Motivation Factors and a Protein Waffle

Today as I was getting my cardio on my mind drifted from Gossip Girls for a moment...yes, Netflix has been good to me and my cardio as of late. Nothing like letting the upper east siders side-track your boredom. I started thinking about my motivation. I have been feeling very motivated lately to get in all of my workouts and I have REALLY been sticking to a good eating schedule. I began to assess what the difference is for me. What is it that causes me to eat better and what makes me fall off the wagon? This was what I came up with...

My Motivation Factors:

1. When I work out and eat right I feel better. I may not ALWAYS love to work out. Sometimes I really enjoy it and other times I can't wait to be done. BUT, I ALWAYS love the feeling of being done with my workout. I even like feeling sore...that is a little bit sick and wrong, I know. It makes me feel as if something is changing. I like that. I feel better in my clothes.


2. When I work out and eat right I look better. Call me vain if you want, but it is the truth. I believe it was Kate Moss that once said, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Let's get a couple of things straight. I don't support that thought that you have to be skinny, but I think we could change the saying to be something like..."Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels." When I am working out, eating right, and on track I look better. It's just the truth of the matter. When I feel confident in the way I look I feel happier. After I have eaten really poorly I often times feel gross. When I've done so for a prolonged length of time I feel really gross, and I hate it. I don't really like when my pants fit tightly...do you?


3. When I work out and eat right I feel strong and capable. I LOVE feeling like I am in control, and this is the case when I'm filling my body with good food. There is nothing better than ending a day knowing you have had a great day of eating and a solid workout...or a week...or a month. You get it. Making positive decisions and improving yourself makes you feel strong and capable!

4. When I work out and eat right, I eat better. It is a positive spiral. A pattern of making good choices makes me want to continue to make good choices. The same outcomes can happen with bad choices. How many times have you thought to yourself..."Well I already ate 6 of the Oreos...I may as well finish the sleeve." Get yourself on the GOOD track!

Dinner tonight was BOMB. I have mentioned before one of my fave blogs to read is Meals and Moves. I have seen Janetha post about her Protein Pancakes and waffles before, and I have always wanted to try them. Tonight I was FINALLY able to. I made mine into a waffle and I loved every bite. Honestly...I can't tell you the last time I had a waffle and it was awesome!

Protein Waffle
recipe from Meals and Moves
(Janetha gives the portions for three servings on her blog, and I cut it down to just one. This was a good move...cause I am pretty sure I could have eaten all three. She also made hers into pancakes which would be so good. She added protein powder into hers, and I didn't.)

Here are the Ingredients for one serving:
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup slow cook oats
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp stevia

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix until combined. Cook like a normal waffle, and then top with whatever you'd like!

Nutrition facts: For 1 serving
calories 198
fat 3.8 grams
carbs 24.6 grams
protein 18.6 grams
fiber 4 grams
sugars 3.9 grams

I added a little bit of natural PB, some sugar free syrup, and a few blueberries. SO GOOD.  The texture is just like a normal waffle. Promise. I had a side of scrambled egg whites with mine to boost the protein.

What are your motivation factors? Do you find that once you're on a positive track, you are more likely to keep going?