Fitness Friday: About That Plateau

It sucks. Just plain sucks. I had been doing really well, then went to LA at the end of March. I didn't go crazy while I was there as far as falling off the Weight Watchers wagon, but I enjoyed myself.

I did well when I got home- I had about a month before we left for our Napa trip. That. That darn trip is what has thrown me off. It has been sooooo hard to get my body back in the swing of things. I think because of the 20 lbs I have lost so far plus my last two trips throwing a little wrench into things, I think I can safely say that I have plateaued.

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While it is not ideal, and nobody wants it to happen to them, it does happen. It just does. It is frustrating and it makes it very easy to throw in the towel, but it can certainly be overcome.

After doing some research, here are some ways to overcome the dreaded plateau:

1. Change up your workout. If you are anything like me, you get in a rut. Lately for me, I have just been walking. While walking is a great workout, your body can get used to it (like doing any workout pretty consistently). Changing up your workout more frequently keeps your body on its toes. I know- easier said than done, but it can help break through the plateau.

2. If you don't already, record everything you eat, nibble, take a bite of, lick, etc. Those little things can add up without you realizing it and may be preventing you from moving forward in your weightloss journey. While I do Weight Watchers and keep track of everything I eat, I don't keep track of the two crackers I eat when I get home, the three pieces of pepperoni I have while making pizza for dinner. They don't seem like a lot, but for me, those little nibbles could add up to a few extra points at the end of the day.

3. Get a pedometer (like a fitbit, jawbone, etc.). I had a Jawbone I was using for a while but it stopped working and I haven't gotten anything to replace it since. I desperately want to, because Weight Watchers has a feature in their app now that you can link your workout device to the app. I will get a new one at some point!

4. Add strength training. If you are like me and only really do cardio, this might be something to try. It can increase your metabolic rate and just give your body an overall boost.

Now I am not a professional anything when it comes to fitness, these are just some suggestions I have heard/read along the way that could be helpful and that I will be trying!

What are some things you do to break through a plateau?

Romping Around

There is something to be said about a good romper/jumpsuit. Quite frankly, if I had it my way I would wear rompers, maxi dresses and kimonos all day every day! They are comfortable, take the guess work out of putting an outfit together, and can be dressed up or dressed down at a moments notice!

I wore this jumpsuit for our first night out in Napa. We had spent the day exploring San Francisco (including a ton of walking up all of those hills!) so when heading out to dinner I knew I wanted to be comfortable.

If I wanted to be a little dressier, I could have easily swapped out the flat sandals for a pair of heels, added a statement necklace and maybe a blazer instead of the denim jacket. But, per the usual, comfort won!

Outfit Details: 

Jacket: Old Navy /// Jumpsuit: Old Navy (similar) /// Hat: Target /// Sandals: Just Fab /// Clutch: Blair Ritchey (similar) 

Laid Back in San Fran

There really is nothing I love more than a great utility jacket. I love how it can change the look of any outfit while completing it at the same time.

Packing my utility jacket on my trip to CA was a no brainer for me-it definitely got a lot of wear while we were there. One of my favorite ways to wear it is with a pair of destructed jeans and Converse!

Tossing on my backpack made this look even more laid-back, but still stylish. Perfect for our day of exploring San Francisco!

Outfit Details:

Jacket: Old Navy (similar option) /// Top: Loft /// Jeans: Target /// Shoes: Converse via Kohls /// Backpack: Target /// Necklace: BaubleBar /// Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Simply Stylist /// Watch: Target 

Day to Night Shorts

Hope you all had a great weekend, and a great Mother's Day! I had a great day celebrating with my girls and Ryan...they made it so special!

I am taking this post all the way back to our trip to Napa a could of weeks ago. We had a great day of exploring the wineries in the area, then were headed out to dinner that evening in downtown Napa. I tried to pack light, so I wanted to wear things that I could take from day to night.

With that said, I am pretty sure these shorts were the only thing that I wore day to night! Haha! So much for that, right? These shorts were a great purchase not only for the trip but just in general. They are so versatile, the length is great for someone like me (a mom who dislikes her legs, wants to be comfy, but still stylish), and the price was great as well!

They got me through my wine tasting day and with a switch of the top and the shoes, took me into the night!

We snapped these pictures at Castello Di Amoroso. The most gorgeous, picturesque winery/vineyard. The winery is housed in a huge castle-the pictures just don't do it justice!

After we relaxed for a bit back at our place, we freshened up and headed out for the night. Simply changing my top, shoes, and handbag took my shorts from day to night.  Being that the waistband is elastic, they were still super comfortable. For me, the elastic waistband makes the shorts a little more casual looking, so I thought pairing them with a peplum top would be ideal to cover the waist!

Outfit Details:

Day: Top: Old Navy (old) /// Denim Jacket: Old Navy /// Shorts: J Crew Factory /// Shoes: Converse via Kohls /// Purse: Target /// Hat: Target /// Necklace: Target /// Sunglasses: Target 

Night: Top: Target (similar) /// Shoes: Forever 21 (cute option) /// Clutch: Blair Ritchey (similar) 

These shorts are a great investment and are under $30! You can't beat that price for something that is so versatile. 

Fitness Friday

Hey everyone! So glad it's Friday! With the exception of working tomorrow during the day, I plan on having a nice and relaxing weekend! Hopefully all of you Mommy's out there will have a great Mother's Day!

For today's Fitness Friday I thought I would share one tip with you that a reader actually shared with me (thanks, Jess!! Check out her blog Jeans and a Teacup while you're at it!). I had shared in an earlier post how I don't like to drink a lot of water, and how sometimes it's a struggle for me to get all of my water in for the day. Jess said she likes to set a timer throughout the day. When it goes off she chugs a bottle of water! I liked the idea of that, because it kind of "gets it over with" and allows me to sip throughout the rest of the day! I have been doing it for about a week now, and have been getting all of my water in! I set it for 12:15 and 3:15. 12:15 is usually when I start to get super hungry, so that helps me not overeat at lunch. 3:15 is usually when my afternoon slump/urge to eat sets in. Give it a try (and thank Jess!)

I also wanted to share with you a really great recipe. If you are anything like me, you love pasta and would eat it all day every day if you could. One of the many reasons I love Weight Watchers is that I can still eat pasta-just in moderation. Weight Watchers has a ton of recipes to choose from which I love, and they are delicious. You can of course modify them if need be, which I tend to do sometimes!

I make this Beef Baked Ziti quite a bit, and I usually end up with leftovers for a few days! It is delicious, and only 7 points per serving! (and bear with me- I have never posted a food recipe before so this is all new to me!)

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz uncooked ziti (I used penne because that's what I had)

2 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic (or if you are like me...a lot more!)

1/3 lb uncooked lean ground beef (I used lean ground turkey instead)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes.

Add beef and cook until browned (about 3-5 minutes). Drain fat and set pan back over medium heat.

Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 mins.

Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes

Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of 4 qt casserole dish.

Cover with half of cooked pasta.

Layer with more of the tomato-beef mixture and half of mozzarella cheese.

Layer with remaining pasta then top with remaining tomato-beef mixture.

Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Enjoy! 

A few things- you can totally switch out spices- add what you want, add more, add less, whatever works for you. I never add as much oregano as the recipe calls for because I personally feel like a little bit goes a long way. I also may have added a little bit more cheese than the recipe called for, but not a ton!

Hope you enjoy it! Have a great weekend!