No such thing as a "plateau"

So right before Christmas, I had hit a plateau (dun dun dun *scary music*).  I had been exercising like a fool (because I'm one of those people who would rather work out hours a day and eat what I want) but nothing was happening.  So, what did I do? I took a "break"...and by break, I mean over Thanksgiving and Christmas I ate every bad thing I could get my hands on.  And by "bad", I mean DELICIOUS......anyway, I digress...what I SHOULD HAVE done, was pay attention to more than just the stupid scale....

So we all know about BMI.  What most people don't realize is that it's just a calculation of numbers.  The bad thing, is that it doesn't take into account your muscle mass.  It doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, so, while it's a good indicator of if you're overweight or healthy, it's definitely not the only thing you want to rely on.  Here are some great suggestions I found of what to look at and consider when you've hit the supposed "plateau" in your venture to healthy living:

Take measurements, with a good, ole' fashioned measuring tape.  Write it down.  Measure your arms, chest, waist (belly button) hips (standing feet hip-width apart and measure at your biggest area), and even calves.  Take the measurements every 4-6 weeks.  If you're losing inches, you're probably still losing fat and gaining muscle = no plateau.

Take stock of your energy levels and mood.  When you're exercising regularly, you're probably getting more sleep, your energy levels are higher, you feel better in your body, and you're overall happier with yourself.  That doesn't sound like a plateau to me!

Go to your closet.  Do your clothes fit better?  Can you fit into that smaller size? See? No plateau here.

When you think you've hit a plateau, you probably really haven't.  You're just paying attention to the scale, which, a lot like your BMI number, doesn't give you the whole story.  If you're exercising and still making an attempt to eat right, you're making a positive difference on your body.  Everything you do will pay off eventually, and is well worth the effort.  Don't give up. Your hard work is paying off!!

Recipe!

So, I tried a new recipe last night.  Super-duper easy, AND healthy!  You'll have to bear with me, as I am not one to follow a specific recipe, so these are close approximations....

Fancy Breakfast "Tacos"

Corn tortilla chips OR flour tortillas cut into triangles

Turkey bacon

Egg whites

Salsa

Shredded cheddar cheese
Cupcake pan

- Preheat oven to 350.

- Spray the cupcake pan with a little cooking spray. 

- Per "slot", put 2 tortilla chips (I had to break mine into a few pieces first to make it fit)

- Add to each, 1 tbs Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles, 3 tbs. egg whites, and 1 tbs. salsa

- bake in the oven until eggs are fully cooked (I didn't set a timer, but I think it took around 10-15 minutes?)

- Add up to 1 tbs shredded cheese after you take them out of the oven.

- If you love salt,  you might want to add a little at the end, or mix in with the egg whites before baking.

- pop them out of the cupcake slots and serve!

Not only is this recipe DELICIOUS, but it's also super healthy.  You can eat 2 "tacos" for only about 200 calories!!

I tried making a couple with flour tortillas cut into triangles in place of the corn chips, which made it look prettier, but took away the nice "crunch factor".

The top 2 are made with chips, the bottom 2 with flour tortillas

AND, for the eternal party-hoster, it's great for individual portions or finger-food type brunch!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I'm back! Sorry, forgetting to blog should be an assumption taken from the way you get to this blog. idonthavethepatienceforthis.  I didn't even have the patience to type spaces in between the words.  But I love this current blog idea, so really it's mainly because I've been super-busy traveling for work over the last week.

While I'm on the subject, and, yes, my last post was a quick workout one, but this is where I'm currently at in life. Busy, busy, busy.

SO...what I'm giving you today is time-saving tips for cooking...and cooking healthy at that.

Soup.  My mother happens to be the master at what looks to me as taking whatever she finds in the kitchen, throwing it into a pot, adding some broth, and POOF! It's the most delicious soup you've ever tasted!  Currently, my "go to" soup if I realize on Sunday night I haven't bought groceries OR even thought about my lunches for the week is Taco Soup. 4 cans of beans (black, pinto, red, kidney? I think are the 4 it calls for, but I am "bean picky" so I use 2 cans black and 2 cans pinto), 1 can corn, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1lb ground beef or ground turkey, a taco seasoning packet mixed with the meat, and a ranch packet.  Heat it up on the stove and you've got lunch for days and days (Which also leads to the point of Double or Triple-up on Quantity). It's oh-so-hearty and delicious (if you want a little somethin-somethin extra, add a little shredded cheese and sour cream....and tortilla chips)

You know who else has great soup? Whole Foods! They make several kinds, hot and ready to go everyday! so if you live close to one, check it out.

Use packaged, chopped veggies.  I personally prefer fresh veggies just because I think they taste better, but when you're short on time, you'd rather have frozen veggies than none at all, am I right?

I am also a big proponent of buying pre-cooked, frozen grilled chicken breasts and grilled chicken strips.  They are the perfect addition to salad, and add the flatout bread or sandwich thins and BBQ sauce, and you've got BBQ chicken sandwich!

For more quick tips for cooking, look HERE!!!