Organization is my key to weightloss

Freezer meals are perfect for organized healthy eating!

 To make life during the week easier I spent my Saturday making food and freezing it! I made egg muffins for breakfasts, baked turkey breasts for suppers, a pork roast to put in wraps and salads for lunches, and a quinoa vegetable salad for sides. These were all perfect to freeze, and then when I am in a rush or just to tired to cook I can pop them in the microwave and enjoy :) I also perfected my banana muffin recipe for a little treat with morning coffees. All of these recipes will be posted right here on my blog! They are gluten free, dairy free, and delicious!

Prepping for upcoming meals makes eating healthier easier. Every week I try to plan my meals for the week. Every night I plan my meals for the next day and put them into my points tracker so I know how much room I have for snacks, and treats. I can plan if I will have time to cook a meal, or if I need to grab something from the freezer. Organization is hard to find. But it becomes routine and makes healthy living a lot more convenient. Deciding what you are going to eat before hand takes all of the guess work out of meals, and if the food is ready or prepared you will be less likely to reach for an unhealthy alternative. At first meal prep and planning seems like a daunting stressful task. If you break it down into a day at a time, or three days at a time, it is easier to accomplish healthy eating. It is the little steps that make a huge difference in the end.

My favourite part of weight watchers is that you can truly eat whatever you want. It took me awhile to learn that this doesn't mean you should eat whatever you want because you won't see the results you want. What it means is that if you want a treat you can have a treat. Not everyday, and not all the time, but you can still have a little something to satisfy that sweet tooth. I have found that the healthier I eat, the more I want to eat healthy. The cravings go away, and you find healthy alternatives to the items you crave. The hardest part is eating my points. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables so they are zero points. If i go over the recommended serving I count them as points, and if I am still short I put avocado or healthy fats into my cooking for some extra points. I snack on almonds, and hummus, and try not to worry if I have a few extra points left over as long as I am not starving.

The hardest part of being busy has been finding the time to be active. I have been to tired to go to the late yoga classes that I love, and morning workouts have been exchanged for sleep and studying. I am hoping this will change before the weekend! However, I have still managed to find some activity in the busyness of life. Yesterday my friends went for a hike and I tagged along. We were gone for two hours, saw some breath taking views of the city, and took on some terrain that was deadly on my out of shape legs! It was great!

Being outside is refreshing and reenergizing. Hiking is a great way to spend time with friends, enjoy the summer weather, and get active. One day I will be able to hike to the top without wanting to crawl, or just sit down half way. Everyone has a starting point, and everyone has goals. It does not matter how you reach your goals, as long as you get there. It may take months, or even years. But every little bit is an accomplishment. Getting to the lookout was my accomplishment. Next time I'm striving to get there a little bit easier.

I will post the recipes for my freezer meals over the next few days, as long as time allows! Maybe I will get some more hikes in and I can share the views with you. I wish everyone a motivated week, and hope you can find a small accomplishment in a bad or busy day! Everything counts, some days just getting out of bed is a big accomplishment.

K.

A Season to Reflect

Today I got the chance to take a walk around my neighborhood. It was great to get out. With all the rain this weekend everything smelled so fresh, all the trees were blooming, and the scenery that is usually brown and dead looking was green and gorgeous! I got a chance to see the city before the sunset, every time I look at the city I am blown away by the views. I guess that is what happens when you move from the flat land. I don't think looking at the view will ever get old. I noticed the trees in front of my complex were blooming. I didn't even know that there were trees in that spot! The walk gave me a chance to notice life, and reevaluate myself. It was short walk, but it gave me a chance to reflect on myself, where I am, and where I want to be.


I am trying to keep to my goal of getting in four workouts, and three yoga classes this week. With today being a holiday the gym was closed, and I missed the last yoga class because of work. Normally I would have called it a day and told myself that I will try again tomorrow. But, if I am going to commit to getting in shape I have to make it a priority to be active.  I am really happy that I decided to get off my behind and go for a walk. It gave me a chance to realize how out of shape I really am. Doing cardio in the gym is much different than walking up a mountain, or running the stairs up to the next street. Walking outside is something I am going to fit into my everyday routine. It does not take long and is refreshing.


My point here is that it does not matter how active you are, as long as you are active in some shape or form. Everything offers something different. I go to yoga to relax and refresh, I go to the gym to burn energy, release anger, or just take a break, and now I will go for walks to reflect. With the weight watchers system every thing counts. Something that seems like a big effort is an even bigger accomplishment. It may be the hardest ten minutes of your day, but eventually you will be able to do that activity for longer and longer. You can build up your strength and endurance. This will also increase your motivation because as you see your progress you wont want to go back to your old habits.

Happy Monday
k.