Week 1 UPDATE: Six lbs in six weeks challenge

I didn't quite realize when I embarked on this 6 lbs challenge, Halloween and my birthday were right around the corner. Talk about some challenges! I did ok though. I made it thru halloween with only a few moments of weakness - and my birthday? Well, there was a sushi dinner, which is not the worst thing you could do, but it definitely wasn't paleo.

Did you ever realize how much weight you can gain from water weight after having sushi and a drink or two? I don't advise ANYONE to do this, but I weighed myself the next day and HOLY MOLY. 3 whole pounds gained from water weight. (You must realize this is water weight, and not freak out!! It takes 3500 calories to make a pound - so for three pounds I would have had to eat 10,500 calories and I KNOW that didn't happen!!)

Anyways, back on topic... so after all of the celebrating and over-indulging I weighed 3 lbs more.... but I've been drinking water like it's my job (about 100 oz a day) and I've flushed those 3 lbs away, and am back to my original weight since I started the challenge. Yes, a setback, but I am staying positive. I had a lot going on last week.... and a lot going on this weekend (Another friend's birthday!) but when its not your birthday its easier to say no. At least thats how I see it.

I have not wavered from my fitness routine. I have been training for a 10K I am running on Sunday, and have included my weight training in that time too. I am still working my muscles and burning calories... I just need to be better about what I eat, which after this weekend I should be able to do. I have reached the 6 mile marker with my running, which was a huge accomplishment. Also, when I took my post-running selfie, my guns were looking pretty good too!

I'm not self absorbed, I'm just proud of how far I have come. I had a very hard time accepting my body my whole life, and lately I have been really starting to love it. I love what it will become, and what it has already been able to do. When you start to love your body again, and appreciate all it can do, you just kind of become obsessed with documenting its changes. :)

Anywho.... to sum it all up, I haven't lost weight, but I've survived Halloween and my birthday relatively unscathed. So with 5 weeks to go, I am more focused and ready for the challenge!!

The Six-and-a-half-week challenge...

The month of October has just zoomed by in a blur.... a very fuzzy, very crazy blur of birthdays, events, holidays, outings and more birthdays.

I began with a friends birthday, with celebratory outings and food - oh the food. There were sandwiches, chimichangas, churros, candy, cake and a lot of other things I "only had a few bites of". Yes, I was good, but not that good. I didn't overeat but I definitely indulged a little too much.

The whole month has been like that really. I was on a role in September: I had successfully lost about 5 more lbs and was on the verge of meeting my actual Drivers License weight. And then October happened. Food, fun and more food.

I'm not upset because I haven't really gained any weight back, I've just hit a wall. My workouts are helping me stay at this weight, but I dont want to stay at this weight. I want to keep going.

So here is my challenge: I HAVE 6.5 WEEKS UNTIL THE COMPANY CHRISTMAS PARTY.

I want to lose at least another 5 or 6 lbs in the next 6 weeks. Totally doable I think. Thats 1 lb a week if I am diligent and do not break. I can do this. I know I can.

I will be going 98% paleo (a girl needs her 70% cacao chocolate fix - HAHA)
I will be tracking my calories
I will be working out like a beast.

Ok, here I go.

Update: Vacations, gym time and food

I just realized I have been MIA from this blog for a bit. So much has been going on I completely failed to post anything. So in a nutshell, this is what I've been up to...

I was hell-bent on getting ready for my Arizona trip with my man, so I practically lived in the gym. I even bought new cute clothes to keep my motivation going. In the process of gym-clothes shopping, I came to realize I am officially a size Medium in about 80% of my new clothes! --- Even in most sports bras!!!!! (I know most women won't understand my excitement for smaller boobs, but trust me when you have what feels like kettle bells in your bra all your life, going down a size feels AMAZING)

And then, out of nowhere, our AZ vacation was upon us, and it was glorious. We were good little paleo cavemen and did a major whole foods shop before the trip - to make sure we didnt cheat too much on our vacay... just take a look at our road trip snacks:

Amazing right? 

Breakfast of champions!! Paleo turkey chili with bell peppers and onions in an avocado.

And then came the poolside shenanigans.... we pretty much laid around all day.

and then I realized that our resort had one of the most amazing Fitness Centers I had ever seen. I was in heaven.... my poor boyfriend wasn't all too thrilled with the idea of working out, but he joined me out of support. sweet thing.

I just loved it there... even though it was a sweltering 100+ degrees... 

it was a lovely vacation free of guilt, thanks to good planning and staying on track with my goals - all while enjoying myself in some relaxation and sunshine. I think I may have even lost a little weight while I was there. I am so proud of myself for what I accomplished on this trip. It reminds me of a long ago post about how I wished I could have that kind of motivation... and now I do. It's a beautiful thing when you reach a goal you've been trying for. But this was only one of many.... on to the next accomplishment... and the next.... and the next.  :)

CLEAN RECIPE: Beet Ravioli with Cashew Cream Cheese

On occasion, I find recipes that jump off the pages, as if to say Erin, you can make this, and it's going to be amazing... This recipe was one of those recipes. Probably because of my undying love for beets.

Fun nutritional benefits of beets:

1. Beets are a natural aphrodisiac. Enough said ;)

2. Beets are high in Potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorous, iron, and Vitamins A, B and C

3. Beets are a natural cleanser of the body - acts as a tonic for the liver, purifies blood and can prevent various forms of cancer.

4. Beets are a way to test your stomach acid levels: If you are eating beets or drinking beet juice and your pee turns pink.. guess what, you have low stomach acid! Wahoo!

5. Beets are an excellent source of energy - low in calories, high in sugar - however, the sugar is released into your system gradually, unlike things like chocolate. Very few foods found in the natural world are as beneficial as BEETS.

Do you see why I love beets so darn much??

Sorry.... back to the recipe.

Important Note: Make sure you marinate the beet slices!!!

Marinade:

1/4 Cup olive oil
1 lemon
sea salt - to taste
pepper - to taste

Marinate for 1 hour to overnight

Side Note: I roasted the marinated beet slices for about 12 minutes at 350˚ to soften the beets just a little to make them more ravioli-like... not mandatory, but recommended in my opinion.

I changed a few things here and there, like roasting the beets just for about 12 minutes at 350˚ to tenderize them ever so slightly, but the cashew cream cheese filling - it's what makes the dish.

Cashew Cream Cheese:

2 cups raw cashews - soaked in water for about 4-8 hours
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tbsp finely diced chives
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
1 1/2 tbsp finely minced shallots or red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Directions: Blend the Cashews with water and lemon juice in a high speed blender until smooth. Stop periodically to scrape the sides of the blender with a spatula.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients - OR you can do what I did and blend EVERYTHING in the blender.

Side note: I used garlic powder instead of onion powder, because that's what I had, and you know what? It was still delicious.

Happy Healthy Cooking!!

Recipe: Cacao-Chia Energy Balls

I've battled hunger, I've battle fatigue and I've battled those persistent cravings. My main craving is like clockwork... every day, after a workout, after I have eaten my lunch - I get this major hankering for something sweet. I almost always want chocolate, and this doesn't go away easily with a simple apple or glass of water. Sooner or later I end up caving, getting some sort of sugary treat or drink, and then there is the inevitable sugar crash. So I decided to do some research to see if there were any healthy options out there that would satisfy the craving, and I hit the jackpot.

I found the perfect recipe, and just finished making them.

I had to try one once they were done being rolled into balls. They are AMAZING. This is a recipe I am going to rely on for years. I just have a feeling.

;)