Preparing for Success!

You have declared your Goals!

Now I will say it's totally NOT like me to put off such a serious notion for another week, I'm a go -getter and I was ready for you all like 'yesterday' lol.

BUT!!! I want you to succeed so badly that I want you to be smart about this. I want you to be ready for this.

When you share your goals first be prepared that I'm going perhaps revise them in a manner I think is more attainable right now. I will make suggestions and guide in your right path.

I want to encourage you to take some steps to help you reach your Goals for both eating well and staying fit *Even losing weight*

Halloween:
1) Donate the left over Candy- send the extras to school for the teacher to give away at treat time
2)Limit the houses your kids visit so they don't have so much that it lasts more than just a couple of days
3) by golly....if you are going to eat some Candy best get your fill before the next Morning!

Be accountable to yourself. Willpower is a real thing. You will have to be willing to accept that you have had a lifetime *likely* of indulgences. That there will be times in the future will you will treat yourself again. But NOW is not going to be that time. Have enough control *hear that word...I talk alot about Control!!* ...Have enough control to tell yourself No! You are going to have to really work on this. It's NOT easy! We like to reward and give to ourselves. It's a habit you must break! What a better time than right now with this 'junk' food in your presence!


Ok:

Preparing the Pantry and Fridge:

1) Go through the Pantry and make a donation Box- I want you to get rid of all the temptations! If you have kids, I highly encourage you to make them follow your eating rituals. Make this not just about reshaping how you eat, but I want you to be a GREAT Parent and reshape how your kids eat! *trust me...I am going to help you how to treat your kids the healthy good way* but toss all the following: junk food, soda, refined simple sugar pastas, white rice, whole milk
I will just start you there.

2) Go to the Grocery Store and this is a very typical CalorieCountingRunnerGirl shopping list for a family of 5

*I always start in the produce and work the outer aisles of the grocery store and almost rarely visit the center aisles*

Broccoli
carrots
peppers
tomato's
squash
zucchini
baby red potato
spinach
lettuce
blueberry
banana
strawberry
grapes *Please Note...I tend to buy just 3 fruit at at time so nothing spoils*
red onions
Deli- Low sodium ham
Deli- FF Turkey Breast

Boneless Skinless chicken breast
90/10 burger
Turkey Ground
Lean Center cut pork cutlets
Poultry Sausage
Turkey Kielbasa
Veggie Burger

2% cheese slices
Greek Yogurt * LOVE, LOVE, LOVE CHOBANI!!*
Lowfat cottage cheese
lowfat string cheese

Whole wheat tortilla wraps

eggs & carton of egg whites
fat free milk/ soy milk/ almond milk
fat free creamer

*NO frozen dinners, no frozen pizza...I want you to AVOID THE FREEZER SECTION ON PREPARED FOODS...PLEASE!

FREEZER AISLE

frozen fruit *great for cereals, oatmeal, smoothies*
frozen veggies *load up*
yes....you can get your kids some Fry's if you want...lol...try to shop wisely find a product that is not loaded with preservatives!
Find a healthy nugget for you and the kids if you want* can you tell we do!*

I do NOT want you buying snacks right now. Even the HEALTHY PORTION CONTROLLED ones. I want your first two weeks to be super clean, I promise you that you can buy these temptations in a couple of weeks! Oh wait by then I might tell you NO cause it will be Thanksgiving, lol!

Ok, I'll suggest some snacks, please MODERATION!

popcorn- LOW FAT! I suggest air popped!
dark chocolate
pretzels
100 cal packs *shudder* they are expensive and one always leads to two, be careful, trust me!
kettle chips
veggie straws
Skikkidy snacks
yogurt is great for tasty treats!

*snack tip for affordability, coming from a penny pinching stay at home mom, purchase your healthy snacks in the bigger packages and then use your zip locks to portion control them yourself when you get home!*

Center aisle
Unsweetened applesauce
salmon *try it instead of tuna*
fat free/low fat salad dressings
low fat mayo

oatmeal
dry cereal *life, honey nut Cheerios, shredded wheat*

raisins, cranberry's, dates, plums, prunes

NUTS! any nuts you like...I want them in your house! I want the dried fruit/nuts to be made into treat bags. You can eat one portion of these daily *no more high calorie count!* but so healthy!

Olive oil....NO veggie oils, avoid the canola, shortening, Olive oil first then you can do sesame/peanut oils if you want for stir frys, etc.
SPICES! load up on spices...you'll be enticing and flavoring your meats/veggies!

NO MORE BUTTER.....I want you to Purchase a spread you will like that does NOT have hydrogenated oils, etc. I use Balance

Pasta Sauce * If you have high blood pressure buy low sodium*
lots of cans of sauce/crushed tomato's/diced tomato's all great for pastas/salsa etc
brown rice
beans-black/garbanzo/kidney


just avoid the high sugar drinks! Don't get caught up in the idea that you need juice! the only thing you need is water! You can drink some protein with special k- drink mix, you can purchase whey protein if you want for protein drinks, you can use plain sugar drinks.

No backlash but I myself aim for all natural. I aim for Organic, wholesome foods as often as I can. With this said, I wish for you to read labels and compare. TRY to purchase products without high fructose corn syrup and even if you are diabetic you can have real sugar and I hope you join me with getting rid of artificial sweeteners in your diet. There is so much research on how this affects the mind with making the brain thinks it's getting sweets. Plus beyond that I believe it's not as healthy as natural :-) That's my Goal....get you to live another 50 years!

Purchase, shoes, get your gym membership, buy home DVDs, try your new schedule the days before the challenge begins to work out any wrinkles!

Buy a food journal, set up an account if you want instead with sparkspeople.com
buy measuring cups/spoons, smaller meal plates, great water bottle, scale to weigh your foods

Plan Ahead, these were a few of my ideas!