Resolution? Got it covered

How are you doing with your New Year's resolution?
It's only January 17th; did you quit what you started....it's not too late to start again toward that goal. Simply take day by day and start again.
Having good results and still going with the resolution/goal? Awesome; it takes 3 weeks to form a habit so keep up the good work.

For me, I didn't quite start exercising right away on January 1st. I started January 4th so I've got some work to do to really hit the three week mark of routine. BUT this will be my 3rd Saturday in a row of committing to regular exercise. Last year I blogged about hating the scale and hardwork; and in the spirit of keeping it real - the scale still haunts me, even though I know that it shouldn't. I am also using MyFitnessPal daily for food journaling. It REALLY IS a great tool. So I guess you could say that behind Facebook and Instagram my favorite apps are MyFitnessPal and MapmyRun. After tomorrow's run I will have logged close to 13 miles this week.....with my feet alone! Add in some home exercises after my runs and that is a huge deal for me since I still don't see myself as a runner but I am able to run a little over 1-1/2 miles without stopping now. I need to appreciate these milestones more. Hot Chocolate 5K is February 8th and I am hoping to run at least two miles of it non-stop; I mean, really, they are going to give me hot chocolate at the end along with some chocolate fondue....that will make anyone run faster :)

And eating better is going hand-in-hand with this exercise craziness. I allow myself ONE soda per week/ drinking lots of water daily doesn't really leave room for other stuff but rest assured coffee is still my friend. And even more crazy - I haven't had ANY deep fried food since before New Year's. That is pure insanity for this Southern fried food loving girl, but I'm doing it. Just yesterday I ate lunch with Amanda and brought her McDonald's; I had a grilled chicken salad with 1/2 pack of dressing (and wasn't remotely tempted by the fries). What I am tempted by is the Girl Scout cookies that my kids are wanting to buy. And the ice cream in my freezer. And desserts. Again, keeping it real.

So if I have a 1/2 cup of ice cream (yes, I will measure) while I catch up on Grey's Anatomy, I need to let go of the guilt. I am working out 6 days a week; eating approx. 1500 calories a day with lots of water; and I'm not eating deep fried food. If the scale doesn't move because of a random portion of ice cream occasionally then it's not going to move. I am getting healthier overall so I'll kick the scale and just keep reality in check.

Best foot forward

A fresh start. They always feel good. A New Year brings resolutions for many. Last year I was pretty good in the resolution department so this year I will try to focus on the one that was lacking last year......exercise. It plagues most people I know. I did ok for a while but plantar fasciitis pummeled my left foot. It still isn't really 100% better but I have to figure out other options. So perhaps this will be the year of no excuses?

Stepping off with my right foot (because it's the better one), I am happy to say that I have completed the meal plan for January. I successfully planned 9 out of 12 months in 2013 (April was a bust with the move and Nov. & Dec. were chaos, even moreso without the plan) and, as a whole, the family runs smoother with the plan. Here is the plan for January:

1st - corned beef, cabbage, black-eyed peas (luck, money, and health!)
2nd - smoked sausage sauté, summer squash casserole, fruit
3rd - herb-baked chicken, broccoli casserole, corn
4th - chili, cornbread
5th - skillet stroganoff, stmd. broccoli & cauli.
6th - chicken parmesan, salad, garlic bread
7th - ham, mac n' cheese, peas
8th - macadamia nut chicken, spinach salad, pinenut couscous
9th - chef salad
10th - tilapia piccata, stmd. carrots, roasted red potatoes
11th - steak, green beans, risotto
12th - pecan-crusted chicken tenders, rice pilaf, peas
13th - spaghetti (w/Italian saus.), salad, garlic bread
14th - chicken cordon bleu, ranch potatoes, green beans
15th - turkey pot pie, fruit
16th - sloppy joes, stmd veggies
17th - stuffed green peppers (turkey), fresh fruit
18th - bbq chicken, coleslaw, baked beans
19th - *catch can/leftovers/pizza?
20th - fettucine alfredo w/chicken, broccoli
21st - smothered pork chops, brown rice blend, crmd corn
22nd - chicken stir fry, fried rice, orange chicken (frozen)
23rd - Tex-Mex pulled pork (w/Hawaiian rolls), sautéed greens, fruit
24th - meatloaf, creamy polenta, soybeans
25th - garlicky shrimp scampi, asparagus, brown rice
26th - chicken enchiladas, pinto beans (slow simmer)
27th - homemade vegetable soup, grilled cheese
28th - ghoulash, salad
29th - tuna patties, green beans, pasta salad
30th - baked potato soup, salad
31st - shepherd's pie, crusty bread

So hard to be creative, yet make things that everyone will eat AND keep it somewhat healthy. I keep telling myself it is better and cheaper than fast food. Now to conquer the grocery shopping with my best foot forward.