Nom. Nom.

2 posts in 1 day! Woo! Weight Loss Wednesday!!

Several people have emailed me asking what I exactly eat every day, my meal plans etc so I thought I would share some of the healthy things I eat!

Some people have asked me what diet I'm on & I'll always respond with I'm not.. I've just changed to eating healthy and actually working out.  This whole experience- going through gaining so much weight and being in denial about it to working so hard to lose it all has honestly been a wake up call and lifestyle change for me.  Before, I had no problem eating Hardee's biscuits and gravy with pop for breakfast, a large Coke and Big Mac with fries for lunch, and pizza with beer for dinner.  Now, I grimace just typing and reading that.  I don't do 'fad' diets or the diets my friends tell me to try.. every day I eat healthy, am aware of what I'm putting into my body and I now work out.  After I've lost every pound I want to, I will continue to eat what I'm eating now and will still work out to maintain the weight I want to be.

The 1 and only thing I have 100% cut out of my diet is coffee and frap like drinks. That's it.  I haven't had a cup of coffee or cappuccino in over 6 months- which was so hard in the beginning because every day on my way to work I used to stop at a local coffee shop and order a large coffee drink.  I cut it out because it's a drink that didn't fill me up (wasted calories is what I call that when you consume something but get no 'full filling' from it), was SO fattening (the owner thought my favorite drink had about 1200 calories for a large) and it's expensive ($6-$8 a drink, every day for me).  Now, I couldn't care less to have any coffee every morning.

Occasionally I'll have a cherry coke with my dinner because let's face it- water just isn't the most exciting and tasty thing to drink all the time.  I'll grab a snack bag of chips from time to time.  I still go out to eat.  I do all of that, I've just changed the way I do it.  
If I want chocolate, I get the fun sized dark chocolate Hershey bars and have one.
If I want pop, I have one can at dinner and that's it.
If I go out to eat (maybe once a week now but before, I kid you not, it was at least probably 5 nights a week before) I ask for smaller portions, cut out mayo, no appetizers, and pick a healthier option like the baked chicken over fried, veggies for the side instead of chips etc.
I also split a dessert if I go out to eat.



Don't cut out everything *unhealthy* from your diet.  You will go insane.  I tried to at first- absolutely no pop, no candy, no chips, no ice cream etc but I was like a rabid dog pretty much foaming at the mouth, ready to attack anyone I saw eating a candy bar.  It's just crazy.  If you have a craving or really want something you cut out, eat what you want just NOT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. I promise you won't get thunder thighs just because you decided to have one ice cream cone last month.

If you've read anything I've written before you also know I truly think 5 smaller meals a day (3 meals, 2 snacks) has helped me.  I stay full throughout the day, I have energy throughout the day and my metabolism keeps going because I'm refueling it.
So, yesterday I ate:

Tuesday:
Breakfast 8:30 am- cup of vanilla yogurt & a peach with a cup of cold green tea.
Snack 10:30 am- 100 calorie pack of vanilla covered pretzels.
Lunch 1 pm- Lean Cuisine Cheese Pizza meal with a bottle of water.
Snack 4 pm- Nature's Valley oat granola bar
Dinner 7 pm - Broccoli with small baked chicken breast and some baby tomatoes.

*So many people ask how I can eat Lean Cuisines- well, they're pretty cheap, easy to make and can be made at work (toss in microwave) relatively healthy/low calorie and since I already had breakfast and a snack, I'm not starving so they do fill me up.

On Monday:
Breakfast 7am- Bowl of oatmeal with some blueberries with a glass of non fat organic milk
Snack 10a- serving of cottage cheese with baby tomatoes
Lunch 12p- 1 cup (half can) low sodium chicken & vegetable Progresso Soup with a bottle of water
Snack 4pm- Cup of strawberry yogurt
Dinner 6pm- Baked chicken salad- a small baked chicken breast on lettuce, garden tomatoes, carrots, asparagus and cucumbers with no dressing since it tasted good already! and a glass of tea.

I decided from now on, I'm going to start posting once a week some favorite and easy meals each week for all of you!

I did come across a DELICIOUS 'healthy' and easy to make brownie I had to share!

I purchased it at a local HyVee store and literally all you do is dump the brownie mix in a bowl, add 2/3 cup of Vanilla yogurt (or applesauce if you're lactose intolerant), mix, and bake for 30 min! Seriously! No eggs, flour, butter, milk or anything- just vanilla yogurt!  They taste freaking delicious too, especially the mint flavor to me!  One brownie is a little over 100 calories I believe but no trans fat!


What are some of your favorite healthy meals to eat or make!?

I'm going to start 'pinning' actual healthy, easy to make meals instead of the *quadruple chocolate chip fudge brownies that are more calories than you should eat all year* recipes I always fall for so feel free to follow me on Pinterest here: Amanda Byerly's Pinterest.  Don't have a Pinterest yet?  Feel free to leave your email & I can send you an invite to Pinterest :)

xoxo