eating out while maintaining your weight -lunch and dinner

So you wanna go out to eat while eating healthy...NOPE!  Just kidding..there are a few strategies to help you when you eat out.
Going out for lunch or dinner?
Before you go decide your approach...are you being perfect and all healthy or picking one treat (notice that having a total bender and pigging out is not listed as an option:)?
If you're going for perfection-
1. skip the breadbasket if there is one
2.  Choose items that are grilled, steamed, broiled, skip fried items all together.
3.  Be careful if you choose a salad...some have so many unhealthy add ons.  Personally, I skip dressing and ask for lemon on the side to use instead.
4.  Sides should be veggies....ask for steamed veggies with no butter or a plain baked potato (they're only bad after you add butter, sour cream, bacon bits, etc.)

If you're picking one treat- check the menu out first online and decide what it will be.  Once you're in the moment, it's easy to decide you want everything.
The rest of the meal should be healthy....having fries?- grilled chicken and no dessert
having dessert?- healthy main course
indulging in a drink?   healthy meal then

Don't feel awkward about eating out healthy.....people are easily influenced and you may be surprised that they follow suit.

Today's diet:
breakfast 2 eggs, 1 piece wheat toast
snack: nectarine
Lunch: carrot, ginger, and cashew soup
Dinner: chocolate shakeology with natural peanut butter
Snack: air popped popcorn
Today's workout: (didn't do this yet, but I'm thinking 6 mile jog, 1 mile walk (provided I don't get rained on) and a 30 min combat dvd

Body combat is on sale for two more weeks....get the awesome dvd and shakeology at a discounted price (it works out that the dvd is 10 bucks and it's usually 59.95!)...want it? http://beachbodycoach.com/april6678 or email april6678@sbcglobal.net for more info

healthier dining out...breakfast

I figured Id start with the first and most important meal of the day in discussing eating out.  I love going out to breakfast and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day...but it can be a calorie trap!  Here's a few pointers.
-If you're trying to be perfect.....egg whites or an egg white omelette with veggies and fresh fruit are the best option (or at the least wheat toast!)
- A little bad:)- an omelette with toast....skip the hash browns though
-It's a treat meal- Choose one "splurge" but always include protein.  If you must have pancakes...(I get it I love them too) get an egg too.  This way you won't be hungry later.  REally want bacon? Have eggs or egg whites with it and split the hash browns.  Hash browns your first love?  Just eggs and toast (or fruit) with that.
As always easy on the sugar in the coffee! Skip juice unless that's your splurge...it's really just empty calories.

You can have breakfast out and still have a healthy day!


Today's workout: rest day:) I needed it.
Today's diet:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, half cup oats
Snack: greek yogurt
Lunch: tofu and veggies
Snack: apple, pistachios
Dinner: chocolate shakeology with natural peanut butter

eating out without blowing your eating plan part I

Dining out is always a challenge when you're watching your weight.  You want to go and be social, but you don't want to be the only one not enjoying your food.  Over the next few days, I'll be sharing some ways to eat out without blowing your healthy eating away.
I definitely recommend choosing the restaurant if you can.  Sometimes our companions give us the option to choose, and we say...no , that's ok you pick.  WELL STOP DOING THAT.  You want to choose a place with healthier options that you can stomach having.  I mean, all pizza places have a salad on the menu, but can you resist the large pepperoni when you only have a salad?  I went out to eat the other night and purposefully chose a seafood restaurant.  There are lots of healthier options there and I don't mind having baked fish. It didnt bother me that my friend had fried shrimp because I dont really like that.  Even if you can't pick the restaurant, go online and look at the menu before you arrive.  Look for healthier options, or think about how you  can ask the chef to prepare it to be healthier....can that steak with a cream sauce just be grilled?  Can something fried be baked?
Go ready to eat well and you will. Plan ahead.

Today's workout: weights (chest, back, lats, abs) and 1 hour of zumba
Today's diet: breakfast 2 eggs, 1 half cup oats
Snack: greek yogurt
lunch: black bean burrritos
snack: apple
dinner: chocolate shakeology with natural peanut butter

first dining out experience since starting my challenge

So this week I will give some tips for eating out without blowing your eating plan out of whack.  Yesterday was my first dining out experience since my challenge (lol with a non challenge friend)...I went out once before with someone who was on the challenge...and we def. watched each other's eating.  I did choose fairly wisely.....baked scrod, a side salad , and plain baked potato.  I did enjoy one beer, since I haven't had anything to drink in about 50 days.  Boy, that was the best beer ever...and I think it gave me a buzz too.  When you don't eat or drink something in a while, it tastes even better when you do indulge.  That was my treat for the evening.  I decided not to have dessert, although the person I was out with did, because sweet foods trigger me to overeat.
STay tuned this week for dining out tips.


Today's workout: weights (biceps, triceps, shoulders, abs)
Insanity the Asylum DVD vertical plyo
Today's diet:
egg white omelette with green peppers and mushrooms, wheat toast with natural peanut butter
Snack: orange
Lunch :tofu with veggies
Snack: celery with hummus
Dinner: strawberry shakeology with fresh blueberries

super happy today

Weigh In today: I lost 4.2 lbs this week:).  1.8 more until the next "decade"
This brings my personal challenge (meaning the FB challenge I am doing with my clients) to 15 lbs. Total lost 132.2. 
This was a hard week for me.  Coming off the injured foot, the first few days of exercise I didn't feel that strong.  A few people got upset with me because they invited me out to eat and I declined....knowing that I wanted a better weight loss number, coming off only a half pound last week.  But ...I kept my goal in mind.  The only way I can win this battle with my weight is by staying determined.  I know I can do it:)
So can you....need help....email me-april6678@sbcglobal.net or post on the blog.

Today's exercise: 5 mile run, 30 min body combat
Today's diet :
breakfast 2 eggs with a half cup oats
lunch: chocolate strawberry shakeology with fresh blueberries
Dinner: dinner out (45 days straight of good eating....so I'm going out tonight for dinner....will see how it goes.  I am going to a seafood restaurant and planning on getting baked fish.

warrior's challenge begins june 17th...are you ready?  message me for info or email april6678@sbcglobal.net.  It's a hard 30 days to tone down and release the warrior inside of you.

supplements:)

So I'm known as the vitamin queen...I take lots of vitamins and supplements (all known and approved by my doctor).  I will say (and knock on wood with this) that since I've started eating better , exercising, and taking supplements I haven't been sick in three years (besides things given to me by students lol i.e. pinkeye and seasonal allergies).  It is definitely the combination of the 3 that keeps me healthy, but I wanted to share some supplments you might want to try. If your body is deficient in a vitamin or mineral you may feel hungry to make up for it, so always check vitamin levels at your annual physical (your doctor does this when taking your blood), but here are some hints.
-vitamin C- It helps your immune system be strong and is water soluble (that means if your body has too much , you pee it out:).
-fish oil pills- great for helping with cholesterol
-Vitamin B12- I'm deficient in this and have to take it. You may or may  not need a supplement....my doctor said people are often deficient in it.
-Glucosamine /chrondroitin- I started using this during marathon training....helps with joint health.
-CLA-I used to date a bodybuilder and he put me on to this supplement, which helps reduce belly fat.  I never go a day without CLA:).
calcium-I take an extra calcium supplement. Women particularly need this for strong bones as well as people over 50.

-Did you know that you can get a lot of the vitamins and minerals you need from Shakeology?  Many of your daily values of vitamins and minerals are in this meal replacement shake and superfood.  Message me or email april6678@sbcglobal.net for details.

*** as always, check with your doctor about supplements , but these have helped me.


Today's exercise:
zumba, 1 hour of body combat
Today's diet: wheat
Toast with natural peanut butter, egg white omelette with tomato
Snack: banan
Lunch: sautéed navy beans with spinach and kale
Dinner: strawberry shakeology with blueberries


WEEKLY MEASUREMENT TOTALS: This week: 0.5 in off hips, 1 in off waist, 0.4 in off each thigh , 0.6 off shoulders, 1 inch off chest
15.6 inches lost in 6 weeks:)

conclusion-small changes to aid weight loss

I realized I would said I would write until I ran out of tips...and I think I told all the good ones.  I want to remind everyone there are small things you can do to be healthier (see my week's posts), but weight loss is a commitment.  It's a marathon, not a sprint.  If you stick to  it, you can get to your goal. 
If you are in need of health or support, a new facebook challenge groups starts June 17th.  Email april6678@sbcglobal.net or comment on the blog for details.

Today's workout: legs and abs weight workout, 1 hour of power yoga
Insanity the Asylum Back to Core DVD

Today's diet:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, half cup of oats
Snack: greek yogurt
Lunch: grilled chicken breast, corn
Snack: grapes
Dinner: strawberry shakeology with a fresh banana mixed in.