Changes are in the Air!!!

I have been going through something for the last couple weeks that has been the most difficult thing I have ever had to go through. I am not really ready to talk about it here but, I have had a lot of time to think... I have thought about my life, my health, my kids, my priorities, and mostly importantly my happiness... And well, needless to say, I was not happy with were everything was. I needed a change...

Enter, new Ashlee. I am going to keep this blog, but will handle it different. I will still post craft tutorials, but it will not be handled like a job. I am not going to beg or bribe for followers, while that would be cool and an ego boost if people found entertainment in my posts, but I am not going to force it.

In addition to crafts I am going to document my progress on my hopefully upward path to a happier Ashlee.

So to start, I noticed that my diet was awful, hence my comment the other day about my love for frozen mac and cheese... Bad, right? So the first thing that needed to be improved was my health.

I took a good look at myself and noticed that I felt grouse. I felt bloated, I had gained a bunch of weight, had zero energy or motivation, my skin was worse then it ever has been, braking out and blotchy. I have felt this way for sometime, but it had just hit me. I needed a change. I have been eating fast food, processed food, ranch dressing on everything, hardly any fruits, veggies, or anything healthy for that matter. No wonder I felt this way!

I began researching... Most diets, new years resolutions, etc. fail because it's too dramatic of a change that you get overwhelmed and just give up. I want my lifestyle to change, not my diet, or food choice to change for a couple weeks, it has to be a lifestyle change, but within reasonable limits that I don't get overwhelmed. So, I know myself and I am not going to make a bunch of healthy meals that takes 2 days to prepare and includes ingredients I can't pronounce ( I have done this, thinking I can do it... I planned it at work, was all gung ho, ready to cut out all sweets, make these uber healthy meals, eat exactly 1200 calories a day... and by time I got home 4 hours later I had already given up... It was too overwhelming. Too extreme.)

I found meal ideas that my girls and I would actually eat, and that I would take the time to make. Again keeping it realistic for me. Then I created a 2 week menu; breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2 snacks a day. I don't care about calories, if I am eating healthy and being cautious about my sweets I do not have to be strict, and count every calorie. Because what did we learn? Every time I am strict I fail.
I made a grocery list and went shopping... I plan to start it on Tuesday (I already have plans for today). I have been eating much better all weekend, no Mt Dew (this one has to be extreme, cold turkey, that stuff is so yummy, but so bad for you), lots of water. And I already feel a little better, I have a loooong way to go, but I want to feel like a million bucks, and know I can!

So stick with me, give me advice, encouragement, and ideas.

Some more tips I find helpful!

If I really want a doughnut I will have ONE, maybe just a bite of one, but I do not need a doughnut, candy bar, cookies, Mt. Dew, and another doughnut. Just one is enough.

Take into consideration what you have going on when making a menu. If you know you are going to be in a hurry one day, plan a quick or crock pot meal.

Don't be afraid to try something new... While you don't want to go too extreme and plan every meal that is new or includes something you don't normally like, one a week is good. Example...I HATE bananas... idk why, just never have liked them, tried then a number of times, and I still think they are no good. My girls love them so I keep them around the house. Well, I made a smoothie the other day and decided to throw in half a banana, just for the extra fruit, and I tasted it, with an open mind, and it was the best smoothie I have had. I could even taste the banana. Lesson here, Try it... You might surprise yourself.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for your support!

You can do it if AshHas!
xoxo