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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Finishing Off Well
I have struggled this weekend with keeping my "no sugar" rule under control. For real; its bad.
My oldest had a friend birthday party to go to today, and the mother made the most delicious cake. I wasn't going to have any, but it was one of those moments where I feel I would have really offended her if I didn't have some. Well the "I am only going to have a bite" rule went out the window as soon as I bit into it because I have the biggest sweet tooth. To make matters worse, I helped Deagan's finish his too! It was so good, but I felt sooo blah afterwards.
I am frustrated with myself for not having more self control. I know I can do better than this! I need to get it together big time.
I didn't get the chance to work out this morning, and I didn't think I would get a workout in. But Greg being the great man that he is, motivated me to workout after the boys were in bed. I am so grateful for him for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest things that I love about him is that he pushes me to be a better person. He makes me go outside of my comfort zone, and I love him so much for that. I managed to get over an hour workout in tonight; 45 minute stationary bike while watching "Gilmore Girls" (I thought of you Chelsea!:)) and then 20 minutes free weights. I felt 10x better afterwards!
I am so glad that I finished off this week well!
My oldest had a friend birthday party to go to today, and the mother made the most delicious cake. I wasn't going to have any, but it was one of those moments where I feel I would have really offended her if I didn't have some. Well the "I am only going to have a bite" rule went out the window as soon as I bit into it because I have the biggest sweet tooth. To make matters worse, I helped Deagan's finish his too! It was so good, but I felt sooo blah afterwards.
I am frustrated with myself for not having more self control. I know I can do better than this! I need to get it together big time.
I didn't get the chance to work out this morning, and I didn't think I would get a workout in. But Greg being the great man that he is, motivated me to workout after the boys were in bed. I am so grateful for him for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest things that I love about him is that he pushes me to be a better person. He makes me go outside of my comfort zone, and I love him so much for that. I managed to get over an hour workout in tonight; 45 minute stationary bike while watching "Gilmore Girls" (I thought of you Chelsea!:)) and then 20 minutes free weights. I felt 10x better afterwards!
I am so glad that I finished off this week well!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Loving this...or at least getting to love this
I feel like I am slipping lately, and I am getting extremely frustrated with myself. That is something I am trying to work on, so forgive me for complaining a bit. I just wish I had more self-control. Sugar; you are too good but so bad.
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| Bug eyes and chipmunk cheeks |
Swimming is a great workout! Here are some of the benefits of swimming:
-Total body workout! You use almost every part of your body, which helps to build a leaner, meaner body.
-Low risk of injury. This is huge for me because bad knees run in my family, and this is a great exercise for me to help me "save" my knees. Swimming is totally low to no impact.
-Improved blood pressure
-Relieves stress. This is one of the biggest things that I have noticed about swimming and actually exercising in general. It relieves all my built up stress, and I just feel so good when I am done!
Friday, March 4, 2011
March is National Nutrition Month!
March is National Nutrition Month! A whole month dedicated to eating healthy. I love this!
The idea of "eating right with color" I think is a great way to help you focus on eating a variety of of healthy foods.
When I make a meal, I like it to contain lots of colors. The more color the better because the more nutrients you are getting!
Here are a few of my favorite color foods:
Red:
-Red Peppers
-Red Delicious Apples
-Strawberries (But really only in smoothies. I never seem to have luck buying them and they eventually go to waste)
-Raspberries
Orange: (I think I need to expand my orange food repertoire)
-Orange Pepper
-Carrots
-Sweet Potatoes
-Oranges
Yellow:
-Bananas
-Yellow Pepper (Can you tell I like peppers?)
Green:
-Golden Delicious Apples
-Spinach
-Broccoli
-String Beans
-Celery
-Peas
-Green Pepper
-Pears
Purple:
-Purple Cabbage (I love to put this on top of my salads or steamed veggies!)
-Grapes
I need to do better about eating a wider variety of colored fruits and veggies, but I feel I have a good start! I tend to stay with the same stuff all the time, but I know what I like.
Next time you make a meal, try to get as much color in it as possible and your body will thank you! And so will the scale:)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Out of my comfort zone
I posted previously about looking into doing a sprint triathalon. Our local gym is starting a training program this week, and I am nervously going to do it. Tonight I am going to a swim clinic, and I am really actually dreading it.
That sounds depressing I know, but swimming is not my strong suit. That is part of the reason I am doing this; so I can get better, but I am nervous. I am nervous that I am going to be the weakest one there, and that I will feel dumb.
I was talking to Greg yesterday about my past swimming experiences, and I remembered all the negative experiences I have had. (Belly flopping off the diving board in gym class in front of my PE class, being on the swim team and being the worst person, belly flopping off the starting block in a swim meet because the pool was way shallow and I was afraid I was going to break my neck.) And those are only part of my experiences. It brought back all those negative feelings, and I have seriously considered just backing out completely
of this crazy idea. Greg has convinced me to atleast go to the first clinic tonight before I make a decision (he is such a patient man with me) so we will see how I feel when I get home tonight.
But I am really nervous! Change makes me nervous. But we don't grow if we don't step out of our comfort zone right?
****I survived the swim clinic!! While I realized that I have a LONG ways to go, I also realized that I am have real potential, and that makes me really excited to get out in the pool again soon and to get better. I will definitely be moving to a much lower level, but I want to stick with this!!********
That sounds depressing I know, but swimming is not my strong suit. That is part of the reason I am doing this; so I can get better, but I am nervous. I am nervous that I am going to be the weakest one there, and that I will feel dumb.
I was talking to Greg yesterday about my past swimming experiences, and I remembered all the negative experiences I have had. (Belly flopping off the diving board in gym class in front of my PE class, being on the swim team and being the worst person, belly flopping off the starting block in a swim meet because the pool was way shallow and I was afraid I was going to break my neck.) And those are only part of my experiences. It brought back all those negative feelings, and I have seriously considered just backing out completely
of this crazy idea. Greg has convinced me to atleast go to the first clinic tonight before I make a decision (he is such a patient man with me) so we will see how I feel when I get home tonight.
But I am really nervous! Change makes me nervous. But we don't grow if we don't step out of our comfort zone right?
****I survived the swim clinic!! While I realized that I have a LONG ways to go, I also realized that I am have real potential, and that makes me really excited to get out in the pool again soon and to get better. I will definitely be moving to a much lower level, but I want to stick with this!!********
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Grocery budget
Whenever I go groccery shopping I come home feeling torn. I always feel like I spend too much money on food so I feel guilty about that, but then at the same time I feel happy that I have lots of healthy options for my family to eat. I struggle big time sticking to a groccery budget, and I have decided I need to be more frugal with my shopping. Lately I have felt more guilt than satisfaction when I get home from shopping, so that is my cue that I need to make some goals and form a plan to reach those goals if I want to see any change
Currently, I do plan a weekly menu and I am pretty good about sticking to that plan. This is something that I struggled with in the past, so I am happy with the progress I have made in this area. We eat lots of healthy and yummy meals in our house, and that makes me feel good about my role as a homemaker. I only plan dinner at this point, but I am thinking I will start to plan our other meals and snacks too. I think the more planning I do I will be more organized and that will help me to avoid some impulse buys.
So here are some goals that I am setting to helps me become a more frugal groccery shopper:
-My weekly budget will be around $125. Some weeks might be less, considering on if I need to stalk up on anything like meat or canned goods.
-To help me reach that goal, I will bring a calculator to the store with me to help me kelp track of where I am at.
-I will have all my meals planned out and my list written up before I head to the store so I know exactly what I need.
-I will stick to my list! This is a struggle for me, so this could be hard for a while b
-I will try to plan more meatless meals to help cut on costs.
Now I want to bring my groccery bill down, but I don't want to sacrifice on health. I am determined to keep feeding my family well on a smaller budget
I am currently stocked up on food, so I should not have to go shopping for a week or 2 (i am hoping 2!) I am going to try really hard to "shop" in my pantry and use what I have on hand before I do a big trip again. I will try to post my meal plan on here as well to help me feel accountable to this endeavor.
Do you have a grccery budget? If so, how do you stick with it? Any good tips you can pass along?
Currently, I do plan a weekly menu and I am pretty good about sticking to that plan. This is something that I struggled with in the past, so I am happy with the progress I have made in this area. We eat lots of healthy and yummy meals in our house, and that makes me feel good about my role as a homemaker. I only plan dinner at this point, but I am thinking I will start to plan our other meals and snacks too. I think the more planning I do I will be more organized and that will help me to avoid some impulse buys.
So here are some goals that I am setting to helps me become a more frugal groccery shopper:
-My weekly budget will be around $125. Some weeks might be less, considering on if I need to stalk up on anything like meat or canned goods.
-To help me reach that goal, I will bring a calculator to the store with me to help me kelp track of where I am at.
-I will have all my meals planned out and my list written up before I head to the store so I know exactly what I need.
-I will stick to my list! This is a struggle for me, so this could be hard for a while b
-I will try to plan more meatless meals to help cut on costs.
Now I want to bring my groccery bill down, but I don't want to sacrifice on health. I am determined to keep feeding my family well on a smaller budget
I am currently stocked up on food, so I should not have to go shopping for a week or 2 (i am hoping 2!) I am going to try really hard to "shop" in my pantry and use what I have on hand before I do a big trip again. I will try to post my meal plan on here as well to help me feel accountable to this endeavor.
Do you have a grccery budget? If so, how do you stick with it? Any good tips you can pass along?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Drink Your Water!
Last week I made the goal to drink a gallon of water a day. That's a lot of water right!?
I had thought about doing it before, but it just seemed like a huge amount of water, and I didn't think I would be able to do it. But one night I decided that I would fill up a container with a gallon of water and made sure it would all be gone by the end of the day. Well the next day I had all that water gone by dinner! I was surprised how easy it was to get it all in one day, and now I am hooked. I have done this for a week now, and I am committed to keep it up. It helps with those mid afternoon munchies and before bed time munchies, which are my biggest downsides to healthy eating.
Now the downside of drinking this much water means a lot of potty breaks, but I'll take it! I love how refreshed and hydrated I feel, and it just feels good to do something good for your body.
Have you had your water for the day??
I had thought about doing it before, but it just seemed like a huge amount of water, and I didn't think I would be able to do it. But one night I decided that I would fill up a container with a gallon of water and made sure it would all be gone by the end of the day. Well the next day I had all that water gone by dinner! I was surprised how easy it was to get it all in one day, and now I am hooked. I have done this for a week now, and I am committed to keep it up. It helps with those mid afternoon munchies and before bed time munchies, which are my biggest downsides to healthy eating.
Now the downside of drinking this much water means a lot of potty breaks, but I'll take it! I love how refreshed and hydrated I feel, and it just feels good to do something good for your body.
Have you had your water for the day??
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Get Great Legs | Page 2 | Active.com
Get Great Legs | Page 2 | Active.com
I saw this link to a great leg workout. I plan on doing this tomorrow, and so should you!! We all want great legs don't we :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Trying Something New
I have been having a lot of pain in my right knee lately, so I have been trying to take it easy but still get in good workouts. Almost seems like an oxymoron doesn't it? Either way, it has been really hard emotionally and physically for me. I do not like being injured one bit!
I went to the Dr this past week and they recommend that I start physical therapy again, and if that doesn't work I will have to get an MRI or something. I almost wish I could get an MRI first because I really think there is something wrong with my knee, but because of insurance purposes I have to follow a certain order of things. So for now, we are going to go that route and see where it takes me.
I have still be working out everyday, but with pain. Yesterday I had a really blah workout. I could not get over the pain and I was just in this slump. It was not fun at all. I got done feeling glad that I still managed to get an hour in, but I just feel frustrated! The rest of the day did not go so well either, so I was so glad to start a new day today and get a fresh perspective on things again.
I was running late to work this morning, so I ended up running there. (It is like 1/4 of a mile from our place, so I actually normally run there anyway. But since I was running late, I was basically sprinting. As soon as I got to work I knew that I had pushed it too hard with my knee, and I could hardly bend it.
I came home, and we had planned on going to local gym to work out. I was nervous about going though because of my knee, but I took some Ibuprofen and decided to swim instead. That was the best decision of the day because my knee feels 10x better this afternoon. I am in no way a good swimmer, but I know how to not drown. I swam a half mile and felt like I got a good workout in, but to be honest I have this itch to go run outside as well since it is so lovely here today.
But because of the swim today I had the thought to train for a sprint triathlon. Our gym is starting a training program this next week for FREE, so I think I am going to do it. Now I know I have been complaining about having a hurt knee, but I plan on being smart about it and not overdoing it too much. I will listen to my body and if it hurts, I will stop. A sprint triathlon consists of three events; a .45 mile swim, 13.2 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. Tough, but doable I think with the right amount of training!
Another reason I thought about doing a sprint triathlon is because I want to conquer my fear that I have of open water. I know it might sound like a silly fear to some people, but to me it is real. I am extremely afraid of water for some reason. It is something I want to conquer, so I am hoping that by doing this I will be able to get over that fear.
*****I wrote the beginning part of this post last night, but I am happy to say that my knee feels a lot better today still and I contribute it all to the swimming. I am definately going to keep this up because I love not being in as much pain!
Oh and the weather in this area is really weird; yesterday it was 54 degrees and today there was a mega blizzard with winds over 50 mph and the temperature was close to 0. Crazy right!
I miss warmth!***
I have a lot of recipes I hope to post tonight or over the next few days because I have found a lot of keepers!
I went to the Dr this past week and they recommend that I start physical therapy again, and if that doesn't work I will have to get an MRI or something. I almost wish I could get an MRI first because I really think there is something wrong with my knee, but because of insurance purposes I have to follow a certain order of things. So for now, we are going to go that route and see where it takes me.
I have still be working out everyday, but with pain. Yesterday I had a really blah workout. I could not get over the pain and I was just in this slump. It was not fun at all. I got done feeling glad that I still managed to get an hour in, but I just feel frustrated! The rest of the day did not go so well either, so I was so glad to start a new day today and get a fresh perspective on things again.
I was running late to work this morning, so I ended up running there. (It is like 1/4 of a mile from our place, so I actually normally run there anyway. But since I was running late, I was basically sprinting. As soon as I got to work I knew that I had pushed it too hard with my knee, and I could hardly bend it.
I came home, and we had planned on going to local gym to work out. I was nervous about going though because of my knee, but I took some Ibuprofen and decided to swim instead. That was the best decision of the day because my knee feels 10x better this afternoon. I am in no way a good swimmer, but I know how to not drown. I swam a half mile and felt like I got a good workout in, but to be honest I have this itch to go run outside as well since it is so lovely here today.
But because of the swim today I had the thought to train for a sprint triathlon. Our gym is starting a training program this next week for FREE, so I think I am going to do it. Now I know I have been complaining about having a hurt knee, but I plan on being smart about it and not overdoing it too much. I will listen to my body and if it hurts, I will stop. A sprint triathlon consists of three events; a .45 mile swim, 13.2 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. Tough, but doable I think with the right amount of training!
Another reason I thought about doing a sprint triathlon is because I want to conquer my fear that I have of open water. I know it might sound like a silly fear to some people, but to me it is real. I am extremely afraid of water for some reason. It is something I want to conquer, so I am hoping that by doing this I will be able to get over that fear.
*****I wrote the beginning part of this post last night, but I am happy to say that my knee feels a lot better today still and I contribute it all to the swimming. I am definately going to keep this up because I love not being in as much pain!
Oh and the weather in this area is really weird; yesterday it was 54 degrees and today there was a mega blizzard with winds over 50 mph and the temperature was close to 0. Crazy right!
I miss warmth!***
I have a lot of recipes I hope to post tonight or over the next few days because I have found a lot of keepers!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Out of Sync
I think with the sicknesses and my hubby being gone, I have really been out of my routine with nutrition, and I am really frustrated with myself! I know I am probably being too hard on myself, but I know better. I know I can eat better than I am. It is easy for me to get really down with myself in this area when I "mess up" so it is something that I am working on, but I am not there yet.
Starting tomorrow I am going to get back into gear! I am going to record what I eat, not snack between snacks and meals. I will drink a gallon of water. (This was a challenge on trainermomma.com's website, and I know that when I drink more water I graze less.) I am going to try and workout before the boys wake up, but I will plan on going to the YMCA if they wake up during my workout time. (They have been doing this lately; getting up a lot earlier than they are ready to.)
I think I am also kind of on edge because I have been experiencing a lot of pain in my knees and ankles lately. I had problem with one of my knees this past year, but after going through physical therapy the pain went away. Well a different pain is here now, and it kind of is scaring me because my right knee feels a little unstable. Not good. I am going to the Dr. tomorrow to have it looked at, but to be honest I am really scared they are going to tell me to stop working out. I don't know if I can do that and not go crazy. It is a part of my every day life like taking a shower is. I know that things happen for a reason, so I will just handle what is given to me, but I have to be honest and say that I am scared. Bad knees run in my family, and I think I may be inheriting that trait. I don't know how I feel about this though because I can't imagine NOT running.
I know I am being a total downer here, and I am sorry for doing so but I am just out of sync and need to snap out of it! Maybe writing it down will help me to get back into gear.
Here is to hoping for a good report from the Dr tomorrow, or at least some answer to my pain.
Starting tomorrow I am going to get back into gear! I am going to record what I eat, not snack between snacks and meals. I will drink a gallon of water. (This was a challenge on trainermomma.com's website, and I know that when I drink more water I graze less.) I am going to try and workout before the boys wake up, but I will plan on going to the YMCA if they wake up during my workout time. (They have been doing this lately; getting up a lot earlier than they are ready to.)
I think I am also kind of on edge because I have been experiencing a lot of pain in my knees and ankles lately. I had problem with one of my knees this past year, but after going through physical therapy the pain went away. Well a different pain is here now, and it kind of is scaring me because my right knee feels a little unstable. Not good. I am going to the Dr. tomorrow to have it looked at, but to be honest I am really scared they are going to tell me to stop working out. I don't know if I can do that and not go crazy. It is a part of my every day life like taking a shower is. I know that things happen for a reason, so I will just handle what is given to me, but I have to be honest and say that I am scared. Bad knees run in my family, and I think I may be inheriting that trait. I don't know how I feel about this though because I can't imagine NOT running.
I know I am being a total downer here, and I am sorry for doing so but I am just out of sync and need to snap out of it! Maybe writing it down will help me to get back into gear.
Here is to hoping for a good report from the Dr tomorrow, or at least some answer to my pain.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Sickos!
This little guy has been pukey the past couple of days, which makes it hard to workout since he wants to be held all the time. Luckily, my hubby is the best and helps me to find time to get a workout in. Thanks hun!
Yesterday I was trying to finish up a few weights, and Kayden really wanted to be held, so I just used him as my weights:
He loved it, and it did make these wall squats a lot more intense!
I am hoping our little family gets back to full health soon because this is by far the yuckiest sickness there is :S
I hope you are all staying healthy!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Whole Wheat Flax Crepes
Workout:
15 min HiiT on my bike trainer
45 min Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism DVD
**I can't wait until it is warm again; I am going a little stir crazy working out inside everyday!
The baby has a cold and did not nap well this morning, which is when I normally workout. I felt bad but I may or may not have let him cry for an extra 5 minutes so I could finish my workout. Darn winter colds! Either way, I burned some calories and I felt nice and tired afterwards!
***********************************
Today was a crazy day, and I felt like making something easy for dinner. We like breakfast in our house, but I personally am getting tired of eating pancakes all the time, so we made crepes tonight. So yummy!!
Whole Wheat Flax Crepes
3 eggs
2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 T butter (I used applesauce instead)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
*I added the rest just because I wanted to*
1 T wheat germ
1 T ground flax seed
1/4 tsp almond extract (I love this stuff right now for some reason! I have been putting it in everything.)
*Blend all ingredients in a blender and pour 2-3 T of batter in a pan; tilting the pan to spread the batter all over the pan.
Cook 1-2 on each side.
My batch made about 12 crepes.
Easy right!
Topping Ideas:
-Greek yogurt
-fresh fruit
-Whip Cream
-Syrup
-Peanut Butter
-Fruit sauce (like this blueberry glaze)
-Anything else your heart desires! The possibilities are endless!
15 min HiiT on my bike trainer
45 min Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism DVD
**I can't wait until it is warm again; I am going a little stir crazy working out inside everyday!
The baby has a cold and did not nap well this morning, which is when I normally workout. I felt bad but I may or may not have let him cry for an extra 5 minutes so I could finish my workout. Darn winter colds! Either way, I burned some calories and I felt nice and tired afterwards!
***********************************
Today was a crazy day, and I felt like making something easy for dinner. We like breakfast in our house, but I personally am getting tired of eating pancakes all the time, so we made crepes tonight. So yummy!!
 |
| Not my picture; I am not a food artist |
3 eggs
2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 T butter (I used applesauce instead)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
*I added the rest just because I wanted to*
1 T wheat germ
1 T ground flax seed
1/4 tsp almond extract (I love this stuff right now for some reason! I have been putting it in everything.)
*Blend all ingredients in a blender and pour 2-3 T of batter in a pan; tilting the pan to spread the batter all over the pan.
Cook 1-2 on each side.
My batch made about 12 crepes.
Easy right!
Topping Ideas:
-Greek yogurt
-fresh fruit
-Whip Cream
-Syrup
-Peanut Butter
-Fruit sauce (like this blueberry glaze)
-Anything else your heart desires! The possibilities are endless!
Monday, February 7, 2011
My Choice
One thing that I love about Greg so much is that he pushes me and inspires me to be a better person.
He sees potential in me that I don't see, and encourages me to go outside of my comfort zone. I love that!
Last night I was talking with a friend who is pregnant, and we were talking about how once she has her baby she is going to stay home with her baby. I personally think this is such a great choice obviously since I have chosen to stay home with my kids, but she expressed concern about what others will think and say about her choice. Isn't that sad? Isn't it sad that we have to justify our choice to stay home with our children instead of putting them in daycare? While I don't necessarily disagree with the daycare setting, I do disagree with this stigma that stay at home moms have been given. Somehow because you are a stay at home mom you are lazy, selfish, etc? Of course not!!
There was a link going around facebook today of an article that added to these thoughts. Read it here.
Being a stay at home mom is the hardest thing that I have ever done, but I wouldn't want my life to be any other way.
Back to why Greg is so important to this post; he encouraged me to be a voice for stay at home moms and to give encouragement to other women who have made the choice to stay home with their children. I am so passionate about this, and I hope that I will be given the chance to help other moms in the same situation because we need the support!
Now I know this blog has turned into a fitness/nutrition blog, but the main purpose of this blog is to talk about things that give me purpose and obviously one of my greatest purposes is being a mother. This is something I feel so strongly about.
I have chosen to stay home with my children, and I am working each day to become a healthy momma for my sweet babies.
He sees potential in me that I don't see, and encourages me to go outside of my comfort zone. I love that!
Last night I was talking with a friend who is pregnant, and we were talking about how once she has her baby she is going to stay home with her baby. I personally think this is such a great choice obviously since I have chosen to stay home with my kids, but she expressed concern about what others will think and say about her choice. Isn't that sad? Isn't it sad that we have to justify our choice to stay home with our children instead of putting them in daycare? While I don't necessarily disagree with the daycare setting, I do disagree with this stigma that stay at home moms have been given. Somehow because you are a stay at home mom you are lazy, selfish, etc? Of course not!!
There was a link going around facebook today of an article that added to these thoughts. Read it here.
Being a stay at home mom is the hardest thing that I have ever done, but I wouldn't want my life to be any other way.
Back to why Greg is so important to this post; he encouraged me to be a voice for stay at home moms and to give encouragement to other women who have made the choice to stay home with their children. I am so passionate about this, and I hope that I will be given the chance to help other moms in the same situation because we need the support!
Now I know this blog has turned into a fitness/nutrition blog, but the main purpose of this blog is to talk about things that give me purpose and obviously one of my greatest purposes is being a mother. This is something I feel so strongly about.
I have chosen to stay home with my children, and I am working each day to become a healthy momma for my sweet babies.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
These legs of mine are just plain tired!
This morning's workout was killer for me for some reason. I hate when that happens. I had every intention to do cardio for 30ish minutes and then get some weights in for another 30 minutes, but after the cardio I was done. I just felt off. I think a lot of it was that I ran 10 miles in the last 2 days, which I have not done for a long time, and that I get up by about 5 every week day morning. I think it was just my body's way of telling me to calm it down! And I listened.
With my new work schedule, I am exhausted by about 8 pm every night. Last night I was asleep at 8:30; on a Friday night. Man, you can tell we are a couple of boring married people. My poor husband wanted to do something, but I was useless. He ended up staying up for a while and catching up on our favorite shows; The Office, Parks and Recreations, and Parenthood. I would like to go back and watch the new episodes as well, but I probably wont. The only time I have to do anything fun like that is after the kids are in bed and the only thing I want to do then is go to bed too!
Apparently in my incoherent state last night I checked my voice mail and sent someone a text message. I also ate a snack size box of raisins. All of which I have little to no memory of. Kind of creepy isn't it? I hope I am not becoming one of those people who eat in their sleep and can't figure out why they are gaining weight. That would be really weird.
After a lovely lunch of leftover sausage and rice casserole, wrapped in a flat out wrap (have you had these yet? If not, please try them. They are so delicious and half the calories of a normal sandwich!) with a big side of green beans, I was feeling much better and ready to tackle my Saturday to-do list. (I don't know about you, but my Saturday to-do list is always daunting and I hardly ever get any of it done.) But I also was really craving something sweet but I wanted to keep it nutritious. I was craving chocolate, but that is really not an option right now so I blended up skim milk, cocoa powder, half of a banana and some splenda in the blender and it totally took the edge off my sweet craving. It was so delicious and I think I may have found my new favorite snack.
I did manage to get most of the things done on my list, so I am ending this wonderful Saturday feeling good and ready for a day of rest tomorrow. My body is still so tired today, so after I work on a lesson for church tomorrow I am calling it a day early. (My hubby is at work until late tonight so I don't feel too bad for being lame on a Saturday night.)
I hope you all have had a lovely weekend so far and that you have a wonderful day of rest tomorrow!
With my new work schedule, I am exhausted by about 8 pm every night. Last night I was asleep at 8:30; on a Friday night. Man, you can tell we are a couple of boring married people. My poor husband wanted to do something, but I was useless. He ended up staying up for a while and catching up on our favorite shows; The Office, Parks and Recreations, and Parenthood. I would like to go back and watch the new episodes as well, but I probably wont. The only time I have to do anything fun like that is after the kids are in bed and the only thing I want to do then is go to bed too!
Apparently in my incoherent state last night I checked my voice mail and sent someone a text message. I also ate a snack size box of raisins. All of which I have little to no memory of. Kind of creepy isn't it? I hope I am not becoming one of those people who eat in their sleep and can't figure out why they are gaining weight. That would be really weird.
After a lovely lunch of leftover sausage and rice casserole, wrapped in a flat out wrap (have you had these yet? If not, please try them. They are so delicious and half the calories of a normal sandwich!) with a big side of green beans, I was feeling much better and ready to tackle my Saturday to-do list. (I don't know about you, but my Saturday to-do list is always daunting and I hardly ever get any of it done.) But I also was really craving something sweet but I wanted to keep it nutritious. I was craving chocolate, but that is really not an option right now so I blended up skim milk, cocoa powder, half of a banana and some splenda in the blender and it totally took the edge off my sweet craving. It was so delicious and I think I may have found my new favorite snack.
I did manage to get most of the things done on my list, so I am ending this wonderful Saturday feeling good and ready for a day of rest tomorrow. My body is still so tired today, so after I work on a lesson for church tomorrow I am calling it a day early. (My hubby is at work until late tonight so I don't feel too bad for being lame on a Saturday night.)
I hope you all have had a lovely weekend so far and that you have a wonderful day of rest tomorrow!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I did it! And lets be honest, I have the best husband ever:)
First off, I successfully went a WHOLE MONTH without eating dessert! Talk about a huge success! I am quite proud of myself:) Honestly, this is huge.
I had sugar for the first time last night and I was reminded why I gave it up in the first place; once I start, I can't stop! Talk about frustrating! I didn't go crazy or anything, but I did eat more than I was wanted to. I was so frustrated with myself for some reason, but I am feeling a little better about it now. Its all about perspective I guess. I have decided though that I am only going to eat desserts on date nights and maybe Sundays. I like feeling like I don't HAVE TO HAVE something; specifically sugar. (My mom is my inspiration in that because she went a WHOLE year without eating chocolate and my mom loves chocolate. Must be where I got it:)) Either way, I am happy to say I reached my goal! It feels good to do something that I set my mind to.
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Second, I have the best husband. He is perfect for me. He supports me in all that I do, and I am so lucky because of that. I am a little obsessive about getting a workout in everyday. A day just doesn't feel complete without one, and today was just not going well. I could tell it was going to be hard to get a workout in. I called my husband; frustrated and going off about something and he graciously offered to come home early so we could workout. When he got home, it became apparent that it wasn't going to workout that both of us could work out, so he sacrificed his workout to let me have mine. I was touched. So I got to get out for a while by myself and had a great workout; 7 miles in 57 minutes!! I was definitely not planning on running that much, but once I got going it felt so good and went as long as I could in the time I had. I came home refreshed and ready to be a better mom and wife.
I like reading about how to make a good marriage better, and I read recently that one of the best things you can do is to talk good about your husband to other people instead of talking bad. So I am putting it on the internet for all to see that I think I have the greatest husband ever. I love that he supports me in what I love, and I love him for that.
I had sugar for the first time last night and I was reminded why I gave it up in the first place; once I start, I can't stop! Talk about frustrating! I didn't go crazy or anything, but I did eat more than I was wanted to. I was so frustrated with myself for some reason, but I am feeling a little better about it now. Its all about perspective I guess. I have decided though that I am only going to eat desserts on date nights and maybe Sundays. I like feeling like I don't HAVE TO HAVE something; specifically sugar. (My mom is my inspiration in that because she went a WHOLE year without eating chocolate and my mom loves chocolate. Must be where I got it:)) Either way, I am happy to say I reached my goal! It feels good to do something that I set my mind to.
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Second, I have the best husband. He is perfect for me. He supports me in all that I do, and I am so lucky because of that. I am a little obsessive about getting a workout in everyday. A day just doesn't feel complete without one, and today was just not going well. I could tell it was going to be hard to get a workout in. I called my husband; frustrated and going off about something and he graciously offered to come home early so we could workout. When he got home, it became apparent that it wasn't going to workout that both of us could work out, so he sacrificed his workout to let me have mine. I was touched. So I got to get out for a while by myself and had a great workout; 7 miles in 57 minutes!! I was definitely not planning on running that much, but once I got going it felt so good and went as long as I could in the time I had. I came home refreshed and ready to be a better mom and wife.
I like reading about how to make a good marriage better, and I read recently that one of the best things you can do is to talk good about your husband to other people instead of talking bad. So I am putting it on the internet for all to see that I think I have the greatest husband ever. I love that he supports me in what I love, and I love him for that.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Perfect Winter Meal
I don't know about everyone else, but where I live it is cold, snowy, and gray. Most of the time I crave warm soup during this time of year, but my hubby does not like soup. I hardly ever make it, but today was definitely a soup day. So I ate this soup while he ate tomato soup. He was totally missing out:)
Now there are a million and one variations to making minestrone soup, but this is one that I got from my mother-in-law, and I love it! So yummy and so comforting on a cold winter night. Since I am the only one eating this, I have the next few days of lunches planned and I froze a big batch for the next time I am craving soup. This is one thing that I don't have to share and no one else cares! Minestrone Soup
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey (I used 93% fat free ground beef)
1/2 medium onion, chopped and diced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper (I had a yellow one on hand today)
10-15 baby carrots, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
4-5 cups water w/ added chicken boullion (I didn't have any chicken broth, so this is what I used. And I also don't like a lot of water in my soups, but you could add more water if you like it that way)
2 cans beans (any kind you want. I used garbanzo and cannelli because I had those on hand)
1 can green beans
2 cups spinach
2 T parsley
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T basil
1 bay leaf
1 cup whole wheat noodles, uncooked
Brown ground beef along with onion, celery, and pepper in a large pot. Drain off excess fat. (I actually rinse my meat under really hot water to reduce the fat content even more. Weird I know, but it makes me feel better!)
Next add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the carrots and pasta are tender. (I had some leftover whole wheat penne from another meal, so I actually added my cooked pasta at the very end.)
This soup is so yummy and so filling! And it makes a TON of soup.
Now I did not make these next items on the same night, but as I was posting this I realized that this combination would make the best combination for a complete winter meal.
Who doesn't love the smell of fresh cooked bread flowing through the house? I love it! I love to make my own bread because I know what is going in to it, and it just feels good to be domestic sometimes! I got this recipe from a woman in my parent's home ward, and we love it! The plus side is that it uses everything that you would find in food storage.
Whole Wheat Bread
2 3/4 cups warm water
1 T salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
5-6 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 T flax seed
2 T wheat germ
1 T yeast
Set to dough setting and let it do its thing! Check often as the dough is mixing in the beginning to make sure there is enough flour. You don't want it too sticky.
When it is done, seperate dough ball into two balls and place in bread pans.
Let rise 30-45 minutes or until desire height of bread.
Bake for 28 1/2 minutes, or until done at 350 degrees.
*I cover my loaves in foil while they bake so they don't get too brown.
Two loaves equals about 32 slices at 108 calories per slice.
Ok so you know the whole no sugar thing, well I have been finding ways to get a sweet taste without adding sugar, and here is another winner; poached pears. So good! Even my hubby was impressed!
Poached Pears
2 large pears, cut in half and peeled4 tsp butter
splenda
4 tsp lemon juice
4 tsp orange marmalade
sprinkle of cinnamon
Place pears in a greased pan (use pam or something like that) and place 1 tsp butter in the middle of each. sprinkle splenda, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Place marmalade in the middle of all of that. (I actually had a low sugar orange jam that I used and it was still yummy!)
Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Eat it hot or cold. Either way tastes yummy!!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Week 4(I think) and COLD weather workout
This past weekend was TOUGH!
There was a lady in our ward who had surgery so I made some yummy treats for her. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to eat them. Good thing they will be gone tonight because I don't know how much longer I can hold on. I just kept reminding myself how disappointed I would be if I slipped this close to the end of the month. ALMOST THERE!
Today has also kind of been a hard day in regards to eating. I desperately need to go to the store but it is FREEZING today!!! This morning it felt like -27 degrees! BRRR!!!! So needless to say the kids and I have not gone anywhere all day. Those make for hard days in regards to eating. I am doing OK since we don't have a lot of food, but I could do better. My plan is to brave the cold after the kids are in bed and stock up then. We will see if I feel that ambitious when the temperate drops tonight.
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Like I said, it is cold. My son's preschool was canceled so my window of working out while he was in school and the baby was napping was gone. I was still determined to work out though, so I did a full body workout from trainermomma.com (It is a rocking workout!) and by that time the baby was awake. (He has a cold and coughed the whole time he was asleep, so he did not nap well.) I still wanted to get some good cardio in, so I took both boys downstairs in the basement with me, strapped Kayden on the baby seat that is still attached to my bike on the trainer (I was glad at that moment that I had not taken that off), brought a few cars and toys for my oldest to play with, and did a 25 min HiiT bike workout. Considering the circumstances, it was a great workout! I am glad that I decided to just workout despite the conditions because I feel so much better than I would have if I had not worked out.
Now the baby is napping (has been for an hour! :)) and the older one is watching "Aristocats" while I catch up on a few things. I love these moments! :)
There was a lady in our ward who had surgery so I made some yummy treats for her. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to eat them. Good thing they will be gone tonight because I don't know how much longer I can hold on. I just kept reminding myself how disappointed I would be if I slipped this close to the end of the month. ALMOST THERE!
Today has also kind of been a hard day in regards to eating. I desperately need to go to the store but it is FREEZING today!!! This morning it felt like -27 degrees! BRRR!!!! So needless to say the kids and I have not gone anywhere all day. Those make for hard days in regards to eating. I am doing OK since we don't have a lot of food, but I could do better. My plan is to brave the cold after the kids are in bed and stock up then. We will see if I feel that ambitious when the temperate drops tonight.
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Like I said, it is cold. My son's preschool was canceled so my window of working out while he was in school and the baby was napping was gone. I was still determined to work out though, so I did a full body workout from trainermomma.com (It is a rocking workout!) and by that time the baby was awake. (He has a cold and coughed the whole time he was asleep, so he did not nap well.) I still wanted to get some good cardio in, so I took both boys downstairs in the basement with me, strapped Kayden on the baby seat that is still attached to my bike on the trainer (I was glad at that moment that I had not taken that off), brought a few cars and toys for my oldest to play with, and did a 25 min HiiT bike workout. Considering the circumstances, it was a great workout! I am glad that I decided to just workout despite the conditions because I feel so much better than I would have if I had not worked out.
Now the baby is napping (has been for an hour! :)) and the older one is watching "Aristocats" while I catch up on a few things. I love these moments! :)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Three Tangent Tuesday
Hungry Runner Girl has a tradition to share 3 random things about herself each Tuesday, so I thought I would carry the tradition over here.
3 random things you may not have known about me:
1-I am a twin but have not seen my twin sister in over 15 months!!! She is serving a full time mission right now for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but will be home April 20th! She is my best friend, and I miss her like crazy!!! She shares a love of fitness and nutrition with me as well!
2-I want to run a marathon some day. It seems kind of scary to me, but it is on my bucket list. I hope to do one before we have another baby. Hopefully this summer or next!
3-I am afraid of almost every body of water; oceans, lakes, rivers. I mean REALLY afraid. Pretty pathetic, but its true. My husband learned this the hard way when we were engaged. I agreed to go water skiing with him because I didn't want him to know what a whimp I was, and he was messing around and almost knocked me in the water. He knows now that I really am afraid and doesn't push the issue with me. I want to do a triathlon some day, but I don't think I will ever be able to because of the water issue.
Well, not really exciting things, but there you go!!
Happy Tuesday everyone!
3 random things you may not have known about me:
1-I am a twin but have not seen my twin sister in over 15 months!!! She is serving a full time mission right now for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but will be home April 20th! She is my best friend, and I miss her like crazy!!! She shares a love of fitness and nutrition with me as well!
2-I want to run a marathon some day. It seems kind of scary to me, but it is on my bucket list. I hope to do one before we have another baby. Hopefully this summer or next!
3-I am afraid of almost every body of water; oceans, lakes, rivers. I mean REALLY afraid. Pretty pathetic, but its true. My husband learned this the hard way when we were engaged. I agreed to go water skiing with him because I didn't want him to know what a whimp I was, and he was messing around and almost knocked me in the water. He knows now that I really am afraid and doesn't push the issue with me. I want to do a triathlon some day, but I don't think I will ever be able to because of the water issue.
Well, not really exciting things, but there you go!!
Happy Tuesday everyone!
Black bean burgers with sweet potato fries
I have been wanting to try more meatless recipes at least once a week, and this is my attempt at a meatless meal today. It was a big hit and our house, and I will definitely be making this meal again. So yummy!
Black Bean Burgers:
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 egg
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1/2 cup bread crumbs
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| I did not take this picture. I forgot once again to get one, but took this one from the internet. Ours looked very similar to this, so it works! |
***You can cook these a number of ways, but I baked mine in the oven since I was already baking the sweet potatoes at the same time. My oven was set to 425 degrees, but the recipe recommends 375***
-Preheat oven
-Mash black beans until thick and pasty
-In a food processor, chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans
-In small bowl, stir egg, chili powder, and cumin together
-Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into patties. (I had enough to make 6 patties)
-Place patties on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes each side.
We put our patties inside of a whole wheat pita and then topped it with your normal hamburger toppings
Yummy!! (Make sure you have some beano on hand though before you eat this meal; really, do.)
Sweet Potato Fries:
4 small sweet potatoes, sliced thin
1 T olive oil
Seasoning of choice (I used plain old seasoning salt)
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Slice up potatoes and place in plastic bag with oil until well coated.
-Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with seasoning salt
-Bake for 15 minutes on each side until crispy!
Some days I love running!
In fact, more often than not I love running, but running on a treadmill for 3+miles can get boring. I subscribe to a blog of a girl who ran a MARATHON on a treadmill yesterday; FOR FUN! She has some serious talent, so that is one thing. I however don't have a talent for running; just a love for it.
I got on the treadmill this afternoon not in the mood to run, so I just decided that I would do 10 minutes. I got to 10 minutes and added 10 more because I was feeling really good. I think reading that blog yesterday about her running a whole marathon in the treadmill inspired me because I just wanted to keep going. 40 minutes later I ran 5.3 miles! (Not speedy I know, but good for me!) I wasn't expecting to get that kind of workout in, but I felt so good afterwards! Some days running just feels great, and others it just feels like a chore. I am grateful that today was a good day!
I can't wait for the weather to get nice though so I can take my runs outdoors. I am excited to be able to strap my kids into the jogger and just go!
After my run this morning, I decided that I wanted to do another half marathon this summer. Now all I have to do is find a race and get going!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
What I do for exercise at home...
Everyone has their own personal preference on what type of exercise they want to do, but I wanted to share with you what I try to do every week.
I would love to be able to go the gym every day, but it is really hard to go every day with our schedule right now. Because of that, I have been building up workout stuff that I can do at home. I aim to workout for an hour a day 6 days a week with at least 30-40 minutes of cardio and then using the rest of time doing resistance training. (This can be tricky with the kids sometimes, but I try my best to get a workout in while the baby is napping and while my oldest is at Preschool. Most of the time it works out, but there are those days when it is a challenge.) I try to do resistance training at least twice a week, and on the days that I don't do that, try to spend the whole hour doing cardio. I do try to go to the local YMCA at least twice a week though to mix it up, and they have a great daycare there that I drop the kids off at while I workout. It can be tricky to go sometimes though because of trying to time naps and such, so we go when we can.
I have decided that once I am done working in the morning I will try to do my workouts in the early am because really that is the perfect time to do it with kids.
Here are a few things that I love right now...
-My favorite workout equipment that I have right now is my indoor trainer. I. LOVE. THIS. THING! It is by far the best investment for workout equipment that I have made up to this point. I would love to get a treadmill some day and maybe even an elliptical, but this works for now with our limited space and income. My foot has been hurting lately when I run, so I have been doing this most days. This sits in our basement, so it can get really boring. I try to do anywhere from 20-30 minutes using HIIT (high intensity interval training) and then add some kind of resistance training or more cardio upstairs afterwards. I have gone for an hour before, but like I said, it gets really boring. What I love about this is that you can change your resistance by changing your gears that your bike has. My indoor trainer has another attachment that you can use to increase resistance, but it broke recently so I just use my gears. I get a killer workout every time!
-Greg got me a kettlebell for Christmas, and it probably my second favorite thing. I recently bought Jillian Michael's Kettlebell workout. It is a great strength workout! My kettlebell also came with a set of exercises that I love to do as well.
-I like any workout that is quick but intense, so I really love Cathe Friederich's HiiT DVD. There are 3 workouts on the DVD. Each is about 20-25 minutes in length. All the workouts are super intense, and really get my heart rate going and I burn a ton of calories. If I am short on time, this is one of my favorite go to DVDs because I know I am going to get a killer workout. I would love to get more of Cathe's DVDs because all of her workouts are great, but they are so expensive. Maybe when we have more money I will try to stock up on her DVDs.
-I love my step bench as well. I have one DVD that I use most often with it, but it is a great fitness tool to add a quick cardio burst into your workout.
-I use resistance bands in the EA Sports workout that I talked about in a previous post, and I really have loved using them. I need to get higher quality bands though because I am in constant fear that they are going to snap when I use them. My husband and I tried P90x a few years back, and one did snap on him. One day I will get better ones, but for now they work.
-We have a couple flights of stairs in our apartment, so I like to use those to get a cardio burst in. Depending on my mood I will aim at running up and down them a certain number of times or for a certain time limit. We have neighbors on both sides of us, so I am sure they just love it when I do it. The joys of apartment living!
The one thing that I have learned about having to work out at home is that it takes creativity at times, so I constantly looking for ways to workout using what I have. It is fun to find new ways to get your heart racing. Like stepping up and down on a kitchen chair or doing jump up on a door frame. Or even dancing with the kids.
Not having access to a gym should not be an excuse to not be active because the possibilities really are endless. Be creative and fun with it!
I would love to be able to go the gym every day, but it is really hard to go every day with our schedule right now. Because of that, I have been building up workout stuff that I can do at home. I aim to workout for an hour a day 6 days a week with at least 30-40 minutes of cardio and then using the rest of time doing resistance training. (This can be tricky with the kids sometimes, but I try my best to get a workout in while the baby is napping and while my oldest is at Preschool. Most of the time it works out, but there are those days when it is a challenge.) I try to do resistance training at least twice a week, and on the days that I don't do that, try to spend the whole hour doing cardio. I do try to go to the local YMCA at least twice a week though to mix it up, and they have a great daycare there that I drop the kids off at while I workout. It can be tricky to go sometimes though because of trying to time naps and such, so we go when we can.
I have decided that once I am done working in the morning I will try to do my workouts in the early am because really that is the perfect time to do it with kids.
Here are a few things that I love right now...
-My favorite workout equipment that I have right now is my indoor trainer. I. LOVE. THIS. THING! It is by far the best investment for workout equipment that I have made up to this point. I would love to get a treadmill some day and maybe even an elliptical, but this works for now with our limited space and income. My foot has been hurting lately when I run, so I have been doing this most days. This sits in our basement, so it can get really boring. I try to do anywhere from 20-30 minutes using HIIT (high intensity interval training) and then add some kind of resistance training or more cardio upstairs afterwards. I have gone for an hour before, but like I said, it gets really boring. What I love about this is that you can change your resistance by changing your gears that your bike has. My indoor trainer has another attachment that you can use to increase resistance, but it broke recently so I just use my gears. I get a killer workout every time!
-Greg got me a kettlebell for Christmas, and it probably my second favorite thing. I recently bought Jillian Michael's Kettlebell workout. It is a great strength workout! My kettlebell also came with a set of exercises that I love to do as well.
-I like any workout that is quick but intense, so I really love Cathe Friederich's HiiT DVD. There are 3 workouts on the DVD. Each is about 20-25 minutes in length. All the workouts are super intense, and really get my heart rate going and I burn a ton of calories. If I am short on time, this is one of my favorite go to DVDs because I know I am going to get a killer workout. I would love to get more of Cathe's DVDs because all of her workouts are great, but they are so expensive. Maybe when we have more money I will try to stock up on her DVDs.
-I love my step bench as well. I have one DVD that I use most often with it, but it is a great fitness tool to add a quick cardio burst into your workout.
-I use resistance bands in the EA Sports workout that I talked about in a previous post, and I really have loved using them. I need to get higher quality bands though because I am in constant fear that they are going to snap when I use them. My husband and I tried P90x a few years back, and one did snap on him. One day I will get better ones, but for now they work.
-We have a couple flights of stairs in our apartment, so I like to use those to get a cardio burst in. Depending on my mood I will aim at running up and down them a certain number of times or for a certain time limit. We have neighbors on both sides of us, so I am sure they just love it when I do it. The joys of apartment living!
The one thing that I have learned about having to work out at home is that it takes creativity at times, so I constantly looking for ways to workout using what I have. It is fun to find new ways to get your heart racing. Like stepping up and down on a kitchen chair or doing jump up on a door frame. Or even dancing with the kids.
Not having access to a gym should not be an excuse to not be active because the possibilities really are endless. Be creative and fun with it!
Sausage and Rice Casserole
When my mom came after I had my second baby, she made this meal for us and it instantly became a favorite in our house. It is on our menu almost weekly. Now I know you read sausage and think of it being unhealthy, but we try our best to make it as healthy as possible.
Sausage and Rice Casserole
1 lb pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's reduced fat version. It is around 12 oz, but it makes enough)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery (I usually double or triple this)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I use long grain brown rice)
1 package chicken noodle soup mix
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup slivered almond (It HAS to be slivered! It just tastes yummier that way for some reason:))
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Brown the sausage, onion, celery, and pepper; drain any excess fat
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a coated 2 quart dish, and top with almonds. Cover dish and cook for 60-90 minutes. (I have a gas oven and it cooks faster, so mine is usually done anywhere from 45-60 minutes.)
We love to wrap this in a whole wheat wrap. It just tastes yummier that way. I love the new flat out wraps, but any whole wheat wrap would work great!
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Sausage and Rice Casserole
1 lb pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's reduced fat version. It is around 12 oz, but it makes enough)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery (I usually double or triple this)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I use long grain brown rice)
1 package chicken noodle soup mix
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup slivered almond (It HAS to be slivered! It just tastes yummier that way for some reason:))
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Brown the sausage, onion, celery, and pepper; drain any excess fat
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a coated 2 quart dish, and top with almonds. Cover dish and cook for 60-90 minutes. (I have a gas oven and it cooks faster, so mine is usually done anywhere from 45-60 minutes.)
We love to wrap this in a whole wheat wrap. It just tastes yummier that way. I love the new flat out wraps, but any whole wheat wrap would work great!
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Week 2 Update and Some REALLY Yummy Recipes
Well another week has passed in my challenge, and things are still going great! I love not feeling like I HAVE to eat dessert after every meal. I have been eating fruit to serve as dessert, and I am amazed that it actually satisfies that sweet tooth of mine! I honestly think I am going to take this sugar free binge for another month.
I tried a few more recipes this week that I have to pass on because they are just too good not to share: (For the future; I will try to take pictures of the food we eat but I always eat it all before I remember to take a picture.)
Pina Colada Shake (from www.trainermomma.com)
1 cup non fat milk
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1 scoop protein powder (I bought a new brand of protein powder this week, and it is so yummy!)
1 pack of splenda
1/4 tsp coconut extract (I actually used closer to 1/2 tsp because I wanted a stronger coconut taste)
5-6 ice cubes
Blend it for 3-4 minutes. It turns out to fluffy and yummy. Honestly; I LOVED it!
I love to have protein shakes for snacks; especially for a snack between lunch and dinner because it is so filling and keeps me from wanting to eat everything in sight. For some reason, that time because meals is a major pit fall for me. Anyone else??
____________________________________
I tried a few more recipes this week that I have to pass on because they are just too good not to share: (For the future; I will try to take pictures of the food we eat but I always eat it all before I remember to take a picture.)
Pina Colada Shake (from www.trainermomma.com)
1 cup non fat milk
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1 scoop protein powder (I bought a new brand of protein powder this week, and it is so yummy!)
1 pack of splenda
1/4 tsp coconut extract (I actually used closer to 1/2 tsp because I wanted a stronger coconut taste)
5-6 ice cubes
Blend it for 3-4 minutes. It turns out to fluffy and yummy. Honestly; I LOVED it!
I love to have protein shakes for snacks; especially for a snack between lunch and dinner because it is so filling and keeps me from wanting to eat everything in sight. For some reason, that time because meals is a major pit fall for me. Anyone else??
____________________________________
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Week 1: A success!
I am proud to say I have not eaten sweet for one whole week now! Whoo Whoo! There have definitely been times where I wanted to eat chocolate or something, but I am proud at how much self control I have! I need to set goals like this more often.
My sweet tooth has not disappeared though, so I have been experimenting with recipes that will help with that craving without eating any sugar.
Here are a few of them that I have fallen in love with:
Cereal Goolash: (Sounds weird I know, but I couldn't think of a better title for it)
1/4 cup grape nuts
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 T natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup blueberry sauce (recipe below)
Pinch of ground flax seed
I heat the grape nuts, oatmeal, and milk in the microwave for 1 min and then add in the peanut butter and blueberries. I made this up on the whim one morning when I was in a pinch for time, and the whole time I was eating it I was thinking to myself, "I can't believe this is healthy!! It tastes so good!"
Calorie count: 330 for that whole bowl of heaven!!
On to the blueberry sauce:
One night I was in the mood for crepes, so I made 100 % whole wheat crepes and used greek yogurt and blueberries for toppings.
Blueberry Sauce:
2 cups frozen blueberries
3/4 cup splenda
2 T lemon juice
4 t corn starch
Heat in on the stove until it thickens. It is so yummy!
Another great thing that I have discovered and fallen in love with is greek yogurt. Don't knock it till you try it because seriously with the right ingredients it is so yummy! I buy the plain kind since it contains less sugar and then I combine it with a pack of stevia, and a drizzle of agave. (Try this stuff too!) It makes awesome fruit dip and is so yummy on top of crepes. I can't get enough of this stuff either. The best part about it is that it is FULL of protein, so it keeps you fuller longer. What can be better?
I also love to make protein shakes. I found this great recipe on trainermomma.com for an almond berry smoothie:
1 cup sweetened almond milk
1 scoop protein powder
3/4 cup frozen berries.
Blend it all together for 2-3 minutes, and you have a very filling and delicious smoothie that keeps those sugar cravings at bay.
With all these new things I have found and knowing that sugar really doesn't control me, I have been thinking that I want to take this goal into February, but I have not decided yet on that. Valentine's day might be tricky with that. :) We will just see.
My sweet tooth has not disappeared though, so I have been experimenting with recipes that will help with that craving without eating any sugar.
Here are a few of them that I have fallen in love with:
Cereal Goolash: (Sounds weird I know, but I couldn't think of a better title for it)
1/4 cup grape nuts
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 T natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup blueberry sauce (recipe below)
Pinch of ground flax seed
I heat the grape nuts, oatmeal, and milk in the microwave for 1 min and then add in the peanut butter and blueberries. I made this up on the whim one morning when I was in a pinch for time, and the whole time I was eating it I was thinking to myself, "I can't believe this is healthy!! It tastes so good!"
Calorie count: 330 for that whole bowl of heaven!!
On to the blueberry sauce:
One night I was in the mood for crepes, so I made 100 % whole wheat crepes and used greek yogurt and blueberries for toppings.
Blueberry Sauce:
2 cups frozen blueberries
3/4 cup splenda
2 T lemon juice
4 t corn starch
Heat in on the stove until it thickens. It is so yummy!
Another great thing that I have discovered and fallen in love with is greek yogurt. Don't knock it till you try it because seriously with the right ingredients it is so yummy! I buy the plain kind since it contains less sugar and then I combine it with a pack of stevia, and a drizzle of agave. (Try this stuff too!) It makes awesome fruit dip and is so yummy on top of crepes. I can't get enough of this stuff either. The best part about it is that it is FULL of protein, so it keeps you fuller longer. What can be better?
I also love to make protein shakes. I found this great recipe on trainermomma.com for an almond berry smoothie:
1 cup sweetened almond milk
1 scoop protein powder
3/4 cup frozen berries.
Blend it all together for 2-3 minutes, and you have a very filling and delicious smoothie that keeps those sugar cravings at bay.
With all these new things I have found and knowing that sugar really doesn't control me, I have been thinking that I want to take this goal into February, but I have not decided yet on that. Valentine's day might be tricky with that. :) We will just see.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Building my Home Gym
I am slowly building up a home gym and am always on the lookout for something new to add to my collection.
My bargain seeking husband found a GREAT deal on a Wii, so that was our family gift this year. (And I am talking about a REALLY GREAT deal.)
This same bargain seeking guy knows how much I love fitness and bought EA Active more workouts for me for Christmas, and I LOVE it!
I don't even know where to begin to express how much I love using this. There is a 6 week challenge mode on it, and Greg and I are both currently in the 2nd week of this challenge. It gives you 4 workouts a week and 3 rest days, so it is not a replacement workout by any means but something you can add onto what you are already doing. I like it because it incorporates a lot of resistance training and that is something I struggle doing on my own. I need someone to tell me what to do and then I will do it.
For all of you Wii people, I would DEFINITELY recommend this.
What are some of your favorite workouts to do at home?
Weekend Success!
Well I made it through my first weekend on this sugar free month and I have to tell you that is a HUGE accomplishment for me! You have no idea.
Yesterday was kind of tough though because Sundays are usually the day when we have some kind of dessert, but I resisted! Yay!
I have started a really part time job working at a day care (7-9 am Mon-Fri) so my workout schedule is kind of thrown off. I am kind of nervous about being able to fit in a workout each day, but I will find a time. This morning I got up at 5 am to do a quick workout to get me going before work, and it felt so great! I might try something like that every morning to wake me up. I am also going to walk to work every morning because it is only a block away. Since it is cold right now I ended up running the whole way there to get out of the cold, so that has to count for something right?
Anyway, I am looking forward to a new week of setting realistic healthy goals and sticking to them!
Here are my goals for the week:
-Drink at least 100oz of water a day.
-Record what I eat to help me to stay on track
-2 snacks a day
-Don't eat out all week
-Be happy with myself and my flaws and forgive myself when I make mistakes. (A work in progress)
-Play with my kids every possible second. (Working at this daycare for a short time makes me feel so blessed to be able to be with my kids all day.)
-Spend more quality time with my husband after the kids go to bed and don't waste time on the computer!
Happy Monday everyone!
Yesterday was kind of tough though because Sundays are usually the day when we have some kind of dessert, but I resisted! Yay!
I have started a really part time job working at a day care (7-9 am Mon-Fri) so my workout schedule is kind of thrown off. I am kind of nervous about being able to fit in a workout each day, but I will find a time. This morning I got up at 5 am to do a quick workout to get me going before work, and it felt so great! I might try something like that every morning to wake me up. I am also going to walk to work every morning because it is only a block away. Since it is cold right now I ended up running the whole way there to get out of the cold, so that has to count for something right?
Anyway, I am looking forward to a new week of setting realistic healthy goals and sticking to them!
Here are my goals for the week:
-Drink at least 100oz of water a day.
-Record what I eat to help me to stay on track
-2 snacks a day
-Don't eat out all week
-Be happy with myself and my flaws and forgive myself when I make mistakes. (A work in progress)
-Play with my kids every possible second. (Working at this daycare for a short time makes me feel so blessed to be able to be with my kids all day.)
-Spend more quality time with my husband after the kids go to bed and don't waste time on the computer!
Happy Monday everyone!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Day 1 of my sugar free month...
Day 1 of my sugar free month has begun! I am excited for this challenge because I know it will be hard, but that is why I want to do this! I want to set a hard goal and achieve it.
I have been doing a lot of reading on doing a sugar cleanse, and there seems to be a lot of extremes you could take that I just don't think I am going to do. I am not in detox mode, I just want to kick my sweet tooth habit. Some sources said give up carbs; and there is not way that is happening for a whole month! So I am not going to be as extreme as that.
So I am giving up chocolate, ice cream, cookies, etc obviously and in place hoping to fill up on lots of fresh fruit and veggies. It won't totally replace that sugar craving, but in time I hope it does!
I have been exploring a few recipes that will give me that sweet taste without being full of sugar, and I found a smoothie recipe that is super yummy and filling here: (This blog is totally awesome by the way!)
1 cup nonfat milk
1 scoop of whey protein powder
1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries (my favorite to use is frozen blueberries)
ice if you want it
Blend together for 2-3 minutes. (This is always an exciting time in our house since Deagan really hates the sound of the blender. He usually runs and hides in his room screaming "IS IT DONE?" with his hands over his ears.:) This really gives the smoothie A LOT of volume and I feel like I have a ton to eat without really eating a ton of calories.
I will continue to find new recipes or ideas that will help me a long this month and I will be sure to share them with you all!
Happy New Year everyone! May this year bring more health and happiness than last year!
I have been doing a lot of reading on doing a sugar cleanse, and there seems to be a lot of extremes you could take that I just don't think I am going to do. I am not in detox mode, I just want to kick my sweet tooth habit. Some sources said give up carbs; and there is not way that is happening for a whole month! So I am not going to be as extreme as that.
So I am giving up chocolate, ice cream, cookies, etc obviously and in place hoping to fill up on lots of fresh fruit and veggies. It won't totally replace that sugar craving, but in time I hope it does!
I have been exploring a few recipes that will give me that sweet taste without being full of sugar, and I found a smoothie recipe that is super yummy and filling here: (This blog is totally awesome by the way!)
1 cup nonfat milk
1 scoop of whey protein powder
1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries (my favorite to use is frozen blueberries)
ice if you want it
Blend together for 2-3 minutes. (This is always an exciting time in our house since Deagan really hates the sound of the blender. He usually runs and hides in his room screaming "IS IT DONE?" with his hands over his ears.:) This really gives the smoothie A LOT of volume and I feel like I have a ton to eat without really eating a ton of calories.
I will continue to find new recipes or ideas that will help me a long this month and I will be sure to share them with you all!
Happy New Year everyone! May this year bring more health and happiness than last year!
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