day 3...

Oh, day three. You started off as *such* a great day.

And then.. it happened.

Tagalongs.
:(

I have to say, they tasted so good. And I felt soooooo guilty with every bite. But I couldn't stop! I don't know why. It was as though I was filling myself as quickly as I could with these little chocolate peanut buttery cookies.. because once they're gone, they're gone, until next year.

AND NEXT YEAR I WON'T BE BUYING ANY. So there.
I am the troop mom for my daughter. I have had 20+ cases of cookies go through my house and car in the last week. I bought one box of each when we were pre-ordering to help support O, and my plan was to mail them to my husband in Iraq. Only the regulations changed and he can't receive anything over a certain weight, ie, paper mail only.. pretty much.

I hate cookies. I love eating healthy. I LOVE putting good fuel into my body. I know (and I probably should not say this as a girl scout AND troop mom) that girl scout cookies are complete CRAP. WHY would anyone want to put what is in a girl scout cookie (or oreo, chips ahoy, any mass-produced cookie!) into their body? Three reasons: 1.) They're uninformed. I like to think the best of people and assume this is why people freak over GS cookies (or any processed junk!). 2.) They're like me and not quite able to control the bingeing that happens from time to time.. old habits die hard. 3.) They KNOW and they are just lazy and don't care. I have a hard time sympathizing with all of these reasons. Here's why.

Reason number one: being uninformed. We live in the most technologically advanced time ever! Google knows *everything* (believe me, EVERYTHING), and if you want to know about food and the benefits of fueling your body properly, the information IS out there. The sad part is that most people don't even realize that they are eating total crap. No one has ever told them about it, they might not even know there is a different way of life. I mean, lets face it, the media isn't exactly trying to push the complete facts and no matter how many big companies are "fighting obesity" or "adding a healthy twist to the kids' meal & dollar menu"... its all still garbage. Think of all the people out there thinking they're doing something awesome by ordering oatmeal instead of a breakfast burrito meal at McDonald's in the mornings. Or the people that are buying "98% fat free" everything and slowly poisoning themselves and the family they feed! Bottom line: if it has an ingredient list, don't eat it. Real food doesn't HAVE ingredients. It comes from the earth.

Reason number two: Me. Making an excuse. Lack of self control. Loathing of something in their personal life. Being educated on the matter of food, chemicals, and proper self-care... but that one little emotional trigger sets you back. I don't think I have ever fully disclosed my story on this blog, but I suffered from an eating disorder and severe self-image problems from 18 years old (I weighed in the 150s when I graduated high school in May of 2002.. closer to 160. The real problems started after I moved to Virginia that August.. and by the end of Sept/early Nov I was below 110) .. until I found out I was pregnant with my daughter O. I had her 2 weeks before I turned 20 (at 162lbs- June 12 2004) and I was right back on the wagon.. chomping phentermine and only eating once every 2-3 days (back to 110ish by mid July). Before I got pregnant with her it was the worst- eating rarely (once every 2-4 days, drinking TONS of diet coke and coffee to keep "energized"), doubling phentermine doses, being proud of all my clothes being way too big and fitting into a size 1 or 3. I didn't even know I was pregnant until I got the flu and had to go to the doctor because I hadn't had a period in so long due to not eating. Anyway. Thats super personal and not any part of my life that I'm proud of. I grew up so worried about body image- my mom had her own body image problems and I always just thought that struggle was normal. Thats why the junk food gets to me. Because in a way, bingeing is comfortable. And it also makes me feel full. And after all these years.. and those 2-3 years of being hungry and taking "prescription by mail" diet drugs... feeling full feels safe. I hate it. And that is why eating healthy has become so important to me. Because I have two amazing, brilliant daughters and I always want them to feel like know that they are wonderful.

Reason number three: People know the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, but continue to eat crap anyway because they are L A Z Y. Some have the "I'll start tomorrow" attitude and some have the "I'll be naturally skinny forever because I have a high metabolism" attitude... and some think "I'm already a whale why try to change?"

Maybe some have health issues (thyroid?) but I know they can be treated and the issues overcome with the proper medical attention (Just look at Beth! She is down 80+lbs and I am so proud of her!). I sometimes hear people conversing in public about dieting (usually fad diets!) and I want to sit down with them and explain to them how they can be healthy. How they can change AND enjoy it. And then I am sure they would look at me like I was a freak and ask me, the intruding stranger, to leave their table. :) So, I don't but-in to their convos. But I want to.

I am not in any way the perfect eater (didn't I just confess to a Girl Scout cookie binge, right here, for everyone to see?!), and I am no where near being in perfect shape. But I am working on it. Every single day, I am working. I might not always make it to the gym (Hey, what *practically* single mom of two controls her whole world? If you find her, introduce us!), and I might not always make the 100% best food choices... but I do try. And holy cow, do I try harder when I DON'T make the right choices. The guilt is overwhelming sometimes. But there is no success without failure, and I WILL BE a SUCCESS. I know you can, too.

Days 1 & 2!

Hi hi hiiiii! :)

So today is DAY TWO of the Tone It Up 7 day slim down for me!! :) And I am happy to report in that it is going FANTASTIC! Yesterday I wasn't feeling so hot (I was sick most of the weekend) and that did prevent me from doing any physical activity. Today I woke up feeling awesome (thank you, doubling up on vitamins!) & hit the gym hard. My arms feel like putty. I ran, it was beautiful.

As far as food goes, yesterday I skipped M2, but I was ok. I also skipped the after-dinner chobani option. I didn't drink enough water, but my throat was so sore that it hurt to swallow! Today I'm on track with the h2O, though. :)

How is everyone doing on goals with food & fitness this week? I hope well! :)

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This brings me to part TWO of this post. :) BENTO lunches! I pack a bento lunch almost every day for my 2nd grader. I find that this helps me encourage her to make healthier choices when it comes to food AND it makes food fun for her. A few weeks ago I purchased a Lock & Lock 2-tier "mini" box from amazon. It isn't really that mini at all. The compartments are tall and that means it can hold quite a bit of food- its absolutely perfect for an adult trying to work on or maintain portion control.

Here are the photos I swiped from amazon:

Of course, we have the pink one. Its bright, girly, and fun. :) 

Here are MY images of this box:

I love the little eco-bag that came with it.

Here's why I'm telling you so much about this box! Because I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE!

I love bento-ing and I love food. I love being healthy. And as a mother I LOVE going the extra little mile to do something so simple (like packing a fun lunch) to make my kids feel loved. So whether you're one of my Tone It Up sisters looking to eat healthier in a fun way, or you're one of my Bento pals looking for a new box for your kiddo... Or you just happened to stumble across this blog.. This is for you!

To Enter:

Comment ON THIS BLOG POST :) why you want to win a bento box!

For extra entries: 

"Like" my facebook page HERE, then comment ON THIS BLOG POST saying that you did!

Become a follower of my blog! :) Then comment ON THIS BLOG POST and tell me!

Tweet about this give away! You could say something like "Win a L&L #bento box over at www.wearentscaredofsugar.com !" @kandiipie <-- don't forget to @ me, and then come COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST saying that you tweeted. 

I will choose a winner using random.org ONLY from the blog comments on Friday, 2March by 5pm. So if you do all of the above, but don't comment each time, you won't have as many chances to win. So don't forget! 

That is 4 chances for you to win this cutesy little bento box!! :) 

Good luck!

Prep work

Tomorrow is Sunday and my first day of the 7 Day Slim Down. Did you notice the Bikini Body ticker I put on the top of this blog? My Spring Break Bikini Challenge ends on 18March but we aren't going on spring break until 7/8April. Anyway. The last time I attempted to do the 7dsd I bombed and quit on the first day. The first time I tried it, I completed it with amazing results. But I got SO SICK of the food- by day 7 I thought I would puke if I had to see another salad. So I've been prepping myself mentally for this all week. I had to, or I wouldn't be able to even try it. 

I found better running headphones today (I hope). I will try them in the gym Monday. And OH EM GEE I found an awesome running app that I can't wait to try!! Anyone out there obsessed with zombies? No? Just me? Nah... I know each and every one of you *secretly* has a zombie plan... and gas masks, flak jackets, stockpiled rounds, a few extra guns...

Check this out.

I'm more than a little excited. I can't remember which fit blog I saw this on.. it was a random pinterest click then a series of random tumblr clicking... but I am so excited that I found it! :) 

Tomorrow should be an easy day on the slim down, I have the food I need here at the house, but not enough for the week. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day and I'll have to go back several times throughout the week to ensure the freshness of my produce. I am excited. And ready to really kill it this week.

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Goals for this week:

Stay on track with 7dsd

Finish each day strong, with a satisfied feeling about my workouts!

Remember: coconut water!

Go above and beyond with Olivia's bentos this week.*

Go through things for a yard sale I'm having next Saturday

Nail down a date to go HOME for a visit. I miss my family.

Run from the ZOMBIES!!!

What are your goals for the week? What are you doing to make sure you achieve them?

Random Recipe Tuesday

^^ Yeah, so I don't think that will be my weekly "thing," but hey, today I feel like sharing a recipe! I suck, super duper suck at protein. I never remember to thaw anything (I took chicken out of the freezer today at like noon, hopefully by dinner its ready to cook. I refuse to thaw anything in the microwave. It feels like eating cancer... even if it isn't. Thats how I feel.) So of course today I didn't have anything for lunch meat-wise. So, I made my very favorite fast lunch ever.

I shall name it.. Spicy black bean salad. :)

You will need:

• 1/3c black beans (cooked and seasoned with crushed red pepper, garlic, cilantro, and onion)
• dark green leafy lettuce
• black olives, tomatoes, peppers, any veggies you want to toss in
• fresh salsa (recipe to follow, super easy, its my Grandma's)
• hot sauce of choice (I prefer cholula).

So pretty much, heat the beans, throw the lettuce in a bowl, top with everything, drown in hot sauce. Quick, easy, delicious, healthy. :) Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Salsa (you can do this one of two ways: a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (low sodium), or fresh tomatoes and green chiles, the amount of time I have usually dictates what I use). 

Throw these items into a food processor, including your tomatoes & chiles: cilantro, diced onion, 1-2 cloves garlic, fresh cilantro (freeze dried will do in a pinch), sea salt. Process. Smell. Taste. LOVE. :) 

Yay! That salsa is fantastic and so easy, and goes great with everything. 

Today is day THREE in a row for me of completely clean eating, and working out. I feel so so good. I love being back on track- I had no intentions of letting the holidays mess me up so badly. But, lesson learned, and now I am rocking it and weighing in at 125.5, which is great for me. I really don't have a goal weight, I want to build muscle and be jacked. So as I tone up, if that number rises, I'm totally 100% happy with that. 

I have done planks and squats all day. My booty already feels higher. hahaha :D I also did THIS tone it up circuit and at 530 when my babysitter gets here I'm off to the gym to run, and I am going to do the kettle bell beginner workout before bed. I have had my kettle bell for about a month now, and I haven't even watched one of the videos for it. I used to lift at the gym, but all the New Years resolution people are there 24/7 now and its so crowded. So I am just getting my run in (its so cold and wet here... still) and thats it. Thankfully I haven't had to wait on a treadmill yet, I would be so mad! 

I saw this today on a tumblr blog and I LOVE it SO much, I pinned it AND I'm sharing it here- and in my facebook fit is freedom group. :) 

I have motivation :) Do you? 

Random question: Have you ever encountered someone that was not really supportive of your decision to be healthy.. but more like, annoyed by your motivation? Just curious. Please share if you have, and why you think people feel that way. We will be discussing this in my fit group soon, and I would love to have a few examples to share with my girls! :) 

Have a lovely day!

fitspo

So today, I'm pretty grossed out and disgusted with myself. Why? Well its day two of my 7 Day Slim Down. Only... my lunch made me GAG. seriously. I am so over chicken and spinach and well... to be honest I haven't even tried to get creative with it. And that, my friends, brings on the self loathing. I ate mac and cheese. Granted, it was organic, but we ate the whole box. As big as Sophie is... I just can't blame much of that on her.

Tomorrow is a new day, and with it comes new motivation. Fresh. I need to be better at respecting my body. I have a HUGE wealth of knowledge about food.. diets, lifestyles, health, fitness... growing up half the time in a home that revolved around chocolate and sweet tea and the other half with a diet-obsessed parent constantly berating her body image (which was smaller than me!).. well, I've had my share of struggles with food. I'll leave it at that. I do not want to put that on my daughters. I refuse. My kids will hear me talk about food, but Olivia already knows the secret to being happy with your body is to eat organic, fresh, and to exercise regularly (doing something you love). I am actually impressed with all of the food knowledge Olivia has retained, and how she will tell me about her healthy choices, or how good her lunch was when they ate crap at school (or someone's mom sent a dozen cookies for them as their afternoon snack).

I did, however, get up to do my bootycall today (I did yoga) and I felt good about that. I really felt great until after lunch, when I couldn't finish what I was trying to eat (ugh, chicken- so over it. From now on my protein will be tofu, or black beans.. at least for a while). Then a package came from my awesome cousin Kylea.. loaded down with SO MANY SUGARY TREATS... so I sampled a bite.. and then Sophia needed lunch so we made Annie's organic white shells and cheese. Let me tell you... I felt guilty with every bite and afterward I felt SO SICK. I'm sure it was all mental, because I felt like I was failing my TIU 7DSD girls... and I did. :( I'm so sorry.

So with that... guilt.. tomorrow I bounce back. I felt a little sad (a lot sad) all day, actually. Maybe that is part of why I was so easily swayed. I realized today.. just how lonely I am! I need a BFF that lives close. I miss spontaneity. I miss laughing so hard I cry (Anna Ramirez you were the best for this one). I miss champagne brunch and tea parties (another thing I really, truly miss Anna for!). Kayaking.. road trips, gossip, heart to heart talks. I miss having someone. Living here is really starting to get to me. All the more motivation to work harder, I suppose.

What keeps YOU motivated? Not just fitness motivation.. but  motivated in life. I would love to know.

right, so..

I've started a new post 2x today... and I haven't finished either post. We literally have done NOTHING of interest. Seriously.

Yesterday I tried to start the 7 Day Slim Down, but my other TIU girls were starting today, so I decided to postpone and start today, too. I AM SO GLAD I did! This morning we slept in (last day of Christmas vacay, hello!) but I still managed to get a bootycall in. I did a TIU ab circuit and some Windsor Pilates sculpt. Sophie decided she needed to sit ON me while I was finishing up so... it was adorable but not a very productive last set. Then my sweet babysitter texted me and I was so excited.. FINALLY I would get to go to the gym! Nope. It was sooooooo crowded. All those people trying to make good on their New Years resolutions, I suspect. So I drove right on past the gym and came home. I downloaded the latest Drake album, the latest Weezy (hello, I love you, Wayne... come be my honey.. Andy doesn't care, I promise!), did some hooping (3lb hoop) and a 1.7 mile run in the FORTY DEGREE WIND ADVISORY! My ears were hurting SO BAD and my feet were SO COLD, but I got it in. I feel like a badass for it, too. :)

I would also like to mention that I drank my Meta-D AND got in the appropriate meals today... subbing a Lara bar for M4 (blueberry muffin!) and a really smaller version of M5 (2oz baked chicken on a romaine leaf with hot sauce- taco style). I haven't really been hungry all day, I think its because I got such a late start (9am wake up).

Random Facts for Today:

Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale = new yoga pants for meeeee :)

My think thin bars (2 boxes) shipped today!

Cecile gave me the most ADORABLE ipad case today- quilted and zebra print, my favorite!

Oh, one other thing. I'm going to participate in Project 52, and I am so very stoked to link up with Shawna from StyleberryBLOG. She is such an amazing source of inspiration to me- be it photography, DIY, motherhood (I learned all my cloth dipe knowledge from her and my sweet friend Melissa), or fitness. She's pretty much a know-it-all.. in the best way. :) I would love for you to do the Project 52 as well! :)