Earlier this week a certain someone (cough Katy cough cough) divulged that you can now find fall candy in stores. That means candy corn, people. I’m not a huge candy eater. I will occasionally nab a box of Hot Tamales when going to a movie in the theater. And I won’t turn down a good piece of chocolate if its around. Nevertheless, I will still choose a mountain of ice cream, a hunk of frosting, or a slab of brownie over candy. Except for candy corn. It does something to me. It triggers this monster of a sweet tooth and I can visualize my hand trying to grasp as many of those smooth little triangles as possible to nibble away on until I reach the oblivion of sugar ecstasy. Yea, Katy. Look what you did. 😉

Despite my appreciation love preference full-blown-obsession with the stuff, I know I can’t gobble candy corn to my heart’s content and honor my health in the process. So instead of hunting down a bag in early August (stores just turn stuff out earlier and earlier, huh?!), I decided to ease my candy woes with healthier choices to dull the longing. Who says healthy eating can’t be fun and taste like candy? Okay, the tasting like candy thing may be a bit of a stretch…but healthy food sure can taste amazing and satisfy just as much as candy in its own right. I present you with  my healthy “candy” filled day!

Breakfast: Mounds / Raisinets / Reese’s Oatmeal

Or, more simply, chocolate oats with some coconut, raisins, and peanut butter tossed on top. 😉 I don’t care what you say, though. This bowl was epic! And I would probably choose it over the above in candy form.

To make the oats chocolate, I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk instead of vanilla and added a spoonful of cocoa powder to the oats. Other than that, I prepared them as normal and piled on the coconut, raisin, peanut butter goodness when done. It’s a new obsession.

Lunch: Starbursts

Fruit = nature’s candy. Perfect mango chunks and grapes = better than any Starburst I’ve ever tasted candy. Each bite bursts with such juicy, fresh flavor. Y-U-M. Oh – there was a sandwich and some carrots there too. They were good…but they weren’t starbursts.

Snack: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Would you believe me if I told you that the above chocolate pudding look-alike actually contains spinach? That it’s actually a green smoothie masquerading as pure decadence? Well, it is. Trust me. This Chocolate Covered Strawberry green smoothie started as a bunch of things thrown in a blender -

• 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond breeze
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• a few large frozen strawberries
• a spoonful of cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Then, it became the best green smoothie I have ever tasted. I discovered the one and only downfall to smoothies in a wine glass with this blend – you can’t lick a wine glass clean.

Dinner: Errrm…Green M&Ms???

Alright…dinner doesn’t really have anything I can call candy. But I do love me some Brussels sprouts (favorite veggie besides spinach in smoothie form) and so I shall call them Green M & Ms. Work with me. We can’t allow an entire post’s theme to fall in a shambles now ,can we?

Dinner brought back one of my favorites – BBQ Tofu Wraps! These make healthy eating fun and irresistible…like Ryan Reynolds. Hey, what do you know? I did find a way to tie in the candy theme. Eye candy at its best!

Oops. How did that get in there? So – dinner. BBQ Tofu Wraps with a side of Brussels sprouts. There’s your description of dinner. I’m currently mildly distracted and have no more words. Plus, I don’t want to short circuit my keyboard with my drool. Purely from my candy delicious eats today. Purely. Happy What I Ate Wednesday, friends!

• Are you a candy fan? Any healthier options you use to satisfy cravings?
• Who would be your eye candy?

Another week. Another Monday. Another chance to take on the world. And another stellar strength training workout to get going for the week. Same thing as taking on the world, right? Maybe not, but I still find it a motivating kick-off to my week.

Circuit One

Circuit Two 

Circuit Three

Since I only had strength training on plan for this morning and knew it would only take me around 35 minutes to complete, I opted out of having a small snack beforehand. I came home wanting to gnaw off my arm. This workout awoke the hunger beast, that’s for sure! In fact, it made me want something with more food than my typical oats. I whipped up an odd little combo including an over easy “dippy” egg…

…a grilled swiss cheese and jelly sandwich (if only I had brie!)…

…and a sliced apple. Chomping through all that food left my belly quite content. 🙂

And I’m sure you’re thinking “Okay. Okay. That sounds good, but get on with the progress update already!” Don’t let my mind reading powers scare you. They bring results after all…because here you are – Month 7 Progress!

As always, last month on the left and this month on the right…

As I mentioned in last month’s progress update, I have basically reached my “happy place”. I no longer actively seek to lose more baby weight or make significant progress from month to month. My goals now focus on maintaining my healthy habits and allowing my body to change or progress how it will through half marathon training, regular weights workouts, and everyday active living.

I don’t see huge changes, but I feel perfectly comfortable with that considering I listened to my body – pushing through some tough workouts or taking it easy for a week because I needed the break. All that’s not to say changes didn’t still happen. I gave up the scale so I don’t have progress to report there, but measurements all dropped a smidge.

It just hit me that I have lost almost 24 inches off my body since February. That’s TWO FEET!!! Is that even possible? I think the photos (and tape measurer) say yes…

Even when things don’t seem to happen or when you feel off your game, the body can still do its thing if you care for it overall. I cannot stress enough the importance of consistency in my journey. I give any and all credit for my progress 100% to the desire to honor and respect the body God blessed me with as much as possible on a daily basis. Not a Monday through Friday basis. Not a for six weeks and then move on basis. On a daily basis.

That doesn’t mean each day I strive for perfection…that’s ridiculous and would only end with me in a mental hospital. It means that each day I work to listen to my body and treat it well – with food to nourish, activity to energize, rest to replenish, and love to live well. It’s something every single one of us can do. Take it day by day…and always include love for that body. It deserves it!

• What accomplishments have you seen with consistency in part of your life?
• What is your favorite kind of cheese? Do you even have to ask? Goat! Although I do love me some Swiss on sandwiches.