Time for a Kickstart

You name it, and chances are that I've tried it. I've been fighting this same battle for as long as I can remember. In high school, I'd have only an orange, carrots, and a Diet Dr. Pepper for lunch, and for a few years I was vegan. In college, it was SlimFast. Since then, it has been Weight Watchers, South Beach, gluten-free, high protein, low carb, diabetic, and...and...and.

A few months ago, I was urged to sign up for Moms in Training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. With them, and their trainers, I successfuly completed my first 5k, and have done 2 others, and have signed up for a few more. Despite moving more, watching what I eat...no change on the scale. For lack of a better word: FRUSTRATING. 

One of the trainers from MNT (Moms in Training) urged me to start a 24 day challenge which is definitely...a kickstart. I signed up, and I start Thursday (I have to wait for some items to arrive). So starting then, it'll be shakes in the morning, and supplements. Plus my own snacks and food for the rest of the day. 

Since we've been gone for the past week, I had to go to the grocery store today, but luckily had my new handy-dandy grocery list. Never before have I left the grocery store with such a full cart and going down so few aisles. Translation: I shopped the perimeter of the store. Lots of produce, lean meats, bulk items like lentils, almonds, pecans, and even some bran to make banana bran muffins (I'm going to tweak my recipe).

After unloading the car, I started my list of what to make for the week. As my trainer says, meal planning is KEY. So far today, I accomplished the following:

1. Oven roasted almonds (350*, 15 minutes)
2. Toasted pecans with smoked paprika (stovetop)
3. Greek chicken pasta salad: whole wheat penne, chicken (marinaded in EVOO, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, oregano and garlic), olives, feta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red bell pepper tossed with a red wine vinegarette (EVOO, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano). (See the first picture)
4. Crockpot carnitas:trimmed pork shoulder, taco seasoning, water; 6 hours on high, then shredded; served with sauteed red bell pepper and onion, cilantro, and a little bit of shredded cheese and light sour cream (see the second picture)
5. Prepped chicken for later this week - it's marinading in a low-sodium teriyaki sauce with TONS of garlic
6. Cooked down mixed berries with lemon rind and enough cornstarch to thicken, and put them into single serving cups

Something needs to change, and I like to eat. Strike that...love to eat. And luckily, I really enjoy cooking. Not so much the dishes, but it's worth it.

So follow me on my journey. I'll share food ideas, meal planning, and my journey. And since I have a cute little kid, he'll probably sneak in here somehow, too!

Now to track my dinner (I use MyFitnessPal), and get my food and snacks laid out for tomorrow! No excuses, no "cheat" days. Today is the first day of a BIG journey. Let's take the first step together.