20 lbs GONE!!!

I generally try not to brag on blogger or especially facebook, but seeing as how I want to make this change permanent, I have to let you all know... I've lost 20lbs! I'm telling you all, because it will keep me motivated to not let the poundage creep back up.

I cannot believe that I used to be 20 lbs heavier! I am so excited to be at this weight, but I am not stopping. I have fallen in love with working out. It's the only thing close to coffee that can help me keep up with the kids & the house & all the other things I do. But, unlike coffee, there is no crash. Of course there is soreness, but that reminds me that I kick ass! *cough cough* Sorry about the language.

I really want to encourage everyone who reads this to take that next step toward fitness today! I never thought I would get here & less than 6 months later, here I am. I'm not a fan of the depriving yourself or working out so much you can't do anything else. I am proof that little steps get you where you want to go. If you need any encouragement, I would be happy to encourage you!

Thanks to ALL the friends & instructors who have taught me & encouraged me! Thank you Pinterest for your amazingly motivating Fitness section!

Real Food mini-challenges

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. What with my discovery of Pinterest, I've been busy making, baking, cooking, & doing things... really pinning more than any of that. Anywho, I love Pinterest! The other day I came across a pin that led me to a blog about a family who took a 100-day challenge to only eat "real food" . I have been slowly moving toward more whole food, more organic, & more local food. I'm not doing the 100-day challenge or even all of the mini-challenges they have. We already try to eat whole foods. The area of our diets that needs the biggest overhaul is our snacks! Typical snacks in our house are:
*Ritz crackers, natural peanut butter, & apples
*Nilla wafers, yogurt, & a banana
*graham crackers & strawberries
*Pretzel sticks & pineapple chunks (canned in juice)

See, not bad, but processed. So, I'm going to work towards less processed foods more consciously. Starting with Grahams, I've just found a pretty easy recipe, a la Pinterest.

Here are some of the other 14 mini-challenges that I am accepting:
*2 fruits &/or vegetables per meal (B & L we usually only have 1)
*Limited beverages (we will do this 90% of the time, special treats)- coffee, tea, water, milk & juice occasionally. We already do this most of the time.
*No fast food for 1 week. We go out to eat about 1 or 2 times per week, anymore than that & we aren't going to fast food, but healthier places like Panera
*100% whole grain. We do 100% whole wheat bread already, but pasta, rice, & other bread items we don't. (oh, we do do whole wheat Ritz! haha). Im sorry, but the Japanese in me doesn't think real rice is brown. Real rice is supposed to be sticky! ;) I probably will just keep with the white rice & switch everything else.
*stop eating when full- I already do this, I assume my kids do too, because whenever they say "I'm done" that's fine by me. I never push food on them.
*no more than 5 ingredients. Well... that one will be tough. I'll be waiting for Corey to come home to do this one, because I want to have the energy & time to bake a few things, so we wont starve. haha (a tad melodramatic? maybe)

Alright, Are you on board with me? Or if you checked out the link & looked at all the mini-challenges, which ones are you going to try?