Turning over a New Leaf (as in Green Leafy Vegetables) for 2015

Progress Check-In for 2014 and Healthy Eating Goals for 2015

So, über-determined health resolutions near the time of the new year seem suspect and temporary! I must admit, ramping up health goals has coincided with the new year, however, we have been doing ok during 2014, health-wise. I started this healthy eating and living blog almost a year ago today exactly. However, Jeff and I have been slow-and-steady in our progress towards transitioning to real food. When we met, about three years ago, we tended to have the following eating habits: pizza, take-out food, dining out at "casual dining" types of places. 

Several factors made us want to eat healthier...

1. We couldn't fit in our respective clothes any longer. This is self-explanatory as a motivation to change!

2. We were wasting money on restaurants. We both have student loans and mortgages to pay down.

3. "Discovering" tasty healthy recipes on the internet that we could try on our own.

4. Jeff got a personal trainer and started using the myfitnesspal app as well as getting health tips ("low-sodium") from his personal trainer. 

5. We started researching the calories in the desserts we were eating. There were almost 1,000 calories in some! 

6. We watched Forks Over Knives and other like-minded movies and decided to turn-around our health. These movies were inspiring and interesting.

7. The aging process--turning 40 means my metabolism slowed down in major ways, all of a sudden! Even maintaining weight became "work".

8. Over time, a Sprouts store and a Whole Food opened up within 2 miles of us in our new city of Bedford. We also live directly across the street from the Bedford Farmer's Market which is open seven days a week. 

The Bedford Farmer's Market is helping us eat healthier

Giving up Coffee for Calmness and Cost-Savings. 

I have recently truly given up coffee as  I wrote in a previous blog. It is Dav Five and I am doing great! I feared going through so-called "withdrawals" as I had been consuming about 2 cups of coffee a day for more than a decade or longer. 

Health Goals for 2015

1. Continue walking 1-2x daily. We walk about 2-3 miles a day, but I would like to increase this to 4-6 miles a day!

2. Lose 10 pounds!

3 .Continue to minimize caffeine and seek alternate sources of natural energy. So far, green tea is doing the trick. 

4. Explore new plant-based recipes on Forks Over Knives website and other online resources. There is a wealth of knowledge on the internet. I also like the book Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison. I love learning about what I am eating along with great recipes.

A great read! It's heavy so I recommend the Kindle version. 

What are your health resolutions for 2015?