Get in my belly

    Food, I love food. Which is a big deal for me. When I was younger I struggled with eating disorders. I had both anorexia and bulimia. I wouldn't eat and if I did I would throw it up. Looking back on it that was such a horrible thing but at the time it's all I knew to be right. The solution on how to fix the way I felt about myself. I got down to 89 lbs. and that is AWFUL!!! I have never been over weight but during that time I thought I was. The heaviest I have ever been (besides when I was pregnant, first pregnancy I was 118 lbs. second pregnancy I weighed 128 lbs.) was 122 lbs.and wearing a size 4. I am only 5'4" so to me I was huge. I am proud to say I now fluctuate between 107-111 lbs wearing a size 00-0. I can say that and be proud because I work hard for it and I do it the right way, the healthy way. I discovered my love of fitness, nutrition, and healthy living through my recovery. So, I guess in a way I'm thankful I went through that. Now I get to help people who struggle with the same insecurities that I once did.

    Now I'm a clean eater. That means I eat little to no processed foods. I make 95% of all my meals and snacks and do a lot of prepping. It sounds complicated and time consuming but it's not once you get the hang of it. At first I was very overwhelmed with it and it was complicated and time consuming. After 2-3 months it was much easier and I enjoyed it. I figured out a routine. My kids eat the same way, except when they go to the grandparents house, but they like the healthy meals and snacks. Now my favorite thing to do is come up with new and exciting recipes. My body thanks me for it. I know that sounds a little silly but I challenge you to go 2 weeks eating clean and see the difference in your body. They way it feels, the way you feel, your energy level, your attitude, your alertness, your immunity, and more. Now don't get me wrong I still like the way regular sugared up processed foods taste I just choose when to have them. I eat a cheat meal once a week. Not only does it give you that satisfaction of having what you can't have but it shocks the metabolism and gives it a little kick start again. See there is a method to the madness! If you were wondering my cheat is usually a huge piece of cheesecake. I can't help it!

    There is also a process to the way I eat. I eat every 2.5-3 hrs. Yes that is a lot of times to eat and yes it's a lot of food (in theory). However, it really isn't. I'm not eating huge meals every time. I more so snack all through out the day. I have a decent size breakfast of either oatmeal (real oatmeal not instant) with fruit and chia seeds or scrambled egg whites with turkey bacon. Every now and then I change it up. I'm not a huge breakfast person so I stick to the ones I know that are fast. Then I have my snacks in baggies or fresh fruit and most of the time all those are in my purse for easy access. I'm a busy working mom so most of my meals are on the go! Just because I am on the go doesn't mean I go through the drive thru of the fast food world.

    Here are a few tips on eating clean and often:

• Only eat real food- example real potatoes not boxed potatoes
• Prepare in advance - night before, days before, the week before
• Don't skip meals - skipping meals makes your body think it's starving and it will store your fat
• Keep it simple- buy tupperware that has several compartments so you meal goes in one thing
• Read labels- you will be surprised at the hidden ingredients 
• Make sure to drink plenty of water- enough is never enough

I hope this helps you get started on your journey of clean eating. I will post on it from time to time seeing it's my lifestyle. Below are a few pics of how I prep for the week!

To the left we have 14 almonds in each bag. 14 almonds equals 100 calories. So instead of buying those 100 calorie snacks you can make your own!
To the right we have prep meals. These were dinners and snacks when I had a night job. (Thank God that time has passed) Left side of the pic is my main course: Turkey burger pattie, spinach, asparagus, and brown rice. Top right baggies of fresh fruit and then 2 days I had a banana as a snack. Bottom right home made protein bars. Those are so good!

So your fridge will become an advertisement for tupperware and plastic baggies but that's a small price to pay for eating healthy! I have cut back on the plastic baggies, I didn't like the fact that I had to throw them away and they just stay in a landfill. So I bought small tupperware containers that I can use over and over.

More to come,
   Stay Fabulous!