healthy body update

I realized I haven't update since March, when I wrote about how I was doing on my better eating plan. So here's a quick update on my initial goals and where I am now, after 4 more months:

- I need to up my water intake. So 1 glass of milk in the morning before work, 1 hot drink from the kuerig first thing at work, then water water water for the rest of the work day. A glass of milk with dinner, then once I finish that... water for the rest of the night. (Added bonus, this should save us some milk money!)

My milk consumption has gone back up a little, but still way lower then it used to be, and my water intake is much improved. I think I've found a happy place that I'll be able to maintain. 
 

- I'm also going to try to add in one serving of veggies a day. I'll grab a bag of mixed greens to eat with my lunches, and I have frozen edamame at work to defrost for an easy snack. Maybe I'll grab some baby carrots to eat with hummus too.

Done and maintainable. Breakfast contains a veggie 90% of the time, which is a huge improvement right there; and lunch is salad at least 75% of the time. 

- Cut out three servings of simple carbs a week. Hummus with carrots instead of crackers, quinoa instead of pasta with dinner, fruit for an evening snack instead of goldfish crackers or cookies. There is three right there!

I'm much better about carbs in general now. They were my go to, and one of my biggest vices. Now I have a lot more control over them, and while I still allow myself some (ie., pasta with dinner) its a serving or less - and not one of those massive portions I used to call a serving! I also now have the willpower to skip pasta some nights, which doesn't sound like much, but is a huge improvement for me.

- Cut way down on my sugar intake. No candy, I just don't need it. One treat a day, not after each meal. Pastries, cookies, cakes, etc - only if I make them myself. Exchange one serving of fruit for a veggie.

This is still the one I need work on, though I'm better now they I was back then. I've baked muffins once since then, using only honey, and they were great! I try to use coconut sugar when I have to use sweeteners (lower glycemic index, so it doesn't spike your blood sugar and lead to a crash). I still need to work on not treating myself so often though. I've also started making my own plain, unsweetened, organic yogurt, which I use in my smoothies and sometimes eat mixed with some berries. 
 

- A veggie or two with every meal. Green smoothie (no sweeteners added) for breakfast. Salad with carrots and avocado and radish with lunch. Two veggies with dinner.

Still a thumbs up here! Frankly, I don't think 2 veggies with dinner is going to happen most of the time. We just don't want to make 2 veggies all the time. But I am eating more vegetables in general, and fitting them in at every meal. I'd call this very sustainable. 
 

- Cut out as much of my use of table sugar as possible. Honey for most sweetening, subs where possible when baking.

Done, and not even a though most of the time anymore. I don't remember the last time I used regular sugar or fake sugar subsitutes (the last time I used coconut sugar was probably a month ago). I use a touch of honey in my tea, but barely any at that. 
 

- A least one serving of fish a week. No more then one serving of red meat.

I'm better about getting in the fish, but its definitely not weekly yet. Summer is harder for red meats, since we grill more often, and that's likely sausages or steaks. But I'm trying to get chicken/turkey hot dogs (which Gwen and I both like a ton better anyway), and chicken sausages. Other then a week here or there, this is going pretty well, and there are some weeks when I have no red meat at all. 
 

So that's where I stand with the food. I'm feeling really good about these changes, and the way they are helping me feel.


I also took measurements back in March, because sometimes you need more concrete evidence of your achievements. Well, 2inches total loss is pretty good in my book!


March 13, 2013

Weight: ~119.5 lbs

Measurements:
Just below belly button: 31"
Above belly button (natural waist): 28.5"

Butt: 39"

Thighs: 22.5"


July 10, 2013 (4 months)

Weight: ~119 lbs

Measurements:
Just below belly button: 30.5"
Above belly button (natural waist): 27.5"

Butt: 38.75"

Thigh: 22.25"


So that's where I am! Do you have healthy body goals you are trying to work on? I'd love to hear them!