one step at a time

I'm Katrina, my goal is to become as fit and healthy as possible. This little blog helps me keep track of it all and helps me stay motivated. I'm all about eating clean nutritious food, exercising and maybe a little chocolate here and there... in moderation of course. :)

Height: 5'8"
Highest weight: 160 lbs
Current Weight: 145 lbs
Goal Weight: 130 lbs

I’ve decided to take part in the No Excuses Challenge, which starts today. After Christmas my daily clean eating & exercising habits became a little lax. It’s time for me to get back into a good consistent routine and this challenge will be a good start to many healthy months to come!

Here are my goals:

  • Eating whole, nutritious foods… & lots of lean protein
  • Workout 6 days a week… cardio every day (20-30 minutes), weight training on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (45 Minutes approximately), active rest day on Sunday
  • Prepare and cook some of my staple foods on Sunday, pack my food for the day the night before 
  • Water! Water! Water! 
  • No chocolate or overindulging w/boyfriend, Dylan
  • Eat my meals every 2-3 hours, at relatively the same times each day
thefameofhealthandfitness:

With this challenge I will provide some guidelines but please note, I’m not a trainer and I’m not a nutritionist, but I am person who is passionate about health and fitness and I have worked hard to get to where I am.
How you design this challenge is in your hands. I will provide you with some suggestions and examples to help guide you but ultimately you will be the person setting your goals for the next 30 days. You don’t have to prove anything to me or other readers, you just need to prove to yourself that you are capable of doing what you set out to do, because you are. Mistakes, missed meals or workouts, unplanned cheats or temptations might happen. And if it does, don’t focus on the bump in the road, focus on getting over that bump and right back on track. Each meal, workout, hour of sleep, and each day is a new opportunity to learn from your mistakes. It’s an opportunity to reflect on each situation and to devise a plan for success when you get your second chance. There’s always another opportunity for change and become a better version of yourself. Only you know the direction you want to go in and only you know where you’re currently standing.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS 30 DAY CHALLENGE:
Get your sweat on for 30-120 minutes a day for 4-6 days a week (you can use your own program or something you found in a magazine. But whatever you choose, it needs to be consistent for the next 4 weeks).
Every Sunday schedule in your workouts for the week
Eat a clean meal every 2-3 hours (5-7 meals a day) (check out Tosca Reno’s EAT CLEAN DIET book, Oxygen magazine, my recipes/meals’ pages, or the Clean Eating magazine for some guidelines)
Eat protein with 3-7 of your meals
Cut out all added salt
Cut out all added sugar 
Cut out all white flour
Get 7-9 hours of sleep every day
Drink 1-2 glasses of water with each meal
Drink 1-5 cups of decaf green or white tea a day
Avoid drinking alcohol if possible
Drink coffee before your workout if you need an extra boost (avoid energy drinks)
Prepare all your meals the night before
Schedule in 0-2 cheat meals a week (FYI: cheat “meal” does not equal a day)
If you plan on cheating also plan on what you will be having before the day
Say “No thank you” to treats that are unplanned
Eat your last meal 1-3 hours before bed
Take your measurements in the AM (on Monday, January 30th or Tuesday, January 31st) and again when the challenge ends. Measurements can include: photos in a bikini, using a measuring tape to measure your body (e.g., thighs, chest etc.), the scale, body fat %, try on a tigher pair of jeans etc. This is up to you but I don’t recommend you just use the scale! It is not the best indicator of your hard work. 
Try your best
Give it your all
Ditch your excuses, it’s only 30 days - you’ll live
RULES FOR THE CHALLENGE!!!
RULE #1: If you are joining this challenge you will need to make a post on your blog stating what your goals are for the next 30 days (feel free to “steal” the NO EXCUSES picture and repost it on your blog).
For example:
I will cook all my meals and bring my lunch to work every day
I will drink 500ml before I arrive at work every day
I will not drink alcohol during the next 30 days
I will workout 5 days a week for 60 minutes
I will have one cheat meal on ____________ and it will be 2 pieces of pizza from ____________.
I will go to bed by 9:00PM Sun-Thur
RULE #2: You will need to post at least once a week (if not several times a week) how your challenge is going.
RULE #3: You MUST be honest. Honesty is key to change. If you mess up, reflect on it, get back to it, and do better the next time.
RULE #4: You need to TAG your challenge posts with #noexcuseschallenge so myself or any reader can see how you’re doing. Remember, we are all here together on the same journey towards health. No judgement.
RULE #5: Measure yourself at the end of your 30 days (in the same fashion you measured yourself originally) and make a post about your results. This could include your measurements, how your clothes fit, how your body or mind feel, personal realizations, etc.
RULE #6: Have fun and enjoy your journey!

thefameofhealthandfitness:

With this challenge I will provide some guidelines but please note, I’m not a trainer and I’m not a nutritionist, but I am person who is passionate about health and fitness and I have worked hard to get to where I am.

How you design this challenge is in your hands. I will provide you with some suggestions and examples to help guide you but ultimately you will be the person setting your goals for the next 30 days. You don’t have to prove anything to me or other readers, you just need to prove to yourself that you are capable of doing what you set out to do, because you are. Mistakes, missed meals or workouts, unplanned cheats or temptations might happen. And if it does, don’t focus on the bump in the road, focus on getting over that bump and right back on track. Each meal, workout, hour of sleep, and each day is a new opportunity to learn from your mistakes. It’s an opportunity to reflect on each situation and to devise a plan for success when you get your second chance. There’s always another opportunity for change and become a better version of yourself. Only you know the direction you want to go in and only you know where you’re currently standing.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS 30 DAY CHALLENGE:

  1. Get your sweat on for 30-120 minutes a day for 4-6 days a week (you can use your own program or something you found in a magazine. But whatever you choose, it needs to be consistent for the next 4 weeks).
  2. Every Sunday schedule in your workouts for the week
  3. Eat a clean meal every 2-3 hours (5-7 meals a day) (check out Tosca Reno’s EAT CLEAN DIET book, Oxygen magazine, my recipes/meals’ pages, or the Clean Eating magazine for some guidelines)
  4. Eat protein with 3-7 of your meals
  5. Cut out all added salt
  6. Cut out all added sugar
  7. Cut out all white flour
  8. Get 7-9 hours of sleep every day
  9. Drink 1-2 glasses of water with each meal
  10. Drink 1-5 cups of decaf green or white tea a day
  11. Avoid drinking alcohol if possible
  12. Drink coffee before your workout if you need an extra boost (avoid energy drinks)
  13. Prepare all your meals the night before
  14. Schedule in 0-2 cheat meals a week (FYI: cheat “meal” does not equal a day)
  15. If you plan on cheating also plan on what you will be having before the day
  16. Say “No thank you” to treats that are unplanned
  17. Eat your last meal 1-3 hours before bed
  18. Take your measurements in the AM (on Monday, January 30th or Tuesday, January 31st) and again when the challenge ends. Measurements can include: photos in a bikini, using a measuring tape to measure your body (e.g., thighs, chest etc.), the scale, body fat %, try on a tigher pair of jeans etc. This is up to you but I don’t recommend you just use the scale! It is not the best indicator of your hard work.
  19. Try your best
  20. Give it your all
  21. Ditch your excuses, it’s only 30 days - you’ll live

RULES FOR THE CHALLENGE!!!

RULE #1: If you are joining this challenge you will need to make a post on your blog stating what your goals are for the next 30 days (feel free to “steal” the NO EXCUSES picture and repost it on your blog).

For example:

  • I will cook all my meals and bring my lunch to work every day
  • I will drink 500ml before I arrive at work every day
  • I will not drink alcohol during the next 30 days
  • I will workout 5 days a week for 60 minutes
  • I will have one cheat meal on ____________ and it will be 2 pieces of pizza from ____________.
  • I will go to bed by 9:00PM Sun-Thur

RULE #2: You will need to post at least once a week (if not several times a week) how your challenge is going.

RULE #3: You MUST be honest. Honesty is key to change. If you mess up, reflect on it, get back to it, and do better the next time.

RULE #4: You need to TAG your challenge posts with #noexcuseschallenge so myself or any reader can see how you’re doing. Remember, we are all here together on the same journey towards health. No judgement.

RULE #5: Measure yourself at the end of your 30 days (in the same fashion you measured yourself originally) and make a post about your results. This could include your measurements, how your clothes fit, how your body or mind feel, personal realizations, etc.

RULE #6: Have fun and enjoy your journey!

(via healthylivingforyou)

Why? My calculus and physics finals will be all over with & Wednesday at noon marks the beginning of Christmas break!

I haven’t been a very active blogger lately, but don’t you worry, I’ll be posting much more once I’m no longer swamped with finals. 

P.S. I reached the 15 pound weight loss mark since the beginning of my journey this week!! The 15 pound mark also means that I’m at the halfway point between my highest weight and my goal weight! This is huge, I haven’t been this small in years! Staying positive, eating healthy and exercising has done wonders for me. I can’t wait to see further progress in the months to come. :) 

fitandhealthyforlifee:

operationhealthy:

chelseababbi:

burpees4water:

EVERY RE-BLOG GENERATED 5 CENT OF DONATION TO CHARITY: WATER

TUMBLR COMMUNITY - I NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN

MORE REBLOGS = MORE DONATIONS = MORE LIVES SAVED

CLICK HERE TO DONATE  - $20 = 1 Child Clean Water For 20 Years

100% of donations directly fund water projects for communities in need, and we prove each one using photos and GPS coordinates on Google Maps. 

So far I have achieved:
80,000 Tumblr Reblogs  -   800 New Followers  -  $1,300 in Donations
You, the tumblr community have provided 65 People With Clean Water For 20 years


Thank you, Richard.

Please reblog this.

This Christmas just give a child some clean water.

COME ON GUYS! We constantly reblog butt naked hoes…lets do something good to help others.

Reblogged this 3 times already I think. 

(via healthy-girl)

sara-white:

Pear tarts by Nikole on Oh Joy.

sara-white:

Pear tarts by Nikole on Oh Joy.

I can hardly wait to get finals over with! I wrote one this morning and still have 3 to go. I’m off to bed now, I’ll probably wake up tomorrow at 4 am to get in some last minute studying before my final tomorrow morning… seriously, when will I learn to stop procrastinating?

I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s workout. Finals have seriously gotten in the way of my regular workout routine… tomorrow I’m not going to let that happen!

Good night everyone and good luck to those of you who also have finals this week, only a few more days until the holidays begin. <3

szymon:

diet industry revolution? ;)
Dumb-Bell Cutlery from from Cheeky.com

szymon:

diet industry revolution? ;)
Dumb-Bell Cutlery from from Cheeky.com

Woo

This morning I dragged myself out of my bed to work out. At 5:45 I always end up having a constant battle with myself. “Should I get up out this nice, warm, cozy bed? Or should I just sleep and extra hour… Ah, that does sounds nice. No Katrina, you can do this. Just five more minutes? If you don’t get up now you’ll be late.” And so on.

Today I managed to do it! I did a half hour of NTC and a half hour of HIIT on the elliptical. Of course, I felt great afterwards. I guess the only workouts you regret are the ones you don’t do. I’ll just have to keep telling myself that for a little self-motivation in the early morning. :)

I hope you guys all have a wonderful Friday. For those of you in the states I hope you find some great deals shopping!!

Sorry for my lack of posts lately! School has been very busy… Labs, midterms assignments and finals have been taking up my life for the past couple of weeks.

I’ve been eating as healthily as possible and working out as much as I can. Sometimes it’s hard to find time in a day… seriously, days need to be longer! But I’m making it happen.

I think the stress of school has really stalled my weight loss. Even though I’m eating & exercising well the scale just won’t budge. I’ve been maintaining my weight within a 3 lb range for the past 3 months, it’s frustrating! I feel like I can see a difference in the mirror, so maybe I’m just gaining more muscle from the workouts? I don’t know. I’m stumped as to what is going on… could this possibly be a dreaded plateau? 

Today’s intake:

Breakfast:
- Large flake whole grain quaker oats (1/2 cup),
- almonds (1/2 serving)

Snack:
- 1/2 cup of baby carrots
- 3/4 cup of strawberries

Lunch:
- 60 g Tuna w/ 1 tbsp of mayonnaise on
- 2 slices of Ezekiel bread 

Dinner:
- 2 organic eggs
- 0% plain Greek yogurt (3/4 cup) w/added strawberries (1/2 cup)
- small clementine 

Total: approximately 1200 calories

Today is the first day that I’ve ever posted my intake, if you see anything that might be stalling my weight loss please let me know! Or if you could offer any advice I’d really appreciate it. :) I usually up my intake on days that I workout (usually 1400-1600 calories), today I took a rest day.