F.A.T

So originally, I had intended this blog to be my own "personal journal". Well, I didn't get very far. Now I've figured I will turn it into my motivational blog. More of a "fitspo" you could say, where I keep track of my progress and post things that inspire me to become fit. Please don't be offended if there are things on here that you don't want to see. It is not my intention to post things to make myself or others feel bad about themselves but just a place where I can look for inspiration in becoming FAT (Fit and Toned).

[.sweat like a pig to look like a fox.]

SO..it has been a while, and I do have reason.  But that doesn't mean that I should stop everything I've been doing.  I was in a funk for a little while and have recently been awesomely good with tracking my food and being RIGHT within my macro range.  I give myself one day a week to eat whatever I feel like and that seems to be working.  Besides the fact that come Monday morning all I want to do is NOT go to work at 5 am.  BUT hey, I'll live.  Anyway, yesterday I was sitting out in the sun with my pup, soaking up some sun while watching/lisening to a few video seminars.  I noticed something that I haven't seen since the 7th grade.  This may not seems like a big deal, but it was to me.

I could physically SEE my quads.

It was a good feeling, and made me want to try even harder than I already was.

Needing some motivation...

If you aren't working towards it, then maybe you don't deserve it!

Lime Chicken

 

Lime Chicken Tacos Recipe

• 12 Servings
• Prep: 10 min. Cook: 5-1/2 hours

10 330 340

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 12 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce, optional

Directions

• Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Stir in corn and salsa.
• Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in whole wheat tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired. Yield: 12 tacos.

I've come to a conclusion...

The last couple weeks have been somewhat hard, I've had my binge moments (which I always regret) and it is just NOT worth it.  Here is my conclusion...That food that you want to binge on is NOT going to disappear!!  It will still be there when you get a "cheat" day.  Even though that "cheat" day may only be 2 or 3 times a month, you can spread it out to have certain things on those days.  Here is what I've done to help, weird I know, but it helps.  I pretend like I ate that cookie, or that bowl of ice cream.  I haven't forgotten what cookies taste like, so if I pretend like I ate it I feel satisfied.  Odd? Yes.  But hey it has helped me immensely this last week.  It may be only 100 calories (for a bite;) but it's still 100 calories worth of junk that leads to that excess tire around my midsection!  Exercise should be about rewarding your body with endorphins and strength, not about punishing your body for what you've eaten.  You can't out-exercise a bad eating habit.

Minus the tattoo this is where I will be - give me time!

Destroy Fat!

Once again, another article from Griff...

Ok, you are talking to a friend that you have not seen for a while, just shooting the breeze and catching up when all of the sudden you hear him say, “I just started a new exercise program and I am doing my cardio 6 times per week to burn the fat and I lift in the gym 3 times per week to firm up”.  You nod your head in an affirming gesture, end the conversation, and go on with your day.  You return to work after your lunch-break and over hear two ladies in an adjacent cubical saying, “Yea, I just started working out again but I am just focusing on cardio for now to burn the fat and then when I reach my goal I will start with the weights”.

Many of us have heard statements such as these and many more.  Those that make them have the very best of intentions but the very worst of factual information.  Today I want to give you some facts that will change your approach to fitness and ultimately point you in the right direction for whatever your fitness goal may be.

Must-Have Natural Metabolism Elixirs:

1- Resistance Training: 

For those of you already involved with resistance training congratulations!  For those of you who are either not doing it or putting it off, till “I have lost some initial weight”, please reconsider the following physiological process of fat burning:

                -Resistance training is the nuts and bolts to building muscle

                -Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, meaning that it is the tissue that is constantly burning calories and fat.               

                – Resistance training is the ONLY way to increase your level of lean muscle tissue that will help you in your fat-burning quest.

2- Proper Cardio/Resistance Training Balance

This goal will vary for everyone depending on fitness levels, goals, age, gender, and so forth. 

A few rules of thumb that might help you…

A- If your goal is weight loss: You want to start with 50/50 split between cardio and weights.  For example cardiovascular activities on M/W/F and weights on T/TH/SAT.

B- If your goal is muscle gains: You want to start with the scale swayed towards more weight training days.  So you might go to four days of weights and only two days of cardio.  In reality this particular set-up can burn just as much and in some cases more than the weight loss regime that I just listed under letter A.

C- If your goal is weight maintenance:  typically weight training 3-4 days per week with 2-3 days of cardio injected on your non-weight training days.

3- Muscle Building Nutrition

How many of us go to the gym, do our workout and then lie to ourselves with some of the following excuses…

-“I workout so that I can eat like I want to”

- “I workout so hard that my body can handle some of the junk food that I consume frequently”

- “I am not making progress in the gym so it must be my workout” (completely turning a blind eye to poor nutrition)

The truth is that nutrition is 80% of the fat loss battle whereas the gym is only 20% (I use those statistics to make a point)  Yes we need to workout and workout hard, but how can we expect our bodies to build muscle and burn fat if we are giving it crap food every day?  The math does not add up and that is why there are so many frustrated, plateau stricken, ever persistent gym going people out there that never get over that last fat hump.

The bottom line:

We all have certain beliefs and perspectives about resistance training that may or may not help us in our fitness goals.  I am speaking to some people in particular.  1-) Those wishing to shed body fat 2-) Those only participating in cardiovascular exercise 3-) Those who have viewed resistance training as a “guy thing” or those who have been turned off by massive bodybuilding men and women thinking that they will look like them if they participate in a sensible resistance training program.  Resistance training consistently beats cardiovascular exercise when it comes to burning fat and maintaining healthy body fat levels.

If you truly want your body to become a Fat Burning Machine please do away with those worn out and tired myths and consider the aforementioned points in this article.  Become a believer as your fat melts away and you maintain the lean muscular and sexy body that you have always wanted.

The truth

Resist the temptation...

Wednesday night we made banana splits for young womens, last night was hubby's birthday, he wanted Applebees.  You never realize how many disruptions there will be during your day until you really are putting 110% into what goes into your mouth.  This week has gone really well so far.  I'm already seeing a difference in my body's definition. Seeing progress in this short of time only makes me want to push myself harder! Today I've already done spin and row, hard workout later today then a run tonight!  Yes, my legs are still sore from Tuesday, it's now Friday, and another leg day.  Here it goes!!

 

Dear Six Pack...

Your day will come...

Day 2 and 3 have been good!  Today is strictly intense cardio and abs!!  Jog, spin, row and jump rope!  Hopefully homework won't stop me from going tonight after work and young womens!

Apple Chicken with Rice and Beans

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

# 1 cup long-grain brown rice
# 1 tbsp olive oil
# 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
# 16 oz chicken breast (4 chicken breasts)
# 1 tbsp oat flour (or similar for thickening)
# 1 tbsp Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend
# 3 stalk fresh sliced green onions
# 1/2 cup organic apple cider
# 1 lb cut fresh green beans

Yummy Fall Dinner

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the rice and toast until light brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups broth and bring to a boil and sliced green onions, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

While the rice cooks, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook until the juices run clear, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet, then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the apple cider and 1 cup chicken broth and cook until slightly thickened; season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove from the heat.

Steam green beans.

Serve chicken and brown rice with gravy and beans.

Nutrition:

* Calories 389
* Calories from Fat 77.8
* Total Fat 8.64g 13%
* Saturated Fat 1.31g
* Cholesterol 70mg
* Sodium 984.98mg
* Total Carbohydrate 46.41g
* Dietary Fiber 2.56g
* Sugars 4.03g
* Protein 33.05g

The beginning of something new...

See my story here...

Day 1
I was at the gym by 5:15 this morning.
Not for me though :)  For a client.  I had two clients cancel for the rest of the morning before class so I went back home to sleep by 6:30 for a couple hours.  I woke up when Lance got home around 8:30, went for a run for 30 minutes with the pup then showered before class.


Around 2:00 I switched between 2-5 minutes of jump rope, then 2-5 minutes of mountain climbers, up to 30 minutes!  I'm feeling stronger already :)


Today thus far I've eaten 4 egg whites and half a cup of oats for breakfast.  A stalk of celery, 1.5 cups and some grilled chicken for lunch, then the same thing just now for an early dinner.  In a couple hours I'll be hitting the gym pretty hard for my first training session for competition, then I'm assuming I'll probably have more chicken and brown rice.  This is what my diet will be like for the next 6 days.  Also, I've been drinking so much water, I pretty much have to pee every hour!


I'm already anxious to hit the gym tonight, then I will run for another 30 minutes before bed!







I want to have a before and after.


I want to be one sexy bad ass!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

-1 small sweet onion, small diced

-1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

-1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained

-1 14 oz can organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained

-1.5 C organic veggie broth

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1 T chili powder

-1 t cumin

-1 t paprika

-pinch cayenne

-1/2 t sea salt

-1 lime (for splash of juice at the end)

Combine all ingredients into a slow cooker (except the lime), sprayed with nonstick spray.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you’d like to add meat, bake an organic chicken breast seasoned with sea salt, pepper, and chili powder, dice and put into the bowl.

Add chili and FEAST 

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro.

Breakfast Cookie!?!

In a small bowl, add 1/3 cup oats, 1 tbs nut butter of choice (I used raw almond) and 1/2 scoop protein powder(tonight was chocolate Designer Whey)

Stir to combine and use the spoon to break up the nut butter until you have a nice crumbly mixture:

Add 1/8 cup milk of your choice (For me, unsweetened vanilla almond milk) and mix until fully moistened

Now the fun part- pick the mix-ins! You can get creative with this one– I’ve tried banana, raisins, pumpkin, chocolate chips, ground espresso beans… add anything you like!

Tonight, I decided on 1/2 mashed banana that was looking a little ripe

Stir in your mix-ins of choice and season (I used a little Stevia and cinnamon)

Plop the mixture onto an appetizer-sized plate and with the back of your spoon, flatten it into a round shape with equal thickness throughout

Put the cookie in the fridge overnight. It will harden slightly from the nut butter and the oats will soften from the milk.

Next morning, grab a spoon and enjoy 

Protein Pancakes

....more like crepes....


1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese
4-5 egg whites
1 scoop protein powder (vanilla)

Blend until batter consistency. Then pour into a frying pan like normal pancakes.

Thats the basics. You can add your own items for flavoring... for example

mix in 1/2 cup blueberries after blending. (Blueberry pancakes)

Or try adding a half a bannana before blending for bananna flavored pancakes.

These are really easy to make up ahead of time too so you can have a nice protein heavy breakfast without alot of morning prep. (They are alright for snacks too) 

Strawberry Asparagus Salad

The recipe is simple.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
1 head romaine lettuce--chopped
1/2 bag of baby spinach leaves--stems removed
1 bundle of asparagus--steamed and chilled
1 pint of strawberries--sliced
1/3 cup sliced almonds--sugar toasted

SIMPLE DRESSING:
1/4 cup rice vinegar (in a bind, substitute apple cider vinegar)
2 Tbl Canola or Olive Oil
1/4 cup sugar ***Since there is sugar is the dressing, use it sparingly. - or just use a little bit of Stevia - a natural sweetner!
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Start by blanching the asparagus. Blanching is a simple method of steaming veggies for only a few minutes so they still have a bit of crunch to them.

Wash the spears and break or cut off the ends. Place them in a double-steaming pan, or a pot of boiling water and let them cook for only a few minutes. You just want to take the raw-edge off of them. While they're still a brilliant green shade, remove them from the pot and dunk them in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process.

Cut the spears into bite sized pieces, season them with salt and pepper, and let them chill in the fridge.
Next: Toasted almonds.
These are something I always have, so I can toss them into a salad at moment's notice. If you're a salad eater too, make a big batch at once and save some for later.

Next prepare the base of the salad. I like to use romaine lettuce for the crunch and baby spinach for the rich green color (and vitamins). Wash and chop one head of lettuce:
Add as much baby spinach as you like. I prefer removing the stems.
Then bring out the star of the show.....strawberries.

Wash and slice a small basket of berries (or more if you love them) and throw them into the bowl with the rest of the goods.
Prepare your dressing using the recipe above. If you have a cool salad dressing bottle, perfect! If not, here's my mom's make-shift method......pour everything in an old glass bottle, place a plastic baggie over the top--to keep anything from spilling out--screw on the lid and shake!
Works great every time.
When you're ready to eat, combine everything in the bowl. Place the almonds in very last so they stay crunchy and pour the dressing over the top. Toss it all together. 
Viola!

I want my fridge to ultimately look like this!

Peach Oatmeal Breakfast

Healthy Peach Muesli (Vegan)

This recipe makes 1 bowl of fruity muesli! It calls for natural cinnamon apple sauce but you could always use regular apple sauce and add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Also remember that you have to use old fashioned rolled oats, instant oats won’t absorb the liquid.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other non-dairy milk
• 1 fresh peach, chopped (reserve a few pieces for garnish)
• 1- 2 Tablespoons natural cinnamon apple sauce
• 1 Tablespoon almonds, chopped or sliced
• 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax seeds (optional)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the fridge overnight, or at least a few hours. Take out of the fridge in the morning, stir, top with garnishing peach pieces and enjoy!

**In order to up your protein intake add a scoop of all natural protein powder.

Oatmeal Protein Pancake

One of my favorites!!!



 Ingredients:
-4 Eggs Whites

-1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal Dry

-1/2 Banana Sliced

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Spray frying pan with cooking spray and cook mixture as you do regular pancakes. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or agave nectar. Variation: 
Substitute other fruits in the mixture, such as sliced strawberries, or have none at all.

You can feel sore tomorrow, or you can feel sorry tomorrow...You choose.

I think I need to add more weights...