Thursday, October 30, 2014

P90X Week 2

It's DONE!!!
Week 2 is over! The hardest part is over! The beginning. I can officially say the beginning is over! Now it's time to get into the meat of the program! ;)
 

Week two went a little something like this....
 
 
Back & Biceps
462 calories burned 30% calories from fat
& I had a workout partner that day.
and we didn't die.
it's a miracle ;)
 
Plyometrics
639 calories burned   15% calories from fat
as you can tell I look like a hot messs
plyometrics is NO joke 
 
 
Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
461 calories burned   26% calories from fat



Enter day 11
This was one of the hardest workout days for me this week. I had a migraine all day at work and when I came home, the LAST thing I wanted to do was workout. I tried to lay in bed and take a nap but that didn't happen thanks to this guy
so I got my butt out of bed, took my E&E and rocked my Legs & Back workout. I even had a personal cheerleader while I was doing squats. ;)


 
Then enter the dreaded WEEKEND.
Morning workout went SUPERB!
Cardio X   377 calories burned     25% calories from fat
 
Weekends are usually pretty boring for me. But Chris's mom invited me to eat with the grandchild to celebrate their good grades, so how can I say no! Raising Cane's it was. They even won some extra money from the games that came with their kiddy meal. (we make a competition out of everything down here ;) ) 
 


Saturday morning was phenomenal as well. I even got these cuties to take an amazing picture with me!
Until we went to the Craft Show with. I did eat a wrap instead of fried food, which is good.... i guess. BUT Cotton Candy Dip N Dots did make it's way into my mouth. And I MUST say, they were AMAZING! We had such a good time at the show. I wouldn't trade my time with these cuties for the world!
 
 
 
Sunday
Day 14
2 weeks DONE!
Core Synergistics
One of my favorite of the workouts!
523 calories burned    25% calories from fat
 



 
2 weeks into this program and I'm feeling more confident than ever.
This could be a winner y'all.
 
 
 
 
 
 
until next time....
 

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I know recipe of the week means you only post one recipe up PER WEEK, but this week can be an exception! I had Christopher cook this in the crock pot for me all day Tuesday and finally got to give it a taste last night. And let me tell you, it was AMAZING!! Which is why I MUST share the recipe with you guys!! Enjoy :)
 
 
Chicken Enchilada Soup
 


Ingredients:
* 2 tsp olive oil 
* 1/2 cup onion, chopped 
* 3 cloves garlic, minced 
* 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth 
* 8 oz can tomato sauce 
* 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste) 
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish) 
*  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 
* 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes 
* 2 cups frozen corn 
* 1 tsp cumin 
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
* 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total) 
* 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping 
* 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese 
* fat free sour cream (optional) 


Directions:
1.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes.
3. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil.
4. Add cilantro and remove from heat.
5. Pour into crock pot. To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir.
6. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
7. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
8. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro.
 
 
 
Servings: 6 
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups + cheese
Calories: 260.9
Fat: 6.6 g
Protein: 25.4 g 
Carb: 29.9 g
Fiber: 6.7 g
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Until next time.... 



Monday, October 27, 2014

Sweet Potato Burger

Skinny Sweet Potato Burgers
Original recipe from Dashingdish.com

Ingredients:
1 Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Bell Pepper finely diced
1 Green Onion
1/2 Cup Frozen Spinach (thawed)
1 Can Garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Egg white
1/4 Cup Panko Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Clean and skin sweet potato. Pierce a few times with fork to allow for air flow. Microwave for 5-7 minutes or until it can easily be mashed with a fork.
2. Mash sweet potato in a medium size bowl. 
3. Combine everything with sweet potatoes in the bowl.  Smash garbanzo beans with fork against side of the bowl. The more mashed they are, the smoother the texture. 
4. Form mixture into the size of patties. Place on pan and put in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm. 
5. Place pan in oven and cook 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through until the burger is golden brown. 

Serve just as is, on top of a whole grain bun, in a lettuce wrap, or on top a salad!

Nutritional Information:
1 burger per serving)
140 Calories per Serving
2 Fat
22 Carbohydrate
5 Fiber

Friday, October 24, 2014

FOOD is FUEL

We all know that food is fuel. And if you don't then you know now. FOOD is FUEL. It's what runs our body. We don't live to eat, we eat to live (or at least we should anyway)! Now when it comes to exercising, it's best to eat around an hour before you works. You want to eat something that won't sit in your stomach! Something light, but fueling is best!  Food is always something I've struggled with since I'm a create of habit. I tend to eat the same thing OVER and OVER because I know I like it. If I've never tried it already, chances are I won't ever try it.


I came across this list of pre & post-workout snacks that I thought yall could benefit from!

 

Pre-Workout Snacks

Pre- and Post-Workout Snacks: Yogurt Parfait

1. Perfect yogurt parfait: Feeling fancy, huh? Top ¼ cup nonfat yogurt with ½ cup whole grain cereal and ½ cup fresh strawberries.
2. Protein Creamcicle: Put a twist on the classic kids’ treat by blending 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, 1 cup orange juice, and 1 cup ice. Trainer and fitness expert @JCDFitness does it!
3. Cha-Cha coconut shake: Infuse 1 scoop chocolate whey protein with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin coconut oil. Girls Gone Strong co-founder @JenComasKeck loves this!
4. Star-buffs shake: Need a pre-workout pick-me-up? Greatist’s fitness editor suggests blending 1 cup iced coffee (keep the ice) with 1 scoop chocolate whey protein.
5. Dressed up oats: Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
6. Fruitsation shake: Blend 1 scoop of your favorite whey protein flavor with ½ cup ice, and 1 cup frozen berries for a sweet energy boost, suggests strength coach @Roglaw.
7. Yoberries a-go-go: For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
8. PB Apple: For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter.
9. Classic fruit cup: Prefer to keep it sweet but simple? Combine 1 cup berries, melon, banana, and oranges — oh my!
10. Dried fruit: For a quick pre-workout fix, try ¼ cup serving of dried berries, apricots, and pineapple, says Greatist Expert Jessica Redmond.

11. Eggs n’ toast: Have a heartier appetite? Try 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast.
12. Fruit leather: Need something light that makes you feel like a kid again? Try 1 single serving of fruit leather. Have a little extra time? Roll some out in the kitchen.
13. Energy in a bar: With so many options in the aisle, try opting for a bar with the most natural ingredients. While protein count is key, also check the sugar content (it shouldn’t rival what’s found in the candy aisle!).
14. Chicken n’ sweets: For a fast bite, grab 2-4 ounces (or a palm-sized amount) of sliced chicken with an equal portion size of sweet potatoes, suggests Greatist Expert Dan Trink.
15. Oats n’ eggs: Not just for breakfast, try ½ cup cooked oatmeal and 2 whole eggs seasoned with salt and pepper.

16. PB & B toast: Fuel up with 1-2 tablespoons of all-natural peanut butter and half a sliced banana on whole-wheat toast, says Greatist Expert Lisa Moskovitz.
17. Turk-cado pasta: Add 2-4 ounces (or a palm-sized amount) of roasted turkey and 3-4 avocado slices to ½ cup cooked whole-wheat pasta for some enviable eats.
18.  Wafflewich: Spruce up this classic by combining 1 frozen Kashi waffle with 2 teaspoons of almond butter and 1 teaspoon of jam.
19. Better than a PB Cup: A half-cup cooked oats with 1 teaspoon defatted peanut flour, a dash of stevia, and a sprinkling of cocoa powder on top — a concoction from the kitchen of Greatist contributor David Butler.
20. Veggie omelet: Add a little more color to your diet by combining 2 whole eggs shaken with 1 teaspoon of water cooked with 1 cup sautéed seasonal veggies.

21. Fruit & Cottage: Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon. And voila!
22. Rice con leche: Got a long way to run? Fuel up with ½ cup cooked rice, covered with ½ cup milk, a scatter of raisins, and a dash of cinnamon on top.
23. Sports drink: An 8-ounce low sugar sports drink (keep it under 10 grams of sugar) will do the trick if you’re in a crunch. For a little more fuel, add a scoop of BCAA powder— branch chain amino acids that help maintain muscle and tissue health .
24.  Hearty salad: Need some greens? Try 1 cup of salad greens with assorted veggies, 1 hardboiled egg, and a drizzle of EVOO and vinegar, or your favorite low-fat dressing.
25. Energy gel: Got a long way to go? Slurp down a energy gel (like Gu) prior to an endurance workout.

 

 

 

Post-Workout Snacks

After a tough gym session, post-workout snacks are an imporant way to restore energy and rebuild muscle, too. Downed within two hours after exercise, protein-packed shakes and snacks are a great way to rebuild tissue that breaks down during exercise. Here are 25 ways to end that workout on a high note:
 

26. Choco-tropical trail mix: Go bananas for a blend of ½ a handful of each: macadamia nuts, dried coconut, dark chocolate chips, and banana chips.
27. Protein pancakes: From the kitchen of Greatist contributor Laura Skladzinski, mix 4 egg whites, ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup low fat cottage cheese, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Cook on preheated griddle (medium low heat) until it bubbles, then flip and cook another 30-60 seconds. Top with fresh berries or sliced banana.
28. Sweet potato pie shake: This isn’t your grandma’s recipe. Combine 1 scoop of cinnamon bun whey protein, ¼ cup diced cooked sweet potato, 1 cup of ice, and 1 cup vanilla almond milk in the blender — a Kellie Davis original.
29. Chunky Monkey shake: Monkey around with 1 medium banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, and 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk blended with ice.
30. Double G shake: Aussie strength coach @Rachel_Guy1 recommends an 8-ounce greens drink (any superfood blend found at most health food stores) with 1 scoop of glutamine.
31. Double Trouble shake: To lengthen the delivery time of nutrients to your muscles, combine ½ scoop of whey protein blended with ½ scoop slower-digesting casein protein, plus a handful of your favorite fresh or frozen fruit.
32. Bananarama: One medium sliced banana with 1 cup low fat milk — it doesn’t get any easier than this!

33. Green Monster smoothie: Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — a favorite of Greatist contributor Claudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
34. Protein bar: For a quick, store-bought fix, feed those muscles with a protein bar. Just watch the sugar content. Look for bars with 10-30 grams of protein, less than 10 grams of sugar, and the fewest number of ingredients you can’t pronounce!
35. Beef and squash: Need something hearty? Try a handful of lean roast beef with an equal portion of butternut squash.
36. Tuna crackers: Mix up a batch of light tuna salad for a quick bite. Add two heaping spoonfuls to a handful of whole grain crackers, and chomp away.
37. Bagel with egg whites: Half a medium-sized whole grain bagel with 2 eggs whites makes a great post-workout sandwich.
38. Ants on a raft: The ants go marching… Spread a heap of natural peanut butter over a brown rice cake and top with raisins.
39. Milk and cereal: Any time is a good time for cereal. Add 1 cup of low-fat milk to 1 cup of whole-grain cereal. Nosh loudly.

40. Apples and cheese:  Tease your taste buds with 1 medium sliced apple and 1 stick of low-fat string cheese.
41. Chocolate milk: One to two cups of low-fat chocolate milk seals the deal with extra carbs and protein.
42. Black bean omelet: Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa, if you dare.
43. Cottage cheese crunch: One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
44. Eggy muffinwich: Ditch the fast-food and opt for 1 whole egg, fresh spinach, 1 slice low fat cheese, and 1 slice Canadian bacon served on an English muffin, suggests Greatist contributor Lisa LaValle Overmyer.
45. BCAA n’ cakes: When in doubt, just add cakes! Pair up two scoops of BCAA powder mixed in ice water with two rice cakes.

46. AB & J Rice Cakes: Almond butter takes the cake. For this healthier twist on the classic PB & J, sandwich 1 tablespoon of almond butter and 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam between two rice cakes.
47. Recovery in a bottle: When time is of the essence, grab a store-bought recovery drink to sip on after training. Just check the label — sports recovery drinks will provide plenty of carbs refuel, or opt for aminos to really rebuild.
48. Pita and hummus: One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of  hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
49.  Egg scramble: Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
50. Chicken hash: After your workout grab 1 cup cooked diced chicken, ½ cup butternut squash and apples, roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make a big batch and store it in the fridge!


List is from
www.greatest.com




until next time...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Skinny Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Skinny Turkey Enchilada Casserole
 
Ingredients:
1/2# lean ground turkey
Dried, diced onions (to taste)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
15 oz can black beans (low sodium) drained & rinsed
10 oz can Rotel, drained
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 medium wheat tortillas
10 oz can red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese



Cooking Directions
 
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
 
2. Coat a 9" square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray
 
3. In a large nonstick pan, cook the ground turkey, onions, garlic, chili powder, and cumin over medium-high heat until onions are tender and turkey is no longer pink.
 
4. Once turkey is cooked thoroughly, stir in black beans and Rotel and mix well. Remove meat mixture from heat and set aside.
 
5. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, corn, cottage cheese, and garlic powder.
 
6. Place 2 tortillas overlapping the bottom of the 9" pan.
 
7. Start layering with turkey  mixture. Next add sour cream mixture. End with enchilada sauce. Repeat layering until out of ingredients.
 
8. Bake covered for 30-35 minutes until heated through.
 
9 Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top of the casserole dish.
 
10. Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
 
11. Remove from oven and let set for about 10 minutes to set.
 
 
 
General Nutritional Information (varies with ingredients)
Serving Size: 1/6 of casserole dish
Calories: 292
Fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fiber: 11 g
Protein: 19 g
WWP+: 6 points
original recipe from skinnymom.com
 
 
 
 
until next time....

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Week 1 of P90X

Week one of P90X is finally overrr! I say finally in a good way. I can finally move on to week 2. Which is the same as week one for the most part with a few arm workout swaps. But that's okay! I'm REALLY liking the way my body is changing and reacting to this new program!  It's so different than any other program that I've done. Most of the workouts are at a slower pace than I'm accustomed to and I couldn't be happier. It was time for a change and this is definitely a change!
 
I love the fact that I can use the P90X app to track the number of reps I do for each move & the amount of weight I used. That helps me know the next time I do that particular routine, I at least have to match that or do better. So I'm continually pushing myself and trying to beat myself!
 
 
 
Day 1 was Chest and Back for me. I didn't take a picture with my sign because I hadn't had the idea for it yet :/ . However, I did take my day 1 photos so that I can compare them when I complete it! But I don't want to share those just yet! ;)
 
Day 2- Cardio X
Burned 496 Calories with 23% calories from fat burned

 
Day 3- Shoulders & Arms
Burned 549 calories with 27% calories from fat burned 


Day 4- Plyometrics
Burned 675 calories with 14% calories from fat burned


Day 5- Legs & Back
Burned 649 calories with 17% calories from fat burned


Day 6- Kenpo
Burned 591 Calories with 18% calories from fat burned


Day 7 - Core Synergistics
Burned 487 calories with 27% calories from fat burned

 

 
I completed my meal plan for week 2 yesterday and will be posting it soon! Just have to make a few tweaks to it before I share! ;)
 
 
until next time....
 

Friday, October 17, 2014

Burn it off

 
Just because it looks good, doesn't mean you should eat it! I know, I know. We need to cheat every once in a while. But once in a while, doesn't mean everyday. And every once in a while doesn't mean eating all of these at one time on your cheat day!
 
Just wanted to share this so that you can see what it would take to burn it off! And then you can decide if it's worth it or not ;)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
until next time.....

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Burn Booty Burn

So today was my first time attempting to make a video for you guys!  
So if this helps you make sure to comment and let me know! If it helps, I'll make a new video each week so we can werk werk ;)


Burn Booty Circuit
4 moves
10 reps each move
2 rounds

PREPARE TO FEEL THE BURN


Lunge to backwards leg lift
 Make sure you keep your knee behind or even with your toe. DO NOT let your knee go beyond your toe!


Curtsey lunge with side leg raise
Lunge backwards at a diagonal angle. Make sure front knee DOES NOT go over your front toe! After lunge, raise knee up for a side crunch.


 Backwards lunge with front leg raise
 Start with feet together. Lunge backwards. Again, making sure the knee does not go over the toe. Bring lunging leg up for a front knee raise.


Woodchoppers
 Start in low squat position, with hand on one foot. Swing up to opposite side of body, reaching as high as possible.  Go back down to squat and repeat 10 times.


 Donkey kick pulses
 Stay in donkey kick position with leg in air. Pulse 10 times without dropping the knee to the ground.








Don't forget to let me know when you're done & what you think! :)




until next time.....

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

New Phone = More Pictures :)

So yesterday I spent nearly 3 hours at AT&T trying to upgrade to the iPhone 6 that I've been waiting for! I went in not expecting the store to have any. And guess what, they didn't! BUTT they check the surrounding areas, and out of the three stores in my area, they had 1 in the mall. After multiple attempts to call the mall, the AT&T lady FINALLY got in touch with someone at the mall and they said they would hold it for me if I got there QUICKLY. So guess what I did? Got there quicker than quick.
 
I didn't initially want the huge 128GB phone, but it was all that was available to me. And I presume that I won't be upset that I got it. I will hopefully NEVER see the error when I try to take pictures again because with my old phone I was to the point where I had to delete a whole bunch of stuff to just take one picture. Which was beyond annoying.
 
So after what felt like every darn obstacle that could come with upgrading, I FINALLY got my phone and walked out the store 3 hours later.
 
Is it super amazing? Not really. It's bigger, faster, and actually works. So it's way better than what I had. My old phone worked when it wanted to, which was super frustrating. So the three hour wait was totally worth it!!

First official iPhone 6 selfie ;)
 
 
 
 
until next time
 

Monday, October 13, 2014

Weekend in Review

This weekend was a crazy hectic one for me. Saturday morning we left for a wedding in Mississippi, which is around a 3 hour drive from my home. So that meant I had to wake up even earlier to do my workout & pack (since I was too lazy to pack to during the week).
 
Saturday morning I had Chest, Shoulders, and Tricpes. Arms. I HATE ARMS. 1 hand push-ups. Y flys. Sliding push-ups. push-ups, push-ups, push-ups!! Needless to say, I had a difficult time holding my arms up to put my  makeup on for the wedding!
 
 
 
The wedding was beautiful! And my DRESS FIT! All the hard work and meal prepping helped!! Still not sure I rocked it as well as I did in 2011 (left), but I really loved it! I actually got a few compliments on it, so I'll take it! ;)
 
We ate at a little sandwich shop in Natchez called Slick Rick's and let me tell you, I have never had a wrap so amazing! I got the Crawfish Roll. It was almost like a crawfish stuffing put into a wheat tortilla. Beyond amazing. I tried to get Christopher one before we left, but they were closed. Sorry bud! haha
 
On the way home, mom needed to get gas. Of course I recommended we stop at the gas station next to the outlet mall where the Nike outlet is! Smart, I know. Well luckily, they were having a clearance on all already reduced shoes. Soooo yeah. You know where that statement will end up. 
You can't pass those up for $40 a piece. You just can't.
 
 
So with that detour and after mom showed me some houses that she is looking at possibly buying, we didn't get home for lunch until 2! I had my Parmesan  chicken wrap and then dove into my workout so could make sure I got it in! The longer I kept pushing it back, the less likely I would actually do it!
 
 
Plyometrics X
That crap is no joke! Holy moly! I love cardio workouts and I was huffing and puffing!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BUTTTT. On the bright side, I burned 710 calories in just 1 hour at my house, in my own gym, with no interruptions. BAM!
 
 
I will leave you with my final words.
DANCING WITH THE STARS TONIGHT
:) :) :)
 
 
 
 
 
until next time....