5 pounds down..

53 to go. And when your monthly trend has been an increase of 4 or 5 pounds, losing five is an amazing feeling. My current weight is 218, down from 223, with a goal of 165. It's a reasonable goal that would put me at a size 8 pant, and is my optimal weight for performance and strength.

So, what have I done differently? First, no sugar. I've cut out pretty much all processed foods besides the occasional gluten free bread toasted veggie sandwich, and my vegan protein powder that gets mixed into my morning smoothies.

I've also been doing my best to drink more water. I've cut out fruit juices, I never drink soda, and if I want something warm I'll opt for a rooibos or green and peppermint tea sweetened with local non pasteurized honey. In order to make water easier to drink (and more hydrating), I add a shot of organic lemon juice, and a splash of coconut water. Bam, naturally flavored water!

For me, diet is the number one factor when it comes to losing weight. My system simply can not deal with processed, artificial food-like substances. Even though I am well aware of this, I had slipped back into the trap. I was eating whatever I could get for cheap that would keep well, not considering the damage it would cause.

 When I'm craving sweets, I reach for a fruit. I keep apples and bananas on hand for when my body screams for sugar. The trick to this and not going for unhealthy junk food is simple- don't buy the junk. Don't even have it in the house. Living half an hour from the nearest grocery store helps me with this.. and of course, making my partner well aware of my healthy intentions.

Otherwise, I haven't really been doing much different. My next big step is to get more exercise in my day. I've been exhausted lately now that I'm finally back to work, and when I come home aching, it's hard to find the motivation. I'm trying to train myself to wake up earlier so I cam include a half hour routine before work.

Well, that's where I'm at. I have re-proven to myself that something as simple as eating a more natural diet and avoiding sugar makes a big difference on it's own. This week I will start waking up 45 minutes earlier to make an attempt at a morning workout routine. Happy Sunday!

drink more water!

i used to drink water obsessively, but the past couple years i have been more on to tea, juice and the occasional coffee. water can be hard to drink a lot of, some people don't stomach it well.. and it can get kinda boring. that being said, it can be difficult to get our daily quota of water intake.

i know there's those flavour packets, but i can't stand artificial sweetner, and i always found them kind of counter productive anyways.. it's not really water anymore, it's sugar-free koolaid. i think the best idea i have ever come across to get me to drink more water is to add lemon.

i've been getting more creative with it lately, using a mason jar as a shaker cup i'd add ice, frozen berries, the juice of half a lemon [fresh is always better than bottled lemon juice] and water.

the bf discovered these fruit infusion water cups at walmart and picked a couple up.. they have a screw off lid, a built in straw that can be removed to clean, a basket to hold your fruit, and a soft rubber lid for the top of the basket. all pieces come apart for easy cleaning. the basket holds the fruit together so we can get more infusions out of a batch of fruit.

adding fruit to our water greatly increases our daily water intake, especially in colder weather when the urge to drink water decreases. it also cuts back on drinking too much fruit juice, and keeps Matt [the bf] out of the sugary pop.

opting for water over other beverages is a good healthy habit to maintain. i absolutely must get enough water when i'm jogging or working out especially.. i love to rehydrate with a big glass of lemon water. i do it mostly because i enjoy the taste, but there are some health benefits to drinking lemon water as well. it helps your body to cleanse, keeps your tummy happy and helps to hydrate you better among many other things. and it's yummy! i almost finished the cup in the time that it took me to write this post..