Week 5: we all need a little ME time

This week was a bit tougher than the past few especially since my allergies decided to kick my butt and was hardly able to get any type of relief, being super congested lead to some pretty bad headaches, which lead to just feeling not so great all week and then mother nature deciding to pay her visit but with that being said I did stick to my diet & was able to push through 4 work outs this week. Thats something I'm glad I was able to do because I'm realizing my body is craving the work outs now and not only that but I'm starting to understand that by taking that hour to myself to focus on myself has really helped me unwind at the end of the day which overall makes a huge difference in terms of my patience and overall mood.

Its nuts when I sit an really think about what an impact taking that hour a day has on my well being and I'm realizing just how important it is to take time for me time where I'm not running around doing errands, or cleaning, or focusing on anyone else. There are so many times where days go by and my entire focus is on Logan (which isn't a bad thing trust me he is always on my mind, I mean come on I'm his mom how can I not have him on my mind at all times) or on Moe, on chores that have been left undone, what I'm gonna make for dinner, currently Logans birthday party (which FYI i can't wait to share the details with you all about this years party!), work and just everything else that consumes my mind. Now theres nothing wrong with loving your family, with giving them you're very best, for being the best wife & mom that you can be but think about this of a second if you're not taking care of yourself and not just physically speaking, how can you take care of anyone else. YOU WILL BE BURNED OUT, I have been there, burned out...trust me its not a fun place to be...so it was time to refocus and make some changes. 

Someone once told me that an hour away IS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL! I now completely agree and I'm so thankful to have moe who understands and is there when I need him to be and that he's totally supportive of this journey to a new & better me. Now as hard as I thought it would be to find that one hour a day to give up without giving up time with my boys,  I was actually surprised that most places are open LATE so I'm able to go work out after bed time & I'm not missing out on spending time with my boys I'm actually still doing things the same way I did before, I'm still able to come home from work, make dinner, and still spend some time with the boys before bed time! Its the pushing myself to go that was tougher than anything, it was really about pushing past all the excuses and just going and its that feeling of once I'm done working out I feel so good, refreshed, and happy that I was able to do something good for me and my body which then leads to me being able to give my family my best.

As a mom I can now say that we all need that bit of time a day for just you, whether it be for working out,reading, watching that romantic comedy your husband would rather not watch, crafting, or doing whatever it is you enjoy you need this you time trust me its made such a difference. 

this is what moe calls my "mom outfit"... basically what i look like about to run a million errands for our big Super Mario birthday party next weekend 

Again this past week was tougher than the last four but I pushed through. In terms of any progress I tried to stay off the scale this week since from what I've ready when it comes to women and their monthly visitor they do tend to put on extra water weight so I didn't want to disappoint myself by seeing a number higher than it has been...but I did hop on this morning just to see where I am and to my surprise I didn't gain anything which in my mind is a win for the week...in terms of any loss...it was only 1/2 lb and considering the how the week went I'm ok with that and not gonna be disappointed with a small change because as I've said before any change is a good change no matter how small. I'm in this for the long run and that means that any changes that happen will happen over time and they will take time so its just about sticking to it all and not giving up. Where I do see the biggest difference is in my jeans! YES its time to get a new pair a SMALLER pair!! The pair I wore today were literally falling off today! So although there was a small drop in the number on the scale the biggest difference is being felt in my actual clothes and thats a really good feeling! 

On that note heres to a fresh start to a new week and thats how great is that! We have a new fresh slate to start off with tomorrow, what a blessing that is! This week is also a big week in our house: LOGAN turns 5 on Friday!! YES 5 years old...so stay tuned cause I'm pretty sure there'll be a few sentimental & gushy posts coming up over the next few days. Its crazy to think that it was 5 years ago today that I got to work and my doctor calls me and says "OK Emily, I think its time for you to go on bedrest...so head over to labor and delivery cause  I want to keep an eye on you for the day cause honey your blood pressure and lab work were not where id like them to be..." yes I will never forget that phone call...and would never have thought that it would be the start of a week that would change our lives forever...

one of my very last belly pictures I had right before Logan came: this was at the end of 34 weeks about to start 35 weeks and the last week of him in my belly before his arrival @ 36 weeks 

Week 4 Update

So we’re a month in guys!! 

HIGH FIVES all around!!

Before I get started I wanted to say HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Yea I know its just a hallmark holiday but I'm a sucker for this stuff...we don't necessarily celebrate by ever doing anything elaborate here at The Sopt Home but the boys still get me a beautiful bouquet each year and I make sure Logan gets his special heart shaped donut for breakfast. Regardless if you guys are big on this holiday or don't celebrate at all I just want to say Happy Valentines Day & remember you are loved!! 

So lets get to the nitty gritty…what was my total loss after 4 weeks of hard work….drum roll please….a total of 15lbs down! That’s a number im really happy about and its not just 15lbs lighter in terms of weight, its 15lbs of less stress, anxiety, tiredness, groggyness, fear & self doubt. Its 15lbs less of all the bad!  Its been a long month and it has definitely had its ups and its downs, its days of insecurities and days where I felt like giving up but I can actually say that I’ve pushed past negative thoughts and kept at it and that’s what I’m so proud of.  I’ve gained an understanding that it isn’t about how fast I’m getting to my overall goal, or how little progress has been made, what’s important is that I’m making SOME progress and ANY progress is good progress and as long as I’m giving it my all and trying my best I’m good! I’m getting to my goal one step (no matter how big or small) at a time. 

cause its valentines day i snuck the hubs into this weeks picture  

This whole change in lifestyle has also pushed me to try things I've never done before and by this I mean working out! I’ve learned that when it comes to working out I need to do it with a friend and it has to be in a class environment because I feel most motivated in that setting.  So the first week of February started my hunt for a good gym, we started week 1 checking out 9round (https://www.9round.com/) which was tons of fun! It’s a fast paced kickboxing gym where you literally go through 9 rounds in 30minutes! So much fun! The first 4 rounds were the hardest for me and then I realized im pretty much half way there and that I can't give up now…by the end you feel amazing! They also have trainers that are guiding you through each of the rounds to be sure youre doing it right which was great to have.

Our second week we went in to give UFC gym (www.ufcgym.com)  a try (totally outside my comfort zone)! The workouts we got there were intense especially since I've never ever done anything like that before like ever. It was intimidating at first to walk in there since it was filled with exactly the type of people who you would imagine go to these gyms but we didn't run for the hills and got ready for our class. The coaches were fantastic! They were able to modify some of the work out so that I would still be constantly moving and doing similar thins like all the others were doing but without hurting myself! It felt amazing to have been able to finish that week and this is where I started to feel a whole lot stronger and I'm slowly beginning to feel that urge to go workout and that need to be moving and pushing myself further and further. And friends this is a GOOD feeling. 

This past we dedicated to trying CorePower Yoga (www.corepoweryoga.com/). Now I know im not the most flexible person ever and I've never even it never even crossed my mind to attempt yoga but I figure lets try it out and see how it goes. The class I was most interested in was HOT YOGA! This is basically a 60 minute yoga class in a room that’s at 105 degrees plus humidity! I literally loved this work out and so much so that I went every night this past week. Sure I probably looked ridiculous but by the end of the week I was totally getting it and was much more flexible and actually able to do some if not most of the poses. By the end of the hour though I was drenched in sweat more than I have ever been in my life and relaxed as well. Every muscle was stretched out and because it was basically an hour of being in a room with no one else looking at you or judging you, super chill music playing and an hour of just me time. Now yoga made me a bit nervous from the faith aspect but what was nice about the classes this week was that not one of the instructors made it about the religious practice, it was all about relaxing and getting a good work out in. I was actually able to go in and just relax and focus on me for an hour without feeling like I was compromising anything. Over all im saddest to see this week come to its end and I will likely be back soon for hot yoga again! 

....sorry for the gross picture but this is what you look like after 60 minutes of hot yoga! 

Next week on our gym tour is a place called Sweatshop which I'm excited to try since it looks like a huge party in all the videos they’ve posted and I’ve seen. So heres to a new week and a new workout!! Wish me luck with this week! 

Above all the best part of this is having a friend to go with me! Having her is really pushing me to go, the days I don’t want to she’s there to encourage me to keep to it and vice versa. Its so helpful to have someone to hold me accountable. Its also fun to have someone try all these new things with me! To be able to look silly together, to be comfortable to look like a literal hot mess together and to help me when I feel like I need that extra push! So thank you Jackie!! We got this!! 

My other (in my opinion) biggest contributor to all this has been the fact that I am meal prepping and it has been pretty much the same thing every day…boring I know but the consistency is helping a ton. I usually cook up ground turkey and split that up amongst 3 containers (prep Sunday night for Monday-Wednesday and then prep Wednesday night for Thursday-Saturday) pair that with broccoli and I have lunch set and ready to go. I do switch between that and tuna lemon & pepper and ½ an avocado. But that’s about it for lunches…clearly dinners are different because I go home and cook a real meal…but lunches I gotta keep consistent and lean and so far so good!  

what lunches now typically look like...its really yummier than you would think

Huge thanks to everyone who's still following along & i can't say it enough that all of your support is really pushing me and providing me with the motivation I need when I feel like I can cheat myself out of a workout or when I try to find a good reason to sneak in old habits! So thanks guys, you're all really appreciated and I hope that you continue to read and that through this I'm also maybe encouraging someone to also try new things and start making positive changes, cause well trust me when i say this: if I can do this ANYONE can. 

9lbs to go till my first personal goal! Slowly but surely I’ll get there! Im feeling great after week 4 and ready to keep the momentum going through week 5!

Week 3 Update: Getting past the first of many hurdles

So I think I’ve hit the point where the # on the scale isn’t dropping as drastically as in the beginning. To say that this wasn't a little discouraging would be far from the truth because it’s hard to not see that number go down as quickly as it did during the first two weeks. It’s hard to keep motivated when you don’t see the results that you want when you want to see them, but what’s keeping me going is knowing that it’s also at this point that in the past I’ve given up. When I've come to that first wall the little voice in my head would say “see I told you that you COULDN’T do it” and my constant go-to train of thought was “well I tried really hard for 2 weeks and now that the changes stopped so it’s obvious I can't do better and I’m just meant to be this way but at least I tried" or “Emily your overweight, you’ll always be overweight, so just embrace it….here have a cookie and celebrate being YOU!”…. those were the thoughts that have lead me to where I am now. Thoughts that helped me dig myself deeper into this hole. 

With this whole body-positive movement going on now it’s easy to just settle, to just accept that this is how I am and it is what it is…but in all seriousness thats a really dangerous mindset. Now please don’t get me wrong we all come in different shapes, different sizes, different everything and there’s nothing wrong with that, you should love your body and be confident in your own skin and definitely not be ashamed of it, but I think this whole “body positive” movement can be misconstrued and misinterpreted very quickly. Again let me preface this by saying there is NOTHING wrong with loving your body shape and being confident in who you are and what you look like, kudos to everyone who is happy with their bodies and can appreciate the blessing that it is! Everyone is beautiful in their own way and that means no matter what body type you have, how tall, short, thin, chubby, curvy you may be there should never be anyone who makes you feel that you aren’t good enough or beautiful enough, that type of negativity has no place being in your mind. So please don’t get me wrong I’m not anti-body-positive movement at all…just I think it can sometimes lead to some very unhealthy habits, and thats what it did for me, rather than empower me it gave me an easy out...

Now clearly im not considered the most fit person, but I'm working on this and yes I have a long road ahead of me but in the past I have personally taken the idea of being “body positive” and used it as an excuse and its when I did that, that I let myself get out of control because I would think “well you only live once why not enjoy that piece of cake” and then here I go downing a piece of portillos chocolate cake like it was my birthday. So instead of getting healthy and making the right choices here I was for years having the mindset that “this is who I am, I’ll always be like this so learn to live with it” instead I should have been thinking more along the lines of… “yes em your beautiful and you have curves, embrace them, love them, and don’t be ashamed of them, but be healthy, understand that although you may never be small this doesn’t mean you can let yourself go, take care of your body so that you can really enjoy life”. 

I completely understand that I may never be small or petite, that I will likely always have chub on me and that’s ok…its not about the numbers this is about me getting healthy! I want to get healthy, I want to live a healthy lifestyle and that doesn’t necessarily mean getting down to a size 4.  Instead what I want is to not feel tired, I want to be happy, to love my body and its curves, I want to embrace being healthy and active, I want to be strong, to be an example, I want to be proud of my body and what it can do, and where it can take me, I want to be able to have a positive outlook when it comes to myself and my body and not be ashamed of it. 

I feel like there’s always such negativity towards our bodies, nothing ever seems to be good enough, we always want to be thinner, stronger, more lean, faster, taller, shorter, curvier.  But the beauty here is to really gain an understating that there is no such thing as a perfect body. IT DOESN’T EXIST. There’s no cookie cutter made for us to fit into, we are all different and unique, and that really is something beautiful. No person will ever be the same as me or as you. We’re so quick to judge ourselves, to give up, to not feel good enough but why? Why do we beat ourselves up? What good will that do us? Ill be the first to admit that there have been countless times I put myself down, it was never from my husband, family, or friends, it was always from myself. I would be the one to put myself down and be unhappy and unaccepting of who I was. But the reality is theres always the chance to make changes, to better ourselves, to make the right choices, to move forward and push through the uphill battles and the even greater silver lining here is that we're really never alone even when we feel it most. We have God by our side and when I feel I'm at my weakest I know I can stop what Im doing and set my focus on Him and know that he will strengthen me. He will help me through even my toughest battles even if right now is just getting past the 3rd week wall I always hit. 

please excuse the Kohler box...bathroom projects on its final stages...and yes thats logan playing in the background :) 

Yes this week has been very hard for me because the number on that scale didn’t drop as much as I’ve been seeing lately and it really didn’t feel good to see that.

Yes it was discouraging to not have lost yet another 6lbs but deep down I knew that this day would come.

So instead of focusing on what I considerer to be the hardest part of this week  and the feeling of letting myself down I'll celebrate that I was able to finish 3 kickboxing classes! Yes! THREE!! I tried something new that I never thought I would ever be able to do and I loved it!  I have seen my body be pushed harder than it has in a long time, its surprised myslef by being able to endure 3 of the most fun workouts that I've ever experienced! I shocked myself by actually finishing and not giving up and that’s something that I'm going to celebrate this week! 

I'm actually able to see the inches going way, Im able to feel the strength in my legs again that I haven't felt in years, that burning feeling in my abs, arms, and legs, are all signs that I'm getting stronger and what im noticing most this week is my body aching for more. I look forward to my next work out! That’s literally something I never thought I'd say. 

So even though the pounds may not have dropped as much as I have in the past 2 weeks there was still a little bit of a loss and my body is getting stronger day by day, I'm sticking to my diet and whats most important I’m not letting the negative thoughts discourage me from moving forward towards my goal. 

So yes a single pound was dropped this week bring my total to being down 13lbs in 3 weeks which is still an accomplishment but even more exciting is seeing my clothes fit better and seeing the INCHES go away! So lets start this 4th week on a good foot, a positive one and with plans to work just as hard as the last 3! 

3...2...1...BLAST OFF!!!!

As Logan turned 12 weeks old (so many years ago) the excitement of having a newborn was still fresh in our hearts and in our lives! I loved every moment of being with him, every milestone I was able to watch him reach, every smile, every giggle, and every way he would surprise me especially as a new mom. Setting all that aside in the back of my mind was the fact that maternity leave was coming to its end and it was time to head back to work. So with a brave face and prayers said I took on another title: working mom.

Fast forward a few years and Id like to say that it was when logan turned 4 I decided that whatever free time we had just me and him would be filled with something fun! My goal was to not waste a day, because each day is really is a blessing.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come o an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Now this is a bit tougher with working full time but I make it a point to always at least try, there isn't anything worse I can do than not try to make the most of our time. Its a shame when our precious time is wasted on doing nothing…I guess God had heard my prayer and when I switched jobs I was given Wednesdays off this then gave me the chance to make Wednesday mine and Logan's day. This is a day when its just me and him, it gives me the chance to fill a day with something fun to do, to try, to see, to learn new things, to build memories because the truth is he wont be this little forever and school starts next year so our days alone are limited and September will be here before I know it. So as of right now Wednesdays are our day and have now become one of our favorite days of the week! 

Whats great about living in Illinois is that our museums have a ton of free days! YES FREE!! I absolutely love this!! We try to see as many museums as we can during these free days, last year we did the field museum, which WE ALL loved especially cause of the dinosaurs, we also did MSI which was tons of fun, lots of stuff for little ones to see and of course you cant have a summer go by without stopping by Lincoln Park Zoo (which is always free). We done the Shed when logan was younger and a second trip is probably long overdue. Today though we visited the Adler Planetarium! I have literally not been here since grade school so i was very much excited to take logan and just explore! 

Now Space is something all kids love especially boys! So I was really glad to find something fun for Logan to experience. We got there around 9:30 just as it opened and was able to get in the parking lot under the early bird special which made this mamma happy, who doesn't like to save a few bucks! because we were there as they opened we literally had the whole place to ourselves before all the field trips came (this is something to keep in mind doing free museum days, there are LOTS AND LOTS of field trips). The general admission with free with a state ID and all exhibits except for the shows are included. With logan I don't think he'd be able to sit through a show so we opted out of adding that as an extra. Regardless it was a blast tons of fun exhibits to see and for Logan and myself to enjoy! 

They even have a pretty good sized play area with a mock spaceship, slides, dress up area, and other fun imaginative play activities! This was perfect for Logans age as well as younger, and again since we made it in before the field trips Logan has the whole place to himself! We were able to see parts of a real space ship that was actually in space at one time in history, learn about our solar system, see how telescopes work, and how we explore space! Over all logan had a blast!! 

So if you have some free time and aren't sure what to do with your little one or even if you don't have kids but wanna check out the planetarium I’d say go enjoy a free day at the planetarium!! It wont cost you more than parking or bus fare!  

Week 2 Update & Sunday Family Dinner!

We made it through week 2! So I know the burning question is how did it go and has there been any progress….well….

It went great! I'm still motivated and still as excited about this journey! Week 2 went well. Easier than week 1 thats for sure! there are a couple of things I'm noticing more about myself because of the changes I've been making. The biggest is that I have more energy! I'm not as exhausted as i used to be and I'm not constantly counting the hours till bed time or craving that nap once I get home. I'm also just over all feeling better! I'm feeling calmer, I'm feeling well…healthier so clearly I'm going on the right path here. In terms of am I noticing a difference in my body yet…yes and no…there are days (like today where I totally noticed theres been a change) and there are days where i see no difference at all. There are also definite differences I the number on the scale which yes speaks volumes but I'm sure and in a way I'm waiting for myself to hit that plateau…which I KNOW will happen in due time….I know that this constant decrease in number isn't going to be as much each week especially with the fact that I've been incorporating exercise into the mix and yes if I'm being honest with you makes me a bit nervous. I'm nervous about the feelings that will come when the number doesn't drop as much as I've been used to, I'm anxious that feelings of discouragement will set in once i start building muscle which puts on a difference type of weight…but thats where I'm glad i have such amazing support from family, friends, community, co-workers. 

Its really been such a humbling experience sharing all this with you guys with the rest of the world. Please trust me when i say that to put myself out there like this is very hard for me. To be so honest about such a subject thats been so sensitive for me for countless years is not easy at all but I find that by doing this and sharing this part of my life with you guys is really a way to hold me accountable. What i didn't expect at all was the response I'm getting from everyone! I am so thankful for all your support, your kind words, your encouragement to keep going. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here with me and for really pushing me to achieve this goal of mine! 

So Im sure you're all wondering did I lose anything during week 2….and the answer is yes…the total I have lost so far is 12lbs! Trust me I was just as shocked my that number as you are! No I am not starving myself, clearly I'm sharing my dinners with you guys so please don't think that this is how thats being done. My goal was to become healthier and to do that you cant cheat and just not eat, its about changing the way I see food, the way I prep it, the way I cook it. Its about making better choices, substituting the bad with the good and a lot of saying no! I've removed a majority of the carbs I used to LOVE…no bread (Ezekiel bread has been the only type I’ve had), no pasta, no extra salts, no extra sugars, no junk food, no pop, no eating after 7pm. So with 12lbs down I’ve only got 12 more to go to reach my first goal! we’re half way there! 

Sunday Night dinners have always had a special place in my heart. Sure we have dinner together all week but there something about diner on sunday nights that just seems a bit more special. Its maybe since I have a little extra time to prep and prepare and really have the chance to try something new and not after a long day at work. Now when it comes to cold rainy nights like tonight I knew I wanted to make something comforting, filling, yummy, and of course something that both my boys can enjoy and something I can tweak in a way that I can also enjoy. So tonight called for mozzarella stuffed turkey meatballs! The recipe I used was borrowed from http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/10/slow-cooker-mozzarella-stuffed-meatballs.html  . Although instead of ground beef I substituted it with ground turkey and used a bit more garlic and onion powder in substitution for the salt, also I used gluten free breadcrumbs rather than regular. I did bake them since our sunday nap went a bit longer than I thought it would and totally didn't have time to put them in the slower cooker. 

Super easy, super yummy, and such a fun surprise when Logan bites into the meatball to find ooey, gooey cheese! what was also great about this was that I was able to serve the boys these meatballs with pasta & marinara sauce while I was able to have meatballs with  marinara and a small salad. 

So gather the family, get the conversation going, ask your little ones to help and get ready to enjoy a yummy Sunday dinner.  

Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

ingeridents: 

1lb ground turkey

1teaspoon onion powder

2teaspoons garlic 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons of italian seasoning 

1 cup breadcrumbs 

1 egg + 1 egg white

4 cheese strings diced up (each stick will give you about 6-8 pieces of cheese)

how to:

• preheat your oven to 400 degrees 
• now this part you can have your little ones join in on the fun! make sure their hands are well washed though! take your ground turkey, onion powder, garlic, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, egg and egg white and put them all in a large mixing bowl. ok time to get a little messy! with our hands mix everything together really well until every last bit is incorporated.
• once everything is all mixed in together you're going to take a small handful and begin forming a ball, take a piece of the cheese place in  the middle and cover up and continue to roll into a ball. continue to make the meatballs then placing each one on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 
• pop into the oven for 20 minutes till the meat balls are browned and cooked through. 
• while their in the oven you can cook some pasta to serve with the meatballs. 
• 20 minutes later you have delicious turkey meatballs filled with yummy gooey mozzarella cheese! again i enjoyed them just with a little marinara and the boys with pasta and marinara and a side salad! 

This Weeks Favorite Recipes & A Little food for thought

OK so I'm totally getting the hang of eating well and I'm loving this change. Not only am i learning to cook great, healthy delicious meals for my family, but I'M feeling a difference. Im more energetic, I'm not as fatigued, I'm not getting any urges to snack on things I shouldn't be having (oreos, chips & dip, chocolate, super sweet coffees), I'm just feeling like I'm better, I'm becoming the best version of me and part of that I'm realizing really has to do with not allowing myself to overdo it with the unnecessary treats. Now don't get me wrong I totally treated myself the other day to 2 ferrero roches, it was a really crappy day and needed a pick me up, cause we all need that from time  to time but what i didn't do is I didn't let myself buy a whole pack I just bought two. Whats really been working for me is limiting myself and keeping track of everything that I eat and changing my mindset. 

Another huge realization that I've come to and I regret not having done so sooner is really understanding what a gift our bodies are from God. We only have ONE thats its. This is the body that my God has blessed me with and He doesn't make mistakes He has made me with purpose, with love, He thought about me and knew my name before I was even born. So shouldn't my body really reflect that, shouldn't I be doing all I can to take care of myself the best that I can? But its like that say its never to late to start changing for the better. Trust me I know that this is an uphill battle and that its not going to happen over night but I'm more motivated than ever for this change and I'm so beyond excited that I'm doing this and there are so many other reason to what lead me to this change and those are all topics I'll share later on...cause well this whole blog thing is new too...and it takes a lot to really put everything out here for you guys to read. Whats so great is that each of you really do keep me going, keep me wanting to work harder, keep me motivated and its because of this that i do really feel a sense of accountability and thats JUST what I needed so THANKS!!! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME & WE'RE DOING THIS!

So this week I'm sure you've all seen a lot of pictures on Facebook of a few new recipes I've tried. Ill share two of our most favorite dishes from this week and these are the two that  not only did logan eat ALL of but Moe actually asked for more of! 

The First was the Chipotle Turkey Burgers I made cause guys I WAS NEEDING a burger this week! What was great about these was the fact that I made the patties form scratch I knew exactly what was in them! I also love love loved that they were finished in less than 30 minutes. I can't rave enough about these turkey burger so Ill stop here and share the recipe, try it for yourselves trust me you won't regret it! 

CHIPOTLE TURKEY BURGERS

Ingredients 

• 1lb of ground turkey
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce diced up very small (save about a 1/2 tablespoon of adobo as well)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• a small pinch of salt

How To

• put the ground turkey chipotle peppers garlic and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and with your hands mix everything together really well. Yes use your hand you'll get everything incorporated better that way. 
• once everything is mixed together well take a good handful and form a patty (really this is where you can decide how big of burger you want, I used about a handful and a little more). once formed place them on a parchment paper lined plate. 
• at this point you can either cover them up tightly and put them in the fridge till your ready to cook them or you can cook them either out on your grill or in a pan on the stove. I did ours inside in a pan on the stove only because i really didn't want to be out in 25 degree weather scrapping the grill clean and cooking outside.
• cook the patties till cooked through about 4 minutes or so on each side. 
• once done you can literally top them with what ever you'd like, i did mine with homemade guacomole, turkey bacon american cheese, tomato and onion and instead of a bun i wrapped mine in lettuce! 

side note: this was a great way to make something that the boys would love but i could also enjoy without all the bread. 

one more thing this was a recipe i used from the following blog: http://domesticate-me.com/the-dude-diet-burger-bust/

Ok our second favorite meal of the week was actually tonights turkey tacos which we will have tomorrow as well since we had left overs. This was a meal that I actually also served my brother-in-law and nephew who come over for dinner form time to time, which we love having them over for! They are awesome recipe taste testers! This dinner actually ended with them giving me the BEST compliment it was when my brother-in-law said that this dinner "tasted like home". Yup this ones going into our book of favorite dishes for sure!

We love southwest food in this house. Its always so full of flavor and spice and just overall goodness so with this whole new eat clean and healthy lifestyle change I had to find a way to take tacos and turn them healthy. So when one of my go-to blogs had Turkey Taco Lettuce wraps I just had to try them myself! Huge thanks to DamnDelicious.net for an a great week night taco dinner! Here's the link guys http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/28/taco-lettuce-wraps/ .

Go ahead and give them a try for "Taco Tuesday", "Taco Thursday",  "Taco Any-Day-That-Ends-With-The-Word-Day" day!

Taco Thursday Turkey Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup of you favorite salsa (i used rick baylass frontera roasted tomato salsa)
• 1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 cup of roasted corn 
• 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning 
• 1 can (4oz) of chopped green chilies 
• 1 tbsp of olive oil

How To

• heat up your oil in a large skillet or high edge pan. 
• add the turkey and cook through. once its all cooked drain all the extra fat. 
• mix in the salsa, seasoning, and green chilies. stir and let cook for about 3 minutes or so
• mix in the corn and black beans. 
• stir the great mixture together and let it all heat through. go ahead and take a whiff of the amazingness coming from your pan right now! 
• once done...go ahead and build your tacos guys! add your favorite toppings, sour cream, onions, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, guacamole, you name it. if your trying to cut back on carbs like me skip the tortillas or hard shells and build yourself a lettuce wrap! Enjoy!!! 

Also FYI weigh-in day is tomorrow! Excited to see what progress I've made!! 

Oh and this is the after 30 minute fast paced kick boxing workout I decided to try today! My form may have sucked but hey at least I can say I  finished!!! I didn't give up and thats whats important! 

Week One Update

Week One: 

So yes we've made it past the first week and you know what I feel pretty good! Has it been easy...ummm no not at all but am i sticking to it of course! In the one week since I've gone water only plus keeping count of calories, low carb and cooking at home (which I'm loving by the way!) I've been able to drop 6lbs! Sure it may be water weight for now cause thats what always come off first but 6lbs is 6lbs none the less. 

Im realizing more than ever its all about choices and what I have to be sure to do is make the right choices. So when were out grabbing lunch it means that instead of enjoying that burger, fries and coke, I'm choosing the salad with dressing on the side. When I'm needing something sweet at the end of the day its no longer that bar of milk chocolate with hazelnuts its a bowl of fruit. I am in charge of my choices and its really something that I can control and the fact that I'm learning how to make better choice for myself and my family is pretty amazing. Its also because of these better choices that I'm seeing these changes and if I'm completely honest I'm liking what I'm seeing and even more what I'm feeling. 

So heres to a fresh start as we begin week 2. We got this!