How to successfully lose weight (and never find it again)

Summer's coming up in a few months, and everyone is scrambling to get beach ready.
When I started working out and dieting in November, I was around 140 lbs.  Almost three months later, I'm down to 127 lbs, I've lost three inches off of my waist, half an inch off each of my thighs, and three off my hips.
The biggest, and hardest, change I made was my diet.
I cut out soda (except for the occasional sprite or something equivalent), candy (Except maybe one piece of chocolate every few days; don't want that valentine's box to go to waste!), and fast food.  I pay so much more attention to calories (4 chicken tenders at Chick-Fil-A = ~500 calories.  Dang!), and what I put into my body.

• Whole grains/wheat
• Fresh, not canned fruit
• Vegetables (which I hate, but am trying!)
• Lean meats
• Water, water, water.

You have to pay a bit more to get the good stuff, but don't think of it like that.  Consider this:
While you can go to Mc Donald's and buy a full meal off the dollar menu, and you'll be full, what will you be full of?  Grease, fat, sodium, and preservatives.  Don't get me wrong, I. Love. Fast. Food.  I do.  But I'd rather go to the store, spend $40 on groceries, and buy whole wheat bagels, Kashi Go lean cereal, extra lean meat, whole grain spaghetti, and organic ragu, and be able to have breakfast lunch and dinner for a while.
Your body's like a car.  Put crappy, icky mucky gasoline in it, and it'll run awful.  Put premium gas with ethanol, and it'll run much smoother.

Now the easy part: Working out.
I run (almost) every morning for two miles.
I don't run the entire time, probably about a third of it all together.  But while I'm not running, I'm doing lunges, working out my arms as I walk, and things like that.  I give myself walking breaks on easy parts of the trail, and make myself run up the hills and whatnot.  I've never seen faster results.
Good luck <3

Berrylicious Green Smoothie

Here's another quick smoothie recipe that's full of yummy nutrients and vitamins!

1 c. mixed frozen fruit (I use walmart brand, it's $7, and has mango, peaches, strawberries and pineapple)
1/2 c. mixed frozen berries (Again, walmart brand, $3, and has blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
1/2 a ripe banana
1 leaf of kale ripped up off the stalk.
1 c. ice
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. juice (I used apple)

It's sweet enough that no added sugar is needed!  The blackberry seeds add a bit of grit to it, but if you have a problem with the leafyness from the kale, it kind of distracts the tongue.  Regardless of the little leafy bits and blackberry seeds, my belly is happy!

Happy blending (:
Love, Lissy.

How to get your greens when you're a straight carnivore

I. Hate. Vegetables. I know, they're so awesome for you and healthy, great for your skin, mind and body blehblehbleh. I just can't do it though. I like corn and potatoes, but those are really just starches. I like carrots, but only raw. And I like ketchup, but that's not a vegetable.
I don't eat salad, I don't eat lettuce, spinache, broccoli, or squash. It's awful, and I know it. But there is hope for me and those like me!!
 The green smoothie! Ta-da! I looooove smoothies. I love fruit in general, and I especially love them in smoothie form. I don't like to buy smoothies from chains though since they add tons of sugar and sweeteners (plus they cost an arm and a leg...). So to remedy this situation, I asked for a blender for Christmas! I have a smoothie probably once a day or so, and let me tell you. I'm thinner, more energetic, and I feel great. Now what does this have to do with getting your veggies in? Well. I just made my first green smoothie, and aside from the little leafy bits, it is FAMTASTIC. Here's the recipe I came up with:
1 cup pineapple
1 cup mixed frozen fruit
1 clementine or cutie
1 leaf of kale (torn off the stalk into pieces)
1 1/2 cups juice (I used apple)
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 cups ice, add more if needed
Blendblendblend!

 Kale is a super vegetable, leafy and kind of tasteless. Its chalkfull of vitamins and nutrients, but doesn't leave your smoothie tasting like grass. If you don't want to make one yourself without trying out a green smoothie first, try the green machine by naked smoothies. Happy blending!

Diets & You.

First off, I want to put in my two cents on fad dieting/crazy calorie restrictions etc. Do not do anything that will put your well being in danger. Those 'weekend cleanses' where you only drink lemonade and hot sauce for three days, not. good. Please be smart about any and all diet choices you choose to make.

The secret to clear skin, more energy, a slimmer waist line, and so much more? WATER. It's good enough for the plants and animals, so it's good enough for you. Think about how much water you drink a day. Chances are, if you're anything like me, it's little to none. And the reason for that is we are constantly on the move. Invest in a reusable cup with a double liner to keep your ice in cube form, that way you'll be on the go, and still getting your water. Go slow, don't force yourself into drowning. Start by replacing one beverage a meal with water. Pretend you're at camp! They always make you drink at least one cup of water before you get the good stuff ;)