Friday, February 25, 2011

take every change; drop every fear

this week has been insane. i didn't take any pictures of my food, but it mostly consisted of either protein pancakes or oatmeal for breakfast, a sandwich or salad for lunch, and very random dinners of either a bowl of yogurt to eggs and veggies.
buuuuut. i just went grocery shopping today and plan on making some very delicious recipes this next week. :) speaking of that i should probably start lunch...

so i am on week number two of bootcamp already finished. i dont think i've lost any weight or inches but i feel really good! getting up at 5 or 6 a.m. every morning for the past 14 days has definitely made me tired, but i think it's good for me to have a set schedule.
this weeks work outs included a lot of different things and stuff that i actually don't normally do in a usual work out so it was pretty awesome.

for example today we did bear crawls, crab walks, work that i've never done on a bosu (and after each set we had to run a lap while carrying the bosu over our heads!), agility on the track using a "ladder", lots of sprints and shuffles. overall it was a really good work out and i burned 6OO calories.
my legs are definitely feeling sore today. last night i ran 3 miles (without stopping! that's unheard of for me..) and i also took bodyattack, which is a sports inspired high intensity cardio class. yesterday my total calorie burn from exercise was 1200! i ate like a mad woman last night haha. actually i only had eggs, veggies, 1/2 sweet potato, and some yogurt. but i ate it real fast.

all i have been doing today is resting. i watched jersey shore, grey's anatomy, and americas next top model. i watch too much tv. :)

does anyone else watch pretty little liars?
i love this match up. :)
lately i have been feeling like i need a hobby. or some inspiration to do one of the million things i want to do.
well..i should probably make lunch, clean, and maybe do some homework

Friday, February 11, 2011

live it out





bootcamp: day number 3
let's just say i should not have told the trainer to kick my butt. because she did more than just that. i was dying by the end of it. :)
started out with a 5 minute warm up including jogging, high knees, stretching, & shuffles.

bootcamp was set up in 5 different stations. we did each station for 5 minutes trying to get as many rounds in as we could. (we had a goal of beating the best person at each station because we wrote down how many rounds we did so everyone could see)

Station #1 (i started here):
15 Kettlebell swings, 30 mountain climbers, & 15 jump squats

i did 3.5 rounds

Station #2:
15 thrushers (squast w/ overhead press) i used 10 lb weights
10 pushups (tried to stay on my toes as long as i could!)
side squats with push outs x 10 each side (used a 10 lb to "push out" each time i took a step)

i did 2.5 rounds

Station #3:
1 backwards lap (this killed my quads!)
plie squat and high pull w/ barbell (i think i used 15 lb)
12 lunge jumps

i did 2 1/3 rounds

Station #4: (HARDEST ONE)
3 sets of stairs
15 ball slams
10 burpees

i did 2 rounds and 2 sets of stairs

Station #5:
10 side wall ball throws each side
10 wall balls (squat and throw ball up towards wall - she encouraged me to jump too)
1 regular lap

i did 3 rounds

after all that we did ab work. 20 russian twists, boat pose while pushing weight up (10 lb), and holding boat pose with weight above our heads for 30 seconds
and THEN we did a plank challenge. whoever held plank the longest got a free shake. i was 4th to the last person down. i should practice every day. =)

this is what i looked like afterward. that smile is fake.


overall..great class today. i loved it. i am so excited to actually start. (this week was just a free trial and it starts monday.) we will be getting measured which includes: weight, bmi, body fat %, waist & hip measurements and we also have to take a push-up and sit-up test.

okay enough of bootcamp..let's move on to FOOD. haha.

after my sweat sesh i made some pumpkin protein flax pancakes. mmm.



Pumpkin Protein Flax Pancakes:
yields 3 pancakes

1/2 cup egg whites
>1/4 cup non-dairy milk (i used so delicious coconut milk)
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder

Combine all ingredients and mix(whisk) well. Cook like regular pancakes!

Toppings are endless. Today i used
natural peanut butter (melted with warm coconut milk), sugar free syrup, and unsweetened coconut!

i love these pancakes because there is no flour involved. :)
So mom, take note, they are low-carb & diabetic friendly!

i ate these while catching up on a hilarious episode of jersey shore


and i found a recipe that im going to making for lunch. baked mac n' cheese!


here's a couple of dinners i had the past couple nights.

monday dinner: carrots, hummus, soy joy bar, & vanilla organic yogurt
very random, but i had to work at the gym so i had to snack instead of cook. =\
tuesday night i made NACHOS. and they were the best damn nachos i ever had.
Best Damn Nachos:
yields 1 large plate-ful

1/4 green pepper, chopped
1/2 small jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 handful spinach
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 avocado, chopped
chili pepper
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
a serving size of jalapeno "foods should taste good" chips

Start by sauteing the veggies with a shake or two of chili pepper. When soft, add spinach until it begins to wilt. Place the chips on a greased baking sheet. Add your veggies, salsa, avocado and sprinkle cheese over the top. Place in the oven and turn it on to broil. WATCH CAREFULLY otherwise your chips will burn like some of mine did. It should only take 3-5 minutes.


Wednesday dinner: eggs, spinach, feta in a pita

Spinach & Feta Egg Stuffed Pita
yields one serving or two if you're feeling generous

1/3 cup egg whites
1 egg
mrs. dash original blend seasoning (couple shakes)
s&p (salt and pepper) to taste
2 handfuls of spinach
1 oz feta
1 whole wheat pita

Cook eggs in a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Season with s&p and mrs. dash. Scramble and add spinach. Cook until it wilts. Throw some feta on top and stuff into your pita. Then stuff your face! =)





i should probably study now for my chemistry exam. and my human biology exam.
asdlkjfaoeiruwpoeru. not excited.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011


bootcamp day 2:
not as big of a calorie burn as monday, but lots of different exercises that really focused on strength.
i am still sore from monday and i have a feeling i will be even more sore tomorrow. but i like that feeling :)
i am still debating on whether to sign up for the 8 weeks or not. this week is just a free "trial" week and so far i am really liking it, but im afraid im not going to be able to wake up every day. for the next couple weeks i have to get up at either 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. every single day. blahhhh. lots of naps, yes?

my meals have been pretty normal the past couple days. [no pictures, sorry!]
i have been eating my protein pancakes every morning instead of my oats. but they are just as good and filling. =)
yesterday for lunch i had the salad bar @ the bread garden market. a cup of tomato lentil soup, spinach salad with feta, onion, peppers, & tomatoes & a 2% organic peach yogurt for dessert.
last night i just kind of snacked for dinner. i babysat my 3 little cousins so i didnt have time to cook.

my first exam for this semester is next week and its chemistry. i have so much to memorize before then...... ugh.........

oh, by the way, i used to be vegetarian but now i eat poultry & fish and occasionally red meat, but i came across this link that is "10 Vegetarian Lunches You Can Make At Work" and these are some really great ideas for those of us who are always on the run. I need to start packing a lunch again because i keep spending my $$ on the salad bar!

have a great day. :)

Monday, February 7, 2011

the future belongs to the few of us still willing to get our hands dirty

i loved this past weekend. i finally got out and did more than just homework.
friday night i drove to des moines to see my dad and to celebrate my little sister's birthday. it was fun and i hated that i had to leave early saturday to drive back since i had to work.

saturday night after work i headed to "the red stripe" where i got to see all my friends who i havent seen in months. i got to catch up with most of them and it just makes me miss the old times so much more.

and then sunday i worked my normal shift with my sunday "crew." :)
afterward i went to outback with the family for my grandma's birthday.
annnnd my steelers didn't win. =( sad story. at least the packers made the bears look better, right?

i crashed way early last night. which is good because i got up @ 5 this morning to go to the free trial bootcamp at my gym.
holy crap was it intense. my heart rate stayed between 150 and 180 the entire time. we did "ladders" where we would do a set of three work outs and do each move once then twice then 3 times and so on until 10. and then we would run 3 laps as fast as we could. and then we would go "down the ladder" and start with 10 and work our way down and run 3 fast laps again. and after that we would start on a whole new set.
i only got through 2 full sets in the hour that we had. but i burned 580 calories.

with that crazy calorie burn, i decided pancakes would be a much needed and satisfying breakfast. i made the flax protein pancakes again, but added a banana. :)





Wednesday, February 2, 2011

i'll remember someday all the chances we took; we're so close to something better left unknown .

February 2nd breakfast... drumroll... not oatmeal? whhhhhhat?
i decided to make pancakes instead.

Flax Protein pancakes:
(makes 3 big ones!)

1/2 cup egg beaters (or egg whites)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (i used so delicious coconut milk)
2 tbsp flax
1 scoop protein powder (i used chocolate peanut butter whey)
dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder

(toppings: could be pure maple syrup, pb, banana, etc - i used natural pb & sugar free syrup)




i enjoyed my cakes with lemon water & black coffee. and i have already drank 3 cups.....caffeine overload..

Once again these days are just flying by.
I am more than okay with that though because that means I am getting closer to spring break.
Why am i so excited for spring break, you ask? Because I'm going to Norfolk, Virginia. =D less than 6 weeks!

currently i am snowed in my apartment. classes cancelled...which is CRAZY because the university of iowa never cancels for anything. it's really bad outside though. we got like 14-16 inches of snow overnight.
wow.
looks like ill be doing some work out videos and homework all day. :)


Last night i decided to do some experimenting with a some vegan "burgers."
I used a recipe from anne @ fANNEtasticfood to make black bean and spinach burgers. And i was definitely impressed.

(makes two patties)

Ingredients:

  • 1 C black beans (rinsed and drained)

  • 1 C fresh spinach

  • 2 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry (or regular) flour

  • 1 small garlic clove

  • 1/2 tsp. olive oil

  • 1/4 tsp. cumin

  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder

  • Juice from half a lemon

Instructions:

Toss it all into a food processor and whirl away! (Or you can mix it by hand for a chunkier texture – just chop the spinach and mince the garlic separately.)



Once it’s mixed, form into two patties. Toss them onto a skillet coated with cooking oil and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes, flipping every once in awhile, until they are evenly warm and have a bit of a crust on them.

i made it non-vegan by putting some feta cheese on top with some ketchup and a side of steamed broccoli & spinach.
yum.

One of my favorite meals this week was "Saucy Tomato & Spinach Chicken" I got the recipe from Anne over at fANNEtasticfood

Ingredients:

(serves two)

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • Few huge handfuls fresh spinach
  • 1/2 C black beans (optional – rinsed and drained)
  • 2 servings cooked brown rice (or whole wheat pasta)
  • Cracked pepper and Chili powder to taste

Instructions:

1) Start by tossing the chicken, garlic, and olive oil (plus some cooking spray if your pan tends to stick) into a pan on medium/medium high heat. Sauté until the chicken is fully cooked.


2) Once the chicken is cooked, add in the can of diced tomatoes, stirring until mixed.

3) Next, add in a few huge handfuls of fresh spinach – don’t worry about adding a lot as it will cook down! Stir until fully wilted – this will only take a minute or two.

4) Next, add in the black beans and whatever grain (already cooked) you want to use. (I used cooked brown rice)

5) Since the grain was already cooked, just stir it around until it’s all mixed (you can cook it longer if you want more of the liquid to boil off), then add some cracked pepper and chili powder to taste.
I added some mozz cheese on top. & It was delicious!


Veg & Egg "Tostadas"
1/2 cup broccoli
1/4 white onion
chili powder
green peppers (chopped)
2 eggs
cheese (low fat mozz or cheddar)
2 la tortilla factory tortillas

saute everything and place on tortillas and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes




i forgot what this meal was, but it looks like sweet potato "chips" & chicken with spinach, mushrooms, and mozz?