My Secret Diet Weapon

It's no secret that a writer's job requires a lot of sitting--sometimes a full days worth. And let me tell you, that much but in seat action may be good for your writing output, but it's not good for your butt.

With encroaching deadlines keeping me too busy for the gym and too busy too cook, a lot of my 2012 was spent at the keyboard which left my poor hubby bringing home dinner in a bag. The result was exactly what you thought it would be. I was tired all the time, my complexion was a mess, and I gained nearly twenty pounds. So this years vowed to make a change and I'm happy to say I'm down nearly ten pounds since January and my husband is down nearly twenty.

So what's my secret? A couple things really.

First, I downloaded the free app mynetdiary for my smart phone. I'd never given much thought to how much I was eating before, and this app helped me keep track of my calories (a real eye opener) and set up daily goals.

Second, we stopped eating out entirely except for one day a week which is our free day. We also gave up red meat and make sure when we eat dinner the vegetable is the biggest portion on our plate. Every morning I have a protein shake with half a grapefruit, for lunch I have a protein bar (Ohyeah chocolate caramel candies taste exactly like a candy bar I swear--yum!) with a cup of yogurt, and in the afternoon I'll have either some string cheese or 1/4 cup almonds.

For dinner I'll make chicken, a vegetable, wild rice, and I'll have a glass of Skinny Girl peach margarita (because I'm not a sadist.)

I still don't exercise as much as I should because I'm on yet another deadline and my every second with my child in school needs to be spent at my desk. But the diet is working for me. I'm not hungry, my complexion has cleared up, and I have so much more energy and that's a very good thing.

So I'd love o hear from you. Do you have any secrets for staying healthy while writing.

Cole Gibsen's Morning Coffee Protein Shake

1. 1 C. Ice (there's 2 in the picture because I made a double batch)
2. 1/2 scoop of protein powder. All I had on had on hand was cookies and cream, but chocolate powder would make this killer
3. 1/2 frozen banana. Learn from my mistake. Peel this bad boy before you freeze it.
4. 1/2 C. Unsweetened almond milk
5. 1/2 C. Coffee (again, there's more in my pic because I made a double batch.)
5. Optional 1 stevia packet

Throw all ingredients in blender, blend, and enjoy your only 150 calorie coffee protein goodness!