Blog - I am Fitnessa

September 6, 2016 by Vanessa

Weight Loss Journal

I started my weight loss journey back on June 01, 2016. I started my journey knowing it was going to be difficult. I have started a lot of “diets” and failed miserably. I wanted this time to be different. This time I wanted more than anything to be successful. In being successful I decided that I would need to be intentional. I also need to be prepared, focused, and dedicated. One way I am being intentional is by prepping my meals each week. Meal prep is a lot of work, but it’s totally worth it.

I will admit the amount of support I have received so far has also really encouraged me. Making my weight loss journey public has helped keep me accountable. I not only want to succeed for myself but for all those who also believe in me. I look forward to seeing the results and sharing them with everyone who is supporting me. With that being said, I am excited to tell you that since starting this journey I have lost a total of 33 pounds!!! It’s hasn’t been easy but it’s been so worth it. There were days that I totally fell off track. But, I worked hard the next day to get back on track. I am learning how to prevent turning a cheat meal into a cheat week. Whenever I want to reach for an unhealthy food item I just think about how far I have come.

I still have a lot more weight to lose but I am closer now than when I first started. In order to really see my weight loss I decided to create a journey journal page to track it. Each month I calculate my total weight loss and track it by moving the gems from the “pounds to lose” jar to the “pounds lost” jar. The jars are chalk friendly so I am able write the number of pounds lost in the jar. I find so much satisfaction in moving the gems to the “pounds lost” jar. I am able to visually see how many pounds I have actually lost!

In this photo you can see where the gems were pealed off the “pounds to lose” side. Its so nice being able to see my progress this way. The pounds are vanishing!!

33 pounds down and it feels so good! I feel even more confident about my ability to lose more!

If you would like to make this weight loss journal, or are interested in the chalk board mason jars I purchased mine at Michael’s Craft Store

September 4, 2016 by Vanessa

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Growing up my mom would buy canned chunk chicken and make chicken salad with it. Most times the chicken salad would be nicely stuffed in a halved pita bread pocket. As simple as the meal was I absolutely loved it. As I have gotten older I still love this simple meal just as much. Although, I have made some little changes to enhance some of the flavors it was lacking. I also switched to using real chicken breast because I am leery of canned chicken. I mean seriously chicken in a can? That just can’t be healthy!

The changes I made to the basic chicken salad are quite modest. I added chopped green bell peppers, red onions, and Crasins (which are just dried cranberries). The craisins provide that little hint of sweetness to the chicken salad. I still accompany my chicken salad with pita bread. I also add a mixture of lettuce and spinach.

There are so many different variations of chicken salad out there, but this is how I enjoy mine. I hope you also enjoy it!

And one last thing…..this meal makes a very good lunch meal prep. You don’t even have to worry about heating it up. You can take it straight out the fridge and consume it! That’s pretty much as good as it gets!

The containers featured in the pictures are from Meal Prep Haven. You can purchase the containers HERE from their website.

August 27, 2016 by Vanessa

Fruit Makes My World Go Round

Fruit has been a huge staple of my diet since starting my weight loss journey. When I am hungry instead of reaching for potato chips, or cookies, I reach for a fruit. In the start it was really difficult substituting my junk food with fruit, but it has gotten much easier. I have actually grown to enjoy certain fruits that I didn’t like much in the past. Honestly, I used to hate red apples. I would much rather have a green apple or any other fruit. However, recently red apples have become one of my favorite go to fruits. This may be shocking to some of you, but I didn’t really know there were so many varieties of red apples. I thought a red apple was simply that, a red apple. Well, was I wrong! If you want to check out some of the different varieties of apples CLICK HERE. So, long story short my favorite red apple is the “Pink Lady”

Now that everyone knows about my apple issues let me get back on track. Fruit is my favorite “got to snack” and no matter what anyone says I am not going to give up on fruit! I have heard people say, “Hey you shouldn’t eat so much fruit because there is so much sugar in fruit!” Well, let me tell you how I feel. Fruit is natural, it’s from the earth, and it’s not made in a factory with millions of different chemicals I can’t pronounce. So, if fruit is going to make me fatter then I guess that is just a risk I will have to take! But, on good note fruit has not made me gain weight and has actually helped me lose weight! This means fruit is here to stay! The great benefits fruit has on the body out weight the amount of sugar in it. But, with anything it’s best to eat in moderation which is what I do. Most days I start out having a fruit. Morning fruit to me is the best. The natural sugars give me energy through my day. I also eat a fruit for my midday snack which is normally around about 3pm. At night I try staying away from fruit, but will pick up a fruit over anything else if I get unbearably hungry. In light of my new love for fruit I decided to make a delicious fruit bowl! And let me tell you something, “It tasted AMAZING!!”

Fruit bowl Contents:

Kiwi

Mango

Watermelon

I made the watermelons into balls by using this TOOL

The type of watermelon used is called a, “Sugar baby Watermelon” this is because it’s much smaller in size than your normal watermelon.

Also, the bowl is actually made from the watermelon. I cut the watermelon in half and scooped out the contents in order to make the bowl.

Yes, I realize I talked quite a bit about apples for there to be no apples in this fruit bowl. I just wanted there to be a twist at the end! It’s kind of like a psychological thriller! Okay, I lied, it’s not that intense! (Haha)

August 24, 2016 by Vanessa

Top 10 Gym Pet Peeves

Although I am in the early stages of my weight loss journey I am in no way new to the gym. Before having my son I actually lost over 100lbs by dieting and working out. (But that is a story for another time) So a lot of my past weight loss was contributed to many long hours in the gym! Honestly the gym was like my second home. Recently the gym has again become my second home. I spend every morning in the gym and it feels so good. I am happy about being back in a routine and spending time in the gym. However, there are several things I have not missed about the gym. Actually, the things I have not missed are directly related to the other people in the gym with me!! I feel that before people are allowed to sign up for the gym they must take a test on proper gym etiquette. Here is a list of things people do in the gym that really grind my gears;

Wearing a large amount of cologne/perfume

Like come on!! Seriously!! Did you have to douse yourself in the entire bottle of perfume/cologne before coming into the gym? It’s hard enough to breath when getting a rigorous cardio session on…I don’t need the smell of your choice fragrance to cloud up the room! Please oh please use moderation when putting on fragrances when coming into the gym! And if you cannot use moderation please don’t workout anywhere near me! My allergies can’t handle your smell

Getting on the machine directly next to me when there are plenty of the same machines available!

Seriously! Why do we need to be so close? There are eight elliptical s and they are all free, but you just have to use the one right next to me! I am not interested in being so close to you!

Constantly looking over at my machine screen.

Okay, so this normally happens with the person who just has to use the machine directly next to me. The person mentioned in number nine. Please understand I am not at the gym to compete with you. I am here to work out for myself. Please stay focused on your workout and on your workout screen. My resistance, calories burned, time, ect; are none of your business. Bye Felicia!!

Making loud animal noises

I get it sometimes those weights can be seriously heavy, but there is no reason to grunt like you are dying! If it’s that heavy maybe you need to go for something lighter! There is absolutely no reason I should hear you grunting over my headphones! Plus you are just freaking people out! Other people in the gym don’t know whether you are in distress or if there is a threat and they should get out of there! Tone it down a little bit!

People who get in the way by staring at themselves in the mirror

Yes, you still look the same as you did when you walked in the gym. All you have done is lift a ten pound dumbbell. Please move out of my way so I can grab a dumbbell! Trust me a muscle is not going to form anytime soon and looking in the mirror won’t make it appear any faster!

People who spend more time taking selfies than working out!

For goodness sake please go somewhere else to take your pictures. I really don’t want to end up in one of your pictures! It’s totally cool if you are taking one or two pictures. But taking pictures the entire time you are at the gym is a little much.

People who make the gym a social event

It’s understandable that you want to speak with others around you at the gym. But, please don’t interrupt people’s workouts just because you don’t have a social life! You can normally tell if someone is interested in striking up a conversation. Also don’t come to the gym with your entire squad and stand around laughing, joking, and being obnoxious. You end up being in the way of people who are truly there to workout. There are better places than the gym to meet up with your friends.

People who flirt and attempt to get dates at the gym

Please stop…..just stop! I have lost track of the amount of times I have been hit on or seen people hit on at the gym! Creepers and flirty people really mess up my workout. They make me want to leave the gym as fast as I can!

People who hog the weight machines.

Dude…you have been using the same machine for like 2 hours now. Please think of other people around you who may be interested in using that machine. Using a cardio machine for an extended amount of time is understandable, but using the leg press for more than 30 minutes is just absurd!

People who sit or stand stationary on machines for an extended amount of time while using their cell phone

This is just plain out rude! You can use your cell phone anywhere! Why are you taking up a machine to stand there and look at Facebook! Other people are also interested in using the equipment! Please go home!

August 15, 2016 by Vanessa

Low Carb Skinny Lasagna Cups

In order to lose weight I have cut down to eating no more than 40 grams of carbs a day. This is not an easy task for me because I like carbs so much! Carbs are filling and they are found in so many different foods. It’s way easier and cheaper to cook a huge pasta dinner than to cook and marinade steak and cook vegetables and brown rice. For me to stay dedicated to eating healthy and sticking to my 40 gram carb intake I have to be creative. It’s important for me to find foods that are, healthy, delicious, and low carb.

One day I decided to take to the wonderful internet in search of a recipe that would fit my needs. I stumbled across a recipe for “Skinny Lasagna”. At first glimpse I felt the recipe was too in depth and I didn’t want to try it. Then I thought hey what the heck let me give it a go! I am so glad I did! This has been one of my favorite recipes. In time I changed the recipe I initially found to better fit my taste. Even my husband and son love it! My son is four years old and is super picky about what he will eat! Some night’s dinner consists of all of us sitting at the same table but eating different foods. However, when I make skinny Lasagna we are all enjoying it together with no complaints. Recently, I even decided to make this into a meal prep! It was such a great decision!

My weekly meal prep consists of 2 skinny Lasagnas cups for each day accompanied with lightly sautéed and seasoned zucchini! This meal prep was great! It lasted through the week and still tasted amazing after reheated. If you want to try out these amazing Skinny Lasagna cups I have provided the recipe below! Enjoy!

August 9, 2016 by Vanessa

Santa Fe Chipotle Chicken Bowl Recipe

One of the most discouraging things about meal prepping is that after having the same meal for 5-7 days straight it gets a little boring. It is important to try and make meals you know you won’t get tired of too quickly. Think of healthy foods you can eat over and over again without issue. Or think of something you really like and if possible attempt to make it a healthy meal.

Personally, I really like Chipotle’s burrito bowls. I could literally eat them every single day without issue. However, the rice in them isn’t always a good thing. Right now as I strive to lose weight I am attempting to lower my carbohydrate intake. I have gone to Chipotle a few times since being on this weight loss journey. I have always requested light rice or no rice but I find I am spending money and barley getting any food in my bowl. So recently I decided to make my own healthy meal prep burrito bowls. Let me tell you something! They came out Amazing!!

In the case that you want to try it I have even provided my original recipe!!

August 2, 2016 by Vanessa

Meal Prep Without losing your Mind

How to Meal Prep Without Losing your Mind

7 Simple Steps

Always Plan ahead

Know what you are going to prepare for the week before going to the store. I try to have an idea of what I am going to cook one week prior. So, for instance while I am prepping this week’s meals I am already thinking about what I can make next week. I may not decide on everything at that very moment but, I have a pretty good idea on what I will make. When you know for sure what you plan to prepare write it down so you won’t forget.

Make a list

Before heading to the store make a list. Be sure to know exactly what you are going to cook. Write down a list of all the ingredients you will need. While at the store try and stick to your list. Also make sure to list any snack items you may need. Before heading to the checkout rundown your list and ensure you picked up everything.

Keep It simple

The worst thing you can do when trying to prep is to make an extravagant lavished 5 star restaurant meal. Firstly, a meal like that will have you in the kitchen for hours. Secondly, the meals may not be as tasty the next day. Remember you are prepping your meals for the near future, and not for the here and now. Make sure to use simple ingredients and foods that will last in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Also, pre-cut your fruits and veggies. I use my food processor to chop my peppers and onions with sometimes. Then I place them in a container or freeze them until I am ready to use them

Go for what you know

Don’t try and make a recipe with multiple different ingredients. Try and prepare meals you are good at. Put a few seasonings on your chicken and simply bake it. You don’t have to pan sear your chicken and add rosemary and freshly chopped garlic. If you want to do that, and you are comfortable with it go for it. If you are just starting your meal prep journey take it slow. Go for what you know. Don’t cause yourself to become overwhelmed.

Pick a good day

Find a day in your schedule that allows you enough time to prep your meals. It’s never good to have a time restraint on your prep time. You may set a goal for yourself to complete your prep in one hour. However, if you cannot complete it in that duration there should be nothing stopping you from continuing. Also make sure you aren’t prepping your meals too far in advance. My rule of thumb is all my meals must be consumed within seven days from the day they were cooked. So, prepping two weeks in advance just isn’t a good idea. You don’t want your food to spoil. I prep my meals every Sunday afternoon. My last meal is normally consumed on Friday Afternoon.

It’s better to over prepare than under prepare.

Make sure to always purchase and prepare enough food for your entire week. If you have a five day work week make sure to have enough for for five days. If you only have enough food to prep for four days you run into a chance of “cheating” on your fifth day. Or you will be scurrying around the kitchen trying to find something to throw together for that additional meal. If you over prep that is fine. You can use the additional ingredients for your dinner or for a weekend meal.

Have Fun!

Meal prep should be fun. It should be exhilarating! I look forward to prepping my meals on Sunday! I can’t wait to see how my meals are going to turn out. I find excitement in shopping for my ingredients and putting them altogether! I find meal prep to be somewhat of an art. I enjoy growing and challenging myself to try new foods each week.

But remember start slow!!

July 14, 2016 by Vanessa

Fresh and Simple Fruit Cocktail

For this week’s snack box I decided to make a fruit cocktail of my own. I was trying to decide what fruit I wanted to use and I couldn’t pick just one. I thought of buying fruit cocktail in the can, but after reading the ingredients list, and seeing all the added sugar I decided against it! So I figured I needed to get a little creative. I thought of fruits I like and threw them together! Let me tell you something! My fruit cocktail was amazing! So, you may be wondering what fruits I used. Well, listed below are the ingredients and steps used to make this wonderful, simple, and fresh, no sugar added fruit cocktail

Ingredients:

Watermelon

Mango

Kiwi

Cherries

Raspberries

The process

Cut your cherries in half and remove the seeds. Place the cherries in a medium sized bowl once the seeds are removed
Cut the watermelon however you desire. I chose to make watermelon balls by using a “Melon Baller” If you don’t know what this is, or you are interested in purchasing on click HERE.
Cut all the other fruit how you desire and place the fruit in the same bowl you placed the cherries in.
If the bowl has a lid place the lid on the bowl and gently shake it in order to move the fruit around. You can also gently stir the fruit around the bowl with a spoon. This step is just to ensure the fruit is nicely distributed so you aren’t just eating all the cherries at one time and so on.
Enjoy

The other items featured in the snack box this week are:

White Cheddar Cubes and Smoked Turkey sausage

Seaweed Snacks

Trail Mix

When I eat my seaweed snacks around other people they are always curious about them. The main question I receive is, “What is that?” and “what does that taste like?” Well it’s kind of hard to describe the taste. I will normally just offer one. Most times people will decline because they are afraid. I personally think the seaweed snacks are delicious! They are also very healthy! If you are interested in trying them they are cheap. I get mine from Trader Joes and pay $0.99 for a pack. You can check them out and purchase them HERE.

The trail mix was kind of just put together by me. I found different trail mixes at Trader Joes and Publix and I mixed them together.

If you are interested in getting a Bento snack box like the one pictured please click Here!

July 5, 2016 by Vanessa

Meal Prep at its Best

Meal Prep At its Best

This week’s featured meal prep is one of my favorites. Not only did I enjoy making these meals, but I also enjoyed consuming them. I find pleasure in using a variety of seasonings to make my food savory and satisfying. On this particular day I was making collard greens for dinner and decided I also wanted some through the week. I simply incorporated my collard greens into my meal prep. On this day I also had a surplus of food once I finished prepping my meals. I used the leftover ingredients to make dinner with for that day and through the week. I would much rather end up with a surplus of food at the end of my prep, then to run out halfway through. I can’t imagine having to run to the grocery store midway through my prepping. No thank you!

I once again have two different meals for this week. In meal one there is seasoned baked salmon and broccoli. In meal two there is cubed pork shoulder with collard greens. I prepared the pork shoulder in the crock pot. It was so full of flavor and super tender. For this week I decided to stay away from carbohydrates in my meals. The featured meal prep only took me an hour and a half to make. And it only cost me about $45.00 for all the ingredients.

I personally know a young lady from my previous job who paid a company to prep her meals. The cost of this service was quite outrageous. She was desperate to lose weight and felt she didn’t have enough time to prep her meals. I understand her reasons for using this service. However, I would never personally do this. I know I am capable of finding time to prep my meals. I feel we are all capable of finding the time. Also, she advised me the meals weren’t that delicious. I am here to tell you, eating healthy doesn’t have to be subpar. There are plenty of wonderful seasonings you can add to your food without the risk of adding fat or carbohydrates. Lastly, why spend money on food you don’t really like? Meal prep takes time and can seem overwhelming. Trust me, once you get into the habit of prepping your meals it becomes easy! Save your money and enjoy your food.

Check out my website for more great meal preps! If you can’t figure out what to make hopefully my meals will inspire you!

June 27, 2016 by Vanessa

Fruity Refreshing Meal Prep

This week’s meal prep is actually from a previous week. I am posting it this week because, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to share it with you. Most weeks I prepare my meals and use a Bento lunch box system for my snacks. I have noticed some days the snacks in my Bento box aren’t holding me and keeping me full. For this particular week I decided to also prep some added fruit.

The added fruit was so refreshing to have through my week. There is nothing like enjoying cold, fresh, fruit on a scorching summer day. As I prepped my meals on this specific week I couldn’t help but indulge in the fruit as I cut it up. I was so full by the time I finished prepping I didn’t even want to eat dinner.

The food for this week was delicious! I stayed dedicated to only eating the foods I prepared. A few of my coworkers asked me to join them for lunch at a restaurant, but I kindly declined and stuck to my meals. At the end of the day it always feels good knowing I didn’t deviate from my healthy meals.

Every week there are new food temptations trying to lure me off course. As difficult as it gets I know I have a goal in mind. In order to achieve that goal I have to stay on the path. Meal prepping is just one of those things have helps me stay dedicated.

For this week I had two different prepped meals.

Meal 1:

Sautéed cubed Sweet Potatoes
Seasoned Chicken
Kale

Meal 2:

Sautéed Zucchini
Seasoned Chicken
Quinoa

Fruit:

Pineapples
Strawberries
Watermelon

I am one person who doesn’t like bland food or dried out chicken. I always make sure to season my meat well to avoid this. Currently I prepare my food by tasting as I go. But, in the near future I will start providing recipes. This may help others who want to replicate some of my featured meal preps.

Seasoning used for my chicken is as follows:

Paprika
Garlic powder
Seasoned Salt
Onion Powder
Grill Masters Chipotle Seasoning

Weight Loss Journal

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Fruit Makes My World Go Round

Top 10 Gym Pet Peeves

Low Carb Skinny Lasagna Cups

Santa Fe Chipotle Chicken Bowl Recipe

Meal Prep Without losing your Mind

Fresh and Simple Fruit Cocktail

Meal Prep at its Best

Fruity Refreshing Meal Prep

More From I am Fitnessa

More From I Am Fitnessa

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Weight Loss Journal