#LEAN14 january jumpstart: a month in review.

I can’t believe January is already over! It was definitely an interesting month – taking on January Jumpstart while also planning a move, launching a new company, and keeping up with other life stuff.

Overall I would say that January Jumpstart was a success for me. Even though I didn’t stick to all of the goals 100%, it really held me accountable to keep up with healthy choices instead of letting them fall by the wayside a week in. I’m excited to keep up with LEAN14 for the rest of the year.

But for now, here’s a recap of how I did with my January Jumpstart goals.

1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day – YES

2. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables each day – YES

3. Exercise 3 days a week (30-60 min combo of strength & cardio) – Eh, not so much. Some weeks I did great, others I did 1-2 workouts, or none at all. With the move and Speakable launch, life has been crazy!

4. Squats, squats, and more squats – see above

5. Eat more clean, whole foods – YES

6. Eat balanced meals and less snacking – Yes and no, I definitely cut down on the snacking, but not entirely.

7. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night – YES

8. Limit soda/energy drinks to 3 per week (an improvement for me) – YES! I actually did way better with this than I thought. I haven’t had a single soda or energy drink all month.

9. Allow more time to walk/take the subway instead of cabs – Nope. I blame the Polar Vortex.

10. Track more of my meals/workouts here on GML – Not as much as I wanted to. At least I still have all year 😉

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And to wrap things up, here are some of my favorite #LEAN14 posts from January:

(Click the image to go to the post)

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Did you do a January Jumpstart of sorts?
How is LEAN in 2014 going for you so far?

#LEAN14 january jumpstart: healthy alternatives.

With this month just about halfway through, I must say I’ve been doing a pretty good job with sticking to my January Jumpstart goals. I’m really glad I made the goals attainable, but they’re still making a huge difference.

One of the things January Jumpstart (and LEAN14 in general) has opened me up to is trying new healthy alternatives when I see them. For example, this Earth Balance Coconut Spread. It is so SO good!

It has the consistency of coconut oil but tastes more like coconut. I’ve been loving it on top of a sweet potato with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon.

I’ve also taken YOUR suggestion(s) of using TruWhip instead of Cool Whip in Easiest Ever Frozen Cookie Sandwiches. I also switched them up a bit by using Ginny Bakes Coconut Oatmeal Bliss Cookies. I’m going to be hooked on this treat for a looong time…

And of course, there’s the old favorite healthy alternatives. I’m lucky to live near a Blossom Du Jour when I want to order takeout, where I get my favorite Smokacado Wrap.

What are some healthy alternatives you use? Any new food finds? Would love more of your suggestions!