A full year

Wow! It's been over a year since I blogged anything. Time to get back at it! I've started an Instagram account to go along with this blog. It can be found HERE at @frugalnfit. I hope you'll join me both here and on Instagram!

On May 15th, 2017, I started my weight loss journey hardcore. I've tried for years to get the motivation to lose weight. Weight that I've carried since hitting puberty. I'd start something, lose around 10-15 lbs and then lose motivation. But this time has felt different. I kind of just woke up one day and decided enough was enough. I was done carrying this weight around anymore! So I cleaned up my diet, going pretty much Paleo. I'm not super strict about it but the three things I've completely eliminated from my diet are processed foods, gluten, and refined sugars. I haven't had any of those things in 103 days. I also joined a gym across the street from my house that I can walk to. And in 103 days, I've lost almost 40 lbs. I've also completely eliminated my migraines and greatly reduced my PCOS symptoms.

And I feel great! I'm so much more active and loving where life has me right now. I'm hiking and enjoying what Colorado has to offer. I've started pickle ball classes with my mom and am trying paddleboarding this week for the first time. I hope to start fencing classes next month. I'd also love to take a kick-boxing class. My resting heart rate is down over 30 bpm and my blood pressure is averaging a good 10 points lower as well (though I've never had problems with high blood pressure).

My overall goal is to lose another 50 lbs. That would put me squarely in the middle of my ideal weight range for my height. Yes, I was almost 100 lbs overweight. That's depressing when you think about it. Especially since I'm just 5'3'' tall. I was straining a size 18W. Now I'm comfortably in a petite 12-14. And if I can do it, so can you. I'm not doing anything miraculous. It's just consistency and determination. I work out 5-6x per week for about an hour. I try to stay under 1400 calories per day. Especially since I'm a librarian who sits at a desk 40 hours a week. I burn nothing ;)

This blog's goal has always been to show how eating right doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. But if I'm honest, I wasn't very good at following through with the healthy eating. Well, that has changed. I'm a firm advocate that what we eat impacts our quality of life in ways we cannot even imagine. No, it's not a cure-all. We still need modern medicine. I'll never be one of those who believes we can cure all cancers just by "living off the land" or some such nonsense. But I do believe certain modern diseases were brought on by our changing diet. By the preservatives we continually add to all of our food. By refining everything. By pumping things full of sugar and sodium. We need to take a close look at what we're putting in our bodies, people. And as a society, we need to stand up and say "enough is enough".

Ok, off my soapbox. Here's a new recipe for you. I designed it myself. And it was fabulous. You could easily modify it to be completely Paleo (omit the mozzarella and substitute zoodles) or Vegan (again, substitute the cheeses and bread with olive oil instead of egg).

Almond Breaded Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced thinly
1 cup almond meal
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs, whisked
6 oz fresh sliced mozzarella
1 cup marinara (see recipe below or subsitute any desired)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment or spray lightly with cooking spray (I love Trader Joe's coconut oil spray!)
2. Mix almond meal, parmesan cheese, and spices together
3. Dip sliced eggplant first into egg and then into almond meal mixture, coating both sides evenly. Arrange on baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway, or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with sliced mozzarella and bake another 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted. Arrange on plate and top with marinara sauce. Serve with pasta (I used Ancient Harvest's gluten free penne) or zoodles.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

2 lbs roma tomatoes, diced
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes,
2 heaping T tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red wine (I used Trader Joe's Shiraz)
2 T olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat.
2. Saute onions and garlic in oil till browned and tender. Add red wine and reduce for 3 minutes.
3. Add rest of ingredients to pan. Simmer on low heat for 4 hours or until desired consistency. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if sauce becomes too thick.
4. If you like a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. I, however, enjoy a chunkier marinara. You could also add diced eggplant or meat of your choice.