Nutritious and Delicious

Hey everyone! So I wanted to give an update on what's been going on. I've been trying to eat healthier and have been exercising 5 out of 7 days a week. Today is Day 8 for me and in 8 days, I have already seen improvement. I've read that you should give your body what it needs and what it deserves so I asked my body what it wanted. 

I said, "Body?" 

Body said, "Yes, Jennifer?" 

I said, "Are you happy?"

Body said, "Meh. I'm alright but I could be better." 

I said, "Well, what should I do?"

Body said, "You know what you have to do. What we have to do."

I said, "So is that a challenge???"

Body said, "If it were a challenge, you wouldn't be able to handle it."

I said, "Oh, I can handle it."

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Challenge Accepted!

2 or 3 weeks ago, my boyfriend and I were talking before bed and he told me he wanted to eat healthier. Since moving into our apartment we haven't been eating very well. Little money means little nutrition. At least that's my excuse. But when we were talking, he said that basically we need to be on the same page. I wasn't on the same page. I want to eat things with great flavor and fat = flavor. But then he said that I said that I don't believe in diet or nutrition. Or some balogna. So after a great day, before bed there was tension. I laid there for a while and I said, it's hard to eat healthy because healthy food isn't full of flavor. But then I thought again, sure there is! We started talking and I asked what he wanted to eat. I told him that tomorrow while he's at work, I was going to find a bunch of recipes and foods that were healthy, and full of flavor. He got me jump started. I found maybe 10 things and made a list. Being the little chef that I am, I wrote all of the things down that sounded tasty and that way, I could use these things to kick start the ideas of healthy meals. 

The things I found at SparkRecipes.com:

-Ratatouille 

(all veggies with part skim mozzarella)

-Marinaded Chicken Breast

(marinaded in orange juice, lemon juice, spices, etc. for 3 hours or overnight)

-Fajitas or tacos

-Stuffed Mushrooms

-Chicken Salads

(chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, low-fat cottage cheese, avocado, and a tasty vinegar and oil dressing)

-Baked Chicken Tenders 

(marinade with a dressing then put some bread crumbs on it.)

-Chicken and Rice

(flavor your chicken, add a veggie, brown rice, easy.)

-Crockpot Garlic Lime Chicken

-Make a whole chicken in a crockpot

-Stuffed Bell Peppers or tomatoes

(stuffed with a mix of ground turkey, garlic, onion, diced tomatoes, seasoning)

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These are just a few options. Yes, there is a lot you can do with chicken. Ground turkey is also an option but I really don't like ground turkey. I've never really had it where it has tasted good or worth it. Michael says he can make good turkey burgers but i'll be the judge of that. 

I haven't tried any of those recipes but I have been eating healthier. I've given up pasta, ice cream, eating out, potatoes (I LOVE POTATOES, PASTA, AND ICE CREAM). I have been snacking on bananas and instead of drinking 2% milk, I now just started drinking skim. It isn't that bad. I have been eating so much chicken. I gave up pop/soda for lent. Giving up pop and cutting out sugary juices is definitely a good way to start getting healthy. One year I gave up pop for lent and by the end of the 40 days, I had lost 10 pounds. But I was younger and more active back then. I also have not been drinking a beer or two every couple nights and i've cut out all of my usual eating habits. I haven't been going out for $3 pizzas either. This kinda sucks because I haven't seen my friends in what feels like forever. 

This is my new routine:

Wake up at 10 a.m.

Drink a cup of coffee

Poop

Pack my bag and go to the gym 

Work out for a good hour, maybe a little longer

Come home and drink a protein shake

Eat a banana or two

Make a healthy lunch, drink water

Michael comes home, I go to work 

Drink tea or lemon/lime water at work

Come home eat something small or more chicken with a veggie

Sleep

~Repeat~

It may seem boring, but this has been consistent just about every day. I wanted you to know that I have been pooping regularly now for the past week. I read that the average person poops 2-3 times a day. TMI: I am lucky if I poop every other day. I am a very irregular person. Well I was. You may relate, you may not. But if you aren't pooping regularly, that isn't a good thing. 

My boyfriend has always been the one to research things. He googles what he doesn't know. It's what he does. He learns and retains info like no other. And so lately i've been reading up on healthy living as well. Looking at Yahoo articles and researching what I want to know. Such as whether to go with whey or casein. I wanna know if bananas are good for me or how good they actually are. I wanna know about the 9 bad habits that are actually not that bad at all. I wanna know if a high protein diet is okay. So these next couple articles have helped me and I hope you let them help you. 

Another reason I started working out and eating healthy is because lately i've been feeling down in the dumps. I thought it was because my seratonin levels were down. What is seratonin?

From Seratonin: The Chemistry of Well-Being

"Certain aminos cause you to have better feeling of well being. Serotonin is a chemical that helps maintain a "happy feeling," and seems to help keep our moods under control by helping with sleep, calming anxiety, and relieving depression."

"It has been discovered that some foods influence the brain's behavior, and the brain's neurotransmitters, which regulate our behavior, can be affected by what we eat. Research is showing that some foods such as bananas and turkey have proteins that help to create the chemical seratonin. So, diet may contribute to depression, especially poor eating habits and constant snacking on junk foods."

I don't know but I think that my new diet has been helping me a lot. I've been feeling a lot better. Not 100% but in good time, it is possible. 

I want you to know how great bananas are for you and I found this little gem online

Are Bananas Good for You?

I thought this was pretty interesting:

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"When compared to apples though bananas have 4 times the protein, 2 times the carbohydrates, 3 times the phosphorous, 5 times the vitamin A and Iron and much more vitamins and minerals than apples do."

They've always talked up apples. Apples, apples, apples! Well what about bananas???? Read that article and you might feel the same way

I have a few more things to add:

I want you to know that at the beginning of the week when I started I went to the store after my workout. I bought veggies, fruits, and a package of chicken breast. I divided up my package of chicken breast into portions so I'd have some for lunch every day. I also got a head of boston lettuce. Just wanted to try it. 

The one lunch I made that was really good was a salad with chicken breast and sauteed onions. I mixed up a salad with roasted garlic red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. I sliced a whole avocado. And then because it was windy out I didn't want to start the grill. So I got my frying pan out and made magic. I started with extra virgin olive oil (a Tablespoon), 1 clove of chopped garlic, half of an onion- sliced. Cooked the onions until translucent. Then added the chicken that was seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cooked until done. Cut the chicken into thin strips. Put the sliced chicken back into the frying pan, turned the heat to low and added a small bit of shredded colby jack mixed with parsely. Let that melt and you've got yourself a tasty salad. It was awesome. I'm not a big fan of salads but DAMN! I impressed myself and I had enough so Michael could have his own too. I made a nice, healthy lunch. And I was full throughout work. 

For breakfast, sometimes I'll eat an egg or 2 with toast. Other times, a bowl of some Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds will do. 

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Really my diet has consisted of a lot of protein. Chicken, eggs, protein shakes, fish. You know the deal.  But I do know there are pro's and con's to a lot of protein. That's why you need calcium and vitamins and all of the other things that make up a happy body. 

And the last article or slide show I want you to see is the pro's and con's of high protein. I just figured if this blog has maybe changed your views on some things maybe you'll wanna check it out.

High-Protein- Good or Bad?

I haven't cut out all bad things but I have cut back. I don't use as much butter. I don't use as much sugar or creamer in my coffee. I haven't cut out beer completely but I have cut back and have refused beer and have replaced it with water. Alcohol has a lot of calories and it just seems like, "I am on a good path, why mess up now?" 

I have to confess something though, last night,

 I....

I.. 

ummm... 

well ya see..

I was craving wings. I wanted them. It was late when I got off of work and I didn't have time to cook and if I did cook, I wouldn't have eaten until midnight. So I got them. 15 wings. Spicy garlic and ranch. I always take off the skin but still. I just wanted some. I won't be doing that again for a while. I know it wasn't a good decision but I made it and it's done. I can only move forward and that is what I will do.

I'd like your input on healthy recipes and any other tips from you healthy people out there!

So please share. :)