Clean Eating - Day 4

Greetings readers!

I have to start with saying I am amazed at all the people who have reached out to me because of this blog. It's very flattering that so many of you (over 80 views yesterday!) are paying attention to what I'm doing right now. Thank you a million times!

I've mentioned in one of my previous posts that I have started a workout regimen yet. HOWEVER - I want to say that I have been trying to move more. I think that sometimes, those of us who have a lot of weight to lose, start to think of working out as this HUGE PROJECT that requires hours of commitment and sweat and constant soreness. When really, that's not necessarily the case. Weight loss is all about burning more calories, so anything you can do to get yourself up and moving more is a great step forward. Don't get me wrong - if you have the motivation to go to the gym for 2 hours a day, do it!! (As long as you're not over-exerting yourself or hurting yourself in any way.) But if you, like most people, dread the gym, do what works for you. This week, I have been taking short walks on my lunch break at work. I always bring my lunch to work, to avoid temptation from ordering at restaurants (also I'm broke because I just started this job, so there's that). And I have an hour to eat, which is far more than I need. So, in the first half of my lunch break, I explore the neighborhood around my office for about 20 minutes. Just walk at a normal pace and enjoy the scenery and the weather. Granted, this isn't possible for everyone. I'm lucky to work in a nice, safe, beautiful neighborhood with old houses that is close to the U of Texas campus. I'm also lucky to live in a state where November is a beautiful month to be outside. Plus, I sit at a desk the rest of the day so it's exceptionally great for my state of mine to move around for awhile. So maybe that's not the answer for you. But can you find something outside of the box to get you moving? Maybe you climb the stairs at your house a couple of times in the morning. Maybe you play Wii Fit/Xbox Kinect with your kids and make that a habit to do each day. Maybe you play with your dog or cat for an extra few minutes. Find something that works for you! And don't be overwhelmed by the workout monster!

Here's the food log:

7:15am - Wake up

8:00am - Apple Cinnamon Protein Shake (see Day 2 post for recipe). Coffee sweetened with stevia.

12:00pm - Turkey sausage sauteed with pico de gallo, onions and spinach. Topped with 1/2 an avocado. Water.

4:30pm - Mixed berries, about 20 almonds. Water.

7:00pm - Crock pot Curry Chicken (see below for recipe). Sparkling water with lemon slices.

11:15 - Bedtime!

Crock pot Curry Chicken - If you haven't noticed, I'm a BIG fan of crock pot recipes. I think they are the saving grace for all working people. Just toss stuff in in the morning, set it on low, and let it cook all day! Here's the trick to this recipe - put 1 lb. of chicken (I suggest frozen chicken. This keeps the chicken from drying out but also requires less work! If you use raw chicken, cook it for less time, 4-5 hours max), 1-2 tbsp olive oil, 2-3 tbsp of curry powder and 1/2 can of coconut milk. Set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. Don't worry, it won't be burned over overdone. It also won't be undercooked. I say this because the BF has little trust in crock pots. Everytime he cooks in one he's like "Should I brown the meat first? What about the vegetables?" In our generation of quick fixes and immediate options, I realize crock pots seem strange. But trust in the crock pot. TRUST IN THE CROCK POT!! When you get home from work, add whatever fresh veggies you like, and as much of them as you like. We put green beans, broccoli and onion. Add salt, pepper, red pepper and hot sauce to taste. Cook all this together for about an hour, and voila! You have homemade curry. (You can also put frozen veggies in, if you don't have fresh ones, but they may have to cook a little longer.) I say to add the vegetables later because you want them to absorb the flavor of the curry, but not become mushy. You could put this over a little bit of brown rice if you want, but I like it as is.

Day 4 was a really great day. I had a ton of energy today and hardly ever felt hungry. It's shocking how quickly my body is adjusting to this diet. I noticed that after I ate my fruit I got a sugar rush. My body is already not used to having sugar - even natural sugars from fruit will make me hyper!! That seems insane to me. Before, I could drink a coffee loaded with sugar and hardly notice the affects. No longer! I also expected to be hungry later on in the evening since I ate earlier, but I really didn't at all. Late night snacking was always a huge pitfall of mine so it's amazing that those cravings are starting to disappear.

That's all for today! Looking forward to writing something for you all tomorrow and for the next 17 days!