Whole30 Diaries: Week 2 Recap

Oh my gosh this week was tough! Not only was I dealing with cravings for chocolate and Diet Coke left and right, but I had to deal with some serious temptation. It just so happened that everyone in the office decided this was going to be the week to bring in junk food to work. I stayed strong and turned down pizza, ice cream, and iced coffee, not to mention our squadron was passing out free doughnuts and coffee on National Doughnut Day! It was tough. REAL tough. Thankfully yesterday I found some LÄRABAR's at the Base Exchange yesterday. The fruit and nut bars are going to be perfect for those late night snacks and give me an extra boost of fiber.


Most people think I'm absolutely bonkers when I tell them that I'm doing Whole30 and explain to them what it is. Now that I'm about almost halfway through the program it's become more than just trying to lose weight; I want to prove to myself, and everyone else, that I can actually do this. A year ago this would have never even been a possibility, but now I'm more determined than ever to push myself and test my boundaries in my effort to achieve the healthiest version of myself.

The fact that I'm experiencing great results doesn't hurt either. We went to the mall yesterday for the end of the season sale at my favorite store, Express, and I'm officially down a size! I don't know what was sweeter; the size, or the 70% off price tags. I scored 2 pairs of jeans, 3 lace bralettes, and 6 shirts for under $150!

Here's a look at what I feasted on during Week Two:

Steak, Brussel Sprouts, and Baked Sweet Potato

Blueberry Clafoutis

Spinach Omelette and Grapefruit

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs, Crushed Tomatoes and Spinach

Paleo Taco Salad

Broccoli Spinach Frittata with Caramelized Onions

Moving Out and Moving On

This past weekend was the first big wave of packing up our house. It was sad, and stressful, and messy. I'm not too fond of the actual house itself, but the fact that it was Scott and my's first place together makes it totally and utterly special to me. 

Thank goodness we haven't accumulated too much "stuff" at this point and that a lot of the stuff we don't mind trying to sell, donate, or just throw out. Because one: I don't think I have the patience for that and two: we want a completely fresh start in our new home. 

This is our cross-eyed cat, Carl. Who we took in after he wandered into our backyard very ill last spring.
He's pretty excited about the move.

I'm giddy for what the future holds for us. We just found out that Scott was approved for an early release from the service so hopefully he will be joining me in Washington in mid August. We'll both be starting over. New state, new jobs, new home. Talk about a new beginning! I feel like this is finally the time that Scott and I are going to start a life together. Living in New Jersey hasn't been the greatest. It's almost like we've been living in limbo for the last year, but now our fate has finally been decided!

Whole30 Diaries: Week 1 Recap

I am ecstatic to report that I successfully completed my first week of Whole30! I'm shocked. And proud. And amazed that I didn't stray from any of the program's guidelines. I mean, have you read them? It's hardcore. And with any sort of experience similar to this, they say the first week is the hardest and is going to set the tone for the remaining 23 days. Because I handled my first week so well I'm even more excited and optimistic about doing this Whole30 thing!

For those of you who are becoming intrigued about Whole30, but don't think you have the will power to "say no" here are just a few examples of some of the meals I ate (and enjoyed!) during my first week. I couldn't be more serious when I say, "If I can do it, so can you."

Chicken "Italian" Salad

Baked Egg in Avocado

Blueberry "Tortilla" and Coffee with Coconut Milk

Eggplant Sliders with Tomato Sauce

Sweet Potato Chili

And here's what I got lined up for next week:

WEEK 2 MEAL PLAN

Breakfast:

Broccoli Spinach Frittata with Caramelized Onions

Omelet Muffins

Grapefruit with Sea Salt

Blueberry Clafouti

"Potatoes" O'Brien

Lunch:

Leftovers from dinner

Pork Chops with Steamed Mixed Vegetables

Chicken "Italian" Salad

Dinner:

Slow Cooker Chicken and Veggies

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

Slow Cooker Taco Meat

Creamy Lemon Chicken Kale Soup
Steak, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Broccoli

Snacks:

Apples

Almonds

Coconut Water Smoothie

Carrots

Celery

Grape Tomatoes

Pineapple

Strawberries

REMEMBER: Preparation is key guys and gals!

Whole30 Diaries: Prep for Success

Yesterday I ranted and raved about how big of a help food prep has been so far with my Whole30 success so today I wanted to share one of my breakfast preps. With less than 20 mins for preparation and bake time, this breakfast is a win-win!

Egg McNothin's

Ingredients:

• 6 Slices of organic meat (I used organic turkey breast)
• 6 Organic eggs
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper

Instructions:

1. The original recipe said to line a muffin tin with 6 muffin cup liners, and place organic meat slices in the muffin cups, but I had a difficult time getting the meat to stay in the liners, so I just did without and they turned out fine.
2. Crack eggs into each muffin cup, and sprinkle seasonings on top according to your personal taste preference.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, until the egg white is thoroughly cooked, and the egg yolk is slightly cooked but not dry.
4. After your egg McNothin's have cooled, portion them out and then place in to Tupperware containers for the week -- That's it!

BEFORE

AFTER

So easy, right?

It's made the breakfast part of this whole process extremely easy and quite yummy. Below is my breakfast from this morning. I try to make breakfast my biggest meal so in addition to two of my egg McNothin's I had 3 of my homemade pork sausages (also part of my meal prep), and half of an avocado.

Talk about a breakfast of champions!

Whole30 Diaries: Dinner Day 2 and 3

It's Day 4 of my Whole30 and I'm feeling GREAT! Supposedly the first 3 days are the hardest, but I really only struggled on the first. I think it's primarily because I had the most incredible hankering for a Big Gulp of Diet Coke from 7-Eleven. 

I'm so glad that I planned and prepared days in advance because it's made this process pretty easy thus far. I made a meal plan, and only purchased the ingredients and amounts necessary for those recipes because I didn't want anything to go to waste and I didn't want to spend more than I had to. Pretty much right after I returned from the commissary I started to rinse, chop, and portion out my produce for my recipes and made sure I had pulled my meats so they could thaw properly. I'm telling you, doing little things like this ahead of time are such a lifesaver!

Below is the recipe for Paleo Taco Soup I put on my meal plan for dinner this week and I LOVED it! I plan on using it even after I complete my Whole30. It may not seem like there's much to this soup, but one bowl of this hearty soup is all you need! I was comfortably full by the time I finished eating. This recipe was also so great because it was enough to provide dinner for my husband and for two nights AND lunch for him today.

Paleo Taco Soup

Ingredients:
·         1-1.5 lbs of ground beef or turkey (I used 1.5 lbs of lean ground turkey)
·         1 orange bell pepper, large dice
·         1 carrot, peeled and cubed
·         1 onion, diced
·         4 garlic cloves, chopped
·         1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced finely (I left out because the commissary didn't have them.)
·         2 cups of organic beef stock
·         1 – 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

Seasoning Blend:

·         1 tsp kosher salt

·         1 tsp onion powder

·         1 tsp garlic powder

·         1/4 ancho chili powder

·         1 tsp (regular) chili powder

·         1/2 tsp cumin

·         1 tsp coriander

·         black pepper, couple grinds

Instructions:

1. Heat a large soup pot to medium high with a little fat (I used coconut oil).  While that’s heating, prepare the vegetables, open the can of tomatoes, get the stock measured out. Add the ground meat and carrots. Let this go until the meat is no longer pink.
2. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, Serrano/jalapeño and the seasoning blend. Mix well. Cook until the vegetables are just soft, the ground meat has some color to it and brown bits are sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the stock to de-glaze the pan, then add the crushed tomatoes. Make sure to mix everything well.
4. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer. I let mine simmer for an hour, but if you don't have that much time, or if you're just stubbornly impatient, reduce heat to medium/medium-low and give it maybe 15-20 minutes.

I served mine with slices of avocado and my husband had his with tortilla chips, cheese, and Greek yogurt. For extra flavor you could also serve with some cilantro or lime over top. Enjoy!

Whole30

Today is the day! I'm having my first go at Whole30. I've only eaten breakfast as of yet, but so far so good! I made my meal plan and I have my shopping list ready to go. I figure the best way to be successful with this program is by proper planning and food prep execution. Brace yourselves because my instagram and blog are probably going to be flooded with whole30 photos, recipes, and testimonies. Wish me luck!

WEEK ONE MEAL PLAN

Breakfast

• Egg McNothin’s
• Blueberry Tortillas
• Broccoli Spinach Frittata with Caramelized Onions
• Sweet Potato, Apple and Pancetta Hash

Lunch

• Baked Pork Chops and Asparagus
• Chicken Breast and Steamed Mix Vegetables

Dinner

• Spaghetti Squash with Lean Ground Turkey and Mushrooms
• Sweet Potato Chili
• Taco Soup
• Eggplant Sliders

Snacks

• Cherry Tomatoes
• Baby Carrots
• Sliced Peppers
• Celery Wedges
• Apples
• Berries
• Bananas
• Green Smoothies made with Coconut Water, Green Ice Cubes, and Minimal Frozen Fruit.

* Most of these recipes make multiple servings which means leftovers, which means, I won't have to cook every night - BONUS!

Saying Goodbye

I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and now I feel empty. I'm not sure if it's because of the way the book ended or if it's because cancer has a direct relevance to my own life. I haven't spoken about it much because I am terrible at communicating my feelings when it comes to dramatic emotion. 

I lost my grandfather about 2 months ago to Esophageal Cancer and I don't know what pains me more; the fact that he is no longer physically here with us, or that I didn't get to say "goodbye." His health had been hanging in the balance for over a year so, sadly, my family and I had the mentality of  any day now, but he toughed it out for as long as he physically could. The character of Augustus Waters reminded me so much of grandfather with the way he didn't let cancer control his life. You could hardly tell he was sick because he had this incredible warmth, a contagious happiness, and still had a real thirst for living. He genuinely loved life and didn't take a single day for granted. Eventually, despite his efforts, the cancer prevailed and even though his body was present for his last few weeks, his spirit had already passed on. In the novel Hazel mentions having a conversation with Augustus on his Last Good Day and even though she is just a character in a novel, I know exactly what Hazel meant and how she feels, as many, if not most, people feel as they see the lives of their loved ones slipping. Despite my grandfather living in California and the countless hours of treatment and rest he required I was fortunate to speak with my grandfather on his Last Good Day. He hardly sounded like the man I knew and grew up admiring. His voice was unrecognizable and very faint, but I will cherish our seventeen minute conversation forever because it was the last time we'll ever speak.

My birthday is the day before my grandfather's. I couldn't help but get emotional this year when we flew to California to spend the weekend with my family thinking it would be my grandfather's last birthday, and it was. This is the last photo and one of the last tangible moments I had with my grandfather. My birthday won't be the same this year.

Who knew that reading a novel for young adults would have the power to stir up so much thought and emotion? I'm glad it did because it is about time that I finally open up about my grandfathers passing, even if it's only written.

Every person deals with stuff like this differently and for me, I just needed time.

Facing Reality

We had a great Memorial Day Weekend. For the first time since we started dating, my husband is on day shift. I cannot even begin to describe what a blessing it is to actually be on the same schedule and actually have a weekend with my husband. We slept in and spent some serious time cuddling on the couch while we binge-watched Game of Thrones so we can catch up to the current season. The weather was really crumby Saturday and Sunday so I didn't feel bad for spending time inside and also because I managed to convince my husband to go to the gym with me every day, which I appreciate more than he knows. 

On Monday we went to a Phillies game for their Salute the Troops Night. I was lucky enough to score free tickets from work. We headed to Philly a couple hours early so we could park and enjoy some drinks, snacks, and music before the first pitch. 

We opened up the tailgate to the SUV and got comfy in the back. It was during that time, when it hit me like a ton of bricks, that our time together is limited and weekends like this are sparse. In a few weeks I'm moving back home while my husband finishes up his enlistment in New Jersey. There's nothing I can't stand more than saying goodbye to my husband. We've already gone through several tough goodbyes and I know that this one won't be any easier. My heart hurts with the anticipation of it all.

First Time Food Prepper

I consider myself I pretty healthy eater these days. In fact, I would say that I eat clean 85% of the time, which is leaps and bounds from where my nutrition was this time last year. However, since summer is quickly approaching I decided it was about time I kick my nutrition in to high gear. This week I gave my first hardcore meal prep a go, and I have to say, it's not nearly as bad as what everyone complains about.

I didn't even spend an hour in the kitchen. And that's including clean up! In that time I made six meal portions for lunches and two days worth of dinners for both my husband and I. While chicken was broiling, the broccoli was steaming, and the rice was cooking, I also managed to rinse, cut, and portion fruits and veggies for us to snack on during the day. 

Let me tell you, it is so nice to not have to stress about what you're going to make for dinner when you get home from work or by the time you actually do get home from work, cooking is the last thing you want to do so you revert to eating out or ordering take-out.

Meal prep is definitely a wise idea if you're serious about eating better more often because when you have food already pre-made and ready to go in the fridge you really have no excuse to step out on your diet. 

I just finished off my chicken, brown rice, and broccoli bowl for lunch; so yummy! A lot of people probably have an issue with eating simple food like this on a regular basis, but I love it! I just require a little sea salt and pepper and I'm good to go. Especially because I mix up our veggie variety so much, it's hard to get bored of it. Even though I could broccoli and asparagus every day for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy about it! 

Meal prep isn't hard. Just don't over complicate it. Seriously, throw a couple chicken breasts or fish fillets in the oven or on the grill, steam some veggies in the microwave, and cook up a cup or 2 of brown rice or heck, make a quinoa salad, or whatever else your prefer, big enough to last you for a couple days! It really is that easy.

Wasteful, Not

My mother-in-law is a wise woman, especially when it comes business in the kitchen. While at the farmer's market during her visit last week she gave me a piece of advise when it comes to limiting produce waste. In fact, it was so simple and easy I can't believe the idea had never struck me before.

I like to buy produce in bulk whenever I can because it's almost always much cheaper. I'm pretty good at not letting food go bad, but unfortunately, sometimes I don't get around to using all of it before it spoils or something gets pushed to the back of the refrigerator and goes unseen. This is where my mother-in-laws brilliant tip came in; freeze it.

Like, duh! So as if I didn't like buying things in bulk before, with this tip, now I have no reason not to. For example, at the commissary I pay around $1.59 per pepper. At the farmer's market down the street a basket of SIX peppers is $3!!!!! I mean it's pretty self explanatory.

Not only will I save money, and cut down on waste, but it's also going to cut future preparation time for cooking. It took me roughly 15 minutes to slice and separate six peppers into plastic baggies before throwing them in the freezer. Now whenever I make a quinoa salad, fajitas, or even an omelet, all I have to do is pull one of the bags out of the freezer and run it under warm water for a few short minutes while they thaw. I'm sold.

This tip was just too good to keep to myself so I had to share it with you guys.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I feel a little bad that I haven't been as present with my blog this week or last. Stuff got real busy, real quick with work and personal stuff. But, hey, that's life right?  So I'll just be brief on catching up.

Last week at work was straight up chaos in preparation for the big 2014 Open House and Air Show that our installation hosted. Our office was especially preoccupied on Friday for the big Pre-Flight Party for all DoD ID holders that our squadron hosted. It was a tough 14 hour day, but fun nonetheless.

Saturday

My mother-in-law has also been staying with us since Saturday. So there has been no time to waste. I spent Saturday morning cleaning the house sweeping, vacuuming, wiping down, scrubbing, doing laundry, dishes, and spraying lots of smell goods in honor for her arrival. Thankfully, she and my husband both napped in the afternoon because it gave me time to get my workout in and finish up folding and putting away laundry before the three of us went to the extra tasty pizzeria down the street. With fully belly and tired eyes we all turned in pretty early that night. 

Sunday

We planned on taking Mama Suz out to brunch on Mother's Day at a fabulous diner with to-die-for food and hefty portions, but there was a several hour wait. In suffice we took her to Red Robin for lunch. I wasn't upset about it either. I hadn't had Red Robin in years so I was ready to dive into one of their burgers and steak fries.

It was such a beautiful day that after lunch we decided to venture to the nearby Columbus Market. Man. I am really kicking myself for not checking this place out sooner! The produce they had was not only bountiful, but unbelievably cheap. They also had the largest flea market I have ever seen. I scored a sweet pair of sunglasses for $5 and an amazing organic face and body soap that has worked miracles. So my husband and I have already planned on making regular visits there for the remainder of my time here.

On our way home from the market we stopped at the grocery store to get remaining ingredients for dinner and at the liquor store for some adult beverages. Mama Suz doesn't drink much so we decided on a bottle of Rosé and Riesling since they're on the sweeter end of the spectrum. I decided it would be more special if I made Mama Suz dinner rather than take her to a restaurant. I made lean pork chops accompanied by asparagus and my favorite dill potatoes. It was yummy and she seemed to have enjoyed the gesture of having someone else cook a meal for her for a change. It was evident that Mama Suz was feeling pretty good after dinner and 2 and a half glasses of  Rosé. It was also pretty comical and a good way to end the night.

Monday
We got ourselves up and ready at a decent time so we could head off to the city for the day. Mama Suz hasn't been to NYC since 1954 and has always dreamed of going back so I'm glad we could oblige. If you've never been, it's an overwhelming experience. People rushing to and from, and everyone seems to be on a mission. A person can get lost and turned around in the blink of an eye, but it's definitely a sight to see.

We had drinks and an early dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe because that was where Mama Suz had picked. The downfall of this particular restaurant is the fact that they have the calorie count listed next to EVERYTHING. I felt guilty as soon as I opened the menu. I settled on a pulled chicken sandwich because it was surprisingly one of the lighter menu options and I love a good BBQ sandwich. After we finished our meal we saddled back up to explore the rest of Times Square. We made stops at both Hershey's Chocolate World and M&M's World which are conveniently located right across the street from one another. Talk about chocolate wasted. I scored a 1 lb. bag of Pretzel filled M&M's that are my absolute favorite, but I hardly ever see them available for purchase in stores. I was happy :).

Unfortunately for us, by the time we finished exploring, it seemed like everyone and their mom's took to the streets to head home from work. This made getting back Penn Station a little tricky. It was hard for the three of us to keep a good eye on one another because there were so many people amongst the already existing commotion of the city. There was even an entire intersection blocked off because a pedestrian had been hit by a car! Sheesh. I don't know. I just don't see the appeal of living in New York City. It's dirty, smelly, vast, and people aren't the nicest. To each his own I guess.

Tuesday
By the time Tuesday morning rolled around I feel pretty confident in saying that the three of us were pretty beat. Especially Mama Suz and my husband who seemed to have been coming down with something. We had plans to go to a ball game that evening in Philly so we kept the first part of the day pretty low key. I thought it would be a good idea to make some brawts, wrap 'em up in foil, and bring them to the game with us so we could tailgate for a little bit before heading in the stadium so after breakfast and vegging out for a little bit I ran to the store to pick up some chips and the remaining ingredients I needed for the brawts. After I got the meat going in the slow cooker I enjoyed a 3 mile run with the always pleasurable company of my husband while Mama Suz took a little nap. 

When the clock struck 5 we piled in the car, picnic and all, and headed to Philly. This was Mama Suz's first Major League baseball game in over 20 years! Even though the Phillies haven't had that great of a season so far, we came on the night with the crowd so far this year, almost 47,000! The Phillies were playing the Angels and apparently one of their players, Mike Trout is from Millville, NJ, which is only miles from the stadium hence, the large attendance number. Even though the Phillies lost, we still had a great time. We caught the beautiful sunset from our seats and Mama Suz soaked in her first baseball game in over two decades while we all clapped and whooped and hollered. Also, the brawts we brought with us turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself, and probably saved us over $50 for food and drinks. 

We left the game at the top of the 9th because my husband had to be in to work by midnight and we wanted to get a jump start on the traffic. Fail. It took us almost 2 hours to get home. By the way, East Coast drivers are insane. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm so tired by the time we get home, which was after 11:30 pm mind you, that getting up to go to work in the morning was the last thing I wanted to worry about. Ugh.


It's Thursday now and I'm STILL tired. I must be getting old. The awful humidity that has settled in Jersey probably isn't helping either. 

Bad Bread

I've only had my bread maker for about 2 weeks and we've already established quite a tumultuous relationship. I made, scratch that, attempted to make 3 different loaves of bread over the last several days. Unfortunately for me, and my baking supplies, only one of the loaves turned out remotely decent. One of the loaves actually turned out so bad that I had no choice but to just toss it in the trash!

This was my second attempt. How does this even happen? The dough didn't even rise, let alone mix completely. There were random balls of dough in the center and the outside was just like an extremely crusty wall. I wanted to kick my machine into next week I was so mad. I decided to take a day off before even thinking about attempting another loaf. I also needed to go to the store and get more bread making supplies because I was quickly running out. This time I decided to purchase actual bread flour. After going over it in my head and re-reading the recipe I decided that, that had to be the problem because I followed every other instruction to the tee! 

So it's the next day and I give it a go. I make sure, once again, that I'm dead on with the directions, measurements, and ingredients. Unfortunately, it takes almost 4 hours for a loaf to mix and bake so I figured I would go work out, run some errands, and get my nails done (time well spent!) while I waited for my dough creation. After a couple hours, I returned home to the most incredibly scrumptious bakery like smell! Better yet, my loaf had risen completely and looked 100% edible. Progress people. This loaf still looks a little wonky, but it pleased my taste buds so I don't care :)

I knew I had done something right because this loaf was much easier to slice than the other loaf that had turned out decent, but oddly shaped. I was so excited. Which is sad because, well, it's just bread.

*This recipe is for the Oster 2lb. Bread Maker for those of you that want to try to make your own.

Honey Oat Bread

Ingredients:
1 3/8 Cups water
2 1/2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
2 Tbsp Honey
1 3/4 tsp Salt
2 1/2 cups Bread Flour
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2/3 cup Quick Oats
2 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast

Directions:
1.) Measure and add all wet ingredients to the bottom of the bread pan.
2.) Measure and add all of the dry ingredients to the bread pan, except for the yeast!
3.) Using your finger, make a well to pour the yeast in to, but make sure not to make it too deep so that the yeast doesn't          come in contact with the liquid ingredients.
4.) Snap the pan in to the bread maker and close the lid.
5.) Select the Whole Wheat Setting and choose your preferred crust color then push start/stop.
6.) After your bread is done unsnap the pan from the bread maker and tip the pan upside down over a cooling rack. The           bread should slide right out. If not, glide a rubber spatula around the edge of loaf to loosen it.

Magic Music

Coldplay is, and will always be, my all-time favorite band for two reasons:

1.) Most, if not all of the band's songs have managed to strike me emotionally. Some I can't help but feel giddy and excited while I listen, while others give me a gut wrenching, tear jerking sadness. This bands music has gotten me through a lot of tough times in my life, like when my husband was stationed overseas. But,  has also been the backdrop to some of the best memories I have, like sharing the experience of two of their concerts with my sister and dad. I seriously love Coldplay and the fact that I have such an emotional connection with their music.

2.) They are ever-changing. Example: listen to some of their earlier work like "Yellow" or "The Scientist" and compare it to one of their new tracks, like "Magic." They sound worlds apart, but still indicative of the band. It's incredible how these artists can manage to produce album after album that are so different, but equally exciting to hear. Simply innovative.

Their new album, Ghost Stories, is being released 2 weeks from today and I cannot wait. It's been about 2 years since their last album, Mylo Xyloto, was released so it's about time. Their album hasn't even been released yet but, I'm already dying with anticipation for a world tour. Viva la Coldplay!

And now for your musical pleasure...

Rest Day; It's Necessary

In my previous fitness post I mentioned I was going to participate in the 90 Day Blogilates Challenge that started yesterday. Well, yeah, that didn't happen. I tried out the first couple videos for yesterdays scheduled work out and I just couldn't get into it. I don't know if it was because I was just burned out from working out 5 days in a row or because the instructor on the video managed to stay annoyingly peppy while I, on the other hand, was in pain. Or maybe it was the sketchy Chinese Buffet food I ate at lunch when our office decided to all go out, which I used up my cheat meal for the week on. I can't pin point exactly what is was, but I just know I was totally out of sync yesterday.

I was definitely suffering from a.) Insufficient Glycogen Stores, or more simply, energy, b.) Fatigue and c.) Mental Burnout. So after a little research I realized that I didn't need to feel so guilty for taking a rest day. My body obviously needed a break and some time to rebuild and replenish. Today, however, is a clean slate! I feel good and ready to get moving again. After I get off work I'm going to get my Couch to 10k workout in while enjoy the gorgeous weather we have after two days of torrential downpour, ugh!

As for the Blogilates, I really don't think it's my cup of tea. I want to get back on track with weightlifting and I found some great weightlifting programs designed specifically for women. My husband said he would help me along the way because I still get extremely intimidated walking into the weightlifting section of the gym. His encouragement and guidance is so, so amazing because he not only keeps me accountable, but he helps me with my form. Plus, I enjoy any time that we spend together so why not workout with one another?

I'm leaning towards the 12 week weightlifting program that I found on bodybuilding.com. It consists of lifting 4 days a week, which I LOVE because it will also allow me to keep up with my running program without overexerting myself and still allows for some rest days. So remember to be careful and kind to your body; 'cause it's the only one you got!

Mission Accomplished

Yesterday was the last day of the 30 Day Cross Fit Challenge that I was participating in, hallelujah! I was a bit skeptical before I started the challenge because I've heard about how intense Cross Fit can be, but I decided to go for it anyways because I'm not going to get results if I don't challenge myself. I think the first week was the hardest, especially the mile run, but as the weeks progressed I could feel my body getting stronger and suddenly the planks and lunges weren't as unbearable as they were when I started. I also shaved 43 seconds off of my mile time in a matter of just 3 weeks!

I mentioned in a previous post that I had also started following the Couch to 10k program along with the Cross Fit Challenge and I have to say that my body was never looked better! I was so used to how my body looked before I decided to rein my lifestyle in, that it is almost astonishing when I see myself in the mirror now. I've come a long way since last summer and I do not intend on turning back. I'm so happy with the way I live my life now, but I know I still have a lot of goals for myself, like running the Seahawks 12k next year & eventually the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon, and improvements I would like to see, like more toned arms and killer quads!

Because I enjoyed the 30 Day Cross Fit Challenge so much, I decided to keep mixing up my fitness routine and try out Blogilates. I've heard fabulous things about it so I'm going to give the Blogilates 90 Day Challenge a try. I'm hoping to not only work on my flexibility and strength, but to notice more muscle definition and lean out. I'll keep you guys posted on how that goes.

Also, I threw a new coffee protein shake together yesterday after I finished up my workout and it was just too tasty not to share so here ya go:

4 oz room temp or refrigerated coffee
4 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 scoop chocolate protein (I really like using Syntha-6 by BSN [good for lean muscle])
3 green ice cubes
1 banana
spoonful of chia seeds

Bringing Home the Dough

I tend to only eat bread a couple times a week now. Actually, it's mainly on the weekends when I have the time to sit down and enjoy some coffee and toast in the mornings. Then there are a few times, like last night, when a slice of bread is the perfect compliment to a main dinner dish. I don't eat white bread, and now that I look back, I hardly ever did. I've always preferred whole wheat over white bread. Since we only indulge on bread very few times a week I figured why pay $3.00 or more for a loaf, when I could just make it myself at home and save myself some money? Plus, I've recently discovered a love for baking. Not to mention that it's rewarding to make your own food because I know exactly what's in it and I know that I'm using simple ingredients that my body can appreciate.

Recently, my wonderful, sweet mother-in-law gave me and my husband a bread maker for an early anniversary present (whoop! whoop!) so I will be posting about my experimenting with recipes and the machine itself so follow along if you're interested in becoming an at-home bread maker yourself!

The first two loaves of bread I made last night were actually baked in the oven instead of with the bread maker only because I have been wanting to try this recipe out for so long, but I had been waiting to use up all of the store-bought bread we had first. So for those of you who don't have a bread maker and want to try making your own bread this way before splurging on a machine, this is the perfect opportunity for you to test out the waters!

Honey Wheat Bread with Flax
*Recipe from Eating Whole with Lauren Brimley

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon yeast + 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 3/4 tablespoon salt
• 6 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 3 tablespoons ground flax meal

Directions:
Dissolve yeast into 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Let sit until it has doubled in size, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer using the hook attachment, mix warm water, salt and 3 1/2 cups of the wheat flour for about 5 seconds on lowest speed. It won't be mixed all the way, and that is okay! Once the yeast has doubled, add in yeast, oil, flax and honey. Mix on low speed for about 5 seconds. Slowly add in the rest of the flour (2 1/2 cups), and then let mix for 10 minutes on low speed. Divide the dough into two equal loaves, and place on two lightly floured towels. Fold the towels over so they are covering the loaves, and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake loaves in a lightly greased loaf pan (with coconut oil) at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. It should have a nice crust that is golden on top.

* I had to bake the loaves for almost an extra 10 minutes. 

Since I had planned on making this bread ahead of time I wanted to make something for dinner that would incorporate the fresh baked goodness. Soup, duh! I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple days earlier so I figured this would be the perfect time to try it out. I had to deviate from a couple of the ingredients because of what I had in my kitchen, but it still turned out excellent.
  
Lemon Chicken Soup with Tortellini 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1 Leek, white and light green parts only, cut into half-moons (I omitted this ingredient because I didn't have one.)
• 1 Carrot, chopped (I used a 1 lb. bag of frozen peas & carrots)
• 6 cups good quality Chicken Stock (I used 8 cups of Organic Chicken Broth)
• 2 1-inch cubes Parmesan Cheese (I used 2 Tbsp of shredded Parmesan Cheese)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 package (9 ounces) Fresh Cheese Tortellini (I used a 19 oz. package)
• ½ cup Frozen Peas (I used a 1 lb. bag of frozen peas & carrots)
• 2 cups Baby Spinach
• 1 Lemon, juiced

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the leeks and the carrots (I added the 1lb bag of frozen peas & carrots at this time); cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the broth (I used 2 additional cups of broth because I used a bigger package of tortellini) and cheese; bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tortellini; boil for 7-9 minutes or until cooked through. Reduce heat and stir in the peas (if you're not using the mixed frozen veggies) and spinach; simmer until spinach is wilted. Stir in the lemon juice.

Guest Speaker

I am so excited for this week's Get Fit Friday post because one of my crazy gal pals, Jenelle, has decided to share the inside scoop on what it's really like to train for a marathon! While I don't see myself running a marathon anywhere in the near future, running a half marathon in the next few years doesn't seem like a completely unattainable goal. Especially, after reading through her experience and knowing that I am not alone when I endure all of the trials and tribulations that come with running.

Let me start off by clarifying: I AM NOT A RUNNER.

Running in every sense of the word evokes the following reactions in me: tears, pain, vomit – repeat. So when I started wanting to train for a marathon, I toyed with the idea for riiiiight around …. 3 years. I would train for two months, and then get bored and lazy. However, to give myself credibility (as I am writing a segment about marathon training) I lived in the snow capital of the country (Rochester, New York – about 45 minutes from Buffalo and 3 hours from the big apple) for that period of time. It was horrendous, and after most runs I’d end up sounding like a chain smoker of 50 years (my lungs couldn’t handle it!).

After moving to Seattle last March – I began to get slightly more motivated. However, I took about two months to learn the tricks of the trade – and to essentially put off the running portion as long as I could. Here’s what most runners won’t tell you unless you are annoyingly persistent (which, luckily for all of you, I am):

The Feet

     Say goodbye to your pinky nail, and many others, and get used to just painting skin. I lost mine about 3 months ago, and get many dirty looks from the lady doing my pedicure.

Nipple chafe is all the rage
     This little clip should prepare you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzwf8O4ZCKk

The Toilet Talk
     It suddenly becomes acceptable to talk about pooping, honey-buckets, and “the runners trots” (which is a term coined by many runners – or so I’m told). Essentially, it is my number one goal in all races not to crap my pants.

The pants
     When you find those jeans that accommodate your waist-to-butt-to-thigh ratio, it is a sign that God loves you and wants you to be happy (this rule does not necessarily apply to guys – yep. That’s how cruel this world is)

Shoes
     I always imagined spending ridiculous amounts of money on those red bottomed beauties (for guys that’s a really painful shoe called a Louboutin) However, now my allegiance to my $150 running shoe is stronger than Carrie Bradshaw’s to Manolos.

Now that I was officially scared, I cried into my wine glass, kissed my pinky toe nails goodbye and started training.

The first couple weeks suck – I’ll be honest. You’re sore, you have blisters the size of a watermelon (and some with that are inception style – aka blisters inside of blisters inside of blisters), and you really only have tunnel vision of how far you have to go. I am here to say that IT DOES GET BETTER. The best part though is it’s a major stress reliever - I used to work as a concierge at a hotel, with ever stride I imagined stepping on the heads of those overly annoying guests). Another thing to help make the process better, is finding a training app that will best suit your needs and keep you motivated.

There is one little app that has been my friend throughout this whole process (well besides ad-free Pandora) and it is one made by ASICS (read more about it here: http://run.myasics.com/running-apps/index.html). It’s basically a personal trainer that doesn’t yell at you – or make you feel like a fat lazy piece of crap. The statistic is 78% of runners who follow their plan until the end will succeed – I fully believe this. That’s why this little app is amazing – it helps keep you on track. The app will help you plan routes, give you tips, and plan out each week of your training process.

Today, I am still training (it’s been about 3 months). However, I have signed up for my first half-marathon (the Seattle Women’s Marathon in November).  Yes, I know I talked up running a marathon this whole time, buuut BABY STEPS PEOPLE!!! I will keep you posted on the process – that is if I’m not fired by Jodie after this post.

Hopefully you have enjoyed Jenelle's words of wisdom and you can relate to her experience on some level. Her journey has given me the extra encouragement I need on those days when I just don't feel like lacing my shoes up or want to quit. So for this, I thank you Jenelle! 

Running the Disney Princess Half Marathon is on my Bucket List!

Reason for the Season

We've been in New Jersey for a little over a year now and I don't have many positive things to say about it. The weather is awful and unpredictable, paying tolls is just a pain in the rear, it seems like everything is way more expensive, and we have to drive at least 45 minutes to get to a decent restaurant, the mall, and the movie theater. Because we have to drive so far to get anywhere worth going, we hardly ever go out, but when we do, we make sure it's worth our while. Going to Seasons 52 is definitely fits the bill!

Seasons 52 is this incredible restaurant that prepares fresh foods with appropriate portion sizes. They're definitely health conscious, but they celebrate eating well. They use natural cooking techniques like wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking and caramelizing vegetables so that the natural flavors take center stage. And because they use fresh, good-for-you foods everything on their menu is 475 calories or less! SCORE!

Since my husband and I couldn't be with our families on Easter this year and neither of us is very religious, we still wanted to do something to make the day special. Perfection.So we got dressed up, got out of the house and ventured out to our favorite place for a special Easter Sunday brunch together.

We shared a Lobster and Mozzarella Flatbread Appetizer that was out of this world and my husband enjoyed a Ginger Beer  Cocktail that was made with Organic Vodka and fresh Lime juice while I sipped on some Jam Jar sweet white wine.

I had the most perfect Baby Spinach Salad with fresh Spring Strawberries, toasted Pine Nuts, crumbles of Gorgonzola Cheese,
and a splash of Vinaigrette. Perfection. 

Even though I don't find myself to be a very religious person, I still consider Easter a special holiday. For me, family and togetherness is what constitutes the special Sunday that is celebrated every year. And even though I was far from my mom, dad, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, it meant the world to me to share the treasured day with my husband because, simply, he is my family now.

With that, regardless what you did, or who you were with, I hope you all had a beautiful day. I know I sure did.

My Most Amazing Mani

Since we've moved to New Jersey, I hardly ever get my nails done anymore. It's been my experience that the places near us are either way too expensive or just not up to par so I'll only go once every couple months. I've been wanting to try a gel manicure for awhile now because I've heard that your manicure lasts much longer than a regular mani. However, after having a conversation with a co-worker last Thursday my feelings shifted. She happens to frequent the same nail salon that I use when I decide to treat myself and she was explaining that they have an even better and simpler process using a powder. It's called Signature Nail System (SNS) and it's life changing!

I will never get a normal manicure ever again. For me, it's like having natural acrylic nails, if that makes sense. My nails feel strong and the results should last 3-4 weeks. And the best part; you don't have to sit and wait around the nail salon while your nails dry and yet still worry about smudging them when you put your seat belt on or reach in your purse or whatever the heck usually does the trick. I HIGHLY recommend the next time you go see your nail professional that you ask about this amazing SNS process because it is fab, fab, fab!

Five k Schmive k

Today's Get Fit Friday post is a cause for celebration; I conquered my first official 5k today ladies and gentlemen! Even though this isn't the longest distance I've run (almost 7 miles back in October), this was my first actual race and I'm feeling pretty darn accomplished. In my Get Fit Friday post last week I mentioned how I started using the Couch to 10k app to help me get back in shape for distance running again because I spent a lot of winter doing HIIT. I kind of jumped the gun a little because this is only week 2 of the 14 week program, but the weather has been so nice (well, it was when I made the decision to sign up anyways) and it was a fun theme so I figured I would just go for it. My boss even asked me to wear a GoPro camera while I ran so that we could use it as a marketing tool for future 5k's that our squadron hosts. I'm hoping I can get the condensed version of the footage to share on here after my boss edits the footage! I was also lucky enough to have my husband join me, which made it even more special. He was even sweet enough to stay back with me and encourage me when I was falling behind. Aww!

I had 3 goals for myself going into the race this afternoon:

1. Don't walk
2. Don't be last.
3. Finish under 35 minutes

I achieved all three! In fact, I surpassed my goal time by almost 6 minutes! Happy girl, right here!

Also, I love my PolalFT4 watch. And not just because it's green either ;). It gives me a more precise feedback and activity from my workouts and I love the fact that I can visually see when I'm in my fat-burning zone so I can maintain that intensity.

**I'm super excited to announce that next Friday I will feature a little something written by one of my dear friends who is opening up about her marathon training experience so make sure you stay tuned!**