Less IS More

 Ahhhh, the weekend

     I always look forward to the weekend. There's just something about the potential of a weekend that excites me.  The options to get a bunch a things marked off the "to-do" list or "to-do" absolutely nothing. But "nothing" can foil one's decision to eat healthy and be active like the weekend. Impeccable eating and exercise plans can quickly fall by the wayside when bar-b-ques and celebrations are imminent. Hopefully, someone out there was able to enjoy some festivities of some sort. on this glorious weekend.
     The opposite was the case for this mamacita. The virtual classroom has had me on lock down since Saturday at 7:30 am. No "festiviousness" for this chica. (Festiviousness is a word my eldest brother coined years ago and I LOVE IT, so there!) I know this can reek havoc on the healthy lifestyle so I decided to take action. IN OTHER WORDS, I had a plan. PLAN B. You will have to catch up on PLAN A from earlier posts. But Plan B went as follows:

• I knew that hours of sitting meant few calories were going to burned. I would have to take every opportunity to get up and DO something. We went for a walk as a family for our first 15 minute break. AWESOME!!
• I had gone to the store earlier and stocked up on fruits and veggies and nuts and yogurt.

 You see people, calories are the amount of energy in food. If you put a bunch of energy in but don't get any out, you will gain weight. Over the next few days I am going to go into more detail about the variety of calories and how they work in the body, but for now, just understand that calories have to be burned so they don't just sit there and add up. =WEIGHT GAIN

• I chose foods that didn't have many calories (fruits, veggies) or that the calories they did have took more energy for the body to process (nuts, yogurt).
• During the lunch break, I made sure to be busy around the house (sweeping, pulling weeds, lunging around the pool). Just keep moving, just keep moving...Oh, way to much NEMO. Remember Dori singing, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
• I always tell people, "it doesn't matter how you move, it matters THAT you move." How you move will be important when you are ready to refine your body and strengthen it. 
• I will randomly get up and begin squatting and lunging to get my body burning calories during the online class. My husband looks at me like I'm nuts...not unusual! 

The class was great and we learned a lot. Learning new things is so exhilarating!

• Dinner consisted of turkey slices wrapped around a dollop of cream cheese, sliced pickles, onions, green olives, and jalapenos. Oh, and a salad to pretend I was eating healthy. Sounds gross, but it is delicious. Someone might think I was pregnant...AHHHH! Not happening again! 3 beautiful, wonderful, smart, delicate children is plenty.
• The kids and I did have a late night cookie craving so I made these scrumptious gluten-free, almost-paleo cookies. 

I talk a lot about gluten-free, almost paleo eating quite often and some of you may be asking,

"What the heck is gluten-free and paleo?"

I am going to talk more about these topics this week as I inform you about calories, they really go hand in hand. Good calories=good energy! Good energy+activity=Health and vitality.
 So keep coming back for more...seconds, thirds...I'm beginning to sound gluttonous.

 Want more info on the Paleo diet NOW!

You can click and watch the video for the PALEO COOKBOOK!
Very informative and helped me understand so much more!

NOW, Want that delicious cookie recipe?

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil softened. OK, truth be told, I love butter so I use half butter.

 It tastes sooooo good!

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Mix wet ingredients together.

2cups almond flour 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix dry and wet ingredients. If it is too dry, add a splash or so of almond, coconut, or hemp milk. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 min at 375 degrees.

Eat and enjoy! They taste DEElish cold also...like for breakfast, not that I would do that or anything, I'm just sayin'!

Come back this week for more on calories and diets.

BE WELL! BE VICTORIOUS!

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." ~Colin Powell