Pure Fit Pure Food 10 week !

Wow I can't believe it's over! If you follow me on Instagram or follow the girls over at Pure Fit Pure Food you will have seen my post.  I just love this food lifestyle of theirs so much.  It's healthy, and realistic, and tasty.  I'm going to copy and paste my thoughts below from that post. But in case you were wondering I lost a total of 8 pounds and a ton of bloat! My husband lost 12 pounds! We are actually starting it all over tomorrow with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law! The cool thing about this program is that I don't need to keep doing the program because I now have the tools to make the right food choices, I'm simply doing the whole thing again for some family fun.  I just can't recommend them enough. It's not some MLM company, I'm not sponsored by them. I just simply love their philosophy, did the whole program, and want people to know about them! Below is my post:

"I cannot even begin to tell you my love of PFPFs food philosophy. It has completely changed my relationship with food forever. The guilt is gone, the binging is gone, and I am just so much happier. Besides pounds I really lost a lot of bloat. I was in a tough place mentally bc I was in between sizes after having my baby. Nothing fit , but bigger sizes looked baggy on me. I weighed 210 pounds when I had my baby 9 months ago 😱😱. Yeop I just gain a ton with pregnancy and there isn't a whole lot of ways around that for me. But I was stuck at about 40 pounds down for a long time and still not fitting in to my clothes . With this program the scale is moving again, I don't look 5 months pregnant anymore, and my clothes fit again , fitting back in to my jeans is the best feeling ever! 

As my husband says now, it's not a program, it's just how we eat now. We both have more weight to loose and now we have the tools to do it. 

This program is the healthy, realistic way towards lasting weight loss. "

Zucchini "Ravioli"

I love the weeks in the program where I don't follow a pre-made meal plan because it means I get to get back in touch with my creative side in the kitchen.  I get to take my new eating habits and apply them to real life.  SO I found this great recipe online to curb my Italian craving! It was healthy, easy, delicious, and very pretty! I would totally serve this at a dinner party.
SO here are the deets. I found the recipe HERE and only did a few tweeks to it.  So I halved the recipe for my husband and myself and it was still plenty.  Also, I accidentally bought low-fat ricotta, which is fine, but i'm also not afraid of fats so regular would be just fine as it is only a little bit in this recipe (we used only half a cup).  Also I added 1/4 of a pound of cooked ground beef for some extra protein (you could do ground chicken or turkey too).  Other than that I followed the recipe and it came out fabulous! Here is the pic, hope you enjoy!

                        

Body Image Thoughts

So Logan and I are just finishing up week 7 of our 10 week challenge! Soooo that means 3 more weeks until I reveal our results. Let's just say they are good people :) Very very good. But also healthy! Nothing crazy going on over here!
I've just had so many thoughts buzzing around in my head through doing this challenge so I thought I would jot them down.  Maybe a numerical list? They probably aren't connected at all and will just sound like ramblings but here it goes.

1) Through this challenge I have felt a lot of the guilt that I have associated with food and eating in the past pretty much disappear. I don't remember the exact words but on one of the pages of the program it says something along the lines of "You recognize that splurges (or eating items outside of your normal guidelines) are normal and trust your body to make up for mistakes in eating".  How powerful! It really REALLY irks me to NO end when people around me shame themselves for eating certain things! Like OH MY GOODNESS if you want a cookie, have a friggen cookie, but enjoy it and don't complain about it. Okay I am being so harsh because I MENTALLY say those things to myself a lot (not as much anymore) but constantly filling the universe, and not to mention your soul, with negative emotions regarding food is so so sad to me. LOVE YOSELF!

2) I love my mom, seriously, I love my mom. Seems random, but it is related to that above thought. Growing up I can not even recall one time that my mom talked negatively about her body (or mine) in front of me. Seriously! I realize now what a rare and precious gift that is. We definitely (especially now) talk about health and fitness but not in a negative head space.  I grew up with three brothers and no sisters so I was definitely able to avoid a lot of those learned behaviors that a lot of those negative food associations come from simply because there weren't a lot of females around to instill them! My mom cooked, baked, and ate with us. I can never recall my mom saying "I'm on a diet", or "I need to loose weight" or "ugh I had dessert yesterday", phrases like that are SO damaging (in my opinion).  We ate awesome food, we were and are a very active family, and that was that.  This is something I so desperately want to pass on to my children.  To love their bodies, to enjoy food, and not feel guilty about eating!

3) And lastly.  Loving MY body.  It's interesting because I gained A TON of weight during pregnancy (can you say two hundo club?!) And slowly but surely I have been losing that weight.  But I'm never going to look like the girlfriend next to me, or the Instagram account I follow, or that chick I workout behind in my HIIT classes.  Simply because my body is the only one like it on this earth. I've been through different experiences than anyone else on this earth so why would I expect to ever be like someone else?? Guess what, I'm coming back from being the heaviest I've ever been in my life. But I also have never been more comfortable in my own skin as I have at this point in time. I wouldn't change being 30 pounds thinner like I was my sophomore year in college for where I am at now! Cause guess what, I wasn't happy.  I was doing high impact workouts twice a day, eating next to nothing, and drinking A TON of soda.  I wasn't healthy, I was skinny, but I wasn't healthy. That's not to say that I'm not dedicated to being the healthiest me, but skinny and healthy are not synonymous. For my child (and future children) I will wear a swimsuit and swim even if I'm not bikini ready, I will eat a piece of pizza (or 3) if I feel like it, I will exercise and treat my body like it deserves to be treated, and I will love MY body.

***Sorry for the random post but I just feel a lot of gratitude and happiness through this program journey and I wanted to jot it down. Here is a pic from a couple of weeks ago because I felt really confident and pretty in this outfit.



xoxo, Katelin-Jane

Pure Fit Pure Food 10 Week Challenge

I love a good challenge, a goal to work towards, something tangible. I find it keeps me motivated, driven, and overall a happier person. So after completing our half marathon I wanted a new challenge! But something different! I feel that I have come to a plateau with my postpartum weight loss, and although 40 pounds is a big accomplishment I still have more to go to reach what I know is healthiest for my body. 

I knew I wanted to do a food challenge, but it took me a while to figure out how exactly I wanted to go about it.  If you know me, or my philosophy on food/body image you know that there are a few words I find very toxic, especially for  myself.  One of them is the word "diet" in the popular culture sense our world uses it today. I do not agree with depriving oneself of calories or nutrients that the body needs. I don't believe in cutting out entire food groups or labeling foods "good" and "bad". I don't believe in juice cleanses . I hate the word "skinny" and find it to be a toxic and superficial way to express the worth of self or someone else. How many times when a girl posts a cute picture on social media are her friends quick to say "You look so skinny!!" as if that is the ultimate compliment? How about, healthy, strong, or happy? HEALTH is what is important not thinness. 

 I do however believe that we have all of the food groups for a reason, they each play a vital role in how we fuel our bodies.  I believe that sometimes we need to reset and figure out how to best fuel our bodies with the food we consume.  I believe that we should take care of our bodies and fuel them with healthy options when it comes to food.  I believe exercise is extremely important but not something to be obsessive about (something I've struggled with in the past). I believe our bodies are a gift and we should treat them as such, not pick them apart, not practice self-loathing every time we decide to indulge and have a treat. 

SO with that being said I researched, and researched, and researched.  And I came across a plan, and a couple of girls whose philosophy spoke to me on a deeper level .  The girls over at Pure Fit Pure Food have it going on. They are moms (that was a big one for me, I want someone who gets me on that level), registered nutritionist/dietician, certified personal trainer/group fitness instructor, and overall realists (I need that too).  

This is a 10-Week program and Logan and I are currently on week 3. It is a nutrition and exercise program with specific instructions of what to eat/do each day which I love. What I like MOST about this plan so far is the education I am receiving. The meal plan is broken up in to proteins, carbs, and fats and really teaches you what food falls in to what category, and why it is important to include all of those categories. Also, we eat everything: Meat, dairy, veggies, fruit, whole grains, fats, and even some yummy treats.  6 days a week are structured with a complete meal plan (and shopping list, love that) and 1 day is a relaxed day where we get to splurge within reason.  Pizza has been my splurge both weeks so far :) 

We have been really dedicated to the program but our little family did get the stomach flu this past weekend which threw off our meal plan a bit (although we weren't really eating much of anything so it was really fine) .  

We weighed (and measured) ourselves at the beginning and are supposed to weigh in again at the end of this week.  I'll be honest and say I weighed myself a couple of times each week so far (too addicted to that scale people, I'm working on it) and I am soooooo happy to say the scale is moving, it's been stuck at this one number for a while now and to see it moving again is the best motivator in the world.

Logan and I have really been enjoying the program and we love to ask "How are you feeling?" before and after we eat things so we can really discuss how certain foods, levels of hunger, etc. make us feel.  Logan is OBSESSED with the plan, I post the weeks layout on our fridge and he is always referring to it. For work he has to eat out a lot so he will text me saying whats on the plan, so he can order something similar wherever it is he has to eat at.   

Below are some of the foods we have eaten with the plan, I have to say most of the recipes/food choices have been not just good, they've been AMAZING.  One thing I can't get myself to love, turkey, it's weird I know but I've never liked it, and I still don't like it.  I sub for chicken and feel happier about life :)

I'll post again at 6 weeks for another update !

xoxo

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've said it time and again. I am not a big baker. I just don't have the patience or precision that it takes to be a good baker. I like that with cooking I don't have to follow a recipe exactly to get a great end result. BUT I do have a few killer baking recipes in my back pocket and this is one of them. This is my mom's recipe and is well loved in our family. Anytime my brothers are in town these usually get made at some point. And they are EASY so that is a big plus.

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup of softened butter

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 cup of mashed overly ripe bananas (I usually do 3-4 bananas)

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 3/4 cups of rolled oats

chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar

2. Beat the egg and then add it to the butter/sugar mixture

3. Add mashed bananas

4. Add flour

5. Add salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon

6. Add oats

7. Add chocolate chips (more or less depending on your preference)

8. REFRIGERATE for 30 minutes before scooping cookies and baking. This is very important! It creates the correct consistency before baking. 

9. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes and then allow to cool for a few minutes

ENJOY!! XX

Half Marathon

I still can't really believe that I am saying this but I ran a half marathon! I did it! And I didn't have to walk or stop! Boy this day had a bit of anxiety tied to it as it approached but I am so proud of myself.  I wanted a clear cut work out goal after baby.  Between not working out while I was pregnant, and knowing the weight wasn't going to magically disappear with breastfeeding (that's an annoying myth that only happens for some people) I just wanted to work towards something.  Saying I'm going to "eat healthy" and "go to the gym" were far too vague for me so my husband and I signed up for the half marathon.  We started very slowly, 1.5 miles to be exact.  And I remember thinking I was going to die during those 1.5 miles. But before I knew it we were running 5, 6, 7 miles at a time with no problem.  Then we ran a 9 miler! And a 10! And before I knew it the day had come. I am so lucky to have so many friends and family who watched Gray on those long run days when we couldn't take him with us.   On the shorter ones we took the jogging stroller but boy was it nice to just be alone sometimes on those long run days. Just myself, and my thoughts as I pushed myself mentally and physically. Along with the physical training Logan and I really changed our eating habits quite drastically.  We really haven't had fast food except maybe once after Gray was born, and when we are in the mood for something quick we opt for sandwich shops instead. We don't drink soda anymore (5 months clean for me now!).  We try to go low or no carb at dinner time. And we don't keep too many unhealthy foods in the house anymore.  Don't get me wrong we are still foodies through and through and there is nothing I appreciate more than a good steak or burger but we've definitely made some really healthy steps and are continuing to do so.  I am really grateful to have parents (and in-laws) who are healthy and active and can enjoy all kinds of activities with their children! I want to be this way for Gray and that has been a big motivating factor for me.
The day of the marathon my Sister-In-Law Bethany got Gray all ready to go in the morning (my brother-in-law, Logan, and I, had to be at the buses at 5 a.m.) and my father and mother in law, and my brother all came to greet us at the finish line.  They timed it perfectly so that I could breastfeed Gray as soon as I finished! I have to say I felt like SUPER MOM running a half and then feeding my kid right after. It was so nice to have so much support on our big day!
Here are some pics!!






I'm sure some of you are wondering about my weight loss journey since having Gray. I am about to get really real and really personal.  When I had Gray at 40 weeks I weighted 209 pounds (oh. my. gosh.) I have officially lost a little more than 40 pounds and still would like to loose another 15.  These last 15 are being extra stubborn and according to my doctor might not go anywhere until I am done nursing. But besides the actual weight I have toned up A LOT, and just feel really really good. I feel happy, I have so much more energy, and feel like a good wife and mom which is most important to me.  Below is a progress pic so far. I posted one a couple of years ago after I did Insanity so I thought why not again. Stretch marks and all people. I'm a work in progress but aren't we all?

The Photo On The Left: 38 weeks pregnant
Middle Photo: 12 Weeks PP (1 month of working out)
Photo On The Right: 16 Weeks PP (2 Months of Working Out)

*I am now at 22 Weeks PP so I should take some more photos soon*

Eggs, Eggs, and More Eggs Ya'll

I had a few friends text me last week about a little snapchat video I did on some soft-boiled eggs I made for dinner. Like i've said before I eat steel-cut oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast (I know so boring but it helps me with breastfeeding). BUT that often leads me CRAVING some kind of meat/protein come lunch time, so a lot of times I have eggs for lunch, which means I have 2 breakfasts each day OOPS.  Eggs may seem intimating if you've never prepared them before but trust me they are SO easy and a good thing to have in your cooking repertoire. Below is a little rundown of a few of the ways I like to cook my eggs! 

1. Scrambled--easy enough right?? Let me give you a few pointers.  First, I always add about a tablespoon of milk to each egg that I scramble. I know I know, some people say if you are using good, farm-fresh eggs you don't need to add anything to your eggs, but I'm a normal person, who buys my eggs from the grocery store so I find that a little splash of milk makes my eggs creamier. Second, cook your eggs on medium heat, if you cook them too high, and too fast they will be over-cooked and rubbery.  Which brings me to my next point... DON'T OVER COOK EGGS. There is nothing that makes me sadder in this whole world than overcooked eggs. Okay, that was dramatic, but nothing is worse than dry scrambled eggs, or when I go to bite in to a delicious burger with a fried egg on top and the egg yolk doesn't run all over...such a disappointment. In my world I'd rather have an undercooked egg than an overcooked one...just sayin'.  Lastly, salt those babies! Salt brings out the natural taste of eggs in the best friggen way possible, so if someone gives me a plate of eggs that hasn't been properly seasoned? You bet I am reaching for the salt shaker. But as with all food it's better to salt them while you are cooking them as opposed to after. 

2. Soft-Boiled eggs--a personal fav. Don't let these scare you, I've got it down to a science.  First bring your pot of water to a boil, then turn down the heat so the water is at a rapid simmer. Add 2-3 eggs. Set your timer for 5 minutes EXACTLY.   After five minutes remove the eggs and rinse under cold water until they can be handled.  Then peel them. This is the hardest part but with a little practice you'll be a pro. I use a spoon to crack the shell horizontally in a circle and then run my spoon between the egg and the shell to remove the shell.  They should look like this:

And then they should do this:

3. Fried Eggs. YUM. Melt a tiny bit of butter in a non-stock pan over medium heat (remember never too hot for eggs!) and crack your eggs in to the pan.  Wait until the egg white turns from an opaque color to a more set white (about 4 minutes) and then gently, but quickly flip them over. I like my eggs over easy so I literally cook them for like 30 seconds to a minute on the second side and then they are ready. 

4. Poached. The trickiest of the egg preparations.  But if I'm being honest I have an egg poaching pan. Fill the pan with 1/2 inch water, set over medium heat and bring the water to a simmer. Lightly oil the poaching cups and warm the cups in the pan. Crack an egg into each cup, cover the pan and cook about 2-3 minutes. 

5. Lastly are hard boiled eggs, and again, I cheat. I buy the pre-made ones from Coscto. They are awesome for a quick snack but also for making a big bowl of egg-salad! YUM.