victoria elizabeth weight loss

Trader Joe’s is my BEST FRIEND!

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OK, I know everyone raves about Trader Joe’s for their Two Buck Chuck (technically, it’s Three Buck Chuck, since it’s $2.99, but let’s not argue technicalities) and their insane Cookie Butter spread, but I’ve discovered that this Aldi-esque giant is actually PERFECT for someone trying to eat well, eat fast, and eat on a budget.

Introducing …their insane selection of pre-made and SUPER INEXPENSIVE salads!

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Seriously, this is HEAVEN.

All of the salads are between $2.99 and $4.99, they are perfectly portioned, and there are at LEAST fifteen different varieties/options when I go to my local Trader Joe’s.

They offer some vegan options, some vegetarian options, and several with salmon, seafood, chicken, and chopped deli meat!

I love the fact that the nutrition labels include the calories/fat with and without the dressing! Huge convenience and really helps us put into perspective the calories added with just a little cup of sauce! I’m one of those weird people that happens to just REALLY enjoy the taste of my fruits/veggies, so I never use dressings, so the separate calorie count helps me be more accurate.

These are my TOP salad choices:

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I could eat the broccoli/kale one for every meal, honestly. It’s just SO good!

I’ve been making it a point to go almost every Sunday morning and buy about a dozen salads to eat for the week. I try to buy the ones at the very back of the refrigerated section (the ones dated the last the longest, since they’re the freshest) and I’ll eat 2-3x per day over the course of the week until they run out.

Most of the salads are just 160-300 calories without their dressing, so I can eat three per day and still fit in another full meal, a snack, or a sweet treat without breaking my 1,500 calorie goal.

If you have a Trader Joe’s nearby and haven’t check it out, it’s time for you to go! You won’t regret it!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Purchased an UP!

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I’ve been wanting to get a fitness tracker for a long time. I’m a tech-addict, and I currently use about 10 different apps on my iPhone for tracking my diet, my exercise, and my overall well-being.

All of these apps are currently on my dock:

  • MyFitnessPal
  • GymPact
  • RunKeeper
  • FastPaleo
  • WebMD
  • Paleo 101

Now that I work 18-20 hours per day, I’m positive that my metabolism has changed. I’m constantly hungry and have seen my cravings/body changing (not necessarily for the good) the past six weeks. I decided that the UP by Jawbone would be perfect for me to get a better understanding of what my body goes through every day so I can aim to properly fuel it.

With the announcement of the iWatch in production, I noticed that the Fitbit and UP by Jawbone both started to go down in price. I’ve been watching them for weeks, and – out of the blue – the UP went down from $80 (compared to the UP24, the newer model, that’s around $139) to just $50!!

Seriously, $50? I couldn’t say no. The mobile app looks super easy to use and synch to my other apps, so I’m pumped that this new accessory might simplify my mobile-life and finally give me a better understanding of what my body needs and wants on this new schedule.

It should be here next week, so definitely look for some posts in the new future either raving or complaining about it! 🙂

On that note, bon appetit my friends!

~ Tori

Halloween Treats

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Oh man…

Here come all of the Halloween candies, snacks, and themed-treats to further sabotage my dieting attempts.

These are my major weaknesses of the season:

Why, oh why, does every holiday/season have to be associated with such delicious (and fattening) food?!

Ugh.

I’m going to make this smoothie tonight to try and combat my desire to hunt down pumpkin-spiced-everything after work tonight:

 

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Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie:

  • 1 scoop Cinnamon Bun Protein Powder (120 cals, low carb)
  • 2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup So Delicious Almond Milk Plus Protein (40 cals, 5+ grams of protein
  • 1 tbsp chopped pecans
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 packets of Splenda/Truvia (whatever I have on hand)
  • 1/2 tbsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 full cup of ice

This’ll be a pretty big – and heavy – smoothie, weighing in at nearly 300 calories, but it’ll pack healthy fats and a lot of filling protein. My hope is that it’ll fill me up AND satisfy my sweets craving for the seasonal treats!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Lead Me Not into Temptation

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I am currently trying to resist the urge to purchase diet pills.

Not those thermogenic, crazy-heart rate kind — we all know those are just death capsules waiting to explode your heart — but the pills the promise appetite suppression.

Like I’ve said in earlier posts, my biggest struggle on this new schedule is the fact that I am ALWAYS hungry. Literally, there isn’t a moment in the day where I wouldn’t happily eat a plate full of food and ask for seconds. I went from an average calorie consumption between 1,200-1,500 to averaging OVER 2,000 calories daily …and still being ravenous at bed time!

I know, I know. My body is compensating for lack of sleep by craving excess nutrition. It’s trying to get energy from an alternative source! But how I can I subdue it (slightly) so I don’t pull an Alice in Wonderland growth spurt and burst out of my own house?

I know diet pills aren’t the healthiest choice, but eating fiber-rich foods and drinking water aren’t cutting it. Any other ideas, fellow yo-yos? I’m open to all suggestions!

Soliciting your help,

~ Tori

The Journey

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Whenever I get discouraged about my weight, I force myself to look at old pictures of myself to remember how far I’ve come.

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Even if I yo-yo a few pounds now and then, I know I will never go back to the girl in the outer photos. I have to remember that good health and fitness is a lifelong journey, not a destination.

Bon appetit, my friends.

– Tori

The Menu Tonight: Fish & Veggies!

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As a joint effort with my husband, tonight we’re whipping up pan-fried tilapia, mashed cauliflower (using fat free, plain Greek yogurt, garlic, chives, and 2% cheese), and garlicky Brussels sprouts for dinner.

I got my Monday off to a bad start, snacking on three Hershey’s dark chocolate miniatures (135 calories) after lunch and three more (another 135, gah!) during a LOOOOONG meeting.

Fortunately, the rest of my day was very healthy (salad for lunch, non-fat yogurt for breakfast, and lots of fruit/veggies for snacks), so my hope is that tonight’s hardcore cardio workout will cancel out my little indulgences and let me go to bed feeling good about my day.

Also, a schedule change at my second job means I get to sleep an extra 90 mins every night — meaning I get closer to 4-4.5 hours versus my normal 2.5-3 — so that means my appetite should be better controlled as I catch up on my ZZZs.

I hope everyone had a great Monday!

Bon appetit,
~ Tori

Homemade Guacamole

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Easy, fast recipe that can be whipped up in less than a minute!

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Homemade guac!

Ingredients:
2 whole haas avocados
1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp spicy salsa

Mash all together, leaving one pit in the bowl to keep it from browning! Serve with fresh, crunchy veggies or baked tortilla chips!

I made this about five minutes before having friends over Saturday night and they LOVED it! Thought it was store bought!

Bon appetit, my friends!

– Tori

Ode to the Elliptical

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I know I should do more strength training, but I am hopelessly and madly in love with the elliptical training.

Whenever I can squeeze a workout into my already hectic schedule, I find myself irrepressibly drawn to the beautiful, shiny black elliptical at the end of the row. You know the one: perfect view of the front door, a machine to the right (but clear and open on the left), and one of only three machines that has closed captioning, which will let me groove to my music AND watch the movie streaming on the private TV simultaneously.

My favorite.

I know strength training would give me more caloric burn (over the course of the day) and the added muscle mass would tighten, firm, and improve my overall look.

I know that mixing up my routine will likely help me break through my plateau and start to advance my weight loss goals.

I know that I shouldn’t have a romantic love affair with a single piece of cardio equipment, but I can’t help it.

I love my elliptical machine.

elliptical

That is all.

~ Tori

Life Update

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OK, I have been terrible about posting on here recently, but I did want to give some updates.

For one, I’m still having a hard time keeping my diet in check. I eat upward of 2,000 calories every day, though – except for candy – the majority of it comes from healthy food. With my 20-21 hour working days, I just can’t seem to control my appetite. I eat, and eat, and eat – and still want more food.

My weight hovers between 127-130, which really upsets me — considering I got down to 123.8 back in June — but at least it’s not spiraling out of control, which is how I FEEL about it.

I’ve definitely not being sticking with the Paleo diet as much as I’d like, though I’m pretty good about avoiding wheat (bread, pasta, etc), as I’ve never been a big fan of those carbs anyhow. I’ve cheated a bit here and there with rice and quinoa (Van’s Gluten-Free Mighty BBQ chips are an addiction), but otherwise my real weakness has been chocolate and overall quantity of food.

Chocolate. Jesus. So much chocolate.

I’ve also taken to drinking more… which is not good, but so good at the same time:

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My hope is to continue to seek balance and to get back on board with some sort of regimen before I really do lose control of my size/weight (more than I have already). I can feel/see that my tummy is a bit pudgier and my thighs jiggle-wiggle more than they did a few weeks ago, so it’s definitely causing panic.

Yikes.

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Throwback Thursday 8/28 #tbt

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Yet another photo from the high school days…

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There is so much wrong about this picture, I’m not sure where to start:

Burgundy hair.
Wet, unbrushed burgundy hair in a ponytail.
Denim shirt.
BURGUNDY HAIR!!
At least 60 lbs overweight.

This picture was taken dead-smack in the middle of IB exams, so I wasn’t sleeping, was highly stressed out, and was fueling myself on Mountain Dew and bags of candy from the school fundraiser sales.

I’ve exchanged my stressors with age, of course, but food is definitely still my go-to coping mechanism. I constantly have to watch myself to avoid falling back into old habits. What about you? What makes you eat? Joy? Sadness? Stress, like me?

Whatever it is, just remember: you are stronger than it. I know you are.

Bon appetit, my friends!

-Tori