90 Day Challenge Update + Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Recipe Review!

Hello, hello, hello!!! Today, I write excitedly! I can honestly say other than sort of blowing it out on the weekends (UGH), I have really stuck to this whole 90 Day Challenge thing! Already, I have sort of lost the mentality of the 90 Day Challenge, and it's kind of just finally becoming a lifestyle change, as I get more educated on healthy eating and fitness :) With that said, I have a few pointers if you are looking to shed some pounds or if you simply just want to feel better. This is NOT coming from expert, but a struggler!

1) Make up your mind that YOU want to lose weight/eat healthy/exercise or whatever it is that YOUR goal is. Even though I live with a picky eater husband who has quite a big build, I need to get over this being my excuse for ME making bad choices. Yes, it can be hard to cook sometimes with a picky eater, but if you venture out of the box some, you can make it work...or, worst case, you make yourself a healthy side or two and still make something for your family and make it work. I'm not saying there aren't bad days, people. I'm just saying, that I'm having to realize it doesn't matter what everyone is doing around me. Everyone is on a different journey, and just because someone else can have cake and cookies for lunch and again for dinner, doesn't mean this butt and thighs of mine can. Ok, next topic.

2) Find a partner who helps motivate you or that you can workout with. Um, hello mom and Trey :) Hahahaha....my brother, mom, and I have started doing these garage workouts with a little bit of walking after. I must say, since I HATE exercising at times, there are days that I am pretty mad as I head to their house. BUT, once we start, we have a good time and we get it done! It is enjoyable and usually we are laughing so hard by the end of it all and also sweating like pigs. Good combo right there! Also, I have a few friends on the myfitnesspal app....let me just say, the sweet little "good jobs" and "go, girl!" comments are also pretty motivating.

3) Download the myfitnesspal app if you are considering counting calories or really want to watch your intake and be more aware of what you are consuming. I know counting calories isn't for everybody, but it is the method that I have chosen for now and I absolutely love love love this app, and probably wouldn't have even half of the motivation that I have without it.

4) Lastly, but most importantly, pray about it. Give this whole eating thing and getting healthy ordeal up to God. If you're struggling, tell Him. Ask Him what He's trying to show you. Is He humbling you? Is He teaching you self control? I feel like these are 2 of the major things I'm learning right now. I'm very humbled because this is something that is difficult for me and it makes me less judgmental to other peoples' sin that sometimes I think is so easy to stray from (in different areas). Also, the Lord is really teaching me self control. After all, if you have no self control, why would you say no to a bad food craving? Why would you say yes to exercise when you're not in the mood? We are God's temple, and we have to learn how to take care of it. He is constantly pruning us everyday, and right now this is a season where I am learning learning learning all about that.

Anyhow, moving onto the Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Recipe Review. I tried this recipe out this week because suddenly, all I hear about is spaghetti squash. I'm not sure if everyone has always been all about this or if it's the craze right now, but my friend Lori directed me to a recipe that she tried on pinterest that she said was great. It comes from skinnytaste.com, and it was DELICIOUS! I must say, I didn't use her marinara recipe, simply because I didn't know about it and I just used a bottle of what I had in the pantry. Most important fact is that it was HUSBAND APPROVED. This is HUGE, people. Josh is not a fan of my healthy recipes at times...he usually always has to add something to them to make them tolerable. That was not the case with this recipe. He enjoyed it and said he would eat it again!! That is always a plus! So, if you're looking for a lasagna/spaghetti alternative, while still getting to have some sauce and cheese, try this one! It was wonderful :) Happy Hump Day!

Ombre, Part 2!

So, I tried to go ombre for awhile, and as it would turn out, it just wasn't nailed. This saddens me, because I still absolutely LOVE ombre hair! Fortunately, I now have an awesome hair stylist who says we she can start to transition me into ombre over the next few months...and I think I'll do just that!

I scoured the internet for more pictures of examples that I like. What do you think? Do you love this? Do you think it's sloppy? Is it one of those hair colors that look good on others, but then when we do it ourselves we feel like it just looks like roots that need a desperate touchup? That's sort of how I felt when I had it!

Hilary Duff is probably the most beautiful girl in Hollywood to me. I can't help it! I've loved her since Lizzie McGuire. This is my dream "ombre" hair, if you will :) She just nails it and always looks so classic to me with a touch of edginess.

Lauren Conrad pulls off an elegant look here with a subtle dirty blonde/brunette faded into a super beach blonde look. I love it!

What do we think of the pink? I am personally not a fan for this as a permanent look, but I think it'd be fun to sport for an event! Let's face it, LC could be a dirty potato sack, and she would still look gorgeous and polished!

Leighton Meester always dressed to impress and looking stunning!

I dig Miley's hair for numerous reasons. The main one being that it is hard to pull off ombre when your hair is a short as hers. I think she rocks it and it brings out the color of her eyes. Have I ever told y'all about the time she hung out with my brother and I for the day? Might have to share that sometime....

Sarah Jessica has always been one of my favorite beauties, and she sported ombre years ago when it wasn't even really called "ombre." Props to her for being a trendsetter!

Lastly, I leave you with my favorite!!! Just kidding.....what was she thinking? I love me some Drew. I don't want to believe that she really had this style cut/color. I am hoping that someone evil photoshopped this and that she didn't actually do this? What do you think?

Well, there ya have it! What do you think? Am I the only person still stuck on ombre hair or is it still in? Have a great week :)
Xoxo!
-bnfunky

Tuesday Thoughts

Today, my mind is on sticking with the 90 Day Challenge I talked about on Sunday. My hope and prayer is that this doesn't only stick for 90 days, but becomes a lifestyle change in general for me!

With that said, I am just going to share some of the motivating things I have seen on pinterest :)
This Thursday, I am going to weigh......we shall see how I've done! I'm a little nervous since I ate kind of bad this past weekend. Each one of these pictures is linked to its source, so click it if you would like to know where it came from!

Lastly, I think for me, this is probably one of the most moving statements below. I can't tell you how many times I've said I was going to get in shape by such and such date, and then that date came and I've thought back to how I've had the last few months to do something about it, and I didn't.

90 Day Challenge!!!!

Today, I am writing from a super honest and humble place. I have been a horrible blogger, but as always, I have to remember, I write on my blog when I want to. I never committed to writing daily or having sponsors, because at this point in my life, I know myself...and I'm not going to write every day. With that said, today isn't going to be the funniest post you've ever read. Some of you are going to completely, 100% relate to me, and some of you will think I'm a complete food addict and totally not understand me, and that is fine. I am writing this post to encourage, and also to hold myself accountable...because there is something about putting this junk publically out on the internet...Can I get an amen?

So, weight. Who really likes talking about it? I never have. All my life growing up, I always was a little chunker muffin. Looking back, I don't remember feeling bad about myself or even being bothered by my weight. I just remember that I always felt a little chunky, but I never put my hope or focus in it. I have God to thank for that, because He placed me in amazing home with amazing parents who never focused on that (now, I kind of want to kill my parents wishing they had put more emphasis on it-haha, totally kidding MOMMY, who I know will get the email that I posted on my blog)!

Anyhow, moving onto middle school, I lost  a lot of my baby fat. I don't have a clue as to how I did other than just growing up and going through puberty. I didn't diet or try to...it just kind of happened.

Moving onto high school...my weight was all over the place. I remember being pretty thin in 9th grade, then I remember being huge in 10th grade (this is probably the heaviest I ever was in my life until this year) and then, my senior year, I thinned down to what I would consider the thinnest I have ever been in my life. Again, none of this was intentional. My best friend and I got in a huge fight, and deep down it just really bothered me and I just remember never being hungry and losing a ton of weight unintentionally. I would eat, but only a few bites here and there and I would be full. Kinda strange...

Then, during college, I was still thin, my bestie and I made up and low and behold, I put about 10 pounds back on. I was very healthy looking at this point. Not fat, not skinny...just healthy for a 5'7" girl. When I got engaged, I guess the stress of engagement, planning, and graduating college were some of the reasons I ended up losing weight again...unintentionally At the time of my wedding, I was down about 10 pounds and I felt great. Again, I am noticing a pattern with different situations in my life causing me to either overeat or undereat. I don't have an eating disorder, but it's amazing how food is so prevalent in my life. It's like if I'm happy or celebrating something, I know we are going to celebrate with a meal. If I'm sad about something or angry, I know I want to eat a meal and usually it involves eating too much. Kinda crazy how this can be.

With that said, I joined Leigh Anne's 90 Day Challenge! We are on week 2 and basically, we have set goals for 30, 60, and 90 days and are helping hold each other accountable. I downloaded the myfitnesspal app which I highly recommend to anyone looking to lose weight or just learn more about what he or she is taking in each day. It's super easy to use and has opened my eyes to how many calories I take in. A few weeks back, I was probably consuming around 2,500 calories a day. This isn't fun to admit, but it's TRUTH.

Not gonna lie, something as simple as these new shoes has been a huge motivating factor :)

I've set some goals for the next 90 days and hope to really start feeling better. I am taking the time to talk about all of this to help encourage any of you who are struggling. The thing that stinks about struggling with food is that we need food to live, so we come in contact with it all day, every day. I just want to encourage you that you can do anything you put your mind to with Christ. His word tells us this truth in Philippians 4:13.

I would also encourage anyone looking to receive encouragement to read Romans 6 and Romans 12:1-2. We are not mastered by anything as believers. We can do ALL things with Christ. Food doesn't have to be our idol. We can make healthy choices and in turn, not only get healthier, but look better and just feel better about ourselves. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. We are God's temple, and He wants us to take care of ourselves. Like I said, I don't say this from a vain point of view, but from a getting healthy point of view! Anyhow, I encourage you to make healthy choices this week, and I will be posting from time to time as I continue on this journey! If you are down in the dumps, feel free to contact me privately. I would love to encourage you! There is a link on the right handside of my blog that says "Email Me."

If you have myfitnesspal, add me! My username is "mrsbdowning" :)
Have a great week!