Diet? I Don't Do Diets!! Yeah? Me Neither!

Hey! Thanks for checking back.  I really need to get back into this because I feel like I have lost sight of what I really need to be doing.  I really need to be writing in here a couple times a week!  Seriously!  

But for today's post... One of my biggest pet peeves is when people think that CLEAN EATING is a diet!  While you may be changing your diet, I don't look at it as if it were a diet.  SlimFast is a diet.   Jenny Craig is a diet.  Weight Watchers is a diet.  You're buying something from those companies that is on their "plan" and you're counting points, calories, or paying enrollment fees.  


Just this week, I have heard on three different occasions something about "the diet."   Here are a few quotes that I'd like to address.  "I don't do diets," "I'm dieting," and "Are you allowed to have that on your diet?"

First of all, I don't do diets either.  When I first started my journey to a healthier me, I was hesitant.  I really was.  Truth is, I had never tried anything else before and I was scared. It was something new and something that I wasn't sure if I would be good at.  I hate failing and I was never allowed to fail.  When I discovered that the 21 Day Fix allowed me to eat the same foods I had already been eating, I was thrilled.  I'm talking foods like cereal, fruit, veggies, rice, etc.  Only this time, it was in portions.  This time it wasn't a heaping bowl of Lucky Charms.  It was 2, 1/2 cups (2 yellows) of a whole grain cereal and 4oz of almond milk.  I had to adjust to certain things like almond milk instead of regular cows milk, Greek yogurt (plain) instead of flavored yogurt, leaving behind my cookies, chocolate bars, icecream, and occasional bottle of wine.  Although, 21 Day Fix allowed for 4oz of wine, 3 times a week.  A diet?  You're kidding, right?  Wine on a diet?  Yeah... whatever you say.  So to tell me that you "don't do diets" is like telling me that you don't want to go to a funeral because you might die.  It just sounds silly!

Second... "I'm dieting."  Really?  You're dieting?  So does that mean that once you've reached your goal weight or your goal fitness level, you're done with your "diet?"  Clean eating, again, isn't a diet.  It is literally a life style and once you've realized that your body likes the clean food, you're going to feel so much better.  I have a friend who wanted to take an entire week away from eating clean.  After day 2, she was messaging me saying "Hol, I can't do this anymore. I feel like crap.  I think I'm going to go back on tomorrow and eat better."  When you dial in your nutrition, then you eat something very bad (a Big Mac for example), your body is going to react to that food in a negative way.  

Perfect example... a couple nights ago my husband comes home and asks if I'd like to order out.  He chooses his favorite place in town, Vinny's.  While Vinny's is a pizza place, I know that if I have pizza or anything other than a salad, I'm going to feel like what I ate.  Cheap, easy, and lazy.  I got a buffalo chicken salad and he had bacon cheese fries and a salad.  However, he did not eat the salad.  Let's just say this, after 10 minutes into the workout that night, he was in the bathroom remembering how good those fries tasted going down.  My point is this, after a period of time that you're fueling your body with healthy, nutritious foods, one bad meal will make you remember why you have stayed away.  I'm no expert but I know that the chemicals in processed food make you feel way more lethargic than if you were to eat a clean meal.  It's up to you! 

Again, I ask, once you've met your goal, are you done "dieting?"  Because if you are, expect to gain your weight back and lose energy.   

Lastly... "Are you allowed to have that on your diet?"  Seriously?  My grandmother tells me that she doesn't buy "special food" for me and Anthony because she doesn't know what we are allowed to have. Okay well, even though we've told her over and over, she still doesn't get it.  That's fine.  She's 73.  But other people see me eating things and they ask the same question.  I just turn my head and say, "Do you really think that I would want to feel like a pile of dog shit after I eat this?  YES.  I am getting this to eat because I am ALLOWED to have it."  Anywhere that we go, I always find something that can be considered "clean."  If I have to ask the waiter or waitress to put something on the side, I do.  If I don't want dressing but oil and vinegar instead, I do.  I love Mexican food.  I love it!! When I go there, I have the fajitas.  I don't eat the tortillas, rice, or guacamole.  I eat the chicken and veggies with some salsa on top.  I toss in a little hot sauces for good measure.  And that literally fills me up!  I don't need the added crap they put on.  

My friend was going out of town with her husband and sent me a menu of a place they were going to be stopping to eat.  She asked me, "Hol, I don't know what to get.  What do you think?"  I looked over the menu and gave her my response.  It wasn't want she wanted to get but again, do you want to be 300lbs or do you want to feel better?  Do you want to see results?  Because if you do, you'll listen to me.  Honestly, I am a straight shooter.  If you ask me a question that requires my opinion, you'll get my opinion.  It might not be what you wanted to hear, but that's what's great about an opinion.  :) #sorrynotsorry 

So to wrap up... In my honest opinion (again, how great!) eating clean is NOT a diet.  I'm not counting calories, paying enrollment fees, or adding up my points.  I am simply cutting out the processed, heavy foods.  When you fuel your body the right way, your body will treat you much better.  That's a fact, Jack.  

What IS The Cost of Being Healthy? -- Part IV: Mental Costs

Now we’re on to part 4 of our “Costs of being healthy” and now this portion is going to be about the mental costs.  Mental costs include but are not limited to stress, knowledge, motivation, and attitude.  These factors are not mutually exclusive but they tie into one another multiple ways and this portion is going to highlight those relationships.  

Let’s start off with the positive and negative attitudes people have toward working out and getting fit.  Most of people out there who aren’t already doing something about their health wish they could or could find the motivation to do it.  When they decide that they “can’t,” they start having a negative attitude toward the whole concept.  Then one thing leads to another and they never seem to have any success.  I like to call this the slippery slope.  It’s just one bad decision after another.  It starts off by a mother who wants to lose the baby weight says, “yes, I want to get in shape now.”  Funds might be tight and she can’t afford a workout program or join the gym so she starts walking outside with her family.  The weather turns bad and she can no longer take those walks.  She sits in the house, looks for other types of workouts, tries a few, realizes she could be doing something more productive, and then the kids wake up from their naps.  Finally she says to herself that she can’t possibly fit this in and boom, right back to where she started.  She’s feeling defeated.  I know that mom, woman… I’ve been her!  

It’s the same with positive attitudes.  If you are able to ignore the negative, you can continue the “slippery slope” but in the other direction.. UP.  If you are able to surround yourself with ways to be better and making better choices, you’re not going to see the negative.  For example, if I were always thinking what could go wrong, I would never have the opportunity to see what could go RIGHT!  It’s the same with fitness and being healthy.  If you are able to sit down and create a timeline of your day incorporating 30 minutes of working out somewhere in there, you are going to make time for that 30 minutes because you’ve already planned it.  An added perk to working out is that you are going to feel SO much better.  Your body will release those endorphins to make you feel better and you can continue to have a positive attitude to take into the next day.  

Knowledge is power but not having the right knowledge can lead to those negative thoughts and continue the slippery slope.  There is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of information out there on the internet these days.  Just the other day I saw that drinking a glass of wine could replace 30 minutes on the treadmill.  I’m sorry, but I don’t see how that is possible.  The way I feel after 30 minutes of running/walking on the treadmill does not give me the same great feeling that ONE glass of wine does.  That is just one example.  But on the other side of the coin, there is a plethora of great information out there.  You just have to know how to find it.  

Sometimes people who have physical restrictions get discouraged from trying a workout program because they feel it’s too hard.  They might see programs be advertised on TV and think, “wow, I could never do that.  I might as well not even try because I’ll end up hurting myself.”  Okay, let’s get one thing straight.  Do you really think those people who created those exercise programs were always as clean cut as they are now?  A lot of trainers were overweight children and now they are out there hoping to inspire people to make a better lifestyle for themselves and their families.  My best advice is to check both sides of the conversation.  Don’t believe the first thing you read because there is some type of workout for everyone!

Which leads me to my next point, motivation.  A lot of times people do not have the motivation to go out there and do something on their own that they’ve never tried before.  They might not have a workout partner, supportive spouse or family member, trainer, or group of friends that cheer them on.  But, in order to achieve success, you’ve got to find a support group.  There are a lot of support groups on social media and any of them would be glad to support someone who’s trying to get healthy.  Before I had success with 21 Day Fix, I was part of a support group that kept each person accountable for the meals they had during the day.  It was simple but it made me aware of what I was putting in my body because I’d be posting about it later.  That is only one example but a great one to keep in mind when you’re needing some motivation!

My last topic on mental costs is going to be geared toward stress.  There are both negative and positive types of stress.  Both are in our day to day lives but most people see stress as being a bad thing.  A lot of people have anxiety issues or panic attacks because they are so overwhelmed with their lives that they need meds or whatever else. I’ve known people who have even self medicated because they “couldn’t deal with the problems of life.”  You know what, there are times when I can’t deal with the problems of life either.  That’s when you take a step back, breathe, and figure it out.  Not everyone deals with stress the same way and finding the way to work out your problems is half the battle.  A friend of mine is currently dealing with some issues and she’s taking baby steps to make changes in her life.  I commend her greatly because with all the things that are going on in her life, new job, personal relationship issues, health concerns, and a newfound excitement for a better lifestyle, she has a right to be stressed!  Most of these things are negative stressors but when you’re learning to live more healthy, that is a very positive stressor.  When you have mostly negative stress in your life, you’re not going to want to find time for yourself.  

If something like changing your eating plan, meal planning in general, exercise, or having a positive attitude are stressing you out, maybe you should consult someone who’s been there for advice on how to better manage your tasks.  Someone who can help you lower your stress level will only help you.  You’ll be able to seek out other ways of being healthy, you’ll have a better attitude about working out everyday, you’ll want to be fueling your body with healthy foods, and then everything else falls into place.  You might stress about how you’re going to make a healthy meal for your family, but isn’t that the point?  Let’s be honest here and if you’ve been reading along with me, you know I like being honest.  If you’re making a healthy meal but having some trouble finding a recipe, Pinterest it!  The end result is going to be a healthy meal for your family and you've got a point in the WIN column.  So what, you stressed about whether or not your 8 year old is going to like whole grain pasta instead of wheat pasta.  He’s eating it and doesn’t even taste the difference.  Get over it!  You’ve already won!  Or let’s say you’re stressing about the workout that evening.  Max Out Cardio, Yoga X, or Pilates Fix… do the workout and when you’re done, it’s over.  You did the workout, you finished it.  Another example… you just ordered a new flavor of Shakeology and aren’t sure how you’re going to finish the whole bag of Vegan Chocolate.  Oh wait, hey there Pinterest!  Boom a whole 30 day supply of recipes waiting for you.  These are all OK things to stress about because in the end, you’re on a track to a healthier, more fit you!

In conclusion, I’d like to say that there are probably a lot more mental costs but these are the heavy hitters, in my opinion, that a lot of people think about.  Sometimes they don’t think about it until they’ve already gotten into the gym but some of these things go through their mind.  I know because it’s happened to me.  I am not in anyway someone who’s had it easy in the weight department and I know that I have to work extra hard to see the results I want.  Keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with supportive people. Great things will happen!

Turkey Chili

Are you a busy person with literally no time to make dinner?  Well, I have something for you!  This is Turkey Chili!  You can choose to make this with ground turkey or ground chicken.  Both taste great!  This is a simple meal that you can enjoy for a few days at a time.  It's clean and healthy. So here it goes:

Ingredients:
Kidney beans (1/2 lb)
Pinto beans (1/2 lb)
Green pepper (1 chopped up)
Tomatoes (about 4 medium sized)
Corn (12 oz or one of those frozen steamer bags full)
Water (2 cups)
Ground turkey or chicken (1 lb)
Onions (Quarter of a regular sized onion)
Mushrooms (cup, diced)
Paprika (As much or little that you need, depending on your taste)
Pepper (Same as paprika)
Cumin (Same as pepper)
Garlic powder (Same as cumin)
Onion powder (Same as garlic powder)

Directions:

For this recipe, we're going to to be using the crock pot.  You can start this the night before and have it for dinner the next day.  So here we go.

Depending on your style, you can either use kidney and pinto beans from the can or you can use dried ones and quick soak them until they are tender.  I like to use dried beans and soak them.  Either way, follow the directions for soaking.

Add all ingredients into the crock pot and turn on WARM.  If you plan on having this for dinner that night, turn it on high and let it cook for about 4 hours.  If you're doing the over night scheme, turn it on warm and let it cook over night.  Stir occasionally and if you need to add any more spices to the mix, do that when you stir.  I like to add some Frank's Red Hot to mine just to give it a little zing.  Totally up to you.

One cup of this chili is considered to be 1 yellow, 1 red, and 1 green if you are following a Beachbody program that uses containers.

Breakfast Omelet

Ahh, the almighty breakfast omelet!  So, I'm going to be completely honest here and tell you that I did not personally make this omelet.  My husband, Anthony, did and boy did he do a great job!  He is fond of hot peppers so the ones you see here are optional!  So this was simple!

Ingredients:

1 large egg
3 egg whites
1 cup of chopped veggies
1/8 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

All you need to so is whisk up your egg and egg whites and dump them in the skillet. Add whatever spices you would like to the egg.  Once it's cooked on side, flip it.  Then Anthony just added his chopped veggies to the top and sprinkled on some cheese.  Covered the omelet for a few minutes to let the cheese melt, and boom, done!  Simple and easy.  Literally this takes 5 minutes to do!

Just because you're eating clean, doesn't mean you can't have regular eggs.  I actually really like just egg whites and you can use JUST egg whites if you want.  That's totally up to you.  However, if you're following a program, 2 large eggs is considered 1 protein.  However, 8 egg whites is considered 1 protein (red container) so use this to your advantage!

Pork & Veggies

So here is another one of my clean eating recipes.  This one consists of pork, carrots, peas, and brown rice.   This is a great dinner to change up the usual chicken or turkey dinner and have something a little bit different.  Here's what you will need:

Ingredients: 

Pork Cutlets (I usually buy these at the store in bunches of 6 or 8 pieces)

Brown rice (however much you want to make... check out the directions on the packaging to see how much raw rice yields cooked rice)

Peas & Carrots 

Assortment of seasonings (this is totally up to you... for pork, I typically use a combination of cumin, paprika, pepper, sea salt, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and a little bit of chili powder)

Directions: 

Start making the rice.  It takes the longest to cook.  Do not add any butter or salt to your rice.  This takes away from the "cleanliness" of your meal. 

On the stove, pull out your skillet and add some olive oil to it.  Let it get heated up and while it heats, use your spices to do a dry rub on your pork.  It doesn't have to be fancy or exciting looking. Make sure that all sides of your pork is covered in your rub.  This is important for full flavor.

Once your skillet is piping hot, add your pork to the skillet.  It will sizzle a lot because you are searing it.  The sear will lock in the juices so that your pork is juicy.  Make sure the pork cooks on all sides.  

This is the time you can steam your veggies.  I typically buy frozen veggies and steam them in the microwave or on the stove.  Either way, it doesn't matter.  If you do it in the microwave, be careful you're not leaving them in there too long.  The nutrients will leak out of the the veggies causing them to lose their value.  

You should use a meat thermometer to know when the pork is cooked.  This cut of pork is done at 145 degress F. 

This is one of my personal favorites because I do like pork and I like to change it up! 

Rolled Chicken With Veggies

Hi everyone!  Back by popular demand is another recipe created in my brain.  I am not a chef or do I claim to be but I am a person with healthy habits and a clean diet.  So here we are with another recipe for you!  This is what I like to call rolled chicken and veggies!  





Ingredients: 

• Chicken breasts (pound these down so they aren't huge breasts ... the bigger they are, the harder it is to roll and longer it takes to cook) 
• Asparagus (for this recipe I used 2 stalks per roll)
• Red onion (I used a few pieces per roll)
• Green pepper (I used a few slices per roll)

• Cheese stick (I used provalone but any kind will work.  Also, if you use a knife to cut the cheese stick in quarters, one quarter will go in each roll) 
• Mushrooms
• And any other veggies you want to saute to add as a side 

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 375.  
Make sure your chicken is pounded down.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper on each side of the chicken.  
Add your cut veggies, asparagus, and cheese to the one end of your chicken.  
Roll it until the chicken is tightly wrapped around the veggies and cheese.  
Place on baking pan or glass dish.  Cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until the juice is clear. 

On the stove, saute the desired veggies with some olive oil and desired spices.  Here I used some oregano and garlic powder.  


Stay tuned for more to come! 


Start A New You Now!

What IS The Cost of Being Healthy? -- Part III: Emotional Costs

The 3rd part of my “Costs of Being Healthy” is going to be emotional costs.  You might be sitting there wondering how emotions can play a part in your road to a healthy lifestyle.  I’m not going to sit here and harp on how you should be a happy person all the time or be someone who’s always giddy or overly excited.  Honestly, that’s NOT me.  However, the way you feel about certain things has a direct impact on how you deal with health, fitness, and overall well-being.  

There are a couple different points that I would like to touch on in this portion with the first one being self-esteem.  Let’s be honest, if you know me at all, you know that I have not always been the most beautiful woman on the planet, the smartest, or the most athletic.  If I were any of those things, I wouldn’t be writing this blog.  There are people who truly believe they can’t do anything because they aren’t good enough.  I felt that way for a long time until I realized that I WAS good enough.  I had the right to be happy and fulfilled.  I always viewed myself as the fat slob that everyone always made me out to be.  I get that.  The way you look at yourself directly affects your attitude.  If you feel like you aren’t good enough, you’re going to feel like you deserve to be alone or in a constant state of self-loathing.  On the flip side, if you feel like you’re worth a million bucks every time you check yourself out in the mirror, you’re going to be confident and excited to start the new day.  

Here is a little story about someone I know.  For years, my friend was angry.  Angry because of life events that didn’t go the way they should have.  Angry because the people who were suppose to be there, weren’t.  For years my friend moped around, bouncing from relationship to relationship, bar to bar, one crash diet to another crash diet.  My friend wasn’t the best person they knew how to be.  They saw themselves as worthless and felt like their life was unfulfilled.  One day, my friend decided to change their life by becoming part of something much bigger than themselves.  This motivated my friend to see things through a clearer pane of glass than before and this encouraged my friend to be the best they could be not just for themselves, but for the future too.  Now my friend has a spouse and a family.  My friend is doing things they never thought possible 7 or 8 years ago.  Granted, everyone has bad days but my friend is no where near that dark, dismal hole they once were in.  What changed?  The vision to be a better version of themselves.  

I tell that story because that friend of mine is very close to me and someone I admire.  Someone that pushes me everyday to be a better wife, mother, sister, daughter, niece, and granddaughter.  That person challenges me and makes me think.  I can’t thank them enough.  Without them, I wouldn’t be writing this blog at all!  

So getting back to self-esteem… when you look in the mirror, what do you see?  Do you see someone who’s just going through the motions?  Or do you see someone who’s confident, with their head held high?  I use to be the one going through the motions but now I’m the one who’s confident enough in my ability that I can help someone else!  The best way I know to improve self-esteem is to start by having some positive thoughts everyday.  Instead of focusing on the negative and thinking of anything that can go wrong, think of what can go RIGHT!  You would be amazed at the way you feel when you have positive thoughts.

The second point I’d like to touch on in this portion is the idea that you will fail.  Some people are scared to fail and that’s why they don’t even try.  In life, there are things you’re going to be good at and there are things that you aren’t going to be good at.  Me, personally, I am NOT good at fixing cars or sitting down to make a budget.  I’m not good at arts and crafts.  Before starting my journey, I wasn’t good at working out.  I am good at things like planning and organization, managing people and events, taking care of my children, and swimming.  Since starting my journey in October, I am better at running, circuit training, and using resistance bands.  I didn’t become good at these things overnight.  I didn’t become good at these things in a week or even 2 weeks.  It took at least 3 to 4 weeks of doing the actions to get right.  

I caught on to the 21 Day Fix meal plan pretty quickly but some people don’t catch on as quickly.  Sometimes they feel overwhelmed and under a lot of pressure.  That’s OK to feel that way.  That means you’re making a change.  You can’t worry about it.  You’re starting something new.  You’re not always going to be great at everything and you’re definitely not going to master something new on the first day!  If it takes you time, so be it.  It will get easier and the change will seem further away.  Your body will adapt to new things you’re feeding it and you will learn to love yourself.  

One thing that Beachbody has taught me so far is that you will fail forward.  Failing forward simply put is when you don’t achieve the results you want but you’ve learned something from that experience.  I know that I’m not good at push-ups but that pushes me to try harder and even though I modify the workout, I still try to get 2 or 3 good ones in!  Don’t be afraid all the time.  Take charge of your life and learn from your mistakes.  

In conclusion of this portion, I’d like to recap by asking you to do me a favor.  Go to the mirror and ask yourself these questions: Do you like who you see?  Do you want to be better in some part of your life?  Do you want to learn something new?  Are you ready to make a change in your life?  Let me know the answers to those questions by sending me an email at hstilianidis@gmail.com.  I’m not a therapist or a counselor, but I’d love to hear what your answers are to those questions.