Blog make-over and some introspection

A new look for the new year? Yes!! Thanks Sam -- you're awesome!

I hope you like the cleaner, less generic look. And who knows, you may see a few more changes and tweaks in the next couple weeks...

As the year winds to a close, I can't help but look in - what and who has touched or changed me over the last year? What and who have I touched or changed over the last year? Is the mark I am leaving the one I mean to leave? I have to remind myself: it's never too late to be who we might have been.

Every year, I tend to make New Year's resolutions revolving around health and/or fitness. I can wrap my head around them, measure them, and plan for them: and I will be doing that again this year. But I will be making less measurable, less tangible goals as well. I want to grow my faith, I want to do more for others, and I want to feel more connected to my church and my community. Just as I make and follow a meal plan and a workout schedule, I will need to come up with specific strategies to accomplish these goals as well.

Some people poo-poo the New Year's Resolution Revolution. We all know those who have grand plans only to give up or give in by mid-February. But I love the idea of starting over. My oldest is super goal oriented. She resolved to run every single day for a year. As a mom, I wasn't always a fan of this endeavor: all the days she gave up sleep to run because her life is so busy, continuing to run while she had both pneumonia and bronchitis - 2 separate times! - and the worst: being hospitalized overnight from a severe allergic reaction only to be relieved she had just completed her run before being whisked away in the ambulance and then being released the next day in time to get in that day's run before midnight. A year later, I am in awe. We can shake our heads and say it's crazy, but she did it. No excuses: not time, weather, sickness, or anything else. I hope to have that same commitment; not to run every day, but to make a promise to myself and follow through with it, to think it important enough to make some sacrifices and feel uncomfortable when necessary, to stick with it through the head-shaking of others.

So today I will be deciding on my New Year's resolutions, and coming up with specific plans and strategies to make them happen. How about you?

This week's activity (12/24 - 12/30)

Monday
1 hour cardio/strength class

Tuesday
nada

Wednesday
1 hour bar bell class

Thursday
1 hour bar bell class

Friday
1 hour cardio/strength interval class

Saturday
1 hour bar bell class

Non-activity activities included stuffing my face with cookies and other goodies, sleeping in, trudging thru snow, hours of Singstar, playing games, laughing till my sides hurt, and talking and watching movies until late into the night(s). What a wonderful Christmas week. I have loved every minute of spending time with my kids and my honey!!

Friday Workout

Feeling a little sluggish from too much sugar, we braved the snowy roads to the gym for a post-Christmas workout. We hit it hard and it was nice to break a sweat for the first time in a few days.

Using one minute intervals with no rests, we completed the following:

1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press



1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press
3. Crouching triceps kickbacks, change lead legs at 30 second mark

1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press
3. Crouching triceps kickbacks, change lead legs at 30 second mark
4. Alternate 4 flying lunges with 4 squat jumps

1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press
3. Crouching triceps kickbacks, change lead legs at 30 second mark
4. Alternate 4 flying lunges with 4 squat jumps
5. Lunges with biceps curls, change lead legs at 30 second mark

1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press
3. Crouching triceps kickbacks, change lead legs at 30 second mark
4. Alternate 4 flying lunges with 4 squat jumps
5. Lunges with biceps curls, change lead legs at 30 second mark
6. Weighted torso tips - 30 seconds to one side, 30 seconds to the other


1. Alternate run with football feet
2. Squats with weighted over head shoulder press
3. Crouching triceps kickbacks, change lead legs at 30 second mark
4. Alternate 4 flying lunges with 4 squat jumps
5. Lunges with biceps curls, change lead legs at 30 second mark
6. Weighted torso tips - 30 seconds to one side, 30 seconds to the other

Sunshiny breakfast for a cold snowy morning

It is 24 degrees outside. And windy. And white.

But my breakfast tasted like sunshine! Well, sort of...

Mix 2/3 cup of fat free cottage cheese with a spoonful of cool whip. Then add some chopped dried pineapple and shredded coconut and stir. Delish.

This is the story...

... of a special birthday
Long, long, ago in a manger of hay.
A baby was born for you and for me
To teach us to love and set us free.

Oh no! Oh no! cried Mary with fear
When she saw the Angel Gabriel standing near.
Don't worry said he with a hug and a smile,
God loves you a lot because you're his child.
He has sent me to tell you something exciting,
Something stupendous and oh-so inspiring!
What news do you bring? said a curious Mary,
Starting to become just a little bit wary.
By God's command you'll give birth to a son,
Whose name will be Jesus, the Holy One.
Mary looked puzzled, her confusion not hid.
She said, I'm not married. I can't have a kid.
We know that, the angel laughed and replied,
The Holy Spirit will put the baby inside.
Then Mary was filled with hope and wonder
As Gabriel left to visit another.

Mary's fiance, Joseph, was sound asleep
After a day of worry running deep.
How would he hide her from people's eyes?
Surely they'd judge them very unwise
For having a baby before it was time.
If only they knew it was God's design.
Into his dream an angel appeared.
Joseph, he cried, Do not be a-feared.
Make Mary your wife
For inside her the life
Of God's son will grow
And the whole world will know
That Jesus is king
His praise they will sing!

Joseph was so very pleased with these words
That he did as commanded by what he had heard.

Soon an order was sent across the land
For every woman and very man
To gather in cities by the Emperor's command
That a census be taken to count by hand.
Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem went.
Oh the hours and minutes of walking they spent!
Upon their arrival Mary's time was near
For the baby Jesus very soon would appear.
We need a room quick, cried Joseph in the street.
But every hotel their hopes would defeat.
No room for you here, the innkeepers said,
Not a space nor a chair or even a bed.
But God had prepared a stable for they,
A stable and manger, just for that day.
It was here in the manger the Son of God was born,
In a humble barn, with cloth adorned.

Out in the fields that very night
Shepherds watched over their flocks of white.
An angel of the Lord did shine,
And full of fear they heard his cry.
Behold, I bring you a good tiding
Of great joy for all abiding,
For born to you this day
A Savior has had made his way
As a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth
Lying in a watering trough
But oh! The sky is was filled with voices
Singing this message with great rejoices.
The shepherds, amazed by what they heard,
Heeded by angels to Bethlehem stirred.
Sure enough! The angels were right.
For beneath a stable in the stillness of night
They found Baby Jesus, Joseph, and Mary
Celebrating good news they would carry.
For every listener's ear they would leave
The birth of their Savior that December eve.

So let us each year remember this rhyme
December 25th, Christmas time.
We gather to share our presents with friends
To celebrate the greatest gift God could send:
His son, Jesus, our Savior and King
Whose word we read and praises we sing.

written by Janelle Manning

20 Minute Calorie Crusher Workout

If I can carve out 12 minutes for a high intensity workout a couple times this week, than I can certainly carve out 20. At least that's what I told myself. And I made an awesome playlist to blast while doing it, so that helps. And baking cookies all week also came into play when deciding to build a longer workout. And, oh yea, I skipped another run. I'm definitely needing more than 12 minutes at a time lately.

And my honey and I are down to just one more Christmas party to attend!!
 yay, woot woot, clapping, etc.
 -- as long as I don't count the 10 day long party at my house with cookies and kids and cookies and late nights and cookies and games and cookies and movies and ummm... oh yea, pie. 

I desperately need to find and register for a race in the next few months or I'm afraid my running will slowly diminish to nothing. This is the conversation in my head that keeps whining repeating itself: 
It's too whine cold whine to run whine outside. And I whine don't whine w a n n a whine run whine on the treadmill... whine whine whine...  
until the day is over and my feet never saw the inside of my running shoes.

Winter sucks. Sorry, but I live for summer.
And spring isn't too bad.
And fall is kinda pretty. 
But winter sucks.
Now go to your room.

But really, this workout got the blood flowing. I try to really exaggerate the cardio bursts and focus on alignment on the strength sections.

20 Minute Cookie Calorie Crusher

(20 rounds: 50 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. 

Do as many reps as possible with good form.)

1.  High knees

2.  Sit ups:  on back, knees bent, arms crossed over chest, sit up until elbows can touch thighs, then back down, repeat

3.  Jumping jacks

4.  Push ups: you know the drill, on knees or toes; tight butt, tight gut. Do as many as you can with good form during the 50 seconds.

5.  Squat jumps

6.  Plank with paper plate knee pulls: plank position, balls of feet on paper plates, pull your knees up towards your chest into a pike position allowing the plates to slide with your feet. When returning to plank, make a deliberate stop into that perfect straight-line plank without sagging thru the hips. Repeat.

7.  High knees

8.  Biceps curls: standing with feet under hips, abs drawn in, alternate between hammer curls (palms in) and regular (palms up).

9.  Jumping jacks

10. Triceps dips: seated in firm chair, hands close to sides holding onto front edge of chair seat, extend legs away and then slide bum off the chair seat and tighten abs. Leading with tailbone, bend elbows and lower body toward floor then straighten elbows. Repeat.
11. Squat jumps

12. Crab knee pull/kicks right: seated with knees bent in front of you and hands on the floor behind you, fingertips toward feet; lift hips into crab walk (table top) position, alternately extend and kick one leg to the ceiling as you bend your elbows and lower your hips closer to the floor, then the other. Repeat.

13. High knees

14. Crab knee pull/kicks left: seated with knees bent in front of you and hands on the floor behind you, fingertips toward feet; lift hips into crab walk (table top) position, alternately extend and kick one leg to the ceiling as you bend your elbows and lower your hips closer to the floor, then the other. Repeat.

15. Jumping jacks

16. Bent knee side hip raises - right: lie on your right side, elbow directly under shoulder, other hand on hip, knees bent with hips and knees stacked; lift hip off the floor as high as you can keeping that sideways stack and belly pulled in, then lower back to floor. Repeat.
17. Squat jumps

18. Bent knee side hip raises - left: lie on your left side, elbow directly under shoulder, other hand on hip, knees bent with hips and knees stacked; lift hip off the floor as high as you can keeping that sideways stack and belly pulled in, then lower back to floor. Repeat.
19. High knees

20. Jumping jacks

Christmas Goodies

Ready. Set. Go!!

It's not 9:30am yet and 4 kinds of treats are done with 2 left to go. It will be hours before my kitchen is back in order, but hey, important stuff is getting done. I don't always make the same goodies every Christmas but here are a few of this year's sweets.

And I won't even pretend these are healthy. 

I mean, it's Christmas!!

Chocolate Mint Coconut Oaties

What you'll need:

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 bag mint chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Mix all the ingredients really well. Then mound dough into large balls - about the size of walnuts. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen.

Salted Peanut Butter Kisses

What you'll need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup gluten free pancake mix

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

2 dozen unwrapped kisses

sea salt

What you'll do:

Mix all the ingredients together well. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Right after removing from oven, gently press a kiss onto the top of each cookie so that it flattens the cookie slightly and just begins to crack. After about 5 minutes, the kiss should be soft and shiny looking. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Crinkles

What you'll need:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

2 cups powdered sugar

What you'll do:

Mix the first 5 ingredients well with mixer. Stir baking powder and salt into flour and then mix into batter by hand. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. This dough is super soft and sticky. I find it easiest to drop heaping tablespoons of dough into the powdered sugar and roll them a little until they round up and smooth out a bit.  Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. We like ours really soft so I let them cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two right out of the oven so they cook a little more without getting crispy. If you like a crispier cookie, bake 10-11 minutes. These will puff up in the oven and then deflate after baking to get the crinkled look. Makes about 4 dozen.

Mini Salted Reese Cups

What you'll need:

2 bags milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

sea salt

What you'll do:

Slowly melt chocolate chips being careful not to scorch them. Spoon about 3/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate into paper lined mini muffin tins. Tap tin on counter to smooth out chocolate and fill the bottoms evenly. Allow to set or pop in fridge to firm up.

Place filling ingredients into bowl of food processor and pulse until crumbly. Then pulse just a couple more times until it starts to hold together  Roll teaspoons of peanut butter mix into balls and place on one top of chocolate. Press down gently with back of spoon to spread filling.

Top off with more melted chocolate.  I poured the melted chocolate into a piping bag and it made filling and topping off the cups super easy. Tap tins again to smooth tops. Sprinkle tops with a tiny pinch of sea salt before they firm up. Makes about 4 dozen.


Now, I'm off to the gym to work off the tasting that went on this morning...   

This made me think...

About perspective.

About being thankful.

About being an example and a light for others.

This has nothing to do with the recent unthinkable tragedy, but in a hurting and broken world,  it is refreshing and healthy to seek a message of hope. Prayers are with Newtown.

I'm not promoting the cd - I just really like his message.

Hawaiian Tofu Salad Recipe

This a great easy dinner or lunch. It's light but flavorful. 

If tofu makes you nervous, this is a good one to try. Tofu doesn't have much flavor really. It takes on the flavor of any marinade or sauce you cook it in. Cut the tofu pieces on the small side and bake it until it starts to brown. Half the block is plenty for 2 generous salads but you could cook all of the tofu and use the remaining in a stir fry with veggies. Once baked in the oven, tofu will keep for a week in the fridge or you can even freeze it. It's a very cheap plant protein (the 12 oz block I recently bought was $1.20); high in calcium and potassium and a 4 oz portion has over 9 grams of protein and about 80 calories.

What you'll need: (for 2 dinner sized salads)

1/2 block extra firm tofu (about 6 oz.)
1 small can pineapple tidbits in juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1 large head romaine, chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp crumbled feta
1/4 cup crunchy chow mein noodles or 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)

What you'll do:

Press the water out of your tofu using lots of paper towels under the tofu, more paper towels on top of the tofu, and a weighted pan on top. (I place my tofu in a paper towel-lined pie plate, then more paper towels, another pie plate, and then place 3-4 cans from the pantry in the top pie plate. Allow it to press for a good 20-30 minutes to get it nice and dry.) Cut the tofu into even 1  inch slices/cubes and place it in a large ziploc bag. Strain the juice from the pineapple into a bowl. Add soy sauce, grated ginger, and minced garlic to taste. Pour the marinade into the ziploc bag with the tofu. (I double the marinade and prepare the whole block of tofu. Bake once, eat twice.)

Marinate the tofu in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is even better). Remove tofu and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or use a silicon cooking mat (reserve the marinade). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. I like to bake the tofu until it is pretty firm and dry and just starting to brown on the edges. 

For the Hawaiian dressing: add 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and 1 Tbsp rice vinegar to the reserved marinade and mix well.

Divide romaine on serving plates. Top with tofu, pineapple tidbits, onion, cucumber, feta cheese and crunchy noodles or seeds. Drizzle with Hawaiian dressing. 

This week's activity (12/9 - 12/15)

Sunday
45 minute pilates workout

Monday
1 hour cardio/strength interval class
1 hour pilates class
4 mile dog walk

Tuesday
3 mile run 
3 mile dog walk

Wednesday
1 hour bar bell class
2 mile dog walk

Thursday
1 hour barbell class
3 mile dog walk

Friday
1 hour bootcamp class
4 mile dig walk

Saturday
1 hour bar bell class
3 mile run

Meal Plan (12/15 - 12/21)

This week is the last push to eat clean before the holidays. Next week, Christmas cookies and holiday traditions will beat out healthy whole food choices more often than not. And I'm okay with that. I fully intend to enjoy the holidays and for me, a big part of the holidays is the food. Because we worked hard on clean eating and regular workouts the rest of the month, we can "afford" to sit back and soak up Christmas. But not yet.

For us, this week is still lots of fresh fruit and veggies (aiming to get at least 5 servings a day) and lots of lean protein. Since I only cook for two people lately, one 12 oz block of tofu will go in two meals: the Thai spaghetti squash and also the Hawaiian Tofu Salad (recipe coming soon). Chicken, chicken sausage, the last of the turkey burgers, and cheap easy eggs make up the rest of this week's protein. Portion control is still important. Just because it's healthy doesn't give permission to overeat. As my honey likes to say: "never hungry, never full." 

Day 1:

Breakfast: chocolate protein powder overnight oats with berries

Lunch: turkey and spinach on thin bun, cottage cheese and grape tomatoes

Snack: apple with peanut butter

Dinner: Thai Spaghetti Squash Noodles (I make a version of this recipe: minus the fish sauce -gross- and add the soy sauce/garlic/ginger-marinated-then-baked tofu.)

Day 2:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies

Lunch: soup and reduced fat grilled cheese sandwich

Snack: pretzels and grape tomatoes

Dinner: Italian chicken and veggies

Day 3:

Breakfast: chocolate protein powder overnight oats with berries

Lunch: chicken salad on greens

Snack: carrots and hummus

Dinner: Black bean, spinach, chicken quesadillas

Day 4:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies

Lunch: veggie burger and steamed veggies

Snack: pretzels and cottage cheese

Dinner: Curried lentils and butternut squash

Day 4:

Breakfast: cereal with milk and banana

Lunch: left over curried lentils and carrots and cucumber

Snack: celery and peanut butter

Dinner: Turkey burgers with pesto and feta

Day 5:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies

Lunch: baked sweet potato topped with sautéed veggie chop

Snack: Greek yogurt with sliced banana

Dinner: Hawaiian Tofu Salad

Day 6:

Breakfast: chocolate protein powder overnight oats with berries

Lunch: egg salad sandwich on thin bun and fruit salad

Snack: carrots and hummus

Dinner: Chicken sausage and sweet potato shepherd pie

Day 7:

free day  :)

oh, life

Good judgement
    comes from experience.

Experience comes from a lot of 
      not-so-good-judgement.

hmmm.

Happy Friday! 

Sweet potato sense

I had three small (and oddly shaped) sweet potatoes at the bottom of my produce bin. I started to make Sweet Potato Muffins but then I rationalized the following: the muffins won't be nearly as good without buttermilk and I don't have any buttermilk, so I think I should make chocolate chip cookies. Yea. That makes sense. 

These cookies are light and cake-y: what you would expect when cutting the amount of butter in a typical cookie recipe in half. They are slightly orange in color but not overly. The oats are to help convince myself these cookies have some redeeming nutritional value...sweet potatoes AND oats, right?  

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies


What you'll need:

1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips


What you'll do: 

Peel, chop, and cook sweet potato until tender. Drain and add to large bowl with butter or margarine, (no need to soften as the hot sweet potatoes will take care of that).  Add sugars, vanilla, and eggs and beat with mixer until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of rolled oats and allow to set a few minutes so oats can soften. In smaller bowl, stir salt and baking powder into flour. Add flour mixture to large bowl and mix in by hand. Fold in chocolate chips and chill for at least 1 hour. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined pan and bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Do not over bake. 

Nutritional Info: Makes about 52 cookies. Serving size: 2 cookies  191 calories, 3 g pro, 30 g carbs, 7.5 g fat  compared to typical cookie recipe with double the butter and no sweet potato: 216 calories, 3 g pro, 29 g carbs and 11 g fat.

Confessions and Workout 10 - 1 Ten Times

Confessions first. Yesterday was laundry day. I need to clear my conscience...

There. I feel better.

Now, the workout: 10-1 Ten Times 10 Minute Workout #10. Or something like that. (I should have timed this better so it could be the 12th 12 minute workout on 12-12-12. I am so bummed.)

No timer needed. This is another pyramid style workout. You'll complete 10 reps of exercise 10, 9 reps of exercise 9, 8 reps of exercise 8, 7 reps ... Yea, you get it. And repeat the whole series 10 times. Since you are doing so few reps it should feel fairly easy at first. Hopefully by the 6th/7th set, it will get harder. If not, you may have to repeat the series 20 times instead of 10.

Here goes:

       10  High knees
        9   Jumping jacks
        8   Flying lunges
        7   Squat jumps
        6   Triceps dips
        5   Push ups
        4   Rollups
        3   30 second planks: front and each side
        2   Tuck jumps
        1   Burpee

Repeat 10 times.

Easy Gift Idea

Do you still need an inexpensive cute gift idea? This is super quick and easy and tastes delicious.

Make a batch of your favorite Mug Cake or Cookie recipe to share. Pinterest has individual recipes for every cake, cookie, and muffin imaginable but here's a way to give a jar or container full so your gift recipient can just scoop out an individual dessert or share with friends without getting 14 ingredients out and measuring each one. Tied with a cute ribbon and a handmade recipe card attached, you can make gifts for friends, teachers, or office mates in less than an hour.

What you'll need:

any baking mix desired: cake, cookie, muffin, quick bread
1 box angel food cake mix - you will only use a portion of this
Bisquick baking mix - 1/2 to 1 cup
optional dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or any other dry desired stir ins
containers or jars with tight fitting lids
scrap book paper or construction paper for recipe tags
ribbon or rafia

What you'll do:

Empty one package of desired baking mix into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of dry angel food cake mix and a scant 1/4 cup Bisquick baking mix for each egg the baking mix calls for. Add 1/2 cup or more of coordinating stir ins. Mix well. Spoon this dry mix into jars or containers for gift giving. Make a tag with the name of mix and recipe for individual servings. You may have to taste test your mix to get the proper amount of water to add and the correct microwave cooking time. Cake mixes need a tad more water than say cookies or brownies. One "recipe" can fill several mason jars or other cute containers to make more than one gift.


Here are two tried and tested versions:

Carrot Cake Mug Cake

boxed carrot cake mix
3/4 cup angel food cake mix
1/2 - 3/4 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

I used a Betty Crocker 15.25 oz box Super Moist Carrot Cake. The above recipe filled 3 pint sized mason jars perfectly.

Recipe for attached card:
Add 4 heaping Tbsp dry Carrot Mug Cake Mix to your favorite mug. Stir in 3 Tbsp water and zap in microwave for 40-45 seconds.



Double Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

pkg chocolate chip cookie mix
1/4 cup angel food cake mix
1/4 cup Bisquick cake mix
3 Tbsp cocoa

I used a Betty Crocker 17.5 oz Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix pouch. The recipe above filled 2 pint sized mason jars with a bit of space at the top that I just filled with a few extra chocolate chips.

Recipe for attached card:
Add 4 heaping Tbsp dry Double Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie Mix to your favorite mug. Stir in 2 Tbsp water and zap in microwave for 40-45 seconds.

Be sure to if mention your gift contains nuts in case of allergies.

This week's activity (12/2 - 12/8)

Sunday
12 minute workout #9
3 mile run
1.5 mile dog walk

Monday
1 hour cardio/strength class
2 mile dog walk

Tuesday
5 mile run
2 mile dog walk


Wednesday
1 hour bar bell class


Thursday
1 hour bar bell class


Friday
1 hour boot camp class


Saturday
1 hour bar bell class

I am NOT a fan of cold rain and consequently spent a lot of the last week indoors. My poor dog...

Meal Plan (12/8 - 12/14)

I love being in the kitchen and making healthy meals. I don't love figuring out what to fix and then changing my mind 4 times because I don't have the necessary ingredients on hand. Enter the meal plan. I have six full days of meals printed and posted on the side of my fridge. I don't always do the whole day in order. I may have breakfast from Day 1, lunch from Day 4, and dinner from Day 5, but whatever I choose, I know it fits with our goals, and I have everything I need to make the meals. 

Once I have my meal plan printed, with it one hand and my grocery list in the other, I go through my fridge and pantry and figure out just what I need. I can then substitute or tweak meals based on the sales at the grocery store or coupons I have. Last week I got a huge package of whole wheat tortillas from Sam's club. They are awesome: 100 calories each, with 9 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. They will be used in several lunches and dinners. My produce is always decided once I get to the store and see what it looks like: if the selection of fresh is limited, I fill in the gaps with frozen. Chicken is just a staple but this week I also had a coupon for turkey meatballs. Same with the Kashi crunch cereal. 

Whatever ends up on the table, it will almost always be better for you and likely cheaper, than a restaurant or fast food meal. Make a plan. Shop for it. It doesn't have to be fancy. If you aren't a fan of cooking, choose simple meals you can double or even triple and freeze, cooking just once but eating multiple times. Make foods you like to eat and cooking will be become more enjoyable. 


Day 1:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies
Lunch: veggie burger and hummus lettuce wraps, Greek yogurt
Snack: celery with peanut butter
Dinner: chicken, spinach, tomato, onion quesadilla on wheat tortilla

Day 2:

Breakfast: overnight oats with berries
Lunch: turkey / roasted red pepper grilled cheese sandwich, apple
Snack: rye crisps with cottage cheese
Dinner: spinach stuffed picante chicken on brown rice

Day 3:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies
Lunch: black beans and veggie chop with cottage cheese
Snack: Greek yogurt with Kashi crunch
Dinner: vegetable lentil soup with chicken

Day 4:

Breakfast: cereal with milk and banana
Lunch: peanut butter, apple, Kashi crunch on whole wheat wrap, Greek yogurt
Snack: low fat popcorn and raisins/peanuts
Dinner: wheat penne, basil pesto and turkey meatballs, green salad

Day 5:

Breakfast: egg beaters/veggies
Lunch: left over lentils and veggies, green salad
Snack: Greek yogurt with Kashi crunch
Dinner: spinach, tomato, onion, chicken pizza on whole wheat tortillas

Day 6:

Breakfast: overnight oats with berries
Lunch: turkey meatball sub, fruit salad
Snack: celery with peanut butter
Dinner: Parmesan garlic tilapia, couscous veggie salad

Day 7:

free day  :)

Edamame - 2 ways

I love edamame. I especially like it shelled and frozen in a steam-able bag. It's low in fat and sodium, and a good source of protein, fiber, thiamine, iron, and Vitamin K. And it's super versatile: I like to add it to stir fry, soup, and salads. 

Today I made it into a hummus. Yum. 

Yes, it's green. But don't let that throw you. If you just can't get used to green hummus, I used the same recipe to make Mock Guac. Also yum. 

Edamame Hummus

What you'll need:

1  8 oz bag frozen edamame (shelled soy beans)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp tahini (substitute peanut butter if you don't have any)
2 tsp Garlic & Herb Mrs Dash
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup water, or more

What you'll do:

Cook edamame according to package directions. (This is where the steam-able bag is so great: zap, done.) Then cool for at least 15 minutes. Add to bowl of food processor and pulse until crumbly looking. Add the next 6 ingredients and process until well combined, scraping sides often. With processor on, slowly add water until hummus is smooth and creamy. Serve with crackers, pita chips, or veggies. Also a great mayo substitute for sandwiches.

Enjoy.

Nutritional Info: Makes 7-8 generous servings (1/4 cup  each) 95 calories per serving, 2 g pro, 5.6 g carbs, 6.5 g healthy fat


Mock Guac

What you'll need:

1 batch of edamame hummus - best if made the day prior as the hummus will tighten up a bit overnight and the "guac" will have a better consistency

1 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 onion, minced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped fine
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
    or 1 tsp dry cilantro

What you'll do:

Carefully stir the additional ingredients into the hummus. Serve with tortilla chips. Or a spoon. Just Kidding. I was testing to see if you read the whole post.  :)

12 Minute Workout #8 - Sore Loser

This is the workout we did the night before last and someone very near and dear to me is STILL sore this morning and coming up with all kinds of excuses as to why we need to take a few nights off. Either this someone very near and dear to me really needs to workout more or  It must be a good one.

It does require a couple of hand weights or a weighted ball (or even some 1/2 gallon milk jugs filled with water - improvise if you must!!) Some of the moves are really challenging and others, not so much. That's kind of the point. The timer app is set for 12 rounds of 50 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. As always, take a break anytime you need to.


1. Weighted swing squat: standing with feet in squat position, holding hand weights or weighted ball. Sit back into squat while swinging weight toward floor. As you stand out of squat, squeezing bum on the way up, swing weight toward ceiling but not over head, only go as high as is comfortable for shoulders. Arms are long and extended the whole time. Repeat.

2. Weighted left cross/chop lunge: big step forward with left foot, roll up off right heel, weights or ball in both hands, arms extended out in front shoulder height. As you lower into a lunge, cross/ chop/ row the weight toward left hip rotating torso slightly without leaning forward. As you push up out of lunge, weight returns to extended arms in front. Repeat.

3. Weighted right cross/chop lunge: big step forward with right foot, roll up off left heel, weights or weighted ball in both hands, arms extended out in front shoulder height. As you lower into a lunge, cross/ chop/ row the weight toward right hip rotating torso slightly without leaning forward. As you push up out of lunge, weight returns to extended arms in front. Repeat.

4. Clean and press: standing with wide feet, weights or weighted ball in both hands and arms extended downward, sit back into squat and reach weight toward floor, as you stand out of squat, bend elbows and bring weight close to chest and then press up over head with extended arms. (Unlike the swinging weighted squats in which arms are extended the whole time, during the clean and press, arms extend at the bottom and top of the move but elbows bend and weight is close to the body during the middle of the move.) Repeat.

5. Push ups: you know the drill, on knees or toes; tight butt, tight gut. Do as many as you can with good form during the 50 seconds.

6. Triceps dips: seated in firm chair, hands close to sides holding onto front edge of chair seat, extend legs away and then slide bum off the chair seat and tighten abs. Leading with tailbone, bend elbows and lower body toward floor then straighten elbows. Repeat.

7. Alt 10 plank jacks/ 10 mountain climbers: in plank position, alternate between 10 jumping jack feet and 10 mountain climbers. Keep abs pulled in hard and weight over hands as much as possible.

8. Star Abs: Lying flat on back with arms and legs extended out, alternately lift long extended leg and opposite extended arm and try to touch shoe laces. Head and one shoulder blade comes off the floor on each reach. Repeat.

9. Spiderman push ups: plank position with tight abs. As you bring one knee toward matching elbow, bend elbows to complete a push up, then other side. These are tough. If you can't complete a full push up, just bend elbows partially or leave out the push up and just alternate the knees to elbows.

10. Weighted torso tips: standing with feet about shoulder width apart and a weight in each hand by your sides, lean to one side while sliding the weight down the outside of your thigh and then back to standing. Alternate sides. Be sure to pull abs in and bend only sideways, not forward.

11. Wacky jacks: arms out like goal posts, lift one extended leg out to side and bend torso toward that leg, than lift the other and bend the other way. These are like pendulum swings but really use your obliques as you bend from side to side.

12. Biceps Curls: standing with feet under hips, abs drawn in, alternate between hammer curls (palms in) and regular (palms up).