I think it is so important to take the time to reflect. I wanted to share with you guys my 2015 year and how many things I was able to accomplish just by believing in myself, setting goals, and making a point to have fun!
My 2015 New Year Resolutions were:
1. Lose 25 lbs by July 11, 2015
2. Going to the gym at least 5 days a week
3. Read 5 new books
4. Try a new recipe every month
5. Indulge in a treat 1/2 every 2 weeks
#1: I hit that goal a month EARLY and over 25 lbs lost! I was ecstatic and so proud of all my hard work! I couldn't believe I was reaching my biggest goal and NOT being your typical NYE person saying they wanted to loose weight and not following through with it. The next challenge after that was reach my ideal weight of 130 lbs. I did that 1 week before December 1, 2015 (my year anniversary to my healthier lifestyle change)!!
#2: I not only went 5 days a week, I eventually went 6 days a week and then 7 days a week! I loved the feeling of accomplishment it gave me. Some weeks were better than others but I was killing my goals, one right after the other! I try to remember to give my body a day of rest when I truly think it needs it, just an FYI :P
#3: I know this probably sounds so dumb but I just didn't read enough in 2014; so I made a point to try in 2015! The books I read included:
- Insurgent by Veronica Roth
- Allegiant by Veronica Roth
- The Witches Daughter by Paula Brackston
- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
#4: Check out my Blog :P You'll see that I succeeded that and much more! I had a total of 63 Blog posts!! What's funny is it kept me motivated to keep trying new foods and to try and put a healthy spin on recipes! I totally recommend this for health nuts!
#5: This one was a weird resolution to track because I didn't deny myself treats. I simply kept things in moderation. Though the holiday seasons, including Birthdays and Anniversaries, were very hard! I love, love, love sweets and I have a hard time keeping treats to just that, a treat! But it's a work in progress :) I should also mention if I did slack on this that I made sure not to SKIP a workout or laze around the house! I made sure my workouts were 100%
I am so proud of myself for accomplishing these and more! I completed my first ever 5k and tried new foods like all vegan meals! I'm excited to see what's next :D
Now for 2016 New Year Resolutions...I have been thinking some over for a few days. I try to keep these realistic not outlandish ideas with no thought put into them! So here we go:
1. Practice bettering myself by improving my mental space. This includes forgiving others and letting things in the past and present, that are not in my control, go. I struggle with anxiety and at times it's SO HARD to think clearly. I want this new year to be different. I want to handle situations better than I have in the past and I also want to set a good example for others around me. I think I can do this, though it will be hard to "measure" this goal.
2. Work on gaining muscle. Meaning I've got to let the scale go haha not really and focus on my BMI. I hope to increase how much I lift presently by at least 20 lbs by next year!
3. Finish a 10k. Yikes this makes me so nervous but I think I can handle the big 10k!!
4. Travel to a new place. I don't care where but it's got to be new!
5. Be more thankful. In the world we live in it can be so hard to pause and think about how lucky we really are! I hope I take more time to reflect and to be thankful for what I have and what's most important; my family and friends <3
So cheers to a New Year guys! I wish you all the best <3 <3
This recipe is so easy! Roughly chop the veggies, place on a lined baking sheet, and bake! Use some of your favorite vegetables to make your own version of this medley!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Makes 12 cup servings
Time: 50 min
What you'll need:
3-4 medium Beets, washed, trimmed, rough chopped (300 grams)
1 medium Butternut Squash, seeded, peeled, rough chopped (2 lbs)
1 large Yellow or Red Onion, rough chopped (250 grams)
1 bushel of Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved (14 oz)
9 oz Baby Carrots, halved
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or aluminum foil, lightly spray with cooking oil
3.Roughly chop all the vegetables to the same size (the thicker they are the longer they cook)
4. Put on the lined baking sheet, sprinkle Salt, Pepper, and Thyme on top. Bake for 30-40 min stirring after 15-20 min; continue to bake until everything is cooked through (easily forked)
5. Pair with your meat of choice, measure out and enjoy!
*Mine made 12 cups worth
**For crispier veggies, make sure they are all evenly cut and not overlapping on the baking sheet (if they are, they will steam not crisp)!
1 Serving Size:
2 cup Roasted Vegetable 154 calories
4 oz Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast 120 calories
Total: 274 Calories
This was a fun recipe to try, though it takes some time to prepare! I saw something like it in a magazine and thought it would be an interesting recipe to try out!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Makes 3-4 servings
Time: 45 min
What you'll need:
1 1/2 lb Salmon Fillet, skinless and boneless
6 large Beets (red or golden), thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Chives, finely chopped (dried chives would be okay too)
1 Tbsp Tarragon, finely chopped (dried tarragon would be okay too)
1 Tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley, finely chopped (dried parsley would be okay too)
3 Tbsp Shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp Lemon Peel
1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 oz Baby Lettuce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that's been lightly sprayed with cooking oil, place Beets forming a bed (for the Salmon to lay on later), lightly sprinkle Pepper and Salt. Cook for 20 min
3. While the Beets are cooking, combine finely chopped Chives, Parsley, Tarragon into a bowl, set aside. Whisk Shallots, EVOO, Lemon Peel, Lemon Juice, and 1 Tbsp of the Herb Mixture together. Add Salt and Pepper to taste; this is the Lemon Herb Dressing. Set aside
5. After 20 min the Beets should start to golden, place the Salmon on top of the Beets, and lightly spray with cooking oil (or brush with 1/2 Tbsp EVOO), Salt, Pepper, and the rest of the Herb Mixture. Cook for 15 min
6. Once the Salmon is cooked, weigh out 100 g cooked Beets, 5 oz Salmon, 1 oz Baby Lettuce. Put 1/2 Tbsp of the Lemon Herb Dressing on the Baby Lettuce and 1/2 Tbsp Dressing on top of the Salmon. Enjoy!
*You'll have extra Lemon Herb Dressing!
1 Serving Size:
5 oz Herb Rubbed Salmon 261 calories
100 g Cooked Beets 44 calories
1 oz Baby Lettuce 5 calories
1 Tbsp Lemon Herb Vinaigrette 52 calories
Total: 362 Calories
Winter means soup for us! This recipe is nice because you can omit the chicken broth and chicken and replace it with vegetable broth and more veggies for a vegetarian spin! Prepping all the veggies is what took the most time (about an hour LOL) so depending on your skill level it could take less time!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Makes 18 cups
Time: 1 hr 45 min
What you'll need:
4 Chicken Breasts, cleaned, cooked, & shredded (1 lb 12 oz cooked) OR Leftover Meat of Choice!
1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small pieces (1 lb 9.2 oz)
1 bunch Kale, stems and ribs discarded, leaves loosely chopped (13.4 oz)
2 Celery Stalks, thinly sliced (101 g)
1 large Yellow Onion, sliced or diced (274 g)
3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped or minced (16 g)
1 can Low Sodium Great Northern White Beans (15 oz)
4 cans 50% Less Sodium Chicken Broth (about 8 cups worth)
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 tsp Fresh Thyme, stems discarded
A pinch of Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
**Optional seasoning depending on the type of chicken you have; 1/2 tsp each:
Dried Oregano, Onion & Garlic Powder, Dried Rosemary, Dried Basil, and Dried Marjoram
Directions:
1. In a large pot on medium heat, add EVOO and the Onion and Pepper. Cook for about 8 min until the Onion starts to become translucent
2. Add Celery, Garlic, Salt and Fresh Thyme to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to turn golden brown (about 6-8 min)
3. Add Tomato Paste, stirring for 1 min
4. Add Chicken Broth and Butternut Squash and bring to a boil. *This would be the time to add the additional seasoning if you need to!* Then cooked covered, simmering until Squash is tender, about 8-10 min
5. Add Kale, White Beans, and Shredded Cooked Chicken. Cook and stir until Kale is tender, about 3-5 min
6. Measure out and Enjoy!
1 Serving Size:
2 cups Soup 236 calories
Total: 236 Calories 3.7 g Fat 26.2 g Carb 27.1 g Protein
