Bodies

It's been seven weeks since I've posted! That's because of excuses such as work, and falling off the wagon. But, that's all part of the beautiful struggle!

Below, please see and admire a real woman's body. They come in many shapes and forms. 

I tend to follow fitness models on Instagram. I aspire to look like those women because they work hard, are healthy, and look stunning. However, doesn't she (below) also look stunning? It's because she's confident and comfortable and beautiful! In the 1950's, my petite Abuela used to gain weightoin purpose. According to my mom, it's because big hips and curves were "in" and sexy. 

When I get anxious, I tend to lose a lot of weight. I love myself more when I'm working to be fit and toned than when I'm skinny from nerves. My point is, work harder than you ever have before to be as healthy as you can, but do it in your comfort zone. Do it for you. Remember that you're probably someone's inspiration. And if you're not, be your own inspiration. 

Low cal goodness.

I love me some sweets and ice cream. If I indulged the way I want to everyday, though, I'd probably be diabetic. For dessert tonight, I'm having Trader Joe's frozen Greek yogurt (100 calories per half cup) and a teaspoon of Trader Joe's pumpkin butter on top. I heated the pumpkin butter in the microwave for 30 seconds so it would spread. 

A little bit of creativity, and my sweet tooth has been fulfilled.

What are your favorite guilt-free treats? 

A reminder about the scale...

It's a determining item for all of us, but sometimes you can't take it that seriously. I've been working hard to gain muscle mass, and the scale tells me that because my weight has gone up, my body fat percentage did as well. I call bullshit.

When I was anxious and unhealthy, the scale told me I was doing a good job. Now that I weigh more, the scale doesn't understand that I've gained a lot of muscle.

If you're working hard, don't believe everything you read. 

Meal Planning

I am so back, guys! Meal prepping tonight for the week entailed: boiled sweet potatoes painted with sea salt and coconut oil, and boiled chicken breast with tomatoes, tomato sauce, as whole peppers. Boiling chicken breast for three hours will get you some shredded, slow-cooked goodness. And how can you go wrong with sweet potatoes? For a little extra treat, melt a 35-calorie piece of Laughing Cow light cheese on the peppers. Yum.

Trying out Freshness

I realized that my cooking always involves spices with salts. Calories are one thing, but sodium will creep up on you and cab lead to all sorts of health problems.

So, I've been trying out new things, such as fresh ingredients instead of spice. Blending two tomatoes with fresh basil, onions, olive oil, and a garlic clove made for a really good sauce. I cooked lean beef using the sauce and stuffed some pretty peppers with that and sliced zucchini. I topped the peppers with fat free white cheese and baked for 20 minutes. It came out good, so this week I'll be making more sauces and posting the best recipe!

11 Healthy Food Swaps

11 Healthy Food Swaps

This info-graphic is awesome, and Mind Body Green is one of my new favorite blogs. I've never tried nut-cheese, but am very curious now, especially because almond milk is so delicious.

Polenta/turkey breast stuffed peppers

Have you ever had polenta? It's good, and it's a healthier alternative to pasta.

Tonight, I pan cooked some ground turkey breast and polenta with a white wine sautée. I added some seasoning, stuffed in some peppers, and baked for ten minutes. More details tomorrow! Healthy and yum.