Happy Friday!!

So my plan to go home last night and update my blog fell a little short. The past few nights I've literally been in bed by 8:30 or 9. I used to be getting ready to go OUT at that time. I can blame it on getting older, or I can blame it on the fact I've started going back to the gym and working out again after work, and just feel exhausted by the time I get home. Yay, we are going to use that as the excuse. I would like to think that 31 is still young!

So, along with working out again, I've been trying to get better at eating healthier foods. For those who know me personally, you can go ahead and laugh. Go on, I'll wait. **insert elevator music** Are you done? Good, I'll continue. We'll see how long it lasts, but who knows, maybe this will be the year I actually keep up with one of my New Year's Resolutions. Although I did fall of the wagon and had a Chick Fil A milkshake on Monday. I had a rough day at work, I was weak!! By 5:00, I NEEDED that milkshake! There, confession is good for the soul.

                                                    manna from heaven

So, in order to be "healthier", I have decided to cut back on my Dr Pepper intake. THIS is probably my biggest challenge. My friends know, I BLEED Dr Pepper. It is what gets me going in the morning (I don't like coffee, so I have a morning DP). Don't judge, but my average intake is anywhere from 2 to 4 DPs a day. I am a Dr Pepper-a-holic. If they had Dr Pepper Anonymous meetings, I would be the president of them. So, as of last Friday, I have NOT started my day with any caffeine. In fact, until I went out for lunch today with my friend Derek (thanks again D, I had a lot of fun), I hadn't had a Dr Pepper or any form of caffeine since TUESDAY. So, ONE Dr Pepper every three days is REALLY good for me. And for the record, it was only a small sized DP too!
I did have a friend tell me when eating healthier you don't have to TOTALLY stop eating the foods you like, you just have to minimize how much you eat and how often. She said if you totally cut them out, they could become an obsession and it would be harder to stay away from them. So, instead of having cheese mashed potatoes three times a week (hey, they are easy to make, and very inexpensive), I've only had them once this week (and man, were they good!) And, until today at lunch, I hadn't had fast food, or any form of fried food, since Tuesday. Being the inexperienced cook that I am, I eat out a lot. No really, A LOT. This is why going three days between fast food visits is such a big deal for me. And both of those days I had "kid meal" sizes. It's so much easier after a long day at work, and a 45 minute-1 hour commute home, to go through the drive-thru of Whataburger and grab a #7 w/ no tomatoes or onions, than to go home and start cooking at 6:00-6:30 at night. Okay, so I'm lazy on top of being an inexperienced cook! But I'm getting better, no really, I am.

So, the past week I've started my mornings drinking V8 Splash or "light" apple juice (less sugar, more real fruit juice, at least according to the label) instead of a Dr Pepper. And for my snacks I've been eating fruit or a granola bar, instead of the chocolate candy that I have taken from my manager's office (she has a bowl on her desk of every chocolate candy you can think of). Snickers, Milky Ways, M&Ms...it's Chocolate Heaven.

OH, and speaking of eating healthier, I've noticed it costs a heck of a lot more to eat healthy foods. I spent about $8-9 buying fruits for this week (strawberries, apples, oranges and bananas) when I could have spent $1.99 on a week's worth of Little Debbie snacks. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of desserts (meaning cake or pie), BUT I do have a weakness for Little Debbie's chocolate cupcakes with creme filling. Yum!


So, as a recap. I'm attempting to eat less fried foods and sugary goodness, and instead eating more fruits and veggies. I do have a friend at work who is also cutting back on sugar, so it's nice to have sort of an accountability partner to help me out (thanks Linds!) I've also worked out three times this past week at the gym in my office building (I really have no excuse not to go. It's only 4 floors above mine, and it is free. Plus they have free workout classes with professional instructors). Let's just say all the cheese mashed potatoes and Chick Fil A milkshakes have made more "Rachel to love". Don't start sending me messages about how I don't need to lose weight. I'm not talking anything serious. Just maybe 5-8 "vanity pounds". I would like to possibly think about buying a bathing suit for the first time in three years and not feel like I look like a side show act at Sea World. There, I said it! Hey, it's my random thoughts, I say what is on my mind! : )

As always, thanks for reading, and have a wonderful weekend!!