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Positively Weightless

A healthy life not only means physically healthy, but mentally as well. Healthy eating, healthy exercising habits, and a positive attitude are all important and help maintain balance in life. I decided to combine my love of writing and my positivity to change the world in hopes that any reader can also become positively weightless, and lead them to a healthy life.

I have come to realize some things over the past few weeks, and I want to just share my thoughts. While pondering this post I realized that my page here really has taken such an unexpected turn here and really, it isn’t just about diet, exercise, and general weight-loss tips as I has originally intended. I am totally happy about that really. Life is all about growth and change and I genuinely have changed so much just in this New Year.

 My weight-loss isn’t really on the schedule I was hoping it would be at this point of the year, but really I am fine with that. These past few months, really the number on the scale hasn’t changed much but I am okay with that. I do want to get down to a healthier weight, but it is not the number one thing on my mind as it has been really for the past three years. I have found a new comfort in my skin. I am who I am and I have learned to appreciate that. Learning to accept your flaws and appreciate that they are what make you, you is such a freeing and enlightening feeling! As long as you are happy and healthy who cares about these things? There are many people who love you for who you are, each and every part of you.

I realize a lot of this is a repeat on a few of my past entries, especially the last one, but happiness is just so important in life. It is so easy just to give in when things get a little rough. I have done it many times, I really think everyone has. Nobody can be strong all the time. “Even the sun sets in paradise,” is a pretty well-known phrase, but my favorite addition to that quote is “but it always rises the next morning.”

Over the past few months, more specifically the last few weeks, I have learned so much about myself and have been through some things that taught me a lot. The best approach to anything that gets you down is to take a little time to grieve and then pick yourself back up and shine even brighter than you did before. It really does seem that once you start doing this everything starts to fall into place. Take life at a comfortable pace for you, don’t rush anything because quality takes time. Isn’t a quality life what everyone wants? Don’t put so much pressure on one aspect of your life. You’ll neglect other things in the process on top of driving yourself mad.

Good things really do come with patience, and honestly exactly when you least expect them to come along. Take some time every morning to enjoy your coffee listening to a song that makes you happy. Don’t let life pass you by because you’re trying to rush everything and not taking time to love yourself. Like I said in my last post, do you. Take some time for a hobby that makes you happy (my makeup was on point today… just saying haha), tell your loved ones you love them, catch up on that television series you haven’t had time for (yes Mom that was a dig at us!). Focus on being happy and don’t put pressure on things you can’t change. Everything will fall right into place the way it should once your gaze away.

Before I end this, I do want to say I do plan on picking back up with the posts about weight-loss and such with my next entry. I have an idea for the next post and my next recipe entry already (not sure which will be first). If you’re still reading my entries thank you so much! I appreciate the support from every single one of you. I love being able to just express my thoughts the way I do and if just one person stumbles upon one of my entries and ponders my words, that’s enough to keep me going.  Until next time loves!
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This post is going to be a little different from what I usually post. I always try to provide tips and suggestions to those who may be seeking them in a weight loss journey, but with this post I almost want to just totally put that on hold for a completely different type of lesson. 

One thing that is pretty important for everyone to have is self love, and I really feel like that is something a lot of us lack, even me at times. Just because you are not a size zero or have curly hair when you'd prefer straight, or for a plethora of other reasons does not mean you are any less of a person. How someone treats you is not a sign of this either. Not everyone is going to like you and not everyone has your best interest at heart, but you do (and if you don't, you really should). So do what makes you happy. Do what makes you a stronger person. Don't ever do something you don't want to do just because somebody else tells you you should.

I have two pretty big pieces of advice to share in this post. The first is going to be to but some faith in fate. Honestly, this is something I more recently learned myself. I am going to get all kinds of personal and admit that for the longest time up until pretty much last week I just hated the fact that I was (and still am) single. Besides a few occasions, being single really is all I've ever known. Me having a problem with that, I honestly blame on movies and TV shows. The idea of being in a relationship is just so appealing in those goofy romantic comedies where the girl ends up making out with Ryan Reynolds or Bradley Cooper in the closing scene. I just wanted one so bad that in return I really just set myself up for heartbreak and disappointment on a few occasions during the past year. With all of this really came a pretty good lesson. I genuinely decided I needed to stop putting so much pressure on the subject and focus on me. Being single isn't the end of the world! I am taking time to just enjoy being with myself and doing things I like to do (like writing this blog hmm?). If it happens then great, but I am no longer going to allow myself to put myself down if it doesn't. I truly want to just take some time to enjoy being single and being young. After this latest blow, as I mentioned earlier, I 100% decided I am just going to trust the plan of my life that is fate and let whatever is going to happen, happen rather than focus on trying to make something happen. That is no way to live.

With all of that comes my second tip, which really coincides with the other. Learning to love yourself and enjoying spending time with just you is a great opportunity to try something new! I have very recently started playing around with makeup (all of you that are friends with me on Facebook already know this) and trying new techniques. Most of you reading this probably are thinking “yeah okay big deal,” but if you know me at all you know I have basically been doing my makeup exactly the same since probably my sophomore year of college. And by that I mean eyeliner, mascara, foundation. That's it. So the fact that I am doing this is actually a big change for me! I figured I would put a picture of a more recent look I put together... yes, I am still very new to this as I am sure you can tell! But the point to all of this is to try something new or spend some time perfecting a craft you've already had some experience with! New hobbies or really any hobbies are such a good way to spend some quality time with you! That is my main point here. Spend some good quality time with yourself and start realizing how strong and beautiful you are!

I would not be the person I am today without so many loving and caring people in my world. I am very fortunate to have such a great family and to have such supportive friends. I know I do not need to name any of them,they know! Even with that, I am still very much working on loving myself and really being the person I want to be. That is probably the very best piece of advice I have and ever will offer with this page. Love yourself first, and the rest will all fall right into place. Put some faith in fate.
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I know I know... I was doing so well there for a while keeping up with updating my page here, and time got away from me again. As promised a few posts ago I wanted to take at least one post (most likely more in the future to compare/contrast) to dedicate to a meal plan, so here is what I did:

I actually documented my day's worth of meals probably in early March (yes I know I have been slacking quite a bit here!) but I thought it might be fun to share what I eat for meals and maybe inspire other ideas, I even have pictures!


Meal #1: Breakfast
-Luna Chocolate Coconut Almond Protein Bar
-2 Cups Strawberries
Calorie Count: 280
I usually have a pretty small breakfast. Truthfully I am just not that hungry in the morning, but you should always make sure you eat something to start the day out. This is usually a go to breakfast for me. Some sort of meal bar or cereal with some sort of fruit. It is enough to hold me over a while and at the same time it isn't super filling.

"Meal" #2: Mid-Morning Snack
-Applesauce Pouch
-Water!
Calorie Count:60
I usually have a small snack about 2-3 hours into my work day (this is typically about 10 a.m.) to hold me over until lunch. And I try to have at lease 32 oz of water down before lunch as well. Always remember to stay hydrated! I try to drink two of these bottles a day, that makes 64 oz and that honestly is not that much in my opinion.

Meal #3: Lunch
-2 Multigrain Rice Cakes
-2 Tbsps Peanut Butter
-D'Anjou Pear
Calorie Count: 380
Okay, I will admit that on this day my lunch was a little lighter than usual. I sometimes just feel like a lighter lunch, but other days I bring salads or sandwiches or other typical lunch entrees, but this is just what I felt like today.

Meal #4: Dinner
-About 10 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
-3 Tbsps Caribbean Jerk Marinade
-150 grams Boiled Red Potatoes
-1 Cup Boiled Fresh Green Beans
-About 0.5 Tbsp Salted Butter
Calorie Count: 703
Okay so I clearly made up for my light lunch with dinner! Lots of calories here, but pretty filling and not many empty calories. Yes and you did see that right that I listed butter. I put just enough to put a little flavor on the boiled potatoes. To me that is very important when "dieting" to add flavor so you are not bored with what you eat. That goes with the marinade as well. If you change it up you won't get bored. I typically eat a bigger dinner and have lighter breakfasts and lunches, so this meal really shows that.

"Meal" #5: Dessert
-2 Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Bars
Calorie Count: 220
Yes I probably should have skipped these, but I have little control when it comes to chocolate! Guilty as charged!

Later that night once my big dinner had digested a bit I went to the gym and had a pretty nice cardio session. Usually when I get home from the gym I have a protein shake so that brings us to the next...

"Meal"#6: Protein Shake
I am not going to list all of the ingredients for the shake I had here, but I chose tonight to try out a new recipe I found on the beloved Pinterest! It is called Cake Batter Protein Shake. Here's the link if you were interested in it: Cake Batter Protein Shake
Calorie Count: 185 
I really liked this new recipe and will most likely make it again. It tasted just like it is described it would! It was the perfect no guilt reward after a nice workout. I figured I would share a silly picture of me enjoying it as well! Haha

Total Day Calorie Count:1,828
Total Day Calories Burned:3,450 (This is according to my FitBit account, so both my daily movement and workout are factored in)

Every day obviously differs and meals change daily as well. They have to or you will be bored out of your mind, and that is what leads to binges a lot of the time. I still could tweak my meals a bit but I think I am doing pretty well too! It is all about finding what works for you. I know I sound like a broken record saying that all the time, but it really is so true! 

I hope to do this again soon too! Maybe show things I am doing different or the same. As always that you so much for reading! 



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Strength is a word that really has a lot of different meanings. You do not have to be able to bench hundreds of pounds to be a strong person. Everyone has a different definition of strength. I am going to expand a bit on a previous blog in this post, but it’s something that has been on my mind a lot lately:

Ironically enough I just finished a strength yoga workout about five minutes ago and I can tell you I wasn't showing any signs of strength there! Legs were wobbling, arms were shaking the entire time, but I pushed through all that and finished up the half hour workout. That kind of brings me to my point. The mindset of being strong and physically being strong are two very different things. This is my own personal opinion, but I think having a strong mindset is a lot more important, in any aspect in life.

You find yourself wondering what/how an ex is doing, or a former friend, or something along those lines. We have all been there to a certain degree. Absolutely wanting to talk to someone when you know you shouldn't and that your relationship is toxic. It is so hard to not just shoot them a quick text or facebook message (especially with technology now making contact with anyone around the world possible in just a few seconds) and we all do it... trust me, everyone does it at some point. Yes, this is a moment of weakness, but eventually you will learn to let these things go because it is not good for you. Of course it isn't easy, but I wouldn't be talking about this in a post about strength if it was! The day you finally learn to leave certain events and memories in the past where they belong is such an empowering feeling! That, to me, is true inner strength.

Something else that takes inner strength (which would be where I really connect this to the point of this blog and my story) is realizing when you need to make a change in you life. Sure, that can be to finally delete you're former best friend's number from your phone, but what I really have in mind is accepting that you need to change a few not so great habits in you life. When I think about how I used to eat it churns my stomach. I seriously didn't care at all, and although my eating habits are by no means perfect, I made (and recently remade) a change in myself to stop eating so horribly. I also never exercised... seriously not at all. When I was at my heaviest I did not exercise one bit. I still have to make myself do it on some days truthfully but I always feel so amazing afterward (as mentioned in my last post haha). Truthfully I cannot say why I just woke up one day and decided to make these changes, but to me it took a lot of strength inside me. To recognize that what I was doing was toxic to my body and that I really would feel so much better once I changed these bad habits.

With any positive change in your life the feeling that washes over you is an indescribable feeling. Seriously it feels as if a weight has lifted off your shoulders and you can breathe fully and deeply again. I am finally getting there and losing weight again. I feel very excited and optimistic for Friday morning's weigh-in for the first time in forever because I know I am doing well again, and truthfully it feels great. That number on the scale of course does not define me as a person and I know that, but it is just a reward for having a strength inside me for making changes and getting back on track.

Overcoming any obstacle, whether it be to get healthy, cut a negative influence out of your life, or (like me earlier) push yourself through a tough workout, it requires strength. Everyone has it inside of them, the important part is to find what releases it. You won't be sorry!

Thank you as always for reading loves, and if I can inspire even one person to find their inner strength for either their own weight-loss journey, or to make any kind of change in their life, it would mean that I have made an impact, and that means the world to me!
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Working out. Some of us love it, some of us hate it, and some of us are right in the middle. That is where I fit, right in the middle. I have a love/hate relationship with working out. I think of a million dumb excuses not to, but still make myself do it and once I do I am happy I did. I always feel so good afterwards and honestly nothing feels better than showering after a particularly sweaty workout!

My best advice to give on this subject would be to find a workout that fits you and works best with your life/lifestyle. Personally, I like going to the gym and going into a different environment to workout. I like using the cardio machines and using the weights occasionally as well. It is just a nice change of scenery for that hour or two that I am there and that takes away the option of quitting my work out early because the couch looks extra comfortable. The gym isn’t for everyone though! I know when I was at my heaviest I absolutely didn’t want anyone to see me working out. I was extremely self-conscious about that for quite some time, and that is perfectly fine! Find what you are most comfortable with!

Lately because I did get so lazy over the past year I now have to work my endurance back up, so I have not been exercising for as long as I once did. That would be the next piece of advice… do not push yourself! Work up your endurance and don’t think because you can only walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes that that makes you a failure. It will most definitely get easier the longer you do it! I promise. I just started going back to the gym on a weekly basis (yay!! FINALLY got my driver’s license) and I’ve already been able to work up my endurance to 15 more minutes that when I just started again. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do it for long because that will get better the more you exercise.

I have been trying to get to the gym at the very least two nights a week, sometimes three. What my plan is, is that I will still do something active on the nights I do not go. I just purchased a beginner’s yoga kit (only $10! Score!) so I am going to do my best to do at least one 30-minute workout from that DVD on the nights I do not go to the gym. Once the weather gets a little nicer I will probably start taking more walks. So just do something active and get off the couch every night, but having one or two rest days during the week is important too. Give your body some time to recover! Speaking of recovery, reward yourself with a yummy protein shake after your workouts! Some of them taste like dessert and are usually under 300 calories. Check out Pinterest for endless possibilities!

Working out is very important in your weight-loss journey so do some trial and error until you find something you can stick to! Anything is better than lounging around all day and night! Another good idea is to find a buddy to workout with! You can keep each other motivated and will be more likely to stick to it! Shout-out to Steph who was my gym buddy for quite a while J ! Just remember also that it is very important to stay hydrated while you work out as well! Good Luck and stay motivated Loves!
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Time for a new recipe!! Yay!! This one is something I just threw together last night. Really didn't have a plan but it turned out awesome! I don't have the calorie count or anything, but based on what is in this dish, I don't think that it is too high in calories! I didn't think about posting this until after I started cooking, so not as many pictures on this post, but here goes nothing!

Chicken and Vegetable Ragù

Ingredients:
-One Chicken Breast
-Largely Chopped Vegetables (your choice, I used zucchini, red peppers, and mushrooms)
-Seasonings (of your choice, I used salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
-Vodka Sauce (Marinara would be awesome as well!)
-Cooking Spray

First: Place a frying pan over medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Chop up both the chicken and vegetables to matching sizes, about 1-inch cubes. Season the chicken with preferred seasonings and set aside.

Second: Once the pan is heated, put the vegetables into the pan to saute. Let these cook for a little while as they take the most time to cook, but be sure to keep them moving in the pan to prevent burning and sticking.

Third: Once the vegetables have softened a bit, the chicken should be added to the pan. Give each side of the chicken pieces a minute or two to cook to ensure they cook evenly on all sides. Keep stirring the chicken and vegetables once all sides have cooked some. After about 5-10 minutes, cut into a larger piece of the chicken to see if it is done. If there is still a little pink, that is okay as it is going to simmer after, but there should only be a little.

Fourth: Add your sauce to the pan (I used a little over a cup of sauce and it was actually WAY too much, I would say 3/4 cup would probably be best) and stir to make sure everything is covered. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Last: Once it has simmered, put into a bowl and enjoy!!

This recipe is also very versatile like the last recipe I posted. I ate it just like this, but you could put it over whole grain pasta, brown rice, or anything you like! You could even splurge and put a little cheese on top. There is only meat and vegetables, so not too many calories are in this recipe and the only fat is from the cooking spray, which is only a tiny bit... and possibly in the sauce depending on which kind you use. Bottom line: This recipe is something I just threw together randomly (with inspiration from Mom) and quickly and really is pretty guilt free!

I hope you all enjoyed this post! As always, thank you for reading Loves!

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I think I am going to try to do an end of the month reflection post every month (as long as I remember to haha) from now on with my page. Still being at the beginning of a new year, I think this would be something positive to finish up another month with so here goes nothing:
January 2016

Well, I started off this brand new year with a goal in my head, and although the year is still new, I was hoping to have a bit of a better start to it. I really only went down in my weight a tiny bit, not nearly as much as I would have liked, however, my weight did not go up and that makes me extremely happy. Over the last year or so my weight was, although slowly, increasing steadily. The fact that I stopped this is enough (for now) for me. I said at the beginning of the year that I was not going to put myself down over a lack of progress. Am I a little frustrated? For sure! But I will not let it deter me from making future progress.

That being I just wanted to take a few moments and type out my thoughts. Today I learned some not so happy news from a colleague that has made me think all day. I am not going to go into any details about it, however, it has made me think so much about the present.

Not too long ago I posted about living one day at a time, and I guess this post is really just a repeat of that in a way. That being said: Never take anything for granted and truly appreciate each and every day and thing and person you have because you truly never know when that can change. Things can happen so fast and you may never know when, where, and even why. Enjoy life each and every day. When you are upset with someone you love never leave the house angry or go to bed angry. Never give up on someone or something. Everything can change in a second so appreciate everything you can in the moment.

Dwelling on a lack of progress in January is going to get me nowhere, so it will stay in the past. I am going to appreciate everything I have and make today a better day. I want to enjoy life and make every day golden. If everyone had this attitude the world would probably be a much better place. Tomorrow is guaranteed for nobody, so appreciate life each second that goes by and never get yourself down over things that cannot be changed because they are in the past.
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About me




29 years old. Graduate from Buffalo State College with my B.A. in English. I am just looking to hopefully change the world through my love of writing and my positive attitude.

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