Cajun Red Beans & Rice

It just dawned on me that I did not count the calories for this meal. I haven't counted calories in about 3 weeks now. Partly due to laziness and the other part is that I've wanted to wean myself off of counting calories so much. I just can't see myself doing it everyday anymore. I've talked about how I don't want to do it forever anyway. Now, I have been monitoring my weight, and it's only fluctuated maybe 3-5lbs. I'm definitely not worried about that. Now, an additional 10lbs, yeah. I've been maintaining my running schedule and cross training workouts in the mix pretty consistently, so I have nothing to worry about. I've also had a major race and a PR (personal record) I wanted to finish with specific goals, so that kept me on track by itself. That will be a separate post. For now, here's a new recipe I had been meaning to try.

I found this recipe, which was originally a vegan recipe from someone's blog I read. This is like the umpteenth time I've found a recipe and then forgot to note whose blog I've found it from to give them proper credit. Anyhoo, it was my every intention on trying the vegan version, but (and I hate that I used this as an excuse to) my local grocery didn't have it AND the closest full-blown organic grocery store is forever away from my house. I would need to already be in the area to go there. I'll probably make a trip soon.

The recipe is somewhat clean, minus the beef sausage and Worcestershire sauce I used in place of the vegan versions.

Ingredients 

(for 4 servings--I clearly made a huge pot, which was way than more than 4 servings): 

-1 tbsp olive oil

-1 onion, chopped

-2 cloves of garlic

-1 green bell pepper

-1 1/2 cups cooked red beans

-1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

-4 oz vegan sausage

-2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

-1 tsp sea salt

-1/2 tsp liquid smoke

-hot sauce

lots of onions, bell pepper, beef sausage, and garlic

sauteed (can I use that word, I'm no real cook? lol) using olive oil 

I had never cooked red beans before. I didn't know it was so much of a process. Also, the taste was actually kind of bland at first. My suggestion is to season it to your liking. I just added more sea salt and hot sauce to my portion. I still think this is a good go to comfort meal for the colder months that's still a healthier option. =)

You've set your goals, now how will you stick with them?

I'm the type of person that needs structure.  I need a plan in order to reach my goals.  Mental plans, written out plans, whatever...they all work for me. Most people I know join gyms to help motivate them to continue with their workout plans because they are a) paying for this b) are surrounded by like-minded folk and c) it's what the cool people do when you want to lose weight. 

A little known fact (well, for people who actually know me in real life) is that I've never wanted to join a gym or have felt completely comfortable the times I've gone. I would always stay the bare minimum and do the same thing each visit for fear of looking like a rookie. The gym can be an intimidating place for a newbie.

So, how did I stick with my plan to lose the weight? Well, because I am a person who needs structure and also a self-motivated person, I was completely fine with following workout DVDs from home, following the C25k running program, and other genius iPhone fitness apps (i.e. Nike Training)  I've discovered along the way. Now, I did go to the gym to use the elliptical machine and occasionally lift weights, and matter of fact that was where majority of my cardio would come from. My apartment complex has a very small gym barely used by the residents, so most times I'd have it all to myself.

 

Most people need workout buddies, and maybe it's my personality, but I don't. I wanted to lose weight so bad I could taste it. Well, maybe not taste it, but I sure could see what I wanted to look like anyway. I constantly visualized myself the way I wanted to look (& still do). Those mental pictures kept me going on days I wanted to stop. I set short term goals to reward and encourage myself along the way. My long term goals began to seem more easily attainable once I knew I could meet those short-term goals.  I never deprived myself of foods or even activities I knew I would enjoy because I wanted to lose weight. I remained focus, but you HAVE to learn how to get "along" with foods that ARE going to be around regardless. Fact is, everyone else is not on the same journey as you are and regardless to whether or not you want to completely give up sugar, for example, you need to learn how to be around it without having a mental breakdown and causing a setback.

 

Once something has become routine, it's hard to stop. Decide what works for you and dedicate yourself. Remember that it didn't take over night for you to become "that" way, so it's not going to take overnight to "fix" it.

Race Recap: Firefly Run ATL

I'm super late with this post...

The FireFly Run Atlanta was my first night 5k (10/1/11) and it was so much fun! At first I was going to use this as a "fun run", but with a $35 registration cost, I quickly recanted that thought.  I decided this was going to be the perfect race for me to earn a new personal best in the 5k.  Not only had I done the route several times with my running group (before they made the route public), I loved that it was at night and we'd have glow-in-the-dark gadgets, etc.  I love, love, love running in cooler temps.  Matter of fact, that's how I started out.

The most exciting news is that I PR'ed! Yep, I'm finally apart of the sub-30 club, finishing at 29:10.  I had a goal of finishing sub-29, so that 10 seconds is kind of annoying.  I'm blaming that on the hill at the very end though.

In other news, I'm back down to 140lbs (my original -60lb weight goal and what I now consider my "race weight") I have two more races this month. One is another night race I'm doing for the camaraderie and in support of another up and coming runner.  At the end of the month I'm doing a major race (at least for me), the Atlanta Marathon Relay. I'm very excited to be apart of a relay team, and not until last week did I think being apart of a marathon (besides volunteering) would be occurring so soon.  But more details on that in a later post.  

Here's a few pictures from my night race...(I vow to get better with remembering to take pics in the first place lol)