Weight Loss Success = Food Prep

     I've been doing my "food prepping" off an on for a while now. On the weeks I do it, I feel great. Just knowing I ate healthy through out the day, and didn't spend money on eating out makes me feel good.
     This past 4 weeks I've done it every week, strict, no excuses. And I'm noticing a difference big time. From my mood, to energy, to scale numbers, to bank accounts.

So, here is what I do...
1.) Make a list of the meals we will be eating. EVERYTHING. 
Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Possible healthy sweet treat? Do I know I will be doing more in the gym? Will I need extra energy on a specific day? Think about it.
2.) Make a list of everything you will need to make those meals happen. 
3.) Get to the store, get it.
Do you need tupperware? Baggies? Lunch bag?
4.) Get your ass in the kitchen and do it! Peel, chop, defrost, weight,  cook, whatever it is!

     It takes me about a half hour to figure out what were eating and make our grocery list. Sometimes a little longer if were tired of something and I need to look up new ways to cook chicken or whatever.

     Then it takes a couple hours for me to prep all the food. Sunday I go shopping, B cooks all our chicken for the week (usually we just bbq chicken and have it cooked in the fridge ready for whatever) and then I set up all the containers, chop, peel etc...measure out stuff (if needed) I've been very conscious of portion sizes, and what the actual serving size is of what I'm eating.

     Some people think it's crazy. Counting, measuring, I've even had someone tell me that it's no way to live your life, counting calories, and that I'm wasting my time. But if this is what it takes for me to be healthier and get to my ultimate goal, it is definitely the time I am willing to put in.
     I've been struggling with my weight my whole life. I've tried everything short of surgery. I'm embarrassed of my failure. Embarrassed of what I look like and how out of control it has gotten.

     I don't know what clicked in me a few weeks back, but I am thankful for this feeling. A feeling that this time it's different. This time there is no starting over. This is it. It's happening.

     *I post most of my meals on Instagram. IG Name: CraftyNonsenseNoted -its quick, easy, and keeps me accountable. I hope to share more of my journey & success on here as well :)

How to: Make the Best Guacamole

I thought I'd share my recipe. I haven't heard anything bad yet ;)

What you'll need:
-2 avocados, peeled and cubed
-1/3 red onion, finely diced
-4 cloves of garlic, minced
-1/2 lime
-1/3 tomato, diced
-1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
-1 tbs finely diced cilantro ( I usually use a little more depending on who is eating it)
-salt to taste

1.) In a bowl put in avocado, onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, and mix together. Do NOT mash.
2.) Over your little pile of minced garlic add about 2 pinches of salt, and mash it with the back of a spoon. It will start to become pastey and blend into the guac nicely :)
3.) Stir in the garlicy "paste" and keep stirring until it blends together
4.) Squeeze the half of lime over the guac and mix together, again, well.

Sometimes I leave out the tomatoes and jalapeño depending on who I know is eating it or what I have on hand. But everything else (minus those two) are a must!

That's it! I love it and we eat the shit with everything ha

Stay Crafty
Xoxo
Jess

What's For Dinner?

Healthy Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

What you need:

• pork tenderloin
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley
• 1/2 lemon zest
• lemon pepper
• salt
• 1/2 lemon (for juice after it's cooked)

THREE STEPS&READY???

1. Put everything in crock pot except lemon juice.
2. Cook on low for 8hrs
3. Shred

Throw it on salad...
Throw it in a pita...
Throw it in a medley of veggies...
Eat it by it's self...

This is a yummy, easy, dinner is done by the time you're home, make several different meals out of it, fav of mine :) and it's healthy!

No Salt Dinner!

I thought I'd through up tonight's dinner because on Instagram everyone thought it looked yummy :)

Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts w/Lemon Zest
(recipe for two)

2 chicken breast
6 tbs feta
2 cups spinach
1 lemons worth of lemon zest
1 lemons worth lemon juice
pepper

-fillet the chicken breasts
-zest the lemon evenly over each fillet
-layer with feta and spinach (you really got to shove it in there and use your fingers to get it rolled tight because they are going to unravel a little when they cook)
-throw the extra feta that fell out on top ;)
-secure with tooth picks
-put on baking sheet
-squeeze lemon juice generously over the top
-bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes

This is one of B's favorites. And because we have been eating healthier for a while now, I'm starting to reduce the amount of processed foods, and salts I use when cooking. This is so jam packed full of flavor it doesn't need anything aside from the things above! Enjoy :)
If you're not already, follow me on IG :)) --> CraftyNonsenseNoted <-- p="p">

All That Glitters Is Gold...

Anyone else singing Smash Mouth in their head? No?

Thought I'd share the easiest decor I've done so far...

I found Dennis in the dollar section at Target! He fit in perfectly with our Ron Swansom themed Christmas. I also snagged some pine cones from Michaels, half off. It killed me to BUY pine cones when I feel like I could just go hunt for some, but as a time saver I just bought the bag for $2.

 

I was seriously second guessing doing anything to the goodies I picked up for our RS themed Christmas. But I felt like I needed to glam it up just a touch and use him for more inspiration rather than literal.

So I kind of started an affair...

WITH A FABULOUS GOLD METALLIC SPRAY PAINT

 

A post on finished decor up this weekend!

 

 

Stay Crafty

x0x0

Jess

December Daily Cover

I'll admit, I glared starred quite a bit at my little blank cloth album before I had any idea what to do with it.

{pic from AE website}

The simplicity of it was intimidating to me. And the fact that I had only one shot to get it right. With scrapbooking this is a terrible way of thinking- you can ALWAYS cover it! With more paper, more paint, stitching, velum, more cloth, really whatever you want!

I decided that I wanted to carry the excitement of our Christmas decor through the mini as well. I don't know what it is about gold & me right now, but we've formed a bond.

I've been having quite the flirtatious affair with my metallic gold spray paint, so that was an obvious choice for my cover and portion of pages.

I cut some snow flakes with my Silhouette and lightly adhered them to the cover and sprayed away. I wanted a "brighter" ring around the snow flakes and it to fade out the farther it got away from the shapes. I'm pretty happy with how it came out.

Like I said before- imperfections are to be expected. And if they bother you that much, they can be covered. You can see that a couple places in the snowflakes are smugged or missing(?) not sure what happened there, but I don't mind it. My "title" is going to cover most of it anyway!

I used this old label maker my employer was just going to throw away! (it's pretty old and I hope I can find more tape for it because I LOVE IT)

Keepin the cover pretty simple for now. I have stuff in the mail, I may add to it, I may not :)

SO that's it so far! I'm planning a Cookie, Beer, & Cheer Party (it's actually this weekend) and so the my last minute ornaments/stocking/decor are taking priority this week.

Is anyone else doing DDs this year??? I'd love to see! Post links in the comments!

Stay Crafty
XOXO
Jess

It finally feels like winter.
& I love it.