Keeping Active, Even in Winter

Over the holidays I took a 2 week break from my exercise routine and I didn't really watch what I ate. By January 1st I was craving healthy foods and a few good runs. I actually decided that it was time to put some strength training back into my workouts as well. So, I went to my 'fitness motivation' board on pinterest and started to put all of those workout to the test.

I moved my workouts in the gym up to 9am so that I could avoid the afternoon rush or new years resolution people, and found that I really enjoyed workign out at that time, so I have kept it up. Since I eat oatmeal for breakfast around 7:30, by 9 it is all settled and I can get a really good run in. I turn on Kelly and Michael and they are commercial free for about 15 minutes, so the time flies by. I do a 30 minute run on the treamill at 1.0 incline and 6.0 mph.

Then I grab a yoga mat and do a combination of crunches, squats, lunges, planks, arms and pushups.

My workouts are about 45 minutes long total and I haven't had a problem making it through one yet. At home I'm doing a more intense circuit of strength moves that I can do while Remy is in the jumper or something like that. She is not into letting me do a video and we need to get a tire pump before I can use the jogging stroller again. I have found that even just a little strength workout makes me feel better and motivates me to eat better so that I don't completely cancel my hard work out.

I am eating a lot more fruit. My snacks consist of:
Clementines
bananas
apples
cottage cheese
carrots and hummus/laughing cow cheese
celery & pb
oatmeal
cinnamon life cereal
marshmallows/ m&ms (hey, I still indulge each day!)
mini tootsie rolls
green tea
coffee
pretzels
cereal

For breakfast my go tos are:
oatmeal (plain and not from a packet)
greek yogurt
1/2 wheat wrap (40 calories for 1/2) with pb and banana
whole wheat english muffin with spray butter
cereal (multigrain cheerios or corn flakes are my current faves)
coffee (of course!)
2 egg whites and turkey sausage on either an english muffin or 1/2 wrap
fruit! strawberried, bananas or blueberries usually

Lunch:
Salad with low cal dressing and iether lunchmeat or grilled chicken on top
1/2 wrap with chicken or lunchmeat, 1/2 slice cheese
carrots with hummus or laughing cow wedge
pretzels
soup
goldfish

Night Snack: this is usually when I eat my sweets. Ill have a hershey candy, m&ms, a brownie/cupcake from the freezer, whatever!

My dinners vary. I make a lot of chicken and lately a decent amount of shrimp. I try to keep carbs low and am actually thinking of giving them up for Lent. Not sure if I could really do that though so maybe Ill keep it to once or twice a week.

I am down 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. My clothes are fitting loose and I've had to buy new pants and now new bathing suits (but lets face it, I have a swim suit addiction and would have bought new ones anyway!). It seems that my ass left, along with my muscle and now my bottoms dont fit me!

A and I are headed to Key West at the end of February so I have even more motivation to work hard and make good food decisions. I think the week or week and a half before we go we will be pretty strict so that we can then indulge on our vacation. But the above is just a lifestyle and no longer a diet for me.

Have you guys found it easy to be good during the winter or are you stil leating lots of comfort food with the cold weather still here? I always find it easier to eat healthy in the winter and harder in the summer when all I want is beer, burgers and to go out and sit on a restaurant patio!

How to get out of a plateau?

So, Im on my 4th straight week of healthy eating and working out like never before. I cook all but 2 of my meals for the week, I eat the right amount of calories, I use lean protein and no butter, I cut back on my carbs and I eat breakfast. I have incorporated weights into my gym routine and average 40 minutes a day of cardio, and I haven't dropped a pound. What gives?? It's not just that I havent seen numbers change on the scale (i havent gotten on one since the last time when I had gained a ridiculous amount of weight) it's that my clothes aren't even fitting differently. I know that muscle isnt taking the place of all of my fat. So today I'm going to try to find away my plateau.

I started this morning with oatmeal and added 2 tbs of flax seed. Its full of fiber and supposed to be very good for you. This afternoon I plan on mixing up my workout. Some high intervals on the treadmill and then maybe the stairmaster. I havent been doing high hintervals but they say it scorches fat, so Im willing to start it up. I'm also going to look into investing in a protein powder. There are just so many kinds that Im at a loss of what is best of me and what I want. But maybe Im just not getting all the protein I need in my diet. Could that be hindering the weightloss? I'm not sure but I am determined to get to the bottom of this!

It is nice and cool out this morning here in Orlando and the air felt so clean and relaxing as I walked into work. I brewed myself a stemy cup of coffee and added my pumpkin creamer, so it feels like a real fall day. If only it would stay well below the forcasted 89 degrees.