A New Year

I am so grateful for a new year. The opportunity for self reflection, much needed self EVALUATION. I am starting out the new year with a bang.

i'll be participating in a 28 day green smoothie/raw food detox. I'm excited, I'm scared.

My goal is to be 100% with this. I want to KICK my sugar addiction. (yes my whole family went off sugar for the month of november, but boy....december was NOT GOOD)

I want my energy back. I want my good nights sleep back. I want my confidence back. I want my healthy lifestyle back. Mainly...I want to feel REAL GOOD about myself again.

Recently I read a 4 series blog post from greensmoothiegirl.com She talked about our bodies, self esteem, loving ourselves. I LOVED what she wrote and refer to those blog entries often. I recently put up around my house papers that say "I LOVE MY BODY, IT SERVES ME WELL"

I love having that reminder around the house. And HOPEFULLY those words will "sink in" real soon.

Here's to a new year....Make it a good one.

Fri 11/19

Breakfast: Organic gala apple and 2 tbs almond butter

Lunch: single serving bag edamame, 1/2 pc homemade whole wheat bread w/1 tsp raw creamy honey (oh how i love my homemade bread!!!!)

Dinner: 3 egg whites w/red bell pepper, green onion and zuchini, 1 egg free whole wheat pancake

snack: raw trail mix (i need to start measuring this out for sure, i always eat too many handfuls!), 1 cup leftover pasta (this was after our softball games, definitely could have made a better choice but oh well)

Exercise: P90X Core Synergistics...felt like running but knew I had 2 softball games to play still so just did 2 miles! Played 2 hours of co-ed softball (yay for softball season again!!!)

Wed 11/17

Breakfast: 1/3 cup greek yogurt, 1/4 frozen blueberries, 4 strawberries sliced, 1/2 cup oatmeal...didnt add any nuts cz I ate 5 bites of Walkers granola

Lunch: Single serving bag of edemame. 1/2 slice of homemade bread w/1 tsp raw creamy honey (oh yum)

Dinner: 2 white corn tortillas, topped with 1/2 cup homemade refried beans, (not really fried of course...cooked my own beans and then mashed them and added salt, chili powder and onion powder...yum, my family loves them) white cabbage, cucumbers and green onion. I pieced some on the beans after dinner, so I'm thinking I had more like 3/4 cup?

Snack: 20 raw cashews, 1 organic gala apple

Exercise:Ran 4 Miles, also walked to and from Trader Joe's pushing the stroller with Rylie, and sometimes Walker!

I'm feeling better about my eating this week and am feeling alot more conscious of what and how much i'm putting in my mouth. Tomorrow I wont be journaling, we are fasting :) I'll be back friday!

Tues 11/16

Breakfast: 1/3 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 5 raw almonds (chopped)...mix everything together (thanks for this one sara!!!) I love this breakfast, so yummy.


Lunch: 1 self serving bag of edamame (w/salt of course)...(my stomach is still feeling kind of weird today, wasnt really in the mood for eating lunch)


Snack: 1 (I REPEAT JUST 1!!!!) Healthy PB cookie

Organic Gala Apple, 3/4 of it...rylie stole some of it!

Dinner: Made homemade spaghetti sauce (very yummy), made whole wheat spaghetti noodles for everyone else, but i sliced up zuchini and steamed it...then put the sauce on top. I REALLY liked it!!!! I also had a SMALL slice of whole wheat sourdough bread. AND I made granola tonight, I cant NOT snack on it, its so yummy. I had about 1/3-1/2 cup of it. I had the calories to spare so I was fine with it.

Exercise: Taebo (55 min) and 3 mile run


Over the weekend, I bought a mix of nuts from Costco for when we ate after Abbys baptism. They were salted and I think roasted. I ate them, (too many) but boy did they not like my stomach. I am SO used to all my nuts raw, no salt or anything. I decided I like them much better raw. I mean, the flavor of roasted and salted was good, but I can only handle so much. They are much more healthier raw, of course, so I'll stick to what I always get!!!

Monday 11/15

I didn't eat breakfast this morning. I wasnt feeling well. Took the kids to piano lessons and then ran and got fruits/veggies.



Lunch: One Veggie Wrap on Flatout bread...spread a TBS of mashed up avacado (w/s&p) on flatout bread, 1/4 cup cucumbers, 8 red bell pepper slices, whole sliced roma tomato, and lettuce (was bummed i didnt have any spinach, i love it with spinach!!!)...also had big handful of organic baby carrots and 6 grapes (ha, thats all that was left in the bowl that were any good!!!)



Snack: 20 raw cashews, 1/2 piece of homemade bread



Dinner: 1 1/2 servings Zucchini Parmesan (we thought this was really yummy)...1/3 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt...1 organic apple

Workout: P90X Core Synergistics (50 min)



Zucchini Parmesan (taken from Enlightened Homemaker)

3 1/2 cups zucchini, coarsely grated
2 large eggs
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 C parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/3 C Flour (I used whole wheat of course)
1 T olive oil
1 C Marinara sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes


Press grated zucchini between paper towels or cheese cloth to remove moisture. Combine zucchini, eggs, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan and flour in a bowl. Stir well. Spread in a greased 9X13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with oil and broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes.


Remove from oven, spread on a sauce and top with remaining mozzarella, oregano and red pepper.


Bake uncovered at 350 for additional 20 minutes, lowering rack back down to the center of the oven.

I cut this into 12 squares. Each square amounts to:

Calories: 133
Protein: 8.7
Total Fat: 7.6
Sodium: 264
Cholesterol: 50 mg
Carbs: 7.7
Sugar: 2.6

A New Leaf

I'm writing here, in hopes of remembering how I'm feeling at this very moment.



Lack of self confidence.



The recent move has been a doozy. I have found comfort in food, sugar, ALL of the above. Then Halloween hit...and I wasn't fully prepared. But I did read an inspiring blog entry where someone paid their kids money for their halloween candy. Score! Halloween came, and I thought...and I thought...and I contemplated...(side note, about a month ago I wanted my kids and hubby to go off sugar...but I wasn't ready) If I bought their candy...I could throw it away...THEN I could maybe convince them of my plan of going OFF sugar....



It was late Sunday night. I took each kid individually and asked them about the candy. They all agreed to let me buy their candy for 5 bucks each. Walker promptly fell asleep...but the older 2 kids stayed up and we had a GREAT talk with them. About food, especially about sugar. I told them I had a challenge for them. I told them I wanted to go without Sugar until Thanksgiving. They agreed....and they were EXCITED!



This world is full of SUGAR. Treats are everywhere. It seems like everytime I turn around, they are getting a "treat" for something. And of course its candy...or cookies...or just CRAP. So, I told them, when they are given the opportunity to have something like that, they will need to say no thank you. And they STILL AGREED!!! HA



Now, truthfully, my kids don't get a lot of sugar around here anyway. And when they do get it, its because of me...becuase I want it, so therefore, THEY get it. So, we've been off the "refined" sugars bandwagon. No icecream, store bought anything. I did tell them that we were free to make our homemade treats, with sucanat, honey, maple syrup. The "real" natural sweetners.
Nobody has complained once....it makes me happy.

Even though we are making the healthier treats, I need to be reminded that they still have calories...YIKES....over the weekend my daughter got baptized. I ate one too many healthy cookies.

I have had a rough time with the whole "eating" thing lately. I don't know what my problem is. I actually do pretty well during the week, then the weekend hits and my good eating goes out the window. SO. I am going to try my VERY hardest to document all the food I eat this week. Keep track of whats going in my mouth...so that hopefully the "mindless eating" can slowly disappear and I can get back on track.

My old self has long since been lost since our move. I have been in a R.U.T. A Long R.U.T.

Am I ready to be myself again? Am I ready to focus on the good things? Am I ready to be accountable for where I want to go and what I want to become? I hope so....

Week in Pictures

Eating was good this week. I measured out almost all portions, I love having a little weight machine to measure with. We move this weekend, and food is scarce around here, I have no idea what the week will bring. And I'm EMOTIONAL and STRESSED...not a good combination when your an emotional eater. I'm going to do my best!!



Lunch: Edamame...i LOVE this stuff. Costco has single serving portions in a big box...LOVE it. It's a favorite and easy lunch...lots of protein in those little pods! ha! Had 1/2 cup plain yogurt w/blueberries and a few chopped almonds..

Breakfast: 3 egg whites w/bell peppers and onions...(would like to have more veggies in this but like i said, food is scarce around here)...and yogurt, blueberries, almonds (i don't remember the measurements but i did make sure i was doing correct portions...just dont have the time to write it all down at this point...)

Breakfast: Yogurt, blueberries, almonds...I like this...can you tell??

Lunch: Edamame and an apple

Breakfast: 3 egg whites w/bell pepper and onions, topped w/salsa. yogurt and almonds

Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, carrots, yogurt and 3 strawberries

Breakfast: 1 apple and 2 TBS almond butter

Breakfast: MMMMM...me love steel cut oats!!! w/frozen blueberries and fresh almond milk

Obviously....

I have had no desire to keep track of my food....take pictures...be accountable...and so on, and so on. Which is the reason I feel like crap about myself...I work out every day, but my eating isnt co-insiding (is that how you spell that word???) with my workouts. And every day I seem to let myself down. I cop out....its not that I'm eating fast food everyday...cz I just DONT do fast food. But my portions are needing some "pick me up" and the sweets have got to go. I need to find some balance....

Where are my goals?

I don't want "life" to get in the way...I want my eating and taking care of myself to be a priority...I want my "happy w/myself bod back"

Steel Cut Oats

I tried steel cut oats for the first time a few weeks ago...I am officially hooked...I love them!!!!

Wow, its been a while

Holy Shoot!!! Long time, no blog!!! I had a GREAT dinner tonight...so yummy and so healthy and I just had to take a picture and had to share. FULL of veggies, beans for protein and great flavor!!!

I hope to blog more...take pictures more...but you know, life just happens and time gets away from me and blah, blah, blah....

I AM excited to say that I have another race on the calendar. I have not done one since my marathon LAST october!! what the???!!!! I will be doing a 1/2 marathon at the end of october. Someday I will do another full marathon, but for now....it's just too time consuming to do all the training for another one. Four kids, work and everything else that goes on, it makes it hard to fit everything in. So, i'm opting for the 1/2 and i'm definitely okay with that!!!

I have been doing a lot more biking lately and am enjoying that alot. SOMEDAY I will do a triathalon...someday....

My cute hubby is now doing P90X....he is liking it, actually no, he's hating it, well....not really sure...HA At the beginning of the month I told him if he did P90x for just 30 days, i would go off sugar for 30 days...we are towards the end of week 2 and we are both doing good!!! Although, there have been a few times where I was ready for some icecream....er something....Sometimes we get to work out together, which has been fun...most the time because of time and schedules, we have to do it seperately. I think he will do the full 90 days tho!!! We will see....

Now for the yummy recipe...(BTW, this is a GREAT summertime salad...no heating up the kitchen required!!!!)

Mexican Fiesta Salad (Erleen Tilton):

Dressing: 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbs olive oil, 1-2 tsp hot red pepper sauce, 2 cloves garlic--pressed, 1 tsp salt

Salad: 1 cup cut corn (frozen or fresh), 6 oz. sliced black olives (drained & Halved), 3 cup beans (cooked, rinsed and drained...i actually did half black, half pinto), 1 red bell pepper diced, 1/2 c chopped green onion, 2 avacados diced, 1 head romaine lettuce (i just used an organic salad mix)

In large bowl, mix dressing ingredients...layer on salad ingredients...toss just before serving

MMMMMM, enjoy!!!

mmmmm...hummus

Me Likey Hummus....Last week I made a roasted red pepper hummus and its YUMMY. I love it with cucumbers and celery....and today, i tried it on a veggie sandwich...wow it was good...
note: spinach is our first pickings from our garden!! yay!!!!

Feeling Good

I'm starting to feel better about my running. I've done better at making it a priority...and I'm loving it!!! We are having great weather right now and that makes running even MORE better...I definitely need some new tunes for my ipod though....

For my bday I got this shirt...I saw it at the running shoe store and just HAD to have it. (Born to Run is what it says)
And my feet are happy once again...NEW SHOES!!! As usual, I was way overdue. I got the same pair that I did last time, Asics...Just got wide instead of regular. They feel better this time and I really like these shoes...

I'm hoping to get my miles back up again....but we will see. As long as I can atleast get out and do 3-4 miles I'm good. I would like to do more, but some days that just isn't possible. And I'm OK with that!!!

A Few Things

So I was at one of my FAVORITE stores the other day...Trader Joes...and they had a sampling...a very GOOD sampling, of Couscous. So, I bought everything while i was there, to make it...I don't remember what it's called exactly but its darn good!!! I made it tonight for dinner...Nathan, Rylie and I, all liked it...the rest...no. But I'll still make it because its THAT GOOD. (I'll put the recipe) Tonight I served it up w/grilled chicken (seasoned w/salt, pepper and tonys..love that guy...haha), steamed brocolli and zuchini.
Lunch the other day...Turkey sausage w/raw veggies...plain yogurt and frozen blueberries.

This was my snack one day...I usually eat yogurt w/fresh fruit. But I didnt have any except for apples. So, I decided to try some frozen blueberries that were in the freezer. OH MY GOSH. I was in heaven. It was SO GOOD, I felt like i was eating ice cream. This is definitely a treat:)

Couscous Recipe:

1 C Couscous (i bought the TJ's whole wheat brand)

1 1/2 C Pure OJ (not from concentrate, and NO PULP)

1/2 C sliced, blanched almonds

1/2 c dried cranberries

2 diced green onions

salt and pepper to taste

In medium pot bring OJ to a boil and turn off heat. Then add Couscous, put lid on until OJ is absorbed (took mine around 10 minutes or so). While couscous is cooking, put almonds in a single layer on cookie sheet and toast 5-8 minutes. When couscous is done, combine everything else in a bowl and serve! Its good warm or cold!

Can't wait for leftovers tomorrow!!! I doubled the recipe tonight, cz I wasnt sure how much it would make exactly. And we have plenty leftover for Nathan to take to work for a few days, and for me to munch on too.

Food

Okay, so I haven't been tracking my food very well. I keep forgetting to take the pictures and all. And then my day ends and I haven't had time to even get the pictures on here!!! So here's what I've got for the last little while...no idea what days or anything...

This was my packed up dinner on Monday. Girls have piano lessons on Monday so we eat dinner at my MIL house. I always pack my own:) There is a grilled chicken breast under all those veggies!!
Sliced apples and handful raw almonds

ahh, the love of my life! This has become one of my FAVE's for breakfast. Warm brown rice, apples and almonds w/almond milk. I'm actually eating this one right now...I could eat this for every meal!!

Apples and I KNOW it looks like something OTHER then almond butter, but i promise, its not.

Baked salmon (w/salt, pepper and a little Tony's...yum), raw carrots, yellow peppers, cucumber and cauliflower

Grilled chicken breast (w/salt, pepper and tonys...i LOVE tonys)..sliced cucumbers and tomatoes

I can't wait until summer....not for the heat of course but for all the yummy fresh fruit!!! And I really wish I could get my running back on track. I am working out of course, but not hardly any running is involved...that makes me sad:( I guess I need to pick a race to do, that way I have a goal in mind??? That will totally make me stick to a running schedule...

Challenge is going well. Perfect score for week 1...and there was ALOT of other people that did too!!! I think there is going to be a fierce competition this time around!! Which is good...makes me glad that people are reaching their goals...

Tues and Wed

Just haven't had time to get these pics uploaded. And now that they are, they are all out of order! but i don't care...i'm not going back to change!!!
Wed Dinner: Bean salad...lettuce (from garden!), alfalfa sprouts, black beans, yellow peppers, celery and chopped walnuts...w/vinegrette dressing...(this was pretty good, but i'm getting tired of the dressing, need to find a new one)
Wed 2:30 meal...grilled chicken w/raw carrots and steamed brocolli. This was YUMMY. Esp the chicken...i grilled it w/salt, pepper and a little Tony's...mmmmm

I think this was Tues 2:30 meal...just cut up raw veggies...also had grapes

Wed breakfast: This was SO good. Cooked brown rice, almond milk, almonds and apple chunks...can't wait to have this again...

Tues dinner: veg omelete. Another one i love. 2 eggs w/green onion, peppers and zuchini...i put salsa on top when i ate it...w/side of raw veggies

Don't remember what day or meal...but it was good!

Tues meal: chicken salad...green lettuce, sprouts, red peppers, cucumbers, chicken and vinegrette dressing

I had an apple w/this stuff i belive it was tues morning...SO GOOD!!! I love almond butter

Workouts were good. Tues I did cardio x and ran 2 miles...(wanted to run more but had a BAD headache)...Wed was shoulders, biceps and triceps (p90x) also did a lot of jumping on the trampoline w/the family!!!

Monday

Yay for the first day of the challenge!!! Feels good to be back...didn't think I'd actually feel that way. HA....
I am doing my best to stay on a meal plan for the next few weeks. I eat 4 times a day. I only took 3 pictures cz I forgot about doing it at breakfast. I eat at 7am, 10:30am, 2:30pm and 6pm. I kind of like it, I kind of don't. All the food was totally yummy though!!!

This isn't the best picture...(none of these are...our camera is dying i think..plus I didn't care what it looked like) This was dinner, had piano lessons from 530-630 for the girls so dinner was at the inlaws. I packed up my own to eat when we were done at piano. Green salad topped with chicken...lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, red peppers, celery...and 2 Tbs of homemade vinegrette dressing.
This was my 230 meal. Brown rice topped with seasoned black beans (that i bottled myself! YAY!), red peppers, alfalfa sprouts, avacado and a little hot sauce...very yummy

Protein smoothie at 1030am. Almond milk, peaches and strawberries, powdered greens, 1 tbs sunflower seeds and 1 tbs Xagave. I LOVE this shake...

7am meal was 2 hard boiled eggs w/celery. I like to cut up the eggs and put salt on them...I never really used to like hard boiled eggs. But I am getting used to them more and more. I also snacked on grapes today.

Exercise: Chest and Back, Ab Ripper (P90x)...also did 500 jumps w/a weighted jump rope

Reset

Why do I find myself constantly hitting the reset button?? Like, EVERY DAY!!! Man oh man. I vow to do better the next day, and DON'T. Sometimes its just a struggle and I just don't want to take the time to care. Boo.

Starting Feb. 15th I'll be doing another challenge. I really didn't want to head one up this time...I mean..I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO. But now that I think about it. I am glad that I am. It will give me some much needed motivation, especially to be eating better. I am hoping to get more running in starting soon. Things have just been so busy, I haven't had the time. And I really, really, really MISS IT!!!! I got out and did 4 miles yesterday and I'm hoping to get a run in today too.

SO I've also decided that once the challenge starts, I will start keeping track of my food better AND start taking pictures again. I can't believe how much that helps. OH and I found out that I absolutely LOVE apples and raw almond butter. It is so very tasty!!! Wahoo!!!

I'll be hitting the reset button again....and hope to be posting a whole lot more on this here bloggaroo...cz gosh darnit it helps:)

Yes I Am...A Glorified Slacker

It's been quite a while...and for good reason. I've had nothing to post that is even remotely related to health. Okay, maybe I am just SLIGHTLY exaggerating...but whatev....

I am ready for a new year (isnt that a phrase that everyone uses???). I am ready for a new beginning (again, same phrase)...but it still rings true for me. I am tired of the saying...its okay, I can eat that because...well....it IS THE HOLIDY SEASON!!!!!! Holy hell....what a cop out....

I am not happy with my body and with what I have been eating. It hasn't been horrible, but too many sweets and too many carbs will do something to ya thats for sure. Its funny how your mind works, well atleast mine. I will look at myself in the mirror and think...sheesh I need to change some things. THEN... five minutes later go in the kitchen and eat a cookie and say, oh its not gonna matter. DUH!

One problem is that I am still breastfeeding. So I still need to find that balance between eating good and still having enough to provide for the little one. I do believe that my body won't be exactly where I want it until AFTER I am done nursing. But I can STILL eat better and start to feel better about myself.

I have missed running. I have been so busy with working, holidays and everything else going on that I just haven't had the time. I ran 5 miles on New Years Day and it felt great to get out. But it was a hard 5 miles!!! I couldn't believe it...I was definitely out of my normal rhythm and it had been too long since I had run.

So, it's a new year. What are my fitness goals for this year? I actually have no idea....how sad is that? I haven't had time to even THINK about it....boo