Veggies have SWAG, right?

 

Hello, lovelies! :] I hope your weekend was amazing! Mine was a bit hectic and nothing less than tons-of-fun. <3 Hanging out with besties and eating some great food? Life can't be much sweeter. Today I'm adding my Beef Stir Fry Recipe, get excited!

Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to make the Green Monster, just yet. It'll have to wait...for now. Don't worry though, I promise to get to it soon!

Part of this weekend's adventure included a trip to the movies (I dreaded the snacks), a few bites out and some traditional at-home sit-down meals. It was awesome.

Let me start by saying that I have fallen completely head-over-freaking-heels for Whole Foods! They have some amazing Vegan Cupcakes, which says something...because I loathe being able to taste healthier food. I know that sounds weird, but let's face it: Once you've had a romance with butter, flour and all their yummy, nummy friends...it's hard to forget they exist.

[Yes, I did see you shake your head in agreement]

So I can completely appreciate a healthier option for anything, as long as it's delicious!

Enter, my new stir-fry favorite. 

Fun fact? I used a quick spritz of Crisco's Extra Virgin Olive Oil spray (about a second's worth) and proceeded to add flank steak and onions (let 'em get well-acquainted). Once the meat's nearly completely cooked, add the rest of the veggies and the sauce (found in the "Asian" food aisle...really. Not, "P.C."...but hey, that's what they called it). Let the sauce thicken while you pop in a bag of Uncle Ben's Jasmine rice for 90 seconds, then you're ready to plate your wonderful dish! This entire dish is only 460 calories and so, fantastically delicious! There was plenty of the main dish left for two more meals (though there was only enough rice for one more). I hope you like this dish as much as I do!

Now, onto HYDRATION!

It's extremely important to give your body water, you need it! Sodas and coffee do not count (well, they do - as does your food - but it's not enough water). Your body needs plenty of water to simply survive. The general rule of thumb is 8 glasses of water per day, but if you can get close to 6, you will be just dandy and feeling quite peppy! :] Drinking water, in generous portions throughout the day keeps you focused, alert and full. For zero calories, how can you complain? 

That's right, you can't!

So pick up that water and make an honest effort to drink more of it every single day. Make small goals, like adding one cup a week, until you reach 8 cups. Your body will tell you when your full of water, so trust it. If you don't think that you can ingest anymore, then STOP! Don't make yourself sick by trying to hold down that liquid. Too much water is in fact very damaging to your body, so don't push it. 

Another switch-up!

Desserts. 

You love them, I love them and hate them, but learn to love them again. Where do we draw the line with this sumptuous relationship

Draw the line where you know another bite will make you that much closer to unbuttoning the top button on your jeans. That's just not attractive. 

Instead of devouring the entire cheesecake, take a small slice. Indulge every now and then, but still in moderation. Come on, sweetheart...the goal is to lose weight. Keep that in mind, always. Unfortunately, the increase in cheesecake consumption will be directly proportional to the rising size in pants for you. Be warned. Stay in control. Your relationship with food should be a healthy one, not one of over-indulgence. Learning control is difficult, but can be done. 

Case in point...me at the movie theatre last weekend.

My friend loves the popcorn at Studio Movie Grill, she goes nuts over it. Plus, she likes to pour extra butter on it (something I never, ever, ever like to do). This tub-o-corn comes in a smaller size than that of the average theatre, but it's still chock-full of somewhat-empty calories. Imagine my surprise, if you will, when I realize that I'm so very hungry and my only real option is to eat this popcorn. Thankfully, the waitress forgot to bring the butter, so I was safe there. I ate about a cup and a half of popcorn (out of the nearly 6 cups), with two glasses of water. As it was 6pm and I'd only eaten 400 calories so far that day, this wasn't such an awful splurge. However, I won't be doing it again any time soon. 

Remember to think about what you eat! Count your calories (or points), make sure you have space in your daily diet for a bit of something extra. It's important for us to get the tasty things we crave, along with the nutrients our bodies need. The ultimate goal will be when those two elements can be found in the same food. Oh, that will be bliss!

I hope that your workouts are going great. Mine were thrown off this weekend and I'm going out for a couple of runs tomorrow. 

Thanks for keeping me company on this adventure!

Let me know how you're doing.

:]