The Royal Slim-Down

So here it is…here’s the big plan. I want to make one point very clear from the get-go. In no way do I intend for Duchess of Fork to become a diet/health blog. I love eating, I love cooking and I love posting recipes. And I will continue to do so. I just really want to post my goals here as a means to hold myself accountable. If I share my goals and ideas with ALL of cyber space, I suppose it makes me more likely to stick to them. It’s also nice to see all of my ideas typed out…it’s an easy quick reference for myself.

As you know, I’m usually fairly health-conscious while cooking. I always cook with lots of fresh produce, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. I will continue to do so…and of course, I’ll still indulge myself every now and then Now that the white elephant is out of the room, let’s move onto the plan. I’ve divided it into three sections, but they really all intertwine. The sections are Diet, Exercise and Life Style.

Diet

1. Incorporate lots of fresh fruit, veggies and lean proteins into diet.
2. 1-2 vegetarian days per week
3. Try to eliminate white starches from diet (white bread, rice, pasta, tortillas) and replace with whole grain and whole-wheat options.
4. No more Diet Coke or artificial sweetener- use agave nectar instead.
5. Limit peanut butter and nut intake to a few times per week (I eat too much of this now. Even though they’re healthy fats, I sometimes will eat more than one serving per day).
6. Have a “healthy” dessert twice per week (frozen yogurt, low fat graham crackers, etc.)
7. One true dessert (slice of cake, cookie, candy, etc.) one time per week.
8. Two alcoholic beverages per week. Just two!!
9. Allow myself one splurge day every now and then. Not every week, but just for special occasions like a birthday, wedding, or holiday.
10. Try to stay within 1700-2000 calories per day.
11. MOST IMPORTANT- Eat when I’m hungry, STOP when I’m full!

I know this seems lengthy, but most of these “rules” I already live by. For example, I always cook with whole-wheat, but can be tempted to eat white bread when out to dinner. I really want to stop that sort of thing where the calories really add up.

Exercise

1. Strength training with our personal trainer, Zoli, two times per week.
2. Cardio 4-5 times per week.

Here’s the goal:
Monday- 30-45 minutes of cardio
Tuesday- 15-30 minutes of cardio plus strength training with Zoli
Wednesday- off
Thursday- 15-30 minutes of cardio plus strength training with Zoli
Friday- 30-45 minutes of cardio
Saturday-off (or 30 minutes of cardio if I really think I need it)
Sunday- 30-45 minutes of cardio

This is the plan, but the days may switch around, depending on Zoli’s schedule. Also, since I work at a school, I’m active all day. Teachers are more active than most other professionals. This is a great thing for me! It means I burn more calories just doing what I do.

Lifestyle

1. Don’t get overwhelmed by my busy life! Everyone is busy-I need to be thankful for all of my blessings and find joy in everything.
2. Limit computer time after work to 30-45 minutes (this is going to be difficult for me…since I don’t have internet access all day at work, I spend hours catching up. But I also spend a lot of time doing a bunch of nothing online, which I need to stop).
3. Spend more time with my the Duke and my puppy, Ruby (instead of wasting time online!).
4. Try to be in bed by 9:30 on weeknights.
5. BE POSITIVE AND HAPPY ALWAYS!

So that’s it. Nothing really ground breaking, but it feels great to see it all laid out before me. I know this is a plan I can truly stick with. I’ve been pretty good with it this week, and already feel GREAT about myself! I’ll be rocking that bikini in no time.

Please let me know what you all think and if you have any questions/ comments/ suggestions/ etc. I love, love, love hearing from you guys, so keep it coming! Love, prayers and kisses to you all.The Duchess

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