Gosh!! I didn't realize it's been so long since the last time I've blogged! So where to start??
Well, if I haven't mentioned it already - I'm back in college. One semester down already at Methodist University, which hour-wise has made me a senior, but I still have two semesters after the current one I'm in, so I guess by the time I'm finished I'll be a "Super-Duper-Senior". :) But hey, the important thing is that I'm doing it. I've half-way made up my mind that if I don't get accepted for Physician Assistant school, then I may become a Registered Dietician. I'm crossing my fingers (and working my butt off) for PA school though. ;)
So that is why I have been MIA...this semester alone I have 3 upper level Biology/Chemistry classes, so I have had my nose in the books daily - which means less time blogging. :( BUT! I will try to make it a habit to get on here more often. I have a few fitness goals coming up in the future so that gives me things to blog about!
So I'm back! :)
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Do What You Love - Love What You Do
Over the last couple of months, I've struggled to stick with a solid training plan. It has felt as though I've just been floating from one thing to another, without a plan or goals, and just sort of going through the motions. As you probably know, I started back at college this past August. I'm attending full-time as a Biology major, training clients a couple days per week, and juggling the role of wife and mom on the homefront. So where do I fit in a training plan?
This is where I always used to tell other people that "You have to make it a priority," and to "make every little bit count." And what I found for the first month or so of school, was that I wasn't taking my own advice. I had let my training slip off of my priority list. I tend to be an all-or-nothing thinker - and this can be detrimental to training for anyone. I would take whole weeks off of training just because I didn't make it to the gym on Monday or Tuesday. I was letting that one or two days justify my whole week. Not fair. But I was used to having a training plan that required me to be in the gym 5 to 6 days per week, and missing one or two days would throw it off.
So I had refocus. I sat down and wrote down what days/times I had available to work out, rewrote my goals, and made a plan that worked WITH my schedule.
Now I don't have a rigid training plan like I used to. It's very fluid, and that's what works for me right now. I don't have any lofty goals at the moment either, so it works out for my goals as well.
One thing that has really kept me going lately is that I've incorporated things into my training plan that I really enjoy. Who really wants to go do something they don't like doing? That was where I had gotten. I was burned out on the same workouts and cardio equipment. I dropped my lifting days from 5-6 days per week to 3. My goals are aimed at maintaining right now, so I don't need to lift as much as I was - 3 days is plenty to maintain the muscle that I have. I've also started doing yoga once a week. I love it! It is very relaxing and it requires me to mentally focus on nothing but my body for a whole hour, and I usually end up pretty sore from it. And I've taken my cardio outdoors for the most part. It gives me time to let my thoughts go and just forget about everything for a short time - I don't pressure myself to run a certain distance, I just do what I feel - sometimes that ends up with a long run and others just a leisurely walk. In another week I also plan to start going to a TRX class - but if I don't enjoy it, I won't do it. :)
So you see, it's not about doing that "perfect" plan that everyone else uses, or that someone said you should do. Chances are, you won't stick with it if you don't truly enjoy it. Find things that you enjoy and incorporate them into your training plan - you will find that you begin to look forward to your workouts and you won't even have to think about sticking to your plan, it will just be natural. And be forgiving of yourself. Sometimes things happen and we can't workout. It's normal! Just don't let it dictate how your whole week will go. Make working out something that you do because you like the way it makes you FEEL, not because you feel obligated to do it. Find what you love - and you will find that you stick with it. :)
This is where I always used to tell other people that "You have to make it a priority," and to "make every little bit count." And what I found for the first month or so of school, was that I wasn't taking my own advice. I had let my training slip off of my priority list. I tend to be an all-or-nothing thinker - and this can be detrimental to training for anyone. I would take whole weeks off of training just because I didn't make it to the gym on Monday or Tuesday. I was letting that one or two days justify my whole week. Not fair. But I was used to having a training plan that required me to be in the gym 5 to 6 days per week, and missing one or two days would throw it off.
So I had refocus. I sat down and wrote down what days/times I had available to work out, rewrote my goals, and made a plan that worked WITH my schedule.
Now I don't have a rigid training plan like I used to. It's very fluid, and that's what works for me right now. I don't have any lofty goals at the moment either, so it works out for my goals as well.
One thing that has really kept me going lately is that I've incorporated things into my training plan that I really enjoy. Who really wants to go do something they don't like doing? That was where I had gotten. I was burned out on the same workouts and cardio equipment. I dropped my lifting days from 5-6 days per week to 3. My goals are aimed at maintaining right now, so I don't need to lift as much as I was - 3 days is plenty to maintain the muscle that I have. I've also started doing yoga once a week. I love it! It is very relaxing and it requires me to mentally focus on nothing but my body for a whole hour, and I usually end up pretty sore from it. And I've taken my cardio outdoors for the most part. It gives me time to let my thoughts go and just forget about everything for a short time - I don't pressure myself to run a certain distance, I just do what I feel - sometimes that ends up with a long run and others just a leisurely walk. In another week I also plan to start going to a TRX class - but if I don't enjoy it, I won't do it. :)
So you see, it's not about doing that "perfect" plan that everyone else uses, or that someone said you should do. Chances are, you won't stick with it if you don't truly enjoy it. Find things that you enjoy and incorporate them into your training plan - you will find that you begin to look forward to your workouts and you won't even have to think about sticking to your plan, it will just be natural. And be forgiving of yourself. Sometimes things happen and we can't workout. It's normal! Just don't let it dictate how your whole week will go. Make working out something that you do because you like the way it makes you FEEL, not because you feel obligated to do it. Find what you love - and you will find that you stick with it. :)
I Made It!
Well, I finally made it into my favorite magazine: Oxygen! I am beyond excited! I found out back in January when they emailed me and told me they wanted to do a success story on me (they heard my story from my coach at the time). And the day has finally come! I am in the Collector's Issue of Get Off The Couch, so it will be on newsstands for the next couple of months. Take a look at it, and if you don't read Oxygen Magazine regularly, you should give it a try! It's one of the only magazines I read on a regular basis. It is filled with tons of information and motivation to live a healthy life. Check it out! :)
Cheesecake!!!
So, I've been playing around with a recipe for a little while and I've finally come up with what I wanted. Cheesecake!! Ok, so it's not actual cheesecake, but it tastes pretty darn good - and there is no guilt what so ever! I eat this almost every day. :)
All you have to do is mix 1/2c of fat free cottage cheese with 1/4c vanilla greek yogurt, and 2tsp of Jello Sugar-free Fat-free Cheesecake Pudding mix. I recommend mixing everything in a blender so the the cottage cheese is creamy. I use my magic bullet blender and it turns out geat.
That makes the filling - you can eat it just like that if you want and it's sort of like pudding. Or you can spice it up however you like. Here are two of my favorite ways to eat it:
I put 1/4c low fat granola at the bottom of a bowl, pour the cheesecake mixture on top and top with fresh berries. This makes it taste like a mix between a parfait and actual cheesecake. Yummy and fresh!
My new favorite is to put 1-2 pumpkin protien bars in a bowl (recipe below) and pour the cheesecake mixture over the bars. It tastes like a pumpkin spice cake or carrot cake with cream cheese icing! It's like dessert every day! I love it!
Try it out, and get creative with it. Since there is only 1/4c of the vanilla yogurt, it is fairly low carb, so you can add carbs and fruit to it, and it's already loaded with protein. Perfect snack!
Enjoy! :)
All you have to do is mix 1/2c of fat free cottage cheese with 1/4c vanilla greek yogurt, and 2tsp of Jello Sugar-free Fat-free Cheesecake Pudding mix. I recommend mixing everything in a blender so the the cottage cheese is creamy. I use my magic bullet blender and it turns out geat.
That makes the filling - you can eat it just like that if you want and it's sort of like pudding. Or you can spice it up however you like. Here are two of my favorite ways to eat it:
I put 1/4c low fat granola at the bottom of a bowl, pour the cheesecake mixture on top and top with fresh berries. This makes it taste like a mix between a parfait and actual cheesecake. Yummy and fresh!
My new favorite is to put 1-2 pumpkin protien bars in a bowl (recipe below) and pour the cheesecake mixture over the bars. It tastes like a pumpkin spice cake or carrot cake with cream cheese icing! It's like dessert every day! I love it!
Try it out, and get creative with it. Since there is only 1/4c of the vanilla yogurt, it is fairly low carb, so you can add carbs and fruit to it, and it's already loaded with protein. Perfect snack!
Pumpkin Protein Bars
Here is a great recipe I found on http://www.bodybuilding.com/. Fitness model Jamie Eason has this awesome recipe on there and they are great. I make them almost every week to incorporate into my meals.
Ingredients:
1/2c xylitol brown sugar blend (I use the brand Ideal from my local grocer, and you can always use Splenda brown sugar blend.)
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
2tsp cinnamon
1 1/2tsp ginger
1/2tsp cloves
1tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2tsp vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 can of pumpkin puree (15oz)
2c oat flour (I found mine in the health food store)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2c unsweetened almond milk
1/2c nuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Spray 9x13in baking pan with cooking spray and set aside
Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well.
Add final 3 ingredients plus nuts and mix well until a creamy batter forms.
Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Makes 24 squares
Enjoy 2 squares with another source of protein like greek yogurt, or have 4 as a mid-meal snack.
These are super yummy, super easy, and keep very well in the fridge. Enjoy! :)
Ingredients:
1/2c xylitol brown sugar blend (I use the brand Ideal from my local grocer, and you can always use Splenda brown sugar blend.)
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
2tsp cinnamon
1 1/2tsp ginger
1/2tsp cloves
1tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2tsp vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 can of pumpkin puree (15oz)
2c oat flour (I found mine in the health food store)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2c unsweetened almond milk
1/2c nuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Spray 9x13in baking pan with cooking spray and set aside
Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well.
Add final 3 ingredients plus nuts and mix well until a creamy batter forms.
Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Makes 24 squares
Enjoy 2 squares with another source of protein like greek yogurt, or have 4 as a mid-meal snack.
These are super yummy, super easy, and keep very well in the fridge. Enjoy! :)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For ICE CREAM!
Ok, if you know me well, you know one solid fact about me - I LOVE ICE CREAM! Anytime I have a cheat meal, 99% of the time it's going to be ice cream. Yep, that was me at Cold Stone in December! :) Love love LOVE it!
As much as I love ice cream, I'm sad to admit that it is one of the worst foods you can possibly eat. It's loaded with sugar AND fat. Two of the worst culprits in the battle of the bulge! Luckily for me, so great genius created frozen yogurt. Still filled with sugar, but much lower in fat.
Then behold came the trend of frozen yogurt bars. Not like the bars you eat - but the little shops that are all the rage these days. You go in, try as much frozen yogurt as you want, serve yourself, and top it off with all the fresh fruits and toppings you can imagine. These places are great in my opinion, and I've ditched my Cold Stone days for Tutti Melon (Fayetteville's chain). They serve mostly fat free frozen yogurt, and some low fat, and for 1/2c you are getting in about 21g of carbs. Not too shabby for a cheat if you ask me! But where you have to be careful is the bowl sizes and the toppings. Most of the yogurt bars I've been to (yes, I've been to a lot! lol.) have giant bowls, so if you fill that sucker up, you are pretty much getting half a days worth of calories - and sugar! I try to eyeball about 1/2 to 1 cup.
Then you get to the toppings. This is where you make or break it. They have on one side, fresh fruits, exotic fruit, very healthy options. Then on the other side: Fruity Pebbles, cookie dough, Oreos, brownies. So beware of the toppings! If you are watching what you eat, then obviously stick with the fruits. If it happens to be your cheat - then knock yourself out! :)
Now onto bigger and better! A blog/website I follow brought to light a FABULOUS ice cream substitute. Behold: Arctic Zero! Basically it's a protein shake that has been turned into a delicious pint of ice cream. From the reviews I've read - it isn't the exact same as ice cream, but it's a great substitute if you're an ice cream addict like me. :) Now are you ready for the good part? One pint has less than 150 calories! Woohoo! You can get it from your local whole foods market, or get on their website to see where you can find it. http://www.myarcticzero.com/. I just ordered some from Amazon.com last week and it will be here within the next couple of days, so I will keep everyone posted! While you are at it, check out the blog/website I follow that introduced me to this wonderful product: http://www.busygirlhealthylife.com/ It was created by fitness model/competitor Lori Harder and it's jam-packed with recipes, workouts, and other great fitness related info - be sure to sign up for the newsletter.
And finally - if you can hardly wait for your Arctic Zero to arrive in the mail, then you can make your own ice cream substitute! I got this recipe from Oxygen Magazine this month and it's actually pretty yummy! Here is the recipe:
5 egg whites
1 scoop protein powder of your choice (I've only tried vanilla, but will try chocolate soon)
Stevia - to taste
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in protein powder and stevia, and let freeze for 1 or more hours. That's it! This stuff actually has the same texture of ice cream! If you like the taste of frozen yogurt, then add in a spoonful or two with the protein and it gives it that yogurt flavor. You can also add sugar free chocolate syrup, fresh fruits, nuts - have fun with it!
As much as I love ice cream, I'm sad to admit that it is one of the worst foods you can possibly eat. It's loaded with sugar AND fat. Two of the worst culprits in the battle of the bulge! Luckily for me, so great genius created frozen yogurt. Still filled with sugar, but much lower in fat.
Then behold came the trend of frozen yogurt bars. Not like the bars you eat - but the little shops that are all the rage these days. You go in, try as much frozen yogurt as you want, serve yourself, and top it off with all the fresh fruits and toppings you can imagine. These places are great in my opinion, and I've ditched my Cold Stone days for Tutti Melon (Fayetteville's chain). They serve mostly fat free frozen yogurt, and some low fat, and for 1/2c you are getting in about 21g of carbs. Not too shabby for a cheat if you ask me! But where you have to be careful is the bowl sizes and the toppings. Most of the yogurt bars I've been to (yes, I've been to a lot! lol.) have giant bowls, so if you fill that sucker up, you are pretty much getting half a days worth of calories - and sugar! I try to eyeball about 1/2 to 1 cup.
Then you get to the toppings. This is where you make or break it. They have on one side, fresh fruits, exotic fruit, very healthy options. Then on the other side: Fruity Pebbles, cookie dough, Oreos, brownies. So beware of the toppings! If you are watching what you eat, then obviously stick with the fruits. If it happens to be your cheat - then knock yourself out! :)
Now onto bigger and better! A blog/website I follow brought to light a FABULOUS ice cream substitute. Behold: Arctic Zero! Basically it's a protein shake that has been turned into a delicious pint of ice cream. From the reviews I've read - it isn't the exact same as ice cream, but it's a great substitute if you're an ice cream addict like me. :) Now are you ready for the good part? One pint has less than 150 calories! Woohoo! You can get it from your local whole foods market, or get on their website to see where you can find it. http://www.myarcticzero.com/. I just ordered some from Amazon.com last week and it will be here within the next couple of days, so I will keep everyone posted! While you are at it, check out the blog/website I follow that introduced me to this wonderful product: http://www.busygirlhealthylife.com/ It was created by fitness model/competitor Lori Harder and it's jam-packed with recipes, workouts, and other great fitness related info - be sure to sign up for the newsletter.
And finally - if you can hardly wait for your Arctic Zero to arrive in the mail, then you can make your own ice cream substitute! I got this recipe from Oxygen Magazine this month and it's actually pretty yummy! Here is the recipe:
5 egg whites
1 scoop protein powder of your choice (I've only tried vanilla, but will try chocolate soon)
Stevia - to taste
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in protein powder and stevia, and let freeze for 1 or more hours. That's it! This stuff actually has the same texture of ice cream! If you like the taste of frozen yogurt, then add in a spoonful or two with the protein and it gives it that yogurt flavor. You can also add sugar free chocolate syrup, fresh fruits, nuts - have fun with it!
Before putting it into the freezer - looks yummy!
Frozen and partially eaten - by me! ;)
Banana Bread!
I've have been searching high and low for a good, healthy banana bread recipe. I made my chocolate protein banana bread, which isn't bad. But it's hard to appreciate it unless you are on a very strict diet or competition diet, and pretty much anything that isn't chicken or a vegetable tastes good to you!
Finding a healthy banana bread recipe is hard to do - yeah you can sub the flour for whole wheat flour, use splenda, etc...but what really makes the banana bread so good besides the bananas? The sugar and butter! So I had to come up with something that still had that taste, but is a lot nicer to your waistline!
Well, I dabbled around a little and finally came up with one that is quite tastey! I checked several different recipes, and sort of merged my own. My husband told me "it was like a party in his mouth."
Here is the recipe:
BANANA BREAD
3-4 very ripe bananas
1/2c applesauce
1/2c Splenda or stevia (I used Stevia in the Raw, but Splenda is ok if you like it)
1/4c Splenda brown sugar blend - probably the least healthy ingredient, but better than regular.
1TBSP egg whites
1/4c Greek yogurt
1/4c skim milk or almond milk (unsweetened)
1 1/2c whole wheat flour
1/2c oats or oat bran (I used oat bran because it is higher in fiber and protein)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4c ground flax seed
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl mash up bananas. Add in sugars and mix well. Add in applesauce, egg whites, greek yogurt, and milk and blend well.
2. In a seperate bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, flax, cinnamon, and nutmeg
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until moistened
4. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spay and spoon mixture into pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Serve warm with butter spray, light butter, or olive oil butter.
This bread is the bomb! And it's loaded with goodies! You can also add 1/2c of any of the following:
Walnuts
Dark chocolate chips
Almonds - slivered
Pecans
I added dark chocolate chips to mine and it turned out wonderfully! Give it a try and let me know what you think - I think the whole family will love it! Feels like a cheat, but it's healthy! These would also be great as muffins for breakfast or a pre or post-workout snack. Enjoy!
Finding a healthy banana bread recipe is hard to do - yeah you can sub the flour for whole wheat flour, use splenda, etc...but what really makes the banana bread so good besides the bananas? The sugar and butter! So I had to come up with something that still had that taste, but is a lot nicer to your waistline!
Well, I dabbled around a little and finally came up with one that is quite tastey! I checked several different recipes, and sort of merged my own. My husband told me "it was like a party in his mouth."
Here is the recipe:
BANANA BREAD
3-4 very ripe bananas
1/2c applesauce
1/2c Splenda or stevia (I used Stevia in the Raw, but Splenda is ok if you like it)
1/4c Splenda brown sugar blend - probably the least healthy ingredient, but better than regular.
1TBSP egg whites
1/4c Greek yogurt
1/4c skim milk or almond milk (unsweetened)
1 1/2c whole wheat flour
1/2c oats or oat bran (I used oat bran because it is higher in fiber and protein)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4c ground flax seed
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl mash up bananas. Add in sugars and mix well. Add in applesauce, egg whites, greek yogurt, and milk and blend well.
2. In a seperate bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, flax, cinnamon, and nutmeg
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until moistened
4. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spay and spoon mixture into pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Serve warm with butter spray, light butter, or olive oil butter.
This bread is the bomb! And it's loaded with goodies! You can also add 1/2c of any of the following:
Walnuts
Dark chocolate chips
Almonds - slivered
Pecans
I added dark chocolate chips to mine and it turned out wonderfully! Give it a try and let me know what you think - I think the whole family will love it! Feels like a cheat, but it's healthy! These would also be great as muffins for breakfast or a pre or post-workout snack. Enjoy!
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