A Day of Healthy Eating

So, it's been a while....It's summer and Julia and I will be both starting college soon, so we thought we would visit this blog once more and see where things take us. We have been busy and will be even more busy later on so here is our chance! Please take a minute to tell us what you think of our posts if you can!


Anyways, back to today. Recently (or not too recently) I have been on this health kick (we both have). I
realized that I was not watching what I was eating and I was eating a lot more when I was bored than when I was actually hungry. My parents really liked buffets and you know how that goes. I love sweets and desserts, a little too much. I am not a very athletic person and I was wayyyy too out of shape! So I decided to make a change. In January of this year, I downloaded a fitness app for my iTouch, the very popular MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter.


iPad Version <--- Love it!


iPhone/iTouch Version

[Picture Taken From (Sample)]

I am still using this app today. I find this app so helpful in keeping track of what I eat, my workouts, and my goals. I know that many people suggest that counting calories may not be the best way, but it works for me! If you are looking for something to start off your goals, I really suggest this app. It is free on iTunes!

I would say I was not "fat" by any means before I started, but I was definitely not thin. I was still considered within a "healthy weight" for my height, but a little on the higher side. Since this January I have successfully lost about 10 pounds +/- here and there and have kept it off. It might not sound like a lot but it definitely made a huge difference in how I feel about myself and people definitely have noticed as well. I am still about 7 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight, but I know I will be able to achieve that if I keep pushing myself and keep making better choices!

I thought I would share what my day in terms of food would look like,

Breakfast:

I usually wake up at 7:30AM and have breakfast at around 7:45-8AM. This is what I had today!

Homemade Yogurt Parfait w/ Strawberries, Blueberries, and Homemade Granola 
There is not really a recipe for this, I kind just threw things together. Here are the exact measurements of the things I used:
1 Container of Hyvee Greek Non-fat Plain Yogurt (6oz)
3 medium sized Strawberries
1/4 cup Blueberries
1 Tablespoon of Homemade Granola (Based on this recipe but I changed it up a bit)

It was a light but protein and nutrients packed breakfast under 200 calories!

Workout:
After about an hour or a little more after breakfast (that would make it at around 9:15AM today) I do my exercises! Today was a cardio focused day so I did 70 minutes on the Elliptical trainer and about 10 minutes doing this ab workout twice.

Mid-Morning Snack:

At around 11:00AM or so, I was getting some cravings but it was a little early for lunch. I decided to have a kiwi. It was delicious!

Lunch:

At 12:15PM, I had my lunch. I had some left over Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili with some fresh avocados. It was very good and full of high quality protein (from the black beans and the white kidney beans and also the quinoa) and fat.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

Adapted from Milk Free Mom
Makes 8 (heaping 1 cup) Servings

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion (I used a white onion)
5 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Can Tomato Paste (6oz)
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1 14.5 oz can Black Beans
1 14.5 oz can Cannellini beans
1 32oz box Chicken Stock  (for vegan recipe use vegetable stock)
1 Medium sized Sweet Potato (Peeled and Cut into bite sized chunks)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Dry Quinoa
Avocado for Topping (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium high heat. When hot turn the heat down to medium and add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beans, stock, and slightly potatoes, and season with salt and pepper . Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the quinoa. Turn heat down to medium low and continue cooking for about 20-40 minutes (depending on stove top. I have an electric stove top and it took me around 35 minutes), stirring frequently, until quinoa and potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened and the liquid has reduced. Add a bit of water if the chili becomes too thick for your liking. Serve with some chopped avocado pieces! 

I made this on Saturday and kept the left overs in the fridge. It is sooooo good, great even on the third day out of the microwave!

Afternoon Walk:
Because I had some extra time on my hands, I decided to go on an hour walk at a bike trail near my house. It was a beautiful day!

Afternoon Snack: 

At 4:00PM I got a little hungry so I had.....

Half a watermelon.....

Don't worry! It was a mini watermelon, so half I would say would be about 4 cups AT MOST. (I always like to count things on the larger side, prevent from actually over eating on the calories!)

Yum!

Dinner:

6:00PM, Time for dinner! (yay!)

Turkey BLT w/ Provolone Cheese 

(my own little delicious creation)Serves 1

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread (I use the lower calorie kind, but make sure to use bread that is under 100                  calories a slice and that does not contain high fructose corn syrup!)
2 Slices Turkey Bacon (or more if you prefer)
1 Slice Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese
Onions (Personal Preference)
2 Slices Tomatoes
Green Lettuce (Personal Preference)

Other add ons could include:
Avocados
Cucumbers
Peppers
Basically anything you want. 

Cook the bacon first (However you want, I just cooked it over the stove and made it nice and when the outside crisps but not yet crispy. Then place bacon on bread, cover with the cheese slice. I placed some onion slices over the cheese and toasted the sandwich in a little toaster oven for 5 minutes. Top with lettuce and tomatoes (or other toppings) and the other piece of bread and enjoy! (I served mine with some Sriracha,  super tasty.)

You thought you had to give up everything...

Yup. Dessert. Chocolate to be exact. ;-)

I had extra calories left over today, so I decided to indulge in some dark and delicious chocolate. You don't have to give up everything to start eating healthy! A tip from SHAPE magazine said that you can have 200 calories each day devoted to something you love/crave. And that is exactly what I did today! :-) No guilt chocolate eating. 

Summary of Today: 

Calorie Summary:

Breakfast: 175 

Lunch: 321

Dinner: 237

Snacks: 202

Dessert: 200

Total: 1135

Calories Burned:
Cardio: approx. 678

Calories recorded are not 100% exact. I'd like to think that the percent error should be about +/- 10%. 

I promise, I'm not this good everyday... ;-) Or I would have reached my goal a long time ago...
But I enjoy being healthy most of the time. On a day like this I feel better about myself and the decisions that I made (I mean chocolate!) 

Make sure to eat close to 1000-1200 calories a day at least. Your body needs these calories to function and to do the things that you want it too (like lose weight). If not then your body actually can not become fit. 

and make sure to DRINK LOTS OF WATER as well. I always drink at least 2 liters of water per day. Keeps me hydrated and full :-)

I liked this. I shall do more of these posts in the future!

Have a great day!
-Grace