The Results Are In! End of January Check-In

Roughly two weeks ago, I wrote in my last post about how I was taking new steps toward a new lifestyle change in 2017. I mentioned in the post that I was looking to improve my physical health, mental health, and financial health. Well here we are on January 31st and I am here with an update.

Since I weighed myself on January 2, 2017, I have lost...*drum roll please* 

11 POUNDS!!!!!!!

Again keep in mind that this month I have only changed my diet and eating habits. I have NOT EXERCISED ONE TIME THIS MONTH! When I tell you, that you are what you eat... Man, that is the truth! I have cut back on sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, carbs, fast food, and sweets. Now, please note that I said that I have "cut back" on these things. I haven't given them up completely. I've just been doing things in moderation, and the results don't lie, it's made a world of difference. I've also been drinking more water during the day, and have consistently done meal prepping, which is easier than you think. Stores like Aldi and Trader Joe's have been my go-to places for staples and fresh produce at affordable prices. You seriously can't beat it!

Of course there's been temptations. In my department at work, we celebrate birthdays with cake and ice cream. This month I stuck to my goals and didn't partake, even when everyone was commenting on how good the cake was, I still didn't have any of it. (It was rough!)

As for my mental health, I've been doing some reading, specifically with self-help books. The latest one that I finished was titled "Manifesting: The Secret behind the Law of Attraction" by Alexander Janzer. It's an easy and helpful read about manifestation and how it relates to the Law of Attraction, and ways that you can incorporate daily routines in your life to help you attract positive outcomes from the universe. This book can help anyone adjust their way of thinking to get themselves out of a rut and into a more rewarding life. For only $5 on Amazon, you really can't beat it!

My financial health has also improved this month, primarily because I've been doing the meal prepping for lunch every day. It has kept me from getting fast food and eating out as much, which in turn has helped me not spend as much money as I have in the past. Also I've been practicing moderation in all aspects of my life. I've been avoiding going shopping this month. I used to live at the mall, but not anymore. I've got a gift card to one of my favorite stores, Charming Charlie, that I've had since Christmas and still haven't been sweating about using it, as I have done in the past. 

It's amazing how the power of positive thinking, determination, moderation, and faith can really change your life. I used to laugh when people used the term "lifestyle change" around me, now here I am in the middle of a lifestyle change and enjoying its rewards!

Stay Tuned!

New Year. New Everything!

Greetings! And Happy New Year! During the last quarter of 2016, I took some time to reflect on myself and spend some time focusing on self-care. Self-care and introspection are so important, and it's so easy to get caught up in the needs of others, the demands placed upon us, deadlines at work, etc. that we forget that we need to take some time out for ourselves, to really understand what we want, who we are, and who we're trying to be. So that's what I've been up to the last couple months, and it's all been to prepare me for my goals for the new year, so that I could start 2017 with a clear mind, focus, and a plan.

I know that we all hate the phrase at this point, "new year, new me." It's become so cliche', and let's face it, more often than not, we are the same us in the new year. Well, this year I took a different mantra: New Year. New Everything! I know that you're asking, "uh Caprice, what's the difference?" Through my self-reflection at the end of 2016, I truly found out a lot of interesting things about myself that I need to work on.

I needed to have a FOR REAL paradigm shift for me to grow. I've been feeling pretty stagnant in my life throughout the years. Sure there's been some small changes that have occurred here and there (i.e. new job, new apartment, etc), but no major changes. I found out the last few months that because my paradigm hasn't changed, I haven't changed. A paradigm is the way that you look at the world. I finally got some clarity on some issues that I personally have been dealing with and how those issues have impacted EVERY aspect of my life. I'm going to keep those issues to myself, at this point, but I am going to share with you my goals for 2017 and how today, two weeks into the year, I've already been making progress.

Rather than have "New Year's Resolutions", I prefer to just make goals for myself. Often in the past, the goals that I've planned for the year have been few and somewhat vague. But this year, my goals are totally different, and they may be goals that can help you improve your life as well.

2017 Goals

• Love myself more.
• Forgive myself for things that I've done in the past that I'm not proud of.
• Forgive others for things that they have done to me in the past that have hurt me.
• Let go of the past.
• Trust myself more and trust my instincts.
• Don't give anyone power over my emotions.
• Let go of things that I have no control over.
• Make firm goals and plans to achieving them.
• Be more productive in my free time.
• Drink more water and replace sugary drinks with water.
• Do meal prepping and eat more clean meals, and eat less processed and fast food.
• Reduce carbs in my diet.
• Reduce  my liquor intake.
• Stop making excuses.
• Have a more positive outlook, rather than a negative outlook.
• Be more patient with myself and with others.

Now as you see, this list has a lot of personal affirmations, but I truly believe, and God has confirmed it, if I practice doing these things, then everything else will fall into place. My personal relationships with others will improve. My confidence will improve. My mental and physical health will improve. My finances will improve. My career will improve.

Think about it. When we our paradigm is negative, our outlook is negative, and our attitude is negative, the same negative patterns in our lives will continue to occur. We'll repeat the same cycle and have the same outcome. It's been said by many, "you can't continue to do the same behavior and expect a different outcome." It's the truth. And there's no way that I, or you, can improve and be the best people that we can be and be the most effective by not breaking negative cycles that lead to no changes. Our society doesn't benefit from us holding back our talents and gifts, and we don't benefit from this either.

So the food and health aspects of my list I've already started doing since the beginning of the year. I did my first official meal prep on January 4th, and had smoothies for breakfast every day that week and had the meal prep for lunch each day. (Stay tuned for future meal prep and smoothie recipes) Last week, from January 9th through January 13th, I participated in a liquid fast with my church, where we could not eat food from 10pm to 10am. I challenged myself even further by only drinking water during those hours, no juice, no tea, no smoothies, just water. I have not eaten as many carbs, or drunk as much liquor (maybe no more than 2 alcoholic beverages per week and no white wine).

I am proud to say that I weighed myself on January 2nd and weighed myself again yesterday, January 14th and I am already down 6 pounds! And that's just based on my eating habits. I haven't exercised at all, but that is coming in February. I'm only focused on judging the effects of a new diet for January.

My Meal Prep Recipe: Cilantro Chicken with Lime and Rice and Beans

4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of Lawry's seasoning

Sprinkle of Dried Cilantro Seasoning

1/2 Lemon

1 Cup of Brown Rice

1 Can of Black Beans

1 Lime, cut into quarters

1 Tablespoon of Butter

Boil your rice in a medium pot. Follow the cooking directions on the bag package and occasionally stir. Cook with water and a tablespoon of butter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a medium pot on the stove, warm a whole can of Black Beans on a low heat setting for approximately 20 minutes. Occasionally stir.

Take your chicken breasts and season them gently with all of the dry seasonings. Put them in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until fully cooked through and tender.

After chicken is fully cooked, take them out of the oven and squeeze the halved lemon all over the chicken breasts.

In your meal prep containers, put equal amounts of rice, beans, and chicken. It comes out to being 1 cup of rice, 1/4 cup of beans, and 1 chicken breast. Put a lime quarter in each container.

In a small disposable plastic container that fits inside the container, add no more than 2 teaspoons of your favorite salsa. I used a nice mild peach salsa.

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Remove the lime when you're ready to reheat the container in the microwave when you're ready to eat. Then squeeze the lime all over the chicken, rice, and beans.

Enjoy!

Stay tuned for future meal prep recipes, smoothie batching recipes, and progress reports. Remember, practice makes perfect with all things! Don't be too hard on yourself.

XOXO