You'll Never Know Unless You Try

So one of the reasons why I started blogging was to keep a resolution I had made for  this year. Another resolution I set out for myself is to try new things. I have always had good intentions for trying something new or different but was always making those excuses again! I was too tired, too busy, too sick, too expensive, too far, too this, or too that BLAH BLAH etc…You get the picture! Anyways so one of the new things I am trying is at least one new healthy recipe every week. I've always been a HUGE veggie hater, so trying to find new veggies and different ways of preparing I've found is quite effective. SIDE NOTE: I also found just forcing yourself to eat a certain veggie you dislike 2x a day for like 2 weeks works too, just not as pleasant. I can eat broccoli now like a champ after my broccoli boot camp! LOL Anyways here are some of my new recipes I've cooked up and so far. I've liked every recipe, as well my husband and kids!

Jamie Eason Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Here are the Meatloaf Muffins Cooking.

This is a super awesome recipe, it is great for on the go snacks, quick to make(even with little kids running around), easy ingredients that you probably have on hand right now, so incredibly delicious and healthy for you!

This is my roasted veggie platter. 

To all my other veggies haters, listen up! This is so good, seriously you need to try it. Great recipe to start enjoying veggies and trying new ones! I love a huge assoratment of veggies too! I like all the colors but I also love all the different nutrients I'm getting, plus somehow they seems to all compliment each other.  

This is Hummus Crusted Chicken. 

I love grilled chicken but in the winter its kind of difficult to grill. I have been looking for some good baked chicken recipes that I can make indoors that are healthy, quick, and good. This one was amazing, I defintely recommend . You can make your own hummus or just use some store bought one! I used a roasted red pepper hummus for this chicken.

This week I'm going to be trying some new breakfast recipes. I used to LOVE making breakfast and getting up early, but with my RA mornings are just the worst. The recipes are Egg White Veggie Muffins and Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal. The great thing about both of these recipes is that you can pre make them and just heat them up in the morning for quick, easy , and healthy breakfasts. Some mornings I just need all the help I can get, so I'm hoping these will help with rough mornings.

This resolution has been fun so far! I like finding new ways to eat healthy and I hope others do too!  And don't be nervous about trying new things, you'll never know unless you try!!

12 Week Challenge

I'm challenging myself to 12 weeks of clean eating and working my butt off at the gym! Another one of my resolutions for 2015 was to really modify my diet & push myself harder at the gym. I'm hoping this 12 week challenge will really get me into some good habits and jumpstart some of my fitness goals for this year. The program I'm following is from Bodybuilding.com (and no you don't have to be a bodybuilder to go on that website like I had once thought) They had so many programs to choose from for all ages, and from beginners to bodybuilders, from gaining strength to losing weight, just so much to offer! The program that I chose to do is called Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer. I really like how her 3 phases of the program breaks down and I'm really excited to see where it takes me.  The first phase is focused on building muscle and good habits for a strong foundation. There is no cardio in the first phase, which I'm not too sad about :) Phase 2 then adds cardio and cuts some carbs from the diet, this will help sculpt muscle and burn body fat (excited for that part!) . Then Final Phase 3 is HIIT training, carb cycling, and super setting with weight lifting.  She also has lots of great recipes to try! They are good for you and they are so DELICIOUS. Turkey Meatloaf Muffins are TO DIE FOR, no joke! Anyways, one of the best parts of this program is that it is TOTALLY FREE!!!! I've never really commited myself to any program or changed my diet/exercise routine dramatically for 12 weeks, so this will really be a challenge! I hope to really gain some good habits, gain strength, and gain confidence with this 12 week challege. If anyone else wants to join me, please do! I'd love some accountability and encouragement.  Here's to a Great Year!

Are you STRONG enough?

A lot of times in my life I have those moments where I question my strength? Am I strong enough for this? Can I do this? Will I make it through this day, week, or year?  Some days I say I can't and give up, other days I take on that challenge or trial and though painful I make it through and come out stronger in the end.  The strength we may be fighting for could be different, maybe its physical strength, emotional strength, mental strength, or even spiritual strength. But there is one thing we can ALL count on and that is this: "You were GIVEN this life because you ARE strong enough to live it." God never gives us anything we can't handle, and He never puts circumstances/trials in our life that we cannot overcome.

Today I had a pretty rough morning, a routine doctor appointment that turned into a 3 hour nightmare and still is not quite settled. I really felt defeated and upset. Along with other circumstances going on in our life it was like the straw that broke the camel's back. I totally broke down once I left the doctor's office. I felt so weak and like I kept getting hit while I was already down.

 I went on with my day feeling very deafeated and down about all these different things.  Then after dinner and putting the kids to bed, I went to workout (which I really had to remind myself about my NO EXCUSES resolution, cause I REALLY did not want to go).  

At the gym, I had time to think about my day and kind of replay it in my mind. I started feeling guilty about my bad attitude towards the circumstances/trails in my life. I felt bad that I questioned my strength and then I felt bad because I was then questioning God's strength and His plan for my life. 

So there on that elliptical sweating out some serious emotions, I deciced to let things go that are out of my control and let God take over. He will give me the strength I need, no matter what life will throw at me.  For in my weakness, He is strong. I do have to remind myself this constantly. 

So maybe in your life you have something that you feel is something you cannot overcome, or something you feel not strong enough to do in your life. Well you are not alone, I'm sure we all have been there at one point or another but remember this- "You were give this life because you are strong enough to live it." 

I hope this encourages someone today because this little phrase really turned my day around and my attitude. :) Until next time!! :)

- Stephanie A.

Ready for 2015..

Almost every year one of my resolutions or goals is to start a blog. I've always thought it would be fun and also a good way for me to remember some of the ups and downs of life . Especially with my little kids, I want to remember some of the fun little moments, or cute little phrases or silly things they said. I also want to be able to look back and see growth in my life, I want to always strive to be better than I was before, to constantly be changing so I can be the best me. This means mentally, physically, spiritually and intellectually.  SO  this year, I said stop making excuses and DO those things you want to do, become that better person!  This blog is one of my goals for this year, to document my journey of life with no excuses. I have many other goals for this year which I plan on sharing on later posts. Each of my goals for this year has a specific reason in my life and why I am choosing to do it and what I hope to accomplish by completeing that goal. For all of you who do have resolutions or goals for this year I hope we can inspire and motivate each other to accomplish them whether small or big! Let's stop with excuses and start telling ourselves reasons why we CAN instead of reasons why we CAN'T. :)

- Steph