Doing What Works for YOU!

So first off, I want to start off by saying that it is very hard to be on a weightloss journey while people around you know about it.  This is usually why I choose to not let people in my "real" life read this blog.  Lately it seems like more and more people are finding out about it, which is fine, but there is a reason why I like it to be a secret.  Mostly because I can't stand the comments and reactions from people.

Let me explain...

I have been on this journey for 2 and a half years and am still a big girl.  When people hear that I go to the gym 5x a week or eat clean (most the time) they give me a look that reads "ummmmm you're fat you must not be doing something right."  I hate those looks from people and I always feel the need to show them my before picture or let them know that I have already lost 50lbs!  It's like I have to justify myself, it's SO annoying and I should NOT feel like I have to do that.  Ever.  I especially feel the need to justify myself when people around me are talking about healthy habits and food.  I feel like whenever I chime in people are like "I'm not listening to her, she's fat...what does she know about a healthy lifestyle." SO annoying.  Maybe it's all in my head but it probably isn't.  I know that none of these people mean anything harmful, it's just the way they react.  It kinda does hurt my feelings a little.  I really need to get a better filter and stop advertising my personal journey to so many people around me...sad but true.

I wish that everyone could just understand and realize that everyone's journey is different.  What works for some people doesn't work for others and there is no "quick fix."  It's not as easy as just burning more calories than you are taking in, it's more than that (for me anyways...).  It's a mental and physical struggle every.damn.day.  I have to lose this weight MY way by doing it a way that works for ME.  That may be going to the gym 5x a week and then having an indulging meal on the weekend.  If that stalls me for a bit, then so be it.  It's what I have to do to keep going and not give up.  Realize that this is my journey and I am doing this in a way that works for me.  I wish everyone would just understand that...

Anyways.....enough of that.

So randomly on Saturday I was going through my massively overstuffed closet and came across some clothes that I haven't worn in a long time!  I realized that some of these items are from a picture that I had taken years ago.  Just for fun I tried them on and was very happy with what I saw.  These clothes were way too big for me!  They were hanging off my body and I love that feeling.  So here is a comparison picture of how far I've come..

3X Juicy Couture Hoodie
3X Old Navy tank top
Size 22 Lane Bryant Jeans

So I love this comparison because the picture at the right isn't even at my heaviest!! No clue how much I weighed but it wasn't close to being around what I was at my biggest.  For comparison, I now wear size XXL or XL in tops and size 18 or sometimes 16 in pants.  I have come a long way! Yes. I. Have.

So since this post title is called "Doing What Works for YOU!" I want to talk about what works for me.  It may not work for everyone and I am in no way telling anyone to do what I do, let that be known.  But...I am willing to share what works for ME.  So here we go.

Eating clean.  I love it. Is it hard to do?  Hell yes.  It's not hard in the way that the food tastes bad, it's more hard that it's not easy to come up with new creative dishes that don't cost $20 to make.  I am sure there are plenty of cheaper clean dishes, sooooo share them with me if you got em'. :)

What I do is usually meal prep on Sunday for the week.  I will make one large clean dish and eat it at night for dinner during the weeknights.  This is actually very important for me so that I stay on track food wise.  Some of my favorite clean meals are:

• Chicken with avocado, tomato and red onion
• Eggs with shrimp and avocado (sounds weird but it's good)
• Bruschetta chicken
• Chilli
• This random, throw anything you got in it, pasta dish

This is pretty much all I eat all. the. time. for dinner. Haha.  I don't food prep the eggs and shrimp, that I just make if I need to make something quick for one night.  The recipe I kinda perfected this week was the random pasta dish! I have blogged about it before but I did it a little different this time.  I didn't use zucchini "pasta" because I only had 1 zucchini on hand and wanted something with more substance.  Instead I used that veggie pasta.  Here is a step by step of the dish.  No real recipe...

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil (maybe 3/4 cup)
• (2) Cloves Chopped Fresh Garlic
• Sundried Tomatoes (dry, not in oil)
• (2) Vine Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes (new addition...perfection)
• Zucchini Chopped up
• Baby Portabella Mushrooms (new addition)
• Shredded Roasted Chicken (remove the skin)
• Spinach (fresh, not frozen)
• Feta Cheese, optional

First I add the oil and sautee the garlic in it.  Then after a few minutes I add the sun dried tomatoes.  Once those are starting to incorporate in the oil I add the chopped vine tomatoes and the grape tomatoes.  The grape tomatoes were AWESOME in this.  They plumped up and stayed whole so when you bit into them they popped in your mouth.  It was sooo good. 

After the tomatoes are cooked and starting to soften, add the zucchini and mushrooms.  It's important to make sure that the olive oil is incorporated throughout, so keep stirring. 

After the veggies are cooked and soft, add the shredded chicken and already cooked pasta (cook the pasta before you start cooking the dish).  Once the pasta and chicken are mixed in well, add handfuls of spinach. I added most of the bag because once it wilts down, it really is not that much.  Just keep mixing the spinach in until it steams up and becomes wilted. Doesn't it look pretty!? 

Once the spinach is all wilted down, it's ready to eat!  I sprinkle some feta on top and it's fantastic! You can probably use mozzarella or parmesan cheese too, whatever you like. I love this dish. Like a lot.  Adding the grape tomatoes and mushrooms really improved the taste and texture of the dish. My fav by far.  I usually eat this after the gym and it heats up really well.  It's so good!

I love eating clean and I try to make sure I eat clean dinners every night during the work week.  It's hard on the weekends and usually for lunch during the week I eat dirty little smart ones.  Does anyone have any easy clean lunch recipe ideas?  I would love to get away from the frozen lunch entrees, I know they are horrible for you but they are just so convenient.  Let me know!!! :)

I will do a workout recap for the week on Friday!  But I am doing awesome so far with my workouts this week! YES!!! :)