Ways that I'm keeping my diet on track + progression photos

It's no secret that my husband and I both love to eat. Anytime we go on a couple's trip with our best friends, the first thing we do is plan out what we are cooking or which restaurant we'll go to or how much dessert can we eat before we explode.

You know, the important stuff.

However, now that I have been eating mostly clean with a low carb intake, things have changed. But that doesn't mean the needs or wants of my family have. Adrian has been very patient with me in terms of the "weird" (his word, not mine) food that I've been cooking, but he still wants his rice, potatoes, pasta. Gabriel is a major pasta head and requests it at every meal. Obviously, I do not oblige, but sometimes I allow it.

In order to please everybody, I have had to come up with some ways for making what they like while keeping myself on track.

1. Sauces, stews and non-carby skillets are your friends. My saving grace has been making chunky sauces or skillets that my boys can throw on top of pasta or rice, while I can happily eat it on top of a huge handful of uncooked spinach. You are cutting so many calories and carbs at the same time, while pleasing everyone!

2. Buy the bad stuff in moderation and make fresh stuff more convenient. I still buy the kids organic crackers, vanilla wafers or fruit snacks, but I don't buy a lot of any item. We keep a few boxed foods that they like, but I have gotten into the habit of keeping a bowl of fruit right out on the kitchen table in open view. Nine times out of ten, both Gabriel and I are more likely to grab a Cutie tangerine or banana rather than some processed junk.

3. Don't be afraid to say no to buying things that are going to tempt you. Simply put, I don't buy chocolate unless it's "paleo-approved," aka, dark DARK chocolate that I can't eat without manipulating in some way. I don't buy cookies that I enjoy. I don't keep ice cream in the house. Why? Because I will eat it. I am fully aware that I have no self control whatsoever. I made the mistake of buying Reese's Hearts last week for Adrian and you know what? Within two days, they were gone and I had to replace the ones I bought for him. I know my limits. If Adrian needs chocolate, I know he will find it somehow and I am not depriving him.

4. Track your foods so you can see what time of day/trigger/habit is killing your progress. Honestly, I have a hard time while cooking dinner. I tend to snack and taste and "make sure the salt is just right" and then all of a sudden I've eaten two hundred calories worth of dinner already. Keeping myself accountable using My Fitness Pal sucks, but the numbers don't lie. I'm less likely to eat junk knowing I have to add it in later.

5. On the topic of accountability, find a partner who shares your desire to get healthy. Probably the number one thing that has helped me stay focused on my diet, aside from Crossfit and knowing that all my work in the gym will be for naught if my nutrition is bad, is having one of my close friends on My Fitness Pal (if you're on, follow me! I'll keep you accountable!) and looking at my daily food intake and exercise. I tried to claim my Reese's Hearts as "Quick Add" calories so it was hidden and she totally called me out! My family is supportive, my husband is encouraging, but they don't share the same motivation that I do right now. I need someone who will push me to go to the gym when I don't want to, not beg me to stay and watch American Idol.

6. If you don't change your mindset, none of this matters. I've spent the last few years making excuses for myself. Convincing myself that it was okay to be out of shape and eating crap because I was a mom and I was busy and I was tired and I was I was I was. I'm tired of that. I'm tired of being tired and being fat and being fluffy. So I'm deciding to change. This is the longest amount of time that I've stayed motivated to work out, which says something about Crossfit (ADDICTING) and my desire for change. It starts with your mind and then your body follows.

Speaking of body following, I'm about to show you something that totally freaks me out. It's a progression of photos starting January 1st and ending on February 12th. I may do this monthly, I may not. I'm not sure that I see a huge amount of progress, but there is some, nonetheless. Don't judge and remember, I've had two babies! HAH.

Phew! That was tough but now you know what I'm working with. If it doesn't look like it, I have lost about 1/2 of a pant size. My stomach is getting smaller, shirts are fitting better and my pants are getting a lot looser. I'm hoping in another 5-6 weeks, I'll be able to say that I'm shopping for new pants!

So how do you stay on track? Does your family/spouse share your dieting/fitness goals? 

Linked up with Monkey's and Tutu's