. I promise it tastes (almost) exactly the same. It is such an easy swap to make without having to sacrifice taste.
• I am addicted to chips and dip...if I could eat it everyday I would. I found that I can mix a little Greek yogurt with an avocado and add some lime and salt & pepper (Voila! Guacamole!) a little bit of this dip and some blue corn tortilla chips are a great way to satisfy that mexican food craving.
• Pretzel crisps are seriously the best thing in the entire world. I love regular pretzels, but I get lost while eating them and suddenly the entire bag is gone and I am still starving (and bloated from all the sodium). With pretzel crisps I can portion out 10 and that can hold me over until my next meal, these are amazing with hummus (which coincidentally is also amazing for you). Chickpeas are high in fiber and protein, both of which are great for helping you feel full!

Happy Snacking Everyone!
XOXO- Kathie

Celebrate the little things

When you are going through the journey of completely changing your lifestyle it is important to give yourself a pat on the back whenever you see progress, no matter how small it is. This boost of confidence is the only thing that will keep you sane as you go through caffeine withdrawals or try to push through that last set of push ups. That being said, yesterday I finished week 1 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit program. On 12/2/13 I weighed in at 180.6, yesterday I weighed in at 177.8...it may not seem like a lot, but I am pretty proud of that number.

I cannot stress the importance of setting realistic goals for yourself, you cannot think that you will lose 10lbs in a week or you will just set yourself up for failure. You didn't gain all that weight overnight, you are not going to lose it overnight. This was my problem for years, if I did not see immediate progress I gave up. This time around I am trying to focus more on how I am feeling vs. how I look.

Today was chest/tricep day for me and I have already noticed a huge difference in upper body strength. Last week, I attempted pushups for the first time in who knows how long. I performed 3 sets of 12, but was unable to do all the sets in the plank position and had to resort to my knees and take many breaks in between (no shame in that). However, today  I was able to perform the entire set without getting on my knees. I still had to take a few breaks, but like I said it's progress!

Once you get through that mental block telling yourself you cannot finish that last rep or that you need a dr. pepper to get through your day, you will be surprised at what you can accomplish.

Have a healthy week!
XOXO- Kathie

Just be happy!

In May, I was blessed with the opportunity to work with an amazing young man named Dan. He is 22 years old and is diagnosed with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities, but he is so much more than that. Dan is the most amazing person I have ever met. He is so full of life and love and is constantly showing me how to be a better person. It is so sad to me, when I take Dan out in public I constantly see the looks of sympathy from strangers that are thinking, "Oh, poor thing." It is funny that they feel so sorry for this boy, when really they should be jealous. Dan does what God calls each of us to do, show unconditional love for everyone. He will never have to know how horrible this world can actually be, he just goes about his day with a huge smile on his face. I have seen him grow so much in just the 6 months that I have been with him, and I know he can exceed the expectations placed on him, because Dan is secretly a genius. When you are a child everything is magical, you can be anything you want to be and you believe the best in everyone...why would anyone want to grow up?  As adults we tend to lose these ideas. We grow up and reality sets in, and unfortunately we find out that the world is not always fair. Sometimes it takes someone like Dan to show us what we are missing, so here are 6 simple ways to be happier with your life, according to Dan:

1.Take more naps

2. Ice cream makes everything better

3. It is OK to be a little silly sometimes

4. Smile more often

5. Give more love

6. And lastly...always root for the Aggies, WHOOP!

XOXO - Kathie

Day 1 - OUCH!

Yesterday was an interesting day for me, not only was it the first day of starting Jamie Eason's Live Fit program, but I also was bit in the face by a dog and had to have several stitches in my nose....needless to say I am feeling all of it today...That should be a testament to how hard I worked out on Monday..what hurts worse? dog bite or sore muscles? Today I wanted to give everyone a little breakdown of the program I am following. As I said in my previous post it is a 12 week program, but this isn't something you do for 12 weeks and then slip back into your old ways. This is for life. The program is broken down into 3 phases.

Phase One:
This phase is completely about building muscle (there is no cardio during this phase) I know as a female I am constantly worried about not wanting to lift too much for fear of bulking up, but if there has one thing I have learned from being a health major it is the importance of strength training for your bones. For those who do not know,osteoporosis is more common in women. Like I said before, I am a 22 year old woman right now, but I will never be as young as I am right now in this moment.

During this phase you will lift 4 days a week. Yesterday was chest and tricep day, my workout included:
-Wide pushups
-Narrow pushups
-Bench press
-Tricep Extensions
-Tricep Pushdowns
-Dumbbell Flyes
*I did 3 sets of each at 60% of my max weight
*For video demonstrations of each of these workouts go to:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html

Exposed

First post:

I have always felt that I was big, even when I was at my lowest weight in high school. Now almost 50 pounds heavier I feel as if I have completely let myself down... It was easier in high school, I was involved with dance and track and spent hours a day being active and never worried about what I put into my body because I knew I would be able to burn it off. Now as a full time college student with a part time job I feel there is not enough time to meet all the demands placed on me: Excel in the workplace, make good grades, get into grad school, make time for your boyfriend, maintain a social life...oh and while you are busy doing all of that, do not forget you need to prep healthy meals for the week and find time to workout everyday...There is no time....at least this is what I tell myself when I slip up...It is a lie.

Yes meal prepping takes time, yes working out takes time...you know what else takes time? Watching Netflix for an entire day (sadly I have done this on more than one occasion) I lie to myself and say that there is just not enough time in the day, but if you want something badly enough you will make the time. You will get up earlier, you will prep your snacks ahead of time so that when you are in a rush and need to grab something on the run, it can be carrots instead of chips, instead of meeting the girls for happy hour, you could meet the girls for walks in the park. There IS time, you just have to find it. This is the first thing you have to realize when you decide to begin a health journey. The second is this: Yes, right now you are a young 22 year old woman....but you will not always be. Your body is a machine and must be treated with care and properly nourished.

After constantly trying and failing at maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I am hoping that I have finally found something that works for me. My boyfriend and I are starting the Jamie Eason Live Fit program today (Did I mention it's free?!) The program is 12 weeks long and is broken down into 3 phases. The thing I love about this program is that it is set up to help you maintain this healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life. If you are looking for a program that doesn't require a lot of effort to be put in...this is not the one for you. So wish me luck, I will be documenting my progress/thoughts/struggles weekly, and I am hoping that this blog will help hold me accountable to giving my all to this program.