Working It All Out

Hello all and welcome back!

Today is all about workouts! Over the past couple of days I have been doing my best to get videos of my Body Pump workouts, but the classes have been crowded...which is great (I'm excited to see new and old faces working out and getting fit!) It just puts me a little behind when i try to set up my weights, station, and camera at the same time.

Anyways, I did manage to get a few decent shots out of two days worth, and may even be able to get a couple more when I go back to the gym tonight!

This first video is me warming-up. It is super important to get in a good warm-up and cool-down, the benefits are enormous. The purpose of warming-up is to ready your muscles for the workout ahead. Warm-ups help prevent muscle injury. Warming-up helps to increase blood flow to your muscles, loosens up your tendons and ligaments, lubricates your joints, and helps to get your head in the right mind-set. A proper warm-up should take between 5-10 minutes, and focus on the major muscle groups (Legs, Arms, Chest, Back, Shoulders, Core).

For my warm-up, I use a bar bell with 10kg or 22lbs.

This next video, is my chest track. For this particular chest track, we performed A-Presses and Inclined Push-Ups. I'm still working on my arm and core strength, so I perform my push-ups on my knees. One of these days, I will be able to do them on my feet, but not today! I'm still a work in progress!

For my chest track, I used 10lb dumb-bells for the A-Presses,

and my own body weight for the Push-Ups.

The final video for today is my back track. This track is more choreographed than the others. The track involves, Dead-Lifts, Dead-Rows (singles and triples), Cling-and- Presses, and Squat-Presses (a whole lot of them!). One key point in this track and all the others, is to keep your core muscles tight! You may not think much of it, but when your core muscles are not tightened and engaged, that's when back injuries can happen. So always use your core!

When using the bar-bell, I had it loaded with 15kg or 33lb,

for the Squat-Presses, I used a 5kg or 11lb plate.

I hope these insights, into my workouts, kinda give you a feel, for what I do at the gym. These workouts are not just for my physical well being, but also for my mental and emotional state. Going all-out, putting everything I have into these workouts, is a release from all my stresses. When I'm working-out, that's all my mind focuses on, not work, not home, not finances, not anything. All my mind focuses on is working-out, completing that rep, finishing that set, giving it my all. Working-out can be a very therapeutic activity, it is for me anyway.

So until next time, go workout and let it transform you, both physically and mentally.

Thanks for reading!

-Lesli

Self Worth and Chicken Alfredo!!!

Hello everybody!

Welcome back to the blog and thank you for reading and visiting. Today I'm going to share my recipe for Chicken Zucchini Alfredo, and I want to discuss self worth.

 Let me begin by saying that we are NOT created equal. Everybody has different talents, gifts, strengths and weaknesses; and none of them define our self worth. The only person that can define your self worth is YOU! Not me, not your parents, not your significant other, not your boss, nor your peers; only you!

 Some people let their body image define their self worth, and that should not be the case. This may be a little vain or conceited, but I believed in and loved who I was at my heaviest. The only difference between then and now is that, that love and belief has grown. I'm more confident now, but that is because I proved to myself what I can accomplish. I didn't doubt myself, I made a goal, set my mind to it, and accomplished it!

Self worth is how we value ourselves, not how anybody else does. Other people's opinions should have no bearing over how much we value ourselves. I often hear people talk about not going to the gym, or going out to exercise, or this, or that; because it's too intimidating or too daunting. You know what? Who cares! The only person's opinion that should matter to you, is yours! Don't let the opinions of others keep you from reaching your full potential! Tywin Lannister of Game of Thrones put it best when he said, "A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of sheep." As long as you believe in yourself, then that is all the approval you need to do and pursue anything!

Me after my first training session.

My first 5k, the Birmingham Impact 5k

Looking back 8 months ago, I would have never dreamed that I could have run a half-marathon. I had never ran anything in my life! But having somebody come up to me and invite me to this challenge was all I needed. I love a good challenge. Challenges are what helps us grow. So never having run, I did some research and plotted out a course of action. I started slowly, by signing up for a local 5k. Then I started training. The first day, I walked the length of a 5k and tracked my time, no running at all. Once I finished I had my starting point, my slowest time. From that point on, I started slowly increasing my pace. After a couple 5k's, I started increasing my distance. Then I worked in my pacing. When I actually did my half-marathon (13.1 miles), that was the first time I had ever done over 10 miles!

My second 5k, the Harper's Heart Run 5k

My third 5k, the Lakeside Hospice Drumstick Dart 5k
I even got a medal for finishing 2nd in my age group!

So believe me when I say, that if you believe in yourself and set your mind to it, you can accomplish it. It's when you have self doubt and and lose control over yourself that you begin to fail. Therefore, remember to always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then why should others?

My half-marathon, the St.Jude's Half-Marathon, in Memphis

Okay so now on to the yummy part! Last night I made another Pinterest inspired dish. I created Chicken Zucchini Alfredo! I came up for this idea, by meal planning for the week with my husband. I asked him what food he would like, and I let him know before hand that whatever he said, I was going to attempt to make a healthier version. 

With that said, he decided on Chicken Alfredo. Now, normally I would prepare some chicken, some fettuccine noodles and store bought Alfredo sauce, but not this time. To make this dish healthier, I omitted the fettuccine noodles and store bought sauce. Instead I used zucchini noodles and made some Alfredo sauce from scratch! The dish turned out splendid and tasted amazing! I can't wait to make it again!

Chicken Zucchini Alfredo

Ingredients

• Meat
• 2-2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 Tbs poultry seasoning
• 1 Tbs garlic pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• Noodles
• 6 zucchini (cut into noodles)
• 1/2 cup water
• Sauce
• 1 stick butter
• 8 oz cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5-2 cups milk (start low and add more for a thinner sauce)
• 6 oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Dice Chicken. Place in bowl and season with poultry seasoning, garlic pepper, and salt.
2. Put oil in 4 quart pot or stock pot, over medium heat.
3. While the oil is heating cut zucchini noodles.
4. Once oil is heated, add chicken. Stir occasionally till chicken is cooked through, and no longer pink in the center.
5. While chicken is cooking, melt butter is a medium sauce pot.
6. Once butter is melted, add cream cheese and garlic powder. Stir with whisk until smooth.
7. Slowly add milk to pot and stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.
8. After sauce has reach desired consistency remove from heat, add more milk for a thinner sauce.
9. Once chicken is cooked through remove from stock pot and set aside.
10. Add zucchini noodles and water to pot. Let the water steam cook the noodles until they are tender, then drain.
11. Add chicken back into the pot with the noodles.
12. Pour Alfredo sauce over chicken and noodles and toss to coat.
13. Serve warm and enjoy!

I hope that this dish is as delicious for you as it was for me! I took the original Alfredo Sauce recipe from StockPilingMoms.com, and modified it some. 

I hope my thoughts and words have intrigued, inspired, and influenced you in some form or fashion. If you have any comments or questions, please post away. If you liked the recipe, let me know how it turns out or if you made your own modifications. 

Thank you for stopping by!

Until next time,

-Lesli

Saturday Recipes and Workouts!

Hello all!

Sorry its been a few days, since my last entry, but I've been busy with work and life. If you follow my Instagram, you'll see that I haven't been slacking around though!

I'll jump right into it! I've been working like a dog, these past few days. I was able to get my gym time in at the beginning of the week, and I went today, since its my  first day off! I have also been baking up some yummy goodies for the bake sale I'm hosting at work. So those recipes are going to follow, as well as some workout videos from today!

So the first recipe I experimented with for my bake sale, I found on Pinterest, and it was a major success! Skinny apple pie cookies, need I say more. These cookies were delicious, soft, and chewy. Paired with a nice glass of milk, and they would have been to DIE FOR!

The second recipe, is another Pinterest inspired creation, Skinny shortbread chocolate chip cookies! These cookies, were yummy and super easy to make; they would also pair wonderfully with a big ole glass of milk!

The third recipe is a dinner recipe that I made up, zucchini spaghetti! Its super easy and super tasty! The only difference between regular spaghetti and this one, are the noodles!

Skinny Apple Pie Cookies, recipe from amyshealthybaking.com

 Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies

 Ingredients

• 1 c (100g) instant oats (measured correctly)
• ¾ c (90g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
• 1 ½ tsp (4g) baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp (4g) ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp (1g) salt
• 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
• ½ c (120mL) agave
• 1 c (125g) finely diced red apple (about 1 medium)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the agave. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the apple. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake at 325°F for 13-15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Skinny Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies, recipe courtesy of deliciouslyyum.com

Skinny Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. 2. In the bowl of you stand mixer, combine coconut oil, honey, water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined. The mixture might seem crumbly at first but it will come together (you can also knead it with your hands towards the end to ensure the dough comes together properly). Stir in mini chocolate chips.
4. 3. Using a large cookie scoop, place cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Zucchini Spaghetti created by myself!

 Zucchini Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 6 zucchini
• 1.5 - 2lb ground meat
• spaghetti sauce (homemade or store bought)

Instructions

1. Brown ground meat is a skillet, drain and set aside.
2. Using a spiralizer or VeggettiPro cut the zucchini into noodles. 
3. In a boiler or stock pot, heat spaghetti sauce and add noodles. Simmer over low heat until noodles are tender.
4. Stir in meat, and simmer for 5 more minutes, to allow flavors to meld.
5. Serve warm and enjoy!

 Now for the exercising! I surpassed my 3 times a week goal, and did 5 workouts this week! I surprised myself, at that one! The best thing, is that I was able to hangout with my family and friends at each workout. Today, I even got catch-up with a workout buddy, that I hadn't seen in months, due to her being out for shoulder issues (not related to the gym). What I'm trying to say, is that besides being able to workout and get stronger, the gym is also a wonderful place to make friends, and grow your fitness friend circle!

Anyways, today I recorded some clips of my Body Pump workout. The following clips are of me, performing the chest and back tracks. On the chest track, I used the bar bell with 2 5kg plates and 2 1kg plates, that's about 26.4 pounds. For the back track, I used the bar bell with 2 5kg plates and 2 2.5kg plates, that's about 33 pounds. Hopefully after a another week or so, I can add some more weight to both tracks!

Body Pump Chest Track

Body Pump Back Track

Another awesome thing that happened this week was that I received my half-marathon photos in the mail!

These two were my favorite! My goal, throughout the race, was whenever I saw a camera person, to give them a thumbs up! I have never been so happy to finish a race! Running a half-marathon was probably one of the most challenging things in my life. I knew I could finish it, because when I committed to the challenge (aka: paid the non-refundable entry fees) I promised myself that I would cross that finish line, if it was the last thing I did!

I hope that this post helps to inspire you over the weekend and in the upcoming week, to eat healthy and to get out and get active! Believe me when I say, if I can do it, so can YOU!!!

Until next time!
-Lesli

Working weekend!

Okie dokie, so I am working, and I have been at work since Wednesday and will continue to be working through Monday morning. With all my that said, here is what has been going on.

Tuesday night I fixed some amazing grilled venison cube steak. It was delicious and there was nothing to it. Venison/deer is wild, so it's clean and organic, if you're into that sort of thing. Plus deer has lots of protein, which is what we need to build big strong muscles! 

My RPM/spin bike

I've also been hitting up the gym. Wednesday morning I was able to get in another Body Pump session, only bad thing was my camera died (so no new videos). On Thursday morning I went to an RPM class (Les Mills' spin class). That one really got my heart pumping! 

For dinner last night I whipped up some easy tuna fish salad. My husband ate his in sand which form, I ate my with some celery sticks. It was delicious either way!

Now it's my working weekend. I work 12 hour shifts at the hospital, so I don't usually get time to exercise. My routine here is get off work, sleep, wake up, eat, get ready, and go to work...repeat. So for times like these when I can't get my exercise in, I really watch my diet. 

For my lunches at work, I keep it simple, usually a salad and a banana, or a sweet potato and a banana. Last night I brought some celery and tuna fish salad. 

This way when I do get off Monday morning, I can go hit the gym and not feel guilty about back tracking.

So good luck to everybody trying to stay accountable and healthy in the new year!

Venison cube steak on the grill

Cubed Steak

Ingredients 

• cubed steak (this can be any meat)
• 1/4 cup Dales 
• 2 tbs minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1tsp Greek seasoning
• 1 tsp steak seasoning

Instructions

1. Place meat in a gallon bag.
2. Add all ingredients and mix well, place in refrigerator and let sit for at least 2 hours, turning once.
3. Turn grill to low-medium heat. 
4. Place meat on grill, grill for about 2-3 minutes, flip and about 1-2 minutes on other side. Meat sure be tender, but no longer raw. For tougher meat, cook 1 minute longer.
5. Enjoy!

Tuna Fish Salad with Celery Sticks

Easy Tuna Salad

Ingredients 

• 4 cans of tuna
• 5 hard boiled eggs
• 2 tbs light mayo (heaping tbs)
• 2 tbs dill relish
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. Drain all tuna and dice eggs.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. (For wetter tuna salad use more mayo).
3. Serve cold, with bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, or celery sticks!

Try these recipes, they're pretty basic. If you like different seasonings for your cubed steak, feel free to switch it up; same goes for the tuna salad ingredients! Let me know what you do and how they turn out!

Until next time,
-Lesli

Monday Night Workout Session

So even though I had classes, house work, and the big game to watch last night, I still managed to fit in some gym time. That's the thing about fitness, it takes commitment. One of the reasons, I love Les Mills classes, and more specifically Body Pump, is because I can get a full body workout and get a good sweat going in just an hour.

According to my FitBit Charge HR, I burn close to 406 calories for one Body Pump class! Which is great beings how I went home and had a big bowl of chili while watching the game!

Losing weight is difficult. Without getting into metabolisms, body types and what not; lets try to remember, that one rule of thumb to losing weight, is Calories IN < Calories OUT. Burning more calories than we take in is a key rule! A great way to burn those calories is fitness classes!

People always ask me, what did you do to lose your weight. Really, I didn't do anything special. I started exercising regularly, at least 2-3 times a week, and I started counting my calories.

July 2012 ~ 210lbs

March 2015 ~ 180lbs

December 2015 ~ 160lbs

For the exercise, I would either do Body Pump or RPM (they alternate days at my gym). When I began training for my half-marathon, I dropped RPM and would go running on those days. Run5k and Couch25k are great apps for getting started.

For counting calories, I used and still use My Fitness Pal. Install that joker on your phone and you are good to go. It can even read bar codes! So using it is as easy as pie!

For those who might be intimidated by going to the gym, you can always try fitness DVDs and tutorials at home. My problem with exercising at home, is that I found too many distractions, or better yet, excuses, for not working out. For that sole purpose I go to the gym.

Gym classes, ought not to be intimidating. I have never met anybody at the gym like, the people depicted in Planet Fitness commercials (the Lunks). Everybody is courteous, helpful, or minding their own business. If you are new to a class, don't worry. We were all new to it at some point. If people are watching you, just give them something to look at! Show those people that you are serious, that you're going to show them what hard-work and dedication can produce!

So with all that said, here are some videos of me doing my workout last night. During Body Pump we workout the entire body, however my camera only had enough memory for part of the class. So enjoy!

This is the Warm-Up track

This is the Squat track 

This is the Bicep track

 So yeah, and that is not even half the class! It might look tough, but just know that I've been doing Body Pump for about 2 years. It took me a while to get up to the weights that I'm using. You can also see from the videos, the repetition effect. Believe me, that repetition effect, ain't no joke! You always see those squat challenges on Pinterest, well just take a Body Pump class, and you've beat the challenge!

Anyways, I hope the pictures and videos, give you some type of insight into what I do and what I've accomplished. If you happen to be a fitness guru and/or enthusiast like myself, please give me some feed back; whether it be on my blog, my tips, or even my exercise form.

Until next time,

-Lesli

Sunday dinner and gym time

Everybody loves a lazy Sunday, but after laying on the couch all day, I decided that I needed to be productive. So I got up, got dressed, and got my workout done for the day! It's been a while since I went to the gym on a Sunday evening. Usually I stay at home and have a movie day with the hubs, but not today. Dusty was dilly-dallying on his computer, and I had already taken my after lunch nap, so what else was I to do, but go the gym.

At my gym we have classes based on programs from Les Mills (Body Attack, Body Pump, and RPM). My favorite class is Body Pump. It's a combination of cardio and weight lifting. When I first started I could only use the 1kg (2.2lbs) and 2.5kg (5.5lbs) weights, now I only use a minimum of 5kg (11lbs) weights. That may not sound like a lot, but that is per-side, because I'm using a bar. One thing to understand, is that I'm not power-lifting. I'm lifting a lighter load, but with higher repetitions.

My station and the stations of my swole sisters!

Body Pump is a full body workout. The class goes like this: Warm-up, Squats, Chest, Back, Triceps, Biceps, Lunges, Shoulders, Core, and Cool-down. The class is an hour long, so it's easy to fit in your schedule, and it will leave you feeling satisfied with your workout. A typical class burns up to 430 calories! So be prepared to sweat!

Once I got home from the gym it was dinner time; fortunately, I had already planned out the meal. I cooked some sautéed cabbage with sausage, purple
hull peas, and corn muffins. This was just a good old Southern, home-cooked meal! Plus it was heavy on the veggies! 

My dinner plate...Yum-o!

I've always heard of people boiling cabbage, but I always sauté mine, it tastes delicious, and I feel as if it may be better for you, but I have no idea. In the picture above I used link sausage and ground sausage. I only did this because I was clearing out my fridge. Normally I only use link sausage, but feel free to make your own additions and substitutions.

 

 Lesli's Sautéed Cabbage and Sausage

Ingredients:

• a head of cabbage
• a package of link sausage, such as kielbasa ( I use a Cajun flavor, to give it a little kick)
• 4 tbs oil (vegetable, olive, EVOO, coconut, or whatever is on hand)
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put oil in a large skillet (one with a lid), and turn stove eye to low-medium heat.
2. Cut cabbage into squares, or diced. Then rinse cabbage and dry. I use my salad spinner to get the cabbage dried off.
3. Place cabbage in skillet and stir, till the leaves are coated with oil, cover and stir every couple of minutes. The leaves will begin to turn a brighter green, and the white leaves should start to become translucent.
4. While the cabbage is cooking down, slice the sausage links, into 1/4 inch rounds.
5.  After slicing, place the sausage in the skillet with the cabbage, cover, and turn the heat to medium. You can sprinkle in some red pepper flakes at this point, depending on how spices you want the dish.
6. Stir the cabbage and sausage every couple of minutes, until the white pieces are tender. I usually spoon out a piece and eat it to make sure.
7. Serve and enjoy. I always douse on some hot pepper sauce, and pair this dish with corn bread.

Let me know how this dish works for you, or if you have similar dishes.

Also feel free to visit the Les Mills website for more information on their workouts and classes, they have a lot more than just the ones I mentioned!

Until next time, 

- Lesli

My Veggetti Pro creations, and a healthy dessert!

Testing out my Veggetti Pro

Okay guys so last year, aka this past November, my husband bought me the Veggetti Pro for my birthday. I was super excited about it! I've only used it a time or two, I did the carrots (as seen above) for salads, and I did up some potatoes, for hash browns.

Last night I used this joker, to create an amazing dinner dish. I made Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles...and it was amazing!!!

I made this with a recipe from JustATaste.com

I was actually very surprised that my husband enjoyed this dish. I wasn't sure how he would take to zucchini noodles, but he said he really enjoyed them. After we finished them off, we ate some cookies that I had made earlier in the evening. I know what you're thinking, "Lesli, cookies seriously?", but these were skinny cookies. Now you're thinking "Wow, those must taste like cardboard", but no they are delicious!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, recipe courtesy of AmysHealthyBaking.com

These cookies are so good! Dip them in some milk, and WOWZERS, even better! One added snippet, in recipe below it calls for peanut-butter, I used PB2, and the cookies turned out great! Both recipes were easy to prepare and make, and even easier to devour!

So let me give y'all the recipes, so y'all can enjoy these recipes just as much as I have!

Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

 Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into noodles

Instructions:

1. Place a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and heat it for 1 minute. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook them for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook them, stirring as needed, until they are cooked throughout and pink on all sides, about 3 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and then using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl, leaving any liquid in the pan.
3. Increase the heat to medium. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cooking the wine and lemon juice for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

 Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured correctly)
• ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (64g) peanut butter
• ½ cup (120mL) honey
• 2 tbsp (28g) dark chocolate chips
• 1 ½ tbsp (21g) miniature chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla. Mix in the peanut butter until smooth. Stir in the honey. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of miniature chocolate chips.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to the desired thickness and width. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 11-14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

*Notes: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method. Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them crumbly instead of chewy.

Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times.

 * All notes are from the original recipe, on AmysHealthyBaking.com

So that's the healthy foods that I made last night. So go cook and bake and enjoy!

Until next time,
-Lesli

New Year...New Me

New year, new me...yeah, I know how cliche. But seriously though, I am going to do my best to entertain y'all with my journey at becoming a fitter and healthier human being. 

Let me begin by saying, that I have had this blog for a while, but I would forget to update it every week or so, and then I just stopped caring. Well, God willing, I am going to keep this thing as up-to-date as possible. 

My goal, is to share my fitness journey of 2016 with you. That includes my ups and downs and ins and outs. This blog will contain my meal recipes and workout regimens.

   
Over the past couple of years, I have really grown to love fitness and exercising. Last May, I ran my first 5k, and this past December I ran my first half marathon! So believe me when I say, if I can do it, anybody can.

I'll be straight-up honest with you; I do not always eat a healthy diet. In fact I pigged out over the holidays,  like I'm sure many other people did. The idea though, is not to let that get you down. Use your overeating, as a launch pad, to launch you on a weight loss journey.

Dieting does not have to be a punishment. Healthy meals can be just as delicious and appealing as their unhealthy counterparts; its all about your mindset. Yes, change is hard, but healthy living, isn't a fad, its a lifestyle...I know another cliche.

Here's another cliche, this healthy lifestyle journey, will have many bumps, curves, and even a detour or two, but the goal is to stay on this journey for the long haul. There will be challenges, and life situations that arise, however, overcoming those obstacles is what will really shape us.

So please join me on this journey, and if you want share this blog, so your friends and family can join us too!

Until next time,

-Lesli