Let's Help Motivate Each Other

OK, so I have slacked off quit a bit the last several months as far as eating healthy and working out and the end result has led to not sleeping well and simply not feeling good. One of my goals for 2013 is to eat more healthy including eating out less, taking cokes completely out of my diet and working out! Sounds simple right?!

Eating healthy is not hard since my husband is such a clean eater, it's working out that gets me and the snacking between meals. You know, the processed yummy goodness of chips?!  I know, it is as simple as "do not buy it"!! Now I'm buying more raw fruits and vegetables and nuts for my snacking moments. One of my favorite snacks is apple with a little peanut butter. :) As far as working out goes, I start out doing really good the first 2 or 3 months! I then start to dwindle down and before you know it, I am not a regular at the gym anymore!!

Within the last few months I have started following some inspirational women on Instagram whom have changed their life completely by eating right and working out! They post great workout circuits and pictures of their meals which has helped me get more ideas for lunch and dinner. They also share their personal journey by posting before and after pictures of themselves. That takes a lot of courage! They are all beautiful women and I love some of the inspirational quotes many of them share in addition to the other pictures.

Some of you may know Amanda from For Love of a Cupcake. I follow her on Instagram (forloveofacupcake) and she has started a challenge of eating clean for 30 days. That is the whole month of January!! To log your progress, you are to take pictures of your meals and use #forloveofacupcakejan   I think it's great motivation knowing people are doing it with you!!

I started today so here are pictures I took of breakfast and lunch...

Follow me if you would like to join in on the fun and start motivating each other!! Follow @kris10_favoritethingsblog  

You will find Amanda on my instagram account and the other girls who have inspired me!

I will also continue to log my journey on my blog as far as what I'm doing to get in shape and what I'm cooking. :) If you have any helpful tips, please share them with me!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Kristen :)

What's for supper?

Black Beans and Rice with Mustard Greens 

During the mess of moving last week and getting sick and tired of take out, my mom showed me a simple recipe and a delicious one in fact. She usually makes it with black eyed peas, but to our amazement, there were none left at the grocery store. Well, no canned ones that is...it is the easiest in my opinion.

 Ingredients:
- Medium onion
- 2 cans of black beans
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1T olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Bunch of mustard greens

Directions:

1.  Use a large skillet and brown the diced onion and mashed garlic in with the olive oil

2. Add in your partically drained beans and 2 chicken bouillon cubes

3. Add a cup of rice and 2 cups of water

4. Mix together and bring to boil 

5. Lower heat, cover and let simmer for about 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed

6. Add chopped mustard greens, toss and then cover to let wilt (approximatly 5 minutes)

Serve this dish with sliced tomatoes and cornbread,
Enjoy!!