A Little Food Prep and a Dash of Kick in the @ss

Hey NeverEver's,

I know I have been gone for a while. With really no word here on where I been or when I was coming back. Sadly, last week was a real mental struggle for me. I felt out of place, out of room and really out of sorts. There are some decisions that will have to be made soon between the Hubby and I concerning work, money and of course our future. But the thing is that we won't be able to make the decisions until about the end of October. And I HATE waiting. I am not a very patient person. I want to know what is going on and when it is going on. A direction is what I am craving and although I understand we can't get that yet (logically) emotionally it is driving me up a wall.

So last week wasn't the best week for me. I didn't necessarily eat badly just that I usually forgot my breakfast (shakeology) and there was really no workouts at all. However, the Unleash Your Inner Wonder Woman Virtual 5k that I did on August 26th. Well this came in the mail

It is so big that I just HAD to sign up for the next race in the series the Green Lantern one. Yes I am going to finish the whole Justice League TuTu's and I can't wait!

I also did the Be Our Guest Virtual 5k on September 10th.

This one as Doctor recommend I walked it. I haven't gotten the medal for this one yet but I just LOVED the bib. So pretty (I might be a little biased as a Belle fan).

So not everything has been a down thing. I still did my walks but as usual what I have to work on is my food. Well that and to exercise more then just walking. But we will get into that.

Before I get into this weeks food prep (which is ready) I want to talk about my workout schedule.

• Monday - Rowing Class 6:00 to 7:00 pm - Home before 8pm
• Tuesday - Boot Camp 6:00 to 7:00 pm - Home before 8pm
• Wednesday - Rowing Class 6:00 to 7:00 pm - Home before 8pm
• Thursday - Boot Camp 6:00 to 7:00 pm - Home before 8pm
• Friday - Day Off
• Saturday - 5k run (I have enough of the virtuals and races to keep me busy)
• Sunday - Day Off (or an physical activity w/ the Hubby)

Also, just to be perfectly fair and honest with everyone. The Boot camp that I am starting on Tuesday is different then the one that was in the morning (I gave it to a friend of mine). I just couldn't get my @ss up in the morning. I tried everything. So, I have officially allowed myself to be a night workout person. No more fighting it. And it feels amazing!! 

Anyways, that is my schedule so it will help to make sense of my food prep. Because I am doing it a little differently. 

My main concern this week is; to get my juicing on and to make sure that the meals are easy to make. So here is my food prep. 

I have cucumber, kiwi, strawberries (not shown) and apples all cut up and ready to be juiced with some spinach for my lunch drink.

Then for dinner I have

Fresh and Easy pre-done meals. None of them have sauce or anything else fattening. They all still have to be cooked in the oven or the stove top but they are already spiced up. Which makes my job a little easier. Plus they are delicious, healthy and easy. Yes I am cheating but as I am getting home so late it is easier for the Hubby to throw these into the Oven and follow directions then if I just have them ready myself.

As for sides I have some russet potatoes with broccoli, Garlic Green Beans and,

Some Omega 3 rich penne with wheat penne mixed in. Plus the stable quinoa. Seriously, I am not sure how I survived without Quinoa for so long. It is delicious cold, hot and everything in between.

Before I leave for the night. I wanted to let you all know that I joined with Steph from OrangeSpoken Blog, who is now Self-Hosted and page is looking glorious!, to be in the #FallOffTheFat group. It is a group of people just motivating each other before the Holiday Season begins. However, this time it is all about Body Percentage and not actual scale movement. 

Which is great because over at work there is the Biggest Loser competition ( $400 is on the line + $60 monthly) that is also doing percentages. 

So, I may not be completely out of my slump but I cannot allow it to control me any longer. I have weight to lose, food to cook and money that needs to be won (Momma wants a hair cut) that I cannot allow it to stand in my way. 

Okay NeverEver's, it is time for me to get ready for my lunch tomorrow and head back into my A/C'ed room. Its hot in the kitchen and I can NOT wait for Winter...or even a cool Fall. 

Motivational Thursday - I Need It The Most

Hey NeverEver's

Welcome to Thursday on the short week. But, is it just me or does these short weeks always feel like they are super long. I hope it is just me as it is a unique kind of torture to feel like the week will never end.

However, before we get into the Motivational Thursday...which I really need today. Let me tell you why I need it.

I went to go see the doctor yesterday. About my foot pain that I have been having, especially in the mornings. Sometimes it hurts to walk on my whole foot so I have to use my toes. It is usually in the morning or if I sit down for too long. So seeing the doctor seemed like a really good idea.

Well they informed me that I have plantar fasciitis, which after many google searches I was thinking I had anyways. So I have been restricted from doing any type of running (more then a few steps). I was granted approval to walk the 5K's that I have already signed up for so that is something.

I will be going to see a specialist next week and see if I can...maybe...run the 3 miles that I need to do but it isn't looking good. I do have a set of foot exercises that I shall be doing tonight that is supposed to help stretch the feet out and help with the pain.

But...I am still restricted. I am not happy but I will push though it. The 5K's that I have coming up I will do them. So the 2 Virtual Runs (Be Our Guest and If The Shoe Fits) and the in life 5K's (Awesome 80's Run, Bubble Run and Turkey Trot) are ALL still on. My time might not be good but I shall do them.

This does mean more swimming (I SHALL do it), my rowing classes are still on but I am not sure about my boot camp. I will have to talk with them about modifications.

However, now it is time for some Motivation!!

Ok NeverEver's, it is time for me to be getting back to work, lunch hour is done ^_^, but wish me luck at the specialist!!

Simple Yet Super Effective Tips To Help Those With Hypothyroidism Get into Shape - Guest Post

Hey NeverEver's,

Welcome to Tuesday's Guest Post. Today is all about Hypothyroidism which is a Thyroid condition. Which is effecting more of us each year.

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Most of you probably understand that it’s super easy to put on weight but ridiculously hard to get rid of it. But you might be surprised to hear that it can be even harder to lose weight and get into great shape when you’re suffering from a condition known as hypothyroidism. Your life will practically flip upside down if you end up suffering with this disease and it seems that it’s getting more and more common lately.

Right now there are over 27 million individuals all over America who have been officially told by their doctor that they are indeed suffering from hypothyroidism. But you will find that the vast majority of people that have the disease are yet to be given an official diagnosis. And so they are struggling and going about their lives without getting the treatment they need to get back into good health.

On top of the fact that hypothyroidism is getting a lot more common, there’s another condition that’s also getting a lot more notoriety. It goes by the name subclinical hypothyroidism. This condition (more often than not) comes about because of poor diet and a simple change in what you eat to healthier alternatives can totally flip things around for the better. Ultimately this condition will leave the person who has it experiencing all the symptoms that are usually associated with people that have hypothyroidism, but the thing to note here is that their thyroid will be working as normal!
 
Anyone with a low thyroid will find that they’ll have a really slow metabolism which will ultimately lead to them burning a lot less calories than a normal individual.

A person who has hypothyroidism will basically have thyroid glands that are not producing enough of the hormones, T3 and T4. These hormones are directly responsible for making sure that your metabolism runs as it should be running.

So not having enough of them will mean that you’re not going to be burning as many calories as normal. Hence the reason why people with an underactive thyroid find it so darn hard to actually lose the weight they want to lose.

However if you’re prepared to follow and implement the tips that I share below then you’ll be well on your way to losing the weight you want to lose, even if you’ve got hypothyroidism.

Get a Fully Qualified Doctor To Check You Out and Diagnose You


The most essential step of all is going to be to make sure that you get your local doctor to diagnose and then proceed with treatment if it’s deemed that you’re actually suffering from hypothyroidism.

How you end up being diagnosed will actually depend upon the results of the blood test that you’re given. This test will essentially be measuring exactly how much T4, T3 and thyroid stimulating hormone you have running about inside your body. You’ll only be told that you have an underactive thyroid if the test results come back to show that you have high levels of thyroid stimulating hormone and low levels of T3 and T4.

Should the doctor find out that you’re suffering from hypothyroidism they’ll move onto the next stage which is to give you some sort of synthetic T4. The most common form of medication that doctors usually prescribe is something that goes by the name of levothyroxine. It’s been designed to specifically get your levels of thyroid hormone right back into the healthy range.

Start To Get Your Diet as Clean As Possible


There’s no other step that’s going to be more instrumental to your weight loss success when you have hypothyroidism than making sure that you eat as clean and healthy as possible. This is the one step that will seriously help you get into amazing shape in no time at all. Every single meal you make from now on has to include a portion of vegetables and a good portion of protein.

While we all know that vegetables are really great for our us, few of us know just how important protein is when it comes to losing weight. Not only is it very satiating but it also helps to prevent any of your muscle mass from deteriorating. This of course is extremely important because the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism is going to be and the more weight you are going to end up burning.

Start Consuming High Fiber Foods and Cut Out Foods Rich in Sugars!

While getting on a clean and healthy diet is all well and great for helping you get into amazing shape, nothing is going to be detrimental than continuing to consume junk foods. You need to make sure that you stop eating all those processed junk foods because they are doing nothing but causing you to gain more and more weight!  Instead of junk, you need to focus on consuming foods that contain a whole lot more fiber in them.

The wonderful thing about foods high in fiber is that they will help you avoid getting any sort of long term constipation which is very, very common among people who have hypothyroidism. The wonderful thing about fiber is that it’s also extremely satiating which is great news when you’re trying to lose weight and get into great shape.

Exercise on a Regular and Consistent Basis

You might be surprised to hear this but even doing a few minutes of exercise every single day is enough to really get your metabolism to go up and up. So regardless of how busy and hectic your days are you’re going to want to do your best to get involved in some sort of exercise routine.

You’ll see even more remarkable results if you get yourself involved with doing things like weight training. Not only will you be burning calories during the exercise but you’ll also be helping your body build up muscle mass which is going to in turn boost up your metabolism.

You're going to end up shedding a lot more weight over the long term when you have a really high metabolism, and you'll be closer to getting the dream body that you’ve always wanted.

Always remember that the key to losing weight when you have hypothyroidism is to make sure that you’re consistent in the process.

Just make sure that you keep a positive attitude every single day and that you keep working toward the goals that you’ve set yourself. Do this and believe me it’s only going to be a matter of time before you end up in truly exceptional shape! It really is as simple as that my friend!

Nothing is going to be more helpful toward you getting into amazing shape than making sure that you check out Hydrothyroidism Diet Plan right this minute. There you will find all the information you will ever need to get into truly remarkable condition.

Susan Upton has a deep passion for helping people who suffer with hypothyroidism overcome their symptoms and move onto living healthy and meaningful lives.

Her passion comes from having gone through the experience of living with an underactive thyroid for many years. After suffering with symptoms like being tired all the time and gaining a lot of weight she decided enough was enough.

So she went on a mission to overcome the disease and thankfully after improving her nutrition and living an active lifestyle she now lives a healthy and meaningful life. Go check out some other awesome content written by her!

September Plan & Goals

Hey NeverEver's,

Can you believe that it is already September? I am still thinking that it is July or something around that time! Where has this year gone?

So I am not sure where you all live but here in So Cal for most of the summer it has been a really cold summer. Temps not really going over 85, and those were hot days. But, this last few days it feels like Summer is finally here...and it is almost the end of Summer, Ironic. Nevertheless, I am dying in my house...and outside isn't much better. Can it be cool again? I am a Fall person myself. I can not wait for the Fall and even Winter to get here. I have never been much of a Summer person.

But tomorrow, I am happy that it will be a little hotter then normal this year. Reason why...I am trying paddle boarding!!

And yes that is exactly how I am going to be looking out there in the Ocean. I just know it! No falling in...No falling off (actually I will be pretty shocked if I don't fall at least 2x!). I am though really looking forward to heading out there. It is a 2 hour tour in Malibu that I got with Groupon. So I am planning for it to be awesome! 

Instead for this month of creating a calendar I am trying out a goal picture. Here is what I came up with. I do have to say it was easier to create then the calendar. That requires so much more copy & paste ^_^.

I do want to focus on the soda part. I really need to kick that horrible habit and I can think of only good things that will come once the soda has been stopped.

It also has my exercises on it and my goal for some more home cooked meals. I really haven't been doing well on that since my sickness.

Also, there is a reason why I am not doing food prep today. Actually two reasons. The first is that it is too hot to do anything in the kitchen and the second is that it will be cooler tomorrow and nothing at all planned after Paddle Boarding in the morning. All the better to do it tomorrow ^_^

I also joined a challenge for this Month. It was originally created by Work Hard - Eat Clean - Be Fit - With Jennifer Morgan, who has amazing workouts. If you haven't liked her facebook page I would highly recommend it. Even on the days when I don't want to do anything her posts and pictures make me want to workout.

But this challenge is from Challenge Loop, which is an awesome place for Healthy Challenges. It will help me to get on track for the Biggest Loser challenge we have at work.

Which I haven't told you all about. It started on Friday, 9 of us weighed in. Currently the pot is over $200 with a $60 monthly prize. It is going on until November 31st. Hubby and I already agreed that I can use the monthly pot, once won, for anything I want it for. But the big pot, once won ^_~, will be going to a PS4. 

So if Halloween wasn't enough reason, if the Holiday season isn't enough, if just plain being healthy isn't enough that pot sure enough will be ^_^. 

Ok NeverEver's, that is all for me. I am going to take a really cold shower and hope this heat wave passes over night. I don't do well in hot weather. I hope you are all ready for September!! Are you doing any challenges?