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. :)

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! :)

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! :)