New chapter...NEW CLOTHES! (clearly?!)

 I love LuLuLemon. Love. 

Ok, lets back up. We'll recall that a couple of weeks ago I was told that I am 10 pounds overweight. I came home and was down, deep, for several days. I want to take my Dr. seriously. I also know that I'm active and healthy. I felt trapped in the feedback. 

So I took a drastic measure. I threw out my scale. Well I threw it storage anyway but same thing. It's under lock and key and no where near where I can get to it. I decided that too much of my daily happiness is based on a ******* number on a scale. Since when do I define myself on a number?? And now it's been 2 weeks since I've weighed myself. I AM curious but for the most part it's been liberating. I've judged myself on the scale everyday since I was 12 years old. And now it's based on how I feel and what I've done for myself each day. 

We'll see happens with the tale of the scale.

Anyway, on to more exciting new as my LULU love suggested. 

Kendayl and I are doing the Richmond half/full marathon in November as we've previously mentioned. Mild problem: I don't really like running. I used to, growing up. But I do really like challenging myself. What better to start off training than with a new outfit. I figure we did every year for the new school year. Why not!? And off I trotted to LuLuLemon. The people who work there are so uplifting and encourage. I think they just excited that you're trying to do something.

Items purchased: Berry Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve Shirt, Willpower Short Sleeve Tech Shirt in Surge, A light pink post work out pull over and MOST SHOCKING a running skirt.....

Don't I look cute? Well...that's kind of what I look like in it...

I'm going to let that sink in.

I bought a running skirt. two words that I didn't even know could go together. And it shows my knees....

I tried on actual running shorts....HORRENDOUS. 

My shirts even have pockets that are meant for gels but I think they are also the perfect size for my ipod nano. LOVE! So here's to a successful training.....And looking good doing it.

SMART Goals

First off: I bought the living social deal today for SEAL team training - HOLY MOTHER! 

Check it out! http://www.sealteampt.com/index.php

Have you ever heard yourself giving advice to someone and then thinking later - I guess I should listen to myself sometimes? About a year ago, Kendayl told me that she was frustrated because she was trying really hard to lose weight and stay in shape but she wasn't making any progress. At this point, I'm in a great place because I had just lost 15 pounds, run my fastest 10K to date and finished my Power 90 program. So I started rattling off all the advice I had learned during my 6 months prior to this conversation - Are you writing down what you eat? Are you snacking? You shouldn't be discouraged after a week, it takes time. Be patient. Take it one day and one meal at a time. This is about a lifestyle change not about losing weight in a week.

Easier said than done. But it's all true. Being healthy doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself or go the dreaded diet. It's about being mindful of what you put in your body and how active you are. Just writing down your food each day helps you lose weight because it forces you to stay accountable and help prevent grazing. Gluten Free diets (not related to good allergies) were a big fad last year. But studies show that removing Gluten from your diet doesn't cause you to lose weight, it's more so the fact that you're paying attention to what you're putting in your body. And that focus works.

 So, I'm not on a diet. I'm not trying to lose weight. But I do want to make some changes. Enter: SMART goals. Cheesy, I know. We talk about them during performance management at work but it does make sense.

I need to focus on little successes.

Today's goals:

Run: I did! This morning when I got up. WOO!

Eat a sensible lunch: CHECK! Mushroom Lovers Veggie Patties with two types of mustard. I have to say here that the adding of various dipping sauces is what made this. The patties are good but the sauces made it more "fun."

Tonight, I'm taking my mom out for a nice dinner on the town. It's been a mother's day tradition for us but our schedules were a little hectic. So tonight my goal is to have a great time with my mom!

I will get more detailed with my goals and I get in to this and the training for the half marathon. But I think the important thing to have fun with it. Being healthy doesn't mean boring or deprived. And if I'm being smart about my food and eating local and getting out and having fun then the number on my scale (which is in storage!) no longer matters nearly as much to me or my doctor.

I can see the light!

The light at the end of the tunnel, aka the school year, is less than a 1/2 day away! Can I get a WHOOP WHOOP! It's been a long year and I'm more than excited! My goal this summer is to find, create, and make new healthy dishes. Tonight's dinner is lighter up eggplant parmesan from this awesome website Skinny Taste.
My second goal is to document my preparation and cooking process so that all of my readers (all 2 of you.. ha!) can follow along. And lets be honest reading blogs with pictures is more fun than without pictures. So here it goes...

Dinner: Lighter Eggplant Parmesan (all the information below is from www.skinnytaste.com)
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Time: 60 minutes • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 265.3 • Fat: 12.4 g • Protein: 14.1 g • Carb: 35.4 g • Fiber: 4.4 g

1 large eggplant (2 lbs)
1 tbsp olive oil
12 oz fat free ricotta
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Pecorino Romano (I didn't have any so I used a little more moz. and some Asiago)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 medium egg
2 cups reduced fat mozzarella
3 cups homemade tomato sauce (I used already made marinara)
salt

Start by making the sauce if you don't have any already made. While the sauce simmers, slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices. Lightly salt the slices and put in a colander to release excess moisture for about 1/2 hour. Lay on paper towels to soak up any extra moisture.

-Preheat oven to 450°. Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil on both sides and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning half way through until eggplant is golden brown.


-In a medium bowl combine ricotta, egg, parsley and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.

-In a 9x12 baking dish, put a little sauce on the bottom of the dish and put a layer of eggplant to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese and sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and sauce until everything is used up. Top with sauce and the mozzarella cheese and the remaining grated cheese.

Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melted and everything is bubbling, about 30 minutes at 400°.

Remove foil and bake an additional 8-10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

*I'm still working on the picture quality but despite my lack of foodography it was delicious!

What are some of your favorite recipes, blogs, or websites?




xoxo,
K