"If at first you don't succeed..."

After being stuck for 3 weeks (which resulted in gaining a pound over Orthodox Easter and then having Mothers Day slow me down too), I am excited to report that I finally busted through my plateau. I'm down 0.9lbs from my last successful weigh in 3 weeks ago. I still have nearly half a pound to go to hit that initial weight loss goal I set back in January... So close, yet so far.

I am excited to have ordered my new Heart Rate Monitor since last week's check in. As well as... drumroll please... Leandro Carvalho's Brazil Butt Lift (I will call this BBL moving forward). This is a workout through Beachbody (you may be more familiar with their P90X, Insanity, and Turbo Jam workouts). I decided Insanity wasn't for me. I need a workout I love and I didn't love it (which meant I was much less interested in working out). BBL is known to lift your butt (after all, look at the name), but people who have used it boast how it's great for the thighs and abs --- my two major focus areas. Leandro has worked with Victoria's Secret models too... umm, yes, please count me in! I never expect to look like that no matter how hard I try but I'll have fun trying! Both of these purchases arrived via FedEx yesterday (thank you, FedEx!) and I couldn't wait to bust into the boxes and get moving. I don't think I've ever been so excited to workout, and that's an awesome feeling!

Let me tell you after just one day, I already feel great. I feel like I REALLY worked out. I often felt a little bit like I worked out after Jillian Michaela and Zumba... Minor muscle soreness that was gone by the next day. But I feel a good sore right now (especially from the abs workout). And my HRM worked awesome!!! I love knowing exactly how many calories I'm burning now. My Fitness Pal is great but it's all estimates. No more!

Photo Credit

In case you might be interested in trying this, I've joined a challenge with my new Beachbody Coach, Sarah. She's running a challenge on Facebook limited to only 5 people --- if you want to buy a challenge pack (you can pick from any of the Beachbody workouts) and get her support through the challenge which starts June 5 for a month, hit her up.

And a new DietBet started yesterday. 28 days to lose 4% of your weight. I've got a hefty goal to hit my target weight loss for this bet, but I'm going to give it my all... I'd need to lose nearly 1.5lbs each week... that hasn't happened for me in a long time, so let's hope that the BBL helps me win this one.

Slim by the Summer is almost over... final post is next week!! But before that... the looming question hanging over my head... what happens when we fail from time to time? What will I do when the support system from this group is no longer there for me? Being healthy and getting fit isn't just a diet, it's a lifestyle change. Which means, just like life, it will be a rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists and turns. What makes me vulnerable? What helps me to get up and try again after I fall?

Well, my vulnerabilities are easy to confess: Anything sweet; Watching TV instead of working out (after all, I DVR two episodes of Grey's Anatomy re-runs daily --- so relieved we're coming up on all the season finales since there aren't too many summer shows I watch --- though I am a Bachelor fan.) If I don't stick to the daily routine I've come to follow the past several months, I find that I'm less motivated to get off my rear. I avoid breaking down to have any kind of cheat day because once I start, I have trouble stopping. No self control! Prime example: I had a cookie over Mother's Day Weekend... which led to a second cookie (after all, there was a whole box of them --- and they were big ones!) I didn't beat myself up over it though. I told myself I "needed" that so I could re-focus when the new week began, and then I pushed myself a little harder.

I just do everything I can to keep my eyes on the prize. I want to be healthy and fit. I don't know that I will ultimately have a specific weight goal that I want to reach. I just want my thighs to not rub together (especially in the summer!) or see any kind of rolls in my midsection through my clothes. Those are the two things that drive me BONKERS when I look in the mirror at myself. I look at my daughter and realize this healthy lifestyle is for her. For our family. And that is what keeps me going day after day.

When I need more motivation, I love to see all the quotes I've pinned on Pinterest. I have nearly 200 quotes in my Quotes to Live By board. Need motivation? Follow me! :)

I have 2 exciting new recipes to share with you in this week's Food Frenzy Friday, plus a great grocery store find for you busy ladies out there. Stay tuned! 

~ Aly

Tips for Fitness Success

First, I want to let you know this post has typically been on Monday's --- since we are moving into the summer months and my weekends become a bit busier, this update post will be on Tuesday's moving forward. Don't miss my posts --- follow me on Bloglovin'!

It's official, my scale hates me. Though I am technically down nearly half a pound from last week, it appears I am still trying to lose that I gained from my weekend with my family. In the words of Joey Tribbiani, "You are my Everest!!" Time to kick things up a notch... again. Like I've said, this is right around where my body plateaus so I knew it was coming. Just need to figure out the best way to bust through it! I'm still 1.5lbs from officially reaching that first goal weight --- my progress pictures will be shared once I get there!! 

I'm still trying Insanity. To be honest, I don't love it. It's definitely a great workout, but the style of the workout just isn't my thing. I prefer to power through my cardio a bit more whereas Insanity has a cardio warm-up (which will make you sweat instantly), followed by 6-7 minutes of stretching before the vigorous circuit training. I'm bored with it, which I realize sounds crazy. I'm going to stick it out this week but I think I may jump ship and try another workout. I've been eyeing up Brazil Butt Lift --- I've heard it's an awesome workout for the abs and legs... just what I need! Sarah from Mama's Got It Together is a Beach Body Coach has been getting me ready to give this a try. 

As Slim by the Summer winds down in the next two weeks, each of us wants to sum up what we've learned the past several months. If there's anything I can tell you that I learned that can help you find your way on the path to living a healthier and more active lifestyle... 

Here are the highlights as to how I lost over 20lbs in the past four and a half months...

There are no short cuts. There is no easy way. You need to work for it. It isn't a diet but a lifestyle change. I would venture a guess in saying that at least 75% of your success in weight loss will simply come from watching what you eat. Not just eating the right foods, but eating in moderation. It wasn't until I started tracking my daily intake in My Fitness Pal that I realized just how many calories I was able to consume some days. You don't even realize it!! Exercise is important a few days a week to compliment your healthy eating, but the bulk of it is absolutely what you eat. I urge you to track your daily intake. It can be tedious at first but with today's technology, you can absolutely make it easier to manage and see results in no time! I have the My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone and iPad but you can always use it via the web if that's easiest for you.

What else? I have become a Pinterest addict. Posting Healthy Recipes and Fitness Routines. I've been trying new recipes weekly and looking for new healthy snacks in the grocery store (which I share every Friday on my blog!) Also, drink half your weight daily in water. That helps keep you feel full longer and flushes the toxins out of your body. So important! 

Make your workouts fun. You might not want to workout daily at first, but I would encourage at least 3-4 days a week. I workout 7 days a week most weeks. I keep mixing up your workouts so you don't get bored. I have a variety of workout DVDs I rotate through at home plus some Wii workout games. And now that the weather is warming up, I'm taking my workouts outdoors. A brisk 7-mile walk pushing a stroller is a great workout!

And finally... find a buddy. It doesn't need to be someone you physically workout with, but someone you can check in with that has the same goals as you. Joining fitness groups online like the Slim by the Summer group has helped me stay on track and made me accountable for my own success. This is another great example of how the My Fitness Pal app can help too --- you can connect with your friends that are using the app that you're friends with on Facebook or in your phone contacts. Get a friend to join with you so you can keep each other in line. It's such a tremendous help!

Good luck, and make it a great week!

~ Aly

Influenster is Influensting Again!

Influenster had a special VoxBox they selected members to receive based on their survey results. As an avid Dawn user most of my life (with some Palmolive as of the past year), I was selected to receive this VoxBox. It's contents? Palmolive Dish Soap.

But not just any of their dish soaps. Two bottles from their newly formulated Soft Touch line: Vitamin E, and Coconut Butter. I was very excited to give these a try. As a stay at home mom, my hands get beat up a lot. I use to get manicures every 2 (or so) weeks, whether I needed it or not when I was in the working world. But now, my hands are always in water washing bottles and dishes that I see no point in getting a manicure unless there's a special occasion (in which case I need to plan it around having my husband home to watch my daughter so I don't need to worry about getting her into the car with wet nails, or having a meltdown in the nail salon). 

My kitchen sink is confused. I have 3 different soaps there. Dawn Orange Scented (for dishes); Palmolive Pure + Clear (for my daughter's bottles and toys); and Bath & Body Works Antibacterial (to wash my hands). Dish soap is just too harsh to wash your hands with all day, every day. I started using the Palmolive Pure + Clear because I had been using their Baby soap but found it was more expensive, harder to find, and essentially the same thing as Pure + Clear. Plus, I bought a small bottle and a large bottle, so I can keep the small bottle at the sink and keep refilling it from the large bottle. 

I gave the Vitamin E a trial run for about a month. I absolutely love the scent and it does in fact keep hands softer than regular dish soap. I did not feel that it was as big a "grease fighter" as more traditional dish soaps. It works just fine when you scrub, but I like how when you squirt dish soap on a dirty dish or pan, you can see it starting to cut through the residue before you even start to scrub. I so while I like this soap, I don't love it. I will use it since I have it, but it wouldn't be my soap of choice. 

Food Frenzy Friday 6

Welcome back to Food Frenzy Friday!!

I decided to get a little creative this week for lunch one day. I had seen a pin on Pinterest for Pizza Quesadillas. Suddenly, I realized I had a great recipe to make "skinny"! Here's what I used:

1 Low Carb/High Fiber Whole Wheat Tortilla (I used La Tortilla Factory)

1/4 cup 2% Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup of your favorite sauce (I used Prego Chunky Garden - Tomato, Onion and Garlic)

Spread tortilla on a plate, top with sauce and cheese on one half of the tortilla. Close tortilla. Spray a nonstick frying pan with Pam Nonstick Cooking Spray, and cook each side for about a minute on high. Transfer to plate, cut, and enjoy! You can certainly microwave it but cooking it on the stove reduces the soggy microwave taste. So simple and quick! Of course, you can add your favorite pizza toppings. The above recipe with the products noted comes to only 293 calories.

Dip in sauce too if you'd like

I discovered my new favorite lunch spot this week as well. There is a restaurant called Zoes Kitchen that opened up a few months ago about 10 minutes from my house. I met a girlfriend for lunch and absolutely fell in love with this place. I ordered the Lean Turkey Pita with a side of fresh fruit (410 calories total). The pita can with a slaw they make fresh in-house. I don't usually eat any kind of slaw as I'm not a fan of mayo, but this is not made with mayo... super yummy! To put it in the easiest context that I think most would understand, consider it almost like a Mediterranean version of Panera. All fresh food. Salads, pitas, sandwiches, and even full entrees --- all very reasonably priced. You can even take dinner home with all the trimmings. They're a growing chain --- if you don't have one near you yet, I hope they open one soon. This will be the new place I take friends and family to when they want a light and yummy lunch. Have I said "yummy" enough yet?

~ Aly

Food Frenzy Friday 5

I am SUPER excited about this week's Food Frenzy Friday!!

Every Sunday, I begin the great debate as to what to make for dinner. I try to plan for the week so I don't need to make too many trips to the grocery store. I've been rotating through a lot of the same recipes (several of which I've shared with you before). I've been digging through my favorite bloggers websites for healthy recipes. Gina at SkinnyTaste and Brooke at Skinny Mom (along with all of the bloggers she has on her website --- there are several contributors who all have fabulous recipes and tips). But even going through all my pins on the Healthy Recipes board on Pinterest, nothing was jumping out on me. I knew I wanted to avoid pasta --- several dishes included pasta and I felt like I needed a break! So I revisited my Weight Watchers cookbooks.

You may remember one of my very first posts: Tweaking My Diet --- Plus 2 Recipes. I shared a Parmesan Turkey Meatloaf recipe which I paired with Roasted Butternut Squash and Parmesan Polenta. Still one of my favorite recipe finds to date. Well, I went digging through these cookbooks again and decided it was time to try something new.

If you're like me, you may worry when you cook something new that is healthier recipe, you may proceed with caution. I feel a slight wave of anxiety come over me when I'm cooking something new for the first time... is it going to taste good? I hope so! Bless my husband, I know he'll eat it either way (however, I am pickier and won't eat something if I really don't like it --- I made my father crazy doing this as I grew up).

From the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook: Orange-Crumbed Baked Chicken. I actually found the recipe directly from the cookbook online so instead of posting the entire recipe, you can view the recipe on page 163 here. I liked how there was only a slight taste of orange flavoring --- it wasn't too overpowering. I cooked the thighs for 20 minutes on each side as I used thighs with bones (the recipe calls for boneless). My only issue was when I turned the chicken over after the first 20 minutes in the oven, some of the breading came off with it. I don't know if I needed to spray more non-stick spray on the sheet next time or maybe I just need to push harder on the chicken when I breaded the chicken. The great part about using thighs (which I don't usually use since I don't like having to pick apart my dinner --- I prefer boneless), the chicken was super moist! Loved this!

From the Weight Watchers PointsPlus Cookbook: Roasted Sweet Potato and Pear Mash. Until about 5 years ago, I wasn't really into sweet potatoes. Even to this day, I don't really eat a baked sweet potato. But my mother-in-law makes a killer sweet potato casserole for most major holidays, and this gave me my cravings for sweet potatoes. Of course, you hear "sweet potato casserole" and start to think about all the unhealthy things that go into it. I've never asked for the recipe because I don't want to be tempted to make it (as yummy as it is) because I don't want to know how many calories are in it. :)

HOWEVER! I found the perfect solution. And I mean PERFECT! Weight Watchers Roasted Sweet Potato and Pear Mash. Here are the details.

Serves 4 (1/2 cup servings) --- 5 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed (1.25lbs)
1 Barlett pear, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon bourbon or orange juice (I used orange juice)
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter (I used Land 'O Lakes Light Butter)
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pierce potatoes in several place with fork. Place in small baking pan and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. (Note: I bought the pre-wrapped sweet potatoes that I just needed to microwave for 12 minutes --- 6 per potato as noted on the wrapper --- wanted to minimize cooking time).

2. Meanwhile, spray 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray. Place pear halves cut side down in pie plate. Bake until pear and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Carefully transfer potatoes to cutting board, cut in half lengthwise, and let cool. Let pear halves cool.

3. Scoop flesh from potatoes and place in food processor. Remove core from pear and cut pear into chunks; add to food processor. Process until smooth. Add bourbon/orange juice, brown sugar, butter, and salt; process until combined. Transfer puree to small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often, until hot (about 2 minutes).

1/2 cup serving (196 g), 188 Cal. 2 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 5 mg Chol, 238 mg Sod, 39 g Total Carb, 14 g Total Sugar, 6 g Fib, 2 g Prot, 50 mg Calc.

When I plugged this recipe into My Fitness Pal as it was not loaded into the website yet (using orange juice and the light butter), the calories actually came in at 126 per half cup serving, even better! I've got to be honest... I thought these sweet potatoes were as good as my mother-in-laws sweet potatoes! The pear is a perfect way of sweetening the potatoes naturally. I actually even sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top of mine when I scooped them onto my plate - perfect! I can't wait to make these again, these are without a doubt my new favorite side dish. See below! I made a side of green beans with this dinner... my favorite veggie!

Happy Healthy Cooking! And don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' so you don't miss a beat!

Victory is Mine!

Can you believe it's April?!?! I can't!!

My weekly update. This past week, I started the second half of the Bikini Body Mommy 90-Day Challenge. Sunday was Day 56. The circuit training this past week was more intense (which could also have been because I increased by weights from 3lbs to 5lbs --- I thought it was time to step it up). And I felt the burn! The cardio days are no longer 45 minutes of cardio of my choice, but 20 minutes of High Impact Interval Training (HIIT). And again, I feel the burn!! I actually find that I'm missing some of my longer workouts, but I feel like I'm "feeling" the workouts more now, so perhaps that's a good thing!

Weight loss this week?? The scale didn't budge. And I really didn't misbehave this past weekend (thought I did today when I had family visit with yummy food plus I made my chocolate chip cookies --- I have been known to be the Cookie Monster). It's ok, tomorrow is another day and I will be back on track!

This week's "Slim by the Summer" theme revolves around progress to date. What victories have I had in the nearly 3 months I've been part of this group? Well, victory number one (despite the numbers this week): the scale. I've lost 14.5lbs since my first official weigh in on January 18 (according to my history on My Fitness Pal). I had set my initial goal to 21lbs from that day by my wedding anniversary on May 7, and I am almost there... 4.5lbs to my wedding weight, 6.5lbs to my first goal weight!

Aside from the numbers on the scale, a huge victory is my "skinny" clothes fitting. Not everything fits exactly the way it use to yet... I suppose after having a baby, I need to do more toning than I would have had to before. That will be something I need to work on and maintain for a long time to come... I am up for the challenge though. Fitting into old clothes feels wonderful. I hated the few times I tried on clothes when I went shopping. The person in the mirror wasn't me. But I feel like me again, and I love it. So whether or not I see the scale moving as quick as I would like or expect it to, I think this is a huge victory.

But more importantly, I wanted to make healthier choices while maintaining a regular exercise routine. I have really enjoyed blogging to help keep me on track. Knowing I have friends following me along the way helps me to feel accountable for my actions. I am always looking for new healthy recipes and new exercises to keep my journey from getting too boring, which will also help keep me on track. It's not a diet, it's a permanent lifestyle change. So thank you for helping me along the way!!

Has Spring Sprung?

Another week has come and gone. Spring has sprung according to the calendar, yet as I sit here typing, snow is falling outside my window. I can't wait to go walking and jogging at the nearby park with my daughter in tow... but need some warmth and sunshine, please!!

I'm excited to share with you that I split winnings of the DietBet I participated in with my Slim by the Summer gals last month! After all I went through with not being able to exercise, I really didn't think I stood a chance but it all worked out. Not familiar with DietBet? You can start your own bet with friends or join existing bets (some of them have some hefty potential winnings). The game lasts 28 days and whoever loses at least 4% of their weight in that time frame splits the money in the pot. Your entry fee can be as little as $5 --- I'm not sure if there is a max bet to play, but I've seen some as high as $50. Sounds easy, right? 4% is 4 weeks is no joke! You really need to focus, and even then, there's no guarantee. But isn't that the fun of betting? I've joined another group that starts today... you're welcome to join the Spring into Action group! You have until Tuesday, March 26 to join and weigh in... so do it quick!!

My update on my past week. I purchased another DVD to add to my rotation. Of course, it's Jillian Michaels, because I love her!! Which reminds me, congrats to Danni, the newest Biggest Loser! I was cheering her on and it was the closest I've ever seen in the seasons I've watched. Everyone looked fantastic and it was such an inspiration to see how they all transformed their lives, especially the kids this season. Anyway, my new DVD. Jillian Michaels created Killer Abs. It has 3 different levels you can work your way through, each are 30 minutes with 4 circuits in each workout. It's not as cardio intensive but you will still sweat and it's a great workout on the abs. All of the moves in Level 1 are moves I can do, but that doesn't mean they're not hard and that they don't leave me sore. I'm going to give Level 1 another week before I move up to Level 2.

I am waiting for my weight loss to slow down as it always does once you've gotten off those first "easy" pounds. This week, I'm down 1.1lbs. I am 6.5 lbs away from my first goal weight --- which means I am only 4.5 lbs from my wedding weight! It's usually around this weight that I tend to plateau so if I can still lose a pound a week, I would consider that to be wonderful progress. We will see how the next few weeks go!

This week's topic from our Slim by the Summer group: What's in your gym bag?

This isn't as exciting a topic for me, but that's only because I don't really have a gym bag. I workout at home in my down time when my 7-month-old naps or is in good enough spirits to watch me workout in front of our TV (which actually is entertaining for both of us --- she laughs at me, and in turn, I laugh at her laughing at me --- extra abs exercise!)

My motto since I had my daughter in August is that I refuse to buy new clothes until I am back down to the weight I was when I got married. I've bought a few things here and there, of course, but I haven't gone on a serious shopping spree... I've saved my gift cards from Christmas and will be spending them VERY SOON!

So in the meantime, I've been sporting my favorite Gap sweat capris and tanks with adjustable straps and a built-in shelf bra. I still need a sports bra though and have been a fan for several years of the Champion DoubleDry Sports Bras. They sell them at Target (where I believe they are called the C9 sports bra) but they have a ton more variety at their stores (I go to the outlets since I live nearby). Before I start jogging again though, I do need to look into ones with a bit more support. These do the trick for my cardio at home in the meantime.

I have set my mind to buying new sneakers. I have a pair of Reebok EasyTone sneakers that I love for walking (they're super comfy) but that's about it. I think my shopping spree will being in 2 weeks when my sister comes to visit --- I will be on the sneaker hunt then. I definitely want something bright. Any suggestions?

Stay tuned for my upcoming Food Frenzy Friday post... I've done some cooking to blog about!! :)