Well, I guess I am a day late and a dollar short here today! I meant to get this posted yesterday and was completely sidetracked with spending the day with the kids! It was their last day of winter vacation, so we hit up the aquarium and had a great day!
With the kids being home this week, and the all the holiday hulabaloo, it was a tough eating week. So my eating was crazy sporadic, although I did well, I did have my moments. I wish I could have gotten the gym every day, but that just wasn't happening with the kids home, so I did my best. No weight loss this week, but it will come! (After I splurge on New Year's Eve, of course...but I will be hitting the gym for a workout before all the splurging).
As I said, my week in food wasn't all that awesome, but here were the highlight recipes:
Breakfast:
Green Smoothie
1 banana
1/2 cup plain chobani yogurt
small dash of milk
1 TBS flax seed
2-3 handfuls of spinach
Throw it all together and throw in a blender.
Why I love this: It is so easy! It is meant to be a "base" smoothie. Meaning you can then go in and add other fruits to it to flavor it, but I really like it the way it is, I enjoy the banana flavor to it. For some reason, this is a great pre-run smoothie. It gives me tons of energy before a long run, which I love! If I drink this post workout, I have been thinking about tossing a scoop of chocolate peanut butter protien into it. I think it would go nicely with bananas. (And I have to admit...I am already tired of salads, so I am using this to replace some of my daily salads!)
Lunch:
Fruity Oatmeal:
1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup water
dash of milk
1 TBS flax seed
small handful of slivered almonds
fruit of choice
Make oatmeal as directed on package and add fruit.
Why I love this: Some days I just crave carbs! And if I leave that craving unchecked, I'll go off the deep end and eat (gasp...) Wonderbread or something equally as horrible. This works great to stave off the carb cravings...since it is a carb. But it is a friendly carb, right? Anyhoo, I love being able to interchange the fruits depending on what sounds good. Some days, I'll also add cinammon, if I have a fruit that pairs well with it. Some options for adding are chopped apples, bananas, raisins, any dried fruits (as long as they don't contain added sugar).
Dinner:
Portabella Pizzas
4 large portabella mushrooms
4 TBS pizza sauce (optional)
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/4 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 cups low fat mozarella cheese
pepperoni
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scoop tines out of the inside of the mushrooms. Flip mushrooms upside down and put them on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet. Spread 1 TBS of pizza sauce on the inside of each mushroom. This step is optional, I don't think you'd miss the pizza sauce, if you omitted it. I think I will get rid of it next time, just to eliminate the use of a processed food from the recipe! Now, you can add the onions, peppers and garlic directly to the pizzas, or you can cook them first. Personally, I prefer them slightly cooked. So I added the peppers, onion and garlic to a small skillet and browned them for about 10 minutes. Then I added the tomatoes to the mixture, stirred then placed them on the mushrooms. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of cheese on top of each. I put a few pepperoni's on each and popped them into the oven. You could easily omit the pepperoni's to make it a meatless meal, and you wouldn't miss it. Bake for about 20-30 minutes. The mushrooms will get "juicy", which is why I put them up on the rack to keep them from getting soggy. Basically, cook through until everything is warmed and cheese is melty.
Why I loved this: Super tasty and gave us a good dose of veggies. The husband absolutely raved about it, and his was reheated in the microwave, since he was gone at dinnertime. Unfortunately, due to the high-veggie-factor, I couldn't even get the kids to try it. I'm not sure they would have liked it anyways. But I thought it was great and the prep was really easy, so this would be a good busy night meal!
And that is all! I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend and stay safe!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Facing the fat runner
When I made the decision to start running again after a 4 month sabatical, I thought I would be starting at square one again. I loathed the idea of starting at a mile and increasing my mileage only 10% each week. I remember how long it took me to reach 3 miles in a single run the first time and I dreaded that slow progress again. But I have been pleasantly surprised. According to my muscles, 4 months isn't that long. The muscle memory is definately still there and building back up much faster than before. But my strength is defied by what I see in the mirror. How can this fat girl looking back at me run 5 miles at a stretch and still be so strong?
Right now rather than sticking to a hard and fast training program, I am simply following my body. I set a mileage and try to get there, if I can. Sometimes I feel great and I can run a few extra miles and sometimes I just barely make it through the miles I need to. But my progress is going well. Better than expected actually. And hopefully, the fit girl will return over the next few months and take her rightful place in the mirror once again.
I've been running on the dreaded treadmill for the past couple weeks due to the cold weather. I am hoping for a few more outdoor runs before the snow actually hits the ground, but I really don't like to run when it is below 40 degrees. And being that it is almost January and this is the upper midwest, who knows if I'll actually get anymore outdoor runs in for a few months.
So I am left with my only other option, the treadmill. Which I hate it for several reasons. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Have you ever watched a hamster on a wheel and thought what a waste of time? That is how I feel on the treadmill. I'm not going anywhere. I feel like I am missing out on the experience of running when I'm on the treadmill. Part of why I love running is that it makes you very aware of your surroundings. When you're out running in nature this is a great bonus. When your stuck on a hamster wheel, it is a huge negative.
2. Mirrors. Seriously? Why do gyms feel the need to put mirrors 2 feet in front of the treadmill? I can understand why they are near the weights...check your form and all that. But when I'm on the treadmill, all I see is the red faced, sweaty, fat girl staring back at me. And all I can see in her eyes is "Please make this stop!" The truth is, when I run I feel invincible. I feel like I look amazing. So to be confronted by the reality of what I actually look like is startling. I'd rather cling to illusion that I look like a svelt olympian barely breaking a sweat. But the treadmill shatters these illusions, quite rudely.
3. Calorie counters. Ack. I'm pretty sure the calorie counters on the treadmills at my gym are broken. There is no way it takes that many miles to work off a cheeseburger!
4. Emergency stop button. Really? If you're being flung from the treadmill do you really need the treadmill to stop after you have been flung from it? Have you ever actually seen anyone attach the emergency stop clip to themselves. They only thing they are good for is accidently erasing your progress or maybe it is just me. Occassionally, when I get the end of a long run on the treadmill my form tends to get flung out the window. As I'm trying to finish my last quarter mile, my arms get a little wild and every once in a while I hit the emergency stop button by accident...the placement is less than ideal! And if you've never done it, let me assure you it's not fun and it will make you look like an instant. When you hit the emergency stop, the conveyor does just that...it stops. The unforunate thing is that you don't. So you run right into the control panel. When this happens, the best you can do is look around to make sure that no one saw you (even though you're sure every one did) and do some quick stretching...try to play it off like you meant to stop (again, even though everyone knows it was a accident...a hilarious accident).
But when faced with the reality of treadmill running, winter running in the freezing cold or not running at all, I'll choose the treadmill everytime. As much as I hate it, I hate not running even more. So next time your at the gym and you see the sweaty, fat girl running on the treadmill in front of the mirror, give her a smile of encouragement or a little thumbs up. Most likely, when facing the reality of what she looks like while running, she needs it!
Today's workout = 30 minutes bike, 30 minutes walking: 100 workout & ab workout
Right now rather than sticking to a hard and fast training program, I am simply following my body. I set a mileage and try to get there, if I can. Sometimes I feel great and I can run a few extra miles and sometimes I just barely make it through the miles I need to. But my progress is going well. Better than expected actually. And hopefully, the fit girl will return over the next few months and take her rightful place in the mirror once again.
I've been running on the dreaded treadmill for the past couple weeks due to the cold weather. I am hoping for a few more outdoor runs before the snow actually hits the ground, but I really don't like to run when it is below 40 degrees. And being that it is almost January and this is the upper midwest, who knows if I'll actually get anymore outdoor runs in for a few months.
So I am left with my only other option, the treadmill. Which I hate it for several reasons. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Have you ever watched a hamster on a wheel and thought what a waste of time? That is how I feel on the treadmill. I'm not going anywhere. I feel like I am missing out on the experience of running when I'm on the treadmill. Part of why I love running is that it makes you very aware of your surroundings. When you're out running in nature this is a great bonus. When your stuck on a hamster wheel, it is a huge negative.
2. Mirrors. Seriously? Why do gyms feel the need to put mirrors 2 feet in front of the treadmill? I can understand why they are near the weights...check your form and all that. But when I'm on the treadmill, all I see is the red faced, sweaty, fat girl staring back at me. And all I can see in her eyes is "Please make this stop!" The truth is, when I run I feel invincible. I feel like I look amazing. So to be confronted by the reality of what I actually look like is startling. I'd rather cling to illusion that I look like a svelt olympian barely breaking a sweat. But the treadmill shatters these illusions, quite rudely.
3. Calorie counters. Ack. I'm pretty sure the calorie counters on the treadmills at my gym are broken. There is no way it takes that many miles to work off a cheeseburger!
4. Emergency stop button. Really? If you're being flung from the treadmill do you really need the treadmill to stop after you have been flung from it? Have you ever actually seen anyone attach the emergency stop clip to themselves. They only thing they are good for is accidently erasing your progress or maybe it is just me. Occassionally, when I get the end of a long run on the treadmill my form tends to get flung out the window. As I'm trying to finish my last quarter mile, my arms get a little wild and every once in a while I hit the emergency stop button by accident...the placement is less than ideal! And if you've never done it, let me assure you it's not fun and it will make you look like an instant. When you hit the emergency stop, the conveyor does just that...it stops. The unforunate thing is that you don't. So you run right into the control panel. When this happens, the best you can do is look around to make sure that no one saw you (even though you're sure every one did) and do some quick stretching...try to play it off like you meant to stop (again, even though everyone knows it was a accident...a hilarious accident).
But when faced with the reality of treadmill running, winter running in the freezing cold or not running at all, I'll choose the treadmill everytime. As much as I hate it, I hate not running even more. So next time your at the gym and you see the sweaty, fat girl running on the treadmill in front of the mirror, give her a smile of encouragement or a little thumbs up. Most likely, when facing the reality of what she looks like while running, she needs it!
Today's workout = 30 minutes bike, 30 minutes walking: 100 workout & ab workout
Monday, December 26, 2011
Motivational Monday - 12/26/2011
I was hoping to have a project completed by today to share. I am seriously lacking in motivation these days. I don't know why, I think motivation is just one of those things that ebbs and flows with life. Sometimes you have lots of it and sometimes you need lots of it. These days I need lots of it.
So I decided that in order to provide myself with the marathon training motivation that I need, I will be creating a motivation jar. Sounds silly, I know. Like a preschool project, but sometimes the simplest things are the most effective.
I have spent the last week collecting motivation sayings. Some are simple and some are complex. Some relate to specific running goals and some are very broad. Some will be specific to me and some will apply to anyone. The goal is to come up with enough to supply me with a fresh motivational saying for every day from now until the marathon in October. And let me tell ya, that is alot of sayings. But I am over halfway there!
I plan on making a cute little jar to keep them in, then the idea is to pluck one out every morning and get some fresh squeezed motivation to keep me going. I plan on keeping all 7 each week, then sharing them with the blog world each Motivational Monday. Who knows if it will work...I just know that I need motivation from somewhere and I thought maybe this would work!
So stay tuned. Next Monday, I plan to share a photo of my motivation jar and my first 7 motivations with everyone!
So I decided that in order to provide myself with the marathon training motivation that I need, I will be creating a motivation jar. Sounds silly, I know. Like a preschool project, but sometimes the simplest things are the most effective.
I have spent the last week collecting motivation sayings. Some are simple and some are complex. Some relate to specific running goals and some are very broad. Some will be specific to me and some will apply to anyone. The goal is to come up with enough to supply me with a fresh motivational saying for every day from now until the marathon in October. And let me tell ya, that is alot of sayings. But I am over halfway there!
I plan on making a cute little jar to keep them in, then the idea is to pluck one out every morning and get some fresh squeezed motivation to keep me going. I plan on keeping all 7 each week, then sharing them with the blog world each Motivational Monday. Who knows if it will work...I just know that I need motivation from somewhere and I thought maybe this would work!
So stay tuned. Next Monday, I plan to share a photo of my motivation jar and my first 7 motivations with everyone!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Foodie Friday!
It's no secret that I LOVE to eat. When I finally get brave enough to post my "before" photo, you'll be able to see that. But I have spent most of my life striving to eat good and healthy foods, not the convenience junk food that I have fallen victim to in the past few months. So I thought, in order to get a collection of good, healthy recipes going, I'd start doing Foodie Fridays and share my favorite breakfast, lunch and dinners from the previous week.
Breakfast:
Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie
1 cup skim milk
2 TBS low fat vanilla yogurt (my fav is Chobani)
3/4 cup cooked oatmeal
2 TBS peanut butter
2 teaspoons chocolate protein powder
6 ice cubes
Crank everything into the blender and go! Makes 2 -3 servings.
Why I love this: It is super tasty and sooooooooo easy! The mornings that I have to get up at 4 am, this is a great way to start my day because I can make it ahead (without the ice cubes), stick the blender pitcher in the fridge the night before and pop the ice cubes in and blend up quickly in the morning. I do make a few changes when I do this though. Currently, I have a chocolate Peanut Butter protein (Syntha-6), so I skip the peanut butter. And I add 2 scoops of protein, not 2 tsp. I also make a TON of oatmeal ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, so it is ready to toss into the blender!
Lunch
Simple Spinach Salad
1 cup spinach
I cup lettuce (I use either iceberg or butter)
1/3 cup cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup cottage cheese mixed with a tsp of Italian dressing (tossed in as a dressing)
Why I love this: Honestly, I don't much. But it is simple and tasty and I have vowed to eat a salad a day for the next 30 days to help shed the lbs. So keeping it simple is the key. And this is a good one for taking with me, when I have school or shift at the hospital. Sometimes I like to get sassy and add some shredded cheese too! (Ok, I vowed to eat salad for 30 days...but I'm pretty sure that holidays don't count. So I will be skipping Christmas Day and New Year's eve!)
Dinner:
Chicken Asparagus Roll-ups
4 chicken boneless chicken breasts
1 pound of fresh asparagus
1 cup shredded cheese (cheese of your choice)
sprinkle of parmesean
salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take chicken breast and pound flat. I prefer to use my rolling pin, it works really well! Cut each chicken breast into 3 long strips. Take one strip of chicken and wrap it around approximately 4 raw asparagus spears. Continue for the rest of the chicken and asparagus.
Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice and a bit of parmesean cheese. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until there is no more pink in the chicken. After the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle shredded cheese on the chicken and melt. Serve hot!
Why I love this: This was a really easy and basic recipe to put together. I loved it and my husband raved about it. He ate it before hitting the gym and said it was perfect, because it was filling but not too heavy. It is surprisingly tasty for being so simple! Plus, it's a main dish and a side combined, so you only need to dirty one dish! Skip the cheese for a healthier option....but I eat salads for lunch...I'm having cheese at dinner!
Breakfast:
Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie
1 cup skim milk
2 TBS low fat vanilla yogurt (my fav is Chobani)
3/4 cup cooked oatmeal
2 TBS peanut butter
2 teaspoons chocolate protein powder
6 ice cubes
Crank everything into the blender and go! Makes 2 -3 servings.
Why I love this: It is super tasty and sooooooooo easy! The mornings that I have to get up at 4 am, this is a great way to start my day because I can make it ahead (without the ice cubes), stick the blender pitcher in the fridge the night before and pop the ice cubes in and blend up quickly in the morning. I do make a few changes when I do this though. Currently, I have a chocolate Peanut Butter protein (Syntha-6), so I skip the peanut butter. And I add 2 scoops of protein, not 2 tsp. I also make a TON of oatmeal ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, so it is ready to toss into the blender!
Lunch
Simple Spinach Salad
1 cup spinach
I cup lettuce (I use either iceberg or butter)
1/3 cup cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup cottage cheese mixed with a tsp of Italian dressing (tossed in as a dressing)
Why I love this: Honestly, I don't much. But it is simple and tasty and I have vowed to eat a salad a day for the next 30 days to help shed the lbs. So keeping it simple is the key. And this is a good one for taking with me, when I have school or shift at the hospital. Sometimes I like to get sassy and add some shredded cheese too! (Ok, I vowed to eat salad for 30 days...but I'm pretty sure that holidays don't count. So I will be skipping Christmas Day and New Year's eve!)
Dinner:
4 chicken boneless chicken breasts
1 pound of fresh asparagus
1 cup shredded cheese (cheese of your choice)
sprinkle of parmesean
salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take chicken breast and pound flat. I prefer to use my rolling pin, it works really well! Cut each chicken breast into 3 long strips. Take one strip of chicken and wrap it around approximately 4 raw asparagus spears. Continue for the rest of the chicken and asparagus.
Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice and a bit of parmesean cheese. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until there is no more pink in the chicken. After the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle shredded cheese on the chicken and melt. Serve hot!
Why I love this: This was a really easy and basic recipe to put together. I loved it and my husband raved about it. He ate it before hitting the gym and said it was perfect, because it was filling but not too heavy. It is surprisingly tasty for being so simple! Plus, it's a main dish and a side combined, so you only need to dirty one dish! Skip the cheese for a healthier option....but I eat salads for lunch...I'm having cheese at dinner!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The 100 Workout
I don't know who came up with this workout. But they are an evil genius! I came across it a few weeks ago on pinterest (yes, I'll admit it...I'm a pinterest junkie. When all is quiet after the kids go to bed, I hover over my laptop and drool over creative projects that I will never, myself have time to make), so I don't know who to actually give credit for this torturous routine!
I've been sitting with it in my exercise arsenal for a few weeks, but I've been too afraid to try it. But I figured today was the day. So the blog is working it's motivational magic. I don't have any readers yet, but just knowing that I planned to report back on my success or failure kept me moving through the ENTIRE workout! Also motivating me was my almost 8 year old son working out by my side. I love that he is into fitness at such a young age (not to a weird degree, mind you...he just likes to be active...I'm not generating odd little bodybuilders here or anything).
The workout took me about an hour, but I was feeling it right away. I took my time and took LOTS of breaks just so I could make it through. I'm sure I'll be able to shorten it to 30-45 minutes as I become more conditioned! I followed it up with a protein shake, just because if I didn't get some protein back into my muscles, I knew I would be bedridden for a week! I plan to follow up this workout later with a very easy short run. One or two miles, but we'll see how my legs feel!
So here is The 100 Workout in all it's evil glory:
100 jumping jacks
90 crunches
80 squats
70 leg lifts (laying on your back lifting both legs)
60 jumping jacks
50 crunches
40 squats
30 leg lifts (on your side, 30 each leg)
20 jumping jacks
10 push ups
I did modify the workout a bit, adding my own personal touch. The original called for a 10 minute run at the end instead of push-ups. But I wanted to modify it, so that I could do it all at home early in the morning. And since I will be running anyways, I figured I'd throw some push-ups in for some upper body work. I did have to do "girly" push-ups and was only able to go about halfway down...but I'll work on that! : D
Be fit and have a great day!
I've been sitting with it in my exercise arsenal for a few weeks, but I've been too afraid to try it. But I figured today was the day. So the blog is working it's motivational magic. I don't have any readers yet, but just knowing that I planned to report back on my success or failure kept me moving through the ENTIRE workout! Also motivating me was my almost 8 year old son working out by my side. I love that he is into fitness at such a young age (not to a weird degree, mind you...he just likes to be active...I'm not generating odd little bodybuilders here or anything).
The workout took me about an hour, but I was feeling it right away. I took my time and took LOTS of breaks just so I could make it through. I'm sure I'll be able to shorten it to 30-45 minutes as I become more conditioned! I followed it up with a protein shake, just because if I didn't get some protein back into my muscles, I knew I would be bedridden for a week! I plan to follow up this workout later with a very easy short run. One or two miles, but we'll see how my legs feel!
So here is The 100 Workout in all it's evil glory:
100 jumping jacks
90 crunches
80 squats
70 leg lifts (laying on your back lifting both legs)
60 jumping jacks
50 crunches
40 squats
30 leg lifts (on your side, 30 each leg)
20 jumping jacks
10 push ups
I did modify the workout a bit, adding my own personal touch. The original called for a 10 minute run at the end instead of push-ups. But I wanted to modify it, so that I could do it all at home early in the morning. And since I will be running anyways, I figured I'd throw some push-ups in for some upper body work. I did have to do "girly" push-ups and was only able to go about halfway down...but I'll work on that! : D
Be fit and have a great day!
About me!
Welcome to my new blog! The idea behind this blog is to keep me moving...literally. I am runner. But lately, I've become more of a sit-on-the-coucher. I am a 33 year old wife and mother, and also a full time student. Since heading back to school, I haven't had the time to study, take care of the fam, and find the time I need to work out. So, in my thirties, I'm ashamed to admit that I gained the dreaded Freshman 15!
So, now is the time. It's now or never! I have always wanted to run a marathon, and time is slipping away. I know that the older I get the harder it will be. I am incredibly lucky that I have a super supportive husband who is fitness minded and is willing to support me and my marathon run. It is going to be a very long road and I know it. My motivation for the next 10 months of running is going to be crossing the finish line at the Chicago Marathon. My plan is to run with the Special Olympics fundraiser team to meet my goal and support a great cause that supports great athletes!
I don't plan on using this as a fitness or calorie tracker. I have other sites for that. What I do plan on using this blog for is the emotional aspect of my training. I will post my training information, my workouts and because I love to cook (ok, eat), I'm sure I will be posting plenty of recipes (both healthy and not).
In order to start my actual marathon training, I need to do some pre-training. In the pre-training process, I will be laying out my training plan and also making an attempt to drop about 20 pounds. I am contemplating posting a "before" picture. It might be a good motivator! But we'll see...not sure if I'm that brave yet!
I can't wait to share my experience...it should be fun!
So, now is the time. It's now or never! I have always wanted to run a marathon, and time is slipping away. I know that the older I get the harder it will be. I am incredibly lucky that I have a super supportive husband who is fitness minded and is willing to support me and my marathon run. It is going to be a very long road and I know it. My motivation for the next 10 months of running is going to be crossing the finish line at the Chicago Marathon. My plan is to run with the Special Olympics fundraiser team to meet my goal and support a great cause that supports great athletes!
I don't plan on using this as a fitness or calorie tracker. I have other sites for that. What I do plan on using this blog for is the emotional aspect of my training. I will post my training information, my workouts and because I love to cook (ok, eat), I'm sure I will be posting plenty of recipes (both healthy and not).
In order to start my actual marathon training, I need to do some pre-training. In the pre-training process, I will be laying out my training plan and also making an attempt to drop about 20 pounds. I am contemplating posting a "before" picture. It might be a good motivator! But we'll see...not sure if I'm that brave yet!
I can't wait to share my experience...it should be fun!
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