Feed me!!

You asked, I deliver. 

I needed to get back on the clean eats bandwagon and made sure to spend some time doing prep work this weekend. I posted a pic on Facebook today of my gluten-free, sugar-free Tropical Muffin and everyone wants the recipe so here you go!

I cannot take credit for the original recipe, I found it on Chocolate Covered Katie  and give it my own  little tweaks!

TROPICAL BREAKFAST MUFFINS

5 cups Old Fashioned Oats

2 cups of smashed very ripe bananas

1/2 cup (packed) of crushed pinapple*

*I used canned, no sugar added

5 Stevia packets OR 5 tsp liquid sweetener such as pure maple/agave or honey

2 2/3 cups of water*

*I used 2/3 cups of the juices from the crushed pineapple and the rest water

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

optional add ins:

*I used what is starred

*shredded coconut, unsweetened

*flax meal

*raisins

*cinnamon

chocolate chips

walnuts

wheat germ

dried fruit

Preheat oven to 380* and line 24-25 muffin/cupcake tins with liners.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In another bowl, combine your wet ingredients including banana and pineapple. Mix wet and dry well. Scoop into muffin tins and bake for about 22 mins. 

I kept some out and froze some too. I found that when hot/warm, they stuck to the muffin liner (of course I could not wait to try one!) but once they cool, the liner comes right off. 

 These are fabulous with almond butter for breakfast--Quick, easy and clean! Thanks Katie!! 

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And then there is today's lunch. I swear, I consumed this sammy with a bunch of tomatoes in less than 2 mins post swim. 

This is actually my secret post workout nosh that has become a favorite of mine and I crave them after a good training session!

Ok, this sounds a little crazy but it's so good. I usually just use whatever veggies I have on hand but there is always some

red lettuce
spinach
sriracha sauce
sour pickles-not DILL, sour!
hummus

Today's creation was on an oatmeal and flax pita bread with

cracked chili pepper hummus
a layer of spinach and lettuce topped with sriracha
layer some sprouts 
then sliced avocado
shredded carrots
sliced sour pickles
a schmear of hummus

there is something magical about the combo of sour pickle and hot sriacha sauce. The avocado and hummus just give it a creamy balance (and some good fats/proteins!) 

What's your go-to post workout snack or meal??

Be sure to check out Cook Train Eat Race for great recipes. I will be sharing one of my favorite recipes soon on his Recovery Meal Blog Carnival! 

What I Eat-Breakfast Edition

Lately I've been getting lots of questions about what I eat.
Now, let's be honest here...I did not get FAT because I did not like to eat. I love food and I enjoy cooking. Over the years, it has been a learning process for me and it still is as I continue to discover more and more NOW as I dig a little deeper into nutrition.

When I lost weight, I did it by eating clean foods. It was a gradual shift and I learned a lot while I was pregnant. I started questioning why certain foods were "not safe" while pregnant but ok to eat when not. I wanted to give my growing baby the best shot at health that I could. I tried my best to eat as healthfully as possible. That's not saying that I did not indulge in Blizzards from Dairy Queen (my weakness!) but I started eating better overall and getting more nutrient dense and clean foods into my diet. It was a matter of the more I knew, the more I wanted to do right and learn more. I was opting for whole, real foods vs. processed foods. 

One HUGE difference was I started eating breakfast. I used to skip breakfast and have several cups of coffee loaded with cream and sugar (pre-pregnancy, of course!!) and maybe mid-morning grab a snack from the break-room at work. I worked in a medical facility and we could usually count on donuts or other pastry products almost daily from the drug reps.

These days, I still have coffee (not as much and certainly not loaded with cream and sugar) and I do not eliminate this from my diet like some athletes. I enjoy coffee waaaay too much. I, do, however try to drink a large glass of water before anything else when I get up and then I am eating something that 30-45 minute window of time.

Some mornings, I am teaching boot camp followed by a spin class and other days I get right to my training for the day so it is really important to get good quality calories in to fuel those workouts.

I am not an RD or a nutritionist. I am only sharing what I eat, how I lost weight and how I try to keep it healthy. Also, the brands mentioned in the blog post are just the brands I like and use. This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are simply my own. That being said, here is a sampling of things I eat for breakfast. I keep things simple and usually eat the same things over and over with the occasional diversion from the norm just to mix things up.

My standby is OATMEAL. I love oatmeal. An easy swap here is ditch the pre-packaged, sugar-laden oatmeal for the real stuff. Old Fashioned oats in that big round tub or opt for steel cut oats. 
I prefer Steel Cut Oats and they are actually pretty easy to make. 

There are crock pot versions. Like this one and this one
I make a huge crock pot full on Sunday and it feeds us for many days.

photo source

I always have Coach's Oats on hand too-they are toasted, cracked steel cut oats that cook up just as quickly as the processed oatmeal. Easy to make on the stop top or in the micro and they are delish!! Just as good as the traditional SCO's but the bonus to these little gems are you can also cook with them as well. Check out their website for all kinds of recipe ideas!

Then there is regular style oatmeal "old fashioned oats" that is baked oatmeal with berries

photo source

Another staple of mine is a breakfast wrap. I love the Josephs Flax and Oat wrap with PB, raisins, apple slices, honey and cinnamon.

Another option is a smashed banana and PB.

Easy and portable for on the go mornings.

Next up: flour free pancakes!

just mash up a ripe banana
add one whole egg
one egg white
a dash of cinnamon
and a scoop of chia seeds

let sit for a few mins and cook in a skillet (I used a tad of coconut oil in the pan).

VOILA! Gluten free pancakes that are super easy to make

No cooking required: Powerbar protein bars. I always have a stash with me. NO EXCUSES I can eat one on the drive to teach 5am boot camp or for an early morning swim and I don't have to worry about having a too full belly. 

I actually prefer savory to sweet and most of the time, I'll be eating eggs of some sort.
_____________________________________

Here is a simple one-one whole egg, two egg whites scrambled with some jalapenos
top with baby spinach and sriarcha
on a flax seed flat

Some days it is as simple as a couple hard boiled eggs and I toss the yolks.
 I'll have this with a piece of fruit like an apple or orange-lately I'm addicted to blood oranges.

So, as you can see, breakfast does not have to be complicated or time consuming. 

Do YOU eat breakfast?
What are some of your favorites?

Want to have YOUR favorite recipe featured on a future blog post? I'm looking for YOUR favorite easy and yummy dishes that are relatively "clean" and healthy! Email me or leave a comment! 

ABtastic!

This getting up at 2am business is starting to get old...and least I can embrace the quiet time and get stuff done. RIGHT??

I think I have had an epiphany about it though. Not only is it the time change having an impact in my internal clock but I am not training the amount of hours and putting the miles on my body like I was just a few weeks ago so my body does not require that much sleep. Maybe?
Seems like a good theory to me!

I am really happy to be back in the weight room (yes,  I am saying it again!) and cleaning  up the diet is having quick effects! My hands are starting to get calloused again (no gloves for me!) and "The Vein" is making an appearance again! 

While most of October was focused on running and planning for the marathon, I was easing into some circuit training and doing my own classes again (something I avoided during tri season). There is also this little Rev3 Abtastic Challenge I am doing with some of my Rev3 team mates and I have to be rocking a killer 6-pack for Knoxville (in May 2013) but I also have this little 200 mile run to complete in January.

So here is a peek of how things are progressing:

SEPTEMBER: my starting point. I was not happy with how "soft" I had become without weight training.

OCTOBER: dropped a bit of belly fat and starting to get back to a learner mid-section. Obliques and that lower V are starting to come around again...

NOVEMBER: (this week, so mid-November) two solid weeks of clean eating and lifting heavier than I have been. Throw in some high intensity circuit training and running/biking and we are finally seeing progress!

Seeing how my body has responded with and without weight training over for the last two seasons was an eye opener and I will work to KEEP it part of my regime next season. 

I have been asked many times about my tummy (considering what it used to look like). 

Yes, being fat heavy and carrying Lola to an astounding 42 weeks of pregnancy took it toll on my body, but luckily genetics are on my side with this one. I don't have any stretch marks on my belly from either life event...but neither did my Mother.

I also contribute it to my weight loss being slow and healthy. I was losing the weight slowly, I was eating nutritious foods and I drank a TON of water. I think this certainly played a role. 

I am also asked often HOW to get a lean belly.

You can crunch away until the cows come home but that is not going to do a thing for you if there is a soft layer of fat covering up those abs! So how do you get a lean midsection?

EAT CLEAN!

There is a little saying "Abs are made in the kitchen" 

What you eat and how you eat plays a huge role in this. Eating clean simply means eating REAL food. Ditch the processed stuff, get rid of the sugar- and sodium- filled foods. Alcohol needs to go too...look to eat lean proteins, lots of veggies (green ones!), fiber rich complex carbs and water, water, water! 

CARDIO!

and while nutrition is 80% of the battle, you need to add in cardio (I love HIIT drills in conjunction with steady state cardio). Cardio is going to help rid the body of some of that fat and water covering up those abs! Core stabilizing cardio activities like kickboxing are a great way to have fun AND work your body!

CORE!

you need the above two along with CORE specific training. You need to target the upper, lower and sides of your core. Twisting crunches, bicycle crunches, hanging leg raises, planks...

I also like to incorporate compound exercises that force the core to work-a favorite being walking lunges holding a weight overhead and my all time favorite body-blasting exercise-

BURPEES!! (cardio blast-core engaging, upper body!)

So with less than two months until the Ragar Relay in Florida with my FFtFL crew and Knoxville a good 6 months from now, I've got a lot of work to do to get HERE...

So with that, I am off to work my abs at AnneMarie's Core Class and then I'll do some running and lifting. Getting up at 2am has it's benefits...I'll be ready to rock and roll at 5am.

What is your favorite CORE exercise?

OFF

After this marathon I am taking some time OFF from scheduled training.
Not a break from training-- just having a schedule. I need and want some downtime to do whatever I want to do when I want to do it before things go crazy with training loads for next season.



I want to try mountain biking.
and cyclocross (probably not the right time to try it! lol)
and I want to hike
I want to run on trails
I want to hit the weights again-6
just do different stuff

With an aggressive race plan for next year, it will be a lot of time in the Pain Cave over the winter months and lots of time in the pool so I am really looking forward to the break for a while. Come December 1st though...we are back at it!

Meanwhile...

I started a little challenge with one of my buddies, Scott, to eat clean for 30 days straight. My eating has been pretty good these days--more so since OperationX started--but I am ready to really stick to it for a bit and see what happens to my body. All the endurance training (and lack of weight training) took a lot of muscle off my body and left me a little softer than I am used to being. I'd like to take some fat off, put back on a bit of muscle and see how I respond.

Honestly, I was not all the strict with my eating this season and pretty much has what I wanted. I know that there is plenty of room for discipline there...plus, there is this little Rev3 ab challenge I am doing with some of the team members and staff. It'll be interesting to see if I can sprout a 4 pack for spring!

Are you taking a break from training this year?
What are your "off season" plans? 

Cheap & Easy

I always hear that people find that eating clean or eating healthy is expensive.
Yes, it can be
BUT
it can be done on a budget!
You don't have to break the bank to feed your family real food.
Healthy food. And it does not have to be difficult to make either.
I am going to be highlighting some of my favorite healthy and budget friendly recipes that are perfect for fall!

Cheap & Easy...


One of my favorite Cheap & Easy staples:
Old Fashioned Oatmeal

It costs a whopping $2.00 for a giant container of Old Fashioned Oatmeal which has 30 servings (1/2 cup of dry oats). Let's do the math here-$2 for 30 servings works out to $0.06 per serving.

You can opt for Quaker Oats at $2.49 for the same size container and the cost rises to
$0.906 per serving. Wanna call it 10 cents??

You can even up the ante to ORGANIC old fashioned oatmeal-Nature's Place (our local grocery store label organic line) is $3.29 for the same 30 servings-this works out to $0.11 per serving.






So the question is "why would you pay $2.50 to 3.50 for a box of sugared, processed quick oats?"
Most boxes of instant oatmeal come with 6 individual packages so let's do this math.
6 servings at $2.50 would be $0.416 and 6 servings at $3.50 is $0.583


Is your answer "because it's quick and easy" ???

Because, guess what!!?? Making old fashioned oatmeal is just as easy as the "quick" stuff.
It's cheap and easy.

My favorite oatmeal

1 3/4 cups of water
1 cup of old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a generous dash of cinnamon
a hand full of raisins or craisins
your favorite sweetener-honey, real maple syrup, stevia, etc.

Bring water to a boil.
Add oats, vanilla, cinnamon.
Turn heat down to med-low. Let simmer for just a few minutes. Turn off heat and cover.
Add raisins or craisins and your sweetener of choice. Top with a splash of milk.
Easy.
I like to add ground flax meal and even protein powder on occasion.

oats with almonds, apples & flax seed

Other great combo's to throw in:
chopped apples & a scoop of almond butter. Top with chopped almonds & flax
blueberries and milk (frozen berries are the way to go! cheap & easy)
bananas & walnuts (banana bread!!)
PB and more PB :)

Do you like Oatmeal?
What is your favorite way to have oats?
What would you like to see next on Cheap & Easy?
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Did you enter my Tough Chik giveaway??
Only a couple more days left to enter!!

Bite Me!

Now that it is the "off season" I am really trying to pay attention to my nutrition and trying new things. While I am in great shape right now, I still feel like I can drop my overall body fat percentage a bit more in prep for next season. We all know that nutrition plays a huge role in this show!

I easily get stuck in a rut with the same dishes over and over-I love eating clean but I also love easy, cheap and quick!

Over the next several months I am going to be testing out new recipes and sharing the success with you!

I have two oh-so-sweet dishes to share this week and hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Banana Bread French Toast

Monday Morning breakfast with a side of egg whites

I came up with this easy breakfast one morning when I was craving something sweet-it's easy and filling. Plus it is versatile. You could sub in peaches & pecans for a Peach Cobbler style french toast or even berries & almonds.

• 2 slices Ezekiel bread (or other sprouted grain bread ie Trader Joe's)
• 1 whole egg & 2 egg whites OR 1/3 cup of Egg Beaters
• 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• a splash of your favorite milk product (cow milk, almond milk, rice milk, soy milk)
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of stevia (or your favorite sweetener)

 Topping

• 1 small banana
• handful of chopped walnuts
• REAL Maple Syrup or honey

Heat a skillet (medium heat) and spritz with your favorite oil. I like coconut oil for this one

In a bowl, mix up your egg, cinnamon, stevia. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, making sure that you get the bread well saturated.

Put each slice of bread onto the heated skillet and cook until golden on each side.
Top with banana slices, walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

This is great with a side of greek style yogurt too-This is the perfect recovery breakfast after an early morning training session or even just a healthy way to start your day!

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Awesome Balls

photo credit: The Eat Clean Diet

I cannot take credit for this amazing goodie, snack/recovery snack. I found this on the community boards of  The Eat Clean Diet and could not wait to try it out. The original recipe called these Peanut Butter Balls but really?? That was boring. They taste like awesome. So I call them Awesome Balls. I mean really anything made with peanut butter has got to be good right??  I am going to attempt this recipe with Almond Butter too to see how that comes out! Then I can call those Awesome Almond Balls...

•1 cup crunchy style peanut butter
•1 cup honey
•1 cup non fat dry milk
•1 cup wheat germ
•3/4 cup protein powder (vanilla is what I used but sure chocolate could be yummy)
•1/4 cup sesame seeds

Mix and roll!! It can get a bit tough to mix this dough so make sure you bring your A game to the mixing bowl--call it a workout session and enjoy one of the AWESOME BALLS as a reward.

Roll the balls in the sesame seeds. Feeling frisky?? Add a dark chocolate chip to the center. AWESOME.
Really...

These store well in the fridge.

Happy Eating!!

Tell me--what is one of your favorite healthy/clean eats?? Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Snacks!

"Fat Tax" vs. Fat Facts

I read a lot of blogs. These last couple of weeks my time has been limited to reading a few blogs in depth (bring on those LP RR's), scanning several and only being able to comment on some.


Since I started blogging and fell into this amazing world of triathlon and all things endurance, one of my very favorite blogs to read is Cook Train Eat Race. Last week he wrote up a great post about taxes on soda and obesity.
Go read them-here's a link to SODA TAX and OBESITY IN AMERICA


I read through each and every comment left on this post. One thing I don't have a lot of lately is time, but I wanted to take the time to read this. There were so many different views on the subject and great ideas.


As a former fatty myself who used to dine on Chinese take-out and processed foods all too often, I do have many opinions on the subject.

Do I think that the Government should be determining what's "good" and "bad" when it comes to what is taxable food?
NO
Government is already waist deep in all kinds of garbage when it comes to the food industry so there is no way that there could ever be a fair "grading system". So many FDA officials are former big food executives with only one goal in mind-and it is not your health. I could go on and on here about this (as well as corn and soy crop subsidizing) but let's stay on topic here. (However, I will gladly revisit this subject)


What I will say is that from my own personal experience, I did not see "processed foods" for the danger they were until I educated myself.
Then I learned WHY high fructose corn syrup is poison to our bodies.
I did not understand why white bleached & enriched flour was not the best choice nutritionally until I learned WHAT it was (and was NOT).
I did not know the difference between grass fed organic beef vs. feedlot beef other than one was really expensive.
Nor did I understand the dangers of artificial sweeteners and how they effect our brain.
Simply by learning over time how these FrankenFoods react within our bodies as a whole (and not just on a weight loss level or fitness level) did I start to see the bigger picture. This was a precipice to change for me and the all-mighty calorie was not the only piece of the puzzle.


Let's think back to the days of our grandparents-
they ate clean foods-they ate real foods-they ate organic
(but it was just FOOD back then!)
They moved their bodies just living daily life.
No sitting around watching TV or playing video games
No putting around for hours behind a computer screen
No texting. No email.
No driving to every single destinationThey did not have the rampant obesity, diabetes, cardiac disease and a slew of other health problems we face as a Nation today.
 
By making life "easier" with transportation, communication, fast food, convenience foods we are actually slowing killing ourselves. Our children are now suffering the most from this. Childhood diabetes is on the rise. ADD and ADHD is all over. Our kids are getting bigger and bigger. And with that sicker and sicker.

Take this article for example:

"If we are what we eat, then America kids are Fritos.That's just one of the major findings from the new USDA Dietary Guidelines. Fries and chips are the only "vegetables" on the list of Top 25 calorie sources; fruit juice is the sole "fruit" to make the leader board.
The prevalence of these foods plays a big role in the childhood-obesity epidemic, which affects fare more than our children's waist size. Many chronic conditions are on the rise among kids including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). All of these conditions have been linked to what kids eat." ~Alan Greene, MD pediatrician and author of Raising Baby Green.

I remember reading a study that put kids diagnosed with ADHD on a diet on clean, unprocessed foods and within 6 weeks of eating "real" food their symptoms improved remarkably. 

But is it is up to US, the consumers to make the decisions to stop putting our hard earned dollars into the things that make us sick.
Big food will slap whatever label they think will appeal to the diet trend of the moment-
multigrain and whole grain
low sugar and low carb
low fat and low sodium
But all in all these processed foods are made with cheap ingredients that offer no real nutritional value. Do you think Big Food cares about your health or their bottom line?

Where we need to start is with EDUCATION. If people truly understand what they are doing to their bodies, maybe the choices they make will change. Maybe not. But at least they will be armed with information to make an educated decision.

Take High Fructose Corn Syrup for example-
Do you know WHY HFCS is used widely in processed foods?
Do you know why HFCS is essentially poison for your body?

SO instead of a Fat Tax let's get out the Fat Facts and educate the Nation!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Yesterday Lola asked for a PB & jelly sandwich for lunch--this is not a strange occurrence.
What WAS a strange occurrence it the fact that I decided that I wanted a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich too.

Now let's back up a bit...
I have been mostly following the Paleo for the Athlete style of eating for the last couple of months, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is not the ideal food choice, even if you eat it after a killer workout.
The last couple of weeks I just don't feel like I have my normal strength and power. I have also been struggling with carb binges and cravings. This has been playing with my head a bit. I even confessed to Dawn on Sunday's bike ride that I think I need to change things up a bit.

So back to yesterday. I made Lola her PB&J-all natty PB, quality strawberry jam on whole wheat bread. And then I made one for myself.
And it was amazing. Delish. Wonderful.
I love peanut butter and I could eat an entire jar easily in a week (but I don't).

Yesterday afternoon I had a couple wheat crackers with hummus.
Last night after dinner, I had a graham cracker with honey on it.
This morning I had steel cut oats for breakfast.

Today my training plan was a run followed by a swim.
I felt fantastic too.
My legs were strong even after a big week of workouts.
I am wondering if it is the fuel. The way I feel today leads me to believe it made a difference.

While I think the basis of the Paleo for the Athlete makes sense, I think I am going to add some grains back into my nutritional plan and see how things go. I don't know if it is a mental thing for me but I do know that my usually strong legs have been feeling a bit lackluster lately.

I have always been a big advocate of eating clean foods and of course, I am going to stick with those basic principles and keep the garbage out.
But I am going to add back in some oats and some whole grain breads.

The volume and intensity of my training plan kicks up next week AND on top of adding in some other classes and workouts for work, I really need to be able to keep strong.
Nutrition is such a personal thing and everyone responds differently so...
Let's see what happens!

What a LOSER

I have a friend who I have been trying to motivate to get healthy for a while. I would mention things here and there but not get in her face about it. I believe that change must come from within--not someone telling you to do it. 

I try not to be one of those obnoxious people who quit "whatever" and now must convert everyone they know into their lifestyle--you know what I mean, the former smoker who goes on and on to everyone who smokes how they MUST quit!! Or the alcoholic who preaches to anyone who drinks, even responsibly, how they MUST quit!! Or the former fatty who goes on and on about the evils of a sedentary life filled with Twinkies and Chinese take-out?? Ok, so in reality I could get up on my soapbox about ALL of these things, but I don't. Personally, I find these people quite annoying. Back in the day if anyone got in MY face about my smoking, drinking, eating, whatever I would just tune them out and imagine blowing a big puff of cigarette smoke directly in their face. HA!

This fall though my friend came to me and said that she was ready to make some changes and wanted my help. She was giving me permission to "get into her business". Words cannot tell you how happy I was to hear those words--I love this person dearly and want nothing but the best for her!! She did let me that she was going to wait until AFTER the Holidays to get started on making healthy changes but she was COMMITTED and READY to make some changes.
That was all I needed to hear.

I started doing some research since as there are a couple medical issues we need to deal with and I wanted to be sure I set her up for success! We would need to ease into exercise and make some serious changes with nutrition. We had several conversations over the weeks leading up to the big change-what kind of changes we would make to her eating, HOW she was going to eat, WHAT she was going to be eating and how we could transition her into a more active life.

We talked about her goals and the importance of making goals. All kinds of goals. Big ones, small ones, short term and long term goals. One of her goals was to lose 30lbs.

Here we are three weeks into January 2011 and guess what??

She is almost 1/2 way to her first weight loss goal!! At our last "check in" she was down 12 lbs.

Know what else??
She is exercising
She is attending group exercise classes
She is eating clean foods
She is feeling stronger and stronger

I am so proud of her dedication over the last couple weeks and how well she is transitioning into making LIFELONG choices about living healthy. We still have a long way to go together to reach ALL of her goals and we will. I am just happy for and all she has accomplished thus far!! Her hard work is paying off.

So FRIEND--keep up the good work. I am so proud of you and I am here for you no matter what. I admire your bravery to face some fears and conquer them. I have no doubt you can be successful at anything you want to accomplish. I know first hand just how strong you are--remember that.

But here is a warning to you: Now that you have given me "permission" to get into your business, just know that if you start to get off this wagon, I will go BANANAS on you!! I will make Jillian Michaels look like Mother Theresa.

Don't you EVER say YOU CAN'T DO IT!!

Tuesday's Tantrum!!

I have been fighting a BIG mental vs. physical battle the last several weeks~it all started with this nagging lower leg pain that threw a giant monkey wrench in my running for about 4 weeks. Then finally when THAT irritating pain subsided I was able to run 20 miles in the Run for the Fallen, which my body really was not ready for. Now I have been experiencing some foot pain post Run for the Fallen -and since I play a Doctor on TV, I have gone ahead and diagnosed myself with fascia inflammation from overuse (running 20 miles when the previous 4 weeks my max run had been in the 7-8 mile category).

This morning I got up early to run on the treadmill while Lola slept and what was supposed to be 5 miles of speedwork turned into 3 miles of frustration. And not FAST frustration. I guess since my pace was not where I thought it should be I threw in the towel. I quit. I don't quit!! Why did I allow myself to quit today? Yes, it was hot. Yes, I was annoyed with my Garmin (trying to figure out how to use it for a TM run). Yes, I should remember that my training has not been on target. But I let my ego dictate this morning's run, not my logic. Stop it with the temper tantrum already!!

Since I started working out and running I have never had to deal with any kind of physical set back or injury and it has been really hard for me to accept these physical limitations. I have been on a road of constant improvement over the last 18 months so right now it's killing me to feel like I have been pushed back MONTHS in training. My confidence has been shaken and that is a very scary thing for me.

I have so much on the line right now and I don't want to feel like I have failed. I could easily take the pressure off myself by not expecting anything performance wise at these races on the schedule but then do I risk not pushing myself 110%??

This frustration has certainly been seen in my eating habits of late too! Pizza, ice cream, chips and Oreos. Oreos?? Are you kidding me? I don't EAT this kind of garbage. I have worked way to hard to start slipping back into old habits. I know, I know...it's all emotional eating and while it is important that I recognize that it is more important that I deal with the frustration instead of feeding it.

So I gave myself a good kick in the behind and got the train back on track yesterday. This clean eating gal is back and done being dirty. I restocked the house with all my favorite clean eating staples (eggs, oatmeal, quinoa, Greek yogurt, veggies, veggies, veggies). I am going back to weekly weigh-ins on Fridays to hold myself accountable.

I have a 5k race on Monday 9/6 and while I was hoping for a PR for this race, I guess I will just have to suck it up and just do my best and disregard any PR's for the time being.

I'm getting back to basics with my training and eating.

Check back on Friday for my progress report on week one.

Tuesday's Dish

Welcome to Tuesday's Dish where I share what I am eating, what's new on my menu and fun, healthy ways to eat clean!

I am often asked how I lost so much weight and I am always happy to tell anyone who asks it was eating clean and working out that helped me go from FAT TO FIT.
Working out is important but even more important is the fuel you are putting into your body! It is important to get control of what you are eating no matter what goal you are trying to reach-whether it is to lose weight, lose fat, gain muscle or get lean and even increase your fitness and endurance. When you eat clean, nutrient dense foods your body (and waistline) will thank you.
Eating clean is actually quite simple-try to get foods as close to nature as you can. Fresh fruits and veggies are always a great choice. Pick whole grains over processed grains. Grill up lean proteins like fish, chicken, and pork or beef tenderloins. Beans are also a perfect staple-they are economical and so versatile! Read labels on any kind of packaged or boxed foods and if you don't know what it is, then don't eat it!

So the plan for today's meals are:

• Breakfast: 1/2 of an Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English muffin toasted with all natural peanut butter, water.
• Post Workout: blueberry & banana protein shake
• Lunch: 1/2 cup whole wheat linguine pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil and grilled chicken, tossed greens with vinaigrette
• PM Snack: string cheese & Gala apple
• Dinner: Grilled Steelhead Trout (recipe below), Ginger Infused Mushroom Quinoa*, tossed salad with Ginger Lime dressing.

*Thank You to Mostly Fit Mom for sharing this dish on YOUR blog and another Thank You to The Happy Pantry for sharing the recipe. This dish sounds amazing and I can't wait to try it out tonight!!



I recently discovered Steelhead Trout and fell in love! Wild caught salmon is getting SO expensive so my local fish monger suggested I try the trout-It is very similar in taste/appearance as salmon.

Grilled Steelhead Trout

6 oz fillet of Steelhead Trout

2 tblsp real maple syrup

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or Bragg fluid aminos

Preheat grill to med-high. You can also make this on the stove top on a cast iron grill pan or in a saute pan. If using a pan, spray with oil to keep from sticking.

Combine maple syrup and soy sauce (or Braggs) in a shallow dish, mix well. Place trout flesh side down into the sauce and let marinade for about 1/2 hour. Do not let marinade longer than this as it can cause the fish to breakdown.

Place fish skin side down onto grill or grill pan/saute pan. Grill/cook apx 5-7 mins depending on thickness of the fish. Flip to finish. Serve with your favorite side dish and salad.

So what are YOU eating today???