Wedding Weight-Loss: Making Healthy Decisions

This Week's #1 Goal: Don’t Slack on Workouts

Last Saturday, we trained with Bonne Marcus again, and I was down another 3 pounds! Only four left to go until I hit my goal of 10 pounds for this month!

Our workout on Sunday consisted of many of the same exercises we’ve been doing and focused on total body conditioning. Each segment had a leg exercise (step-ups, squats, front and side-kicks), an arm exercise (bicep curls, tricep pull downs, rowing with the band, etc.) and an ab exercise (planks, side to side crunches, leg raises). It wasn’t easy, but it felt great to get through it. I am noticing each week how it gets a little easier to finish the routine and not feel like I got hit by a train.

For the rest of the week, I kept up with my workouts, which definitely helped with the weight loss. Monday morning, I took a spin class, and I swear it helped set me up for the whole week. In recent weeks, I've been skipping my Monday workouts, but I realized that starting the work week off at the gym helps keep me motivated for the days to follow. It’s easier to make bad decisions if you don’t start your week out right, so I'm hoping to keep this trend going. Tuesday morning, I woke up and did the workout from Bonne at home. I rested on Wednesday, then on Thursday I took a spin class. Friday evening, Rene and I went to the gym and ran on the elliptical together.

Lesson Learned: Eating Healthy Can Still Taste Good

I made such an amazing meal for dinner this week that I just had to share with you — Autumn Penn Pasta with Sautéed Brussel Sprouts in a Light Ragu from skinnytaste.com.

Rene loved it, too, so it’s definitely something you can make for your man. I used only Italian sausage instead of the sausage and ground turkey it calls for because I didn’t want that much meat in it, but it was delicious!

When I visited my girlfriend's house on Saturday afternoon, she was making roasted brussel sprouts, and I've been on a such a brussel sprout kick since then (hence my favorite dinner choice of the week). So for snacks this week I also made roasted brussel sprouts by cutting them up in small pieces and putting them on a cookie sheet, spraying olive oil on them and adding salt and pepper. I put them in the oven for about a half hour on 400 degrees, and voilà! They were so delicious; I made enough to last me throughout the week, and they made a perfect side for my lunch or a snack for when I was feeling hungry.

All in all, I've realized that I’m the only one who can control my weight loss and my success, so making wise and healthy decisions about my exercise and eating habits is up to me.

—Jennifer Crow