Healthy Eats: Low Calorie Tuna & Broccoli Pasta

Whether you know it or not, it's very ironic that I'm posting a broccoli and anything, let alone broccoli and cheese recipe on my blog.  I'll tell you why...  Up until about six months ago, I was not a broccoli eater.  Actually, I thought it was gross and I hated the smell of broccoli and cheese soup.  Ew.  Talk about rancid after breath.

Short story: broccoli was not part of my diet.

A few months ago, when I was still working at the preschool, broccoli was served as our vegetable with lunch.  I ate it (with lots of pepper) and guess what?  I love broccoli!

 Well, this past weekend I whipped up a delicious, low calorie, quick supper that could have fed all four of us (had we all been home).  Try it.  You won't be sad you did.

Being Accountable: Writing Down Your Goals

Many people find that writing down their goals, dreams, plans, etc. help them accomplish those things and follow through.  I'm one of those people and you probably are too, in your own way.

For example, tracking my food via Calorie Count keeps me accountable for what I eat.  I see how good or bad something is for me and I see where I make good choices and where I can improve my selections.

Food is not the only place I need to be accountable, though.  I want to share my goals, for all the world to see, so that they're in writing and public and I'm accountable for achieving those.  Plus, by writing them down, I'm admitting that they're possible and something I can work and am working toward.

My Goal to Live a Healthier Lifestyle: Being Food Conscious

 I'll readily admit that I have never, ever been conscious of what I was putting in my mouth.  I didn't care how much I ate or what I ate.  If I wanted it, I ate it.  I was always blessed with a relatively high metabolism and small to medium build.  Before I became pregnant with my son, the highest weight I had ever been was 138 lbs.

After having my bundle of joy, I cinched the weight easily with being actively employed and breastfeeding for a year.  One year after giving birth, I weighed less than pre-pregnancy.

I don't know what happened.  It was a combination of job shuffling, bad eating habits, quitting smoking, and other bad habits.  However, I eventually jumped up to over 150 lbs.  Yes, I know this is not fat, and I'm not saying I was.

I was unhappy with my body, my habits, and my health, though.  I believed this had to be the beginning of a downward spiral for me, because women like me grew up to be 40 year-olds who are overweight and bury their problems in food.

I wasn't disciplined.  I exercised occasionally and only casually.  I ate candy bars galore (my weakness is chocolate) and stuffed my face with whatever else I deemed delicious for the day.

3 Week Before & After

It's been about three weeks since I started trying to live a little healthier.  Only in the past week and half have I really stepped up and really pushed myself to exercise daily and count my calories.  The results aren't drastic (not yet, anyway), but I'm still proud and ready to share.

My Goal to Live a Healthier Lifestyle: Kicking the Smoking Habit

Time and time again I have told myself that I could do better.  I've always been a bit of a perfectionist, but I procrastinate and get easily sidetracked, so it's not unusual for me to lose sight of my goals...whatever they may be.  Well, health is something I've always attacked passively.  It's never been a priority of mine, unfortunately.

I started smoking before I was even in high school and was smoking a pack a day by the time I had my son in May 2010 (what would have been the end of my senior year).  It wasn't until late January of 2012 that I kicked the habit, after smoking for about seven years.  Seven years!  I can't believe, in my young life, that I smoked for seven years!