Plan-a-rana-ding-dong

 

It’s Monday. You know what that means, a plan to tackle the next 5 days. A plan to keep my ass in check. A plan that I am relaying to you so that you will give me a swift kick in the butt if I happen to tweet that I an lounging around in a hammock being fed chocolates by Greek God replicas. I’m helping you, help me. After all, that’s what’s important here. Me. :)   

Meal Plan!

Monday – Crock Pot Ratatouille with Parmesan Toast

Tuesday – Corn & Basil Cakes with a side dish of veg

Wednesday – Jerk Fish Tacos with Peach & Mango Rice (way easier than it sounds, I’ll show you the way)

Thursday – Crock Pot Chicken with Rice & Peas (a WW recipe I can’t link for some reason? Don’t worry, I will still share it, if it’s any good)

Friday – Surely there will be leftover food and I will eat it.

Work Out Plan!

Monday – 30 Minute Run (Boo-yah already done! My legs felt like lead, and the whole run was hard, but I did it.)

Tuesday – Weights or DVD

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – 5 Mile Run (I am 1/2 Marathon training, let’s not forget!)

Friday – Yoga

Saturday – 30 Minute Run

Sunday – Rest

If I happen to get a little golf in there too…BONUS!

So there it is people. That is this week’s plan. I am going to do my best to stick to it. Because if you know you are doing your best, there is no need for excuses.

This post, like my run this morning, is brought to you by one my favorites:  Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

Workouts rarely disappoint.

 

I feel such a sense of accomplishment and happiness after work outs. Even after a not so good one, I’m still happy that I did something. I got a good run in after work yesterday, it was on the treadmill at a slight incline.

This morning, for my cross training day, I did The Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout on Exercise TV On Demand. Right now, I’m a sweaty mess typing this! It worked me harder than I imagined it would, that’s for sure. My arms are already a little sore too. Other than the fact I find Jillian insanely annoying, I liked this workout.

I would love to share the General Tso Quorn recipe with you, but it didn’t turn out very good. I mean it’s tasty, but it looks terrible and I’m not going to lie, I used a seasoning packet. You have some winners and some losers I guess.

Time to get ready for work! I’m hoping that maybe I’ll go to the driving range with a friend after work. If not, I may just go by myself! :)

Do you have a favorite work out DVD or TV Program?

The Total Body Sculpt with Gilad (The Israeli Stud-Muffin as they call him) always looks like I good work out, but I giggle every time I see the guy! Happy Tuesday!!! :)

Presto Pesto

 

Yesterday I mentioned that I made a batch of home made gnocchi and ohmygoodnessiminlove! Especially after I made this sauce to go on top of it. This was my Meatless Monday.

Presto Pesto (1 pt per serving, 2 servings)

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw spinach   
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese  
2 tsp minced garlic  
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

Combine the above and blend.

It’s that simple. This pesto would be good on anything. I left out the pine nuts due to the husband’s allergy, plus, I’m not a huge fan of them.  I had it on gnocchi with a side of zucchini and onions. It was an amazing dinner.

I was famished by dinner time because I…MADE IT TO THE POOL!!!!

 

Before	After

Swimming laps is HARD WORK! I had my Blackberry in a Ziploc bag beside the pool because I’m on call for work. I wouldn’t normally have taken pictures, but after my behavior the past week and a half, you guys should be demanding proof of my workouts. I did 20 minutes of serious laps, stopping for a 1 minute break every 5 minutes or so. I did a mixture of freestyle, back stroke and breast stroke. I also spent 5 minutes before and after really stretching out my knee in the water. It felt so good! I am so lucky to have an indoor pool at my amenity center. I can’t believe I haven’t been using it!

So, I give myself a Gold Star for Monday. I know one good day, does not get me back on the wagon, but at least I feel as if I can see the wagon now!

I want to thank you all for your encouragement and support yesterday. My heart is full.  I was really surprised by how many of you appreciated my honesty. I promise to lay it all out there, if it helps someone feel like they are not alone. This journey is hard. We have to support each other.

I just got back from the gym where I did 22 minutes on the Elliptical, some arm weights and crunches. I didn’t have nearly enough time as I had hoped I would, we seem to be having a smoke detector issue at our home this morning, I spent 15 minutes climbing up and down on a stool changing batteries. I think that totally should count as exercise.

I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday!

Tuesday – Real creative title, I know.

 

First and foremost, last night’s Meatless Monday, Sweet Potato with  Warm Black Bean Salad was phenomenal. I’m not going to repost the recipe, because I pretty much followed it, but I did add some onions, cooked the black bean mixture on the stove top and omitted the cilantro. I served it with some brussels sprouts on the side. Yummy! The sweetness from the sweet potato mixes with the smokiness of the beans and the coolness of the sour cream (I used plain greek yogurt) is just very wonderful. I’ll be making it again and again.

I have been resting my knee since Thursday. It still hurts. It’s getting better, it’s not swollen anymore. I would rather rest for a week than not be able to run again. I was going to gingerly try the elliptical today, but I woke up with quite a bit of pain again. However, instead of the pain being all over the top of my left knee, it’s localized to one spot. It’s becoming manageable, but I’m afraid to push it.

I am trying hard to keep my spirits up. Activity has been such a huge part of my journey for me this time that occasionally I begin to panic that because I’m not being very active, I’m going to gain all the weight back overnight! I know that isn’t the case. I know I still have to be mindful of what I eat. I know there are still exercises I can do, I just have to do them.

I went from the girl that never left to the couch to the girl that can’t just sit on the couch. I never imagined that would happen!

I don’t really have much to update about…since I’ve been kind of resting. I promise that as soon as I have something exciting to share, you’ll be one of the first to know! :)

Some things you might have missed:

I posted a Simple Sunday French Toast recipe on Sunday.

Don’t forget to enter my CSNStores.com $60 gift card giveaway!

Have you had an exercise or activity related injury? How did you keep from going stir crazy? Help a sister out. I’m freaking out here!

May Motivation

 

Can you believe this week will deliver us the 1st of May? I can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by. The past week I was very lazy, flailing around, not really working out. So I decided that I would change all that with a May Motivation Work Out Schedule:

I am one of those people that tend to do better with a To Do list, or something to mark off. My training schedules for races hang on my fridge and as I complete each day I make a little note (minutes/mile, etc) and knowing that I get to do that everyday somehow makes me do it. I’m a little OCD. Not going to lie about it. Just because I’m not training for a race, doesn’t mean I can’t have a training schedule, because starting June 27th I will begin training for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon with I have now officially registered for. I don’t want to get out of shape in the mean time. Alt Cardio means at least 20 minutes of cardio activity that is not running, I can walk, bike or use the elliptical.

Usually I have a rest day on Saturdays, but I’m not off on Saturdays, so I might as well get up early and work out since I’m getting up for work anyway. Sundays, I don’t have to work, so I can truly just enjoy a Rest day. I scheduled my “long runs” for Thursdays because that’s my other day off and just seemed more practical to me based upon my summer work schedule. If anyone wants to use my schedule, feel free! I can even email you the file if you want to change it, print it and hang it on your fridge! :)

ACE Fitness posted an interesting article about setting goals on Twitter the other day, I wanted to share this information about goal setting with you:

One proven way to set effective goals is using the SMART goal method. This method will allow you to take those vague ideas and transform them into reality.

SPECIFIC: The goals must specifically state what is to be accomplished. They must be easily understood and should not be ambiguous or subject to interpretation. For example, rather than stating you would like to improve your fitness level, set a specific goal to be able to run a mile in 12 minutes.

MEASURABLE: The goals must be measureable so that there is no doubt about whether you achieved them. Measurable goals also allow you to evaluate your progress. Goals can be measured objectively or subjectively (i.e., how you feel and look), or both. For example, you could measure your percent body fat and body weight, but also monitor how your pants fit.

ATTAINABLE: The goals must be attainable—not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals do not motivate, and overly difficult ones may frustrate you and lead to a perception of failure.

RELEVANT: The goals must be relevant or pertinent to your particular interests, needs and abilities. For example, when preparing for a 5K walk, running quarter-mile sprints would not be the best approach

TIME-BOUND: The goals must be time-bound by specific deadlines for completion. Timelines can be both short-term and long-term and should help you stay focused and on track.

*Courtesy of ACEfitness.org

I think these are great things to remember when we set goals. As I read on OhSheGlows’s blog the other day:

 “If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.” Tom Krause

Setting goals will help us do the things we don’t think we can do. What are you current goals?

I have one quick food idea to share from the weekend. I wanted a quick pasta dish on Saturday after work and grocery shopping, so I threw together a quick Mediterranean Pasta. It had the following items:

• Whole Wheat Pasta (1 serving cooked)
• 6 large olives chopped (I used kalamta and green)
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1 roasted Roma tomato chopped
• 1 artichoke heart marinated in light Italian Dressing* chopped
• Some Greek Seasoning blend
• 2 Tbsp Reduced Fat Feta Cheese

Toss together and serve. It was fully of healthy oils and tasted amazing. It only took about 15 minutes to throw together too!

*I buy canned Artichoke hearts in water and when I get them home, I transfer them into a jar with 1/3 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing. They are cheaper that way, and I know what is in the marinade.

My husband and I have enjoyed a lazy weekend around the house. I even managed to fit a craft project in! Now it’s time to kick my ass in gear for the week, I’m off to the gym.

Happy Monday? :/ That doesn’t really work, does it?

This Smoothie is The Bomb!

Good Wednesday morning to ya!

In case I haven't told you guys lately, thanks for reading. I appreciate your comments so much! I feel like this blog and YOU are such a huge part of the reason that I'm doing so well on my journey.

This morning was a Cross-Training day on my 10k training schedule. I really need to start building some muscle. I'm pretty sure this is the next step in my journey. Cardio is only going to take me so far. I've done 30 Day Shred a bit, dabbled here and there in different things, I do yoga. However, I've avoided weight training. I hate weight training. I know that my muscles feel worked and tired (this is a feeling I have learned to appreciate as a good thing) afterward and I like that feeling, but it doesn't give me the endorphin rush that I think I am addicted to. I found a 20 minute total body workout sheet on Weight Watchers online, I printed it out this morning and took it to the gym with me. It went fairly well, on the overhead press I could only lift the bar with no weight. :/ It took me all around the gym working everything from Abs to Legs. Maybe, with any luck, I'll grow a fondness for weight training.

Onto the Star of the Show!

Caitlin over at HealthyTippingPoint.com started talking about Chocolate Cherry Bomb smoothies. Of course, I decided to try my hand at making one. Here is my variation, I swear it tastes like you're drinking a chocolate covered cherry, no joke!

Chocolate Cherry Spinach Bomb

1/2 of a banana, frozen
1/2 cup of frozen Dole Dark Sweet Cherries
1 cup of fresh spinach
1 cup of Light Vanilla Soy Milk
1 scoop Chocolate Deluxe Biggest Loser Whey Protein Powder
2 ice cubes

Put first 4 ingredients in blender carafe the night before you want to enjoy your smoothie and place in fridge.

The next morning, add protein powder and ice cubes and blend until...well, blended. This smoothie is 3 Weight Watcher points.

That's it! For those of you who are scared to try the Green Monster movement this would be a fantastic one to try. You don't taste the spinach at all! It really tastes like you're having a Chocolate Covered Cherry Milkshake for breakfast. And cherries are a Superfood! Good for your joints and packed full of antioxidants!



No one paid me to say that. I just REALLY love this smoothie! :)

Last night for dinner I made chicken that I lightly breaded with panko breadcrumbs and baked. I also made Hungry-Girl's Cheesy Butternut Squash Bake. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures for you guys. See, I took a bite of the butternut squash after I blended it but before I baked it and I honestly thought I was going to hate it. So I didn't even bother...after it baked, I ate it too fast to be bothered with a camera.



But it's good and you should try it!

Ok, that's enough of my all over the place chaos for today. I hope you guys held on tight and didn't get whiplash!

How do you feel about weight training? Do you do it? Do you have a trainer or use printed work outs? I'm really interested, please tell me! :)

I swear I'm not as desperate as I sound...ok, maybe I am a little. Weights are scary!

Weekend Update!

(FYI - those are my broom stick of a husband's ski pants by the way...mine no longer fit me, way too big!)

Hi Everyone!!!


I had a fantastic snow weekend! I went sledding (that may be the most fun cardio exercise EVER), shoveled cars out of driveways (not as much fun) and did my 30 Day Shred! I also made poor food choices all weekend, but at least I had lots of activity to go with it! I weighed in on Thursday evening (before getting in the car) at 163.4lbs, that may have gone up a bit over the weekend, but I refuse to weigh myself again until next weigh-in day! That's a loss of 3.5lbs last week and a 5.5lb loss since beginning WW Online!

On Friday we spent the whole day thrift store shopping, we found such great deals! Every store we went to had tons of stuff for all of us! I love a day like that. I got pants, shirts, sweaters for Jeff, shoes, bags, a painting...and most importantly, I got these boots!


For $6 they were my best investment in years, they kept my feet warm and dry and almost as soon as I put them on, it began to snow! I'm really glad we left on Thursday night because it started to snow Friday evening right about the time we would have began our 3 hour drive. It was nice to be there and enjoy the first flakes.

As always, I enjoyed every minute spent with my family and friends. I hate living 3 hours away, but when I look at the amount of food and alcohol I tend to consume when in their vicinity...the distance may not be such a bad thing. :)

Today is Monday, and as more often than not, unfortunately, I feel like I'm here to do my penance and start the week with a fresh slate. So, here we go!

Be sure to check out TJ's lunch box and snack giveaway over at TJ's Test Kitchen! I want this so bad!

Be sure to check back tonight for my Meatless Monday post, Stuffed Acorn Squash!

Weigh-in Day and 30DS

Jillian Michaels is a cruel, cruel woman...but I like it.



This morning I did Level of 30 Day Shred for the first time. For months I've been hearing people write about 30 Day Shred and how much they like it and how it produces good results. My husband, being awesome occasionally, got the DVD for me the other day. I need something to do on my Cross Training/non-running days while working on my training for my 10k.

This morning I had to wake up early for my weigh-in and I figured what's 20 more minutes? I'm 166.9lbs this week, down 1.8lbs! I figured I would be up with being sick, I wasn't really well behaved over the weekend or through Wednesday.

Moving on! So I put in the 30DS DVD with no real expectations and got a serious, all over body work out. I was sweating and breathing heavy right there in my living room! I look forward to continued work outs. I won't be doing them 30 days back to back, but I am going to try and do it at least twice a week as my cross training.

I am feeling a little better every day and I am grateful for that. I am still exhausted and sleeping really heavy at night, so I know I'm not 100% yet but I know that slowly adding exercise back to my routine will help.

I am determined to make today a good day, want to know why? Because this morning, on the radio while driving to work I heard this:

"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain...."



and that song just makes me happy. TGIF everyone! :)

Hey, I know that girl!

Did you guys see OperationBeautiful.com today? If so, you can say "I know that girl!" That's me, well, my back, and my Operation Beautiful note I wore on my first 5k. If you aren't familiar with Operation Beautiful, go spend some time there. You won't regret it.

I had 2 great runs since we last talked. I have been at training this week and with the holidays I just feel like I'm going, going, going non-stop and when I do stop, I drop on the couch. Thank goodness for my training runs, they get me in the gym as it's been really cold (well, cold for here) I have started mixing in some weight training again. I forgot how much I enjoy that.

I wanted to share my latest gym mix, this gets me through a 2.5 mile treadmill run and about 40 minutes of weights.


(I don't know why this is so tiny, but if you click on it, it gets a little bigger...sorry I don't have time to fix it today! :p)

It works great and kept me dancing in between the weight machines...luckily I had the gym to myself because no one needs to see that. :) The new Adam Lambert CD "For Your Entertainment" is AMAZING gym music!

Well, I'm stealing time from work to write this blog and with the conference I just attended I haven't been in here for 3 days and I'm writing this from under a pile of paperwork, kinda like this guy:



Happy Friday!

New Work Out and Holiday Tips from Bitch Cakes

Today is a rest day...see:



(I remembered!)

So, on Monday I DVR'ed a couple new workouts on FitTV, Core Max and Stretch Max with Cathe Friedrich. Both workouts were very good, the core was all abs and I had to rest a lot, but I felt like I got an amazing ab work out. The Stretch Max was my favorite. It felt wonderful and was just 30 minutes of stretching. It was really great first thing in the morning. If you have the FitTV channel, you should try them out!

Last night, I stayed On-Point! My total point allotment right now is 22, I went up to 23, but I did run 3.5 miles yesterday morning, so I had the activity points. I even managed to tweet, eat and post!

Food	Units
Tuesday's food journal
mis-mash yogurt, banana, pumpkin apple butter sprinkled with cereal	4
lentil soup with 3 wasa crisp'n lights (love those things, 3 for 1 point!)	5
jam thumbprints! http://twitpic.com/o5u72	2
lite pimento cheese spread with wasa crisps as a snack after work	3
hungry-girl's eggplant parm and roasted asparagus	4
jam thumbprints	1
100 calorie bag of kettle corn and 2 tbsp raisins	2
jam thumbprints (damn addictive things) and a dove dark chocolate square. all done for the day!	2
Total:	23

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

I talk about Wasa Crisp'n Lights a lot, I've always loved Wasa products but have never tried these. They are fantastic and you get 3 Crisps for 1 weight watcher point! They are great with Light Pimento Cheese, Peanut Butter or even topped with artichoke hearts. You should definitely look for them!

While reading blogs this morning I came across an awesome entry from Bitch Cakes (if you don't follow her, you really should...she is fierce! She rides her bike all over NYC and the boroughs...in heels!) where she shared tips/strategies for staying on track and staying motivated during the holidays! It is a fantastic reminder of the little things we can do to remain in control. I plan to practice quite a few of them myself!

In non-health related news...

I'm working on a side project for a friend of mine at home and it requires me to sit at my laptop and do data entry. My desk is a disaster area and used mostly for junk collection and was once used for crafts. I haven't felt like cleaning it off, so I sit at my coffee table while I work. Last night is a prime example of why I don't blog from home much.



Chaser the Wonder Schnauzer is always reading over my shoulder!

Here's to an on-point day filled with healthy choices! :)