sharing my journey

First of all being a woman and admitting that we have faults is okay.  
We are not perfect.  But we try our best to do what's best for ourselves and for our family.  
We have crazy days where we think the world is out to get us.  We feel defeated by work, school, housekeeping, after school or work activities...it drains us.  We may fall short and not accomplish everything we set out to accomplish each and every day and THAT'S OKAY.  

I think sharing my faults is what helps me to reflect on my journey and where it all began.  

I have always been honest with all of you regarding my faults.  My unhealthy past and my daily struggles with weight and food.  I am okay sharing this in the hopes that some of you find comfort in knowing you are NOT alone on this journey.  

Losing weight and getting healthy is HARD.  

If it wasn't hard we'd all be doing it without ANY excuses, wouldn't we?  

First step: For me, I wake up every day and give myself a little pep talk about what I achieved the day before.  Those little goals should count for something too!  
You've cut back on sodas? GREAT!  You chose a nice, balanced lunch packed with protein and other nutrients instead of that XL cookie sitting in the workroom or kitchen?  GREAT!  
Celebrate that!  It's a BIG deal!  
Little steps are all part of the journey.  Getting through each day can be tough when trying to change your lifestyle, so do it with confidence and be proud of every HEALTHY choice :)  

I try to focus on my strengths and YOU SHOULD TOO!  
As women I think we often times focus on the negative..."If I was taller, thinner, shorter, had smaller thighs, longer legs" and the list goes on and on...Am I alone here?
If we focus on the little victories too, we will probably find less time to complain and focus on the negative. 
* I'm talking to myself here too, ladies!  

     I was speaking with some ladies that I had the privilege of sweating and working out with yesterday.  I was telling them a little of my journey and honestly, some of my reflections and looking back made me want to cry.  
Was I ashamed of my faults?  No way, I learned from my past and use it as a guide into my healthy future!  
     I guess I was sad to know that I wasted so many years NOT living.  I was hiding.  Hiding behind that fake smile, acting like life was so amazing when in reality my life centered around a false sense of happiness. Food.  It controlled most of my life.  It prevented me from doing all of the things I had wanted.  It held me back from playing sports because I was terrified of being called "the fat girl".  I ate in private, afraid of someone seeing how self-destructive my life truly was at that time.  It was a cycle and I had it down perfectly...it was like this, 
Had a tough day, drive thru=make it all better, eat that food left only wanting more, went home and cried.  Felt like I had let myself down again.  Wait, tomorrow's a new day right?  Right.  I'd wake up with good intentions, HUGE goals and come lunch time, I'd find a Taco Bell grab a mexican pizza and a bean burrito and have it eaten by the time I had pulled out of the parking lot :( but it's okay I'd do better tomorrow.  Only finding myself at Olive Garden devouring breadsticks and pasta-no salad needed or wanted and here came that cycle all over again...
But wait, surely a drastic diet would change all of that?  Okay let's try the cabbage soup and grapefruit diet, this must work?  And YES it would work for a day or two then a friend would call asking if I'd like to go to dinner.  Should I turn them down?  No way, I want to be social and hang out with my friends...bring on the Mexican food and chips!  Oh who can pass up deep-fried, salty deliciousness!  YIKES!  

And folks, this WAS my life for soooo long....

Then something clicked.  My life changed forever that first day at the gym.  I was nervous, afraid and anxious.  I had allowed myself to get out of control and let unhealthy behaviors lead my life.  How could I ever change my life if I kept giving up on myself for so long? 

I FINALLY decided that I would not allow FOOD to control my life...ever again!  And once I proved that to myself and found people around me that actually supported me and wanted me to be healthy, my life changed forever and I will always be grateful for the journey...past, present and future!

  
Do I still struggle with faults, by not living by and exceeding all of my expectations that I have set for myself and my family? YES.  But the good news is that it's okay.  
In order to change our lives permanently and shed that yo-yo aspect of life where we gain, lose, gain, lose we must give ourselves credit.  Push ourselves and set standards for the way we want our lives to be.  
Why live life by just getting by?  Don't we want to soak it all in, live it to its fullest?  Enjoy every moment with our children and grandchildren?  If so then we must reflect, set goals and give ourselves credit for the things that we achieve each day!

Did you park further from office or school?  Did you take the stairs?  Did you pack a power breakfast that will keep you feeling fuller, longer?  Will you pack your workout clothes with you today and decide that 30-45 minutes of sweating is something you WILL do?  Did you create a healthy meal WITH your family?  Order that dressing on the side?  Decide to go with the non-creamy sauce or fried option for a dinner with friends?  Speak to your husband and children about healthy foods and that you'll work TOGETHER to be healthy?  Or maybe you decided that instead of playing video games, your family will play a game of football or hide and seek in the backyard?  BE PROUD OF THAT!  Because what you're doing today will impact your family for a LIFETIME...it's a fact!  

Okay enough emotional blah blah blah, LETS EAT!!!!

Move It Momma's Chicken Salad variation- 

Yes, I've shared a dozen chicken salad recipes but this one was REALLY good and had to share it too!  I served this on a lettuce wrap using the Hearts of Romaine that can be found in your vegetable section-outside aisles of the store! It can be bought in strips to where it looks and serves like a tortilla!  How brilliant!  8oz boneless skinless chicken breast-cooked.  You can use rotisserie, canned or fresh boiled, baked or grilled here.  
10 grapes, cut in half
chopped onion and celery, however much you'd like to your family's liking!
1 heaping tbs of Plain Greek yogurt
Mix and SERVE!  
TIP:**This is a great item to double up and place into containers for easy meal ideas!  There's no room for error or failure when it's all right there, made for you.  I even pre-chop many of my onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic for grab n go use!  Then you simply dump and stir!  Doesn't get any easier than that :)

*I served my husband's on a 1/2 whole wheat/low carb tortilla with the mixed greens in there too!  SO much flavor without the added fat of mayo and other ingredients.  Pictured below:

The ladies that inspired me yesterday!  They made NO excuses.  NEVER QUIT.  They pushed through and made time and effort to better themselves.  To be healthy for themselves, their families.  They made their health a priority and showed what incredibly STRONG women they are!  Thank you ladies!

I shared my banana goodness on 
Instagram.com/MoveItMarissa 
and on facebook.com/TheMoveItMomma 
but wanted to share with you all of in case you missed it!  
My boys wanted dessert and so I grabbed things and started creating...
1 banana, cut in half.  
1 tbs Natural PB spread on each and then sprinkled with Rice Krispies.  Yes, I've made these rolled in Kashi and other cereals but decided that the rice krispie crunch would be different for them!  
I popped these into the convection oven at 300 for about a minute and they came out a little melty and the banana was perfectly soft!  Gave the boys each a 1/2 and a spoon and they ate it all up saying it was THE best dessert ever!!! Not too shabby for a snack I made in 2 minutes!  

Keep it creative AND healthy...and yes it is possible.  Don't think because you have a "picky eater" you are out of luck.  It's NOT true!  Hang in there!

My salmon patties I posted previously were made AGAIN and added to mixed greens!  Don't even need dressing because the flavor of the patties...

Tried a variation on the banana oat cookies I posted a few days ago by using 2 bananas, 1 cup oats, lots of cinnamon and a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.  Oh this was yummy!  

and my meal 3 from yesterday I decided to live on the edge and add a little sprinkle of Parmesan for flavor...Mmmmm!  
This is turkey breakfast sausage by Jenni-O sauteed with onion, mixed veggie Steamables and 1/2 c long grain brown rice.