My Fitness Journey: An Update

2012

Since it has been close to 2 years since I began my fitness journey, I decided to update my transformation story.

My serious transformation story didn't begin for any particular reason. I wanted to begin working out. I wanted to get into better shape. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the way I looked. I always felt loved, no matter how much I weighed. My husband never criticized my weight, nor did other family or friends. I was content.

Yes, my clothes were getting tighter, and I did notice the numbers on the scale going up, but I don't remember being bothered by that fact. I thought I was keeping active enough. After all, I had a 3-year-old boy that I was keeping up with. At least, that's what I thought. Looking back at the pictures, I wonder how "active" I really thought I was.

 

You know the saying "calories in, calories out"-well, my calories in were quite a bit more than calories out. Ever since our son, Isaac, was born, we were told he was small, and we needed to see a dietician. Heck, from the day he was born, the nurses were forcing formula on him, because they were concerned for his health! We continued to hear it up until only a few months ago, at the age of 6.

 

Well, my husband and I tried to remedy Isaac's weight gain predicament by feeding him donuts, and quite a few other fattening foods over the course of about a year. No wonder I had gained so much weight-I was eating as many donuts as Isaac. I wasn't the one who had a medical condition that prevented me from gaining weight-Isaac did. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in September 2012. His body wasn't able to use all the sugar that we were feeding him. Looking back, we're saddened, because although the sugar wasn't the cause of his diabetes, it certainly wasn't doing his body any favors. If you want to read more about my son's story, you can find it in previous posts, including this one.

 

Since that summer, I've lost close to 40 pounds, and my husband has lost about 20. About 5 years ago, I began using Jillian Michael's at home fitness programs, but I wasn't very consistent. The habit formed, but fizzled out for various reasons. I just wasn't motivated. I moved on to other fitness programs, and then did some month-long challenges. I did a burpee challenge, and various other challenges that focused on different parts of my body, and I slowly trimmed down.

P90X & Focus T25

Sometimes I would be consistent at working out, but I still wasn't motivated. I found my motivational soul-mate workout in P90X a little over a year ago. In fact, I was so motivated by this workout and my Beachbody coach, that I signed up to coach. At first, I didn't really want to coach others, but then I thought about how many lives I could reach, and how many others I could help to live healthier lives.

Nervous about starting Focus T25

After P90X, I began Focus T25, and faithfully did the majority of the workouts at 5:30 in the morning-before my brain knew what I was doing. The workouts were good, but I missed Tony Horton (even though he is a little annoying). I also enjoyed how short the workouts were, and since I was back in school, 25 minutes was a better length of workout.

 

I like my short workouts

 

Clean Eating Support Groups

Around this time, I began hosting clean eating support groups. With these clean eating groups, I provide clean eating recipes, shopping lists formulated from the recipes, as well as providing support, tips, and advice about clean eating. These groups have helped multiple members lose an average of about 1.5 pounds per week just from eating healthier! It's exciting to see lives changed, and healthy habits established. You can learn more about these groups here. You can also check out some of my other clean eating blog posts, including this one, as well as get more healthy awesomeness at my 'like' page, Sarah's Drive, on Facebook.

P90X3

 

P90X3

I decided to try out P90X2, but didn't make it very far before P90X3 came out. My coach had invited me to join another challenge group with her doing either Focus T25 or P90X3, so I decided to snag P90X3 and go for it! Then, a month into the workout, our car decided to retire, and I hurt my back trying to push the car off a tow dolly. So, after a month of recovery, I jumped back into P90X3. And then, one month into Restart #2 of P90X3, my mom surprises me with the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. So, poor P90X3 was postponed for another month before I restarted it. And now, it's safe to say I will finish P90X3 this time...unless some other unforeseen event interrupts P90X3 for a third time.

 

Food for week 1 of the Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Beachbody Ultimate Reset

My journey through the Beachbody Ultimate Reset was a life-changing experience for me. I learned a lot about myself, and the unhealthy relationship I had with food at times. After my Reset, I feel more in control of my eating, and I think before I eat. Nowadays, weeks after finishing, I still don't drink water during most meals. Drinking water during meals dilutes stomach acid making it harder to digest.

 

Another tidbit I've learned, not from the Ultimate Reset, but from the research I do almost daily to become a better fitness and nutrition Beachbody coach, is that you should eat your meat first, and then your salad. This is because it's harder for your body to digest animal protein, and your stomach acids will need to work on that first, instead of being diluted with salad first. You can read about my Beachbody Ultimate Reset journey, beginning with my preparation here.

In the months leading up to my Reset, I had gained about 7 pounds, and I definitely wasn't happy about that! I didn't think I was doing anything differently, except that I was probably stressed, and sitting on my behind more than I should have been. I'd also started having some digestive issues. My mom has always had digestive issues, at least for as long as I can remember.

 

I mentioned the Ultimate Reset to my mom, since it's known for straightening out many of the digestive issues that can complicate our lives. I'd also told my mom about the digestive issues I was having, and how I hoped to, some day in the future, go through the Reset myself. Long story short (you can read about the long story in previous blogs), my mom bought a kit, along with one for me! My mom lost over 15 pounds, and I lost 9 (which was about 7% of my body weight). 

 

Now

Since the completion of my Reset, I took up running again, and do that twice a week in addition to my P90X3 workouts. I recently began using the MyFitnessPal app on my phone to map my caloric intake, as well as output. My husband bought me a heart monitor for Mother's Day, so I've been mapping my calories using that. Unfortunately, that heart monitor was having a few issues, so we purchased another one, so I could continue mapping the calories burned from my workouts.

I've completed P90X3, & have since then completed the 3-Day Refresh, which is a 3-day cleanse (kinda like a mini Ultimate Reset), Chalene Johnson's PiYo (low-to-no impact, but amazing sweat with Pilates, yoga, body weight training, & flexibility), and P90X2.

 Yes, I'm a free coach, and I take helping others seriously!

 

new heart monitor!

 

Do you want support?

If you want help getting started on your fitness journey, I would love to help you! Together, we'll help you make a plan, and find what works for you!

 

www.beachbodycoach.com/iib4

Day 19 & 20 of My Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Day 19, Friday

Breakfast

I decided to try the horned melon, or kiwano, a fruit from Australia. It's really interesting-looking, and tastes better than it looks. It's green and slimy-looking when you cut into it, and reminds me of citrus fruit in how it's made up of little pockets inside. You can't quarter this melon, though, like you could an orange. You scoop out the melon's flesh. It's great in the fruit salad, because it sticks to the other fruit, and not to the bottom of the bowl.

 

Kiwano (horned melon)

 

Lunch

Lunch of hearty vegetable miso soup and microgreen salad was good and filling. Today, I finally admitted to myself that I've been having some digestion problems. My stomach feels like it's cramping. I think it may be from drinking Shakeology, since my body isn't used to so much good nutrition (after all, I'm eating nothing but fruits and vegetables this week). I plan on drinking #Shakeology every day again, once I'm finished, so I will continue to get my body used to it again.

 

Dinner

Curried cauliflower was good, although I would have liked more flavor. I kept expecting it, too. The lemon-pepper kale, on the other hand, had a strong flavor provided by the lemon. I have no idea why 'pepper' is included in the title, because there is no pepper used.

 

Curried cauliflower & Lemon-pepper kale

Day 20, Saturday

Lunch

The lunch I had planned ended up needing to marinate for an hour: jicama-avocado salad, so I swapped it with tomorrows lunch, Carrot-Seaweed Medley and microgreen salad. At least it's prepped for tomorrow!

I'm still having pain in my middle. I'm going to have an Epsom salts bath to see if I can find some relief. I had mint tea last night, but that didn't help relieve any of the discomfort.

 

Carrot-Seaweed Medley & Microgreen salad

Dinner

Tonight's dinner involved quite a bit of prep work, as there are 3 dishes to prepare. Mediterranean beets bake for 45 minutes, then cool for 30, while baked tempeh bakes for about 25 minutes, and has an hour soak time. These dishes also cook at different temperatures. Coconut collard greens is the third dish. It was a good dinner, however long it took me to make!

I'm ready to be done after tomorrow, although, I'm still going to be having the same meals for the following couple of weeks. On Monday, I'll be finishing up my blogging on the #BeachbodyUltimateReset talking about my last day!

www.myultimatereset.com/iib4

 

Mediterranean roasted beets, Baked tempeh, & Coconut collard green

Day 17 & 18 of My Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Wednesday, Day 17

Breakfast
 
Having fruit every day can kind of get boring, and I had planned on having Shakeology for breakfast this morning, but didn't feel like using the blender. I will probably have it for a snack later. Shakeology is allowed during the Beachbody Ultimate Reset, and is recommended as a breakfast or snack replacement. During this third phase, Restore, it's recommended to only have half a scoop of Shakeology. This stage focuses on reducing protein intake.

Lunch

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Spring Salad Mix

I loved the Moroccan carrot salad over spring salad mix for lunch! I was spicy thanks to the cayenne pepper. Now, I'm having vegan Tropical Shakeology for a snack. It's blended with distilled water (of course), but also a dash of coconut water, distilled ice, a few frozen strawberries, and peaches. It's got the consistency of a slushee! It's delicious, and I miss having my Shakeology every day!

One of the drawbacks of eating quite a bit of homemade dressings, is sometimes the amount of garlic that is often used. Now, I love garlic, but it seems to permeate the air around me. When I dropped my husband off at work, he told me I should stay away from the garlic. I used to solve this problem by chewing gum, but gum is out of the question right now. On the other hand, at least I know I'm getting the antifungal defense from all the garlic!

Dinner

Roasted Acorn Squash with Green Beans & Lemon

The Roasted Delicata Squash and green beans with lemon combined had a bit too much oil and lemon, but was still a good taste. I used an acorn squash instead of a delicata.












Thursday, Day 18

Breakfast
 
Fruit bowl was good this morning with red and green apples, strawberries, a banana (yes, higher glycemic, but I haven't eaten them often), 1/2 plum, honeydew melon, and cantaloup, blueberries, and raspberries sprinkled with cinnamon.

Spinach Salad

Lunch

Lunch was also good: spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, jicama, and creamy garlic dressing. I also had a baked yam with olive oil, Himalayan salt, and herbal seasoning. Delicious!









Dinner

Roasted Fennel Bulb with Lemony Asparagus and Broccoli

Dinner was surprisingly good: lemony broccoli and asparagus with roasted fennel bulb. Did you know that anise is another name for fennel? I could have saved money having known this ahead of time! Unfortunately, I don't think my fennel bulb was 1/2 lb, which was the recommended size. Nor do I think my broccoli was a medium head; more likely a large. I also almost didn't prepare enough asparagus. I weighed out the asparagus, because the guide thankfully included the weight in the ingredients list. However, they didn't include the weight of the broccoli.

Guest Blogger Coming Soon!
There will be a guest blogger, Jennifer Bottom (behindtherefrigeratordoor.blogspot.com), coming soon. She will be sharing about her journey through the Beachbody Ultimate Reset.

Day 15 & 16 of My Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Monday, Day 15

Today, is the start of phase 3, Restore.

Breakfast

4 1/2 cups of fruit for breakfast, low glycemic, of course, for the remainder (1 more week + another week after) of my Beachbody Ultimate Reset.

Lunch

Miso soup and Asian Cabbage Salad for lunch. The salad was a little strong-tasting. I know that the next time I have it, I will be halving the amount of dressing I make for it. It was good, although strong.

Miso soup & Asian Cabbage Salad

Dinner

Dinner was a baked sweet potato and garlic veggies. I think my sweet potato was a little too big. Some of the ingredients the guide gives a size estimate in pounds for, but not the sweet potato. It would be more helpful to give ounce- or pound-wise measurements, rather than small, medium, or large, too. Obviously my sweet potato was a large one, but I ate it all anyway. I wasn't sure how hungry I would be in the morning if I didn't eat all my dinner, and it was a good meal! Oil, Himalayan salt, and herbal seasoning for the potato. Garlic, lemon juice, and Braggs Liquid Aminos for the garlic veggies.

Garlic Veggies & Baked Sweet Potato

Tuesday, Day 16

Breakfast

One thing I do when preparing my fruit for breakfast is add up the cups the guide recommends, so, just as I had yesterday, I'm having 4 1/2 cups of fruit for breakfast today.

Lunch
 
I had a snack of quinoa and avocado before class this morning, then a microgreen salad with pumpkin seeds and creamy garlic dressing for lunch. It was yummy, although I'm used to pairing my salad with another dish (as has been done for the past 2 weeks of the Reset.

Dinner
 
I ended up eating some of the apple slices that my son's daycare had for snack, when I went to pick up my son. This was cause for postponing my dinner. I had my supplements, then ate about 8 p.m., and I did a horrible job making my dinner! I added things at the wrong time and burned a few things. Even though the recipe called for the burner to be on high, it was too hot. The smoke detector went off!

Dinner was Asian stir-fry which called for coconut oil (which I love cooking with now), garlic, ginger, carrot, broccoli, red bell pepper. bok choy, sesame oil, and Bragg Liquid Aminos. Now, the bok choy cracks me up, because when I finally got around to watching the DVDs that came with the program, I realized that the chef starred in the cooking class DVD, holds up the Napa cabbage and calls it bok choy. Well, it's funny to me :)

Day 14 of My Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Sunday

The last day of Phase 2!

Breakfast

I'm having mashed chickpeas with a little bit of olive oil, 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, and 1 clove of garlic. I also had a cup of steamed spinach and 1/4 avocado. It wasn't too bad.

This journal entry was extra short, but I did take some pictures of what I had for lunch and dinner.

Lunch

Lunch was Coconut-Kabocha Squash Soup with a microgreen salad.
 

 
Dinner

Dinner was Edamame and Roasted Corn Succotash and Lemon-Pepper Kale. Although, I don't know why they included the 'pepper' in the title of Lemon-Pepper Kale, because there was no pepper added to that recipe.

My husband thinks I should contact Beachbody about all the typos I have found in the guide. This guide has seriously seen better days! One of the things that helped me out a lot, was putting sticky tabs at some of the vital spots in the guide, including the snack list, the supplement schedule for the phase I was in, and extra tabs that I moved around each day within the recipe section.

 

Day 12 of My Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Friday

Breakfast
 
I had another delicious fruit  bowl again for breakfast. I recommend, as the guide does as well, variety in the fruit you have. I love fruit, but I don't want to be bored! By the third week, I'll be having a fruit bowl every morning, if you see my dilemma. I was also reading in the guide about the weeks following the Beachbody Ultimate Reset, and the steps to take. I'll be having fruit for another week following the Reset, as well!

Lunch

Lunch was the hearty vegetable miso soup and a microgreen salad. It was a beautiful day outside, so I ate outside until my son decided it was too warm, and time for use to go back inside.

I had a snack of snap peas, carrots, and cauliflower with dressing. After that, which I also ate outside, I spent time prepping our garden pots. It was a good distraction, along with the laundry my son helped me fold and put away.

I got a little discouraged today when I was reading about what to expect the 4 weeks following the Reset. I won't be back to my normal routine, not even yogurt or eggs from weeks 1 and 2, for a few weeks. Then, the 4th week following the Reset, I can begin to reintroduce meat.

I'm not an alcoholic, but I do like a drink every now and then, but that's another thing I will be waiting a few weeks for, as well. I really wasn't living an unhealthy lifestyle prior to my Reset, nor did we eat out often or eat a lot of junk food, but I do enjoy pizza, donuts, and a vodka cranberry every now and then.

I'm definitely not complaining out the cleanse, because so many dishes have been amazing, and I plan on continuing to make many of them after the Reset! Also, the way my body is changing for the good, has made this Reset so worth it!

What Fruit Should You Have?
 
I do regret buying the fruit I bought earlier today, when I said I wanted variety. I bought mango, bananas, and pineapple. I regret this purchase, because when I finished watching the DVDs that came with the program, it isn't recommended to incorporate those fruits into the program. They are higher on the glycemic index, so they are broken down into glucose much quicker than lower glycemic fruits like pears, plums, peaches, or apples.

Dinner

Dinner was Mediterranean Beets, coconut collard greens, and millet. It was fairly delicious. I believe I was trying to prepare too many dishes at once, and got some things crispier than others. When they say 'don't let the millet burn,' you should realize that it will quickly burn if you really aren't stirring frequently, and adding water when you should.

Mediterranean Beets, coconut collard greens, and millet

Fewer Excuses, More Results

Clean Eating

Yes, you can get good weight loss results simply by changing your eating habits; sticking to an 80/20 clean eating diet (not diet, as in calorie-counting, starving, guilt-ridden dieting). I've seen it over, and over, and over again. In fact, over 80 pounds have been lost  gotten rid of by 18 members in just 30 days of clean eating! If you want to know what an 80/20 clean eating diet is, it's 80% clean eating (check out another one of my blog posts to see what I mean by clean eating), and 20% of just about whatever you want. The 'whatever you want' could be during those holidays, birthday parties, or unexpected moments that call for a fast food trip, or a sweet treat fix.

Functional Fitness

Clean eating is a very valuable part to weight loss, and I do contribute the majority of the weight-loss from my clean eating groups and their healthier eating, some of the members incorporate exercise into their daily routine, as well. I'm a big proponent of exercise, because you can eat well and live well, but I want to eat well and live strong! I want to be fit, not thin. I desire ab definition, and a toned body. I believe in the importance of not only cardio, but weight-training (so you burn more calories), flexibility (so you don't strain your muscles and tendons), and balance (so you're less likely to fall, as you get older)! I love that Tony Horton (creator of P90X, P90X2, P90X3) stresses the importance of functional fitness, especially as we age (Tony's pushing 60, and he looks 40). You can choose to work for hours at the gym, hoping that you cover all the muscle groups and important aspects of fitness. OR you can snag a fitness program, without the hassle of a contract, monthly payments, traffic to get to the gym, daycare, old equipment, confusing equipment, scheduling, etc.

Fewer Excuses, More Results

What are you focusing on to get ready for Spring Break or warmer weather?
I'm on day 33 of P90X3, and I have decided on this motto: "Fewer Excuses, More Results." You can learn more about my journey, and see my results here, at a previous blog post! I'm not perfect; I still miss a work out here or there, but I haven't given up! Yes, it's hard. No, it doesn't get easier; you just get stronger. Are you ready to see how strong you can become? Think about the goals you want to achieve, and start today! One of my goals, after finishing P90X3, is to get certified to teach P90X before the end of the year! This time, last year, I had only heard of P90X, and never imagined completing it! Imagine where YOU could be this time next year!

Now, what's stopping you?

How do you want to get started?

Do you want some help?

I'd love to prove it to you that I want to help you reach your goals! I host free clean eating support groups on Facebook, where I'll give you 30 days of clean eats recipes, shopping lists, and clean eating tips. Also, if you want to get started with a fitness program that will work for you, I will help you get started right! www.beachbodycoach.com/iib4

Control Your Eating Habits

Another Beachbody coach did an amazing job putting together posts for those coaches who wanted to host clean eating challenge groups, and this blog post, 5 Ways to Stop Binge Eating, is one of the posts that she included. In a past blog, Food Relationship, I've talked about knowing what your relationship with food was, and about having a conscious awareness of how it affects you, and how you can begin to take back or strengthen your control over what you eat. Failure is an event, not a person! Remember, every day is a new chance, don't give up, because you will get stronger!

5 Ways to Stop Binge Eating

When you change your eating habits, it can take time for you to adjust. When I started this challenge, I had trouble making sure I was getting enough healthy calories, and I was really hungry all day. Slowly, I discovered that I needed to eat enough protein and foods like nuts and pistachios and almond butter in addition to my intake of fruits and veggies in order to stay full.

Binge eating, or overeating a large amount of junk food in a short time, is a real problem.

Eating everything in sight can be both an emotional response, or a response to hunger. Remember, the key to good health is eating PLENTY of good food! Starving yourself is NEVER the answer.

Here are five ways to stop binge eating:

1. Eat enough good foods. If you’re always starving, you’re doing something wrong. Make sure that you’re eating plenty of fruits, veggies, lean protein, smoothies, and nuts. Track your protein throughout the day and make sure you’re getting enough.

2. Eat every 2-3 hours. This is key. If you let yourself get famished, then it’s easier to give into cravings for things like fast foods. But if you always have healthy snacks on hand, you’ll be able to curb that tendency.

3. Drink enough water. It’s easy to confuse hunger with thirst. So make sure you hydrate! Shoot for 8-10 glasses of water per day.

4. Chew gum when cravings take over.

5. Eat treats from small bowls and plates. Don’t eat straight from the carton of ice cream or bag of chips. It’s definitely okay to have a little of your favorite junk food now and then if you follow the 80/20 rule (80% of the time clean eat, while 20% of the time, unexpected (or even planned) events may come up where you don't have clean eating options (birthday parties)), but if you don’t measure out portions it’s easy to just keep eating.
It’s important to cultivate a healthy relationship with food. Food is fuel!

https://www.facebook.com/Sarahsdrive
http://www.beachbodycoach.com/iib4

Clean Eating for Breakfast

A Few Clean Eating Recipes to Get You Going

Some mornings, well actually a lot of mornings, I feel rushed. Even though I wake up with sufficient time to get myself ready for the day, I'm not a morning person. It can take me a good 3o minutes, after a good cup of coffee, before I can speak a coherent sentence. Many mornings I fix myself the same breakfast that I had the day before, but sometimes I like variety. How about you? Do you like to mix it up some mornings?

Here are a few breakfasts that you can whip together, and that will get you going, and

help you out on the mornings you're in a rush, and need a quick breakfast (without wanting to opt for an unhealthy donut :) ) I love a convenient breakfast, especially for my 5-year-old type 1 diabetic son, whom I try to make sure gets a well-rounded meal before heading off to kindergarten. 

On the Glow Basic Oatmeal Squares
ohsheglows.com
9 Servings

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant oats)
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
½ cup + 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. sea salt
1-1/2 cups almond milk (or other milk)
½ cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener, like honey)
2 Tbsp. nut or seed butter
1 banana, chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper.
In a blender or food processor, blend/process 1 cup of the oats until a flour forms. Or you can just use 1 cup of oat flour.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oat flour, 1.5 cups rolled oats, chia, flax, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, syrup, nut/seed butter, banana, vanilla until no clumps remain. Add wet to dry and stir until combined. Add dry sweetener to taste if desired. Fold in any nuts or dried fruit that you desire.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden along edge and it springs back slowly when touched. I baked them for 40 minutes, but baking time may vary. Place pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes, carefully remove, and cool on rack before slicing.

3 Ingredients Breakfast “Donuts”
FB/Rawganic Vegan

In a food processor, blend 1 cup dates (pitted), ½ cup shredded coconut, ¼ cup hemp seeds (you can substitute w/ chia or flaxseeds) until well mixed. Roll in coconut and chill!

Fast-Track Blueberry Muffin
Makes 15 muffins
Serving Size: 1 muffin; Cal: 140; Fat: 2.5g; Carbs: 28g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 4g

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¾ cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) (can substitute with equal parts wheat germ)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or sub. honey)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 apples, shredded
3/4 cup non-fat milk (or sub. w/ other milk, like almond)
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup blueberries (or other fruit, just account for the calorie difference)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all dry ingredients together, except blueberries.
Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla & beat for 30 seconds.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir & fold in blueberries (or other fruit of choice). Fill each muffin tin cup 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Ready for some clean eating dinners?

https://www.facebook.com/Sarahsdrive

5 Ways Clean Eating Can Change Your Life

Most All of us probably want to live happy, healthy lives, right? This doesn't need to involve cosmetic surgery, loads of money, and an in-home chef! Clean eating can be a good first step to the road to a happy healthy life, but you must first be happy with who you are to begin with, and value yourself enough to know that you are changing for yourself, not because you want others to like you! You are valuable as a person, and no one should make you feel any less valuable! Set up your support system; my husband has cheered me on from the moment I we began my our road to a healthier life!

We began eating healthier, and I began working out a bit more, and things began to change.

Adding exercise into the mix, helped me travel the road right to Transformation Results City! Yeah, it has taken a lot of work. And once it becomes a habit, it's not easier; you're just stronger. I love the way I feel, and how I look! I'm not done yet, and every time I remember how I used to feel/look, I don't want to let myself go back there.

We've since begun eating cleaner, and I want to give you a list of the ways that clean eating has changed our lives, and can possibly change your life, too.

5 Ways Clean Eating Can Change Your Life

1) Detoxifies your body. I've blogged about the reasons to detox here. Clean eating gives your body the nutrition it needs by possibly eating less, and minus the preservatives and artificial junk that are hard for your body to process.

2) Helps you lose weight. Clean eating involves eating less high calorie/fat/sugar junk food, so you will naturally begin to lose weight as you begin eating healthier foods. Also, as I said in 1), you get the nutrition you need by possibly eating less. And the clean foods that you eat, will likely fill you us for longer. Also, you aren't eating as much addictive simple sugar in the form of sweets, which will help cut your cravings, and calories. I've talked about Shakeology as one of the tools for my clean eating, as well as another Beachbody tool I hope to use in the future, Beachbody Ultimate Reset.

3) Food discovery! Since I've been hosting clean eating challenge groups on Facebook, I have heard numerous responses about how clean eating has changed lives. One member told me that the clean eating group raised her desire to explore new recipes, while another said she tried a new food that she had in her pantry, but didn't know what to do with. I recently picked up a jicama, which I look forward to trying today! Other things I've been discovering, are substitutes. Since clean eating is about getting rid of the processed, and low-nutrition junk, you may be exploring substitutes for white sugar and white flour.

4) Save money. Clean eating can cheaper than buying processed food, if you are smart about it! This can be true, especially if you are used to eating a lot of processed snacks, and pre-made, pre-packaged meals. One way to save, is to prep your produce, snacks, and other foods. When you purchase produce that will be used for snacks or meals, cut them up when you bring them home from the store, and plan out your snacks and meals to ensure that produce won't go to waste. Also, as I talked about in 2), clean eats, such as salad, can fill you up quicker than many processed foods can.

5) Inspire others. This is one that I feel strongly about! Especially when I began my journey, and inspired my husband, and now, more than ever, I've inspired our 5-year-old son to live healthier. Through the clean eating groups, my posts, my appearance, and lifestyle, I have been able to touch other lives! To give the motivation to help others begin that road to Transformation Results City. Small steps lead to big transformation! You want the support? You want the motivation? Don't give up! Reach out to others for support, or to give your support. I want to help!!!

https://www.facebook.com/Sarahsdrive
www.beachbodycoach.com/iib4