The Big AHA!

Good morning everyone!  Today I just wanted to talk a little bit about my intensions of this blog.  My basic goal is to help inspire someone, anyone to get to that AHA! moment. That moment when it all just clicks.  That moment when you know you are going to make that change to better your health FOR REAL this time. 

That moment for me was trying on a pair of jeans at Express.  I was in the dressing room jumping around, wiggling, and doing low squats (ladies, you know what I'm talking about!) trying to get this pair of jeans to squeeze over my "hail damaged" thighs and oversized ass.  At that moment, standing there, staring at myself in the mirror and sweating from the struggle with the jeans, I realized..."It doesn't have to be like this!" "You can do something about it!"  And I did!  I changed my eating and exercise habits.  That moment changed my life. I want everyone to experience that moment when you know that it's going to be different this time.  It's not going to be some fad diet and a couple of days walking on the treadmill.  It's going to be a lifestyle change and you are going to get healthy! 

It was and still is hard at times.  There are days that I just DO NOT want to go to the gym or go out for a run.  Then I remember that feeling I had in the dressing room that day and I think, "what's 1 hour of your day?"  Everyone can spare 1 hour or even a half hour for that matter each day to take care of themselves.

If you are not sure how to get started you can just ask me any questions you may have.  I would love to hear about other people's experiences!  Another great way to get some ideas about fitness and nutrition is to join the Tone It Up Bikini Series.  These ladies are awesome and have such a great community following them!  Check them out at www.toneitup.com!  Their site is a great motivator for sure!  I did their workout of the day yesterday...talk about sweaty mess!  Whew!



That's all I've got for now...

XOXO
Halie

Unexpected Encounter

So, last night I was sitting at home catching up on Grey's Anatomy and I decided that I needed a snack.  I found some candied walnuts in the kitchen that my boyfriend had brought home from work.  They were a sample, so they were not in their original packaging, therefore no ingredient label.  Against my better judgment, I ate them anyway and I paid the price later.  The candy coating on the nuts must have contained gluten, because I had a horrible stomach ache all night!  I'm still feeling it this morning.  Ugh!  Reminder to self, DO NOT eat anything without a label!  I'm still new to this no gluten thing and it's a learning process.  I will know better next time.

To add salt to my wounds, my boss brought in Panera bagels for the office staff this morning... waahhh!  I will NOT give in!  Oh well, I have my delicious LARABAR that I brought for breakfast instead.  My boss did inform me that she asked the people at Panera if they carry a GF bagel.  Of course they don't, but hey, it's the thought that counts!

I usually make very good decisions about what I eat.  Of course, there are times when I splurge and eat junk.  Like ice cream for instance... I LOVE ice cream!  I could probably eat it for dinner if I allowed myself.  Oh wait, I did eat it for dinner the other night!  Oops!  Apparently when my boyfriend goes out of town for work, my eating habits go out the window.  I went to the gym and had an excellent workout and had good intentions to go home and eat the healthy meal of zucchini "noodles" and homemade marinara sauce (recipe at the bottom) that I had planned.  Well, I was sweaty from the gym and it was 90+ degrees out.  There just happened to be a Dairy Queen on my way home and I gave in to the ice cream.  I could have just ordered a small peanut butter cup blizzard, but oh no, I had to get the large!  Ugh!  Bad choices!

I made up for the bad choice of "dinner" by killing it in Cardio Fusion class last night.  Or at least it felt like I made up for it.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  Oh well, my boyfriend comes home today so hopefully I will get back on the wagon.  Or is it off the wagon?  I can never remember.. ha!  And I have a date at the gym with the Tone It Up girls tonight!  Bikini Cardio, Malibooty and Bikini Abs are on the Bikini Series schedule for tonight!  I'll let you know how it goes!

Until next time...

XOXO                                                   Follow me on Instagram @GF_RunnerGirl
                                                              and on Twitter @GF_RunnerGirl
Halie <3


For those of you who are interested in the zucchini "spaghetti" that I was referring to above, here is the recipe...

For the noodles:
 Lay the zucchini on it's side on a cutting board and use a vegetable peeler, or julienne peeler to make thin ribbons.  I used 2 small zucchini.

For the sauce:
Combine 2 roma tomatoes, 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, 1 clove fresh garlic, a pinch of fresh basil and oregano, and pepper to taste in a food processor.  That's it!  simple right?!  Yummy!

I eat it raw to take advantage of all the nutrients from the veggies, but you could warm it up if you'd like!  Here's the finished product.  My zucchini are not very "ribbon" like due to my crappy vegetable peeler, but you get the idea.