The Best Pork Loin Marinade ever!

I make that claim because it's so good! Easy to do in advance and throw it into the freezer for later meals! I have this portioned for just 2 people, 1 Pork Loin each. I bought my Pork Loin in BULK and did this to each pack and threw them all into the freezer! I served them with Asparagus later :)

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Serves 2 people
Time: 5 min

What you'll need:
2 Lean Boneless, Skinless, Top Pork Loins, trimmed
1 Tbsp EVOO
2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
4 tsp Country Dijon Mustard 
2 tsp Freshly Grated Pepper
1 tiny pinch Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Water

Directions: 1. Put everything into a freezable plastic bag and mix well, coating all the meat
2. Throw into the freezer for later or cook it up now

*Only if you're cooking your Pork Loin in the present, let them marinade for at least 4 hours!
3. In a skillet that's been lightly sprayed with cooking oil, add your Pork Loins with all the marinade juices

4. Cook for about 8 min on each side; until they're cooked through. I have no idea usually BUT I do have a meat thermometer to tell me when they are cooked enough 

5. Serve with a Fresh Veggie like Steamed Asparagus or Broccoli. They also pair great with baked Apples. Enjoy!

**Your nutritional information will vary depending on how lean your Pork Loin is and how many ounces your Pork Loin is and what brand ingredients you use! Log it into myfitnesspal app to correctly get your info!

Pad Thai Noodle Salad (Vegetrairan)

My girlfriends from college and I all get together a few times a year to do Family Dinner Night! It's usually vegetarian because one of the girls is a vegetarian and I'm down for a challenge since I love meat lol This night was "Asian" themed and featured homemade fresh veggie/tofu sushi rolls, fresh tempeh spring rolls (THESE ARE TO DIE FOR) and for dessert, homemade pumpkin pie (SO GOOD and no it didn't fit the theme but seriously Alisha did an amazing job and I love pie so no complaints here :) So I challenge you, if you're a meat lover like me, to try doing once a month vegetarian night! It's fun to switch it up!

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Serves 4-8 people
Time: 35 min

What you'll need:
6 oz Buckwheat Noodles (aka Soba Noodles)
6 oz Baby Watercress, roughly chopped
1 Bunch Green Onions, roughly chopped and lightly sauteed (4.5 oz)
1 cup Shredded Carrots (5.5 oz)
5 Radishes, thinly sliced (3 oz)
2/3 cups Roasted, Salted, Organic Peanuts (not shelled and doesn't have to be Organic)
1 Freshly Grated Lime
Sauce:
2 Tbsp Tamari Sauce (or Low Sodium Soy Sauce)
2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar 
Juice from 1 Lime (about 2 Tbsp worth)

Directions:
1. Cook the noodles as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside
2. In a pan, saute the Green Onions lightly (about 5 min). Set aside and let them cool
3. In a large bowl, add Watercress, Carrots, Radishes, cooled Green Onions, and grate the Lime on top. Toss lightly together
4. In a small bowl, add Tamari Sauce, Lime Juice, Light Brown Sugar, Vegetable Oil, and the Rice Vinegar. Mix well
5. Add Noodles to large bowl, mixing the salad with the noodles thoroughly
6. Add sauce to large bowl, thoroughly tossing. Make sure everything is covered
7. Add Peanuts (chopped or not) as garnish and let this sit for about 15-30 min to really soak up all the flavors!
8. Measure out and enjoy!

*Mine made about 10 cups worth! Also if you want to cut the fat in half use only 1/3 cup Peanuts!
**Since this was for an all vegetarian family dinner night I didn't add chicken but will next time! 

1 Serving:
1 cup Pad Thai Noodle Salad (sans Chicken) 133 calories
Total: 4.8g Protein 4.8g Fat g 19.3g Carb

4 Bean Chili to warm your soul!

I love chili especially when the weather gets cold! Here's a spin on your regular chili! 
Tip: use no salt-added cans! They add SO much salt to canned foods so try to find brands like Kuner's!

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Serves 6-8 people
Time: 1 hour (or more)

What you'll need:
8 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey
1 can No Salt Added Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 can No Salt Added Tomato sauce
1 can No Salt Added Whole Corn
1 can No Salt Added Garbanzo beans, lightly rinsed
1 can No Salt Added Black beans, rinsed
1 can No Salt Added Chili beans
1 small can Lima beans, drained
3 tsp Minced Garlic
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
1/2 Yellow Pepper, diced
1/2 Green Pepper, diced
3 small Yellow Onions, diced
1 packet of Mrs. Dash Chili seasoning
Dash of Black Pepper

Directions:
1. Sauté the peppers for 10 minutes then add the thawed Ground Turkey and a dash of pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes 

2. Add the Garlic and the Onion. Cook all together for about 5-10 minutes 
3. Add everything else (all the cans and the seasoning packet)! Simmer for 1-2 hours or until hot! But I think the longer it simmers the more flavor

4. Measure out and enjoy! 

*Mine made about 14 cups worth! Also next time I will add more Ground Turkey!

1 Serving:
1 cup 4 Bean Chili 162 calories
Total: 10.3g Protein 26.1g Carb 1.5g Fat

Green Goddess Protein Smoothie

Almost every Sunday night we have "Smoothies" for dinner! Ours are much different than most typical smoothies. I make sure to have lots of protein, lots of greens and only 1 fruit per smoothie/meal replacement. The reason for this is because smoothies always have WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR! It's mostly fruit in most cases. Mine are always based with greens and proteins and fruit/natural sugar is the last thing to add! Half the time you don't even need anything added after the protein and greens! So keep it simple and clean!

My smoothies are 300-350 calories (roughly) and serve as a meal replacement!

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Serves 1 person
Time: 5 min

What you'll need:
1 oz Organic Baby Spinach
1.5 oz Organic Deep Green Blend Kale
100 grams Celery
3 oz Green Apple
2.6 Baby Carrots
1 5.3 oz container Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 scoop Vanilla Whey Isolate Protein Powder
1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth! Enjoy!! 

1 Serving:
1 Green Goddess 350 calories
Total: 38.6g Protein 5.4g Fat 38.6g Carb (24.7g Sugar)

11 months Progress: Another Goal Achieved!

Today I hit yet another goal! My goal was to, in 6 months, loose an additional 11.4 pounds by December 1, 2015 and alas I did :D I have lost a total of 40 pounds since December 1, 2015!

I would like to add a little more about "how" I accomplished my 40 pounds lost. I literally (I mean everything that goes into my mouth) log everything into myfitnesspal app. I weight everything out too. I know some people it would drive crazy but I like ot know exactly how many ounces of Red Peppers I'm eating, not just a "cups" worth. My OCD kinda aids here too. It saves me from over eating and under eating. I sync it with my Fitbit app too so it shows if I have some flex room to eat more based on how active I have been. My Fitbit Charge HR also helped SO MUCH! I love it! I track every single workout and make sure to burn a certain amount of calories as well as it makes me keep on track in staying active with steps, step challenges, and the active minutes it gauges. 

December 1, 2014 marks the day I chose to change my eating habits and have a more active lifestyle. I have kept with it for almost 1 year! I have had goals to keep me motivated and to keep me accountable for making sure this is a permanent change as well. My first goal was to loose 25 lbs by July 11, 2015 because my family and I were going on a vacation to Florida. I not only hit that goal BUT I hit it early (by June 9, 2015) AND I over achieved my goal of 25 lbs lost; it was 28.4 lbs lost! It was an incredible feeling knowing all my hard work was actually paying off.

I knew after I hit that first goal that it was only going to get harder from there. I wasn't loosing weight anymore at a steady pace like I was used to. I mean it was seriously like -.3 lbs here, +2 lbs there!  When I started my next goal I was at 141.6 lbs. My next goal was to weigh 130 lbs by December 1, 2015, my anniversary of this huge change.  

Florida July 2015

Chicago August 2015

I had some challenges like Family Florida Vacation in July, then my Birthday (OMG I celebrate for like 1 week and it's just awesome dessert after dessert!) and our Anniversary (to Chicago-first time ever and so much GREAT food!!) in August (all in the same week too) and in September I had my brother's wedding in Wisconsin. Road trip after road trip! It's so hard to stay focused when you're starving and you stop at a gas station and it's either crackers, chips, cookies, etc! But I came prepared..well mostly! When we left I packed snacks for the long car rides and made sure to workout as much as possible before, during, and after these awesome events! I didn't deny myself of cake, cookies or Chicago style pizza or even a sunrise brunch! I simply enjoyed life and made sure to make healthy choices wherever we went! I also made sure to stay ACTIVE! It's so much easier said than done, but if you want it bad enough you'll make sure to at least for a nice walk ;)

My brother's wedding September 2015

You all are probably curious to know what my next goal is...My next goal is to maintain a healthy weight while working on toning and working on gaining muscle mass and loosing the extra bit a fat I still have. No, nothing crazy like a Jillian Michaels, but I just want to trim up some extra chub in areas and work on becoming stronger! 

I do want to mention how supportive everyone has been and a HUGE thank you to all of you! Especially, thank you Brian for putting up with my crazy 'hangry' days, chocolate and peanut butter loving nights and never giving up on me. And always willing to try new things with me and always being up for making dinner instead of going out to eat. You're so awesome and this wouldn't have been possible without you! Another shout out to my gym, Anytime Fitness of Wyoming! Kathy and Matt you guys rock at always pushing me farther and giving me endless opportunities to challenge myself; thank you!

Me and my sister doing a Boot Camp at Anytime Fitness of Wyoming

  

I just wast to say 'thanks' for reading more about me and my progress! I hope this has inspired you to take the dive and start a new healthy life style or maybe has encouraged you to keep going! We can do this!
XO Arieal

A day in the life of Me...

Recently I was a part of an accountability group on Facebook. It was called the Candy Detox. Yep, right after Halloween and I needed it! I was nervous because I worked (at a school) and candy lurked around every corner. As we all know I have a huge sweet tooth and so I knew this wasn't going to be easy. So I took pictures of every meal, every snack, every workout, every drink (well almost) and it honestly held me accountable for what exactly I put into my mouth! After a 5 days I realized I do pretty awesome and my "huge" sweet tooth and really it isn't so bad after all. But this got me thinking, I should share with you guys what a day in my life looks like when I work and when I don't work! 

An average work day:
3 cups of water upon rising (while getting ready for work too)
Breakfast:
2 Multivitamins and 1 Iron Pill (low iron levels)
1/2 cup Eggbeater Egg Whites with 8 grams Yellow Onion on a Light English Muffin with 7 grams Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese and some fresh cracked Pepper
1 container (5.3 oz) Blueberry Greek Yogurt with a dash of Cinnamon
1 mug of Organic Throat Coat (sore throat that day)
1 mug to-go of Vanilla Chai Tea (black, no sugar added)
3 more cups of Water

 
Mid-morning snack:
3 cups of water
2.5 oz Red Seedless Grapes

 
3 cups of water before lunch
Lunch time:
3 oz Romaine lettuce with 10 grams Yellow Onion, 2 oz Chicken Breast with 1 Tbsp Light Asiago Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
3 oz Baby Carrots, 1 oz Sugar Snap Peas with 1 Tbsp Spicy Black Bean Hummus
1/2 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese with 1/4 cup Organic Unsweetened Applesauce
3 more cups of water  

 

Pre-workout snack:
1 Plain Rice Cake
1 single serve packet of Cocoa and Coconut Almond Butter
1 scoop C4 Icy Blue Razz mixed with water

 
Workout:
Treadmill: (light cardio/intervals)
76 min 6.02 mi 584 cal 4-5.5 mph
3 min cool down
(10 lateral bat pull down 50 lbs
20 bicycle crunches
10 step lunges
10 dead lifts 70 lbs
45 sec plank
10 bicep curl 15 lbs)
3 sets 30 min 91 cal
Total: 675 calories 1 hr 50 min
*3 cups water consumed during

Post-workout:
1 scoop Chocolate Whey Isolate Protein Powder mixed with water
1 mug of Decaf Green Tea (plain, no sugar added)
3 more cups of water

Dinner:
3 cups water
1 mug Green Tea
1 very messy Chicken Wrap: 13 grams Yellow Onion, .6 oz Spinach, 1 oz Romaine Lettuce, 1.6 oz Mini Red Peppers, 2 Tbsp White Bean Hummus, and 4 oz diced Chicken Breasts (seasoned with Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil) on a Light Sun-dried Tomato Flat Out Flat Bread

Snack Before Bed:
1 mug Chamomile Mint Tea (plain, no sugar added)
1/4 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese with 1 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter 

Thus, this is what a normal work day looks for me! I always try to workout during the week, drink lots of water, and eat 1 salad a day!

An average day on the weekend:
6:45 am wake up (I never can sleep in), 3 cups of water upon rising
Breakfast:
2 Multivitamins and 1 Iron pill 
1/2 cup Eggbeater Egg Whites with 10 grams Yellow Onion topped with 7 grams Fat Free Shredded Cheddar and some fresh cracked Pepper
30 grams of All Natural Oats cooked with water and mixed with 1 container (5.3 oz) of Strawberry Greek Yogurt and a dash of Cinnamon
1 mug full of Lemon Lift Tea
3 cups of water 

Pre-workout: (on left)
1 scoop C4 Icy Blue Razz with 1 cup water

Workout:
Outside run:
1 hour 4 min 6.04 miles
663 calories 10:43 avg pace
5 min stretch
(10 push-ups
10 weighted squats 9 lbs
15 jack knives
10 extension and curls on BOSU ball 5&12 lbs
10 walking lunges 5 lbs
10 hip raises)
3 sets 21 min 69 cal
Total: 732 calories 1 hr 31 min
3 cups of water consumed during


Post-workout: (on right)
1 scoop Whey Isolate Chocolate Protein Powder mixed with 1 cup Almond Milk
3 cups of water

3 cups water before lunch
Lunch time:
1 glass Decaf Green Tea
Salad: 3 oz Romain Lettuce, 1 oz Spinach, 15 grams Yellow Onion, 1 oz Mini Red & Orange Peppers, 2 oz Chicken Breasts, 1 Tbsp Light Italian Dressing
1/2 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese with 50 grams Fresh Dragon Fruit
3 oz Baby Carrots with 1 oz Spicy Black Bean Hummus
3 more cups of Water

Afternoon Snack:
After an hour afternoon walk with the pup:
1 mug full of Bengal Spiced Tea (plain, no sugar added) with 15 grams of Almonds 

 
3 cups of water drank between lunch and dinner
Dinner time:
5 oz Steamed Asparagus
6.5 oz Marinated Pork Loin (Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Thyme, Fresh Lemon Juice, Pepper, minced Garlic, 1 Tbsp EVOO & some water)
1 mug of Decaf Green Tea
3 cups of water 

Kitchen closes early at my house so Final snack of the day:
1/2 cup Organic Unsweetened Applesauce with a dash of Cinnamon
1 slice of Whole Grain Bread with 4 grams of Peanut Butter
1 mug of Sleepy Time Peach Tea 

Alas this is a day in the life of me! I drink TONS of water, make sure I take my vitamins everyday, at least 1 salad a day and 1 green tea a day too! I hope this inspires you to post some of your meals! It helps the cheating :P

Healthy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I made these for a co-worker of mine who helped me move a treadmill to my apartment! He loves oatmeal cookies and he's a healthy eater so I thought I'd make him a healthy version of his favorite cookie! Keep in mind you can substitute any oil and eggs (in baked goods) for applesauce and bananas! Just keep the applesauce to unsweetened!

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Makes (about) 1 1/2 dozen cookies
Time: 30 min 

What you'll need:
1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips  2 small ripe Bananas (5.6 oz)
2/3 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
A pinch of Kosher Salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking oil (I used baking sheets)
3. Place 1-1.5 Tbsp amounts of cookie dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 25 min

4. Once browned, remove and let cool on the hot pan (helps finish them up without burning)
5. Let cool completely and enjoy!!

1 Serving Size:
1 cookie 63 calories
Total: 63 Calories 

Crockpot Peanut Chicken Curry

Sorry I have been so late to post! It has been a whirlwind of a Fall!! This was so easy to make! I did everything the night before, wrapped it up and put it in the fridge. The next morning popped it into the burner and it simmered to perfection all day :) 

This made a lot (11 cups worth) so we froze half of it for later this winter!

Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!  

Serves 8 people
Time: 4-6 hours on High, 8-10 on Low

What you'll need:
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, trimmed and diced (15.5 oz)
5-6 Small Yellow Potatoes, diced
6 oz Baby Carrots, diced
2 Small Yellow Onions, diced
5 oz Frozen Petite Peas 
1 Head of Cauliflower, loosely chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Sauce:
1 can Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Organic Creamy Peanut Butter (I will use 1 cup next time or PB2)
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
4 Tbsp Curry Powder
1 Tbsp Ground Turmeric
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Make sure everything has been cleaned and diced
2. Lightly spray inside of Crockpot with cooking spray. Place everything into the Crockpot; I mixed the sauce separate then added it into the pot last

3. Set on High for 4-6 hours or 8-10 hours; the longer the better in my opinion

4. Once done, measure out 1 cup and pair with Brown Rice or Quinoa and enjoy!

*Next time I intend to add a full cup of Peanut Butter or use PB2 and not pair it with the Quinoa; I thought it didn't need the added texture and calories!

1 Serving Size:
1 cup Peanut Chicken Curry 187 calories
3/4 cooked Quinoa 180 calories
Total: 367 Calories