Although I finished strong in the 40 day challenge, I didn't finish strong on my blogging duties! My apologies. As soon as I finished my baseline WOD last friday, I totally shut down mentally thinking about much of anything that had to do with the challenge or this blog. I gave it all I had on Friday and improved my baseline workout time from 18:44 to 15:53. I think that was the most thrilling, satisfying part of the results for me. Seeing weight loss is always nice, but seeing the difference in how much quicker I got was great for this mama who ain't getting any younger!
We will find out the result of the to 3 females by Wednesday of next week. I would LOVE to place in the top 3, but honestly have no idea if I even have a chance. I will let you know how it all shakes out! And I do plan on continuing to post new recipes on this blog starting this week. Thanks for all of you who have hung in there with me through this journey. At the end of the day, I feel like I did win because I learned so much and finished the 40 days SO much better than where I was when I started!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Day 38
Today has been a great day. I did and earlier workout at Irontribe today. The workout was "Elizabeth" which was 21-15-9 reps of Cleans (85lbs) and ring dips. It was a hard workout, but one of those where I feel like I pushed myself to the next level. My food today was:
Breakfast - 1 whole, 3 white scrambled eggs, 1 spoonful coconut manna
Post workout snack - 3 hard-boiled egg whites, 1 c. grapes
Lunch - 1 can tuna (no salt added), mixed with avocado plus some carrots (not a great lunch)
Snack - wasn't hungry, so didn't eat one
Dinner - BLT's wraps with chicken
Jake and I visited the Farm Stand, a local small company who brings fresh fruits and vegetables to the downtown and southside areas to provide good quality food for those who live in "food deserts." My friend Kathleen has been working with them a few days a week so we went and visited. We got some great produce, some of which we used for dinner.
The BLT wraps had bacon, tomato, avocado, chicken, and grilled red onions all wrapped up in a romaine leaf. I served this with a fresh spinach salad an some chopped up canary melon. I had never heard of a canary melon until today when we bought one at the Farm Stand. It's just like a honeydew, only sweeter. We all loved it!
I ended the day today with a 2.5 mile jog. with the kids. in the stroller. Not sure if I would do that again anytime soon. It was certainly a tough workout, especially the hills. BUT, it felt really good in a "have I lost my mind" kind of way. In it to win it!
Breakfast - 1 whole, 3 white scrambled eggs, 1 spoonful coconut manna
Post workout snack - 3 hard-boiled egg whites, 1 c. grapes
Lunch - 1 can tuna (no salt added), mixed with avocado plus some carrots (not a great lunch)
Snack - wasn't hungry, so didn't eat one
Dinner - BLT's wraps with chicken
Jake and I visited the Farm Stand, a local small company who brings fresh fruits and vegetables to the downtown and southside areas to provide good quality food for those who live in "food deserts." My friend Kathleen has been working with them a few days a week so we went and visited. We got some great produce, some of which we used for dinner.
The BLT wraps had bacon, tomato, avocado, chicken, and grilled red onions all wrapped up in a romaine leaf. I served this with a fresh spinach salad an some chopped up canary melon. I had never heard of a canary melon until today when we bought one at the Farm Stand. It's just like a honeydew, only sweeter. We all loved it!
I ended the day today with a 2.5 mile jog. with the kids. in the stroller. Not sure if I would do that again anytime soon. It was certainly a tough workout, especially the hills. BUT, it felt really good in a "have I lost my mind" kind of way. In it to win it!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Day 35, 36 AND 37
I have fallen behind on my blogging! Who knew that the start of school would throw me off so much? Instead of sitting down to write when the kids go to bed, I find myself packing lunch, ironing clothes, etc. to prepare for the next day. Even so, I am still 100% strong on my diet and am looking forward to day 40 on Friday.
I will highlight a meal that we had last night that I have told some of you about before: Cabbage Rolls. It's one of my favorites and almost everyone agreed. Jake cried through most of dinner because he didn't want to eat it. I had flashbacks of me as a kid doing the same thing when my mom made cabbage rolls (do you, jen?) Seriously, when my mom made them I hated how they smelled, looked and even more how they tasted. But this recipe I love and we did extend some grace to my little guy who wasn't so fond of them:)
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small apple, finely diced
2 cups diced fresh spinach
1/2 red onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. flat leaf italian parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
10 or so cabbage leaves
Sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. dried basil
black pepper to taste
Directions:
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil
-While you are waiting for the water to boil, do the following:
-In a medium size bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and set aside
-Remove the core from the head of cabbage and separate cabbage leaves
-In a large bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients (from the beef to the pepper)
-Place the cabbage leaves, a few at a time, into the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes or until soft
-Remove with tongs and lay flat
-Depending on the size of your cabbage leave, place approximately 1/4 cup of filling on the bottom edge of each leaf. Fold in the 2 outside edges of the cabbage leaf and roll up the filling.
-Place each cabbage roll seam side down in your crockpot (it's okay to layer them)
-Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
-Enjoy!
I will highlight a meal that we had last night that I have told some of you about before: Cabbage Rolls. It's one of my favorites and almost everyone agreed. Jake cried through most of dinner because he didn't want to eat it. I had flashbacks of me as a kid doing the same thing when my mom made cabbage rolls (do you, jen?) Seriously, when my mom made them I hated how they smelled, looked and even more how they tasted. But this recipe I love and we did extend some grace to my little guy who wasn't so fond of them:)
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small apple, finely diced
2 cups diced fresh spinach
1/2 red onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. flat leaf italian parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
10 or so cabbage leaves
Sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. dried basil
black pepper to taste
Directions:
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil
-While you are waiting for the water to boil, do the following:
-In a medium size bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and set aside
-Remove the core from the head of cabbage and separate cabbage leaves
-In a large bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients (from the beef to the pepper)
-Place the cabbage leaves, a few at a time, into the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes or until soft
-Remove with tongs and lay flat
-Depending on the size of your cabbage leave, place approximately 1/4 cup of filling on the bottom edge of each leaf. Fold in the 2 outside edges of the cabbage leaf and roll up the filling.
-Place each cabbage roll seam side down in your crockpot (it's okay to layer them)
-Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
-Enjoy!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Day 33 and 34
Things are getting a little crazy around here with the start of school and getting used to a new routine. We had a great first week of school and have enjoyed a restful weekend so far. We had dinner company on Friday night, so it was my attempt to cook a yummy Paleo meal for our guests who were not familiar with this way of eating. The menu:
Cilantro and Lime Roasted Chicken
Homemade Salsa (Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Salsa)
Homemade Guacamole
Grilled Veggies (onions and bell peppers)
Romaine Salad with strawberries, blueberries, and tomatoes
Cilantro and Lime Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts or a whole fryer chicken
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 bunch cilantro, including stems!
3 green onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt
Directions:
In a food processor, combine all ingredients from the lime to the salt. Process until well blended. Smear the mixture all over the chicken and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grill chicken breasts or roast the whole chicken. Serve and enjoy! For instructions on roasting, see this recipe here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/zesty-cilantro-lime-roasted-chicken/
The chicken was good, but would have been better with more salt. The recipe didn't specify how much, just to taste. I only added about 1/2 tsp. Next time I will add at least 1 tsp. if not more. And, you must like cilantro to like this dish. Thankfully we all did:)
Saturday morning presented a bit of a scare as I pulled my calf muscle during my run. I spent the morning icing and elevating and spent the rest of the afternoon with it wrapped up. That threw a kink in our plans for the day, but I wanted to make sure I rested up as the FINAL week is here. I intended on doing 800m spirnts on Sunday, but it will be a day of rest instead:( My goal is to have my calf rested and better by the WOD on Monday. We ended up eating out at Zoes for dinner and I had my usual grilled chicken salad. Only 6 more days left. I hoping to give it all I can these last few days!
Cilantro and Lime Roasted Chicken
Homemade Salsa (Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Salsa)
Homemade Guacamole
Grilled Veggies (onions and bell peppers)
Romaine Salad with strawberries, blueberries, and tomatoes
Cilantro and Lime Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts or a whole fryer chicken
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 bunch cilantro, including stems!
3 green onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt
Directions:
In a food processor, combine all ingredients from the lime to the salt. Process until well blended. Smear the mixture all over the chicken and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grill chicken breasts or roast the whole chicken. Serve and enjoy! For instructions on roasting, see this recipe here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/zesty-cilantro-lime-roasted-chicken/
The chicken was good, but would have been better with more salt. The recipe didn't specify how much, just to taste. I only added about 1/2 tsp. Next time I will add at least 1 tsp. if not more. And, you must like cilantro to like this dish. Thankfully we all did:)
Saturday morning presented a bit of a scare as I pulled my calf muscle during my run. I spent the morning icing and elevating and spent the rest of the afternoon with it wrapped up. That threw a kink in our plans for the day, but I wanted to make sure I rested up as the FINAL week is here. I intended on doing 800m spirnts on Sunday, but it will be a day of rest instead:( My goal is to have my calf rested and better by the WOD on Monday. We ended up eating out at Zoes for dinner and I had my usual grilled chicken salad. Only 6 more days left. I hoping to give it all I can these last few days!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Day 32 - Is Paleo Working For You?
I know I have talked about this before on the blog, but we (Mitch and I) have been eating some form of Paleo for over 2 years now. We first heard of it in February of 2009 when we saw a friend talking about it on Facebook. We immediately dove in, cold turkey, and ate all we wanted of lean meats, fruits, and veggies. Somehow me missed the crucial element of fat. In light of that, we lasted about 6 weeks eating this way. We both lost some weight, but we were starving. So, we gradually added in peanut butter (didn't know that wasn't paleo) and homemade granola. As we added those things in, we also added on the pounds! We were struggling with what seemed to be what so many people struggle with when they start eating Paleo...the ease and availability of nuts and seeds which easily leads to overeating them.
Fast forward to now, where we have gone through over 2 years of trial and error. For the first time I feel like I have FINALLY figured out what works for me. This challenged has made me think twice before I put anything in my mouth and that has helped me so much to push myself to do what initially wasn't convenient, but now is a way of life...and I LOVE it. It is certainly a commitment, but I have found that it's totally worth it. I have, though, had conversations with many people about Paleo and how it just doesn't work for them. They are frustrated with stalled weight loss, the are bored with eating the same thing, or they are just trying too hard to fit some of their old lifestyle into the Paleo way (i.e. paleo muffins, paleo brownies, paleo pizza, etc.). Those things are fine on the occasion, but you won't want to build your diet around them. I saw the info below on the Whole9 blog and they identify the top 5 reasons why Paleo isn't working for you. Read over them and see if you find any of them true for you:
5 Reasons Why Your Perfect Paleo Diet Just Isn't Working:
1) It's a technicality - Technically Paleo foods like Paleo pancakes, bacon, or sweet potato fries may follow the "rules," but don't maximize nutrition.
2)The wrong fats - Too many nuts, seeds, and Paleo cereals=too many inflammatory Omega-6 fats. Prioritize healthy fat sources.
3) Eat more - Energy dragging, but still afraid of fat and carbs? Eating enough of both sustains energy levels, health, and performance
4) By-the numbers - You're so focused on your numbers - blocks, grams, calories, or body weight - that you override the signals your body is trying to send you
5) Nature's candy - Using the "natural" sugars found in fruit to satisfy your sugar cravings is a recipe for more cravings, and maybe too much fructose.
I know that I found at least 2 of these to be true of me before the challenge: eating too many of the wrong fats, and worrying too much about the numbers. I have re-prioritized my fats and that has honestly taken care of the numbers. I am not hungry all the time because the right fats (avocado, coconut, olive oil) help keep satisfied so i'm not constantly starving and worrying about what I can eat. Eating more of the right fat has honestly made all the difference for me!
I hope that reviewing this list will help you if you are stuck in a rut and haven't been able to figure out what you should do differently. Remember that eating Paleo is a process. It takes time to figure out what works best for you. Be patient. Stay with it. I promise it's worth it!
Oh, and if you are still reading, our dinner tonight was blah. We had Chard-Wrapped tilapia. It just didn't do it for us. The bright side of the meal were the brussels sprouts sauteed with red onion. I'll try again tomorrow for a winning recipe!
Fast forward to now, where we have gone through over 2 years of trial and error. For the first time I feel like I have FINALLY figured out what works for me. This challenged has made me think twice before I put anything in my mouth and that has helped me so much to push myself to do what initially wasn't convenient, but now is a way of life...and I LOVE it. It is certainly a commitment, but I have found that it's totally worth it. I have, though, had conversations with many people about Paleo and how it just doesn't work for them. They are frustrated with stalled weight loss, the are bored with eating the same thing, or they are just trying too hard to fit some of their old lifestyle into the Paleo way (i.e. paleo muffins, paleo brownies, paleo pizza, etc.). Those things are fine on the occasion, but you won't want to build your diet around them. I saw the info below on the Whole9 blog and they identify the top 5 reasons why Paleo isn't working for you. Read over them and see if you find any of them true for you:
5 Reasons Why Your Perfect Paleo Diet Just Isn't Working:
1) It's a technicality - Technically Paleo foods like Paleo pancakes, bacon, or sweet potato fries may follow the "rules," but don't maximize nutrition.
2)The wrong fats - Too many nuts, seeds, and Paleo cereals=too many inflammatory Omega-6 fats. Prioritize healthy fat sources.
3) Eat more - Energy dragging, but still afraid of fat and carbs? Eating enough of both sustains energy levels, health, and performance
4) By-the numbers - You're so focused on your numbers - blocks, grams, calories, or body weight - that you override the signals your body is trying to send you
5) Nature's candy - Using the "natural" sugars found in fruit to satisfy your sugar cravings is a recipe for more cravings, and maybe too much fructose.
I know that I found at least 2 of these to be true of me before the challenge: eating too many of the wrong fats, and worrying too much about the numbers. I have re-prioritized my fats and that has honestly taken care of the numbers. I am not hungry all the time because the right fats (avocado, coconut, olive oil) help keep satisfied so i'm not constantly starving and worrying about what I can eat. Eating more of the right fat has honestly made all the difference for me!
I hope that reviewing this list will help you if you are stuck in a rut and haven't been able to figure out what you should do differently. Remember that eating Paleo is a process. It takes time to figure out what works best for you. Be patient. Stay with it. I promise it's worth it!
Oh, and if you are still reading, our dinner tonight was blah. We had Chard-Wrapped tilapia. It just didn't do it for us. The bright side of the meal were the brussels sprouts sauteed with red onion. I'll try again tomorrow for a winning recipe!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Day 31
I am sadly mourning that this challenge will be ending in 9 days. It has been a great push for me and I have loved the competition aspect of it. I still don't know if I will cheat when it is over or keep on going. I do have some fear of going back to old habits and ways, so I am contemplating going on with the "challenge" way of eating until I feel that I can cheat without it completely throwing me off (more mentally than physically). I'll keep you posted on what I decide about that.
The hubs is out of town tonight, so we are keeping it simple around here. My mom is joining us for dinner and she is not quite on the Paleo wagon. So, me and the kids I am making grilled chicken topped with pesto, sauteed veggies, and a side salad. For my mom, I am going to make grilled BBQ chicken. She will also eat the veggies (we are having the 2 she likes - squash and zucchini).
Today for lunch I had a twist on chicken salad and mixed the chicken with 1/2 an avocado, some grapes, and a little salt and pepper. I must say it was pretty darn good. I enjoyed the creaminess of it without even having to add any mayo. I have done this with tuna, but will definitely do this with chicken again.
I will leave you with my favorite picture of the day. My baby girl heading off to first grade, stopping for a quick pic with her favorite brother:
The hubs is out of town tonight, so we are keeping it simple around here. My mom is joining us for dinner and she is not quite on the Paleo wagon. So, me and the kids I am making grilled chicken topped with pesto, sauteed veggies, and a side salad. For my mom, I am going to make grilled BBQ chicken. She will also eat the veggies (we are having the 2 she likes - squash and zucchini).
Today for lunch I had a twist on chicken salad and mixed the chicken with 1/2 an avocado, some grapes, and a little salt and pepper. I must say it was pretty darn good. I enjoyed the creaminess of it without even having to add any mayo. I have done this with tuna, but will definitely do this with chicken again.
I will leave you with my favorite picture of the day. My baby girl heading off to first grade, stopping for a quick pic with her favorite brother:
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Day 30
Tonight I tried another new recipe from Everyday Paleo and an tried and true recipe from Elana's Pantry. Mitch was working late, so I wanted to do something easy tonight, especially as we are getting ready for our first day of school tomorrow. We kinda had a different twist on breakfast...
These are called Egg Houses - Eggs cooked in a tomato, topped with bacon and chives. Tonight we had 3 who liked them, and this time it was Neily who wasn't quite sure of them. The yolk is runny in these and that's just not her thing. The muffins Cinnamon Bun Muffins and were a hit with everybody (I passed on them, though. Still staying strict until the end!). You can find that recipe at http://www.elanaspantry.com/cinnamon-bun-muffins/
EGG HOUSES
Ingredients:
-4 large tomatoes
-4 eggs
-4 slices of organic, uncured bacon, diced
-salt and black pepper to taste
-Diced chives
Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 425
-Cut off just the top of the tomatoes and gently scoop out the insides
-Place tomatoes in a glass baking dish
-Crack one egg in each tomato cup and bake for 25 minutes (I cracked 2 in the ones for Mitch)
-While the tomatoes and eggs are baking, cook the bacon
-After the egg houses are done baking, crumble the cooked bacon on top along with the diced chives.
-Enjoy!
These are called Egg Houses - Eggs cooked in a tomato, topped with bacon and chives. Tonight we had 3 who liked them, and this time it was Neily who wasn't quite sure of them. The yolk is runny in these and that's just not her thing. The muffins Cinnamon Bun Muffins and were a hit with everybody (I passed on them, though. Still staying strict until the end!). You can find that recipe at http://www.elanaspantry.com/cinnamon-bun-muffins/
EGG HOUSES
Ingredients:
-4 large tomatoes
-4 eggs
-4 slices of organic, uncured bacon, diced
-salt and black pepper to taste
-Diced chives
Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 425
-Cut off just the top of the tomatoes and gently scoop out the insides
-Place tomatoes in a glass baking dish
-Crack one egg in each tomato cup and bake for 25 minutes (I cracked 2 in the ones for Mitch)
-While the tomatoes and eggs are baking, cook the bacon
-After the egg houses are done baking, crumble the cooked bacon on top along with the diced chives.
-Enjoy!
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