WE are responsible.

I am sad today.

I am sad because in only 16, short days I was able to lose 9lbs 

and look and feel like a leaner version of myself.  

16 DAYS!

Why hadn't I put the parts together sooner?  It's not like I don't know the right foods to fuel my body.  I felt like those "cheat" snacks/meals wouldn't make that big of a difference?

I kept telling myself, you're a 30-something who works out hard and runs 5-6 days a week, so if the food slacks off a little, no big deal? 

It comes down to the fact that WE are responsible for ourselves.  I am responsible for keeping myself in check.  Nobody else is going to do it for me, 

I have to do it and want it for myself.  And you must do the same for you.  No more failed diets.  No more saying you'll start on Monday!  START NOW!  

If you need any help, suggestions, guidance 

please email me rissarose80@yahoo.com anytime!

there's NO excuses for any of us!  that means YOU too!!  

And our children too.  They watch, they consider us their role models-the ones they look to for guidance and if we're showing signs of healthy living, our hope is that they will mirror those actions, right?  Even if you aren't overweight, healthy eating and exercise SHOULD be a priority with your family too.  

And the foods are about 80% of it.  I am proof of it.  Even if you are a healthy eater and workout, as I pretty much was-the foods need to be perfect in order to burn calories efficiently and it will create the leanest version of yourself!  

Is that a booty back there?  Wow.  I haven't seen a booty on my back side in years!  

Seriously it's sad, people. The squats, lunges and interval training must be doing my booty good!  

But there's MUCH more work to be done :)

Daily eats! 
I figured I'd share with my readers so that you can get an idea of what our daily routine looks like...*and make sure you're drinking plenty of water!  Like lots and lots of water!  keep it at your desk, on your counter, somewhere close by!

Breakfast:
1-2 eggs and 2 protein pancakes!  These were tasty but next time I'll probably add a little cream cheese to the top or some sf syrup.  
you'll need:
1/2 c oats
1/3 banana
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla
2/3 scoop vanilla protein powder
Mix and pour, cook as you would regular pancakes and BAM!  
Breakfast is served...a high protein breakfast, that is!

Snack Time:
Quest Bar was nice enough to send us 3 sample boxes of all of the flavors.  
A tip with these low carb, high protein bars?  Put them in a bowl or plate, microwave for 30 seconds, top with a little PB and you've got high protein dessert!  WARNING:  it's delicious!  
*Our fav's so far-chocolate peanut butter, chocolate brownie and apple pie!  Yum Yum!

Lunch:
Low carb/high fiber wrap
spinach
broccoli slaw
avocado hummus - Makes 4 servings,
1 avocado
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
extra virgin olive oil
squeezed 1/2 lemon
Mix until consistency you prefer!
A little Plain Greek Yogurt and a cheese stick.  

*Snack was one of my simple green smoothies which I look forward to every day!  
Have you tried one yet?  Those of you that have emailed me or contacted me on Instagram-
you are doing tremendous, keep up the hard work and it will pay off in a HUGE way!  Stay focused

Dinner: 
Broiled chicken-this is a great alternative to firing up your grill and it gives the same flavor in half the time and hassle.  I suggest preparing quite a bit of this and having it for meals all week. I'm thinking salad toppings, chicken wraps...the possibilities are endless because this chicken is THAT good!
Broiled Chicken- marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts in ff Italian dressing with a little pepper.  Set broiler to low(mine has high/low settings).  Set rack about 5-6 inches from top of oven.  Broil on one side for 10 minutes, then flip and another 10 on opposite side until chicken is cooked all the way through.
You'll get that chargrilled look right out of the oven!  SO good!  We all ate this up and my boys kept saying it was the best chicken EVER!  It was seriously delicious.  Very tender and juicy!
Homemade sweet potato fries- so good and SO easy!
slice and peel sweet potato into thin slices.  
Spray pan with cooking spray
Toss "fries" in extra virgin olive oil, pepper and garlic powder or any other seasoning you'd like!  Then spread on baking sheet.
Bake at 425 for about 20-30 minutes or until crispy.  I tossed a few times while on pan to get even cooking.
Steamed Cauliflower- Saute a little turkey bacon and onion in a pan, add head of cabbage sliced thick.  Steam until soft or texture you'd prefer.  

If you get creative in the kitchen, you'll be amazed at how fabulous clean, healthy cooking can taste.  As I've said before, the last time I was really strict with my foods, I failed after a while because it consisted of turkey patties, tuna, brown rice, egg whites and kashi cereal.  Now that we've expanded our food choices by A LOT, we are finding that this way of eating and lifestyle is something we can continue for a lifetime of health and happiness!

And please PLEASE keep in mind, my husband and I are working out HARD. 1-2 hours of cardio and strength training. 6 days/week! And just another pic so I can see the progress I am making :-) its a great idea to snap photos along the way. Seeing is believing and your body will transform before your eyes! START TODAY if you haven't already!