So, since I started I did good and bad all at the same time. I did good because I lost 3 lbs and 7 inches, which is amazing. I'm really proud of myself, but I know I could have done better. I know that I didn't put in as much effort as I could have. A lot of things play a role in weight loss. For one, my sleeping habits are off. I don't have a set time to got to bed, to wake up, to workout, to eat, etc. I feel as if I have no timing for anything. Our bodies are like a clock, believe it or not that's how the body works. Its important to get the right amount of sleep and to sleep well. I'm going to try to work on going to bed no later than 10:00 PM. I'm going to try something new to figure out a schedule that truly works for me. I'll post that as well. I should be able to do it because I don't have any shows that I watch (The Vampire Diaries is on break, lol), I can go to the gym early, and I'm on a budget so I'm not going out at night. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep. As we all know everything is good in moderation, so if you over sleep you will feel tiered. Let's talk about how there's a domino effect: if I don't sleep 8 hours, then I wake up later than I had planned. this means I have no time to workout in the morning, prep my lunch, or get ready the way that I want to. I get to work on time, but only because I wasted my gas driving to work and paid for parking instead of taking the metro rail for free. when I get to work I'm tiered and I feel very lazy. when I get out of work I'm so hungry I could eat a horse and I'm craving sugar big time, because I have no energy. After I stuff my face, I definitely don't feel like going to the gym. I get on the computer or watch TV and before you know realize its already 11:30pm. Again, I go to bed late and continue the vicious cycle. So, you see sleep is very important. I didn't accomplish my goal of going to the gym four times a week. I am raising the stakes and playing harder this time around. Another issue is the sweets. I have done a lot better than I usually do, but I still need to cut it down. I have decided to try to only eat sweets for special occasions. out of sight out of mind. if I don't see the sweets I wont think of them. I'm going to try to always make jell-o that way when I get a sweets craving I can just reach for some jell-o instead of cookies, cakes, etc. Let's see how that goes. Another issue I have is the need to eat meat and carbs. Since I'm not eating much rice I felt like I needed more carbs so I included whole grain or honey oat bread to some of my meals and it helps.I crave meat when I'm on my period, but i have noticed that i feel sick sometimes after eating meat. I am not going to cut it off, but I will try to limit myself to eat meat only one or two times a month.  I've been venturing into the smoothie world and I tried a few smoothies for breakfast and I loved them. I'll post some of the recipes on the site. I would say I'm doing ok with the food. I don't eat much rice, white bread, fried foods, etc. Since I'm working on a recipe book I am trying new things. Sometimes the recipes are not so healthy, but I am looking forward to looking for healthier choices. I decided that if I learned what each fruit helps me with I will be more inclined to eating it. So, I looked up a list of fruits and researched how they benefit us. I was happy about what I found and had the great idea of finding a recipe for each fruit. That's really what I'm working on now as far as my recipe book. I might post some of those recipes as well as the benefits of each fruit. Til next time...