My Journey to Health...an update

I just realized that I haven't written a blog post (aside from my cabbage rolls recipe I posted last night!) for a month and a half!  Yikes!

I thought it was time I posted an update as I have recently had lots of people ask how things are going with my diet/exercise.  So here's the low down...

My diet...I wouldn't say I've fallen off of the paleo wagon, but I am definitely holding on and being drug by it. ;)  I cook paleo 90% of the time at home.  When I go out, I am conscious of my choices, but definitely haven't stuck to paleo.  And you know what?  I can tell...not in my weightloss, but in how I FEEL.  Eating paleo just makes you FEEL good.  Period.  I stay away from pop (unless I am drinking a cocktail, which is rare it seems) and have really tried to avoid cheese...well, dairy in general.  I have continued to lose weight...at a slower rate (and much slower than I would like to!), but it's still going in the right direction.  I would like to get back to full paleo soon.  Or at least be better about it when I go out.

I ate this one night in the last month...and have had several other desserts that I didn't photograph!

The fact that I am still losing weight might be a bit of a miracle! lol

However, when I eat like that, I work out extra hard...I do machines and then walk and plank and do stairs and do Body Pump.  I work out hard when I go to the Y and now am super excited to be able to start running outside!

The ARC at the Y kicks my a$$!  I have a serious love/hate relationship with it.  I love it when I am done and I see this...

I recently got a Fitbit Charge HR and am a slave to it.  Seriously, it is going to probably be the reason I lose weight...I've already lost another pound since having it and it's only been 5 days!  It's amazing...I log all of the food I eat and every ounce of water I drink.  It tracks everything!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

And I still have to say that having working out buddies has been my saving grace...the reason I haven't given up.  I can't say enough how thankful I am that Sam has motivated me and kept me going to the Y even on days when I just wanted to sit on the couch...I hope I have done the same for her!  Even Lisa has started to join us every now and again!

And the consistency and how hard we are pushing ourselves...it is working.  We are getting stronger every time we go.  I am so proud of us!  It feels so good!

And when I'm down in the dumps and feeling lazy, the best way to motivate me to go to the gym is to buy some new, crazy, fun workout clothes, and then I HAVE to go to the gym because I need to wear my new clothes! LOL

These pants are my fave...and they are crazy and Lisa and Sam make fun of me for wearing them, but I love them.  They match my crazy personality.  I like things that most people don't! Ha!

On the horizon for me?  Color the Quads, Inflatable 5k and I think I am even going to run the Bix for the first time!  Eek!  A little nervous about that.  And my sister is trying to talk me into a sprint triathlon in the fall.  We'll see!

So there is my update...healthier every day (aside from this stupid cold I am battling right now!) and stronger every day...and with the help of my Fitbit and my friends holding me accountable, hoping I will continue to be LIGHTER every day!

Cabbage Rolls Recipe

(These are not Paleo, but could be changed up to be paleo pretty easily)

I have never made cabbage rolls...or eaten them, but have wanted to for a loooong time.  And tonight I just made a super simple recipe, but they were super good!  Now that I've made them and my ENTIRE family LOVED them...like devoured them, I will now know how to change them up and make them a bit more flavorful next time.  I think the next time I make them, I will use ground sausage for more flavor.  So here is my recipe that I created by mixing a few different cabbage roll recipes I found online. :)

CABBAGE ROLLS

1 head of cabbage (this made 14 rolls for me, so 14 large leaves...some I used 2 smaller leaves)

1 lb ground beef (or sausage)

1 egg

1/3 cup uncooked white rice (or brown)

1 jar marinara sauce

1/2 onion

garlic salt (I didn't measure...maybe a couple teaspoons?)

basil

salt and pepper

Cook your rice and mix it with your ground beef/sausage, 1 beaten egg, 1/4 jar of marinara sauce, garlic salt, chopped fresh basil (you could use dry basil) and your onion.  Don't go to light on the seasoning, because I was pretty liberal with mine and worried it may be too salty, but it wasn't at all.  Boil some water and put your cabbage leaves in for about 3-4 minutes.  Take out and drain and pat them dry.  I cut out the tough rib on the end of the leaf so there was a V shaped cut out of the end.  Roll a spoonful of meat into the cabbage leaves...roll them so that  the ends are tucked in and no meat is showing.  Place them in a large saute pan and pour the remainder of the marinara sauce on top.  Put on medium-high heat until the sauce starts to boil and then turn down, cover and let simmer for about 35-40 min.  One of the recipes I saw said you could put cheese on top.  We didn't do that, but it would have been good, I bet. :)