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"In my hectic, stressful life, I find myself eating on the run, and worse yet “stress eating”. I realized this morning after a successful week of eating healthy, that what I put in my mouth is something I can control right now. I suddenly feel empowered."

I posted this on my fridge , inside the cupboard door, in the pantry any place that was in view to remind myself that I was in control not food or emotions!! I still have the copy on the side of my fridge.

Don't let the numbers on the scale determine your success. I looked back at my first numbers and I gained 7 pounds!! By the second month I was down 14...my point take each day as a success. Make good food choices and keep moving (the faster the better). You are developing into a healthy person and that will take some time and adjusting. Follow the program that you have been given...and you will see and feel success!! I keeps getting better!!

Need to get those servings of fruit in your menu...

• freeze your banana skin and all (even the ones that are going a little brown. That way you are not throwing them out and wasting them) The banana keeps well in the freezer for a couple of months.
  
• Add half a frozen banana cut into a few pieces with a 1/4 - 1/2  cup of frozen blueberries (another great fruit full of nutrients your body needs) along with your protein powder of choice and 6-8 oz water...makes a great smoothie (or in my world it is the next best thing to a thick old fashioned milk shake. about 1/4 the calories and a serving of fruit. Yum Yum good for your body. Plus you know exactly what you put in it..so you can count your calories and nutrients with ease.

Let me know if you want some more tips like this. I have substituted many a fast food, comfort food, just plain foods with homemade alternatives.

Thats great, but I like to peel and slice the banana before I put it in the freezer.

personal preference.

What category this fits under on the forum...hmmm... this one fits the best. So here I go.

I know there are several fast food joints out there that want you to believe that they have the "value meal" for you. If you watch any TV you have seen them all.

No need to struggle... I just did my grocery list, shopping the sales, looking for healthy foods and I have a "value meal" that costs $1.80 per plate.

(all amounts are based on cost per ounce then multiplied by actual ounces per portion)

Atlantic Salmon                3.0 oz     $0.71

Asparagus                        3.2 oz     $0.19

Brown Rice                     .25 cup     $0.02

Cooked Baby Carrots       2.8 oz     $0.17

Mixed Salad                      3.7 oz     $0.71

Water                                               FREE

Total Cost = $1.80 per plate (can cost less if you make your own salad instead of the salad in the bag)

Family of 5 can eat for $9.00

This is a lot of food too!!

Calories approx. 294

A little slice of insight...

When my kids were younger and the stress of being that "perfect" parent was hanging over my head 24/7 I tried to balance my life...for every negative behavior I tried to also 'catch them doing something positive or good" and let them know.  Wouldn't you know it the little buggers were not all that bad after all.

I am now applying that same principle to my health journey. I stress at times to be that "perfect"  person. So on those days when my emotions and logic are having it out. I simply stop and catch myself doing something good. I am changing, learning, and growing up just like my kids.

Challenge yourself to "catch YOURSELF doing something good" and keep a journal or e-mail it to a friend...post it on a forum or Facebook. You just might surprise yourself with how well you really are doing!!

" One of the secrets in life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks."  Jack Penn

Ran across this in my journal. Makes more sense everyday.

No need to dwell on the stumbling...take steps in a forward direction towards your long term goal. Simple

Experimenting with our eating. We do this as a family every so often to see how much we have really changed. Also to see how foods effect our ability to function. This day we had doughnuts...something we used to get every Saturday AM at Safeway, early right out of the deep fryer...Happy to know that we all thought the doughnuts were TOO DANG SWEET and FATTY...even made us sick to our stomachs...hubby could not finish his.  Workout this AM was like moving a slug across the exercise mat. We used to be a family that swore doughnuts on Saturday were gods gift to mankind.  Our new family must have...eggs and whole wheat toast or waffles and applesauce. So you see we have changed!! Life is about change!