Hi Guys!

Oh where to start.  I'm so sorry I've been totally MIA lately.  I feel like that bad friend that never calls you back.  Well I am here, and I have missed you guys!  My work gets insane (we're talking 70 hours plus per week)  April, May and June.  Holy Moly has it been since April that I've talked to you guys?!  Wow!  

Anyways, I wanted to say I'm back, and I have a super fun article for you today!  Ok, I know, it's not a recipe.  But it is amazing inspiration!



So I was reading this article, it's all stories of women who have lost major weight and how they did it.  I found myself totally captivated.  It's like 62 pages long.  That is not a joke.  62 pages.  It took me about 4 days to read the whole thing.  But let me tell you, it was worth it.  However, I do realize that some of you don't have 4 days to read an article, so what I did for you, my loyal readers, is I pulled some of my favorite most inspirational quotes for you to scan.  I am a big quote person, I always love how one great line can boost your mood, change your perspective, or give you some motivation.  If you do however want to read the full article (which I highly recommend by the way) Here's the link!  
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-success-stories-11?page=0

Indulge in the best.
"When I treat myself, I eat something truly delicious and homemade by someone who loves their craft, instead of packaged food that may contain chemicals."  And aren't worth the calories!

Move and mingle.
"Before, I used food as a reason to socialize with friends. When my health goals shifted, we started hiking or shopping instead."

Diversify your dairy.
"I make white sauces and dips healthy by swapping heavy cream for nutritious, low-cal almond milk."

Chew out cravings.
"When everyone around me is eating junk, I pop a stick of sugarless gum into my mouth to stave off cravings. I keep a pack in my car, desk, gym bag, and jacket so I'm always armed."   Read this one twice!

Take two.
"Vow to stick with a new routine for just two weeks. After that it becomes a habit you don't even think about."

Hit reset.
"If I fell off the wagon, I'd look at the next meal as an opportunity to succeed instead of giving up. As long as you're trying, you're making progress."

Set mini-goals.
"I aimed to lose 10 pounds at a time. That way, my overall goal seemed less daunting."

Scale back. "I weigh myself every Monday. If I do it more often, my progress seems slower."

I realized, "I wanted to transform my life more than I wanted a hamburger."

Think (and cook) ahead.
"If I know the next day is going to be hectic, I'll prepare healthy meals the night before so my diet stays on track."

"I set new goals and give myself nonfood rewards when I reach them, such as a bottle of nail polish or a good book."


Drink often. "The more hydrated you are, the less hungry you feel."

Make produce a priority. "Have fruits and veggies with every meal, and eat them first."


Lesson Learned "There are no excuses. Once I changed my attitude, having a bad knee or being too busy were no longer reasons not to be healthy."

"My philosophy is, if you're moving, you're losing."

Make up for mistakes "If I go overboard at one meal, I scale back at the next one."

"When deciding what to eat, I'd remember how hard I'd worked to burn those calories, and I didn't want to waste it on junk."


"Nutrition is 80 percent of the battle. You need to fuel your metabolism."

Secret Weapon "My food journal. Writing down my daily and weekly goals, plus some inspirational quotes, really kept me focused."


Farrell bought a journal and wrote down everything that went into her mouth. The first day, she filled a whole page. "I realized, 'Wow, I eat a whole lot of food.' And I started asking myself, 'Do I really need that?'"

"Dieting can be overwhelming, so instead of thinking about losing 100 pounds, I told myself I was going to lose 10 pounds 10 times."

"If you get off track one day, let it go and start again the next day."


"Set small goals, such as running a mile, instead of huge, unrealistic ones. Reaching them will motivate you to work harder."


"I hung a 33-inch ribbon on my refrigerator to remind me of the 33 inches I lost from my body and how far I've come."  Or use a ribbon as a goal- waist, thigh, whatever


"Don't vow to exercise for 4 hours a week if that's not realistic — you'll only be disappointed in yourself later. Figure out what works for you and make sure it's something you can commit to for life."

I used to eat whatever I wanted," she says. "It was like I was living to eat.
 

When losing weight, you don't have to be perfect—just be consistent." 

 

So glad to be back, thanks as always for reading! :)