And a little motivational video!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
8 More Weeks!!
Tickets are on sale now for the competition. Woohoo! The 10am show is when everyone does there walk/posing. This is the pre-judging. Long, but everyone gets to see their loved ones work it. The 6pm show is the main event. A big production. Only the top 5 will walk, but I'll be there. ;)
Eight Weeks Out
Well, as of today there are only 8 weeks until I step on stage! I started prep at 16 weeks. I can't believe that much time has already gone by. A few things I've learned over the last 8 weeks:
*I'm NOT perfect - nor will I ever be. There were a few times I got really down on myself when I didn't have a perfect day - when I didn't workout as hard as I could have, or ate something I wasn't supposed to. This would only turn into a downward spiral. I've had to accept the reality that I'm not perfect, and more importantly that it's OK to not be perfect. No one is! I'm going to mess up, have bad days, not feel well, etc. The important thing is that I move onward and upward. Rather than beating myself up, I'm learning to forgive myself, learn from the mistake, and grow from it. This way of thinking has been amazing. I have near "perfect" days all the time now because I'm not letting the little things de-rail me. Let it go, and move on!
*I've learned that the mind is SO powerful. When I first started this prep, I was a little intimidated by the heavy lifting I'm supposed to be doing. I've always thought of myself as not very strong. The first few weeks I would lift what I "thought" was heavy, but as the weeks went by, and my confidence grew, I realized that I could lift so much more than I was giving myself credit for. So I started adding on the weights - instead of choosing a weight I thought was heavy, I'd choose a weight I thought was TOO heavy...I'd visualize myself doing it with perfect form, then give it a try, and guess what...I did it! :) So much of what we are capable of is blocked by negative thinking. We can endure so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Mind over matter, mind over matter, mind over matter!!
*If it were easy - everyone would be doing it! I use this quote to get me through my toughest workouts and worst days. I can be a bit of a whiner from time to time. I've caught myself on several occasions whining to myself or to others about how I don't "get to" eat that, or I "can't" eat that or do that, or I "have" to workout everyday and have no social life....these occasions are usually followed by a mental slap to the back of the head. I CHOSE to do this!! And it's going to be VERY hard. And if it were easy - EVERYONE would be doing it! In the end, hard work always pays off.
And on a more humorous note:
I was browsing forums on bodybuilding.com and ran across one about how you know when you are in competition prep - the funny things competitors do when it gets close to show time. Here are a few that stuck out to me because I do them too! It's good to know we're not alone!
*You scrape every last bite of oatmeal off of your bowl, every last bit, sometimes with your finger!
*You hide your peanut butter - or "break up" with peanut butter. Oh yes, peanut butter and I have parted ways...sigh.
*Things like honey, sprinkles, cereals, etc. must be thrown away - though you haven't noticed them in the cabinet for months, they suddenly sound pretty yummy.
*Cereal is like crack - it's officially banned from my house until May 22nd. :)
*You check your pantry or fridge 10 times in one hour - just in case some calorie free magic food showed up while you weren't looking.
*You grocery shop for hours - checking the labels on foods hoping that maybe you'll find the box of cookies that doesn't have any carbs or fat. Lol - guilty!
*Your spice cabinet looks like it belongs to a professional chef
*You've become a protein shake connoisseur
*You've tried protein every way humanly possible, trying to turn it into a delectable dessert.
*Your supplement cabinet could put GNC out of business.
*As soon as you eat, you're thinking about what you're going to eat in 3 more hours
*As soon as you wake up - your thinking about breakfast
*You've been known to eat a chicken breast with your hands while driving because it's time to eat.
A lot of these were written by other people, but I can totally relate!! LOL! I love it! Yes, it gets a little crazy, and some people think I'm nuts, but I'm on a mission!
*I'm NOT perfect - nor will I ever be. There were a few times I got really down on myself when I didn't have a perfect day - when I didn't workout as hard as I could have, or ate something I wasn't supposed to. This would only turn into a downward spiral. I've had to accept the reality that I'm not perfect, and more importantly that it's OK to not be perfect. No one is! I'm going to mess up, have bad days, not feel well, etc. The important thing is that I move onward and upward. Rather than beating myself up, I'm learning to forgive myself, learn from the mistake, and grow from it. This way of thinking has been amazing. I have near "perfect" days all the time now because I'm not letting the little things de-rail me. Let it go, and move on!
*I've learned that the mind is SO powerful. When I first started this prep, I was a little intimidated by the heavy lifting I'm supposed to be doing. I've always thought of myself as not very strong. The first few weeks I would lift what I "thought" was heavy, but as the weeks went by, and my confidence grew, I realized that I could lift so much more than I was giving myself credit for. So I started adding on the weights - instead of choosing a weight I thought was heavy, I'd choose a weight I thought was TOO heavy...I'd visualize myself doing it with perfect form, then give it a try, and guess what...I did it! :) So much of what we are capable of is blocked by negative thinking. We can endure so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Mind over matter, mind over matter, mind over matter!!
*If it were easy - everyone would be doing it! I use this quote to get me through my toughest workouts and worst days. I can be a bit of a whiner from time to time. I've caught myself on several occasions whining to myself or to others about how I don't "get to" eat that, or I "can't" eat that or do that, or I "have" to workout everyday and have no social life....these occasions are usually followed by a mental slap to the back of the head. I CHOSE to do this!! And it's going to be VERY hard. And if it were easy - EVERYONE would be doing it! In the end, hard work always pays off.
And on a more humorous note:
I was browsing forums on bodybuilding.com and ran across one about how you know when you are in competition prep - the funny things competitors do when it gets close to show time. Here are a few that stuck out to me because I do them too! It's good to know we're not alone!
*You scrape every last bite of oatmeal off of your bowl, every last bit, sometimes with your finger!
*You hide your peanut butter - or "break up" with peanut butter. Oh yes, peanut butter and I have parted ways...sigh.
*Things like honey, sprinkles, cereals, etc. must be thrown away - though you haven't noticed them in the cabinet for months, they suddenly sound pretty yummy.
*Cereal is like crack - it's officially banned from my house until May 22nd. :)
*You check your pantry or fridge 10 times in one hour - just in case some calorie free magic food showed up while you weren't looking.
*You grocery shop for hours - checking the labels on foods hoping that maybe you'll find the box of cookies that doesn't have any carbs or fat. Lol - guilty!
*Your spice cabinet looks like it belongs to a professional chef
*You've become a protein shake connoisseur
*You've tried protein every way humanly possible, trying to turn it into a delectable dessert.
*Your supplement cabinet could put GNC out of business.
*As soon as you eat, you're thinking about what you're going to eat in 3 more hours
*As soon as you wake up - your thinking about breakfast
*You've been known to eat a chicken breast with your hands while driving because it's time to eat.
A lot of these were written by other people, but I can totally relate!! LOL! I love it! Yes, it gets a little crazy, and some people think I'm nuts, but I'm on a mission!
A Foody's Dream!
A client of mine told me I was a "Foody" and it totally stuck with me. What can I say? I LOVE food - healthy, yummy food! So with that being said, I love to grocery shop and see what I can find that is healthy and of course, yummy! At this point in competition prep, carbs are starting to dwindle away, so I am constantly looking for the lowest carb option of every food. I was at Walmart the other day and ran across a couple things I'm too excited about to not share. :)
*Calorie Countdown Milk by Hood - I found chocolate milk with only 5g of carbs and 3g of sugar per cup!!! Unbelievable! They have regular skim milk and 1%, 2%, etc, but I only found the chocolate. It is really good milk too. I was kind of weary. Love it!! I added 1/2c to my protein shake today...BSN Lean Dessert Chocolate Fudge protein + 1/2c Hood Chocolate Milk + 5 ice cubes = CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE! Yes! :)
*Silk PureCoconut Milk - this stuff is really yummy too! By the same people that make the soy and almond milks. I usually use unsweetened almond milk in my smoothies/protein shakes, but will start using this now too. It is higher in fat (5g per cup) but coconut is a healthy fat, so not a problem!
*Carb free creamer!! I've been on a mission to find carb free coffee creamer for awhile now and finally ran across one. Land O Lakes Mini Moo's Half and Half creamer. They are the little cups in the coffee aisle that don't need to be refridgerated - like you see at the gas stations. They do have 1g of fat per cup, but I can deal with that in place of the carbs! :) Yay!
*Joseph's Lavash Flat Bread. These are really big flat bread wraps. They are high fiber, low fat and low carb. A serving is 1/2 of a wrap - which is still pretty big - and only has 7g of carbs. So even if you eat a whole one, you're not going to go into carb overload. Sweet! I've been having these often!
I will add things as I find them. Eating healthy is easy, and can also be fun...and tastey! :)
*Calorie Countdown Milk by Hood - I found chocolate milk with only 5g of carbs and 3g of sugar per cup!!! Unbelievable! They have regular skim milk and 1%, 2%, etc, but I only found the chocolate. It is really good milk too. I was kind of weary. Love it!! I added 1/2c to my protein shake today...BSN Lean Dessert Chocolate Fudge protein + 1/2c Hood Chocolate Milk + 5 ice cubes = CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE! Yes! :)
*Silk PureCoconut Milk - this stuff is really yummy too! By the same people that make the soy and almond milks. I usually use unsweetened almond milk in my smoothies/protein shakes, but will start using this now too. It is higher in fat (5g per cup) but coconut is a healthy fat, so not a problem!
*Carb free creamer!! I've been on a mission to find carb free coffee creamer for awhile now and finally ran across one. Land O Lakes Mini Moo's Half and Half creamer. They are the little cups in the coffee aisle that don't need to be refridgerated - like you see at the gas stations. They do have 1g of fat per cup, but I can deal with that in place of the carbs! :) Yay!
*Joseph's Lavash Flat Bread. These are really big flat bread wraps. They are high fiber, low fat and low carb. A serving is 1/2 of a wrap - which is still pretty big - and only has 7g of carbs. So even if you eat a whole one, you're not going to go into carb overload. Sweet! I've been having these often!
I will add things as I find them. Eating healthy is easy, and can also be fun...and tastey! :)
A Few Yummy Recipes!
Well, I'm eight weeks out from my competition today (eek!) and I'm trying to prevent any food adversions from popping up. I'm very bad about eating the same things constantly and then getting to a point where I can't stand to even think about eating it. Not cool when it gets to crunch time. So, I've been fiddling around with some recipes and trying to find things that are healthy and fit into my macros. Here are three that I came across this week that I'll keep around even after competition season is over:
Buffalo Chicken
1/2c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2tbsp nonfat buttermilk
2tbsp white wine vinegar
1/3c low fat feta cheese
1/4tsp salt
4tbsp hot sauce
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tbsp paprika
4 4-6oz chicken breasts
Wisk together yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar, feta and salt. Cover and refridgerate.
Combine hot sauce, oil, and paprika. Cut chicken into strips and place in large ziploc bag. Pour hot sauce mixture over chicken, close and shake to coat chicken. Marinate for 30min.
Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet with Pam and place chicken strips on sheet. Bake for 8-10 min until chicken is done. Top chicken with feta sauce and enjoy! Serves 4.
I got this from an old Clean Eating magazine. These are SOOO yummy! I'm not even a big wing person, but these are the bomb in my opinion. :) I had them for dinner with salad and some celery sticks, and then used the leftovers to make a buffalo chicken wrap and used the sauce as dressing. SO good!
Salmon and Blackberry Salad
12oz salmon
2c chopped asparagus
2c blackberries
2tsp raw honey
4tsp lite soy sauce
2tsp sesame oil
1/4c orange juice
6c spinach or argula
Preheat oven to 400. Divide salmon into 4oz portions. Spray baking sheet with spray and bake salmon for 18min.
Steam asparagus for 2min until crisp-tender. Rinse and chill in refridgerator.
Take 16 blackberries, add honey, soy sauce, oil and o.j. and stir to combine breaking up the blackberries slightly - they will be chunky.
Arrange spinach on plates, top with asparagus, salmon and 1/4 reserved blackberries. Drizzle with blackberry sauce and enjoy!
220cal, 9g fat, 17g carbs, 21g protein
This also came from the Clean Eating magazine. I made this on a hot afternoon and it was so refreshing! I'll definitely be having more of this over the summer months!
And last but not least:
Chocolate Pancakes - Oh yeah!!
4 egg whites
1/4-1/2c oatmeal
1/4-1/2c low fat or fat free cottage cheese
1/2tsp vanilla
2tbsp unsweetened cocoa
4-6 packets (or tsp) stevia/splenda
Dash of salt
Optional:
Coconut oil
Fat free whipped topping
Sugar Free Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Dark chocolate chips
Put egg whites, oatmeal, cottage cheese, vanilla, cocoa, sweetener, and salt into a blender and blend until creamy.
Heat skillet to low-med heat and spray with cooking spray.
Pour batter onto skillet and cook until done, flipping once.
Top with coconut and any of the above toppings.
Makes 2 pancakes or 1 giant pancake.
Ok - there is a lot of options with this. I put 1/4-1/2c on the oats and cottage cheese so you can adjust it to your needs. I can't have a lot of carbs at the moment, so I used 1/4c of each. These cook up real fluffy just like a pancake. Eaten alone, they aren't super sweet, but topped with the syrup or whipped cream is probably AMAZING. I have to settle for plain at the moment. :) I also added chocolate chips as an option. You can sprinkle on top, or stir into the batter after it's been blended. Yummy!! So many options! Be creative - but healthy! :)
Speaking of pancakes...the recipe above is a very common "bodybuilding/fitness junkie" recipe - therefore I don't really know who to give the credit too. You can make pretty much any kind of pancake you can think of, so make it your own. Just keep the following 5 ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/4-1/2c oatmeal
1/4-1/2c cottage cheese
1/2tsp vanilla
stevia - usually you only need about 2, but the cocoa makes the chocolate recipe a little harder to sweeten - just start with two and sweeten to taste.
Here are some other options to add to the pancake recipe:
1/2-1 Banana: blend with the batter, and add to the regular recipe or the chocolate
1-2tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2c sliced strawberries - add after blended
2tbsp chopped walnuts/pecans/almonds
1/2c blueberries - add after blended
1/4c raisens and cinnamon
1/3c applesauce and cinnamon
1/2can pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
The possibilities are endless here! These pancakes are a staple for me. I love them with different fruit toppings or sugar free syrup. I also like to top with coconut oil rather than butter. So good, and kids love them too. Have fun with it!
Buffalo Chicken
1/2c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2tbsp nonfat buttermilk
2tbsp white wine vinegar
1/3c low fat feta cheese
1/4tsp salt
4tbsp hot sauce
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tbsp paprika
4 4-6oz chicken breasts
Wisk together yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar, feta and salt. Cover and refridgerate.
Combine hot sauce, oil, and paprika. Cut chicken into strips and place in large ziploc bag. Pour hot sauce mixture over chicken, close and shake to coat chicken. Marinate for 30min.
Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet with Pam and place chicken strips on sheet. Bake for 8-10 min until chicken is done. Top chicken with feta sauce and enjoy! Serves 4.
I got this from an old Clean Eating magazine. These are SOOO yummy! I'm not even a big wing person, but these are the bomb in my opinion. :) I had them for dinner with salad and some celery sticks, and then used the leftovers to make a buffalo chicken wrap and used the sauce as dressing. SO good!
Salmon and Blackberry Salad
12oz salmon
2c chopped asparagus
2c blackberries
2tsp raw honey
4tsp lite soy sauce
2tsp sesame oil
1/4c orange juice
6c spinach or argula
Preheat oven to 400. Divide salmon into 4oz portions. Spray baking sheet with spray and bake salmon for 18min.
Steam asparagus for 2min until crisp-tender. Rinse and chill in refridgerator.
Take 16 blackberries, add honey, soy sauce, oil and o.j. and stir to combine breaking up the blackberries slightly - they will be chunky.
Arrange spinach on plates, top with asparagus, salmon and 1/4 reserved blackberries. Drizzle with blackberry sauce and enjoy!
220cal, 9g fat, 17g carbs, 21g protein
This also came from the Clean Eating magazine. I made this on a hot afternoon and it was so refreshing! I'll definitely be having more of this over the summer months!
And last but not least:
Chocolate Pancakes - Oh yeah!!
4 egg whites
1/4-1/2c oatmeal
1/4-1/2c low fat or fat free cottage cheese
1/2tsp vanilla
2tbsp unsweetened cocoa
4-6 packets (or tsp) stevia/splenda
Dash of salt
Optional:
Coconut oil
Fat free whipped topping
Sugar Free Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Dark chocolate chips
Put egg whites, oatmeal, cottage cheese, vanilla, cocoa, sweetener, and salt into a blender and blend until creamy.
Heat skillet to low-med heat and spray with cooking spray.
Pour batter onto skillet and cook until done, flipping once.
Top with coconut and any of the above toppings.
Makes 2 pancakes or 1 giant pancake.
Ok - there is a lot of options with this. I put 1/4-1/2c on the oats and cottage cheese so you can adjust it to your needs. I can't have a lot of carbs at the moment, so I used 1/4c of each. These cook up real fluffy just like a pancake. Eaten alone, they aren't super sweet, but topped with the syrup or whipped cream is probably AMAZING. I have to settle for plain at the moment. :) I also added chocolate chips as an option. You can sprinkle on top, or stir into the batter after it's been blended. Yummy!! So many options! Be creative - but healthy! :)
Speaking of pancakes...the recipe above is a very common "bodybuilding/fitness junkie" recipe - therefore I don't really know who to give the credit too. You can make pretty much any kind of pancake you can think of, so make it your own. Just keep the following 5 ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/4-1/2c oatmeal
1/4-1/2c cottage cheese
1/2tsp vanilla
stevia - usually you only need about 2, but the cocoa makes the chocolate recipe a little harder to sweeten - just start with two and sweeten to taste.
Here are some other options to add to the pancake recipe:
1/2-1 Banana: blend with the batter, and add to the regular recipe or the chocolate
1-2tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2c sliced strawberries - add after blended
2tbsp chopped walnuts/pecans/almonds
1/2c blueberries - add after blended
1/4c raisens and cinnamon
1/3c applesauce and cinnamon
1/2can pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
The possibilities are endless here! These pancakes are a staple for me. I love them with different fruit toppings or sugar free syrup. I also like to top with coconut oil rather than butter. So good, and kids love them too. Have fun with it!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Bringing Out Your Inner-Diva
So, I was feeling a little bummed the last couple weeks and couldn't figure out why. I was in desperate need for a little confidence boost. Then last Sunday when I got ready for church I was in such a great mood! Like a total 180! I realized then that I was so bummed and mopey because I hadn't really been taking care of myself like I used to. Sure, I workout 6-7 days a week and eat clean, yadda yadda yadda, but I wasn't taking the time to actually get myself all dolled up every once in awhile like I have in the past.
Of course, being a mom of a toddler, with a husband who is constantly gone, a personal trainer - wearing gym clothes 24/7, and prepping for a compeition, this was something that had obviously not been on the top of my priority list - who has time to sit in front of a mirror for an hour to get pretty just to go clean house or make dinner or get sweaty at work? But just getting ready for church that morning (which was nothing fancy!) opened my eyes to that feeling you get when you do something good for yourself that makes you feel beautiful.
This weekend I practiced posing in my competition shoes with a friend of mine, and once I put those 5-inch heels on, that feeling instantly came back - my inner diva! I felt unstoppable, sexy, beautiful. So I decided to add a little more "me time" to my weekly routine. I realize I work in an industry where getting dressed up really isn't an option, but that doesn't mean I can't get some super cute athletic outfits that I feel great in, or straighten my hair and wear it down, or put on a full face of makeup, or wear some great smelling perfume!
I had some extra time today between clients so I went and got my nails done - Kira was at the babysitter, I had an hour and a half to kill, so I did something that made me feel pretty. :) I also bought some new skin care products this weekend so I can give myself little mini-facials at night (just two days of this stuff and my skin already looks better!), and I started whitening my teeth once a day so I can have that electric smile I once had in college before coffee was so important to me. :) I've been waking up a few minutes earlier so I can put on all my makeup for the day, and I'm planning to keep up with my spray tans so I can have a nice golden glow this Spring!
So what I'm saying is this: You don't need to look like a supermodel 7-days a week. That's not realistic. But do take a little extra time this week and pamper yourself a little. It's about building confidence and feeling good about yourself. It doesn't have to be something that costs money. It could be as simple as enjoying a glass of wine with a long bubble bath and a good book. Just do something that will bring out that inner diva - she's in there, and she's fierce! :)
Here are a couple of my favorite things I like to do when I want to bring out the diva!
~Shopping!!! Lol. This is always my first choice - who doesn't feel better in a new outfit? Although, I don't always get to go shopping because bills need to be paid and babies fed, but this is my favorite!
~Buy new skin care products and try them out. This not only keeps me on top of my skin care regimine, but sometimes I find something I really like.
~Wine + bubble bath + good book = amazing. :)
~Get a manicure or pedicure. I love getting my nails done - always makes me feel so girly!
~Get dressed up! Even if you're not going anywhere, put on something cute, do your hair and makeup and take pictures of yourself! It may motivate you to get out and do something.
~Plan a date with your hubby/boyfriend - these are the best to get dressed up for. Nothing beats watching your man's eyes light up when you get all dressed up for them. :)
~Girl's Night Out - enough said
~Get your teeth whitened - or whiten at home with Crest White Strips (my personal favorite!)
~Try out some new makeup
~Wear some hot high heels - instant diva-mode - seriously!
~Get a massage or any other spa treatment
~New hairstyle/cut/color - one of my favorite things to do
~Find a trusted photographer and do a sexy photoshoot. Get someone to do your hair and makeup if you can't and just have a good time - no one has to see them but you!
Those are my favorite things. If you have any ideas, share them as a comment, I'd love to hear. Take care of yourself, LOVE yourself, be confident, and have fun. :)
Of course, being a mom of a toddler, with a husband who is constantly gone, a personal trainer - wearing gym clothes 24/7, and prepping for a compeition, this was something that had obviously not been on the top of my priority list - who has time to sit in front of a mirror for an hour to get pretty just to go clean house or make dinner or get sweaty at work? But just getting ready for church that morning (which was nothing fancy!) opened my eyes to that feeling you get when you do something good for yourself that makes you feel beautiful.
This weekend I practiced posing in my competition shoes with a friend of mine, and once I put those 5-inch heels on, that feeling instantly came back - my inner diva! I felt unstoppable, sexy, beautiful. So I decided to add a little more "me time" to my weekly routine. I realize I work in an industry where getting dressed up really isn't an option, but that doesn't mean I can't get some super cute athletic outfits that I feel great in, or straighten my hair and wear it down, or put on a full face of makeup, or wear some great smelling perfume!
I had some extra time today between clients so I went and got my nails done - Kira was at the babysitter, I had an hour and a half to kill, so I did something that made me feel pretty. :) I also bought some new skin care products this weekend so I can give myself little mini-facials at night (just two days of this stuff and my skin already looks better!), and I started whitening my teeth once a day so I can have that electric smile I once had in college before coffee was so important to me. :) I've been waking up a few minutes earlier so I can put on all my makeup for the day, and I'm planning to keep up with my spray tans so I can have a nice golden glow this Spring!
So what I'm saying is this: You don't need to look like a supermodel 7-days a week. That's not realistic. But do take a little extra time this week and pamper yourself a little. It's about building confidence and feeling good about yourself. It doesn't have to be something that costs money. It could be as simple as enjoying a glass of wine with a long bubble bath and a good book. Just do something that will bring out that inner diva - she's in there, and she's fierce! :)
Here are a couple of my favorite things I like to do when I want to bring out the diva!
~Shopping!!! Lol. This is always my first choice - who doesn't feel better in a new outfit? Although, I don't always get to go shopping because bills need to be paid and babies fed, but this is my favorite!
~Buy new skin care products and try them out. This not only keeps me on top of my skin care regimine, but sometimes I find something I really like.
~Wine + bubble bath + good book = amazing. :)
~Get a manicure or pedicure. I love getting my nails done - always makes me feel so girly!
~Get dressed up! Even if you're not going anywhere, put on something cute, do your hair and makeup and take pictures of yourself! It may motivate you to get out and do something.
~Plan a date with your hubby/boyfriend - these are the best to get dressed up for. Nothing beats watching your man's eyes light up when you get all dressed up for them. :)
~Girl's Night Out - enough said
~Get your teeth whitened - or whiten at home with Crest White Strips (my personal favorite!)
~Try out some new makeup
~Wear some hot high heels - instant diva-mode - seriously!
~Get a massage or any other spa treatment
~New hairstyle/cut/color - one of my favorite things to do
~Find a trusted photographer and do a sexy photoshoot. Get someone to do your hair and makeup if you can't and just have a good time - no one has to see them but you!
Those are my favorite things. If you have any ideas, share them as a comment, I'd love to hear. Take care of yourself, LOVE yourself, be confident, and have fun. :)
I Want Ice Cream!!
Now that it's warming up, I'm always in the mood for ice cream!! Here area couple of my favorite mock-banana split recipes:
Protein Banana Sundae
This is my favorite!
1/4c skim milk
1/2-1 scoop favorite vanilla protein powder (I use Iso 100 or BSN Lean Dessert)
1 frozen banana*
2 tsp Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup
1tbsp Fat-Free Whipped Topping
1tbsp Chopped nuts of choice
Cherry (optional)
*I keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer for smooties and snacks like this. When your bananas are almost too ripe to eat (not too brown though), peel them, and cut in half, put into a freezer bag and store in the freezer. I do this with all my bananas that are getting too ripe - saves me from wasting them too!
Put milk, protein, and banana in blender and blend well - it will be very thick, so you may have to get a spoon and scrape the edges every few seconds - but you want it to be thick - like soft-serve ice cream.
Scoop mixture into a bowl and top with sugar-free syrup, whipped topping, nuts and a cherry. So yummy!!
Morning Banana Split
I got this from Clean Eating Magazine this month and made a couple changes to make it competition-prep friendly for myself. It's very good though!
1 banana cut length-wise
1/2c 1% cottage cheese
1/2 scoop favorite vanilla protein powder
1tbsp sugar-free strawberry preserves (you can use the regular strawberry preserves, but I have to keep my carbs low, so opted for sugar-free)
1tbsp chopped nuts of your choice - I used almonds today
Optional off season extras:
2tsp sugar-free chocolate syrup
1tbsp fat-free whipped topping
Banana Split Shake
1/2c skim milk for fat free almond milk or even water
1/2-1 frozen banana
1 scoop chocolate protein of choice
1tbsp natural peanut butter - optional
Throw it all in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
This is one of my post-workout staples. LOVE the chocolate and banana together.
Chocolate Milkshake
1 scoop chocolate casein protein
1/2c skim milk, almond milk or water
1/2c ice
Blend together and enjoy!
This is just a regular protein shake, but casein protein is slower digesting and blends much thicker than whey does. I like to put in a lot of ice and make it extra thick and scoop it into a bowl and eat it just like ice cream! Definitely something to try if you're getting tired of the same old whey. I would recommend having casein as a snack/meal or as a pre-bedtime shake, but not post-workout. You want to keep your whey protein for your post workout shake since it digests much quicker.
Enjoy all of these frozen treats and let me know if you like them or not! :)
Protein Banana Sundae
This is my favorite!
1/4c skim milk
1/2-1 scoop favorite vanilla protein powder (I use Iso 100 or BSN Lean Dessert)
1 frozen banana*
2 tsp Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup
1tbsp Fat-Free Whipped Topping
1tbsp Chopped nuts of choice
Cherry (optional)
*I keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer for smooties and snacks like this. When your bananas are almost too ripe to eat (not too brown though), peel them, and cut in half, put into a freezer bag and store in the freezer. I do this with all my bananas that are getting too ripe - saves me from wasting them too!
Put milk, protein, and banana in blender and blend well - it will be very thick, so you may have to get a spoon and scrape the edges every few seconds - but you want it to be thick - like soft-serve ice cream.
Scoop mixture into a bowl and top with sugar-free syrup, whipped topping, nuts and a cherry. So yummy!!
Morning Banana Split
I got this from Clean Eating Magazine this month and made a couple changes to make it competition-prep friendly for myself. It's very good though!
1 banana cut length-wise
1/2c 1% cottage cheese
1/2 scoop favorite vanilla protein powder
1tbsp sugar-free strawberry preserves (you can use the regular strawberry preserves, but I have to keep my carbs low, so opted for sugar-free)
1tbsp chopped nuts of your choice - I used almonds today
Optional off season extras:
2tsp sugar-free chocolate syrup
1tbsp fat-free whipped topping
Banana Split Shake
1/2c skim milk for fat free almond milk or even water
1/2-1 frozen banana
1 scoop chocolate protein of choice
1tbsp natural peanut butter - optional
Throw it all in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
This is one of my post-workout staples. LOVE the chocolate and banana together.
Chocolate Milkshake
1 scoop chocolate casein protein
1/2c skim milk, almond milk or water
1/2c ice
Blend together and enjoy!
This is just a regular protein shake, but casein protein is slower digesting and blends much thicker than whey does. I like to put in a lot of ice and make it extra thick and scoop it into a bowl and eat it just like ice cream! Definitely something to try if you're getting tired of the same old whey. I would recommend having casein as a snack/meal or as a pre-bedtime shake, but not post-workout. You want to keep your whey protein for your post workout shake since it digests much quicker.
Enjoy all of these frozen treats and let me know if you like them or not! :)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Food Ruts
Do you ever find yourself in a clean eating food slump? Don't know what to make or tired of the same thing? Here are a few ways to spice up your dishes:
Sweet Potatoes:
My all time favorite is sweet potato fries: Peel sweet potatoes, cut into fry-size wedges, spray cookie sheet with Pam, place potato wedges on sheet, spray with Pam and top with any of the following: chili powder (my favorite!), salt and pepper, cinnamon and Sugar in the Raw, or have them plain. Bake at 375F until done - I cook mine for awhile so they get a little more crispy on the edges. They will be soft either way, but so good!
Another favorite of mine is to pop the sweet potato in the microwave for a few minutes to "bake", slice open and top with 1-2tsp coconut oil, cinnamon and a dash of salt or Sugar In The Raw. So good!
- With this, you can also scoop out the middle of the potato and mash it up and then add the goodies to it.
- You can also add nuts to this
Bake your sweet potato and fill with black beans, and top with light sour cream - I made this once and it's pretty good. Not my favorite, but my husband loved it.
Oatmeal:
99% of the time I make my oatmeal with a ton of cinnamon, stevia and a dash of salt. It's my favorite!
You can add any kind of fruit you can think of. My favorites are blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and peaches (not together)
Cook oatmeal with a tsp of vanilla extract and top with a TBSP of sugar-free maple syrup, 1oz of chopped walnuts, and 1/3c bananas.
Mix 1/2c of oatmeal with 1/2c egg whites, stevia and cinnamon, mix together and cook like pancakes. Top with fruit.
Blend together 1/2c oatmeal, 1/2c egg whites, 1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon and stevia in a blender, cook like pancakes and top with sugar free syrup or fruit - these taste like the real thing! Definitely a staple for me!
After cooking oatmeal stir in a scoop of chocolate protein and a TBSP of peanut butter - make sure you stir in the protein afterwards though or it will turn chunky.
Asparagus:
Spray with Pam and throw it on the grill, top with salt and pepper.
Add them to your egg white omelette.
Sautee in a pan with coconut oil and top with Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb seasoning (my favorite!)
Greek yogurt:
1/2c Greek yogurt with 1/2-1 scoop of chocolate protein, 1TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia, top with choice of nuts - can be frozen to "ice cream" or eaten immediately.
1/2c Greek yogurt with 1/2-1 scoop of vanilla protein, 1TBSP milled flax seed (or oil), 1/2c sliced strawberries - can be frozen or eaten immediately.
Use it as sour cream on recipes.
Mix with Ranch dressing powder to make your own protein-packed veggie dip.
Spread on rice cakes and drizzle with honey
Other quick dishes I like:
Turkey burger on Ezekiel bread with either Olive Oil Mayo or Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese, and romaine leaves as my top bun. I eat these almost every week!
Cottage cheese with cinnamon and sliced fruit - my favorites are bananas or strawberries - and drizzled with honey (optional).
Brown rice with coconut oil (melted), stevia and cinnamon - sweet treat!
Brocolli or zucchini wedges dipped in hummus
Vanilla protein shake blended with frozen mango chunks
I could go on for days! Anyways, this is just a few ideas to help you get over any slumps - I know that some clean foods can get pretty boring if you don't know what to do with them. My favorite thing about eating clean is finding ways to eat my favorite foods, but in a clean version! I'm always trying to find ways to turn an old favorite into a new healthy staple for me and my family. Enjoy!
Sweet Potatoes:
My all time favorite is sweet potato fries: Peel sweet potatoes, cut into fry-size wedges, spray cookie sheet with Pam, place potato wedges on sheet, spray with Pam and top with any of the following: chili powder (my favorite!), salt and pepper, cinnamon and Sugar in the Raw, or have them plain. Bake at 375F until done - I cook mine for awhile so they get a little more crispy on the edges. They will be soft either way, but so good!
Another favorite of mine is to pop the sweet potato in the microwave for a few minutes to "bake", slice open and top with 1-2tsp coconut oil, cinnamon and a dash of salt or Sugar In The Raw. So good!
- With this, you can also scoop out the middle of the potato and mash it up and then add the goodies to it.
- You can also add nuts to this
Bake your sweet potato and fill with black beans, and top with light sour cream - I made this once and it's pretty good. Not my favorite, but my husband loved it.
Oatmeal:
99% of the time I make my oatmeal with a ton of cinnamon, stevia and a dash of salt. It's my favorite!
You can add any kind of fruit you can think of. My favorites are blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and peaches (not together)
Cook oatmeal with a tsp of vanilla extract and top with a TBSP of sugar-free maple syrup, 1oz of chopped walnuts, and 1/3c bananas.
Mix 1/2c of oatmeal with 1/2c egg whites, stevia and cinnamon, mix together and cook like pancakes. Top with fruit.
Blend together 1/2c oatmeal, 1/2c egg whites, 1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon and stevia in a blender, cook like pancakes and top with sugar free syrup or fruit - these taste like the real thing! Definitely a staple for me!
After cooking oatmeal stir in a scoop of chocolate protein and a TBSP of peanut butter - make sure you stir in the protein afterwards though or it will turn chunky.
Asparagus:
Spray with Pam and throw it on the grill, top with salt and pepper.
Add them to your egg white omelette.
Sautee in a pan with coconut oil and top with Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb seasoning (my favorite!)
Greek yogurt:
1/2c Greek yogurt with 1/2-1 scoop of chocolate protein, 1TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia, top with choice of nuts - can be frozen to "ice cream" or eaten immediately.
1/2c Greek yogurt with 1/2-1 scoop of vanilla protein, 1TBSP milled flax seed (or oil), 1/2c sliced strawberries - can be frozen or eaten immediately.
Use it as sour cream on recipes.
Mix with Ranch dressing powder to make your own protein-packed veggie dip.
Spread on rice cakes and drizzle with honey
Other quick dishes I like:
Turkey burger on Ezekiel bread with either Olive Oil Mayo or Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese, and romaine leaves as my top bun. I eat these almost every week!
Cottage cheese with cinnamon and sliced fruit - my favorites are bananas or strawberries - and drizzled with honey (optional).
Brown rice with coconut oil (melted), stevia and cinnamon - sweet treat!
Brocolli or zucchini wedges dipped in hummus
Vanilla protein shake blended with frozen mango chunks
I could go on for days! Anyways, this is just a few ideas to help you get over any slumps - I know that some clean foods can get pretty boring if you don't know what to do with them. My favorite thing about eating clean is finding ways to eat my favorite foods, but in a clean version! I'm always trying to find ways to turn an old favorite into a new healthy staple for me and my family. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
On The Workout Menu
Here is what my next week will look like in the gym:
Monday: Upper body/HIIT on the stair climber
Tuesday: Lower body/moderate cardio - treadmill - incline fast walk
Wednesday: HIIT - sprints at the track (weather permitting)/abs
Thursday: Back and Delts/moderate cardio - stair climber
Friday: Legs/HIIT on the ellipticle
Saturday: Biceps, triceps, abs/Spin or moderate cardio - bike
I lift as heavy as I can - to muscle failure almost every set. Trying to build those muscles! For moderate cardio, I wear a heart rate monitor and keep my heart rate in the fat-burning zone (65-75% of max HR).
That's it! :)
Monday: Upper body/HIIT on the stair climber
Tuesday: Lower body/moderate cardio - treadmill - incline fast walk
Wednesday: HIIT - sprints at the track (weather permitting)/abs
Thursday: Back and Delts/moderate cardio - stair climber
Friday: Legs/HIIT on the ellipticle
Saturday: Biceps, triceps, abs/Spin or moderate cardio - bike
I lift as heavy as I can - to muscle failure almost every set. Trying to build those muscles! For moderate cardio, I wear a heart rate monitor and keep my heart rate in the fat-burning zone (65-75% of max HR).
That's it! :)
What's On The Menu
Tomorrow is my off day - no training, so I cut back on my carbs a little since I won't be needing the extra energy (calories). Here is what I'll be having!
Meal 1:
6 egg whites, with spinach and mushrooms and 1/8c 2% milkfat cheese, 3tbsp of whole grain Cream of Wheat (3tbsp dry, turns into about 1/2c cooked) with cinnamon and stevia, and a cup of coffee with a tbsp of real dairy creamer.
Meal 2:
1/2 scoop of vanilla Iso 100 protein, 1/2c of Greek yogurt, 1tbsp milled flax seed, 1/4c strawberries (all mixed together), and a rice cake.
Meal 3:
Sandwich with 4oz of chicken breast, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread, romaine lettuce, and 1tsp of evoo.
Meal 4:
Stir fry! 4.5oz of chicken breast, 1/3c of brown rice, 1c of brocolli, 2tsp evoo, and 1tbsp of low sodium soy sauce.
Meal 5:
4oz turkey burger
100 calorie pack of Emerald Cocoa Roast almonds (my favorite! I'll have to cut them out soon, boo.)
That's it! It's not a ton of food tomorrow - lot's of protein! If you are not working out on any given day, you can cut back slightly on your carb intake. Carbs are our body's number one source of energy, so they are essential when we are working out, as well as everyday activities. I don't recommend a super low-carb or no-carb diet. You need the carbs to fuel your workouts, and when you do introduce your body to carbs, they will more than likely get stored and the weight will come back. It's best to stick to good, clean carbs, and be mindful of your serving sizes!
Meal 1:
6 egg whites, with spinach and mushrooms and 1/8c 2% milkfat cheese, 3tbsp of whole grain Cream of Wheat (3tbsp dry, turns into about 1/2c cooked) with cinnamon and stevia, and a cup of coffee with a tbsp of real dairy creamer.
Meal 2:
1/2 scoop of vanilla Iso 100 protein, 1/2c of Greek yogurt, 1tbsp milled flax seed, 1/4c strawberries (all mixed together), and a rice cake.
Meal 3:
Sandwich with 4oz of chicken breast, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread, romaine lettuce, and 1tsp of evoo.
Meal 4:
Stir fry! 4.5oz of chicken breast, 1/3c of brown rice, 1c of brocolli, 2tsp evoo, and 1tbsp of low sodium soy sauce.
Meal 5:
4oz turkey burger
100 calorie pack of Emerald Cocoa Roast almonds (my favorite! I'll have to cut them out soon, boo.)
That's it! It's not a ton of food tomorrow - lot's of protein! If you are not working out on any given day, you can cut back slightly on your carb intake. Carbs are our body's number one source of energy, so they are essential when we are working out, as well as everyday activities. I don't recommend a super low-carb or no-carb diet. You need the carbs to fuel your workouts, and when you do introduce your body to carbs, they will more than likely get stored and the weight will come back. It's best to stick to good, clean carbs, and be mindful of your serving sizes!
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